GOP Attorney Represents Nader in Denver Courtroom

[Hawkeye-X]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Jonathan Neal
Communications Director, Colorado Democratic Party
501-519-0988

GOP Attorney Represents Nader in Denver Courtroom
Appearance by Westfall Raises Questions of Nader-GOP Alliance

Denver, CO, Sept. 14, 2004

Richard Westfall, a Republican Party official, appeared in Denver District Court today to defend Ralph Nader's appearance on the Colorado ballot. Westfall serves as the elected Treasurer of the Colorado Republican Party, and he also represented the Republicans and Gov. Bill Owens in their recent effort to unconstitutionally redraw Colorado's congressional redistricts, a case he lost at the Colorado Supreme Court. The GOP-connected attorney decided to represent Nader despite the fact that the Reform Party violated state law multiple times in their attempt to place him on the ballot.

"Throughout the country, trying to get Ralph Nader on the ballot has become a tactic of the Republican Party in trying to assist George Bush in retaining control of the White House, and now it is happening here in our state," said Colorado Democratic Party Chairman Chris Gates. "The Republican Party should be forthright about its organized efforts to support Nader, and should not come to the aid of a candidate who did not play by the rules in trying to get on the ballot."

"This year, Ralph Nader has accepted a substantial amount of contributions from Republican donors and in other states has submitted tens of thousands of signatures gathered by Republican organizers," Gates said. "Now he is accepting legal representation from an offical in the Republican Party of Colorado. Obviously, Nader has become a tool of the GOP, and he should immediately renounce the Republican Party's active support of his candidacy."

In response to evidence that Nader is using Republican help to achieve ballot access, Kevin Zeese, Nader's campaign spokesman in Washington, D.C. said, "You have to do what you have to do to get on the ballot,"

More evidence of a national Nader-GOP connection includes the following:

Dick Armey's Group "Citizens for a Sound Economy" Helped Nader
"In Oregon, Nader needed 1,000 signatures to get on the ballot under one clause, but failed when some who turned out for a rally were not eligible to vote. Now he must gather 15,000 signatures. Representatives of a conservative anti-tax group are helping. Citizens for a Sound Economy, a conservative group led by former House Majority Leader Richard Armey (R-Texas), is at work in several battleground states on behalf of Nader's ballot efforts."

Republican Consultant Raised Money for Nader Ballot Access
"Steve Wark, a Republican campaign consultant and former state party executive director, said he raised $30,000 -- from friends and Republicans like the state party chairwoman -- to pay for the signature-gathering effort for NaderS.Wark said this week that he helped raise about $30,000 for Choices for America.

FEC Asked to Investigate Republican Signature Gathering In New Hampshire
"The New Hampshire Democratic Party has asked the Federal Election Commission to investigate the gathering of petition signatures for independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader by a group of Republicans. The complaint was filed Wednesday against Nader for President 2004, Choices for America, a nonprofit group described as promoting ballot access for candidates of all parties, and Norway Hill Associates, a Hancock consulting firm."


- END -

Julie DeWoody
Executive Director
Colorado Democratic Party
303-623-4762

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What hypocrisy is SO obvious? Nader isn't for the left anymore. The hearing is set for September 17th.

Here's an addendum from the CD-HQ spokeswoman:

In the first court appearance today for the Colorado Democratic Party’s lawsuit calling on the Secretary of State to remove Ralph Nader’s name from Colorado’s presidential ballot, well-known Republican attorneys showed up to intervene on Nader’s behalf. Questions about Republican involvement in Nader’s ballot access fights are well founded—see the press release below (above).

The judge in Denver District Court today rejected a proposal from the Republican/Nader attorneys that the ballots be printed with Nader’s name on them, then those votes counted or not counted according to the outcome of the case. That puts the suit on a tight timeline, because the Secretary of State has already certified the November ballot, and it is ready to go to print.

The hearing for the case will take place this Friday morning, September 17. We will keep you updated on the status of the case, and we hope to have a decision by the end of the week.




Hawkeye-X