The Mask Slips. Tesla Bill Becomes This Year’s Roll Your Own.
From: WestportElectricCar Club <westportevclub@gmail.com>
Date: January 30, 2022 at 1:33:00 PM EST
To: WestportElectricCar Club <westportevclub@gmail.com>
Subject: Political Fund Raiser to Support Direct Sales
Dear Member:
We have been asked to support a Democratic State Senate Victory Fund. We have been told that given that direct sales fell one vote short in the Senate last year, this will provide leverage for leadership to move fence-sitters into our column. [Emphasis added.]
We have never done something like this before and generally think of ourselves as pro-EV, pro-environmentalism, but partisan, not so much. However, there were zero Republican votes last year, which is kind of shocking for a party that purports to have a free-market ideology. So we’re supporting this and ask that you help out to the extent you can.
There is a fund-raising event being held in Westport on Sunday, Feb. 6th at 1:00 PM. It is fine to contribute online without going to the event as Westport is not convenient for everyone. This kind of event legally has to be held before the start of the legislative session, which is Feb. 9th.
The details are in the flyer below. For those who can attend, it will be good to see you. The suggested contribution is $250. The legal maximum is $2,000. Contributions in any amount are greatly appreciated. The URL in the flyer is not linkable but the website is live. You will be asked to fill out a disclosure form. I have asked for, and received, assurances that emails or phone numbers will not be used for ANYTHING. No spam here.
The Tesla club is supporting us and there is a fair amount of overlap between our organizations. If you receive two solicitations, it doesn’t matter which one you respond to. Rivian and Lucid are also helping us reach out to their reservation-holders. Of course, you don’t need to own a Tesla, Rivian, or Lucid to support this measure which will accelerate EV adoption.
Senators Haskell and Duff will be present.
We hope everyone came through the storm safely. Thank you for your consideration.
The mask has fallen away. Candidates will take million in public financing for their campaigns this year but it is only an expensive supplement. The Westport Electric Car Club reveals how it works in a January 30th fundraising solicitation posted above. The boldness of the approach recalls the Roll Your Own scandal of a decade ago.
The February 6th event at the United Feed and Commercial Workers Union building is intended to use money to influence votes to enact an exception to the state’s automobile dealer franchise act. There is nothing subtle in the message. “We have been told” that raising money for the Senate Democratic campaign committee will move votes.
The solicitation may attract the attention of Attorney General William Tong for cramming so many falsehoods into one fundraising message. The Tesla bill did not lose by one vote in the Senate last year. A vote was never held.
The transportation committee did vote on the bill. It passed 25-10. Some Republicans were among the 25, some Democrats among the 10.
It is for others to inquire who told the Westport Electric Car Club that money “will provide leverage to move fence-sitters into our column”? This is a raw attempt at buying votes, chilling in its conviction that members of the Senate Democratic caucus are for sale.
Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) is a special guest at the event. He’s the author of a recently published book, 100,000 Bosses, on his experience in politics as a 22 year old. It did not take Haskell, who is not seeking a third term, long to become a practitioner of the seamy side of politics. His sequel could be called First $100,000 Bosses.
Published February 1, 2022.