{news} Fw: GP RELEASE Greens vow support as Elaine Brown fights disqualification

[Tom Sevigny]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "DC Statehood Green Party" <dcsgp5 at hotmail.com>
To: <dcsgpnews at yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 4:36 PM
Subject: GP RELEASE Greens vow support as Elaine Brown fights 
disqualification


> GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
> http://www.gp.org
>
> For Immediate Release:
> Wednesday, October 19, 2005
>
> Contacts:
> Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty at greens.org
> Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene at greens.org
> Anita D. Collins, Elaine Brown Campaign Manager, 912-262-9811
>
>
> GREENS VOW TO SUPPORT BRUNSWICK, GA., MAYORAL CANDIDATE ELAINE BROWN IN 
> HER FIGHT AGAINST DISQUALIFICATION
>
>
> WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders pledged support for Elaine Brown, 
> Green candidate for Mayor of Brunswick, Georgia, after the Glynn County 
> Board of Elections announced that Ms. Brown was disqualified from 
> participating in the November 8 election.
>
> The board voted on Friday, October 14, to disqualify Ms. Brown, claiming 
> that she had not lived in Brunswick long enough to be a candidate.
>
> "It's obvious that Elaine was seen as a significant threat to powerful 
> wealthy interests who wanted her removed from the race," said Rev. Zach 
> Lyde, a member of the Glynn County Green Party.  "We believe these same 
> interests influenced the Glynn County Board of Elections."
>
> "Elaine Brown was running a people's campaign, defending Brunswick's 
> majority African American and poor population against 'Blueprint 
> Brunswick', a development plan according to which the city will evict 
> thousands from their homes, using sweeping powers of eminent domain," Rev. 
> Lyde added.  "This was a Republican hatchet job against a strong, credible 
> candidate seen as a viable threat.  We will assist in whatever way we can 
> with Elaine's legal challenge in Glynn County Superior Court."
>
> Ms. Brown has asserted that her residency was sufficiently established by 
> November 5, 2004, when she registered to vote in Brunswick, in accord with 
> the one-year residency requirement for a candidate to appear on the ballot 
> on November 8, 2005.  Ms. Brown has cited a Georgia Supreme Court decision 
> confirming that registration in time for the election in which a candidate 
> seeks to participate is sufficient for the purpose of seeking local 
> office.
>
> According to The Brunswick News ("Brown tossed from ballot," October 15), 
> "Board members said their decision was based on a feeling that, for the 
> purpose of elections, residence is best defined as a place of domicile. 
> They agreed with Brown's assertion that an individual can have more than 
> one residence -- as she contended she did -- but felt she did not 
> sufficiently prove she moved to Brunswick in November rather than 
> December."
>
> "The Brunswick News article on the 'feeling' of the elections board 
> reveals that its decision was entirely subjective, and based on patent 
> bias against someone they consider an upstart candidate," said Nan 
> Garrett, co-chair of the Georgia Green Party.  "Ms. Brown's 
> disqualification recalls not only the vote manipulation and obstruction 
> documented in Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004, but also the collusion 
> between Democrats and Republicans to keep third party and independent 
> candidates off ballots across the U.S."
>
> Green Parties throughout the U.S. have fought to overturn restrictive 
> ballot access laws.  Greens noted in September, 2004, that while Democrats 
> attempted to disqualify independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader in 
> Florida on technicalities, a 'gentlemen's agreement' between Democrats and 
> Republicans allowed the state of Florida to ignore the fact that George W. 
> Bush's campaign had missed the September 1 filing deadline to place Mr. 
> Bush on the ballot.  Greens have faced similar double standards in 
> numerous races <http://www.gp.org/press/pr_09_13_04b.html>.
>
> Elaine Brown, a leader of the Black Panther Party in the 1970s, received 
> an endorsement for her 2005 campaign from Rev. Al Sharpton in August.  Ms. 
> Brown's Republican opponent in the race is Bryan Thompson, president of 
> Blueprint Brunswick.
>
> "The outcome of the mayoral race in Brunswick will determine whether 
> thousands of low income African American residents get to remain in their 
> homes or get thrown out," said Rev. Zach Lyde.  "With the decision to 
> disqualify Elaine Brown, the election is now fixed."
>
>
> MORE INFORMATION
>
> Green Party of the United States
> http://www.gp.org
> 1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404
> Washington, DC 20009.
> 202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
> Fax 202-319-7193
>
> Elaine Brown for Mayor of Brunswick, Georgia http://www.elainebrown.org
> 2802 Altama Avenue, Suite B, Brunswick, GA 31520
> Telephone 912-262-9811
> Facsimile 912-262-9813
>
> Georgia Green Party http://www.greens.org/georgia
>
> The Brunswick News http://www.thebrunswicknews.com
>
>
> ~ END ~
>
>
>
>
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