Ross Carl "Rocky" Anderson (born September 9, 1951) is an American lawyer and politician. He served two periods as the 33rd mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah from 2000-08. He is the Executive Director of High Road for Human Rights and a founding member of the Justice Party.
Before serving as Mayor, he practiced law for 21 years in Salt Lake City, during which time he enrolled in Best Lawyers in America, rated AV (highest ranking) by Martindale-Hubbell, served as Chairman of the Utah State Litigation Section and Editor- in-Chief, and contributor, Voir Dire legal journals.
As mayor, Anderson rose to national prominence as champion of several national and international causes, including climate protection, immigration reform, restorative criminal justice, LGBT rights, and an end to the "War on Drugs". Before and after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Anderson was the main enemy of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Anderson is the only mayor of a major US city advocating the impeachment of President George W. Bush, which he does in many places throughout the United States.
Anderson's work and advocacy resulted in local, national, and international recognition in various fields, including named by Business Week as one of the twenty world's top activists on climate change, serving on the Newsweek Global Leadership Advisory Board, and recognized by the Human Rights Campaign as one of ten direct advocates in the United States for LGBT equality. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the EPA's Climate Protection Award, Distinguished Sierra Club Service Award, Planet Earth Defender Award, Presidential Presidency Presidency Presentation Award, Drugpeace Policy Advocacy Alliance Richard J. Dennis Drugpeace Award, Progressive Democrats of America Spine Award, Latin American Citizens in Courage Award, Bill of Rights Defense Committee Patriot Award, Pink Code (City of Salt) Pink Star Award, Morehouse Gandhi College, King, Ikeda Award, and World Leadership Award for environmental program.
Earlier members of the Democratic Party, Anderson expressed his disappointment with the Party in 2011, stating, "The Constitution has been emptied while the Democrats have stood up with a whimper.This is a naughty, unprincipled party, bought and paid for by the same interest that buys and pays Republicans. "
Anderson announced his intention to run for president in 2012 as a candidate for a newly formed Justice Party. He announced on December 14, 2012, that he will not run for US Representative in 2014, or for the US President again in 2016 after choosing to support Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary.
Video Rocky Anderson
Life before law and politics
Ross C. "Rocky" Anderson was born in Logan, Utah, one of three children from Roy and Grace Anderson. His parents worked at Anderson Lumber Company, a local log yard founded by Rocky's great-grandfather, a Norwegian immigrant carpenter who has moved to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Although Anderson is not a Mormon, he was raised as one and is a practicing member of the LDS Church in Logan. However, he has described his disagreement with certain doctrines of the LDS Church, especially the pre-1978 rejection of the priesthood and therefore temple ceremonies for black African descendants (see blacks and Mormonism). Anderson also expressed disagreement with what he described as the LDS teachings of the release of personal morals through obedience to the people in positions of authority. Anderson believes in the principle of personal conscience and individual accountability, and considers what he sees as a call for blind obedience as incompatible with that principle.
Anderson studied ethics, political philosophy, and religious philosophy at the University of Utah. He deliberately investigates the theological issues and determines that the best way for him is to deeply consider the ethical choice, then establish certain moral milestones for his life, and focus on trying to live accordingly, regardless of organized religious doctrines.
Although Anderson has acknowledged the importance of some of the basic moral lessons he has learned as a young member of the LDS Church, and has described the value he places on his Mormon heritage, he has talked about the alleged discrimination of the LDS Church against gays and lesbians, and is written on this issue. She appeared in the movie, 8: Mormon Proposition .
During high school, Anderson plays the main guitar in the rock and roll band, Viscounts, and works in a cabinet and a roof pole. He also rocked the roof during his high school years. After graduating from Ogden High School, Anderson studied at the University of Utah, where during that time he served as Treasurer for the Sigma Chi Brotherhood and worked in various jobs, including truck drivers, roofers, and gas station managers. He holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy, graduating magna cum laude. After reading the existentialist literature and some works on ethics, philosophy of religion, and political philosophy, he has "a strong enlightenment.We can not escape responsibility, no moral decisions are seated, and whenever we refuse to stand against our true faults support the status quo. "
After graduating from Utah University, Anderson worked in several jobs. He built a fence on a ranch in Wyoming, a bar that was treated in Salt Lake City, drove a cab, waited for a table at a restaurant, worked at a methadone clinic, typed a truck bill, and worked in construction. He started a graduate school in Philosophy at the University of Utah, then traveled to Europe and stayed and worked for several months in Freiburg, Germany before returning to the United States to study at law school.
