[GPCA Updates] GP ADVISORY: Oral arguments canceled for Green leader's Electoral College Mal-Apportionment civil action

[Green Party of California Updates]

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-904-7614,
mclarty at greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene at gp.org


Oral arguments for Green leader's Electoral College Mal-Apportionment civil
action (Gordon v. Biden), earlier set for Jan. 14, have been canceled

• Greens support Asa Gordon's action, calling it a demand for fair elections,
voters' rights, and racial justice

• Green Party Speakers Bureau: Greens available to speak on electoral reform
and democracy: http://www.gp.org/speakers/speakers-democratic.php


WASHINGTON, DC -- Oral arguments for a major voting rights civil action filed
by Green Party leader Asa Gordon, originally scheduled to take place in the US
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (No. 09-5142) on Thursday,
January 14, 2010, has been canceled.

Mr. Gordon can be contacted at 202 635-7926.  Documents, links, and other
materials related to the action are available online (http://www.electors.us).
  Mr. Gordon's prepared oral argument, with an excellent brief summary of the
civil action's defense of the constitutional right to cast an equal and
effective vote, is now posted online
(http://mapxiv2usc6.free0host.com/ORAL-RAP.pdf).

According to a court order issued on January 11, "The court concludes, on its
own motion, that oral argument will not assist the court in this case.
Accordingly, the court will dispose of the appeal without oral argument on the
basis of the record and the presentations in the briefs.  See Fed. R. App.
34(a)(2); D.C. Cir. Rule 34(j)."

Gordon v. Biden seeks enforcement of the US Constitution's 'Mal-Apportionment
Penalty' (14th Amendment, Section 2), which mandates a reduction of a state's
presidential electors and congressional representatives ("the basis of
representation therein shall be reduced") if "the right to vote at any
election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the
United States... is denied... or in any way abridged."

The civil action, Gordon v. Biden (formerly Gordon v. Cheney), addresses the
antidemocratic mal-apportionment of Electoral College votes, voter dilution by
race and/or party affiliation with the popular vote misrepresented by the
winner-take-all system of allocating electoral votes.

Mr. Gordon (http://www.gp.org/speakers/detail.php?ID=29), chair of the DC
Statehood Green Party's Electoral College Task Force and executive director of
the Douglass Institute of Government, filed his civil action to protect the
voting rights of presidential electors and the voters they represent in the US
District Court (1:08-cv-01294) on July 28, 2008. His reply brief
(http://mapxiv2usc6.free0host.com/APPELLANT%27S%20REPLY%20BRIEF_map.pdf) was
filed with the court on November 6 and final brief submitted on November 27
(http://mapxiv2usc6.free0host.com/APPELLANT%27S%20FINAL%20BRIEF.pdf).

The Green Party has supported Mr. Gordon's civil action, calling it a demand
for fair elections, for the right of every voter to have his or her vote
counted in a national election, and for racial justice.  For more information,
see the Green Party's December 21, 2009 press release announcing the
originally scheduled oral arguments
(http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=275).


MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
• Green candidate database and campaign information:
http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml
• Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
• Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers
• Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp.org/2008-elections
• Green Party Livestream Channel http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus

Green Party press releases
• "Oral arguments for Green leader's Electoral College Mal-Apportionment civil
action (Gordon v. Biden) to be heard in court on Jan. 14, 2010" (December 21,
2009) http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=275
• "Greens launch effort against Electoral College manipulation of presidential
elections" (August 5, 2008) http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=85
• "Greens: Enforce 14th Amendment's 'Right to Vote' Provision" (October 18,
2004) http://www.gp.org/press/pr_10_18_04.html

Green Pages: The official publication of record of the Green Party of the
United States
Fall 2009 issue now online
http://gp.org/greenpages-blog


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