The ACLU of California supports the striking prisoners’ demands to end cruel and inhumane conditions in the Security Housing Unit (SHU) at Pelican Bay State Prison. These conditions include prolonged, solitary confinement in small, windowless concrete boxes with little to no human interaction and other severe physical deprivations.

Not only are such conditions inhumane and harmful, but they also jeopardize public safety. Solitary confinement causes and exacerbates mental illness, and prisoners who are subjected to such extreme isolation cannot properly reintegrate into society, resulting in higher recidivism rates.

An alarming number of prisoners are released directly from secure housing units into the community. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) must implement policies that enhance safety both within prisons and within our communities. Current practices do not achieve these equally important goals.

The ACLU calls on the State to re-double its efforts to engage in meaningful negotiations with the strikers to bring the hunger strike to a swift and peaceful conclusion. In addition, the ACLU calls on Governor Brown and CDCR Secretary, Matthew Cate, to significantly curtail the use of the SHU at Pelican Bay and other California prisons and to provide all prisoners confined to the SHU items, services, and programs necessary for psychological and physical well-being including warm clothing, out-of-cell time, and participation in rehabilitative programs.

MEDIA ADVISORY

Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Brennan Purtzer, Media Director

619-447-3246 / [email protected]

Hunger Strike candidate Lutz to confront Congressman Hunter

San Diego County, Calif. (Sept 7, 2010) –

Congressional Candidate Ray Lutz, who last month fasted 11 days to

earn a debate with Rep. Duncan Duane Hunter, will confront the

congressman again today at a Cajon Valley Republican Businesses

Women’s event.

During their last exchange, at an Aug. 20 “Politics in Paradise”

candidates forum, presented by the East County Chamber of Commerce,

Congressman Hunter promised (on a televised segment) to respond to a

letter Lutz hand-delivered to him. He also promised that he had

scheduled several public town hall forums, and invited Lutz to attend

and make comment at them.

To date, there has been no response, and no public town halls have

been scheduled or taken place.

The legislative recess ends this week.

Candidate Lutz will confront Rep. Hunter on these broken promises

prior to today’s event, and he invites to media to witness this

exchange.

Where: Downtown Cafe Patio, 182 E. Main Street, El Cajon

When : 5:00p.m.

For more information on Ray Lutz for Congress, visit: www.VoteRayLutz.com

For media inquiries, contact Brennan Purtzer, media coordinator, at 619.447.3246

NEWS RELEASE

Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Brennan Purtzer, Media Director 619-447-3246 / [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hunger Strike Day 11: Candidate Lutz claims victory, breaks fast today

Lutz announces new national organization to carry on efforts

San Diego County, Calif. (August 23, 2010) – After 11 days of fasting, Congressional Candidate Ray Lutz has announced that with the founding of a new national organization (Debate for Democracy) to carry on the fight for congressional debates, he will finally agree to eat something.

“Now that I know the fight for debates will continue, I feel it’s time to have a bite,” Lutz said.

Lutz, whose fast lasted longer than Gandhi’s 1932 starvation, ate his first regular meal just after 2 p.m. on Monday, at Pat & Oscar’s restaurant in El Cajon. He had been phasing himself back into nourishment with some vegetable broth and a bit of fruit over the weekend.

Lutz’s new, non-partisan organization, DebateforDemocracy.org was founded after Lutz encountered other congressional challengers who faced incumbents who were also hesitant to engage in formal debates.

“I just made a few phone calls, and immediately realized this was a national problem,” Lutz said. “Congressman Hunter isn’t the only incumbent ducking debates. But he might be the only combat veteran afraid to face his opponent.”

On DebateforDemocracy.org, citizens, candidates and incumbents alike are invited to sign a pledge to support debates in their districts and if they are candidates, to debate their opponents an adequate number of times in locations that ensure most of their constituents will have the opportunity to attend and present questions. Already there are Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Greens as who have taken the pledge. The organization will research options for promoting debates in every district in the country, using the bright shining light of public review, involving the creation of a Commission on Congressional Debates (CCD), or perhaps enhancing the role of the Federal Election Commission.

