The California Election Forum was scheduled to host an event this past Sunday featuring candidates for elected office – presumably governor among others – in the Golden State. The organization’s website now features an announcement that the event was canceled “due to unforeseen circumstances”:
California Election Forum. EVENT CANCELED. Due to unforeseen circumstances the California Election Forum that was scheduled for Sunday March 7th at 3PM has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience.
A web and news search turns up very little information on this event and the “unforeseen circumstances” surrounding its cancellation. According to a recent press release, however, it appears that the cancellation may be a direct result of efforts by the campaign to elect Chelene Nightingale for governor (AIP) to gain inclusion in the forum:
According to the California Election Forum website the event scheduled for this coming Sunday, March 7th at 3:00 PM has been “cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances”. Earlier this week the Nightingale For Governor campaign was informed of an election forum for all candidates hosted by a 501.(C)(3) religious organization. Our campaign contacted the organizer for information as to how to participate and received notification that the event was only for Democrat and Republican candidates. Therefore, our campaign would not be allowed to participate in the forum.
Campaign manager and military veteran, John Baldwin, declared in a press release “I find this “Party First, America Second” mindset extremely troubling when California is facing complete bankruptcy and the worst economic recession in decades! Why are we limiting our solutions by excluding good candidates?”A press release and an announcement of the event from a popular Los Angeles Christian radio talk show prompted concerned voters to contact the campaign and the election forum organizers, only to find out the discouraging news. Due to overwhelming voter response, Mr. Baldwin decided to organize a rally outside the scheduled election forum.
Later in the week, gubernatorial candidate Chelene Nightingale, was contacted by a member of the religious community and was urged to find a peaceful solution. Ms. Nightingale agreed and corresponded with the election forum organizer. Unfortunately after corresponding, third party candidates were still not allowed to participate. The Nightingale for Governor Campaign understands the decision of the organizers, however, believes that “two party” politics has undermined freedom and liberty yet again. “Voters should be allowed the opportunity to hear all candidates regardless of party affiliation, not just the big money, special interest two party candidates the establishment forces upon voters”, stated Ms. Nightingale. She continued, “We the people must stop accepting the status quo which has undermined our liberty and freedom of choice.”
The situation also raises questions about churches and their 501.(C)(3) tax statuses. Current Tax Laws prohibit 501.(C)(3) Non-Profit groups from engaging in partisan politics. The exclusion of third parties at candidate election forums puts any 501.(C)(3) in violation of current tax codes and subject to penalty under the law.
This effort should be seen as a potential model for all third party and independent candidates excluded from forums hosted by 501(c)(3) organizations. A query to parties involved with the organization of the event went unanswered.
Cross-posted from Poli-Tea.
0 responses so far ↓
1 NewFederalist // Mar 10, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Good for the Nightingale campaign! Taxpayers are not all Ds and Rs.
2 Straight .......... from Lake // Mar 10, 2010 at 1:42 pm
I guess she is good for some thing. This is more ‘action’ I have seen from her and her ‘staff’ than in all of 2009! Good for her, but I do not think I will be voting for her [and definitely not Doctor Goo Goo] on June 8th.
3 Straight .......... from Lake // Mar 10, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Governor Jesse Ventura is on the ‘View’ television day time talk show here on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010, pitching his hard bound book ‘Conspiracy’ …….
4 Northern Exposure // Mar 10, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Keep Holding Their Feet To The Fire!
5 Straight .......... from Lake // Mar 10, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Thomas D. Elias:
Northern Exposure // Mar 10, 2010:
“Keep Holding Their Feet To The Fire!”
Oh, like Chelene Nightingale and her allies
FAILED to do with ‘Save Our State’ all during
2009 ?????????? May be that’s why they did
dump her recently and may be why the California American Independent Party should
follow suit on Tuesday, June 8th, 2010!
6 Glen Michaels // Mar 10, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Chelene Nightingale for governor campaign are a bunch of radicals that throw tantrums when FORUMS choose to not include them. The Forums do not owe this group diddly squat….They are failing in their attempt to gain ANY Attention….the most desperate always rely on this kind of nonsense. Cal-guns won’t back them…Icaucus have said they will not back her…After being turned down…they go on rants on the internet and attempt to retaliate….Loser tactic…loser mentality….losers all the way around.
