03-05-04

CONTACT: 979-799-7077

Top Congressional Aide resigns to endorse 3rd Party Presidential
Candidate


Houston – Eric Dondero R., a Senior Aide to US Congressman Ron Paul
(R-TX) has resigned his position to help out Libertarian Party
Presidential candidate Gary Nolan.

"I am still very much a Republican," said Dondero. "But in this
year's election President Bush needs a bit of tough love. While his
foreign policy has been a great success, his domestic policies leave
a lot to be desired. The spending increases and the government
infringements on civil liberties have greatly disappointed
libertarians."

"Many libertarian Republicans such as myself have been supporting
Bush. But lately he has abandoned his few libertarian supporters for
more moderate, centrist voters. I have been one of the last
libertarian Republicans defending him. The latest FCC crack-down on
shock jocks like Howard Stern was the last straw for me."

"As a Republican, I am hereby endorsing Gary Nolan's Presidential
Candidacy under the Libertarian Party banner. I will also help
launch a nationwide effort of Republicans for Gary Nolan."

"I still hope very much, that President Bush wins re-election. Kerry
would be a horrible choice. His policies would put us on the fast
track towards European-style welfare statism/socialism. But I'm
confident that Bush will win easily. Thus, for voters such as myself
who live in safe GOP states like Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Alaska,
Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Nebraska, Kansas, the Carolinas,
Georgia, Alabama and Virginia, why not send a strong limited
government message to President Bush. He needs to know that there's
a serious constituency out there that will not tolerate ever-
expanding government spending and huge deficits. He needs to know
that we libertarians considered his tax cut to be pitifully puny at
best."

"Traditionally, the Libertarian Party polls 300,000 to 500,000 votes
for President each election cycle. Though, LP candidate Ed Clark
pulled nearly a million in 1980. In a few short months Gary Nolan
has proved to be the best candidate for the Libertarian Party since
Clark in the early 1980s. A former nationally syndicated radio talk
show host, Nolan is garnering major media attention, even appearing
on Michael Medved's highly successful Radio Talk Show yesterday."




Page 2


"With a well-organized Campaign Team, and a decent fundraising
effort, Nolan appears to be well on his way to busting Clark's 1
million vote total of 1980."

"While personally, I don't think it would be terribly wise for
libertarian Republicans living in Massachusetts, Vermont, Maryland,
Wisconsin or Washington State to vote Libertarian, for those living
in safe GOP states it makes all the sense in the world to send George
W. Bush a message."

"There's been some talk of me seeking the Libertarian Party Vice-
Presidential nomination. I'm mulling it over. The Libertarian Party
ticket needs a qualified VP candidate with real world political
experience. I will make an official announcement later in the month
at the Arkansas Libertarian Party State Convention. But for now, I
intend to grab a clipboard and get out on the streets in Houston and
collect signatures to help get Nolan on the ballot." (Currently the
LP is set to be on the ballot in over 40 states, and most likely will
get on in a total of 45 to 47, more than any other 3rd Party. Texas
is the biggest challenge).

"Over the years, as a libertarian Republican I've been one of the
most vocal critics of the Libertarian Party. I still believe that
the LP has some handicaps and am very much a proud Republican. But I
also realize that every now and then when my Party – the GOP - strays
too far from limited government principles it needs a swift kick in
the ass."

"I'm hoping that Nolan's effort will provide that swift kick and that
in the years to come the GOP will return to it's Goldwaterite/limited
government roots."


*Note – Eric Dondero Rittberg has been a Republican activist in
Florida and Texas since 1989. He has served in many Republican
political campaigns in varying capacities over the years including
the Florida Governor's race in 1990, a winning Florida Congressional
race in 1994 (Rep. Mark Foley), and numerous GOP state legislative
races in Florida, Texas and Michigan. In 1993, Dondero won election
to the Leon County County Conservation Board of Supervisors with
28,105 votes. He was the only Republican elected in Tallahassee that
year. In 1995 he joined Ron Paul's first campaign for Congress
serving as Campaign Coordinator. He then went on to serve as his
Freeport Office as Senior District Aide and Coastal Issues
Legislative Director from 1996 to late 2003. He is a graduate of
Florida State University and an Honorably Discharged Decorated
Veteran of the US Navy. Currently he is an Interpreter for Spanish
and other languages in Houston, Texas, and is the Author of two books
the "Worldwide Multilingual Phrase Book" and "Vacation Spanish."
www.portsidelanguages.com.