Jerry Brown vs. Jerry Brown

Jerry Brown staffer defends lawsuit against global warming. In response, I cite a certain 1964 Yale Law School graduate.

Though a liberal Democrat with an impressive record of environmental advocacy, this razor-sharp Yalie thought little of the global warming lawsuit against six automakers pushed by then-California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, who earned his law degree at night school.

Among the thing this highly regarded fellow told me:

1) "One of the principles of tort law is that damages should not be speculative," and Lockyer's lawsuit failed that basic test.

2) He questioned how Lockyer's suit could assert "causation" between vehicle emissions and the reduced size of California's mountain snowpacks.

3) Sure, there was an urgent need to do something about global warming, but attempting to build a unified national and international approach to the problem made a lot more sense than a lawsuit.

Who was this thoughtful, brilliant lawyer?

Edmund G. Brown Jr. Better known as Jerry Brown. California Attorney General Jerry Brown.

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