Green Party of California affirms support for reproductive rights, claims Democrats abandoning pro-choice values for votes

GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release: Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004

Contacts:
Cres Vellucci, State Press Office, 916-996-1970,
Beth Moore Haines, GPCA Spokesperson, 530-277-0610,
Kevin McKeown, GPCA Spokesperson, 310-393-3639,
Sara Amir, GPCA Spokesperson, 310-270-7106,

SAN FRANCISCO (Dec. 28, 2004) – The Green Party of California reaffirmed today its support for reproductive rights for women – something the Democratic Party is apparently poised to reject in an effort to win more elections.

News reports last week suggested that high-ranking Democrats – including San Francisco Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader – are encouraging an anti-abortion Democrat to head the Democratic National Committee over abortion rights supporter Howard Dean.

Pelosi is backing Indiana Rep. Tim Roemer to succeed DNC chair Terry McAuliffe. Roemer has said that the Democrats need to temper their views on abortion rights in order to make election gains. Roemer also has the support of Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who is also opposes abortion.

The Greens charged the Democratic Party actions should be seen as further abandonment of its voter base, and are further evidence that true progressives should look to alternatives to the Democrats and Republicans at the polls.

"The Democrats continue to sell out their principles in a disingenuous attempt to be a 'big tent' party. The Green Party strongly supports reproductive rights for all women, regardless of race, class or geography," said Erika McDonald, a GPCA committee co-chair and co-founder of the Feminist Issues Group (FIG) in San Francisco.

"The Democratic Party continues to surrender to the campaign of violence and disinformation that Republicans have pursued for decades on the issue of abortion rights," said Gordon Johnson, spokesperson for the Green Party of Orange County.

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The Green Party of California
http://www.cagreens.org
P.O. Box 2828, Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 448-3437
gpca@greens.org