In 1978 Anderson graduated, with praise, from George Washington University Law School, earned a J.D.
Maps Rocky Anderson
Career and legal activism while practicing law
After graduation, Anderson returned to Salt Lake City to practice law. He participated in several judges' trials in federal and state courts and handled appeals before the Utah Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Utah, the United States District Court for Utah District (in the appeal of the Bankruptcy Court) and the US Court of Appeals. for the Tenth Circuit. Anderson has a very diverse legal practice and represents plaintiffs in dozens of major cases.
Anderson practiced law for twenty-one years in Salt Lake City, starting as a partner with Berman & amp; Giauque and later became a partner in Berman & amp; Anderson; Hansen & amp; Anderson; Anderson & amp; Watkins; and Anderson & amp; Karrenberg. He specializes in civil litigation in several areas of law, including antitrust, securities fraud, commercial, product liability, professional malpractice and civil rights. He often represents individuals who sue companies or government entities, including plaintiffs in the following cases:
- Bradford v. Moench : A consumer rights lawsuit in which Anderson confirms the legal theory of new securities and is reached, in a precedent's decision, extensive protection for depositors in "savings" that are not adequately insured. and loan "companies.
- Scott v. Hammock: A lawsuit in which Anderson represents a young woman who has been sexually abused by her adoptive father. During this case, Anderson challenged the privacy rights that the LD.S Church affirmed about the non-conversion communication by the defendant with his Mormon bishop.
- University of Utah students against Apartheid v. Peterson : A case in which the plaintiff successfully asserted their First Amendment right to a symbolic speech after the university administration ordered them to remove the stall used to protest the university investment in South Africa. (Anderson submitted a brief amicus to the ACLU in this case.)
- Armstrong v. McCotter: A civil rights case involving a mentally ill young man, Michael Valent, who, while in prison, died of pulmonary embolism after being tied naked in an overstuffed chair for 16 hours solely because of a related behavior with his schizophrenia.
- Bott v. Deland : A case of civil rights established, for the first time, the protection for the rights of persons imprisoned under the Utah Constitution is much broader than under the Constitution of the United States. In this regard, the Supreme Court of Utah agrees that financial damages, not limited by state law, are available for breaches of protection granted to persons imprisoned under the Constitution of the State.
- Regan v. Salt Lake County: A class act that challenges invasive searches, including strip searches, of women held in small offenses in Salt Lake County Prison.
- Prettyman v. Salt Lake City: A civil rights case involving the excessive use of force by police, resulted in the rod cutting on the plaintiff's back.
- Hale v. Loader : A lawsuit involving sexual harassment of female prisoners by a prison officer.
- Harding v. Walles : A civil rights case involving sexual harassment of a prison male prisoner by a prison guard.
Anderson helped spearhead the reform of Utah child custody law. He works to institutionalize a program to help those who are not eligible for assistance through Legal Aid or Legal Services, but who can not afford to pay full for legal representation. Anderson served as Chairman of the Litigation Section of the Utah Trade Union Association (when the Litigation Section was recognized by the Utah Bar Association as Part of the Year), and as president of Anderson and Karrenberg, a Salt Lake City law firm.
When he practices law, Anderson is affiliated with several non-profit organizations dedicated to protecting civil rights, providing educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged children, improving criminal and criminal justice systems, and strengthening legislative ethics. He served as council president of the ACLU Utah, Guadalupe Schools, and Citizens for Penal Reform, which he founded. He serves as a board member of several other community-based nonprofit organizations, including the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah and the Utah Common Cause. On behalf of the Common Cause, Anderson lobbied for stronger legislation relating to ethical behavior by elected officials, as well as for campaign finance reform.
When he practiced law, Anderson opposed the Reagan Administration's efforts to overthrow the government in Nicaragua and some other policies of the Latin-related government. He arranges two trips to Nicaragua for dozens of Utahs so they can see the country right away.
