[Peace-discuss] Adam Kokesh of IVAW announces run for Congress

[E. Wayne Johnson]

Adam Kokesh of IVAW announced his run for Congress (New Mexico's 3rd 
Congressional District) this morning on
the Liberty Restoration Hour with Catherine Bleish on Restore the 
Republic Radio (http://www.restoretherepublicradio.com)

Podcast at---
http://archives.restoretherepublicradio.com:8765/archives/2009050110-00-00.mp3 
<http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Farchives.restoretherepublicradio.com%3A8765%2Farchives%2F2009050110-00-00.mp3&h=efebc0d972fa3294eacf3a6371fb5244>

Kokesh said that love is the key motivator in his run. 

He has still not decided on a political party.

Press Release

Contact: Tina Richards
Media Relations
Phone : 573.247.8059
Email: Tina at TinaRichards.us

Adam Kokesh Announces Exploratory Committee for New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District
Santa Fe, NM, May 1, 2009: Adam Kokesh announced that he will form an exploratory committee 
to consider the race for Congress in New Mexico's Third Congressional District in response 
to a national grassroots movement calling themselves "Draft Kokesh". 
Adam Kokesh served in the United States Marine Corps and was deployed to Fallujah, 
Iraq during 2004. He received the Navy Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, 
Navy Commendation Medal in addition to others. After returning from Iraq, 
Kokesh resumed his studies and completed his bachelor's degree in psychology at 
Claremont McKenna College. In February 2007, Kokesh became an active participant in 
Iraq Veterans Against the War. He quickly became a leading voice in the Anti-War Movement 
and has gained tens of thousands of supporters from the Ron Paul Campaign for Liberty Movement. 
Upon his graduation, he returned to Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

(Additional biographical information available at the following site: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Kokesh)

""When I got out of the Marine Corps, I joined the monumental fight to end the occupations of 
Iraq and Afghanistan, bring the troops home to defend America, and restore a Constitutional foreign policy. 
Having won the public to our side, it is time we take the fight to the capitol," 
Kokesh stated. "Over the next couple of months, I look forward to meeting supporters all across the 
district as we make our decision on whether or not to run for Congress," continued Kokesh. 
"I have been blessed with standing shoulder to shoulder with citizens across the nation, 
but now I return back to my roots of New Mexico in the desire to represent the citizens 
of New Mexico's 3rd district. Now is the time to decide if running for Congress is the best way 
to continue my service to my country and to the constituents of New Mexico's 3rd district."
Adam Kokesh is drawing support from both the left and the right of the political spectrum. 
This wide appeal of Kokesh supporters will make a real challenge for the freshman congressman 
currently serving the 3rd district.. 
In the upcoming 2010 elections, this will be a congressional race to watch.

Letter sent to Draft Kokesh Supporters:

My fellow patriots,

Thank you for all you have done to help me in my journey over the past years. 
It has been an honor to stand shoulder to shoulder with you. Slowly but surely, 
in our struggle for freedom from authoritarianism, we are making progress. 
As long as we continue to hang together, we will not hang separately!

When I got out of the Marine Corps, I joined the monumental fight to 
end the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, bring the troops home to defend America, 
and restore a Constitutional foreign policy. Having won the public to our side, 
it is time we take the fight to the capitol, to the real enemies of the Constitution. 

Posturing against war while voting to fund it is unacceptable! 

Tragically, we still have a government that behaves like it owns us, rather than serves us.  
Since I was first politically active, people have been encouraging me to run for Congress, 
including a recent effort to "draft" me to run {http://www.draftkokesh.com). 

We need rallying points to keep our movement invigorated and growing, 
and if running for Congress from my home town of Santa Fe can serve as one, 
I will gladly step up. In that effort, I am excited to announce the formation of the 
Kokesh for Congress Exploratory Committee.  

While I am asking for your financial support in this effort, I want to make it clear that 
I am willing to make the personal sacrifices necessary to raise the standard of our national 
leadership. If elected, I will not accept the Congressional salary of approximately $170,000, 
but only the national average income. It is not enough in these difficult economic times, 
for Congress to tell the American people what is best for us economically, while they vote 
themselves another pay raise and burden our children with impossible debt. Enough is enough!

There is a temporary website up now at http://www.kokeshforcongress.com. 
Please sign up and donate there as we prepare for the launch of a complete site on June 1st.

It is time once again to draw the line between patriots and loyalists. 
I am a patriot because I am committed to the ideals of liberty and equality this country 
is destined to achieve, loyal to no false authority. I know that much more than political 
resistance is required to achieve a paradigm shift, but we can do no wrong standing up for 
what we know to be morally right. 

Regardless of my decision, I remain eternally committed to the cause of liberty.

Love, faith, respect,

Adam Kokesh




-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.chambana.net/mailman/archive/peace-discuss/attachments/20090501/764673a8/attachment.htm