Subject: DC Council race...Wayne is assaulted...and more...
From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 23:07:55 -0500 (EST)

Steve Michael
DC Council * Ward Six
AIDS Cure Party * Vote April 29th
409 H Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
phone us at 202.547.0854
fax us as  202.547.0841
e-mail us at [email-masked]
...on the campaign trail in Ward Six...
...with Steve Michael of the AIDS Cure Party
Candidate's Spouse assaulted
Turner beats
back assailant
with yard sign stick
The campaign manager and lover/partner of Steve Michael, AIDS Cure Party
candidate for Ward Six, was assaulted while distributing campaign literature
early Saturday morning (March 29).  Wayne Turner fought off the attacker with
a yard sign stick after being shoved to the ground, fracturing his knee cap.
 Turner spent twelve hours at the emergency room at DC General Hospital,
which turned into a gathering of Ward Six campaigns.  Cheryl Graham, sister
of attorney/candidate Tony Graham, was hit by a falling tree while putting up
campaign signs during a storm, and a supporter of Sandy McCall was stabbed in
broad daylight.

Turner praised the staff at DC General for their dedication, "Their resources
are stretched beyond capacity.  The ER was overflowing:  crime victims, AIDS
patients, drug overdoses, those of us without health insurance.  If there's
any doubt we need a council member with the collapse in health care as a top
priority, pay a visit to DC General.

The assault on Turner occurred just half a block away from Steve Michael's
Campaign headquarters at 409 H Street NE, located in a high crime zone
targeted by the Metropolitan Police Department under its 'zero-tolerance'
crack down.  "Zero tolerance is a recipe for disaster" adds Turner.  "As
availability decreases, drug prices increase, making addicted persons more
and more desperate to get a fix.  Assaults and robberies are definitely going
to increase until we can plug substance abusers into treatment."  Local cuts
in funding for drug and alcohol treatment had lead to millions more lost in
federal matching funds, wiping out many of the drug treatment programs
serving District residents. 

Turner emphasizes that he will continue to campaign vigorously for his
partner Steve, despite having to use crutches for the remainder of the
campaign.  "I refuse to let a broken knee cap get in the way of elected DC's
first openly Gay HIV positive council member." he states. 
Cuts in social services fuel the fires of crime, violence, and despair...
Turner predicts that crime rates will increase in the coming months as
'welfare reform' is implemented.  "People at the lowest end of the economic
scale are losing public assistance with no jobs.  Thousands of single men get
cut off their food stamps this month.  All DC residents are going to feel the
devastating impact of 'welfare reform' as the street are filled with hoards
of hungry, desperate people."  

 As along time AIDS activist and now as a candidate for DC Council, Michael
has vigorously advocated for a federal waiver from the to save DC's food
stamp program and other forms of public assistance.  Three high level
officials with the Clinton Administration secured a waiver for the District
before resigning in protest over 'welfare reform', including Peter Edelman,
(husband of Children's Defense Fund head Marion Wright Edelman).  
 Efforts led by at-large council member Harold Brazil resulted in  the
revocation of the District's welfare reform waiver, leaving District
officials and non-profit social services organizations totally unprepared to
cope with the legions of residents cut off from the social safety net.  

 At a recent candidate's forum, Michael blasted opponent Rob Robinson, who,
as Harold Brazil's chief of staff, coordinated efforts with Republicans in
Congress to revoke DC's waiver.  

 As a principal organizer in the AIDS advocacy group ACT UP here in
Washington, Steve Michael has led opposition to the welfare reform measure
signed by President Clinton last year.  During the 1996 Democratic Convention
in Chicago, Michael smuggled 'Welfare Reform Equals Death" signs onto the
convention floor, which were the only dissenting signs displayed by
delegates, appearing on C-SPAN and CNN.

Michael inpresses 
crowd at yet another candidates forum...

DC AIDS and Gay activist, Steve Michael, who is running for the vacant DC
Council seat in Ward Six as the AIDS Cure Party candidate, impressed voters
attending a candidates forum held at Maury Elementary School, hosted by the
North Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association.  Michael's bold discussion of
issues ranging from drug and alcohol treatment to food stamps and AIDS won
over many undecided voters, and praise from Michael's opponents.  The event
was held on March 27.

...A plan to provide drug and alcohol treatment, clean up neighborhoods and
shake up the Alcohol and Beverage Control Board...
 Michael began his opening statement by displaying discarded bottles of
fortified wine and malt liquor, highlighting the fact that Sharon Ambrose,
who holds the fundraising lead in the crowded field of twelve contenders,
received large contributions from beverage distributors.  "These products are
not available in bars or restaurants," Michael told the crowd,  "They're
designed for one thing only, to destroy people's lives."  The availability of
drug and alcohol treatment has been a cornerstone of the Steve Michael
Campaign.  The candidate of the AIDS Cure Party emphasized that Ambrose, who
worked for former DC Councilmember John Ray has refused to support the
Michael position that would restore the recently gutted drug treatment
programs as well as expand them further to eliminate an eight-month waiting
list. Mayor Marion Barry and the Council recently zeroed out District funding
for substance abuse treatment, resulting in the loss of millions of federal
matching dollars.

 Michael told that crowd that he supports a reprioritization of the
activities of the Alcohol and Beverage Control Board (ABC) "I want them (ABC)
closing down those corner liquor stores that sell forty ouncers to fourteen
year olds.  I want the laws barring the purchase of liquor with food stamps
enforced.  And, above all I want a bottle bill in the District of Columbia
that puts special emphasis on fortified wine and beer containers---couple
with a tax sufficient to expand drug and alcohol treatment."

 Michael also questioned the integrity of a campaign (Ambrose) that raising
funds from both liquor distributors and individuals who oppose all liquor
license applications.

Croft's red ribbon vanishes, then reappears...

 At a community forum held at the Anacostia High School on March 25 candidate
Howard Croft was asked why he wasn't wearing the red ribbon he displayed at
an earlier  forum sponsored by DC Gay and Lesbian activist organizations...
Croft responded by saying... "it's on my other suit."  

 Croft's ribbon reappeared two days later.  One wonders if Croft was
following so many other politicians who wear red ribbons only at functions
sponsored by Gay and Lesbian or AIDS groups.  States Steve Michael's lover
and campaign manager Wayne Turner, "Candidates have to earn their red ribbon.
 The last thing we need is another red ribbon wearing politician that feels
our pain---then does nothing.  

If Howard Croft really cared about AIDS issues he would be campaigning with
us---to elect DC's first openly HIV positive Councilmember---Steve Michael."

and finally...
we have opened our campaign office...
on the H Street Corridor
at 409 H Street NE
call us at 547.0854