COUNCIL  ON  DOMESTIC  RELATIONS

P R E S S    R E L E A S E

May 26, 1995

The Council on Domestic Relations (CDR), a national grass-roots networking organization, is announcing its challenge to Utah's Governor Michael Leavitt, Colorado State Senator Charles duke and others to a public debate on the Conference of States (COS issue.

Gov. Leavitt has been promoting the COS Resolution around the country via the Council of State Governments, American Legislative Exchange Council, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Governor's Association and other such non-governmental organizations.

Senator Duke, who was proclaimed by the Associated Press to be the "self-proclaimed messenger" for the right-wing Patriot Movement, said, "You want to be careful anytime you pull a group together like this, because if it should be commandeered by the wrong forces, it could be turned into a statement of something you don't want." - that "something" being a Constitutional Convention.

Leavitt has stated, "It's so apparent that this is not a constitutional convention. It wasn't intended to be and cannot become one,". Leavitt has expressed his desire to educate state legislators and their constituents on the COS's intentions and mechanics. "With this point we agree with Governor Leavitt," said Jackie Patru, National Co-Director of the CDR. "We need to get the facts out on the table for all to see. What better forum to do so than a public debate?"

The specifics of the debate (date, location, structure, etc.) Have not been defined at this time in an attempt to allow for flexibility. It is being suggested that the debate would allow perhaps 3 or 4 participants on each side of the issue selected by the two invitees. Questions could be formulated and asked by a panel o members selected in equal numbers by each invitee.

Copies of this press release are being sent to each of the two invitees, members of the press, numerous Internet Mail Lists and to the public at large.

COUNCIL  ON  DOMESTIC  RELATIONS

P R E S S    R E L E A S E

June 6, 1995

DUKE ACCEPTS DEBATE CHALLENGE - -
NO RESPONSE FROM LEAVITT

On 5-26-95, the Council on Domestic Relations (CDR) challenged Utah Governor Michael Leavitt and Colorado State Senator Charles Duke to a public debate on the issue of Gov. Leavitt's Conference of States (COS). A few days ago, Senator Duke accepted the challenge.

Duke, who opposes the COS, Said, "There seems to be a lot of confusion in the minds of state legislators and their constituents with regard to the Conference of States. I think the American people have a right to view the facts and decide for themselves. A public debate is an excellent forum to extract and display the facts about the COS. I welcome the opportunity, especially in view of the fact that Governor Leavitt said at the late May ALEC meeting, "We have to sell this to 2500 state legislators," which indicates that the COS is far from being a dead issue."

To date, Governor Leavitt has not responded to the CDR's debate challenge.

Council on Domestic Relations Home