New Party Holds First Convention

Sat., June 27, 1998

From Staff

The American Heritage Party, formed by Republican defectors dissatisfied with the GOP, is holding its first convention this weekend.

“We’ll be looking to establish a sense of identity,” said Paul Franklin, chairman of the party’s Yakima County chapter.

The American Heritage Party’s best-known member is Ellen Craswell, who was the Republican Party’s 1996 gubernatorial candidate.

The party also serves as the state chapter for the U.S. Taxpayers Party, which is staunchly opposed to abortion, wants to abolish the federal income tax, end funding for Planned Parenthood and AIDS education and discontinue funding for indigent legal services and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The meeting opened Friday and was expected to draw 350 delegates to nominate the party’s legislative candidates on Saturday.

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