Rep. Charlie Crist (D), the Blue Dog Democrat congressman from Florida who is listed as having a 94% environmental scorecard by The League of Conservation Voters, is pushing a carbon tax bill that fellow Democratic colleague Rep. Ted Deutch sponsored several months ago.
Rep. Crist, who once stated, “I’m not going to change my stripes,” and that he was “anti-tax,” will now have to vote on Deutch’s Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (EICDA) or carbon tax bill, if and when Speaker Pelosi brings it to the floor of the House.
One of Crist’s 2020 Republican congressional opponents, Air Force Veteran and “Green Conservative” Anna Paulina Luna, who volunteers for the non-profit Force Blue, has taken issue with “Tax and spend Charlie Crist” for cosponsoring the carbon tax legislation.
In an interview with The Floridian at the American Priorities (Ampvet) event at Trump Doral National in Doral, Florida this past weekend, Luna said that by Crist pushing this carbon tax, he was essentially wanting to “destroy local small businesses without even beginning to fix the problem of environmental pollution & carbon emissions.”
“You want to talk solution? Start with China, the number one source of carbon emissions in the world,” said Luna “Start with trade agreements. If you want to trade with the US, stop trashing our planet.
Hold on to your wallets, it’s tax season for Charlie, and he wants to collect.”
In response to The Floridian's request for comment, the Crist campaign stated," no, thank you."
According to Congress.gov, Deutch’s bill would “amend the Internal Revenue Code to impose a fee on carbon content of fuels.”
“The fees must be deposited into a Carbon Dividend Trust Fund and used for administrative expenses and dividend payments to U.S. citizens or lawful residents. The fees must be decommissioned when emissions levels and monthly dividend payments fall below specified levels.
The bill also amends the Clean Air Act to suspend certain regulations that limit greenhouse gas emissions. The suspensions expire if the emissions targets established by this bill are not reached after a specified time period.” –Congress.gov
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has placed Crist’s seat on their ‘hit list’ of seats to challenge, and with Luna having deep ties with conservative activists and the likes of Donald Trump, Jr and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R), Republicans like their chances against Crist.
But before Luna can face-off against Crist, the most prolific campaigner and fundraiser in Florida political history, she must first win her primary race.
Amanda Makki, George Buck, and Sheila Griffin, are also vying for the Republican nomination in Florida’s 13th congressional district.
