Press

JIM OGONOWSKI: SEE YOU IN NOVEMBER

03rd June 2008

(Westford, MA) – Jim Ogonowski issued the following letter today to Massachusetts voters regarding the ballot access process:

Dear Voters:

Despite what you may have read, I am proud to tell you that I will be turning in more than the required 10,000 certified signatures to get on the ballot. I am thankful to the 22,000 people across Massachusetts who signed my nomination papers and for all the hard work of the town clerks who had to go through all the names and certify them.

But there is a down side. Through this process, I have seen the underbelly of politics and the win-at-all-costs mentality that has tarnished the American election process. My character and integrity have been called into question. On blogs, you will find accusations and procedural and legal threats to prevent your right to vote and my access to the ballot. You will find an attempt to disenfranchise the voters not through the process, but through intimidation.

The ease of which my opposition has distorted the facts and has created lies and innuendo to attempt to keep me off the ballot just illustrates why most Americans do not trust politicians and why Congress has such a low approval rating.

Ballot access is a fundamental American right and my opposition is trying to deny people the right to choose their nominee. Instead he wants to resort to gutter politics, character assassinations, legal maneuvering and questionable tactics. This is not what this process was intended to accomplish. Our system was created so that any individual could have a chance to represent his community - not as a platform to deny access through false accusations.

I take great offense to these recent attacks on my character and I will not sit idly by. I have always served with honor, and I continue to do so.

This is the politics as usual mentality that I am fighting against in this campaign. We have a Washington that has become too big, too corrupt, and too controlled by special interests. The people are demanding change and I am listening.

I proudly served my country in the military for over 28 years. The Ogonowski family has had more than 20 members serve our country in the military and I have been deeply ingrained with a commitment to public service. I wish to continue my service to America in the United States Senate. I firmly believe that the foundation of democracy is the right to vote and the right for people to participate in Government. I will not allow anyone to take away your right to vote. It is what our forefathers fought and died for and it is what we continue to fight for today.

I will be on the ballot and I will win in November. I want to thank the large majority of communities who have followed the law and worked to enforce the process in the proper way. I thank those in the Secretary of State’s Office who have done the same. Lastly, I want to thank all of you. I look forward to campaigning this summer and hearing all of your ideas for bringing positive change to Massachusetts.

On to November!

Sincerely,

Jim Ogonowski