Michael Bloomberg Named Honorary National Interim Chairman of Arizona Americans Elect Party at National Convention of State Americans Elect Parties in New York

NEW YORK, June 2 --

Following his thoughtful and passionate keynote address to the first-ever national Convention of State Americans Elect Parties, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg agreed to accept the position of Honorary National Interim Chairman of the Arizona Americans Elect Party, state party leaders today announced.

"We're absolutely delighted that Mayor Bloomberg has decided to support the Arizona Americans Elect Party in this fashion," said the party's first vice-chairwoman, Buffy Lehman Auchincloss.  "Michael has a big following among Arizona voters, and indeed, among people of good will throughout the United States, and we are privileged to have prevailed upon him to join our efforts to provide an electoral alternative in Arizona."

Speaking to the gathering of representatives from the dozen states, including Arizona, in which the Americans Elect Party will be on the ballot again in 2014, Mr. Bloomberg said, "The last time I checked, the Constitution said nothing about there being only two political parties; in fact, it doesn't have any mention of political parties in it whatsoever."

"It stands to reason," Mr. Bloomberg told the convention delegates, "that in a three-way or four-way election, the public has more choice than if it's a two-way race, just as it has more choice in a two-way race than a one-way race."

"Michael Bloomberg's positions on gun control, immigration, marriage equality, reproductive rights, climate change and other issues are in perfect sync with the positions held by most of us in Arizona's fastest-growing political party," said Arizona Americans Elect Party leader Trey Young.  "Plus it never hurts, in politics as in life, to have friends with money."

"Mayor Bloomberg has courageously criticized our backward state laws on gun violence and immigration," said the state party treasurer, Dr. Irina Tereshkova.  "We are hoping that our new Honorary National Interim Chairman will help us select and support Arizona Americans Elect Party candidates in next year's state and federal elections so we can make Arizona more like New York City."

At National Convention of State Americans Elect Parties, Bestselling Authors/Activists Sister Souljah and Tao Lin Meet with Arizona Americans Elect Party Leaders, Hail Party as "America's Hipster/Hip-Hop Party"

NEW YORK, June 1 --

The national Convention of State Americans Elect Parties continued today, with speeches by Americans Elect Corporation leaders Peter Ackerman and Khalil Byrd, and addresses by bestselling author/activists Sister Souljah and Tao Lin, who afterward met with leaders of the Arizona Americans Elect Party and proclaimed the state party "America's Hipster/Hip-Hop Party."

The convention is the first organized meeting of leaders of the Americans Elect Party in the dozen states where the political party will be on the ballot in 2014 -- Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wisconsin -- along with representatives of other unofficial Americans Elect state political parties.

The morning's events featured a talk by Peter Ackerman and Khalil Byrd on the future of the Americans Elect movement and the political parties spawned by their 2012 effort to find a presidential candidate through an online primary, which ended inconclusively.  Tomorrow New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent who has been suggested as a past and future presidential candidate of Americans Elect, will give the keynote address.

In the afternoon, leaders of the Arizona Americans Elect Party, as delegates to the national convention, took part in various workshops.  Rabbi Elana de Carvajal, Pima County co-chair, moderated a panel discussion entitled "Poverty, Property and Immigration," and Maricopa County co-chair Jaden Parascandola led a workshop, "Paths Toward Utopia," exploring how the Americans Elect Party can organize at the polls and in the streets in order to work toward a society free of all forms of social domination.

After inspiring speeches by Sister Souljah, author of such best-selling novels as Midnight: A Gangster's Love Story, The Coldest Winter Ever, and A Deeper Love Inside: the Porsche Santiaga Story, and by Tao Lin, author of the acclaimed novels Eeeee Eee Eeee, Richard Yates and the just-published Taipei, the two writer/activists met with Arizona Americans Elect Party leaders Trey Young, Irina Tereshkova and Buffy Lehman Auchincloss and called the state party, the one Americans Elect group to run candidates for Congress in 2012, "America's Hipster/Hip-Hop Party."

"This convention has been an exciting time for all of us in the Arizona Americans Elect Party as we prepare to run candidates for state and federal office in 2014," said party leader Trey Young.  "We're proud to accept the high praise and to learn from such brilliant thinkers as Sister Souljah and Tao Lin."

The Convention of State Americans Elect Parties will tonight host a party at the Westway nightclub in the far West Village and return for its final session tomorrow.