FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, August 2, 2024
Cornel West for President
[email protected]

[Raleigh, North Carolina] – In light of recent discoveries during the House Oversight and Reform Committee hearings of the North Carolina General Assembly, the campaign of Dr. Cornel West will join a new, separate lawsuit initiated by an independent group of North Carolina voters. This decision follows the revelation that the North Carolina Board of Elections received undue influence from the Democratic Party and their allies, resulting in significant procedural failures during the signature verification process for the Justice for All Party's ballot access efforts.

During the House Oversight and Reform Committee hearings last week, it was disclosed that the Board of Elections in North Carolina was called before the legislature and rigorously questioned due to their mistreatment of the Justice for All Party, which was founded by presidential hopeful Dr. Cornel West. Allegations were made by Democrat operatives claiming that out of North Carolina's 100 counties, 78 had failed to check signatures on petitions at the county level before sending them to the state. However, the state's investigation revealed that only four counties had not properly checked the signatures or could not confirm that they had done so.

"The discrepancy between the alleged number of 78 counties, and actual number of counties in violation - four - highlights the baseless nature of the accusations. The claim that three-quarters of the counties failed to verify signatures is demonstrably false. The weakness of these accusations is evident and underscores the lack of a substantial case against us. While these allegations are frustrating, they are ultimately encouraging as they reflect the desperate attempts to undermine our efforts," said West campaign spokesperson Edwin DeJesus.

This situation is further compounded by the historical context provided by the Democratic National Committee's ongoing efforts to impede third-party and independent candidates. According to NBC News’ March 14, 2024 article - Democrats Prepare to Go to War Against Third-Party Candidates, the DNC promised to create a task force specifically aimed at obstructing the ballot access of third-party candidates. This is exemplified by their hiring of Lis Smith and her firm, whose primary focus is to find ways to prevent third-party and independent candidates from gaining access to the ballot, thus disregarding the people's voice and upholding the two-party system.

The impact of these actions is not only procedural but deeply personal. Frankie Gist, a candidate for Mayor running under the Justice for All Party, has been unable to move forward in his campaign due to the actions of the Board of Elections. Frankie Gist stated, "My dad always told me growing up, 'In order to get something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done.' But he also said when you start doing things differently and not like the way others want it done, they will try to do everything in their power to hinder you from moving forward to your greatness and success. The Board of Elections is trying to hinder us because they see we’re doing things differently and not like the way they want us to do it. But as my grandmother used to say all the time, 'We won't be moved!' Nothing they do will stop us from winning this ballot and winning the election. We must continue to fight and work together to make change happen for all people."

Dr. Cornel West emphasized, "Our campaign stands in solidarity with the Justice for All Party and all those who seek justice and truth in the electoral process. We are committed to ensuring that every voice is heard and that our place on the ballot is secured. As we join this lawsuit, we remain focused on fighting for truth, justice, and love."

To date, the West/Abdullah campaign has secured ballot access in Wisconsin, Maine, Florida, Mississippi, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Colorado, South Carolina, Utah, Oregon, Alaska and Vermont, pending finalization of certification in certain states.

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

Melina Abdullah is Professor of Pan-African Studies at Cal State LA’s College of Ethnic Studies, Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter - Los Ángeles and Black Lives Matter Grassroots, where she is also Director. She is a leader in the California Faculty Association (the faculty union), both locally and statewide, and mama of three. Dr. Abdullah earned her Ph.D. from University of Southern California in Political Science and her B.A. from Howard University in African American Studies. Abdullah has authored numerous articles and book chapters. Known by the moniker, Doc Melly Mel, she is creator, host, and producer of the radio programs Move the Crowd on KPFK 90.7 FM and This Is Not a Drill! on KBLA Talk 1580, and is a recognized expert on race, gender, class, and social movements. In April 2024, Abdullah was announced as vice-presidential pick for Dr. Cornel West in his run for president of the United States on a platform of “Truth, Justice, and Love.” She is the first Muslim to run for the vice-presidency.

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].