7 Glen Michaels // Mar 10, 2010 at 6:36 pm
btw, this group stood with silly crayola made signs in front of Knotts Berry farm (of all places)…promoting themselves. I live near there and people were laughing at this. Only in California…
8 Straight .......... from Lake // Mar 10, 2010 at 6:40 pm
I have said FROM AUGUST 2009: Chelene Nightingale was and is an inert, do nothing, go no where [passive] activist. As I said OVER HALF A YEAR AGO: she is not even know on her home turf, much less state wide!
9 High School Dropout // Mar 10, 2010 at 6:41 pm
i tink U ar right Glenn, I think that forum is losers, the Dems and Reps ar teh onlly real paties so git ovr it.
10 Glen Michaels // Mar 10, 2010 at 7:23 pm
hsd…..do you read sign language??
I am signing you now ( )
11 d.eris // Mar 10, 2010 at 8:45 pm
“throw tantrums when FORUMS choose to not include them. The Forums do not owe this group diddly squat”
The point is that this group could not legally exclude them because of the status of 501c3 organizations.
“Icaucus have said they will not back her”
If you mean the so-called Independence Caucus, they do not actually support any third party or independent candidates for office. It’s their policy. They only support Republicans and Democrats. Follow the link for an exchange in the comments with the group’s treasurer defending the policy.
12 Bruce Cohen // Mar 10, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Chelene seems to have done enough work to qualify for the California Ballot this primary.
She seems to have a very nice website that’s regularly updated.
She seems to have a good business and political background, as to her relatively successful experience in these matters.
She’s nicely groomed, nicely dressed, nicely spoken and people seem to really like her when they meet her.
She was legitimately entitled to go to that debate and the folks must have been afraid of her enough to cancel it when they realized she was going to go. After all, it was an OPEN debate to ALL qualified to be on the CA Ballot, no?
That’s what I THOUGHT it was! LOL
Radicals?
Hardly.
Church going quiet and nice people who are actually kind of boring at home if you ask me.
Stalking people on the Internet?
I don’t believe Chelene or anyone participates in that much.
I saw her FaceBook page and she only says nice stuff about people.
I think you Chelene slimers are confusing her with someone else.
Yeah, get up from your chair now…
Walk down the little hallway now…
Go into your bathroom now…
Splash some cold water on your face…
Get some saline out and rinse out your eyes and
take a GOOD look in the mirror.
‘Cause that’s who you are really talking about, isn’t it? Yourself.
Yeah, Psychology 101.
You are projecting.
And here I am, posting under my REAL name, me with the High School Diploma from a Continuation School… And even I in my illiterate and uneducated state see it.
All with no visible means of support.
Can you stand it?
13 Glen Michaels // Mar 11, 2010 at 11:38 am
lol bruce…not even.. Look People in the (know) of working with her etc…
have been burned. Con people always know how to set the “right” appearance. Its what YOU DO when no one is looking…that counts. ie: Putting virus and worms on offending websites…Harassing phone calls to other running mates! Yes…it happened. Before you start wearing Ms. Nightingale’s lip gloss…:) I would suggest you be open to ALL sides of the story. (and there are always 2 sides)
14 Glen Michaels // Mar 11, 2010 at 11:45 am
Re; Comment 11 Correct….her campaign manager got in a fight with Icaucus…and has a websitte titled ICAUCUS is a sham. Is this something a mature person would do? Icaucus told them in a very nice way…they only back dems and reps…but, the nightingale group started this rant….a radio station won’t return their phone calls….and they are calling on protesters to go and picket outside the station. These tactics are why they will not go far…and will continue to get rebuked…
15 Glen Michaels // Mar 11, 2010 at 11:45 am
*website
16 d.eris // Mar 11, 2010 at 1:16 pm
“a websitte titled ICAUCUS is a sham. Is this something a mature person would do?”
From what I can tell, I-Caucus is a sham. Their stated mission is to “take back government from “Big Money” Interests groups” but their method and practice is unquestioning support for the two most insidious “special interest groups” in the country: the Democratic and Republican Parties. Reproducing co-dependency with the Democratic-Republican Party is literally the exact opposite of fostering independence.
17 Bruce Cohen // Mar 11, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Chelene is not a party to the disagreements within the ‘Minuteman’ discussion/argument.
