[Another terrific argument for taxpayer-subsidized artwork? --Declan] --- THE D.C. STATEHOOD GREEN PARTY MEDIA RELEASE For immediate release: Friday, March 29, 2002 Contact: Attorney Jim Klimaski, 202-296-5600 Michael Piacsek (plaintiff), 202-638-7760 Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator 202-518-5624, scottmclartyat_private D.C. STATEHOOD GREEN PARTY SEEKS TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER ON 'PARTY ANIMALS' Legal action against the D.C. Arts Commission's use of public funding on a project to promote Democratic and Republican Party mascots NOTE: The request for the temporary restraining order will be made on Friday, March 29 (postponed from Thursday, March 28) in U.S. District Court at 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. For the time and courtroom, please inquire at the courthouse. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On behalf of the D.C. Statehood Green Party, attorney Jim Klimaski will file a complaint and seek a restraining order to block the D.C. Commission on Arts and Humanities from displaying 'Party Animals' on April 12. The request for the temporary restraining order will be made before a judge in U.S. District Court on Friday, March 29. The two plaintiffs are the D.C. Statehood Green Party and Michael Piacsek. The D.C. Statehood Green Party has undertaken legal action in response to the Commission's choice of the donkey and elephant -- the mascots of the Democratic and Republican Parties -- for the major art project to be exhibited throughout D.C. from April until October in dozens of installations. In selecting the animals, the Commission is presenting them as the mascots of Washington, D.C., comparable to the Miami dolphin, the Cincinnati pig, New York's Big Apple, and other city symbols. "This is a major publicly funded arts project that will advertise the Democratic and Republican Parties, to the exclusion of D.C.'s large bloc of independent voters and voters registered in other parties," said Scott McLarty, media coordinator of the Statehood Green Party. "We fully support publicly funded art work, including political expression in art," added party member Stacy Malkan. "But this is a bald-faced partisan promotion, a misuse of taxpayers' money, and a violation of our rights. The Democratic and Republican mascots were arbitrarily chosen and don't represent the range of political ideals and party affiliation. It's especially an affront in the middle of an election year -- it negates the American value of fair competition." Statehood Greens note that they've achieved major party status, just the Democratic and Republican Parties, and that Statehood Green candidates have received percentages comparable to those of Republicans in elections. In the District of Columbia, Ralph Nader received 6%, closely trailing George W. Bush's 9% in 2000. "Imagine if the Commission had chosen only the donkey, in honor of the Democratic Party, as the city's mascot," said Scott McLarty. "Republicans would be furiously, and rightfully so. They'd demand an immediate injunction. That's what we're demanding." "If the Commission doesn't believe that the project promotes political parties, then why did they title it 'Party Animals'?" MORE INFORMATION The D.C. Statehood Green Party http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org END ------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- Declan McCullagh's politics and technology mailing list You may redistribute this message freely if you include this notice. Declan McCullagh's photographs are at http://www.mccullagh.org/ To subscribe to Politech: http://www.politechbot.com/info/subscribe.html This message is archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Politech dinner in SF on 4/16: http://www.politechbot.com/events/cfp2002/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
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