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Green Party to Republicans: We're Not For Sale! |
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THE GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED
STATES The New Mexico Green Party rejects a large GOP cash offer. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Green Party of New Mexico announced that it has rejected an offer of up to $250,000 from New Mexico Republicans to run candidates in Congressional races. "The Green Party of New Mexico will never accept money from other political parties, their surrogates or corporations," said Lisa Houston, Green Party of New Mexico co-chair. "The Green Party will not be used as a battering ram for the Republican Party. We disavow any attempts to manipulate or use New Mexico voters as pawns in the game of politics as usual." The offer reportedly came from New Mexico Republican Party Chair John Dendahl, though it is not clear exactly where the money would have come from. At a state convention on July 6, the New Mexico Green Party voted overwhelmingly to refuse the offer and reject the money. Dendahl has been unavailable for comment. The Green Party's gubernatorial candidate in New Mexico, David Bacon, also reacted strongly, saying that the offer was "totally out of line with what we stand for. Our rejection of the funds reaffirms our commitment to clean politics." "Since 1994, Greens in New Mexico hold the balance of power in elections," noted Carol Miller, a Green Party activist who ran for Congress in [1997?]. "This has been clear from the very beginning of the 2002 election cycle. Months ago, New Mexican Greens heard from several Democrat candidates that they would not get national party money for any race in which a Green was running. It's no surprise that the GOP has offered to pay Greens to run." The Green Party of the United States rejects all contributions from corporations and political action committees and limits contributions from individuals to $10,000 per year, half of what the Federal government permits. The Green Party also supports publicly funded elections, now in use in at least four states, to remove the taint of money from our political system. "It's time for both old parties to realize that fundamental electoral reform including Instant Runoff Voting would revitalize and clean-up the current system," said Carol Miller. "New Mexico's Democrat legislature has turned down all efforts to clean up elections, including four straight years of blocking Instant Runoff Voting. Maybe this will persuade the state legislature that reforms such as IRV will benefit all New Mexicans." MORE INFORMATION search:
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