Moved by the suffering of friends and family members of several women who had been murdered in the Salt Lake City area, but the assassination that the Salt Lake City police detective had failed to solve, Anderson worked pro bono for many months, documents and found and interviewed witnesses. His work, along with the efforts of others, led to the indictment of a late jury and a man's conviction for one of the murders.
Campaign congress
After winning a controversial major election against Kelly Atkinson by 11%, Anderson ran for Congress as a Democratic candidate in the Utah Second Congress District in 1996 against Republican Merrill Cook. Without Democratic Party financial support (some local Democrats see Anderson too liberal because of his support of the ACLU, his opposition to US policy towards Nicaragua in the 1980s, and his opposition to capital punishment), he collected 100,000 votes in the district. Anderson lost the 1996 race to Merrill Cook with 29,680 votes, accounting for 42 percent of votes cast versus Cook 55 percent.
Mayor of Salt Lake City
Anderson ran for Mayor Salt Lake City in 1999, beating 10 other candidates in the main campaign, before winning 60% of the vote in an election against Stuart Reid. He won re-election with a 7% margin against Frank Pignanelli in 2003.
Anderson's two terms in the office are crucial, with Anderson playing a leading role in hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics; He arranged and hosted many mayors for three consecutive years at the Sundance Summit. He also founded the Salt Lake City International Jazz Festival, as well as providing national and international leadership on climate protection. He undertook a successful national campaign to require airports across the country to filter all checked baggage, expand the light rail system in the area, significantly expand protected open spaces, implement an innovative and highly successful Restorative justice program and create after-school and seasonal cities extensive hot youth program.
Many of Anderson's achievements are described in his State of the City address and are listed in a document given to the public just before he leaves the office.
State Senator Chris Buttars of West Jordan publicly denounced former Mayor Rocky Anderson for "pulling the entire gay community to come and live in Salt Lake County" after the Dan Jones poll showed strong support for allowing domestic partnerships. In the 2004 election, 63% of the city's population voted against the prohibition of same-sex marriage, in accordance with Mayor Anderson.
Anderson chose not to run for a third term in order to encourage US human rights policy reforms and practices through grassroots organizing.
Environmental/climate protection program
Considered the "greenest" mayor of the United States, Anderson gained an international reputation for the Salt Lake City Green Program - a comprehensive effort to improve sustainability and reduce the environmental footprint of the City - achieving a 31% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations in just 3 years. The program elements, which Anderson describes as covering "everything from dog debris to nuclear waste," include initiatives to improve fleet efficiency and use of municipal electricity, actions to make Salt Lake City more cyclical-friendly and pedestrian, and co- generation facility at the Municipal sewage and waste treatment facility that takes back methane to generate electricity.
As part of the Salt Lake City Green program, Anderson committed Salt Lake City for the purposes of the Kyoto Protocol in 2002. He mandated that all city buildings use energy-saving bulbs and replace the SUVs in city fleets with high efficiency, alternative fuel vehicles. Anderson almost doubled the city's recycling capacity in one year. The city exceeded the Kyoto target in 2006, seven years ahead of schedule.
In 2003, Anderson received the Climate Protection Award from the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Sierra Club acknowledged its environmental work with the Awards of Special Services. In November 2005, the Salt Lake City Green program led Salt Lake City to receive the World Leadership Award for environmental programs, presented by the World Leadership Forum in London.
Anderson cited "green life" through personal examples, including xeriscaping the entire yard, installing solar panels at home, recycling all recyclable materials, and using cold water detergents, fluorescent lamps, thermostat timers and natural gas-powered cars.
While serving as mayor, Anderson informed and inspired other city officials about the importance of educating constituents on climate change and taking steps to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
For three consecutive years, he organized and co-hosted, together with Robert Redford and ICLEI, the High Level Conference: The Mayor's Meeting on Climate Protection, attended by dozens of mayors from across the United States. At the Sundance Summit, the mayor studied the science of climate change, how to communicate the causes, consequences, and solutions to climate change, and best practices in cities that implement great climate protection practices.
Anderson also spoke on the issue of the climate crisis at meetings at the United Nations (UN) Conference of the Parties (COP) meeting in New Delhi, Buenos Aires and Bali, and at conferences in Sweden, Australia and throughout the United States.