People keep trying to draw her in, but she has tried to stay out of the situation.
And she’s never ‘burned’ anyone for a penny.
As her ‘opponent’ in the Governor’s race (I’m voting for Dale Ogden), I can vouch for her integrity.
Picketing a radio station is a legit tactic.
Smearing people with BS isn’t.
Not in MY book.
Chelen is a very nice lady.
I wish she were a Libertarian.
18 Straight .......... from Lake // Mar 11, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Bruce Cohen // Mar 11, 2010:
Chelene is not a party to the disagreements within the ‘Minuteman’ discussion/argument.
************ and yet the Gilchrist squad hates her!
People keep trying to draw her in, but she has tried to stay out of the situation.
******* so inaction, like her do nothing attitude [inaction] with Save Our State, is her saving grace ????? (She was tossed from Save Our State after running it into the ground!)
And she’s never ‘burned’ anyone for a penny.
********** Others disagree!
As her ‘opponent’ in the Governor’s race (I’m voting for Dale Ogden), I can vouch for her integrity. ********* Huh ?????
Picketing a radio station is a legit tactic.
************* Huh ??????
Smearing people with BS isn’t.
Not in MY book.
**************** BS/BC IS YOUR BOOK
Chelen is a very nice lady.
******** CHELENE (spelling) —– who knows, she is the ‘invisible woman’ to even her (ever shrinking pool) of ‘allies’ ………..
I wish she were a Libertarian.
************ with her stance on immigration ?????????? You are MORE crazy than other West Coasters say you are!
*********** How did the state [Long Beach, California] LP convention go ??????? Why do non interventionist Libs despise your Israel First attitude[s] ??????? Why are you getting kicked off of so many Lib committees/ work groups ????????????
********** Citizens For A Better Veterans Home, having uncovered the Reform Party of California fascist imperial Jewish Zionist cabal (John Blare, John Dennis Coffey, John Bambey, Valli Sharpe Giesler, as assisted by Frank ($500 for a non existent office) MacKay ), we wonder what is your opinion on the I(sraeli) D(efence) F(orce) murder of American non combatant sailors on the USS Liberty ???????
*************** Which has pride of place: America or what ever governance is currently, temporarily in place in Jerusalem ???? We have no clue to your state of mind, but we would like to know your priorities on unbridled Zionism! This is especially at the expense of obvious American interests, including the lives and limbs of non combatant United States citizens!
19 paulie // Mar 12, 2010 at 5:09 pm
Chelene seems to have done enough work to qualify for the California Ballot this primary.
I thought she was running for the AIP nomination. Don’t they nominate by convention?
20 Glen Michaels // Mar 14, 2010 at 4:52 pm
yes Markham Robinson aip chairman is also running against her in the PRIMARY…..SHE HAS TO WIN THE primary before she can actually say she is the ‘CANDIDATE.”
21 More San Diego County, DonLake@ymail.com // Mar 14, 2010 at 5:31 pm
paulie // Mar 12, 2010:
“Chelene (spelled correctly, Nightingale) seems to have done enough work to qualify for the California Ballot this primary [June 8, 2010]. I thought she was running for the AIP nomination.
[Yes, crazy Doctor Donald Goo Goo, the medical practitioner, there is no Constitution Party of California! Confusing isn't it. (Better hope that Libs do not continue there down ward, splintered slide .........] whom does not believe in physical evolution] Don’t they nominate by convention? [No!]
22 Davi Rodrigues // Mar 28, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Mr Cohen,
I have had plenty of personal experience with Chelena during her reign at SOS. She does have a good public face as you infer, but that’s when she has her own venues scripted and controlled. And as long as she keeps stepping on the heads and fingers of people around her in a perverse short sighted effort to maintain her station, that public face will not only continue to be challenged, it will probably happen at the most inopportune moments for her and those who have blindly promoted her.
By the way: In regards to burning people as mentioned; Chelena is facing a lawsuit at present for failing to honor a personal debt of a few thousand dollars. Trial is next month….
23 Dear .......and lots of third party types have surely noticed! // Mar 29, 2010 at 12:51 am
Davi, Citizens For A Better Veterans Home has reported the do nothing stance of Ms Nightingale as early as August. Bruce is just jerking yer chain, he’s like that, and has had such a state wide reputation as an agent provocateur for at least two years ………… Lake
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