Abolitionist seeks Texas House seat

NCADP is a 501 (c) 3 organization, which means we cannot take positions in partisan elections. We follow this rule closely. Especially in this day and age of Jack Abramhoff et al, it is more important than ever to play by the rules.

As a 501 (c) 3 organization, however, NCADP is certainly allowed to engage in public education about political candidates and their positions on the death penalty. It is well within the rules, therefore, to tell you that there is an abolitionist candidate running for the Texas House of Representatives out of northeast Texas. His name is Patrick Franklin and today we received the following email message from him:

I am a candidate for the Texas State Legislature. I am campaigning to increase
vocal opposition to capital punishment in my state.As you know, Texas is
responsible for a disproportional share of all modern executions. Recently, we
have learned that at least one man executed by the state, Ruben Cantu, is likely
innocent of the charges for which he was convicted.Now the case of Marvin Lee
Wilson is before us, a mentally handicapped inmate who will soon be executed
despite the Supreme Court Ruling in Atkins v. Virginia which holds such
executions to be unconstitutional. The reason we are still executing him? His
lawyer missed a deadline.

I'm tired of letting this happen in my own state without saying anything about it, and that is why I am running as a Democrat for the State Legislature. I am unopposed in my primary, so I will be facing the Republican Incumbent in November.

The purpose of my campaign is to raise the profile of the anti-death penalty movement in my own community, which is very conservative. I will need the help of others in the abolitionist movement to gain early momentum in this race.
I hope that your organization can help in some capacity. I assume that you are a non-partisan group and can not take positions in elections. I would hope, however, that you could help by putting me in touch with activists in Texas who could help my cause.

Any thoughts you might have on other ways you may be of assistance to me would be appreciated as well.

My blog is located at:
http://franklinfortexas.blogspot.com/

If you have questions for me or about me, contact my campaign:

Patrick Franklin, Candidate, TX House, District 7
(903) 806-4096
pfranklin2000@msn.com