FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 1, 2013

Contact: Alli McCracken, CODEPINK Organizer, 860 575 5692, alli@codepink.org

    Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK Co-founder, 415 235 6517, medea@codepink.org

UPDATE: CODEPINK Shames Republican Into Cancelling Fundraiser on Day of Government Shutdown; Instead Will Shine “FIRE CONGRESS” Sign in front of Capitol Building

What: CODEPINK and allies shine “FIRE CONGRESS” light sign in front of Capitol Building

Where: Meet at the Ulysses S Grant Memorial Statue, in front of the Capitol Building on the reflecting pool side (map: http://goo.gl/maps/gxTXG)

When: October 1 at 7:00pm

On Monday CODEPINK put out the call for “Billionaires for Wealthcare” to “attend” a lavish fundraiser hosted by Congressman Steve Chabot to expose the callousness of raising campaign contributions on the very day of the government shutdown. Within an hour after alerting the press of this event, Congressman Chabot cancelled the fundraiser.

Activists from CODEPINK, Light Brigade Maryland, and Get EQUAL DC will be meeting tonight at the Capitol Building with LED light panels that spell out FIRE CONGRESS. “Our message of FIRE CONGRESS reflects the sentiment of 87% of Americans who, according to the latest CNN poll, disapprove of the job federal lawmakers are doing,” said Medea Benjamin of CODEPINK. Here is a picture example of what the light panels look like.

“The Congressional shutdown puts over 800,000 federal employees out of work for an indefinite period and saddles Americans with major delays in social and public services,” notes CODEPINK organizer Alli McCracken, “Meanwhile, Congress continues to pay itself for the miserable job it has been doing.”

##