[WestMALocals] Fwd: [usgp-dx] (PRESS RELEASE)CT. GREENS SLAM DELAURO'S BILL ALMOST BANNING 3rd PARTY CANDIDATES IN CONGRESSIONAL RACES

[Owen Broadhurst]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Green Party-CT <greenpartyct at yahoo.com>
Date: Feb 9, 2006 8:16 PM
Subject: [usgp-dx] (PRESS RELEASE)CT. GREENS SLAM DELAURO'S BILL ALMOST
BANNING 3rd PARTY CANDIDATES IN CONGRESSIONAL RACES
To: NG GREENS <natlcomaffairs at green.gpus.org>


Press release- For Immediate Release- Feb. 10, 2006
Contact: Tim McKee, Thornton for Governor Campaign Manager- cell (860)
324-1684 or (860) 643-2282
Mike DeRosa, Green Party State Co-Chair (860)956-8170 or (860) 919-4042
(cell)
Ralph Ferrucci, Green Party candidate for U. S. Senate (203) 430-9342
Charles Pillsbury, New Haven Greens (203)865-6575

CT. GREENS SLAM DELAURO'S BILL ALMOST BANNING 3RD PARTY CANDIDATES IN
CONGRESSIONAL RACES
Bill MIRRORS BAD CT. PUBLIC FINANCING HURDLES

  HARTFORD, CT-GREEN PARTY OF CONNECTICUT officials slammed CT.
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro bill that would place high hurdles on third party
or Independents candidates running for Congress to qualify for public
financing in their races. Eight Democratic congressmen have filed a bill
that combines public funding of congressional campaigns – with a vicious
attack on freedom of speech. The bill would effectively eliminate virtually
all congressional campaigns by independent and third-party candidates.

      Tim McKee, campaign manger for Green Party gubernatorial candidate
Cliff Thornton, said this federal bill mirrors the outrageous recent state
law that requires over 200,000 valid signatures of a Green or third party
candidate or Independent candidate, like former Gov. Lowell Wiecker, for
public funding.

    Charlie Pillsbury, a New Haven Green Party leader and a Green Party
Congressional candidate against DeLauro is 2002 said "The bill, HR 4694,
would provide public financing for both Democrats and Republicans in most
districts. But Ballot Access News reports that candidates not qualifying for
funding would not only receive no government funds, but would also be barred
from spending any privately raised money. No government money and no private
money will mean that a non-qualifying candidate would be prohibited from
spending any money at all, not one red cent. Not even a business card with
the candidate name and office sought would be legal under the bill!"

   Requirements for qualifying for funding would be relatively easy for the
major parties but almost impossible for independent and third-party
candidates. The bill would provide public funding for nominees of parties
that had averaged 25% of the vote for U.S. House in that district over the
last two elections.

    Independent candidates who had averaged 25% would also get full public
funding, but unlike party candidates, only the specific individual who
previously got those votes would qualify. All others would be required to
submit petitions signed by 20% of the last vote cast for full funding, and
10% for partial funding.

   In certain districts where a single party is dominant, the bill would
eliminate campaigns by the second party as well. Not surprisingly, Democrats
(who propose this bill) hold Republican opponents to below 25% in more
districts than Republicans do the same to Democrats.

  The offensive bill is sponsored by Rep. David Obey (D-WI) and co-sponsored
by fellow Democrats Rosa DeLauro of CONNECTICUT, Barney Frank and James
McGovern of Massachusetts, Henry Waxman of CA , Steve Israel of New York,
and Tim Ryan of Ohio.

    McKee noted that in 2004, Rep. Obey faced a challenger from the left for
the first time in his political career in the person of Mike Miles, who ran
as a Green. Obey refused to debate Miles, saying that he (Miles) was not a
"legitimate" candidate. Miles got one of the highest vote totals of any
third party candidate that year and he's already announced that he's running
again. Israel also ran against a Green, while Democrat Frank has NO
candidates running against him at all.

       Ralph Ferrucci ran as Green against bill co-sponsor DeLauro is 2004
in the New Haven area district. He said "Third parties have always brought
out new voters and people who would not have voted, by noting giving them a
voice we are then taking away their right to a free speech." Ferrucci is
running against Democrat Joe Lieberman for the U.S. Senate who has a $4
million dollar war chest and says public financing will be major issue in
their race, especially in light of the recent lobbyist scandals in
Washington.


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Resources:
http://ballot-access.org/2006/02/02/public-funding-of-congressional-campaigns









----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paid for by Thornton For Governor
info at votethornton.com

Cliff Thornton for Governor- Campaign manager- Tim McKee cell (860) 324-1684
or (860) 643-2282
National Committee member of the Green Party- Connecticut


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