Rick Tubbs, Republican challenger in California’s 7th Congressional District and a Debate for Democracy pledge-taker, said “Debates between candidates are the best way to inform the voters about where those trying to represent them stand on the issues. There is no big money involved, just the candidates standing on their own making their case to the voter.”

“Election debates are a traditional part of the American process, they go all the way back to Lincoln,” said Lutz. “It’s an effective way to help voters see where there candidates stand on this issues – and that strengthens our republic.”

The Lutz for Congress campaign would like to advise anyone who wants to “Hunger Strike” to lose weight to make sure they consult with their doctor and be very careful how they end the fast. Complete abstinence from food can be dangerous.

For more information on Ray Lutz for Congress, visit:http://www.VoteRayLutz.com/

For media inquiries, contact Brennan Purtzer, media coordinator, at 619.447.3246

MEDIA ADVISORY

Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Brennan Purtzer, Media Director

619-447-3246 / [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hunger Strike Day 8: Fasting Candidates to confront Hunter at Friday event

Candidates Lutz and Benoit lead demonstrations outside

“Politics in Paradise event”

San Diego County, Calif. (August 20, 2010) – Congressional Candidates Ray Lutz (Democratic) and Michael Benoit (Libertarian) will lead demonstrations at a candidate’s forum tonight featuring Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, whom they are seeking to debate.

The two candidates have been fasting for 8 days, in effort to pressure Hunter to agree to a series of debates with them. Just yesterday, Hunter’s campaign delivered an acceptance letter Lutz’s office, agreeing to participate in one debate, scheduled for October 15.

Lutz and Benoit have continued their fasting, citing the fact that 65 percent of voters in June’s primary election cast absentee ballots, with a high portion of them being returned within the first few days of receiving them. The vote-by-mail ballots will be distributed on October 4.

Tonight’s rally will take place outside the Cuyamaca College Water Conservation Garden, between 5:30-6 p.m. Inside the event, Lutz will attempt to confront Hunter to change the date of the debate and to add at least three more debates prior to the distribution of vote-by-mail ballots.

For more information on Ray Lutz for Congress, visit: www.VoteRayLutz.com

For media inquiries, contact Brennan Purtzer, media coordinator, at 619.447.3246

PRESS RELEASE

Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Brennan Purtzer, Media Director

619-447-3246 / [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hunger Strike Day 7: Congressman Hunter succumbs to hunger strike pressure, delivers debate acceptance letter

Hunter’s limited debate acceptance still inadequate, says Lutz; strike to continue

San Diego County, Calif. (August 19, 2010) – At 10:45 a.m. on Thursday morning, Hunter for Congress representative Wes Schermann hand-delivered a letter acknowledging acceptance of an Oct. 15 congressional debate invitation to Lutz for Congress’s Main Street office in El Cajon.

Mr. Schermann and the letter were warmly received by Lutz Campaign Manager Brennan Purtzer.

“We appreciate receiving a response from the Hunter Campaign, but 58 percent of the electorate voted absentee in the primary – many of these voters turning them in on the first day,” Lutz said. “Since absentee ballots are being distributed on Oct. 4, we scheduled our proposed debate series for August and September so it would not conflict with the legislative calendar.”

The Hunter letter, arriving 72 days after Lutz won the California Democratic primary election in June, is the first communication Hunter’s group has had with the Lutz campaign. It arrived only hours after Lutz was featured on a nationally televised live interview on CNN, and 17 days after Hunter’s office received its first debate request from the Lutz campaign.

“This action shows that Hunter is feeling the pressure from the public about avoiding the debates,” said Ray Lutz, Hunter’s Democratic challenger to represent California’s 52nd district. “Without the hunger strike, I doubt they would respond at all.”

Lutz continued, “It’s a step in the right direction. I hope Hunter can make it to the debate. This is what happened in my campaign for the 77th State Assembly District in 2008. My opponent backed out at the last minute, forcing the debate to be canceled, and it was too late to set one up at that point.”

Lutz says he won’t end his strike, which has garnered national media attention, including an interview with Kyra Phillips on CNN on Thursday morning. During Lutz’s interview, he made the point that media outlets and voters alike were still confusing Duncan L. Hunter and Duncan D. Hunter. To accentuate Lutz’s point, CNN mistakenly aired footage of Duncan Hunter Sr. while he made this remark.

