FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 7, 2024
Cornel West for President
[email protected]
[Raleigh, North Carolina] – The independent presidential campaign of Dr. Cornel West faces unfounded legal challenges and misinformation from the Democratic Party. The Justice for All Party (JFA) has complied fully with every state law requirement, leaving no legal or factual basis for these challenges. Assertions made by the Democratic Party misrepresent our party’s adherence to the law and our dedication to principled, progressive policies.
Dr. West stated, “The Democratic Party's challenges to both North Carolina Justice For All and We The People Party (founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.) disrespect the tens of thousands of North Carolinians who have engaged with and supported these initiatives. These attacks infringe upon the constitutional rights of voters seeking to forge new political paths that offer genuine alternatives in the upcoming elections. Our campaign shall uphold these rights and ensure that every voice is heard this November.”
Moreover, recent communications from the Democratic Party to our North Carolina supporters contain misleading claims that distort our campaign's goals and principles. Contrary to their portrayals, our movement is staunchly dedicated to universal healthcare, ending perpetual wars, and advocating for a free Palestine—issues the Democratic Party has often sidestepped or insufficiently addressed.
Italo Medelius-Marsano, a co-chair of the state Justice for All Party of North Carolina, said “by attempting to discredit our party, the Democratic Party not only underestimates the intelligence of North Carolina’s voters but also engages in tactics aimed at stifling democratic choice and diversity in political representation. It is disheartening to witness such maneuvers intended to manipulate public opinion and influence the electoral process adversely.”
The West campaign is confident that the people of North Carolina, and indeed all Americans, are discerning enough to see through these tactics. The spread of misinformation only reflects the established parties' fear of a movement that champions the interests of the working class and challenges the entrenched political status quo.
Under Dr. West and Dr. Abdullah's leadership, this campaign is committed to more than just electoral success - we are building a long-term movement dedicated to mutual aid, local empowerment, and true representation of the people’s interests. Accusations that Justice for All lacks substantive policy initiatives reflect a broader failure of the Democratic Party to engage with the critical issues facing our nation today.
In conclusion, the actions of the Democratic Party reveal a deep-seated unease with the growing support for our transformative agenda. Dr. Cornel West’s independent campaign will persist in advocating for real change, combating misinformation, and championing the democratic rights of all workers.
About the Justice for All Party
In an effort to directly confront the suppression of voter choice and participation by legacy political parties, Independent candidate for President of the United States, Dr. Cornel West, announced the establishment of the Justice For All Party (JFA). The party will primarily be utilized as a grassroots, people-powered vehicle to secure ballot access in specific states. Additionally, JFA will grow into a larger formation that galvanizes people-powered initiatives to promote transformational change beyond the 2024 election cycle. JFA provides a mechanism for our grassroots campaign to travel a path of least resistance that will require the fewest number of signatures to attain ballot access in states like California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New Mexico, North Carolina, Washington and the District of Columbia.
About Dr. Cornel West
Dr. West, affectionately known to many as Brother West, is the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary.
Dr. West is the former University Professor at Harvard University, Professor Emeritus at Princeton University and the first Black person to receive a Ph.D. In Philosophy from Princeton University. He has written 20 books and he is best known for his classics, Race Matters and Democracy Matters, and for his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. He delivered the historic Gifford lectures at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland in Spring 2024.
Dr. West enters the 2024 Presidential contest at a time in which he describes a national crisis of moral bankruptcy and spiritual obscenity driven by a derelict duopoly of both major parties that equally places profits over people and the planet. West asserts that running as an Independent candidate affords him the opportunity and duty to deliver policy prescriptions incorporated by and for the people, instead of political parties beholden to corporations and special interest groups who feel no solidarity with poor and working-class people of all races, gender identities, and age groups.
The Cornel West Campaign to empower poor and working people everywhere stands at a pivotal moment in history, committed to being a true campaign for people around the globe. Our aim is and will always be to unite in solidarity with movements of truth and justice, who seek a choice beyond empire, white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy, and the confines of the corporate-dominated two-party system.
About Dr. Melina Abdullah
Dr. Melina Abdullah is a Professor of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, where she has also served as Department Chair. A respected scholar and dedicated activist, Dr. Abdullah is deeply involved in organized labor and social justice movements, holding roles such as the Chair of the Council for Racial and Social Justice with the California Faculty Association’s Los Angeles Chapter. She has been a lifelong union organizer and a delegate to the County Federation of Labor, melding her academic expertise with grassroots activism to champion causes such as the "Cops Off Campus" campaign and the establishment of Ethnic Studies in educational curricula.
A founding organizer of Black Lives Matter, Dr. Abdullah continues to lead the Los Angeles chapter and serves as Director of Black Lives Matter Grassroots, driving local and national initiatives that aim to dismantle systemic racism. Her leadership has been pivotal in various campaigns for justice and equity, including #BlackWomenAreDivine and #EndPoliceAssociations. Dr. Abdullah's commitment to social change is also evident through her role in media, where she produces and hosts "Move the Crowd" on 90.7FM KPFK, furthering public political education.
Beyond her professional and activist roles, Dr. Abdullah is a devoted mother and a champion of community engagement and empowerment. Raised in Oakland, California, by a family of union workers, she embodies the values instilled by her ancestors and strives to pass on a legacy of resilience and advocacy to her three children and her community in Los Angeles’ Crenshaw District. Her extensive contributions to social justice have earned her numerous accolades, including the Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance “Champion of Change” Award and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award from Loyola Marymount University.
Learn more about Cornel West at CornelWest2024.com.
Learn more about Dr. West’s Policy Pillars at CornelWest2024.com/Platform.
For more details and press inquiries, please contact [email protected].
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