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Press Room
Media contacts
Kenneth
Nova: (303) 499-4967, kgnova9@mac.com
Bob Wells: (303) 447-3400, info@lennoxcommunications.com
Recent media coverage
"Fitz-Gerald,
Polis, Shafroth square off," by John Aguilar, The
Camera, Oct. 16, 2007
"Democratic rivals
agree: Warming is enemy," by John Fryar, Longmont Daily Times-Call,
Oct. 16, 2007
Press Releases
Latest at top
Local Progressive Democrats of America Chapter
Endorses Joan Fitz-Gerald for Congress
Boulder, Monday, May 6, 2008 -- The Progressive
Democrats of America (PDA) Chapter serving Colorado's Second
Congressional District (CD-2) met on Saturday, May 3 at the
Boulder Public Library to consider an endorsement in the Democratic
race for the House of Representatives seat being vacated by
Congressman Mark Udall. The PDA chapter voted to endorse Joan
Fitz-Gerald. She received more than two-thirds of the vote,
making her eligible for a national PDA endorsement.
"It is an embarrassment of riches," said
Kenneth Nova of the chapter steering committee. "All
three of the candidates seeking our endorsement are good progressives
and would make great representatives, but Joan's experience
and tenacity separated her from the others." The
PDA members chose Fitz-Gerald (www.joanfitz-gerald.com/) based
on their assessment of her campaign positions, including those
voiced at a forum
the PDA chapter held last October 15 and in subsequent written
communication to the Chapter. PDA believes that Joan Fitz-Gerald
has demonstrated her ability to be an effective legislator,
and that she is the best candidate at this time to represent
CD2 in the House. Fitz-Gerald has shown she is better prepared
and disposed to protect the public sector than the other two
candidates. Nova added, "The PDA chapter will campaign
for and establish a working relationship with whomever the
progressive Democratic nominee turns out to be."
Colorado's Second Congressional District includes most of
Boulder County, all of Gilpin, Clear Creek, Summit, Grand,
Eagle, Broomfield Counties, and portions of Jefferson, Weld
and Adams Counties.
The CD-2 PDA chapter is the state's second formally
constituted PDA chapter, following one in Metro Denver (Congressional
Districts 1, 6 and 7). Activists are working to launch chapters
in other Congressional districts. More information about the
CD-2 PDA chapter is available at its website, www.pdacolorado.org/cd2.
Information about the national group is at www.pdamerica.org.
PDA is a political action committee (PAC),
independent of the Democratic Party that seeks a Democratic
Party and government controlled by citizens, not corporate
elites. Pursuing what it calls an "inside/outside
strategy," PDA works inside the Democratic Party to encourage
the Party to return it to its root, and outside the Party by
building coalitions with like-minded interest groups. PDA's
leaders hope to form chapters in all 435 of the nation's Congressional
districts while also working within statewide party structures
and in Washington's corridors of power. PDA collaborates with
the Congressional Progressive Caucus, an organization currently
comprised of 72 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
For more information about the local Progressive Democrats of
America chapter, please contact Kenneth Nova at kennethnova@pdacolorado.org.
Three Congressional Candidates to Appear at Oct. 15 Forum
BOULDER, October 9, 2007 — All three announced Democratic Party
candidates in the race to succeed U.S. Rep. Mark Udall — Joan
Fitz-Gerald, Jared Polis and Will Shafroth — are expected to
attend a Forum organized by Progressive Democrats of America's
local chapter Oct. 15, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., at Boulder County
Democratic Party headquarters, 1725 Walnut St. in Boulder.
The planned format of the Oct. 15 Forum will feature 10-minute
introductory remarks by the candidates followed by questioning
of each candidate relating to PDA's five goals: ending the
occupation of Iraq, economic justice, single-payer health care
for all, fair and transparent elections and a reversal of global
warming.
Five local experts in the specific topic areas will pose questions
drafted during a deliberative process among local PDA activists.
The questioners are expected to be Dave Anderson on economic
justice; Jim Scarritt on foreign policy; Steve Wangh on health
care; Joe Richey on fair elections; and Françoise Poinsatte
on global warming. There may be time for additional questioning
from the audience.
Rep. Udall is vacating the 2nd Congressional District seat
to run for the U.S. Senate seat for Colorado that will be contested
in the November 2008 election.
The CD-2 PDA chapter is the second PDA chapter in Colorado,
joining one in Metro Denver (Congressional Districts 1, 6 and
7). The 2nd Congressional District includes most of Boulder
County, all of Gilpin, Clear Creek, Summit, Grand, Eagle, Broomfield
Counties, and portions of Jefferson, Weld and Adams Counties.
PDA is a political action committee (PAC), independent of the
Democratic Party that seeks a Democratic Party and government
controlled by citizens, not corporate elites. PDA works inside
the Democratic Party at the local, state and national level,
and outside the Party by building coalitions with like-minded
interest groups. PDA collaborates with the Congressional Progressive
Caucus, an organization of 72 members of the U.S. House of
Representatives.
