MICHAEL PEROUTKA

'Michael Anthony Peroutka' (born 1952) is a Maryland lawyer, the founder of the Institute on the Constitution, cohost of The American View, and once held a position in the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
Peroutka was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Elizabeth and Anthony J. Peroutka. His paternal grandparents were the children of immigrants from Bohemia.^[1] He is a graduate of Loyola College in Maryland and the University of Baltimore School of Law. He was the Chairman of the Constitution Party of Maryland and a member of the Executive Committee of the Constitution Party National Committee. Michael and his wife, Diane, live in Millersville, Maryland with their three children, Timothy, Patrick, and Elizabeth. Also, he has four siblings.

Contents

Candidacy

Political Stances

Split from the National Constitution Party

References

External links

Candidacy

He was the Constitution Party candidate for president of the United States in 2004. He ran on a platform of "God, Family, Republic", emphasizing the Bible, the traditional family, and the need for a more constitutional government in his campaign. His running mate was Baptist minister Chuck Baldwin. He gained support from many paleoconservatives, and was also endorsed by the America First Party and Alaskan Independence Party. [1] . Peroutka was also endorsed by the League of the South and supported by a group called "Southerners for Peroutka". [2] Peroutka accepted the endorsement from the League at their 2004 national convention. Alex Jones stated he would be voting for Peroutka. [3]
Political commentator Pat Buchanan stated on the September 7, 2004 edition of ''Hardball with Chris Matthews'' to Chris Matthews, "There is a chance I would vote for Peroutka." [4] The November 8, 2004 issue of The American Conservative contained endorsements by Taki Theodoracopulos [5] and Howard Phillips [6] (the latter having founded the party Peroutka represented). Peroutka received just over one-tenth of one percent of the national popular vote, finishing fifth nationally with just under 150,000 votes. This was a showing similar to previous Constitution Party candidacies of Howard Phillips - however, it was the only third party to increase its share of the vote in 2004.

Political Stances

Michael is seriously opposed to abortion as well as gay marriage. He emphasizes the Bible being taught in public schools. He advocates for free market capitalism. Mr Peroutka was strongly against the war in Iraq according to his website http://www.peroutka2004.com. Mr Peroutka is a strong "constitutionalist." Generally he takes the conservative stance on most if not all main political issues. In 2006 he voted in favor of disaffiliating the Independent American Party of Nevada. ^[2]

Split from the National Constitution Party

In 2006, the Maryland State Party disaffiliated along with other state parties following a schism at the national party's 2006 convention, in which it failed to disaffiliate the Nevada party despite its gubernatorial candidate who supported abortion exceptions. He has stated "At this point I could not, in good faith, represent the Constitution Party nor endorse any of its candidates. Unless serious changes occur, I could not run for President in 2008." ^[3] Also, he posts articles blasting the party leadership on a regular basis. Many in both the national party and the current state organizing committee refer to him, as well as his ''American View'' co-host John Lofton, as ex-members who tried to take over the party but failed.

References

1. http://www.wargs.com/political/peroutka.html
2. Nevada Disaffiliation Resolution Roll Call Vote
3. TAMPA I: The Way I See It … Still: An Open Letter to the Executive Committee, National Committee and Membership of the Constitution Party From Michael Anthony Peroutka

External links

★ Peroutka for President 2004

★ Bio at WNAV

★ Michael Peroutka at Politics1

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★ Interview on NOW