Tea Party Favorite Rep. Steve Pearce Reps For Big Oil And Gas
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This story is part of an ongoing special series produced by USC Annenberg News21 in partnership with KCET's SoCal Connected. Ten new media reporters explore the intersection of Big Money and Poltiics from L.A. City Hall to Sacramento to Washington D.C. -- + --
John Guenther
House Rep. Steve Pearce rode a wave of national resentment and money from oil and gas companies to regain an office he vacated in 2008. Now he's back, and he brought with him a former Washington insider and lobbyist who sought to roll back environmental legislation well before it was the hot new thing to do. Pearce (R-N.M.), endorsed by the anti-establishment Tea Party Express, hired Washington veteran Todd Willens to be his chief of staff. Willens is a former lobbyist for Vitello Consulting, which works on natural resource issues for businesses and consults for a Native American casino. Read the rest here on the Under The Influence site from USC News21 and SoCal Connected.