More information about PDA is available at its national website,
www.pdamerica.org. A website for the Colorado CD-2 chapter
is under construction.
Activists Meet to Launch New Progressive Democrats
Chapter
BOULDER, Sept 10, 2007 -- About 65 political activists gathered
in Boulder Sept. 8 to launch a local chapter of Progressive
Democrats of America, a nationwide group promoting progressive
goals both inside and outside the Democratic Party.
In a fast-moving two-hour meeting at the Boulder Public Library's
Meadows Branch, speakers outlined what PDA is, how PDA differs
from other political groups, and what the local group hopes
to accomplish.
The new PDA chapter, which will draw its membership from Colorado’s
2nd Congressional District, “is emerging to be an amazing group
of activists,” Kenneth Nova, point person for the new chapter,
told the group.
Nova noted that chapter members are already
dialoguing with staffers of Congressman Mark Udall, who represents
the 2nd District, on such issues as health care and the Iraq
war, adding that the group plans "to provide regular
pressure on Udall’s office from the progressive community.”
“Despite his many good votes in Congress, are you tired of
Representative Mark Udall approving Iraq War funding?” Nova
asked the group – a question that drew the meeting’s loudest
applause.
"We have the opportunity to bring the 'heat from the
street' onto the legislators and into the Democratic Party,
because I'm tired of the corporate Democratic Party and I bet
a lot of you are too," Nova declared.
Nova said the group has "a very exciting opportunity" to
influence next August's Democratic primary election to fill
the seat Udall will vacate to run for the United States Senate.
The three announced candidates in that race have agreed to
attend a Forum PDA has organized for Oct. 15 at Boulder County
Democratic Party headquarters in Boulder. Most of the Sept.
8 meeting's second hour was devoted to attendees breaking up
into five groups and drafting questions to be asked of candidates
at the Oct. 15 Forum.
In short presentations that began the meeting,
several speakers sketched the PDA "big picture." Evi Klett, secretary
of Progressive Democrats of Colorado, surveyed PDA's national
staffing and projects, including citizen lobbying, collaboration
with focused issue groups and nationwide efforts to help progressives
win elections. Speakers summarizing PDA's position on major
issues were Wendy Rochman, on "Why PDA?" and economic
justice; Jim Scarritt, on Iraq and foreign policy; Larry Smith,
on health care; Joe Richey, on fair elections; and Françoise
Poinsatte on global warming.
The local PDA chapter will draw its membership from Congressional
District 2, which includes most of Boulder County, all of Gilpin,
Clear Creek, Summit, Grand, Eagle, Broomfield Counties, and
portions of Jefferson, Weld, and Adams Counties.
PDA seeks to promote progressive ideals both inside and outside
the Democratic Party and to extend the gains of the November
2006 elections into a permanent progressive majority. PDA’s
activism focuses on ending the war in Iraq as well as working
for economic justice, universal health care, fair and transparent
elections, and a response to global warming. More information
is available at PDA’s national website, www.pdamerica.org.
Progressive Democrats Launch Boulder-area Chapter
BOULDER, August 27, 2007 -- An organizing meeting
will be held Sept. 8 to launch a local chapter of Progressive
Democrats of America, a nationwide group dedicated to “reclaiming
the Democratic Party.”
The Saturday meeting will be at the Boulder Public Library
Meadows Branch, behind the Meadows Shopping Center at Baseline
Road and Mohawk Drive, from 3 to 5 p.m.
The local PDA chapter will draw its membership from Congressional
District 2, which includes most of Boulder County, all of Gilpin,
Clear Creek, Summit, Grand, Eagle, Broomfield Counties, and
portions of Jefferson, Weld, and Adams Counties.
At the meeting, local PDA activists will explain the chapter’s
plans, solicit feedback, and suggest several ways local progressives
can become involved.
“We progressives need to unite to overcome rightwing divide-and-conquer
tactics,” said Kenneth Nova, point person for the new PDA chapter.
“Across the country, PDA is bringing together diverse groups
like Greens, Democrats and Independents that share common goals
in order to build winning electoral coalitions.”
“We have a great opportunity in the 2008 election filling
Mark Udall's empty seat in the 2nd CD,” Nova noted. “We plan
to interview the candidates and make them accountable to progressive
communities in the district.” Other possible local activities
may include regular meetings with elected officials, actions
on the street, media campaigns, candidate forums and interviews,
and work with the Congressional Progressive Caucus, he added.
Nationally, PDA seeks a Democratic Party that stands for ending
the war in Iraq, assuring economic justice, implementing universal
health care, guaranteeing fair and transparent elections, and
stopping global warming.
PDA believes that social change begins with social movements
and ends with politicians, not vice-versa. PDA uses an “inside/outside”
strategy, working in tandem with local progressive groups to
channel progressive positions and demands to elected officials.
Members of PDA's national Advisory Board include prominent
California activists Medea Benjamin and Tom Hayden as well
as seven members of the House Progressive Caucus, including
Reps. Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters, Lynn Woolsey, and John Conyers.
More information about PDA is available at its website, www.pdamerica.org.
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