Civil Rights Leaders Denounce Nuclear Option

Washington, DC – In response to attempts by some conservatives to justify eliminating the filibuster by exploiting the story of the American civil rights movement, tomorrow, Tuesday, May 10th at 10:30 AM, civil rights leaders will hold a news conference to announce broad opposition to the so called “nuclear option”.

The NAACP’s Julian Bond and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights’ Vice Chair Judith Lichtman will deliver a letter signed by more than a dozen civil rights leaders to Senators Frist and Reid calling for caution and urging senators to oppose the nuclear option. They will be joined by civil rights champion Senator Edward Kennedy, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congresswoman Eleanor Norton Holmes of the Congressional Black Caucus.

In addition to voicing opposition to the nuclear option, these leaders will address the abhorrent civil rights records of Janice Rogers Brown and Terrence Boyle. They will touch on the cynical political strategy of the Bush administration in nominating women and ethnic minorities whose records display hostility toward civil rights, workers’ rights, women’s rights, individual rights, and civil liberties.

WHO:

Julian Bond, Chairman of the NAACP

Judy Lichtman, Vice Chair of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA)

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)

Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D-CA)

WHAT:

Press conference to announce civil rights community’s opposition to the nuclear option and to deliver letter urging senators to oppose so-called “nuclear option”

WHEN:

Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 10th at 10:30 AM

WHERE:

Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 608