ANNUAL NATIONAL MEETING WORKSHOP MAKES CASE FOR NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY; RITA MANIOTIS HITS A HOME RUN WITH REASONS FOR CREATING A COMMITTEE.
See Open Letter to Greens to support Committee idea, below.
GROWING GREENS WITH SUNLIGHT ON STATE CRIMES AND CORRUPTION:
Presented by Rita Maniotis and Matthew Arndt
The U.S. public has a general sense that the country is run like a exclusive club of the wealthy, and that no matter which of the main parties you vote for, the will of the people is always ignored. Propaganda is rampant and media generates fear and turns people against each other. We as Greens are able to see through much of this confusion and the attempts to divert our attention from the underlying corruption that permeates our political system. Green leaders have demonstrated willingness to call out blatant corruption and face uncomfortable situations like Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala getting arrested for merely showing up at a Presidential debate.
Our participation in the political system puts the corruption on display. We as a Party can stand stronger on issues of state crimes and corruption. In this workshop, we will make the case that demanding accountability and being at the cutting edge of exposing state crimes and corruption will attract interest and grow our ranks.
Those who attend this workshop will be able to: describe the corollary surge in Green Party membership when Ralph Nader, who called out corruption in the auto industry and championed consumer protections, ran on the Green Party ticket; Be able to explain a present example of financial and economic injustice in the U.S. designed to impoverish people that is embedded in political corruption down to the local level; Receive resources to further explore the ideas presented Offer suggestions for Whistle-blowing projects This workshop explores how the Green Party can be a haven for the millions of Americans who are hungry for accountability for corruption at the highest levels.
Green Liberty Caucus in solidarity with proposal for Committee and in this open letter to Oregon Greens, requests activists to step up and support effort to form a Committee on Accountability
Dear Oregon Greens, and Greens in other states:
I am excited to report on a critical meeting held at the Green Party US Annual National Meeting titled Growing Greens w/Sunlight on State Crimes & Corruption Workshop, led by Rita Maniotis out of Wisconsin.
You can skim the transcript, or watch the full video and get the argument that a Green Party US a Committee for Government Accountability be formed to address issues of corruption highlighted in the Green Party platform, but also specifically address issues of state crimes.
Rita presented and then her associate Mathew Arndt covered the problem of legal corruption of private equity funds that canabalize existing industry with vampire capitalist tactics that end up killing the business…all for a short, quick profit.
Between the legal corruption of vampire capitalism, and the illegal corruption of the state crimes and other malfeasance, Rita made the case that the Green Party could grow its ranks if it dedicated energy and effort to demanding accountability and justice for the harm vampire capitalism does to society, but also, demand accountability for the hidden crimes that get obfuscated by “conspiracy theory” accusations.
To create a committee at the Green Party US, the delegates to the National Committee, of which the Pacific Green Party has two, vote on whether or not to have a committee. To get a proposal to the national delegates, a petition with 100 signatures of support will need to be filed, and then a vote will be taken.
Rita stated that she would not advance a proposal to the national delegates without informal outreach to verify that there is some rough consensus for a Committee on government integrity and accountability.
So, I request that members of the Pacific Green Party who did not attend the Annual National Meeting, watch the hour plus long meeting, watch and learn what is being proposed for a committee and learn why it is a good thing, and something that could help the Green Party grow its ranks.
After watching, and if you agree with the proposition for a committee, consider taking the idea to the next Pacific Green Party convention, ask for debate and discussion and a vote on a resolution to send to the national committee delegates a request to vote yes for a committee. This action will tell the Oregon delegates to support the committee at Green Party US.
Green Liberty Caucus is in solidarity with the idea for a Committee for Accountability because it would energize the Green Party movement with a committee that would demand accountability, transparency and protection for whistleblowers to fight and resist corruption from government and from corporations. This is basically a practical / pragmatic stance that transcends any ideological considerations.
Please take this possibility for a Green Party US committee on government integrity and accountability, or something that sounds like this, to the attention of the Pacific Green Party convention, and press them to pass a resolution and advance a request for the national delegates to support formation of a committee for accountability.
Transcript of the ANM workshop:
Growing Greens w/Sunlight on State Crimes & Corruption Workshop | 1h14m https://youtu.be/zwlMX8dtLD4?si=Lgq7qRRgmPZG3dyu 👈 Aug 2025 | ANM
Presented by Rita Maniotis and Matthew Arndt
Date: August 5, 2025
Introduction by Rita Maniotis
Welcome everyone to the Growing Greens with Sunlight on State Crimes and Corruption workshop. I’m Rita Maniotis, treasurer of the Wisconsin Green Party and chair of the membership outreach committee for the Greater Milwaukee Green Party. I’m joined virtually by Matthew Arndt, who is on vacation with his family and has pre-recorded his portion of the presentation. By the end of this workshop, I hope you’ll see how focusing on state crimes and corruption can help grow the Green Party. Please have something to take notes with, as I hope we can learn from each other’s resources.
Audience Survey
Let’s start with a quick survey. Please respond in the chat with a “Y” for yes or “N” for no to the following statements:
- Lee Harvey Oswald was the sole shooter of JFK.
