Thursday, January 26, 2006

20: “PACleanSweep to Make Historic Announcement


CENTRIST is always amazed and awed by courage, whenever it manifests itself. That’s why we were floored when we read the press release below. Russ Diamond at Operation Clean Sweep (and others like, Tim Potts at Democracy Rising) should be commended for maintaining the courage, integrity, and perseverance in keeping the fire stoked while holding the feet of the legislature to it. Such undaunted courage and leadership has led to a movement among the voters, and an unprecedented challenge to the legislators of our Commonwealth. All 230 members of the House, and half the 50 members of the Senate are up for re-election. A large number of them have already decided not to run. The following announcement should stun you, and hopefully, galvanize you into action. It is not too late!

PACleanSweep to Make Historic Announcement

PACleanSweep Candidate Announcement
Monday, January 30, 2006, 11:00 a.m.
Capitol Rotunda Harrisburg PA

ANNVILLE, PA [01.26.06] - PACleanSweep will make history next week when it introduces over 70 candidates for the Pennsylvania General Assembly in the Capitol Rotunda. The non-partisan grassroots organization has been working to raise, interview and approve challengers to incumbent lawmakers across the Commonwealth since it was founded last July.

"A revolution is about to begin in Pennsylvania," said Russ Diamond, PACleanSweep founder and chair, "and this group of candidates is just the opening salvo. We have a backlog of candidates who are seeking our support. Each is committed to the restoration of honor, dignity and integrity to a legislature which has become self- serving, unresponsive and out of touch with ordinary citizens."

"There are currently over 140 candidates who have signed our declaration, and we continue to receive new declarations in the mail every day. There's no telling how many will be in the field for the May 16th primary."

Fallout from last year's pay raise debacle has sparked citizen action, voter outrage, an unprecedented legislative reversal and the defeat of a Supreme Court justice - a Pennsylvania first. PACleanSweep hopes to raise the largest number of legislative challengers in recent history.

In addition to submitting the PACleanSweep Declaration, the candidates to be introduced at the Rotunda have completed a personal and political profile and have been interviewed by members of the organization's Board of Directors over the last three weeks. A list of these candidates will be posted at www.PACleanSweep.com on Tuesday, January 31.

The announcement allows voters two weeks to become familiar with candidates before petitioning begins on February 14 for the May primary election. Republican and Democrat candidates for the House of Representatives must gather 300 signatures from registered voters in their party to have their name appear on the primary ballot. Senate candidates need 500.

The public is encouraged to attend.

About PACleanSweep:
PACleanSweep is a non-partisan effort dedicated to defeating incumbent elected officials in Pennsylvania and replacing them with true public servants. For more information, please visit
www.pacleansweep.com.

For More Information contact:
Russ Diamond
PACleanSweep
Chair
info@pacleansweep.com

Or Contact
Jerry Kelley
PACleanSweep Media Relations Director

publicity@pacleansweep.com

70 Candidates vetted, and another 70 plus in the process. There are 228 combined seats up for grabs in both houses. That leaves 88 candidates to go for the legislature. And the call is out to make the primaries open this year, by asking the party state committees to withhold endorsements until after the primary. They likely won’t, but then, what do you expect from the machines that keep sending us bozos to fill the seats in the Capitol, on the bench, and in the Governor’s mansion. Do your part! Contact Russ at Operation Clean Sweep. Run for office!

"Let's kick the hubris out of Harrisburg!"

Now, about that Governor’s race…

THE CENTRIST

"It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities to give validity to his convictions in political affairs. " Albert Einstein

Copyright © 2006:THE CENTRIST”. All Rights Reserved.

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