“This is exactly why the voters everywhere in the district need to see this guy debate – they still don’t know who they’re voting for – he even uses nearly the same graphics on his signs that his father did,” Lutz said. “If he only appears in one debate, that will obviously reduce his exposure to the voters and hide the truth: that he just isn’t his father.”

The debate Hunter has agreed to attend is to take place October 15 at Cuyamaca College, and is sponsored by the East County Chamber of Commerce, of which Hunter is a member.

Lutz asserts that the voters need to see at least three debates before the vote-by-mail ballots are distributed. “Hunter needs to agree to an honest series of debates before I’ll agree to pick up my fork again.”

For more information on Ray Lutz for Congress, visit: www.VoteRayLutz.com

For media inquiries, contact Brennan Purtzer, media coordinator, at 619.447.3246

Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Brennan Purtzer, Media Director 619-447-3246 / [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hunger Strike Day 5: Candidate Lutz’s hunger strike joined by Libertarian candidate

Lutz campaign now accepting donations for San Diego Food Bank

San Diego County, Calif. (August 17, 2010) – At an El Cajon rally on Monday, Congressional Candidate Ray Lutz announced that he had been joined in his hunger strike by Libertarian Candidate Michael Benoit, both fasting until incumbent Rep. Duncan Duane Hunter agrees to debate them.

“I’m amazed at the overwhelming amount of support I’m getting from people across this country,” Democratic Congressional Candidate Raymond Lutz said. “I’m not starving alone and that’s nice.”

Over the weekend, more than 28 people pledged to go at least a day without food in support of Lutz’s cause, including Libertarian Candidate for California’s 52nd Congressional seat, Michael Benoit, who joined Lutz’s “Hunger strike for accountability.”

“I welcome the solidarity offered by Mr. Benoit, who is a very nice person,” Lutz said, before welcoming Benoit on stage to make a statement at the rally in El Cajon’s Promenade Park.

In a speech before dozens of supporters, Lutz and Benoit vowed to continue their strikes until the Hunter campaign agrees to debate them.

“Until he agrees to come before the voters, he can expect that I will be holding press conferences every week to talk about each of the issues that aren’t being debated,” Lutz said. “Jobs, and energy policy, and of course, the issue that’s been on my mind a lot lately – hunger. We’ve had 10.8 million meals served by the San Diego Food Bank in the last year – that’s a lot of hungry people.”

Lutz announced that from now through the end of the campaign, his office would be accepting and forwarding food donations to the San Diego Food Bank.

Lutz ended his press conference by publicly announcing a revised tentative schedule of five debates, planned during the congressional recess, throughout the massive 52nd congressional district.

“I could never imagine a candidate who has been in combat but is slow to engage in debate about the important issues affecting his constituents.” He added, “These problems are effecting his constituents today, and what has he done to help them? He hasn’t yet enacted any legislation at all, and his latest effort was a bill about getting cigarettes to soldiers.” Lutz said, “We need to debate this now, while he is on his legislative break – not in October, after most of the mail-in ballots have already been sent in.”

Lutz, 52, said he had already lost 14 pounds by his fifth day of fasting.

Revised Debate Schedule:

Raymond Lutz and Michael Benoit jointly invite Rep. Duncan Duane Hunter to participate in the following debates, tentatively scheduled for:

WED – AUG 25, 6:30pm Viejas tribal Facilities Viejas

MON – AUG 30, 6:30pm Grossmont College El Cajon (La Mesa Area)

THUR- SEPT 2, 6:30pm El Capitan High School Lakeside

MON – SEPT 6, 6:30pm Serra High School Tierrasanta

THUR- SEPT 9, 6:30pm Granite Hills High School El Cajon

For more information on Ray Lutz for Congress, visit:http://www.VoteRayLutz.com

For media inquiries, contact Brennan Purtzer, media coordinator, at 619.447.3246

BREAKING NEWS EVENT ADVISORY

Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Brennan Purtzer, Media Director 619-447-3246 / [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Strike Day 4: Starving candidate Lutz to make hunger strike-related announcement at Monday Press conference

San Diego County, Calif. (August 16, 2010) – Democratic Congressional Candidate Raymond Lutz will be holding a press conference at 3:30p.m. Monday, August 16, at the El Cajon Park Promenade. Candidate Lutz will be making a major announcement regarding his hunger strike, which will be in its fourth day.

