Press release about 7/23 Downing Street Teachin

For Immediate Release Contact: Erika Laws

July 18, 2005 202-225-2201

Congresswoman Maxine Waters Featured Speaker at Teach-In

On Downing Street Memo This Saturday

Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-35) announced that she will be the featured speaker at a town hall meeting and teach-in on the third anniversary of the Downing Street Memo this Saturday, July 23rd at the Covenant Worship Center, 425 S. La Brea Avenue in Inglewood, California from noon until 3:00 pm.

The Congresswoman, who has been a leading voice in calling for the Administration to conclude the war in Iraq, stated, “As the Co-Founder of the Out of Iraq Caucus, I call on the United States to reexamine its role in the Iraqi War. I will continue the ongoing discussions regarding the war, including the implications of the Downing Street memo.”

The Downing Street memo refers to the now infamous minutes taken at a meeting between Prime Minister Tony Blair and senior British officials at 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister’s official office in London, regarding President Bush’s determination to go to war. According the memo, some of his advisors felt it was clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action…that “the intelligence was fixed around the policy.”

Added the Congresswoman,“It is time that we demand answers from this administration about the war in Iraq. Over 1700 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq. We need to reunite our US service members with their families.”

Joining the Congresswoman at the town hall will be Fernando Suarez del Solar, whose son Jesus was killed in the first weeks of the war; Tim Goodrich, Co-Founder of Iraq Veterans Against the War; Jane Bright of Military Families Speak Out and Gold Star Families for Peace, as well as other elected officials and community leaders.

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The Out of Iraq Caucus was established this year in order to bring to the House of Representatives an on-going debate about the war in Iraq and the Administration’s justifications for the decision to go to war, to urge the return of U.S. service members to their families as soon as possible, and to provide a voice in Congress for the individuals and groups who support these efforts. To date, the Caucus has 63 congressional members.

This Saturday’s town hall has been scheduled in conjunction with over 200 events to be held nationwide by at least 7 other members of Congress and a wide variety of other organizations. This event is supported by NAACP, Mexican American Political Association, Office of the Americas, CODEPINK, Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles, Iraq Veterans Against the War, and many other community groups and peace organizations.

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