- I accept the official story of 9/11.
- The U.S. had no part in the creation of COVID-19.
Barbara Dalgren will review the responses and share the results. While she does that, let’s look at what the general U.S. public thinks about these issues.
Public Opinion on State Crimes
According to a 2006 Scripps Howard/Ohio University poll, 42% of people believed the government had advanced knowledge of the JFK assassination. Five years after 9/11, more than a third believed it was an inside job. Ten years later, nearly half believed the government was involved in the JFK assassination, and over half thought 9/11 was an inside job. By 2024, 61% believed more than one person was involved in JFK’s assassination, and 64% felt American lives were permanently changed by 9/11. On COVID-19, a recent poll shows over half of Americans distrust the government’s account of its origins.
Our survey results show a mix of responses, with many “no” answers and some “I don’t know.” This aligns with Greens being ahead of the curve, as we rely on independent news sources rather than mainstream media. Some sources I use include:
- The HighWire (website)
- Black Agenda Report (email subscription, weekly radio report)
- Covert Action Magazine (online)
- Substacks (various perspectives)
- Anti-war.com (daily reports from the Libertarian Institute)
Please share your own independent news sources in the chat so we can learn from each other. I also recommend the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs magazine and Ralph Nader’s radio show for additional insights.
Green Party Experiences with Corruption
Greens have firsthand experience with state corruption, which fuels our skepticism of the government. Examples include:
- Ballot Access Challenges: When Greens perform well in elections, Democrats and Republicans change laws to increase signature or petition requirements, often challenging our petitions without proof.
- Police Interference: Police have been used to prohibit lawful signature collection or detain candidates. For instance, Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala were detained for eight hours during the 2012 presidential debate at Hofstra University, and Ralph Nader was arrested in 2000 for attempting to attend a debate at UMass Boston despite having a ticket.
- Ballot Errors: In Cook County, Illinois, Rich Whitney’s name was printed as “Rich Whitey” during his gubernatorial run. Green Party ballots have been printed in misleading colors, and candidates have been redistricted out of their own districts.
- Financial Barriers: In Oklahoma, a $10,000 fee is required to appear on the presidential ballot, limiting third-party access.
Impact of Anti-Corruption Focus on Green Party Growth
To assess how focusing on state crimes and corruption affects Green Party growth, I examined three metrics: votes cast, number of candidates, and registered voters, focusing on presidential campaigns.
Ralph Nader’s Impact
Ralph Nader, the Green Party’s first presidential candidate, gained prominence with his 1965 book Unsafe at Any Speed, which led to the 1966 National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. His reputation for integrity grew through founding groups like Nader’s Raiders, Public Citizen, and various public interest organizations. In his 2000 campaign, Nader called the Democratic and Republican parties a “two-party duopoly,” describing them as one corporate party with different facades. He stated:
“As it befits its name, the Green Party, whose nomination I seek, stands for the regeneration of American politics. The new populism, which the Green Party represents, involves motivated, informed voters who comprehend that freedom is participation in power.” — Ralph Nader, 2000 (quoting Cicero)
Nader’s focus on corruption resonated with voters, increasing Green Party votes from 685,000 in 1996 to nearly 3 million in 2000, the highest for any Green presidential candidate. The number of Green candidates also surged from 87 in 1996 to 282 in 2000 and 436 in 2004.
Cynthia McKinney’s Impact
Cynthia McKinney, the 2008 Green Party presidential candidate, was a congresswoman who held an open-ended hearing on 9/11, aligning with the Green Party platform’s call for a thorough, independent investigation of the attacks. Despite being ousted from Congress in 2006 and competing against Barack Obama’s popular 2008 campaign, McKinney received 41,000 more votes than the 2004 candidate, David Cobb. Green candidates increased from 307 in 2008 to 364 in 2010. Her legislative record, with 293 sponsored or co-sponsored bills, remains a testament to her commitment to truth.
Voter Registration Trends
Only 30 states and Washington, D.C., allow party affiliation registration, and data is often limited. California, Oregon, and Maine have seen declines in Green registered voters (e.g., California dropped from over 100,000 to under 80,000). However, West Virginia, New Jersey, Kentucky, and Washington, D.C., show rising Green registration. This suggests a need for the Green Party to become the trusted, anti-corruption party to attract voters.
Current Scandals and Opportunities
The Green Party should highlight ongoing scandals, such as government overthrows, assassinations, and domestic actions like the release of cesium from a nuclear reprocessing plant in Ohio, as reported by the Nuclear Energy Information Service. By informing members and the public, we can establish ourselves as a reliable source of truth.
Matthew Arndt’s Presentation on Private Equity
Matthew Arndt, with nearly 30 years in finance, exposes private equity as legalized corruption, or “vampire capitalism.” Below is a summary of his presentation.
What is Private Equity?
Private equity firms buy companies using borrowed money (leveraged buyouts, or LBOs), loading debt onto the acquired company, not themselves. They extract value through:
- Management Fees: 2% annually, regardless of performance.
