February 4, 2002

NEWS RELEASE

Stanley for U.S. Senate
Web site:http://www.stanley2002.org
Contact: Rick Stanley
Campaign office: 303.329.0481
Email:rick@stanley2002.org

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Citizens Denied the Right to Vote! And That Ain't All, Folks!

(DENVER CO) Rick Stanley, U.S. Senate Candidate for the Libertarian Party, today made the following statement:

"Government employees, servants of the people, are denying American citizens the right to vote in elections in Colorado. The Denver Post reported in January that American citizens, residing in Colorado, who have served time for a felony conviction and completed their sentences, have forfeited the right to vote and forfeited the right to keep and bear arms. Many individuals in this state have made the statement that they have been told of this condition before their release from incarceration. If there are indeed, laws on the books to this effect, they are unconstitutional and, therefore, null and void.

"Amendment 15 of the Bill of Rights, a part of the Constitution, says the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude.

"That is very plain to me. Once your sentence is up and you have paid your debt to society, you have your constitutional voting rights restored. Period.

"There is not any direction or authority given to the government by the Constitution to take weapons from a lawful citizen. Once a felon has completed his or her sentence and is once again a law abiding citizen, the government has no lawful authority to deny that citizen their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. The Constitution is the SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND. Criminals will always have guns, with or without the permission of government. Law abiding citizens who reestablish themselves in society should not be denied any rights by the government under any circumstances.

"I want to make one last point. The government has so many laws that are felonies, most of which are personal responsibility issues, that they have no authority to make law over. It is no wonder many people know a felon now. Thirty-five or forty years ago, hardly anyone knew a felon. Why is that?"

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