Date of Release: March 2003 • Main Contact: Jack Olchin
Contrary to published reports in the press and the broadcast media that "The Party's Over" for the Liberal Party, nothing could be further from the truth.
While some of the former "leaders" of the Liberal Party are ready to close the door and pronounce the death of the Liberal Party after a glorious political existence of almost 60 years during which time after the party came into existence at the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 and helped elect through the years both Democrats and Republicans, such as, among others President John F. Kennedy, who with his votes on the Liberal Party Line was able to carry New York State and then had the Electoral College votes to then become President of the United States, Governor Averill Harriman, Senator Jacob K. Javits and Mayors John Lindsay and Rudolph Giuliani we absolutely reject such a preposterous idea.
The last State Chairman who made a statement as reported in the press as saying "It's been put to rest", was a life long Democrat who joined the Liberal Party in the last few years and has no comprehension of what the Liberal Party stood for and what it means to many of us who have been spent a lifetime in the Liberal Party fighting for liberal causes, such as fighting all forms of discrimination, for affordable housing, education reform, health care for all of our citizens, affordable prescription drugs for our senior citizens, Referendum and Recall for incompetent Public Officials, etc.
The last State Chairman was a chairman in name only and was in fact a "figurehead chairman" put in office by the person who really had the political power in the State Liberal Party and many of us totally reject his pronouncement of the death of the Liberal Party.
The Executive Committees of the Liberal Parties on Long Island namely in Queens, Nassau, & Suffolk have had a joint meeting and formed a "Committee to Re-organize the Liberal Party of New York State" and elected as it's Chairman JACK OLCHIN, the Chairman of the Liberal Party of Nassau County and LOUIS DVORKIN, Chairman of Queens County and DARREN JOHNSON, Chairman of Suffolk County as Co-Chairs of this Organizing Committee. Its aim is to once again have the Liberal Party become a legal party of the State of New York by having a candidate for Governor in 2006 who will obtain 50,000 votes as the candidate of the Liberal Party which will then return us to our legal status as one of the legal parties of New York State.
1. In the interim years until 2006 we pledge to run candidates as Liberal Party Candidates in all elections in the ensuing years for as many offices as possible as Liberal Party Candidates, with the Liberty Bell emblem of the Liberal Party by obtaining the required number of signatures for those candidates which is permissible under sections of the New York State Election Law. In fact, in Nassau County Liberal Party petitions have already been filed for candidates running for the office of Trustee in the Village of Hempstead, namely HENRY R. HOLLEY and BETTY J. CROSS who are candidates of the Unity Party for an election to be held on March 18, 2003.
2. We will contact all Liberal Party organizations in New York State to join our newly formed organizing Committee and request them to run as many candidates as possible under the banner of the Liberal Party.
3. We will absolutely run a candidate for President of the United States in 2004 by obtaining the necessary petition signatures.
4. In the early days of the Liberal Party everyone knew the platform of the Liberal Party because we were so vocal on the key issues of the day. However, in the last 10 years nobody knew what the Liberal Party stood for. That must change and we must immediately start taking positions on the key issues of the day in order that the citizens of New York know why they should vote for candidates on the Liberal Party line.
Contrary to the implications by people who just don't care about the Liberal Party continuing to exist, we who have formed this new Committee have pledged to bring the Liberal Party back to the position it once held in the political life of New York State.
This press release will be going out not only to the Media but to every member of the State Committee of the Liberal Party elected in 2002 who we hope will join us in our efforts to restore the Liberal Party to its true status-as a legal party in the New York State.
Should anyone have any question regarding the Election Law, do not hesitate to call JACK OLCHIN, who is an Attorney, with expertise in Election Law, for any advice or help you need concerning the Law. I will look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
JACK OLCHIN -
Chairman, of the
Organizing Committee to
Reorganize the Liberal Party
of New York State
Phone 516-374-1966
• Fax: 516-374-4618