Green Candidates Turn Down The Fair Campaign Pledge

Claim League of Women Voters has no moral standing to make judgements on campaigns

(Rochester) – The six candidates running for local office on the Green Party line announced today that they are refusing to participate in the 2013 Fair Campaign Election Practices Campaign, sponsored by the Rochester League of Women Voters and The Interfaith Alliance of Rochester.  

“There is no one who can argue that Greens have ever run campaigns that have violated their campaign pledge,” said City Council Candidate, David Atias, “but the Rochester League of Women Voters have made decisions that are anti-democratic and against their own mission and we cannot, in good conscience, participate in their program.”

Atias is referring to the League of Women Voter’s decision to exclude Green Mayoral candidate, Alex White from their televised mayoral debate at the end of August.

White added, “the League of Women Voters has told us they are only holding one televised debate.  It’s for the primary election only and that voters would be confused if I were in that debate. Part of their mission is to educate voters.  So either they think voters are too stupid to understand the difference between the primary and general election or they’ve compromised to the point of irrelevance.”

Dorothy Paige, Green Candidate for City Council said, “there are over 30,000 registered voters who are eligible to vote in the General Election on November 5th.  The decision to exclude a candidate already on the ballot from their only debate shows that the League of Women Voters will only help Democrats and the rest of us have to fend for ourselves.”

“Green Rochester has always been committed to running on issues.  We do not, and never will, participate in negative campaigning, “said fellow City Council candidate, Drew Langdon.  “Having said that, the League of Women Voters has shown that their judgement on electoral issues cannot be trusted therefore we choose not to participate.”

School Board candidate, Lori Thomas said, “WROC-TV, Channel 8 is the station that is broadcasting this debate.  Because they are entrusted by the Federal Communications Commission with the public airwaves and have abdicated their responsibility, we are looking into legal action to either stop this biased debate or include equal time for the Green candidate.”

Green Rochester is running six candidates for local office.  All are on the ballot in the November general election.