Bill Phelan for Mayor
FOR RELEASE: June 12, 2009
CONTACT: Eileen Lawlor 617-678-0811
Phelan challenges Koch: “Sign Fair Campaign Practices Pledge”
“It’s up to us to help end dirty campaigning in our city elections…
…let all your supporters know we want a clean election”
– Phelan
Quincy- In an effort to “end the mudslinging and ensure this campaign is not about personal attacks or dishonest antics,” former Mayor William Phelan has challenged incumbent Mayor Tom Koch to join him in signing a “Fair Campaign Practices Pledge.”
Phelan, who last month issued a statement asking both his supporters and his opponent’s to “tone it down” and stick to the issues, hand delivered a letter to Koch’s office urging him to sign the pledge and “let all your supporters know we want a clean election.”
“I have a record, and you have a record, and that’s what we should be talking about,” Phelan wrote to Koch. “I hope that you agree that the spreading of malicious lies, and the proliferation of angry comments on blogs and in other forums are not helpful to our city.”
“The people of Quincy deserve a spirited, truthful discussion of our respective records, and our visions for the future. It is time to end the old politics of character assassination and mudslinging,” Phelan wrote to Koch.
“It’s up to us to end the dirty campaigning in our city elections,” Phelan told Koch.
The pledge which Phelan signed is based on the 2008 State of Utah Pledge of Fair Campaign Practices. In it, candidates promise to campaign openly and honestly, to avoid slanderous attacks on other candidates and their families, to stick to the issues, and to instruct their supporters to do the same..
Following is the pledge Phelan has urged Koch to join him in signing:
Fair Campaign Practices Pledge
City of Quincy
2009
There are basic principles of decency, honesty and fair play which every candidate for public office in the City of Quincy has a moral obligation to observe and uphold. Citizens of this city have the right to a vigorously contested and fairly conducted campaign, and to exercise their right to vote so that the will of the people of Quincy may be fully, clearly and honestly expressed.
THEREFORE:
I SHALL conduct my campaign openly and publicly, discussing the issues truthfully as I see them, presenting my record and policies with sincerity and frankness, and criticizing, without fear or favor, the record and policies of my opponents that I believe merit criticism.
I SHALL NOT use nor shall I permit the use by my supporters of scurrilous attacks on any candidate or the candidate’s family. I shall not participate in nor shall I permit the use of defamation, libel, or slanderous rumor against any candidate or the candidate’s family. I shall not participate in nor shall I permit the use of any other criticism of any candidate or the candidate’s family that I do not believe to be truthful, provable, and relevant to my campaign.
I SHALL NOT use nor shall I permit the use of any practice that tends to corrupt or undermine our American system of free elections, or that hinders or prevents the free expression of the will of the legitimate voters of the City of Quincy, including practices intended to hinder or prevent any eligible person from registering to vote or voting.
I SHALL NOT coerce election help or campaign contributions for myself or any other candidate from city employees or campaign volunteers.
I SHALL immediately and publicly repudiate support derived from any individual or group which resorts, on behalf of my candidacy or in opposition to that of an opponent, to methods in violation of the letter and spirit of this pledge. I shall accept responsibility to take firm action against any subordinate who violates this pledge and the laws governing elections.
I SHALL defend and uphold the right of every qualified Quincy voter to full and equal participation in the electoral process.
I, the undersigned candidate for Mayor of Quincy, hereby solemnly pledge to conduct my campaign in accordance with the above principles and practices.
NAME________________________ OFFICE:__________________
SIGNATURE:_____________________ DATE:___________________
NAME___________________________ OFFICE:__________________
SIGNATURE:_______________________ DATE:___________________
(Based on the 2008 State of Utah, Pledge of Fair Campaign Practices)
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A COPY OF PHELAN’S LETTER TO KOCH, DELIVERED 6/12/09, IS ATTACHED
Mayor Thomas Koch
Quincy City Hall
Quincy, MA
June 12, 2009
Dear Mayor Koch:
At the bottom of your recent paid
political advertisement in the Quincy Sun,
I was pleased to read your comment that:” "This is no time for
the personal politics and dishonest antics of the past, and I welcome the
opportunity to talk truthfully about our record and our vision for the
future."
I commend you for that statement, and join you in wanting an end
to the mudslinging and ugly rumor mongering that marred our last election, and
continues today. As you know, I recently issued a public call to partisans on
both sides to “Tone it down.”
As I said at that time, people on both sides need to calm down, and stick to the issues. I asked my supporters to please keep it civil, and keep it on the issues. I have a record, and you have a record, and that's what we should all be talking about. I hope that you agree that the spreading of malicious lies, and the proliferation of angry comments on blogs and in other forums are not helpful to our city.
And so today I am asking you to join with me in signing the enclosed Fair Campaign Practices Pledge to end the mudslinging and ensure that this campaign will not be about personal attacks or "dishonest antics."
The people of Quincy deserve a spirited, truthful discussion of our respective records, and our visions for the future. It is time for an end to the old politics of character assassination and mudslinging. It's up to us to help end dirty campaigning in our city elections.
Please sign the enclosed copies, keep one for yourself and send me back the other, and let all your supporters know we want a clean election.
Sincerely,
William Phelan
Candidate for Mayor