Coalition For A Fair & Ind. Judiciary Outline Campaign:Preserve Filibuste

[Robbien]

Press Release

-- Civil Rights and Public Interest Groups Charge GOP Senators' Plan "Abuse of Power" on Judicial Nominations -- Telephone Media Briefing Tuesday at 2 p.m. EDT

-- Campaign's TV, Print, and Radio Ads Will Be Distributed Tuesday

DETAILS: The Coalition for a Fair and Independent Judiciary will hold a telephone conference call on Tuesday to outline a new campaign to oppose the effort by Senate Republican leadership to eliminate the Senate filibuster of judicial nominations -- a move commonly referred to as the "nuclear option," a radical step that would dismantle our system of checks and balances and overturn more than 200 years of history.

The group represents the country's leading national public interest and civil rights organizations. Over the past four years, the Coalition has helped prevent some of President Bush's most extreme nominations to the federal bench from being confirmed.

On the call, Coalition leaders will discuss their coordinated efforts, which include unprecedented grassroots mobilization and new national ad campaigns aimed at preventing the Republican leadership from forcing a procedural rules change that could overturn centuries of Senate precedent - and undermine the intent of the Constitution's framers.

The "nuclear option" is expected to be a top issue as lawmakers return from Spring Recess this week. In addition to outlining the campaign's message, Coalition members will also unveil a series of TV, print and radio ads as well as grassroots activities planned to influence specific U.S. Senators and educate the American public.

WHO: Coalition for a Fair and Independent Judiciary

-- Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

-- Nan Aron, president of Alliance for Justice Action Campaign

-- Ralph G. Neas, president of People For the American Way Foundation

-- Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn PAC

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=45296