U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., said today he doesn’t have a belief “one way or the other” on whether humans are causing climate change.
The comments come in the wake of his having been targeted in a national ad campaign for his environmental beliefs.
Johnson focused mainly on the deficit when he spoke to the downtown Madison Rotary Club. Afterward, he faced numerous questions from Rotarians on other topics. One asked if Johnson believed humans are contributing to global warming.
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Johnson responded:
“I don’t have a belief one way or the other. I’m willing to accept science; I’m willing to accept the facts. What I’m not willing to accept is … Until we know conclusively what’s doing it – and if any actions we take would have any kind of measurable impact – I don’t think we should be spending trillions of dollars unilaterally.”
The League of Conservation Voters is running national ads against four Republicans, including Johnson, for their views on climate change. In a fundraising letter, Johnson said the ads indicated the group was on an “environmental jihad”.
He did not back off that comment Wednesday and also questioned whether the League of Conservation Voters was a “middle-of-the-road environmental group.”
“I view myself as a strong environmentalist,” said Johnson. “I love a pristine environment. I’m a fisherman, I get my water out of a well – I don’t want groundwater contamination.”
Johnson says environmental considerations have to be weighed against the cost of energy and the effect regulations might have on business.
Check out the League of Conservation Voters ad below:
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