Countywide : Actor Aids Ferguson in Race for Congress

Robert Redford, the square-jawed actor and environmental activist, has lent his voice to the congressional campaign of Anita Perez Ferguson.

In a radio ad to be aired by the Ferguson campaign, Redford criticizes the environmental voting record of her Republican opponent, Rep. Robert J. Lagomarsino of Ventura.

“These days, every politician claims to be an environmentalist,” Redford says in the radio spot. “Unfortunately, it’s not always the truth.”

Redford goes on, “In Santa Barbara, your congressman has told you he’s an environmentalist. But the truth is he has one of the worst environmental records in Congress.”

Sam Rodriguez, Ferguson’s campaign manager, said Ferguson linked up with Redford through the League of Conservation Voters, a political consortium of environmental groups. In addition, Redford’s “scheduler is a personal friend of mine,” Rodriguez said.

Among other activities, the League of Conservation Voters keeps score on what the group considers key environmental votes. It doesn’t rate Lagomarsino as one of the worst in Congress.

Last year, for example, he received a 50% score for voting with the league on half of 10 key environmental votes. Many conservative members of Congress got scores of 30%, 20% or lower.

Rodriguez said the campaign soon will begin airing the ad on AM and FM stations in Santa Barbara County and then possibly in Ventura County.

Meanwhile, Lagomarsino’s campaign announced that Jack Kemp, secretary of Housing and Urban Development, will speak at a fund-raising dinner for the congressman in Santa Barbara tonight.