|
|
|
State News Release - September 17, 2002 |
Home | Press | State Press |
|
DC Statehood Green Party |
| Statehood Greens Begin Post-Primary Campaigns. |
|
THE D.C. STATEHOOD GREEN PARTY WASHINGTON, D.C. -- "We're pleased to welcome into the race the new Statehood Green candidates who entered the field as write-ins in the September 10 primary election," said Michele Tingling-Clemmons, D.C. Statehood Green candidate for the At-Large seat on D.C. Council, as Statehood Green candidates began their postprimary campaigns. The number of candidates on the Statehood Green slate is now ten. The new candidates include former D.C. Statehood Party (before the 1999 merger with the Greens) chair Sam Jordan for D.C. Delegate; civic activist Debby Hanrahan for Council Chair; Michael Jollen for Ward 3 member of Council; and Gail Dixon for Ward 5 member of Council. Ms. Dixon is a former at-large member of the D.C. Board of Education, in the last board to entirely elected by D.C. voters. (NOTE: The write-in candidacies are tentative; as of Monday evening, September 16, the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics has still not posted the write-in figures for Statehood Greens.) 668 registered Statehood Greens, more than in any primary in the past, voted on September 10, even though the overall turnout was the third smallest in the city's history. Party members note that, while candidates of the pre-merger Statehood and Green Parties received single-digit percentages in the 1998 election, every local D.C. Statehood Green candidate achieved double digits in 2000, showing growth in the party's popularity. Nationally, every political party suffered a reduction in membership over the past two years -- except the Green Party, whose numbers grew by over 27%, according to Ballot Access News (September, 2002). Statehood Green candidates took note of Mayor Williams own victorious write-in primary campaign, after the first Williams administration was beset with ethical lapses and charges of rampant cronyism, including the recent ballot petition scandal and allegations of concealed funding that was meant for D.C. General Hospital, the District's only full-service public health facility. "Williams dismantled D.C. General Hospital last year and privatized its services -- to the benefit of his own financial backers, such as the Arizona firm Doctors Community Healthcare," said Statehood Green Party activist Crystal Sylvia. "Statehood Greens helped lead the widespread protests against the destruction ofD.C. General. This latest revelation tells us that the Mayor's corruption will continue into his second term, with hardly a peep from Council. We hope voters are paying attention -- D.C. desperately needs a real secondparty in office!" Williams misappropriated $200 million in funding for D.C. General Hospital, according to a lawsuit filed by the law firm Davis and Associates of Lanham claiming that the funds were juggled by Williams in an effort to give an appearance of bankruptcy. The complaint alleges that "the mayor made material misrepresentations to the the citizens of the District of Columbia regarding the D.C. General solvency" and to Congress. In other words, Williams allegedly diverted $200 million in Medicaid reimbursements from D.C. General coffers to make D.C. General appear as if it were bankrupt, forcing its closing in order to and get a hold of land for development plans that included the Olympic venues. The $200 million was possibly shifted into D.C.'s general treasury, allowing Williams to exaggerate the amount available in the D.C. budget, when D.C. was supposedly in the black a couple of years ago. At a September 9 demonstration calling attention to the misappropriation, police arrested seven protesters, including some Statehood Greens, after insisting that the demo move from the Wilson D.C. government building to Freedom Plaza across the street. Video footage taken by activists shows brutal treatment ofarrestees by police, with one officer sitting on a protester's neck. (The footage can be viewed at <http://www.sinkers.org/dcgeneraldemoSep0902/index.html>.) "Anthony Williams said he's 'humbled' by having been held accountable and excluded from the Democratic primary ballot because of the petition scandal," said Steve Donkin, the Statehood Green candidate for Mayor. "But the scandals didn't end with the petitions." "Williams' likely reelection, with near personal impunity after a string of ethical lapses during his first term, may set the stage for an era of sell-offs and sell-outs in D.C. government comparable to the Richard Daley administration in Chicago and Frank Rizzo in Philadelphia," added Adam Eidinger, Statehood Green candidate for 'Shadow' U.S. Representative. These mayors were popular, too. Williams' abuses far surpass the cronyism of Marion Barry, whose foibles were compounded by personal misbehavior. If you thoughtWilliams first term was corrupt, wait till you see the second -- welcome to the era of 'Boss Williams'!" PLEASE NOTE: The 'Shadow' block party for D.C. Statehood, organized by Adam Eidinger, was canceled last Saturday, September 14, because of rain. It has been postponed until next Saturday, September 21, 8 p.m. to midnight, and will take place at the corner of 18th Street and Columbia Road NW in D.C.'s Adams Morgan neighborhood. For more information, call Eidinger at 202-232-1724. INDEX of D.C. Statehood Green candidates MAYOR |
|
State News Release - September 17, 2002 |
Home | Press | State Press |
