{news} Duffee withdraws

[David Bedell]

October 23, 2006

Connecticut Green Party Announces Endorsement of Diane Farrell for Congress


The Connecticut Green Party has agreed to endorse Diane Farrell in her race 
for Congress in the 4th Congressional District and accept the strategic 
withdrawal of its candidate, Richard Duffee.

Duffee and Farrell made the announcement at a joint press conference at Calf 
Pasture Beach in Norwalk at 2:30 P.M.

"On Saturday, October 21, 2006, the Fairfield Green Party decided that 
Republican threats to the future and to our form of government are so 
serious that it is more important to bring the House of Representatives 
under the control of the Democrats than to run a Green candidate for 
Congress in the 4th District," said Duffee.

"Our decision is a vote of confidence in Diane Farrell's seriousness about 
putting some brakes on Bush's imperial presidency and at least   returning 
us to the rule of law," said Duffee, a former law professor.

By Connecticut law, Duffee alone has the right to take his name off the 
ballot. He chose in July to allow the Fairfield Greens to make that decision 
in caucus as the campaign developed.

"I would like to thank the Green Party and Richard Duffee for their decision 
today," said Farrell. "I would also like to mention the valuable voice 
brought to the table by Richard Duffee in this year's debates especially on 
topics such as human rights, the War in Iraq and socio-economic issues 
affecting our country and I believe that the Green Party should be included 
in future debates here in Connecticut's 4th district."

"We share a common belief that the Bush administration has led us astray 
especially as it pertains to the War in Iraq, energy policy, education and 
environmental issues," Farrell said.

Farrell met with members of the Fairfield County chapter of the Green Party 
on Saturday and explained her position on issues of concern to the Greens.

Duffee said that the Greens decided to back Farrell because she appeals to a 
larger audience than the Greens at the present time and she can be most 
effective in reversing the current war policies on Iraq.

"Our decision to back Diane Farrell is not a decision to become Democrats," 
Duffee said. "Nearly all of us became Greens because we believed that the 
Democratic Party does not adequately serve the public interest because it is 
not sufficiently committed to resist corporate pressure."

"But the Bush Administration is not only negligent and infinitely pliable to 
corporations. It is also deceitful, flagrantly unconstitutional, criminal, 
and more impeachable than any previous government. So the choice between 
Democrats and Republicans is now a choice between the status quo before 2001 
and rapidly growing graft, fascism, war, and chaos. If we want any competent 
government at all, if we want a future, we must side with the Democrats," 
Duffee said.

Farrell noted that the Democrats and Greens share common goals that include 
universal literacy, universal pre-kindergarten education, fully funding 
transportation initiatives such as mass transit that we so desperately need 
here in Fairfield County, and refocusing the nation on the development and 
use of clean energy sources.

"Diane will work in Congress to bring about a full review of the Indian 
Point Nuclear Power Plant, which is upwind of hundreds of thousands of 
Fairfield County residents and a target for terrorists," said Nancy Burton, 
the Green Party candidate for Attorney General.

"I am pleased to join Eliot Spitzer and others in working to ensure that 
adequate replacement power is developed and available in the region to allow 
for an orderly and phased shutdown of this facility," Farrell said.

"I enjoyed sharing a stage with Richard Duffee and the Green Party in the 
debates and I look forward to working with him and the Fairfield County 
Green Party in the future," Farrell said.

Duffee said among other reasons given by the Greens for their decision to 
back Farrell are their conviction that current war policies be reversed, 
that Shays must be removed because he is a prime promoter of the war in 
Iraq, war against Iran must be prevented, a Bush impeachment can only occur 
with a Democratic majority and the Bush environmental legacy and failure to 
address global warming require a Democratic House to undo.

The Connecticut Green Party continues to present candidates for U.S. Senate, 
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Comptroller, 
Attorney General and state legislative races.

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