The Commission on Presidential Debates, or CPD, has been under fire for its policies for several years now. For the past 24 years, the CPD has excluded anyone but the Republican and Democratic nominees from participating in the three presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate in September and October before the election.

An important lawsuit, Level the Playing Field, et al. v. Federal Election Commission, goes before a federal judge on Jan. 5. That suit seeks to accomplish what the CPD has refused to do on its own: change the rules to stop systematically preventing independent candidates from debating – and becoming president.

[Ed note: the Green Party of the United States is a plaintiff in this lawsuit.]

Meanwhile, it seems no coincidence that the CPD itself is disintegrating. Here’s what has happened:

• On April 16, 2014, the CPD elected six new directors. Three of them have recently resigned: Leon Panetta, the former congressman and director of the CIA; Mitch Daniels, the former governor of Indiana; and Shirley Tilghman, a biologist who is the president emerita of Princeton University.
• After the 2014 board elections but before these three resignations – two other directors were named to the board: Jim Lehrer, the former PBS nightly news anchor, and Bob Schieffer, former CBS “Face the Nation” anchor. Schieffer dropped off within months.
• A fifth director, Sen. Alan Simpson, also left the board over the past year.
• A sixth director, Mike McCurry, a Democratic lobbyist who once served as press secretary to President Bill Clinton, stepped down as co-chair in the past few weeks. McCurry had been one of the board’s staunchest supporters, along with Frank Fahrenkopf, the ex-chairman of the Republican National Committee. McCurry was replaced as co-chair by Dorothy Ridings, a former newspaper publisher who left her post as president of the League of Women Voters 30 years ago.
• The final departee was former President Bill Clinton, who, with former President Jimmy Carter, was one of the CPD’s two living honorary co-chairmen.

So, to sum up: The CPD has lost one-third of its board members in the past year.

The question is why, and the CPD itself is not forthcoming…

Read the full article here: http://ivn.us/2016/12/21/debate-commission-loses-one-third-board-members/

The 2016 general election has left many of us deeply shaken. We are more aware than ever that the entire US elections process does not represent all of our voices; from state caucuses, to primaries, to debate and ballot access, and to voting methods. And now to witness the egregious cost and road blocks we face to have the accuracy of our votes verified. It is a bedrock crisis for true democracy which should be both fair and free.

After election integrity watchdog groups discovered many states met specific criteria for possible election irregularities, Jill Stein was the only candidate who accepted the commitment to the US citizens to ensure their votes were accurately counted. Not for Donald, not for Hillary, not for Jill, but for each of us who voted and for those who should have been allowed to vote. Her quick decision to act allowed for the recounts to occur in those flagged states where she also had the legal right to file and where filing deadlines had not past. And the citizens clearly spoke with an equally quick and vast response of small donations to meet the costs involved.

In light of this, the Green Party of Washington State fully supports Jill Stein’s decision to pursue the recounts. It reflects our values and principles for election integrity and grassroots democracy representing each and every citizen.

Do you have a Wells Fargo bank account? Would you be willing to close it to stand in solidarity with Standing Rock?

The rejection of the drilling permit required to complete the Dakota Access Pipeline was a huge victory — but this fight is not over yet. Following the Army Corps announcement last Sunday, Standing Rock Leadership made a direct request to continue targeting the investors financing the pipeline.

So we’re joining efforts with 350 Seattle to target Wells Fargo, which has over $470 million invested in the pipeline and the corporation behind it.

If you have an account and would be willing to close it to stand with Standing Rock please fill out this form.

For those of you who are willing to take this action, 350 Seattle has created this handy advice page on how to move your money and find a values-based bank.

If you don’t have an account, but would like to support the day of action, please fill out the form.

Where: Wells Fargo Center, 999 3rd Ave, Seattle
When: Thursday, January 5th, 12 PM
What: #DefundDAPL: Mass Closure of Accounts

And please help spread the word on Facebook!