Posted on 10/31/2008 12:56:26 PM PDT by raccoonradio
A solemn state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson announced today she is ending her re-election campaign following a chorus of calls for her to resign.
Her decision comes after a morning meeting with members of the citys Ten Point Coalition and Black Ministerial Alliance who were asking the eight-term state senator to quit as she confronts corruption charges levied against her.
The clergy groups even gave Wilkerson a 15-minute deadline today to either side with them in a joint statement or face them walking out on the talks. Wilkerson ultimately agreed to end her defiant run for re-election.
I am withdrawing from the race. We will not be doing any work on the sticker campaign, said Wilkerson outside the Charles Street AME Church in Roxbury at about noon.
Wilkerson refused to answer any questions from the media.
Her campaign manager, Boyce Slayman, said the decision was reached for the good of the Roxbury community Wilkerson represents and for the 53-year-old senators family.
This is a very difficult time for her. The decision was made ... primarily for the community, Slayman told the dozens of media members outside the church.
Wilkerson said she would make a decision on Nov. 5 on her future as a state senator.
Slayman said the constant media attention played a role in her decision to end her campaign.
The joint statement between the senator and the clergy groups announcing Wilkersons suspension of her campaign came after conversations with Wilkerson, her family and her supporters and members of the two groups.
The groups huddled for almost an hour inside the church before coming out to face press and public.
Some of the citys top black ministers met with the embattled state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson this morning and at one point set a 15-minute deadline for her to either make a joint statement or face the ministers making one on their own.
Were going to have a dialogue with her right now, said the Rev. Jeffrey Brown, cofounder of the clergy groups Ten Point Coalition, at the time.
The clergy group called for Wilkerson to step down as she faces federal corruption charges.
Wilkerson faces federal charges that she took $23,500 in bribes. The FBI charges that Wilkerson accepted bribes in exchange for legislation and help in securing a liquor license.
Her cups runneth over.
Did I miss it, or did they write this entire story without mentioning Wilkerson’s party affiliation?
99 per cent of Mass. pols are Democrats. You are to assume
she is, unless they say otherwise. Meanwhile, the state
GOP put out a fake ad for her, complete with Gov. Patrick’s
robocall endorsement!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkrqLYjIX2E
I didn’t see her affiliation in the news article. She must be a Democrat.
Sen. Dianne Wilkerson (DD)- Roxbury
Paging Ted Stevens!
Sen. Dianne Wilkerson (DD)- Roxbury
******************
Good grief, what a liar.
They forgot... which is surprising because usually the Boston Herald makes sure that party affiliations are made. Maybe they expected that everyone knows she’s a DemocRAT.
At least your state GOP has some brains - and a sense of humor.
A revised version is now up on Herald site:
>>A solemn state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson announced today she is ending her sticker campaign seeking re-election following a chorus of calls for the eight-term Democrat to resign.
There you go...meanwhile Boston Globe’s site still has yet to mention the “suspension” of her campaign which was a couple
hours ago, I believe.
Stuff THAT in your bra, Pelosi!
The Herald’s starting to disappoint me, though. Smaller
paper, earlier deadlines (printed in Chicopee, 89
miles away), endorsed Kerry (!), and came out against
question 1 which would eliminate income tax. Wilkerson
is poster child for Vote Yes on 1.
LOL
That’s great!
"I didn't do it!"
I noticed the same thing there skeeter.
Ya know had she been a republican it would be in the first paragraph.
BUSTED!
She had made some kind of agreement with the ministers to
step down “next week”, as in on Wed. and if she doesn’t
they will turn the heat up on her (in the press etc.)
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