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Republicans Silence the Voices of Working Families
To the Editor:
On August 2, 2007, the State Republican Committee and Republican candidates in Putnam Valley Robert Tendy, and Robert Cinque sued Democratic candidates Wendy Whetsel and David Spittal for receiving the endorsement of the Working Families Party. In Rockland, Dutehess, and Putnam Counties, Working Families candidates were also challenged by Republicans.
Why did the Republicans pursue expensive litigation? To disenfranchise the Working Families voter by removing their line from the ballot? To prevent candidates from appearing on a second line? Or to deplete the opposition candidates' campaign coffers with extraneous legal fees?
Fortunately, Justice Andrew P. O'Rouke's decision on June 3, 2007 upheld the 1egality of the candidates' petitions. The Republican Party filed appeals in Brooklyn on August 23, and again on August 29, 2007 in Abany. However in both appeals, the original decision of the court was upheld, asserting that the rights of voters are pre-eminent.
The baseless lawsuits will only stop if a law was passed so the losing persons or parties of a baseless law suit would have to pay all legal fees.
Manipulation of the voting process reveals the Republican National agenda to degrade working families by: outsourcing American jobs, doing away with Anti Trust Laws to allow monopolies which put small businesses out of business, and hiring illegal aliens to bypass the need to provide fair wages and healthcare to the working class.
It saddens me that election law can be used as a bully tactic to remove candidates from the ballot and deplete the funds of opposing candidates.
By attempting to remove The Working Families Party line from the ballot, Republicans continue to silence the voices of working families throughout our country.
Richard Quaglietta Working Families Member
Town of Kent
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