The Arizona congressional candidate who changed his name to Cesar Chavez is raising funds to fight a judge’s ruling that removed him from the ballot — and like everything else in his oddball candidacy, this latest stunt approaches performance art.
The Arizona Capitol Times reported Thursday that Chavez, whose given name is Scott Fistler, is offering up a menu of “services” in exchange for donations. The fundraising pitch, posted to his candidate website, includes autographs for $10, dinner with Chavez for $50 plus the cost of dinner, and motivational speeches for $5,000 plus the cost of Chavez’s hotel and travel.
Perhaps the most intriguing option is a “NAME CHANGE WITH CESAR CHAVEZ” for $2,000, which would entail Chavez guiding the donor through the process of legally changing their own name.
“I could help somebody, give them the legal forms, give them an example, and show them how to do it,” he told the Capitol Times.
The fundraising pitch and list of “facts,” including that the candidate is the “most well known Cesar Chavez alive today,” replaces photos of crowds carrying signs and wearing T-shirts with the name “Chavez” that used to dominate the candidate website. Those photos were actually of Venezuelans rallying for deceased former President Hugo Chavez.
Chavez told the Capitol Times he wasn’t sure if anyone had donated to his campaign since a judge declared 700 of his petition signatures invalid on Tuesday. He also indicated to the newspaper that he was unsure if he would appeal that ruling.
Images via 12 News and The Arizona Republic, Cesar Chavez For Congress In 2014
