Press release sent to contact.ipr@gmail.com:

Phil Huckelberry
Illinois Green Party Chair
309-268-9974
phil.huckelberry@ilgp.org

Patrick Kelly
Illinois Green Party Media Coordinator
773-203-9631
media@ilgp.org

Green Party leaders sharply criticized Governor Pat Quinn and the Democratic State Central Committee for bypassing State Rep. Art Turner and other more qualified candidates in nominating Sheila Simon for Lieutenant Governor.

“Pat Quinn’s message is that he can take the black vote for granted,” said Phil Huckelberry, Illinois Green Party Chair. “Our message is that those days are over. Many of our core issues – especially education funding reform and the lack of economic development in the most struggling areas – are at the top of the list across black communities throughout the state. It’s clearer than ever that those issues are not going to be meaningfully addressed by Pat Quinn and the Democrats. But they’re going to be addressed by the Green Party.”

Simon, a former city council member in Carbondale, is from the same relatively small community as Green gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney.

“Targeting Rich Whitney’s geographical base is a little short-sighted. There are a lot of black voters very upset right now, and Pat Quinn just gave them all even more reason to look to Whitney and the Green Party as a positive alternative,” said Huckelberry.

Jeremy Karpen, candidate for State Representative, 39th district, also noted Quinn missed an opportunity to choose someone who could help him advance his legislative agenda, something Quinn struggled with since taking office.

“As governor, Quinn has been highly ineffective at getting his agenda through the legislature,” said Karpen. “If you consider the circumstances under which he assumed office, he should have been able to move the ball further on campaign finance reforms; instead, because Quinn gave up the fight, the ‘reforms’ we ended up with just further consolidated power under House Speaker Michael Madigan.”

Karpen continued: “He wasn’t able to pass a full-year budget, nor his proposed tax hike. Meanwhile, the legislature got what it wanted, which was more job security and a massive pork spending bill funded by video poker and fee hikes. All Quinn got from the legislature last year was disrespect.”

“Quinn clearly put his political prospects ahead of his ability to govern,” said Bob Mueller, candidate for State Representative, 47th district. “A Quinn/Simon ticket simply means more business as usual out of Springfield: a state fiscal calamity that keeps getting worse, continued out-of-control spending and borrowing, shock attacks on pensioners, and mass layoffs of community servants and public employees, from teachers to state troopers.”

The Green Party in Illinois has been expanding its reach into African-American and Latino areas in recent years. It’s a trend that LeAlan Jones, Green candidate for U.S. Senate, expects to see not just continue but take off exponentially.
“In times this tough, I believe you need both strong leadership and diversity. The state’s Democratic Party has done nothing to demonstrate a genuine interest in the communities that have supported them over the years,” said Jones. “Now, the Green Party represents a real choice, for real change. I’m proud to be at the top of a ticket for a party that truly wants to lead this state and country forward.”

ILLINOIS GREEN PARTY
www.ilgp.org

LEALAN JONES FOR U.S. SENATE
www.lealanforsenate.com

JEREMY KARPEN FOR STATE REP
www.jeremykarpen.org

BOB MUELLER FOR STATE REP
www.votemueller.org