During his term of office as mayor, he created the "e2 Business" program, recruited local businesses to adopt major conservation practices, and led a national campaign against the use of environmentally and economically damaging plastic water bottles, which he called "the greatest marketing fraud of all time ".
Tobacco
Anderson is a tough opponent of tobacco use, and has supported legislative measures to prevent smoking and levy taxes on tobacco products.
Community of ethnic minority problems
In December 2001, state and federal officials organized attacks at Salt Lake City Airport to enforce immigration laws against undocumented workers, arrested, imprisoned and fired. In response, Anderson created the Family to Families program, allowing the Salt Lake City family to provide emotional and financial assistance directly to airport workers and their families, while gaining a better understanding of the immigrant's fate. In addition, the Mayor pioneered the challenge for special English legislation in Utah in 2000, and then spoke at a major demonstration for comprehensive immigration reform.
Anderson received the Latin American Premier League award Citizens â € Å"Profil in Courageâ €, as well as the National Publicity Association Presidency Award, in 2006.
Anderson signed an executive order in 2000 implementing a full affirmative action program in employing the City. This program led to a historic level of recruitment and retention of ethnic minorities in the city government. The percentage of urban government workforce taken from ethnic minority communities increased by more than 30% in seven years, and the number of senior City administrators from ethnic minority communities has increased by more than 85% since 2000. Thirty-two percent of Anderson's appointments to city councils and commissions, and a third of staff at the Mayor's Office, are individuals of ethnic minorities.
Together with Jon Huntsman, Sr., Anderson works with the Alliance for Unity, a group of religious leaders and non-partisan communities working to build bridges between diverse people throughout Utah.
2002 Winter Olympics
After working with Mitt Romney and leading Salt Lake City through the 2002 Winter Olympics, Anderson handed over the Olympic flag to the 2002 Summer Olympics closing ceremony. One of Anderson's key achievements worked effectively with the Utah State Legislature and Mitt Romney in ensuring that public safety needs will be financed adequately. Romney then said, "I think a lot of people will see (the Olympic funding agreement) and say it is a small miracle. [Rocky] is instrumental, key, in reaching solutions."
Anderson endorsed Romney's next governor's bid in Massachusetts in 2002. Romney later backed Anderson's 2003 re-election campaign. Anderson criticized Romney's change in his position on certain issues because he decided to run for president of the United States. "The Mitt Romney who runs for and serves as governor of Massachusetts is Mitt Romney very different than the one that has been run for the President of the United States... The real Mitt Romney - Mitt Romney whom we all know and who serve as governors of Massachusetts - is very sensible, very moderate - he feels that Roe versus Wade should be the end of the choice debate, a stem cell research supporter - he is not the right winger he seems to be when he decides he will run for President of the United States.
criminal and restorative criminal justice
Anderson is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, a bi-partisan group with the aim of stating "making the public safer by getting illegal weapons off the streets". The coalition is co-chaired by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Anderson restructured the Salt Lake City criminal justice system and, after reviewing peer reviewed literature, showed that DARE was not effective in reducing drug use, stopping the DARE program at Salt Lake City schools. Instead, it supports the implementation of other programs - ATLAS and ATHENA - which have shown some success.
He called for an end to the failed "war on drugs" and for better drug prevention education, the adoption of harm reduction policies, and the availability of substance abuse treatment on demand. He successfully lobbied President Clinton to grant a long jail sentence imposed on a Salt Lake City man who had spent several years in federal prison for his first and only conviction for violating the drug law.
In 2000, Anderson asked the Salt Lake City Police Department to end his participation in the DARE program. He told DARE officials: "I think your organization has become an absolute fraud on the people in this country... For you to continue taking dollars of precious drug prevention when we have serious problems and, in some cases, the problem of addiction is unconscionable."
Instead of encouraging more minor offenders to be sent to prison or jail, Anderson built an innovative restorative justice program, which earned him a nomination for a second World Leadership Award. He implemented reforms to ensure that mental health courts would channel mentally ill criminals into mandatory care programs rather than putting them behind bars. Persons who are arrested on drug charges, or for prostitution or prostitution (as well as some other types of offenses), are sent through comprehensive counseling courses rather than automatically given criminal penalties and imprisonment. The results are better, and the cost is much lower, compared to traditional retributive approaches.
