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The New York Times has published a story about an "unlikely alliance" between the chemical industry and New Mexico's Democratic US Senator Tom Udall, regarded as an environmental champion.
From reporter Eric Lipton's
:
So environmental activists were stunned to learn that Mr. Udall’s political supporters now include the chemical industry, which has donated tens of thousands of dollars to his campaigns and sponsored a television ad that praised his leadership.
This unlikely alliance has been forged as Mr. Udall emerged as the chief Senate negotiator for Democrats on legislation that would fundamentally change the way the federal government evaluates the safety of more than 80,000 chemicals.
Udall "emphatically rejects the notion that he is industry’s emissary," reports the Times.
“I am fighting for our children and trying to make sure they are not being pumped full of chemicals in the next generation,” Udall said.
Fellow Democrats, including Barbara Boxer, D-California, are reportedly upset over Udall's negotiations with US Sen. David Vitter, R-Louisiana. Udall and Vitter, according to the report, want to require testing of 10 high-risk chemicals a year, a much slower clip than environmentalists and public health experts are proposing.
One party's not upset: The American Chemistry Council. It paid for an ad supporting Udall that ran in New Mexico markets:
Santa Fe Reporter