“For over 25 years, the Commission on Presidential Debates has used millions of dollars in tax-deductible contributions from big corporations to rig the rules, keeping Americans from hearing from anyone but the two old parties in debates,” said Nicholas Sarwark, Chair of the National Libertarian Committee. “If two teams got together to make sure that only they could make it to the Super Bowl, people would be outraged at the cheating. With this lawsuit, we’re standing up for the right of Americans to have fair debates between all candidates who are on enough ballots to become President.”
With the aforementioned comments, the Libertarians and Green Parties are teaming up in order to sue the Federal Election Commission.
On September 29, 2015, the Libertarians and Green Parties, along with their 2012 presidential candidates, Gary Johnson and Jill Stein, filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington D.C., charging, “that the exclusion of qualified candidates from the general election presidential debates by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), violates federal anti-trust laws.”
The objective is to allow all candidates in the presidential debates who are legally qualified to serve as well as whose names appear on enough state ballots to possibly win the majority in the Electoral College.
The lawsuit is funded by Our American Initiative, which is a not-for-profit organization, through their Fair debates project (www.FairDebates.com) and the suit was filed by Our American Initiative’s Attorney Bruce Fein, who served as Associate Deputy Attorney General and General Counsel to the Federal Communications Commission under the Regan Administration.
The video released by Our American Initiative can be seen here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gD4TQLyMDw.
“The proposed lawsuit from Our America Initiative, paired with the initiatives of the Free and Equal Elections Foundation, are essential to the movement for real democracy and real solutions. In stark contrast to the bipartisan establishment, these organizations present America with more political choices, more political voices. A majority of U.S. adults say a 3rd major political party is needed [1]. Towards this end, the American people have the right to hear from the full spectrum of their choices, so we can begin to secure a government that is truly of, by and for the people!” said, Dr. Jill Stein (2012 Green Party presidential candidate).
Judge Jim Gray, 2012, Libertarian Party, vice presidential candidate, expressed similar sentiments.
“Our America Initiative has presented a glimpse of the coming struggle to break the corruption within the Commission on Presidential Debates and realign American politics with the original constructs of the constitution,” said Gray.
Let’s hope this lawsuit is won, so free choice can prevail.
falseempowerment 