Free Republic

Republicans for Environmental Protection has endorsed former Rep. Pete McCloskey (R-Calif.) for the GOP nomination in California’s 11th Congressional District instead of the Republican incumbent, Rep. Richard Pombo. In a statement, the organization endorsed McCloskey, co-author of the 1973 Endangered Species Act, because he “has a distinguished record of working to safeguard the environment and supporting traditional Republican values.” The organization did not support Pombo, who, according to the organization, has “worked to dismantle landmark environmental laws.” McCloskey served in Congress from December 1967 until January 1983 and unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for president in 1972. He broke...

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Bridgett Luther Thompson to head the state Department of Conservation Friday. Thompson, 50, was previously a regional development director for Hands on Bay Area, which matches its network of volunteers to local charities. Prior to that, she was national development director for Republicans for Environmental Protection. "Bridgett shares my dedication to protecting our environment and ensuring our natural resources are wisely conserved," Schwarzenegger said in a statement. Thompson, a member of both the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society, has also served as program director for the Trust for Public Land in Charlotte,...