Kevin Zeese

Kevin Zeese is running a unique campaign for U.S. Senate in Maryland, bringing together three alternative political parties, the Populists, Libertarians and Greens. Zeese's campaign committee also includes Democrats, Repulicans and Independents. Zeese's Unity Campaign aims to be the first "fusion campaign" for federal office in Maryland history. Zeese is running on a reform platform for Democracy, Peace and Justice. He aims to replace the retiring Sen. Paul Sarbanes in the November 2006 election.

Related Topics:
Kevin Zeese - U.S. - Senate - Maryland

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zeese announced his U.S. Senate campaign on September 12, 2005. The "Unity Campaign" for on "Peace, Justice and Democracy" makes the Iraq War central to the campaign. This includes the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. He also wants to see U.S. democracy revived and advocates for a paper trail for e-voting. Zeese focuses on economic justice and wants to see the country face-up to the rich-poor divide, stop corporate welfare (which he calls 'big business socialism') and ensure all Americans have a stake in the economy so working Americans can raise their families in safety and security. More information is available at KevinZeese.com.

Related Topics:
September 12 - 2005

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zeese was the spokesman for Ralph Nader's 2004 presidential campaign. He is currently President of Common Sense for Drug Policy, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to reforming drug policy and expanding harm reduction. He is also Director of Democracy Rising, and a founder and core member of TrueVoteMD.

Related Topics:
Ralph Nader - 2004 - Common Sense for Drug Policy - Democracy Rising - TrueVoteMD

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zeese often writes for the cutting edge newsletter Counterpunch and many other outlets on the web and mainstream media.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zeese is a graduate of the George Washington University Law School. He began his political career as Chief Counsel for NORML, the National Organization to Reform the Marijuana Laws in 1980, and served as NORML's Executive Director from 1983-1986.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He's since been involved in such drug policy reform efforts as the Drug Policy Foundation ( renamed Drug Policy Alliance), the Harm Reduction Coalition (both of which he co-founded), Baltimore Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke's Mayor's Working Group on Drug Policy Reform, and the Journey for Justice, a march from Tulia, Texas to the Texas State House on behalf of 43 mostly black Tulia residents caught up in a fabricated drug sting, and convicted on the word of a single professional informant who'd been dropped by other law enforcement agencies after a history of misconduct. Zeese also brought public attention to the death of Esequiel Hernandez, a high school student killed by Marines on the U.S.-Mexico border in Redford, TX. The Marines mistakingly thought Hernandez was smuggling marijuana when in fact he was merely herding the town's herd of goats used for the cheese co-op in Redford. Zeese serves as president of Common Sense for Drug Policy another group he co-founded. See www.csdp.org. Common Sense published "Drug War Facts" see www.DrugWarFacts.org. Zeese was a founder of the Alliance of Reform Organizations (ARO), a coalition of organizations working to end the failed war on drugs and put in place a policy that has at its center public health strategies rather than law enforcement strategies. He has received numerous awards for his work in drug policy reform including a a Lifetime Achievement Award.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zeese was a co-founder of the Campaign for Verifiable Voting in Maryland. See TrueVoteMD.org. And is a founding member of VoteTrustUSA.org. Both organizations work to ensure voters can verify their votes with regard to electronic voting machines and that there is a paper ballot record for independent recounts and audits. TrueVoteMD works to improve voting in Maryland. VoteTrustUSA brings together electronic voting reform activists from across the country.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 2004, Zeese became national Press Secretary for Ralph Nader's Presidential campaign. He also wrote the campaign's policy statements with Ralph Nader. Zeese also worked on the gubernatorial campaign of Green Party candidate Peter Camejo in California and on the House of Delegates campaign of Linda Schade, who also ran as a Green.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 2005, Zeese became a director of Democracy Rising. See DemocracyRising.US. Democracy Rising is working to end the war in Iraq, bring the troops home and withdraw U.S. corporate interests from the country. He regularly writes on Iraq War issues and is commonly a speaker at events concerning the Iraq War.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zeese has authored several books and many articles. He's been published in mainstream media outlets like USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post as well as on web outlets like Common Dreams, AlterNet, Counterpunch, Dissident Voice, Raw Story and Z Magazine.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~