[GPCA Updates] RELEASE Calif. Greens on VP candidate Gonzalez's deregistration from GP

[Green Party of California Updates]

Forwarded by the Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org

News Advisory
THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA
http://www.cagreens.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 4, 2008



California Greens wish Matt Gonzalez well as he
leaves Green Party to fight for ballot access as
VP on Nader independent ticket


SAN FRANCISCO -- The Green Party of California
reacted favorably today to reports that former
president of the San Francisco Board of
Supervisors -- favorite son Matt Gonzalez, who
narrowly lost a 2003 mayoral race here -- has
left the Green Party to run as vice president on
the Ralph Nader for President ticket.

"We wish Matt well. He has made it clear that he
is leaving the party because of restrictive and
unfair ballot access rules in many states,
including Idaho, Delaware and Oregon, that
prevent members of political parties to run as
independents. We look at Matt's decision as a
practical one, a sabbatical or leave of absence,
to continue the fight the Green Party has been
waging for free and fair ejections for all, and
ballot access," said San Francisco Green Party
spokesperson Erika McDonald.

Gonzalez reportedly informed media outlets
Tuesday that he would remain active with future
Green campaigns and is committed to alternatives
to the two-party system. Nader, the Green Party
presidential candidate in 2000 and independent
candidate in 1992, 1996 and 2004, tabbed
Gonzalez, a civil rights attorney, for vice
president on his independent ticket late last
week.

The Green Party now has four outstanding
candidates now vying for the nomination in the
Green Party, including former Georgia
Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney
(http://www.runcynthiarun.org), Texas Green Party
co-chair Kat Swift (http://www.voteswift.org),
Southern California environmental engineer Kent
Mesplay (http://www.mesplay.org), and West
Virginia actor and producer Jesse Johnson
(http://www.jesse08.org). Former Black Panther
Party leader Elaine Brown and University
communications professor Jared Ball have since
withdrawn.

The Green Party's nominee for President will be
chosen at its Presidential Nominating Convention
in Chicago July 10-13. The US Green Party remains
committed to selecting a nominee and mounting an
all-out campaign in every state.

"The Green and independent presidential
campaigns' impact on this race will be determined
by each candidate's ability to attract voters. If
the Republicans win this year, it is because they
ran the best race, or they cheated. I put neither
of these options past them. Those who cry
'spoiler' at the notion of a Green Party and/or
independent presidential run conveniently choose
to overlook the growing body of evidence that the
2000 election was tampered with." said Green
Party spokesperson Susan King.