Economy
Anderson enacted an administrative rule which stipulates that when considering bidding, the city should give preference to companies that pay a living wage for their employees. A Republican legislator called it "Rocky's gap," and was determined to close it. The Utah legislature then passed a law prohibiting cities to provide such preferences.
Building a reputation as a fiscal conservative, during the period 1999-2007 Anderson increased the balance of general reserve fund of Salt Lake City by more than 62%, from $ 20.3 million to $ 32.6 million.
Opposition to the 2003 war in Iraq and human rights abuses
Described by Amy Goodman as "one of the most outspoken critics of the Bush administration and the Iraq war," Anderson was a major opponent of the invasion and occupation of Iraq by the United States, both before and after the invasion, and was the only mayor. from major cities to advocate for impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
He often spoke against the invasion and occupation of Iraq, and supported impeachment, including at several large demonstrations and state and federal legislative sessions, in Salt Lake City; Olympia, Washington; New York; and Washington, D.C.; and on national television and radio programs organized by Amy Goodman, Bill O'Reilly, Keith Olbermann, and Tom Ashbrook. He was involved in a live debate with Sean Hannity focusing on Iraq and impeachment.
Requesting impeachment of President George W. Bush
Interviewed by Wolf Blitzer on CNN after an anti-war demonstration marked the fourth anniversary of the invasion and early occupation of Iraq, Anderson advocated the impeachment of President George Bush, commenting:
- This President, engaging in the abuse of extraordinary power, breaches the trust of both Congress and the American people, and misleads us into this tragic and unbelievable war, the breach of treaties, other international law, the constitution, our own domestic law, and then its role in the abominable violations of human rights; I think all of it together demands impeachment.
Anderson did not escape his criticism of the Democrats, saying:
- The fact that anyone will say that impeachment is from the table when we have a president who has been so terrible in his violation of our constitution, a president who affirms the executive power of unity, which is truly terrible./dd>
In 2006, he expressed his views on the Democratic Party:
: But what should I say about the Democratic Party? I am ashamed, really, how little leadership there is. There is only a tremendous fear on the party side, generally, although there are some exceptions. But, you know, we have one member of the United States Senate vote against the PATRIOT Act, the empty checks given by Congress to this president, I think totally cancel the role of Congress under the separation of powers and under the rule of war, to declare war. They gave it to a president who has no facts and, I think, manipulated intelligence to sell this war.
Anderson researched, wrote, produced, and told most of the multimedia about the invasion and occupation of Iraq, as well as the case of impeachment.
Human rights advocacy
Understanding that grassroots organizing and mobilization can be a tremendous force for positive social and economic change, after nearly eight years as mayor of Salt Lake City, Anderson decides that he will not run for reelection, and that he will instead devote himself to educate. , motivate, and mobilize people to encourage elected officials and others to take action to prevent or stop large human rights abuses.
Anderson has emphasized the importance of grassroots people advocating progressive change, stating, "We continue to hope that elected officials will do the right thing, and the fact is they never did unless they were encouraged."
In January 2008 he founded Highway for Human Rights, a non-profit organization set up to achieve major reforms of US human rights policies and practices through grassroots, coordinated and sustainable grassroots activism that complement the work of other human rights organizations.
The underlying principle of the organization is that politicians will not do anything unless encouraged. High Road is a bottom-up organization, a grassroots-based organization established "to make it clear that there will be a short-term political cost for those who continue to ignore such problems... Whenever a congressman or senator comes home and they hold a meeting , there [should] have a group that is pushing the same issue, "according to Anderson. High Road has a growing membership base and an active local team of people who meet and work together to bring about change.
The organization has broad-based membership, with the Advisory Committee composed of leading human rights, environmental and political activists, as well as artists, actors, and writers, including Ed Asner, Harry Belafonte, Lester Brown, Hillary Brown, Ben Cohen, Daniel Ellsberg, Ross Susan Joy Hassol, Mark Hersgaard, Mimi Kennedy, Paul Rogat Loeb, Edward Mazria, Bill McKibben, Yoko Ono, Gus Speth, Winnie Singh, Sheila Watt-Cloutier, Elie Wiesel and Terry Tempest Williams. The High Road to Human Rights mainly addresses five issues: torture and destruction of the rule of law, genocide, slavery, capital punishment, and human rights implications of the climate crisis.