- Carried Interest: 20% of profits, taxed at lower capital gains rates.
- Asset Stripping: Selling off real estate, equipment, or intellectual property.
- Cost-Cutting: Slashing jobs, wages, pensions, and maintenance.
Even if the company fails, private equity firms profit through fees and dividends, leaving workers, communities, and taxpayers to bear the losses.
Real-World Impacts
Private equity affects housing, healthcare, retail, and more, leading to:
- Job Losses: Buyouts reduce jobs by 13–30% within two years, with frozen wages and gutted benefits.
- Community Devastation: Bankruptcies create food deserts, shutter hospitals, and increase evictions. Private equity-owned nursing homes have 11% higher death rates, causing over 1,000 unnecessary deaths annually.
- Housing Crisis: Firms like Blackstone buy homes, turning them into rentals with rising rents and reduced maintenance, outbidding local buyers.
Local Examples
In Milwaukee:
- Shopko: Acquired by Sun Capital Partners in 2005, it declared bankruptcy in 2019, liquidating despite profits for the firm.
- Buse Precision: A 110-year-old family-run machine shop, closed abruptly after a private equity buyout, leaving employees jobless.
National Examples
- Joann Fabrics: Bankrupted in 2024 by Leonard Green and Partners, who extracted $3 billion despite investing $400 million, closing all stores and firing 19,000 employees.
- Toys R Us: Bankrupted in 2017 by Bain Capital and others, killing 33,000 jobs.
- Aspen Dental: Sued for deceptive practices, with private equity owners extracting $1.1 billion in dividends since 2012.
Systemic Issues
Private equity thrives due to:
- Reagan-era deregulation enabling junk bonds.
- Clinton-era laws allowing pension funds to invest in private equity.
- The carried interest loophole, reducing taxes for executives.
- Lobbying to maintain tax breaks and avoid oversight.
Proposed Reforms
- End the Carried Interest Loophole: Tax private equity profits as regular income.
- Ban Leveraged Buyouts: Stop debt-fueled takeovers.
- Cut Taxpayer Subsidies: No public contracts or bailouts for job-killing firms.
- Tie Profits to Risk: Prevent profits from failed companies.
- Ban Takeovers in Critical Sectors: Protect healthcare, housing, and education.
- Increase Transparency: Subject private equity to FOIA and disclose ownership and fees.
- Enforce Antitrust Laws: Block monopolies and anti-competitive mergers.
Call to Action
- Contact representatives to demand reform.
- Share stories to break the silence.
- Follow watchdogs like Americans for Financial Reform.
- Read Plunder by Brendan Ballou or Bad Company by Megan Greenwell for deeper insights.
Proposal: Green Party State Crimes and Corruption Committee
I propose creating a Green Party State Crimes and Corruption Committee (GPSCC) to:
- Attract Greens and disaffected voters who distrust the government.
- Promote collaborations with like-minded organizations.
- Establish the Green Party as the go-to source for information on corruption, leveraging our independence from corporate money.
- Offer webinars, resources, and statements for candidates and officeholders.
This committee could position the Green Party as the “watchdog party,” countering the corporate influence of the two-party system. Independent media already support voting outside the duopoly, and a strong anti-corruption stance could amplify this.
Audience Discussion
Jackie Dean (Maine): Emphasized corruption against the Green Party, such as exclusion from debates and ballot access barriers. Suggested the committee address these issues, as even progressive Democrats fail to advocate for third-party inclusion.
Chuck: Supported the committee, framing it as one for accountability. Cited Nader’s impact and the Green Party platform’s call for a 9/11 investigation as evidence of credibility, urging support for the proposal.
M: Initially concerned about a “conspiracy theory” label but praised the focus on transparency and accountability. Stressed discernment in media consumption and avoiding name-calling. Worried about committee members being stretched thin across multiple roles.
Elizabeth: Suggested a positive name like the “Integrity and Transparency Committee” or “Accountability and Innocence Committee” to avoid negativity.
Barbara Laxon: Shared an upcoming webinar on toxins and corruption in the oil and gas industry, promising to provide a link.
Lois: Highlighted the housing crisis as a relatable issue that could attract voters without seeming conspiratorial, especially if tied to private equity abuses.
Nikil Ananda (Maui): Praised the presentation as visionary, suggesting it plants a seed for change. Noted Nader’s ongoing influence and recommended rethinking the opening survey to avoid alienating audiences.
Closing
The chat and transcript will be saved for reference. Those interested in supporting the proposed committee should share contact information in the chat. A proposal will be drafted for the national committee, requiring support from multiple states. Suggestions for a catchy committee name are welcome. The video is available on YouTube, and the transcript can be saved via the captions feature.
Thank you to all participants for their engagement and support.
Credit: This transcript was cleaned up and converted to Markdown by Grok, created by xAI. [https://x.com/i/grok/share/e0EXtYs07Gu06M8qvecnnxw5x].
Above links to Annual National Meeting video playlist but at this posting does not feature Sunshine on State Crimes presentation.
Check out all Green Party Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@GreenPartyVideos