From Ballot Access News, August 12, 2013:
Dan Fein, the Socialist Workers Party nominee for Mayor of New York city, and Mary Martin, SWP nominee for Mayor of Seattle, spent some time in Egypt during the latter part of July. See this story in The Militant. Egypt, of course, is a nation undergoing a great deal of political ferment this year.
Both candidates are circulating petitions to be on the ballot in their respective cities. Fein’s petition was signed by 3,000 persons during the first week it was circulated.
The Militant story:
| US socialist candidates talk with fellow workers in Egypt |
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| Militant/Paul Mailhot |
| Socialist Workers Party candidate for New York City mayor, Dan Fein (right), speaks with Raef El-wishee in Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt, July 28. Elwishee, an Egyptian-American building worker, told Fein and Mary Martin, SWP candidate for Seattle mayor, that he and his son were tortured in 2007 by Egyptian government forces under Hosni Mubarak as U.S. officials witnessed. Elwishee said he supported the recent overthrow of the Morsi government. “The Muslim Brother-hood did nothing to revive the economy and divided the country — for or against the Brotherhood. But most Muslims do not agree with those positions.” “Working people in the U.S. and Egypt face common problems,” Martin said. “That is why we are here to learn about your struggles.” “Our history is just beginning,” Elwishee said. “We’ve moved from dictatorship to democratic openings over a very short time. Workers are starting to become active now.” |
| — PAUL MAILHOT |
| Related articles: Help ‘Militant’ cover workers’ struggles around the world Thousands sign to put socialist candidates on New York ballot Help put the socialist candidates on the ballot in Des Moines |
Did they find any facts?
@8: They get money from their publishing business (Pathfinder Press) and the copyrights they hold as well.
“Candidates for mayor have no reason to travel abroad beyond a desire to fleece their donors.”
Even though they are protected from public view by USSC rulings, I cannot imagine there are enough serious SWP donors to even finance a trip to Egypt !
@3 @6 — At least candidates for federal office have the excuse that their potential portfolio could include foreign affairs.
Candidates for mayor have no reason to travel abroad beyond a desire to fleece their donors.
Not really a bad move, IMO. If they get just one headline out of it, the trip pays for itself.
It’s a tactic that some LP Senate or Congressional candidates could emulate. I can easily see LP candidates visiting Middle Eastern countries on “fact finding” missions. Though I suppose some folks here would be critical, regardless of whether they had contributed to the campaigns.
PEACE
Cannot get votes in NYC or Seattle, maybe trying to find votes in Cairo? Doubt they would get many. If the Muslim Brotherhood was still in charge how welcome would Mr. Fein and Ms. Martin be in Egypt? Maybe their jails or worse!
They have time, money and no petition burdens to worry about. Plus they like looking pretty in photo ops.
Why do major party presidential candidates always visit Israel during the election season?
@1,
Yeah. And WTF does “fact-finding in Egypt” have to do with running for mayor of New York City or Seattle?
Only an idiot would plan a trip abroad in the middle of petitioning season.
Was is he, nuts?
Oh, well, he’s the socialist candidate so he probably decided he did not have to work for the nomination; he would just get it because he’s entitled to it.