[GPCA Updates] GPCA Press Release -- Elections Aftermath

[Green Party of California Updates]

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


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE				
Wednesday, June 9, 2010


Greens support lawsuit, consider initiative to nullify Prop. 14; Measure is a
clear example of how big money buys California elections, charges Green Party
gubernatorial nominee


GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS RELEASE

SACRAMENTO (June 9, 2010) - The Green Party of California's gubernatorial
nominee Wednesday called the passage of Prop. 14 and near victories of Prop.
16 and 17 clear examples of how big money is buying elections in California,
using tens of millions of dollars to mislead voters.

The state's most progressive political party said it is mulling its options
after Tuesday, including joining a lawsuit to overturn Prop.14 and a possible
statewide initiative to nullify it.

"The rotten part of Prop. 14 is that what it promised - open elections - is
the exact opposite of what it will do. Prop. 14 will keep dissenting voices
off the big November ballot," said Laura Wells, who won the Green Party
nomination for Governor Tuesday night with a victory over Los Angeles social
justice activist Deacon Alexander.

Greens are already working with representatives of the five other
ballot-qualified parties on plans to challenge Prop. 14 on constitutional
issues. And, they are discussing a possible challenge to Prop. 14 on the
streets - putting a ballot measure on the ballot that would give more power
and more choices to voters, not less. Details will be released later this week.

But the story Tuesday was that at least $54.4 million was spent in support of
various corporate propositions, including $40.5 million on Prop 16, $8.9
million on Prop. 17 and $4.6 million on Prop. 14. Combined, only about $1.2
million was spent to oppose these ballot measures.

"Silicon Valley mega-corporations, big insurance companies, the state Chamber
of Commerce and Arnold Schwarzenegger bought the Prop. 14 election; in turn
that will allow corporations to buy other elections, buy candidates and buy
our government.

"There will come a day when people will realize that we can either take care
of the mega-corporations and billionaires, or we can take care of the rest of
us. I see days ahead when Californians will, indeed, follow the money, and run
the other way," said Wells, a financial specialist in Oakland.

She also noted the language of Prop. 14 confused voters, and that a similar
measure, but not written in the same manner, was rejected by voters in Oregon.

"Who heads the department that writes make-it-or-break-it ballot language?
Jerry Brown. Behind the scenes, Brown sides with corporate money, against the
people and voter choice," she said.