AFR Works Across the Country to Show Support for Wall Street Reform

For Immediate Release

June 18, 2010

AFR Works Across the Country to Show Support for Wall Street Reform

To show the continued momentum on Main Street for financial reform, on Tuesday, June 22, community leaders in 25 cities will deliver petitions from 100,000 angry constituents to members of Congress, urging them to pass historic Wall Street reform legislation by the end of June. Petition text available here. Additionally, Americans for Financial Reform will be asking Facebook users to donate their status to financial reform June 22-24. RSVPs available here. We currently have 6,500 signatures to hold Big Banks accountable and have generated 2,700 messages from our recent e-action alert.

In Massachusetts, AFR members will deliver petitions to Sen. Scott Brown’s office to urge him to support strong Wall Street reform on June 21. Groups involved include MASSPIRG, AFFIL, MA Community Development Corporations, Greater Boston Legal Services, Mass Jobs with Justice, Mass Community Action Network, Mass Affordable Housing Alliance, National Consumer Law Center.

In Arkansas, members of Americans for Financial Reform will hold phone banks on June 19, 21 and 22 for the final push to get strong Wall Street reform. On June 15, AFR members canvassed Pine Bluff, encouraging people to contact Sen. Blanche Lincoln and to thank her for her leadership and tell her to stay strong on derivatives language. We will also take to the airwaves with a public service announcement running next week.

In Delaware on June 21, AFR members will join with SEIU to hold a phone bank to place over 200 phone calls into Rep. Castle’s office urging for financial reform.

In Columbus, Ohio, Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH) held a roundtable event on June 14 to push for financial reform, organized by Progress Ohio. See: Rep. Kilroy Holds Round-Table Discussion With Central Ohioans Hurt By Wall Street’s Greed

In Maine, AFR members held a press conference on June 15 to push for strong financial reform, including Coastal Enterprises, Inc, Maine Center for Economic Policy, Maine Equal Justice Partners, Maine People’s Alliance and Maine Women’s Lobby. See WGME (CBS): Maine groups push financial reform. On June 17, we delivered petitions to Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins’ offices in Bangor. See Bangor Daily News: Signatures for financial reform.

In Connecticut, AFR members have been going door to door in Rep. Jim Himes district to urge strong financial reform.

In Illinois, members of AFR will hold a press event outside Rep. Mark Kirk’s office to hold him accountable for siding with Wall Street over Main Street by opposing financial reform.

In Iowa, AFR delivered sign-on letters to Sen. Tom Harkin’s and Rep. Leonard Boswell’s offices urging them to make sure the legislation protects consumers, ends the casino economy, and shines a light on shadow markets.

In Missouri today, AFR activists delivered a pair of oversized cardboard scissors to Congressman Roy Blunt’s office, asking him to cut the ties to corporate and Wall Street lobbyists, and support a bill that puts Missouri consumers first. See Pictures. Next week AFR will hold another event laying out the importance of strong consumer protection for Americans and pushing to keep in tough provisions against predatory lending practices.

In North Carolina, an action alert went out to 700 coalition members urging them to call Reps. Mel Watt and Heath Shuler to press for holding the Big Banks accountable.

In Arizona on Thursday, Nancy Zirkin, Executive Vice President for Policy at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and AFR member, appeared on KFNN 1510. See Business for Breakfast.

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