Anderson testified before the US House of Justice Committee Committee during a hearing on September 25, 2008, about the violation of the power of the executive branch, and spoke at a rally organized by the High Road for Human Rights in which he called for accountability for torture. He also researches, writes, produces, and tells two pieces of multimedia focusing on torture and destruction of the rule of law.
For his work on human rights issues during his tenure as Executive Director of High Road for Human Rights, Anderson received Morehouse Gandhi University, King, Ikeda Award, and Bill of Rights Bill of Rights Defense Committee.
Cybercrime against President Obama and Democrats
After President Obama's election, Anderson immediately criticized many of his staff's policy positions and choices. He opposes Susan Rice, whom Obama has appointed as US ambassador to the United Nations. Anderson mistakes Rice for "doing nothing" to stop the 1994 genocide in Rwanda as a member of the National Security Council staff. Anderson is critical of Obama's appointment of John Brennan as his counter-terrorism advisor because Brennan, as a member of George W. Bush's administration, publicly supports tapping, "enhanced interrogation" and "rendition" of war-over-terror suspects to prison offshore beyond the reach of American law. Anderson also pointed out what he described as Obama's change of position after he received a Democratic nomination for Democratic presidential nomination on immunity for telecommunications companies working with Bush's wiretapping program.
Regarding himself as "non-partisan" in his policy criticism, Anderson then continued to criticize the Obama Administration in many areas, alleging that in some ways his record was worse than the Bush administration. For example, he has stated:
: "I do not know what people expect, all these hopes and change the nonsense... There is no question that we see the continuation [danger to], and even in some cases the deterioration of our republic under administration. The Obama administration argues that no documents labeled as confidential by government agencies should be allowed to be proof by our courts, even beyond what the Bush Administration does. "
Anderson has emphasized the clear distinction between Obama's position as a candidate for president in 2008 and the actions he takes as president, believes that "President Obama has betrayed us almost in every way from being a candidate to become President of the United States." Anderson has pointed out Obama's failure to close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, refused to prosecute what Anderson considered to be a "war criminal" of the Bush administration, continued detention, violated the Clause of the Power of Constitutional War and the Resolution of the Power of War by carrying out military forces to Libya without congressional authorization, and continuing, expanded, occupied Afghanistan. He stated that Obama is "the most inept recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in the history of the Nobel Peace Prize."
Regarding Obama's alleged betrayal of the rule of law, Anderson commented:
"The sense of complacency that has allowed war of aggression, the war of choice, we are not forced into it, they are really an illegal war under international law, the kind of war crimes that take place, with people just saying, even our current president," Oh, let's put it behind us. Let's not call people to be responsible. Let's not enforce our law... "If these people had taken the gold bullion from a government vault, would we just say, 'Let that pass, forget the rule of law?'
On August 11, 2011, the main news media in Utah reported that Anderson had criticized the Democratic Party and had withdrawn from membership of his party. Anderson wrote in a letter to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee that "Until the Democrats show some spine and draw a line in the sand - that ending tax breaks for the needs of the rich becomes part of the debt/budget bill - - please take my name from your list." He added: "I'm done with the Democratic Party.As I said on Amy Goodman's show a few years ago, I have put my Proud Democrat coffee mug in the warehouse.I think now I'll throw it in the garbage and have done with it "and that" the Constitution has been emptied while the Democrats have stood with a whimper.This is a mischievous, unprincipled party, bought and paid for by the same interests that buy and pay the Republicans. "
Anderson has stated that despite his previous belief that the Bush Administration will only be a "perversion" in US history, "President Obama has instituted some of the worst abuse of the Bush Administration."
2012 presidential campaign
On November 29, 2011, the Salt Lake Tribune quoted Anderson as saying, "I will announce my nomination," for the 2012 presidential nomination of a new national political party. The party was not named, although later reportedly named the Justice Party. Its formation is reported to have been discussed between Anderson; Margaret Flowers, a medical doctor and supporter of a single payer health plan; Kevin Zeese, organizer of the Occupy D.C movement; and former US Vice President John Anderson, who ran for president as president in 1980 presidential elections.
