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The
Green Party of New Jersey GPNJ Says No to Brooks |
For Immediate Release: October 23, 2004 Contact: Jane M. Hunter, Communications Chair, 732-310-8829 (cell), 732-560-0276, janemhunter@att.net Nick
Mellis, Mercer County Chair, 609-393-4349, nick@greens.org
The Green Party of New Jersey respects the State of New Jersey’s Attorney General for his decision allowing Daryl M. Brooks to remain on the ballot. We consider this to be a positive move towards the enfranchisement of all citizens. The Green Party of New Jersey is concerned about the large numbers of the disenfranchised who are not taking part in the political process for a variety of reasons. Many are turned off because of corruption and the failure of political office holders to address the critical needs of their constituents. Too many are disappointed and disillusioned, resulting in low voter turnout in communities of color.
However, the Green Party has been troubled by difficulties we have had in our relationship with Daryl Brooks. Nick Mellis, Green Party of Mercer County Chair, stated, “There have been a number of communication problems as we have worked with Daryl over the last several months. This has included problems with documentation for the GP of his spending and financing for his Congressional race. He also misrepresented his legal status and role as a community leader. As a result of these difficulties, the Green Party of New Jersey has decided to dissociate from the Daryl Brooks for Congress campaign.
“The Green Party of New Jersey and Mercer County and I would like to apologize to the voters of the 12th Congressional District for the Green Party’s support of a possibly unworthy candidate.”
The Green Party of New Jersey has been encouraging African-Americans and Latinos to step forward and assume a leadership role in attracting new voters and turned-off voters. We believe in a political process focused on fundamental principles, honesty and programs to involve the people in communities of color, especially where the poor, disadvantaged and disenfranchised predominate. We have accepted help from people who are well known in their communities or community activists who have been recommended to us by Green Party officers or members.
It has been our policy to screen individuals who sought to represent the Green Party, either as candidates for public office or as leaders of local units. When it is found, through the screening process, or other ways, that an individual has a history or practices that are inconsistent with the principles and expectations of the Green Party, we feel duty bound to sever connections with that person. We, however, seek to be as fair as possible, and to the extent feasible, give questionable persons the benefit of the doubt until the party can be certain that it is acting in the best interest of the citizenry and the party.
More information: Green Party of New Jersey, http://gpnj.org Green Party of the United States, www.gp.org
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