1st in South Candidates Forum: Calling out HRC and DWS

The South Carolina Democratic Party is hosting a First In The South Candidates Forum this Friday, November 6th, at Winthrop University. It will be moderated by Rachel Maddow. The candidates who have been invited and will attend, and whose photos are on the front page of the SCDP website, are Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley and Bernie Sanders. Democratic Presidential candidate Lawrence Lessig has not been invited to the Forum.

Hillary Clinton and Debbie Wasserman Schultz need to be called out about this.

Rachel Maddow should take a public stand.


Calling out Secretary Clinton:

Secretary Clinton, here is what you say on your website about campaign finance reform:

Campaign finance reform
Our democracy should work for everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected.“We have to end the flood of secret, unaccountable money that is distorting our elections, corrupting our political system, and drowning out the voices of too many everyday Americans. Our democracy should be about expanding the franchise, not charging an entrance fee."
HILLARY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2015
Hillary is calling for aggressive campaign finance reform to end the stranglehold that wealthy interests have over our political system and restore a government of, by, and for the people—not just the wealthy and well-connected. Her proposals will will curb the outsized influence of big money in American politics, shine a light on secret spending and institute real reforms to raise the voices of regular voters.
Hillary will:
Overturn Citizens United. Hillary will appoint Supreme Court justices who value the right to vote over the right of billionaires to buy elections. She’ll push for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United in order to restore the role of everyday voters in elections.
End secret, unaccountable money in politics. Hillary will push for legislation to require outside groups to publicly disclose significant political spending. And until Congress acts, she'll sign an executive order requiring federal government contractors to do the same. Hillary will also promote an SEC rule requiring publicly traded companies to disclose political spending to shareholders.
Amplify the voices of everyday Americans. Hillary will establish a small-donor matching system for presidential and congressional elections to incentivize small donors to participate in elections, and encourage candidates to spend more time engaging a representative cross-section of voters. 

Secretary Clinton, I think think you have no credibility in what you say you will do about the corrupting influence of money in politics.

This is not the venue for that case to be made against you. The venue for that is Friday's First In The South Candidates Forum to which Lawrence Lessig needs to be invited to attend.


Calling out Debbie Wasserman Schultz 

Representative Wasserman Schultz: MAYDAY.US lists you as one of the members of Congress who are leaders supporting fundamental reform.

You are in charge of which candidates are being allowed to participate in the Democratic debates. You are standing in the way of Lawrence Lessig's participation in the debates, and it is believed you are standing in the way of Lawrence Lessig's being invited to Friday's First In The South Candidates Forum

You may believe that Secretary Clinton is credible and trustworthy on what she says she will do about the corrupting influence of money in politics.

As stated above, I believe Secretary Clinton has no credibility in what she says she will do, and that this calls for a debate in which she and Lawrence Lessig are participants. This can start with Friday's First In The South Candidates Forum.

If Lawrence Lessig is not invited to the Forum, you need to be called out on the matter.


Rachel Maddow

Ms. Maddow:

If the failure to invite Lawrence Lessig to Friday's  Forum  is due to influence and control exerted by Secretary Clinton and Rep. Wasserman Schultz, you should take a public stand against that exclusion.