Anderson officially received the 2012 presidential nomination from the Justice Party on January 13, 2012. His friend is Luis J. Rodriguez, an activist and author of Chicano from California.
In March 2012, Anderson announced that he was looking for a US presidential nomination in addition to campaigning for a Justice Party candidate. In May next, American Elect announced that it would not run a presidential candidate in 2012.
Anderson was nominated by the Natural Law Party in Michigan and appeared on a vote under a party banner with Rodriguez's life partner. He also sought the presidential nomination of the Peace and Freedom Party, but withdrew his bid for the nomination in August 2012. He received 43,018 votes, or 0.03 percent of the vote.
Criticism
In August 2005, Anderson broke Salt Lake City's policy when he used $ 634 in public funds to buy food and alcoholic beverages on two occasions for musicians performing at the International Jazz Festival in Salt Lake City and to visit mayors from around the country. The Deseret News publishes four successive front page articles on the story, and describes purchases as "tab bar", reporting that is criticized as biased and deceptive.
When interviewed in September 2005 by Deseret Morning News, Anderson stated that he disagreed with the policy, insisting that the provision of hospitality to out-of-town visitors was an important mayor's function, and an exception to the policy had been made before. The policy was then amended to allow for the proper purchase of food and alcohol when entertaining out-of-town guests. Mayor Anderson uses his personal funds to repay City for expenses incurred while entertaining visiting mayors.
The Deseret Morning News soon produced additional controversy with coverage of an interview given by Anderson to London's The Guardian newspaper. Leading with the headlines, "The LDS Church Is Not the Taliban, Rocky says", the paper notes that Anderson has compared life in Utah with life under the Taliban.
Anderson then said the comment, intended to be lighthearted, was not directed at the country, its inhabitants, or the LDS Church. Instead, he said, the comments were directed to local media, specifically Deseret Morning News, which initially characterized alcohol and its food at a local restaurant as a tab bar, and who had run an article about the fact that the book selection Salt Lake City Reads Together contains profanity.
In October 2005, local politicians accused Anderson of spending unimpressed public money. This time the problem centered around a trip to Italy linked to the 2006 Winter Olympics. Anderson replied that the trip to Turin was to continue the Olympic tradition that had long given the Olympic message and not burdening the Utah taxpayer money. The Salt Lake City District Lawyer cleared Anderson for any wrongdoing in this case.
On June 12, 2007, following a meeting at the City Council workspace, Anderson was involved in a physical and verbal confrontation with real-estate developer, Dell Loy Hansen. After challenging Anderson to talk to him, Hansen reportedly made Anderson unbalanced. Anderson responded by threatening to "kick ass [Hansen]." On June 18, a Anderson spokesman pointed out that the possibility of legal action against Hansen is being explored. It has since been determined that no fees will be filed.
Note
References
- Mayor of Rocky Anderson City Profile, published January 2007
- (unmarked articles), "Progressive Town Leader", The Nation , June 18, 2005, p. 18-19.
- Extensive biography of the 2003 election campaign site. Retrieved 26 September 2006.
- The Mayor's official bureau's office was taken in October 2004
- Brady Snyder, Tough Rocky also has a soft side of Deseret News , 24 September 2003. An article on the 2003 mayoral races was taken October 2004
- Erin Stewart and Kersten Swinyard, Are Rocky methods detrimental to the city business? Deseret News , September 13, 2005. Accessed September 2005
- Brady Snyder, the city's Rocky paid bar tab, Deseret Morning News , 28 September 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2005. Desireet Morning News editorial board, Rocky and Taliban, Deseret Morning News, October 6, 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2005.
- Ogden Supervisory Overseer , Rocky vs Taliban, Ogden Standard Observer , October 6, 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2005.
- Heather May, chair of the GOP calls for an investigation of Rocky's spending, Salt Lake Tribune , October 6, 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2005.
- The anti-war protest (video as recorded by CBS) by Rocky Anderson was given on August 30, 2006. Retrieved 2 September 2006.
- Text of 30 August 2006, Speech (pdf)
- [1]
- [2]
External links
- Official website
- Position of issues and quotation marks on On the Issues
- Highways for Human Rights
- Justice Party Home
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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