From Sam Smith’s Undernews, Ralph Nader’s version of what happened at UMass. I can’t believe this outrageous violation isn’t being flogged with more concern and outrage in the media.

[From a letter written by Ralph Nader to the Commission on Presidential Debates]

RALPH NADER: On Tuesday night October 3, 2000, I attempted to view the first presidential debate

hosted by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) at the University of Massachusetts. Though I

have been excluded from participating in the debates by the arbitrary and unfair standards set by your

private, bi-partisan company, I was given a transferable ticket by a university student to observe the

debates in a separate auditorium reserved apart from the corporate-sponsored audience in attendance for

the two-party show. I planned to view the debates so that I could appear as a guest to comment on the

debates later that evening on a live broadcast by Fox News Channel from a trailer occupied by them, at

the debate site, with the full permission of the CPD.

En route to the event, ticket in hand, and members of the press present and recording everything at my

side, I was met by a security consultant, Mr. John Vezeris, who was flanked by three uniformed state

troopers. The security consultant, while declining to present any credentials, told me that he was

“instructed by the Commission” to advise me that “it’s already been decided that, whether or not you

have a ticket, you are not invited.” One of the police officers told me that I would face arrest if I continued

to remain on the premises. The security consultant repeatedly refused to divulge who from the CPD

ordered this action and subsequent attempts by my campaign to establish who ordered this coercive

expulsion with the aid of police officers have not resulted in any names.

I was stopped a second time by the same police when I attempted to visit the news trailer for a broadcast

I was formally invited to do by Fox News Chief Executive Roger Ailes and which had been arranged from

the premises. According to today’s media reports, Mr. Kirk claims I was excluded as a “point man for the

protests,” when I took no part in those protests and when demonstrations by pro-Gore supporters did not

result in similar exclusionary treatment for Vice-President Gore. As the Green Party candidate for the

office of President, I am not used to being barred by police officers from attending public events for which

I hold a ticket. Nor am I accustomed to being physically prevented from attending approved on-site

newscasts and reaching national audiences from venues where I am invited to appear. Indeed, the

Commission’s decision to deploy public officers at a public university to bar me from viewing the

presidential debates and participating at a subsequent onsite newscast because of my political

viewpoints and affiliation with the Green Party violates both Massachusetts State and federal civil rights

laws.