Republicans violated own platform by nominating Fallon

Lou Antonelli for Congress

116 West Main St.

Clarksville, Tx. 75426

903-427-0002

Sept. 15, 2020

  For Immediate Release

Lou Antonelli, the Libertarian Party nominee for Texas’ 4^th Congressional District, calls on Texas Republican Party Chairman Allen West to acknowledge the party violated its own platform in nominating Pat Fallon for Congress.

A professional politician who was most recently a state senator, Fallon was nominated to take Congressman John Ratcliffe’s place on the ballot at a district convention Aug. 8 in Sulphur Springs after Ratcliffe was named Director of National Intelligence by President Trump.

Fallon got the nod, despite questions about his residency, and after some considerable arm twisting by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz at the convention. Fallon lives in the Denton county portion of Prosper, an outer suburb of Dallas, which is just outside the 4th's boundaries.

Even Wikipedia, the largest and most popular general reference work on the World Wide Web, notes Fallon’s position: “Fallon's state senate district includes much of the eastern portion of the congressional district.”

However, regarding the 4th Congressional District, Wikipedia continues: “While candidates for the House are only required to live in the state they wish to represent, longstanding convention holds that they live either in or reasonably close to the district they wish to represent.”

“What is more significant,” said Antonelli, “is that Fallon has violated his own party’s platform by accepting the nomination.”

The Platform Plank on Candidate Eligibility (No. 178) states “A candidate running for office should be required to reside within the geographical boundaries of the office sought.”

It can be viewed at https://www.texasgop.org/platform/

“There were many questions asked at the district convention regarding Fallon’s residency, but they were brushed aside as Cruz and Fallon bulldozed the convention,” said Antonelli.

Antonelli lives Clarksville in Red River County, where he owns The Clarksville Times newspaper.

“While Fallon and I both grew up in Massachusetts, I have lived in Texas longer, and more importantly, I actually live in the district I am running to represent,” said Antonelli.

Antonelli challenged Fallon to a debate on Sept. 8, 2020. To date he has received no reply.

-The End-

 

Libertarians field viable candidate for District 4 seat

With the confirmation of John Ratcliffe as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) on May 21, multiple candidates are stepping forward to run for the open Congressional seat.

The Libertarian Party is proud to announce its nominee for District 4 is Lou Antonelli of Clarksville in Red River County, a small business owner with a long record of public service and community involvement. Antonelli pledges to run a full-fledged active campaign.

Antonelli says his goal running as a third party candidate is to inject original ideas into the discussion, and push for the Libertarian Party to become the second party in the district, displacing the Democrats.

“Can you imagine how much better our political system would be if the two major parties were the Republicans and Libertarians, instead of the Republicans and Democrats?” asked Antonelli. “Libertarians are the loyal opposition, as opposed to the Democrats, who are the disloyal opposition.”

Antonelli said Libertarians stand for hacking away strangling bureaucracy at all levels of government, and returning as much authority as possible to individuals. “Thanks to the COVID pandemic, we have all gotten a free trial of Socialism,” he said. “How do you like it?”

Lou and his wife Patricia own The Clarksville Times, founded in 1873, the oldest business in Red River County. He is the managing editor, and has been a community journalist for 40 years.

He has served in the past as an elected school trustee, a library trustee, an animal shelter board member, and a condemnation court judge. He is presently the President of the Clarksville Lions Club.

His cell phone number is 903-257-6573 and anyone is welcome to call him any time. His office number at The Clarksville Times in 903-427-0002, or you can email him at theclarksvilletimes@gmail.com