Suit Challenges FEC Exclusion of Independents in Pres. Debates U.S. Newswire 5 May 15:46 Suit Challenges FEC Exclusion of Independents in Presidential Debates To: Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor Contact: Sarah Lyons, 212-803-1884 or 917-586-0786, for the Committee for a Unified Independent Party Inc. News Advisory: A press briefing will be held at noon on Monday, May 8, at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to announce the filing of a lawsuit challenging Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulations which allow the exclusion of independent and third party candidates from the presidential debates. Speakers include: Alan Keyes, Dr. Lenora Fulani, Committee for a Unified Independent Party (CUIP) chair, Harry Kresky, a New York attorney and member of the CUIP debate's legal team along with other attorneys on the team, Jamin Raskin, American University Washington College of Law, Director, Appleseed Electoral Reform Law Project (tentative), Natural Law Party and possibly other independent parties. The suit is brought under the Federal Administrative Procedure Act and asserts that the FEC's debate regulations are not in conformity with the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), which requires that candidate debates be non-partisan. This suit also seeks to enjoin the FEC from further implementation of regulations that exempt corporations which sponsor debates, including the CPD, from the contribution and expenditure limits. Plaintiffs, who include CUIP, and independent non-profit advocacy organization, unaligned voters and members of minor independent parties, as well as Democratic and Republican voters who believe that the debates should not be limited only to major party candidates. FECA prohibits expenditures and contributions by corporations in connection with federal elections. However, it exempts expenditures for "nonpartisan activity that is designed to encourage individuals to vote or to register to vote." In 1996, the FEC removed the "nonpartisan" criteria from its debate regulations. In doing so, the FEC has created a "safe harbor" for corporations like the Commission on Presidential Debates (CDP) to receive unlimited tax deductible corporation contributions and spend unlimited amounts to stage candidate debates which favor the two major parties -- debates that are bipartisan, not nonpartisan. According to Harry Kresky, one of the plaintiff's attorneys: "This suit allows us to go directly to court to challenge the FEC for adopting regulations which permit the presidential debates to be used by the Democrat and Republicans (who control the Commission on Presidential Debates as well as the FEC) to channel the votes of millions of Americans who consider themselves political independents to the candidates of the two major parties. The government sanctioned bipartisan debates suggest that any candidate other than a Democrat or a Republican is illegitimate." The press briefing will be held on Monday, May 8 at noon at the National Press Club in the Lisagor Room. -0- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html <A HREF="http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