Lutz is running against incumbent Duncan D. Hunter for California’s 52nd congressional seat. He began his hunger strike on August 12, after Hunter’s office failed to respond to Lutz’s second formal debate invitation.

The strike has garnered national press, and raised the issue regarding the electorate’s right to see their candidates confront each other.

Monday’s press conference will feature comments from a special guest, the announcement of a revised proposal for debates in the 52nd district, a statement about the future of the Lutz campaign (should Hunter still refuse to participate in a series of debates), and the announcement of a new partnership between the Lutz campaign and a major community organization.

One additional note: In press statements the Hunter campaign has announced a probable agreement to participate in one debate vaguely discussed for October. We would like to clarify that the Lutz campaign has received no direct correspondence from the Hunter campaign regarding this or any other matter. We have received no response regarding any tentative October debate via in-person, telephone, written or electronic correspondence.

It should be noted that the absentee ballots are distributed to voters on October 4 making a mid-October debate too late to be of value to many mail-in voters.

Lutz commented, “If Hunter can’t find the time or character for debate during his legislative recess what guarantee will I have that he would even show up for an October debate? Let’s be clear here, Hunter benefits from not participating in a debate. It doesn’t benefit anybody else, and certainly not the voters.”

For more information on Ray Lutz for Congress, visit:http://www.VoteRayLutz.com/

For media inquiries, contact Brennan Purtzer, media coordinator, at 619.447.3246

MEDIA ADVISORY

Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Brennan Purtzer, Media Director

619-447-3246 / [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Candidate Lutz hosts hunger strike kickoff rally at El Cajon Promenade

Time: 5:30pm, August 13, 2010

Location: El Cajon Park Promenade, near the Lutz for Congress Campaign office at 165 E. Main, Suite B, El Cajon CA.

Media is invited.

San Diego County, Calif. (August 13, 2010) – “This is ground zero in our hunger war,” said Raymond Lutz, congressional candidate for California’s 52nd district, as he held up the new banner that would hang from his El Cajon “Isolation Booth.” The banner, which reads “Hungry for accountability in Congress: It starts with Debate,” also jabs his opponent, Rep. Duncan D. Hunter with the comment, “We’re ‘Hunting’ for an opponent.”

Lutz kicks off his hunger strike with a bang, as the El Cajon Park Promenade, which has been completely re-built, hosts its first concert performance for 2010, tonight at 5:30p.m.

“This strike is about all the issues that aren’t being debated because of Hunter’s ego,” Lutz said. “For instance, what is Hunter’s plan to help the 430,000 hungry people in San Diego at or near the poverty line? After 19 months in Congress, I’m still waiting to hear word one about them.”

Lutz will be at his self-described “food isolation booth,” equipped with a cot for him to lounge on, with petitions available for supporters to both pledge to go without food for a day and donate the cost of a day’s food to Lutz’s campaign.

In an earlier statement, Lutz had pledged, “Until Hunter steps up to the plate to debate, I’ll be stepping away from the dinner plate.” The candidate, known for standing up against Blackwater in small communities throughout San Diego county, has pledged to sit in his public isolation booth many days throughout the hunger strike.

“Our democracy is broken, we keep electing unqualified incumbents because the voters never see the candidates in honest debates around the district, in their own neighborhoods, and don’t have an opportunity to compare them head-to-head,” Lutz continued. “The only thing they have to go on, is party affiliation, 30-second negative ads, soundbites, and how big the signs are. Honestly, I’m not surprised Congress gives us poor results. This situation needs to be turned around, and with your help we can do it.”

For more information or to donate to Ray Lutz for Congress, visit: http://www.VoteRayLutz.com

For media inquiries, contact Brennan Purtzer, media coordinator, at 619.447.3246