PRESS STATEMENT

DON YOUNG TARGETED BY DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE ACTION FUND
New TV ad hits Young on federal investigations

WASHINGTON - Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund today announced a campaign targeting Rep. Don Young (R-AK) hours after Young barely won the narrowest of victories in his primary election. Young's unethical behavior and refusal to protect Alaska from the causes of global warming will be highlighted for all his constituents in a new TV ad that begins airing in the next few days.

"Don Young is the poster boy for congressional corruption," said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. "He consistently puts the special interests first, is always on the list of the 'most corrupt' Members of Congress, and is facing numerous federal investigations for his unethical behavior. The fact that he was nearly beaten in his primary election shows that much of his own core constituency has had enough of him.

"Don Young has repeatedly used his power on the House Natural Resources Committee to block meaningful conservation legislation to protect our air, land and water. And he's the only member of Alaska's congressional delegation that refuses to support legislation that will protect Alaska from the causes of global warming," said Schlickeisen. "We need honest, forward-thinking representatives to address our pressing environmental challenges, not corrupt, backward looking ones whose preferred legislative approach is making unethical, backroom deals with the special interests."

"We will do what we can to help make sure that the next Congress convenes without Don Young among its ranks," concluded Schlickeisen.

Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund will be engaged in independent expenditure campaigns in about a ten priority congressional races this year, and has made its top priority electing Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM) to the Senate in New Mexico, over Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM) who is a strong ally of Don Young's on the House Natural Resources Committee where he also has opposed all meaningful global warming legislation.

The organization also recently became engaged in the presidential race, targeting Gov. Palin with swing-state TV ads that use her promotion of Alaska aerial wolf hunting as an indication of her anti-conservation and anti-wildlife values.

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The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund (www.defendersactionfund.org) provides a powerful voice in Washington to Americans who value our conservation heritage. Through grassroots lobbying, issue advocacy and political campaigns, the Action Fund champions those laws and lawmakers that protect wildlife and wild places while working against those that do them harm.