CODEPINK: WOMEN FOR PEACE
(310) 827-3046
http://www.codepinkalert.org
______________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
June 27, 2003 Jodie Evans (310) 621-5635 cell
Patricia Foulkrod (213) 804-7824
or 310-980-7798

CODEPINK WOMEN IN SAN FRANCISCO AND LOS ANGELES DELIVERED BUSH A 'PINK SLIP' AS HE DROPPED IN ON CALIFORNIA TO COLLECT HIS PAYBACK FROM THE PROFITS OF MILITARY SPENDING AND TAX CUTS.

In Los Angeles, the women of CODEPINK hung a 30 foot satin 'pink slip' reading "Bush/You Lied/Your Fired" off the Century Plaza Hotel while Bush collect his booty in the ballroom below. Outside thousands of protesters cheered and demonstrated against the continuing conflicts and loss of life in Iraq. Dressed in pink the women wore sashes reading "Bush Lied", "Education, Not Occupation" and "Where are the weapons of mass destruction?"

Simultaneously other elegantly dressed CODEPINK members greeted the arriving campaign donors in the lobby, "It's not right. Actually, it is illegal that Bush lied about the weapons of mass destruction to get support for his war against Iraq, and he's not being held accountable for the lives lost or the billions spent." said Jodie Evans, co-founder of CODEPINK.

As the Bush motorcade made its way to the Century Plaza, they were greeted with hundreds of original pink anti-Bush posters courtesy of artist and activist Robbie Conal. The posters feature a caricature of a grimacing Bush with the caption "OOPS, I did it again"

In San Francisco, members of CODEPINK staged a one-hour protest INSIDE the hotel where Bush was holding his fundraiser. They wore pink ball gowns with sashes reading "Bush Lied", "Jobs and Education, Not War and Occupation" and "Where are the weapons of mass destruction? Investigate Now!"

As Bush supporters entered the hotel for the fundraiser, the first
thing they saw in the lobby was the CodePink protest! "We had to dress up like wealthy people to be noticed by the Bush Administration," said Andrea Buffa of CODEPINK Bay Area.

The women were not kicked out of the hotel, because they were hotel guests. "We kicked in the money for a shared hotel room so that we could exercise our free speech rights in the hotel during the fundraiser. It's offensive that people paid $2,000 per plate for the fundraiser when hundreds of thousands of dollars are being cut from education, health and social services programs by the Bush Administration," Buffa said. After making their point inside the hotel, the women went outside to join hundreds of people in a protest across the street.

Today's action is part of the National CODEPINK Alert campaign to give Bush a Pink Slip in 2004.

Photos and Video available call 310-827-3046

Century City - June 27, 2003
Photo Credit: Gregory Sotir/LA Indy Media