Arredondo Sets the Record Straight Following Misrepresentation in SA Current Article

Article by: Jonathan Guajardo - Editor, SA Sentinel

After Wednesday’s noontime rainfall subsided, Johnny Arredondo entered Sabor! Cocina Mexicana on the far Northwest Side of town. Arredondo’s black Lucchese’s echoed off the tiled tan flooring while the warm sun radiated off the drenched asphalt outside the strip center housing the Northwest Side eatery. Wearing his trademark cowboy hat, Arredondo reclined at a corner table in the restaurant and ordered a drink to rehydrate from a long day of campaigning.

Arredondo, a candidate in a runoff for the District 4 council seat formerly held by Councilman Rey Saldana, was here for an interview with the Sentinel to set the record straight and clarify his stance on climate change after a June 4th article in the San Antonio Current claimed he blamed NASA for the phenomenon. Our interview would cover the candidate’s journey throughout the 2019 council campaign, his key issues as a candidate, as well as his comment made during a recent League of Women Voters forum regarding climate change. Claiming that his comment had been taken out of context in the article, he recalled that the question came from an audience member.

The question posed to the candidate was:

“The climate action and adaptation plan is currently at a standstill. What are some aspects you hope to improve or expand on? How do you think San Antonio should address climate change?”

Arredondo responded with the following statement:

“Climate change. So much of it is on the media. What we hear. Do we actually do the research to find out what climate change really is? The number one source of climate change is NASA. NASA satellites in the air actually measures climate change. NASA put out a study in 1950, between 1950 and 1990. That was the hardest time period for climate change. You had motor vehicles that did not have any exhaust systems and were below the standard.”

The Current article, written by Sanford Nowlin, Editor-in-Chief of the SA Current, cut off Arredondo’s response after he said “the number one source of climate change is NASA.” It later continued, stating, “Over the years, politicians have bandied about some interesting theories to explain away climate change. But District 4 council candidate Johnny Arredondo's is a new one on us. He blames NASA.” This gave many readers the false impression that the candidate literally blamed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for the phenomenon.

“I was quoting NASA as a source for the information that I was going to speak about,” stated Arredondo in the Sentinel’s interview with him. “I was misrepresented on what I said and one of the local papers said that I was blaming NASA as the number one reason for climate change.”

After all the smoke and headlines have cleared, it is evident that Arredondo’s stance is one of fiscal responsibility rather than conspiratorial beliefs or science denial. Arredondo further clarified his stance on climate change by making the statement below during our interview:

“I believe that there is climate change of some type. I believe that it’s overhyped. I do know that we need to take care of our environment. I do know that we need to consider the health of our children and grandchildren and future generations. There’s no doubt about that, but businesses and government, I do believe they’re going in the right direction. We have emission controls, we have things in place already, so we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. All we have to do is follow the rules that are out there and if there are ways to improve it, let’s improve them.”

Arredondo is currently locked in a tight runoff with Adriana Rocha Garcia, the frontrunner in the May 4th election. Utilizing a small but close-knit group of supporters, Arredondo hopes to overcome his opponent’s lead in the runoff and claim the council seat this Saturday.

Wrapping up his interview, Arredondo encouraged anyone with questions about his views or goals to reach out and ask either himself or anyone on his team. “Before you believe some of the things that are written and said out there, reach out to us and ask us,” said the candidate. “Myself, anyone that you can get a hold of on the campaign will be more than happy to explain the things that we believe in and what we stand for.”