For Immediate Release: July 3, 2015
Contact: Alicia Preston

Pataki for President Launches Online Petition: Stand Up to Trump

Celebrate the 4th of July by reaffirming the quintessential American belief that all men and women are created equal

Manchester, New Hampshire - Pataki for President today launched an online petition, "Stand Up to Trump", urging Americans to send a strong message that all men and women are created equal and dividing Americans on the basis of race or ethnicity is unacceptable.

"It's fitting that on Fourth of July weekend, we reaffirm our belief that 'all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness'. I'm asking all Americans who believe these truths are as self evident today as they were in 1776 to sign our petition," said Pataki.

In his announcement speech, Donald Trump, whose celebrity has catapulted his candidacy into position as a leading candidate for the GOP nomination for president, referred to Mexicans as criminals, "rapists" and "drug dealers". Since that time Trump has tripled down on his comments.
 
"I’m deeply committed to securing our border and finally putting a stop to illegal immigration. But I also understand that it’s not "some" Mexicans who are good people; it is the vast majority of Mexicans, who came here to work, succeed and live the American Dream, " said Pataki. 
 
"We need a President that all Americans can respect, not a celebrity who uses words like freedom and liberty like they are a punch line in a reality show," said Pataki.

Earlier in the week, Pataki sent a letter to all 2016 contenders calling on them to Stand Up to Trump and repudiate his comments. Thus far the response has been tepid.
 
"Many of my colleagues who are running for President are afraid to stand up to Trump. They are scared Trump will spend his billions on negative television ads, I’m not," added Pataki. 

Click here to sign our petition.

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letter

132 East 43rd Street # 614
New York, NY 10017

July 1, 2015


Governor Jeb Bush
Dr. Ben Carson
Governor Chris Christie
Senator Ted Cruz
Carly Fiorina
Senator Lindsey Graham
Governor Mike Huckabee
Governor Bobby Jindal
Governor John Kasich
Senator Rand Paul
Governor Rick Perry
Senator Marco Rubio
Senator Rick Santorum
Governor Scott Walker

CC: Donald Trump

Dear Fellow Republican candidates for president,
 
“And some, I assume, are good people.”
 
The last week of news coverage over the language used by Donald Trump to describe Mexicans has left me and a lot of other sensible people wondering what century we are living in.
 
One hundred years ago, when Irish immigrants were coming to America, my grandmother among them, they were too often characterized as "drunks."   A few years later it was the Italian immigrants, my grandfather among them, who were called "mobsters" or worse, "dagos." This type of divisive rhetoric is just wrong.  It was wrong 100 years ago and it’s wrong today.  
 
Yet here we are in 2015 and a leading candidate for the GOP nomination for president is calling Mexicans criminals, rapists and drug dealers.  This is unacceptable.

I understand we must secure our border and stop illegal immigration.  But I also understand that it’s not some Mexicans who are good people, it is the vast majority of Mexicans, who came here to work, succeed and live the American Dream.
 
My fellow Republicans like to talk about how we have to appeal to the Latino vote if we are going to win back the White House.  They speak some Spanish, boast about "telling it like it is," or counsel to not be afraid to lose the primary to win the general – yet so far have been silent when it comes to denouncing these sad and divisive remarks.
 
The next President of the United States will represent all Americans.  We won’t win by dividing Americans against one another and we certainly can’t govern effectively doing so. We must secure the border, save American jobs, and have a leader in the White House world leaders can respect.
 
But we also must have a leader in the White House all Americans can respect, not just some.
 
As Donald Trump doubles down, I’m asking you to join me in standing up.  Stand up for our party, for the ideals that made America great, and stand for the basic decency and integrity entitled to every American, no matter their heritage or nationality.

Join me.  Stand up now.  Denounce his comments today.

Sincerely,

Governor George Pataki