For Immediate Release
January 28, 2011

“Americans Deserve to Know Who’s Causing Their Pain”

Everyday People From Across Political Spectrum to Shine a Light on Koch Brothers’ Secret Political Strategy Meeting on Sunday, January 30 in Palm Springs—Past Guests Include Supreme Court Justices and National Political Leaders

Rancho Mirage: Led by the Courage Campaign, Common Cause and the California Nurses Association, a diverse coalition of good government advocates will gather in Rancho Mirage, CA on January 30th to protest a gathering convened by the Koch Brothers, secretive far-right billionaires whose corporate agenda has brought harm to America’s economy and undermined the middle class.

The Kochs’ regular secret conclave is widely regarded as corporate America’s national political strategy meeting, with past participants including media personalities like Glenn Beck, members of Congress, and Supreme Court Justices Thomas and Scalia. The event has taken on even greater importance in light of the Supreme Court’s 2010 “Citizens United” Decision, which enabled the Kochs and their allies to spend unlimited resources on the 2010 elections.   

WHO: The Courage Campaign, California Nurses Association, Common Cause, AFSCME, and hundreds of health professionals, working families, students, seniors, and champions of environmental responsibility.

WHAT: “Uncloaking the Kochs” Panel Discussion and Protest of Koch Brothers Secret Right Wing Political Strategy Meeting.

WHEN & WHERE:

11:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Hilton, Rancho Mirage: Common Cause hosted panel on the Koch’s billionaire caucus agenda, its human impact, and what can be done to restore the voices of ordinary Americans in our political process. Featuring Former US Labor Secretary Robert Reich, UC Irvine Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, Center for American Progress investigative reporter and Koch Brothers expert Lee Fang, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress Van Jones, and California Nurses Association co-President DeAnn McEwen, RN.

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Entrance to Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage (where Koch meeting will take place):  Courage Campaign, California Nurses Association, coalition partners and several hundred protesters will conduct a rally and visually-engaging demonstration.

WHY: “As healthcare professionals, we are dedicated to the values of caring, compassion, and compassion,” said DeAnn McEwen, RN, co-President of the California Nurses Association. “Hiding behind astro-turf front groups and shadowy financing of campaigns, the Koch brothers and their allies have shown a heartless contempt for these values on every level. We believe the American people deserve to know who is causing their pain.”

“There is nothing less American than stripping away basic fairness from our political system,” said Courage Campaign Chairman Rick Jacobs. “January 30th is  about exposing the human cost of Koch’s unrivaled influence—theft on Wall Street, foreclosures on main street, security for big polluters, record profits for health insurance companies, jobs shipped overseas, and poverty for what used to be middle class families.”

The Courage Campaign is a multi-issue online organizing network that empowers more than 700,000 grassroots and netroots supporters to advocate for progressive change and full equality across the country.  Courage holds politicians accountable, works for reform, and trains and organizes activists to change their communities.  Learn more at www.couragecampaign.org.

National Nurses United, along with its sister organization, the California Nurses Association, are the voice of America’s RN movement, and a union and professional association representing more than 160,000 RNs from every state in the nation. Learn more at www.NationalNursesUnited.org.