{news} Harold Burbank Named Green Party's 5th District Candidate

[David Bedell]

I received this press release from Harold and have posted it in on the
website (http://www.ctgreens.org/press/2008/05-25.shtml ).  The 5th District
includes Danbury, Waterbury, Meriden, New Britain, Torrington, and most of
the northwest corner of CT.  Please share with any media contacts you may
have in this part of the state.


NEWS

May 25, 2008
Contact: Harold Burbank, (860)693-2687, haroldburbank@ comcast.net
Justine McCabe, (860)354-1822, justinemccabe@ earthlink.net

HUMAN RIGHTS ATTORNEY HAROLD BURBANK NAMED GREEN PARTY'S 5th DISTRICT
CANDIDATE
Burbank promises Bush war crimes investigation

CANTON, CT-Human rights attorney Harold H. Burbank II has been selected as
the Connecticut Green Party's 5th Congressional District candidate to run
against incumbent Democrat Christopher Murphy and Republican David Cappiello
in the November general election.

The northwest Connecticut Green Party held a regional selection meeting on
Friday, May 23, in New Milford. Members unanimously voted Burbank as the
candidate.

"I want to thank Green Party members in the Fifth District, throughout
Connecticut, and across the country for supporting my candidacy," Burbank
said afterwards. "I have never run for office. It is gratifying and
energizing to see so many people from different backgrounds--Democrats,
Republicans, Independents, young, old, the entire American
demographic--respond so positively to Green Party values and my campaign.
The American people know the major parties have gotten the country into deep
trouble. Voters are looking for real change, real patriotism, and real hope.
I intend to offer them these."

Burbank is supported by human rights activists Ralph Nader and Daniel
Ellsberg with whom he has volunteered for human rights projects. The Burbank
campaign is formally endorsed by former Star Wars Director Dr. Robert Bowman
(USAF Lt. Col, ret.), commander of "The Patriots," a 22,000-member US
veterans peace group, and University of Illinois law professor Dr. Francis
A. Boyle, renowned human rights attorney and legal scholar.

"Harold Burbank is in the vanguard of progressive law and politics today,"
said Dr. Boyle. "I encouraged him to run, and he has. He works tirelessly
and at no cost on human rights cases critical to American and international
peace law. I am pleased to endorse him."

Burbank holds two degrees in international relations and a law degree. He
was hired by then Connecticut Attorney General Joe Lieberman out of law
school and served under him as an Assistant Attorney General for Public
Utilities and Public Works. Subsequently he has served as Penobscot Indian
Nation Director of Human Services (Maine), and Maine Assistant Attorney
General for Child Protection. His professional public service work in
Connecticut alone spans 20 years including working in Connecticut Attorney
General Richard Blumenthal's Bridgeport-based Child Support Office.

Since 2003 he has had a private law practice in Canton, Connecticut
specializing in human rights law. His clients have ranged from Connecticut's
indigent parents who owe child support, to Army Lt. Ehren Watada and other
US servicepeople seeking redress for Iraq war injustices. He successfully
defended Independent Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader in a lawsuit by the
Democratic National Committee aimed at keeping Nader off the ballot in Maine
in 2004. Burbank's main passion is his anti-war work.

"I was motivated to run because in September, 2007, Chris Murphy told me
publicly at his New Britain forum on Iraq that despite the Bush
administration being the most impeachable regime in US history, he would not
support impeachment. He still does not support impeachment. This is
outrageous."

According to Burbank, as lawyers he and Murphy swore oaths to uphold and
defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. "Chris
took this oath again when he became a congressman. He has defiled that oath
by failing to support impeachment. My campaign will hold him accountable."

"The Bush regime is conducting criminal wars of aggression and occupation in
Iraq and Afghanistan and threatening a nuclear war in Iran. Except for a
very few in Congress, Representatives like Chris Murphy have not only done
nothing about these criminal wars but are accessories to them by
consistently voting to fund them," Burbank said. "If we want peace, Congress
must uphold and defend a higher legal and moral standard."

Murphy still has time to help save Congress from a legacy of disaster,
Burbank said.

"Otherwise, Chris will join those in Congress whose legacy will be the
genocide of millions of Middle East civilians, deaths of thousands of
soldiers, permanent irradiation of the Middle East environment, profound US
debt, endless Mideast war, criminalization of our military, and contempt for
our country around the world. I have the legal background and the moral and
political will to change all of that from day one in office, so our children
will not forever suffer the consequences of such unconscionable policies."

Burbank has been married to Winsted kindergarten teacher Marianne Burbank
for 28 years. They live in Canton with their two teenaged children.

Burbank can be contacted for meetings, events, comments, and donations, via
his campaign website at www.newmenu.org/haroldburbank or at 860-693-2687.

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