New candidates for state offices

[Dan]

Columbus, 11-28-05
On Tuesday, November 29, 2005, well-known Columbus attorney, author, and radio host Dr. Bob Fitrakis will announce his bid to be the next Governor of the State of Ohio.  The announcement will be made on the west side of the State Capitol building along High Street in Columbus starting at 12:30 pm.  Dr. Fitrakis has written several books and numerous newspaper columns on the irregularities and outright fraud that were rife during the last few elections in Ohio.  Winner of many community and journalism awards, he has been endorsed by the Green Party of Ohio and will be seeking the party's nomination as candidate for Governor next spring, along with two other fraudbusting veterans: Anita Rios (Lt. Governor) and Tim Kettler (Secretary of State).  Together they will spearhead the Green Party campaign to clean up the sleaze that has become so entrenched with the two major parties and their big money patrons.

"The goal of my campaign will be to win the Governor's mansion back for the People of Ohio," said Dr. Fitrakis.  "Both the Republican and Democratic parties have brought dishonor to our great state with their cronyism and insider dealing.  We need to clean house and end this culture of corruption." 

Bob and his running mates were principals in the battle waged by the Green Party to recount the votes after the 2004 election.  Anita Rios, his running mate as Lt. Governor, and Tim Kettler, candidate for Secretary of State, are both involved in lawsuits against the current Secretary of State because of his official actions, which disenfranchised so many Ohio voters and skewed the vote count.

Anita Rios has been an active member of the Ohio Green Party since 2000.  She recently managed a very well organized and competitive local campaign on behalf of a Green Party candidate in Toledo.  She is a representative to the National Green Party, and a well-respected leader who has worn many hats at the state level. Anita will bring a unique perspective to the office of Lt. Governor. As the daughter of migrant farm workers, she learned early in her childhood that hard work, family loyalty, and sacrifice don't always guarantee you the American Dream. She overcame great social inequities through perseverance and determination.  She was able to earn a college degree at the age of 31 and find a better life for herself and those she loves. Because of her long, productive history of activism focused on social justice, Anita will be a strong advocate for everyone who seeks opportunity for themselves and their children in this land of plenty.

Tim Kettler is Secretary of the Green Party of Ohio and treasurer of his local, the East Central Ohio Green Party. He served as the regional organizer for the statewide Presidential vote recount in 2004, and is a plaintiff in the federal lawsuit alleging voting rights violations by the office of the current Secretary of State. Tim seeks to bring accountability to the SOS office, and pledges his support for the free exercise of voting rights though the empowerment and inclusion of every Ohio voter.  Another critical issue handled by the SOS office is the corporate charter-granting process.  Tim pledges to oversee a return to corporate responsibility by corporations chartered in Ohio, and stop the rampant misconduct of those corporations that are corrupting Ohio politics.  Tim's commitment to peace, his work on the SPANOhio state council for single-payer, universal health care, and his voting rights activism will return public trust and principled leadership to the office of Ohio Secretary of State.

At the November 29th event, the Coordinating Committee of the Green Party of Ohio will officially announce their endorsement of the Fitrakis, Rios, and Kettler slate, and their intention to submit these candidates for nomination at the 2006 Green Party Convention to be held early next year.

"I am proud to be receiving the endorsement of the Ohio Greens," said Dr. Fitrakis. "I will be spending the next year exposing the culture of corruption here in Ohio, and they were the only party that fought corruption and fraud throughout the 2004 campaign."

For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact Ohio Green Party Media Relations Representative Russ Buckbee at 330-562-4637 or russbuckbee@adelphia.net .