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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control

League of Conservation Voters gives McMorris Rodgers another failing grade

The League of Conservation Voters gave U.S. Rep Cathy McMorris Rodgers another failing grade for her votes on environmental issues in 2016, bringing the congresswoman's "lifetime score" down to 3 percent.

The group ranks lawmakers based on their voting records in its annual "scorecard." For 2016 it accounted for 17 bills in the Senate and 38 in the House of Representatives. It's the sixth time McMorris Rodgers – a Republican who advocates for oil and gas production and has repeatedly brushed off the scientific consensus on climate change – has received a yearly score of 0 percent.

“Despite 2016 being the hottest year on record, some congressional leaders put polluters' agenda ahead of the health of Washingtonians, environmental protections and climate action," Shannon Murphy, president of the Washington Conservation Voters, said in a statement. "This is particularly disappointing from members of the Washington delegation where we have long had a bipartisan tradition of environmental protection.”

The scorecard can be found here. And here's how other Washington's other Congress members scored:

  • Sen. Maria Cantwell (D) – 100 percent
  • Sen. Patty Murray (D) – 100 percent
  • Rep. Suzan DelBene (D) – 97 percent
  • Rep. Rick Larsen (D) – 100 percent
  • Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (D) – 8 percent
  • Rep. Dan Newhouse (R) – 0 percent
  • Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R) – 0 percent
  • Rep. Derek Kilmer (D) – 97 percent
  • Rep. Jim McDermott (D) – 92 percent
  • Rep. Dave Reichert (R) – 34 percent
  • Rep. Adam Smith (D) – 82 percent
  • Rep. Denny Heck (D) – ​97 percent


Chad Sokol
Chad Sokol is a general assignment reporter for the City Desk. He joined The Spokesman-Review in 2015 as an intern in the Olympia bureau covering state government. After a stint of freelancing, he joined the staff in 2016. His focuses include higher education, jails and prisons, white nationalism and anti-government extremism.

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