Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger assailed Texas-based oil companies last week as "greedy" for donating toward an effort to repeal his prized legacy piece, a 2006 law to reduce greenhouse gases 25 percent by 2020.
But what to make of Occidental Petroleum?
A day after Schwarzenegger attacked oil firms at a Capitol press conference, Los Angeles-based Occidental gave $300,000 to the effort to repeal Assembly Bill 32, the third largest donation so far. Occidental is the state's top producer of natural gas and third-largest producer of oil, according to its website.
The governor might have a harder time calling Occidental greedy, considering that the company gave his own campaign account $300,000 in March. Schwarzenegger is raising money to back the open primary measure on the June ballot.
Occidental has long been a Schwarzenegger friend; the company gave $250,000 last year toward a committee to back the governor's budget-related special election measures. It also gave the governor $25,000 last September and contributed the maximum amount toward his 2006 re-election efforts.
PHOTO CREDIT: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers remarks at the Bank on California Director's Luncheon on March 9 in Sacramento. Hector Amezcua/hamezcua@sacbee.com
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