2/15 in Sacto: No Red Carpet for Governor Ahnold

Nurses, Students, Teachers, & Consumers Tell Schwarzenegger: No Red Carpet for You

2/14/2005 5:07:00 PM

To: Assignment Desk and Daybook Editor, Entertainment Reporter

Contact: Jerry Flanagan of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, 415-497-1710 (cell)

News Advisory:

WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 15, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

WHERE: Crest Cafe (on K Street, between 10th and 11th streets) in Sacramento. Governor Schwarzenegger will be attending an opening of the "Get Shorty" sequel, "Be Cool," at the Crest Theatre next door to the Crest Cafi.

Nurses, students, teachers and consumer advocates will host a protest party next door to Governor Schwarzenegger's special screening of the new Danny Devito movie: "Be Cool: Get Shorty II." The California Nurses Association and the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights will fly blimps over the event as part of its "Air Arnold" campaign to send a message to the governor: there are no red carpet privileges for any governor who puts the interests of big industry above the needs of the public.

During the last week, Governor Schwarzenegger has come under increased scrutiny for illegal fundraising activities in conjunction with a committee formed to push Schwarzenegger-backed ballot initiatives in a special election this year. Schwarzenegger allies including Chamber of Commerce President Allan Zaremberg and Joel Fox, who worked for the governor during the recall campaign, run the ballot committee. The committee is co-hosting fundraisers around the state featuring Schwarzenegger, including two events in Sacramento and San Diego last week.

Registered nurses representing CNA -- which recently launched a national television ad criticizing Schwarzenegger's rollback of patient safety laws -- said that Schwarzenegger's donors are the real special interests, not nurses and patients. The ad -- produced on a volunteer basis by Robert Greenwald (director of "Outfoxed" and "Uncovered") can be viewed at http://www.arnoldwatch.net or http://www.calnurses.org

An airplane, dubbed "Air Arnold," followed the governor around the state last week alerting the public to the governor's broken campaign promises to voters:

-- On Super Bowl Sunday, Air Arnold pulled the first banner that read, "It's No Party for Nurses, Patients and Students -- Arnoldwatch.net," above Schwarzenegger's Brentwood estate prior to the governor's Super Bowl Sunday party for some of the nation's political and Hollywood elite. To watch a video of the Super Bowl event, visit http://consumerwatchdog.org/assets/scans/PartyPlane.mov.

-- Last Tuesday, Air Arnold pulled a banner above the Capitol in Sacramento reading, "Don't Be Big Business's Bully -- Arnoldwatch.org / Calnurses.org," during another Schwarzenegger fundraiser; to view a picture go to: http://www.ConsumerWatchdog.org

-- On Thursday, Air Arnold barnstormed the governor during a fundraiser at Petco Park in San Diego with another special message: "RNs to Arnold: Protect Patients, Not Your Donors."

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The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights is the state's leading nonprofit and nonpartisan consumer advocacy organization. For more information visit http://www.ConsumerWatchdog.org

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