CCM Unveils Leadership and Grassroots Action Plan
Ken Blackwell to Chair National Conservative Activism Effort
For Immediate Release
November 15, 2007
Contact: Shannon Flaherty
Shannon@FirstPrinciplesLLC.com
Phone: (202) 423-5373
Washington, D.C. - Former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell and former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay today announced plans for a new initiative to boost conservative political activism, and announced Blackwell as Chairman of Coalition for a Conservative Majority (CCM).
"Right now liberals are better organized, funded, and active than I have ever witnessed," DeLay said. "Our goal is to work with the talented leaders of the conservative movement to complement their efforts, using an army of activists to push for the policies and leadership conservatives are begging for."
CCM Chairman Ken Blackwell said his experience with a large number of conservative organizations has shown him the need for an organization that can pull activists together despite divergent policy interests. "Whether writing letters to editors or legislators, protesting tax hikes, or rallying to support our common values, CCM members will reinvigorate all aspects of the conservative cause, from the grassroots up," Blackwell said.
During the briefing, Blackwell announced the top eight media markets in which CCM will concentrate their upcoming recruitment and grassroots activities. The markets, which include Houston, TX, Scranton, PA, Pittsburgh, PA, West Palm Beach, FL, Denver, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Phoenix, AZ and Las Vegas, NV, are all areas where liberals and their allies are expected to focus their misinformation crusade in the upcoming year.
CCM will organize in all 50 states and on the Internet to lay down a physical and virtual infrastructure. It will coordinate and direct grassroots action - phone and e-mail campaigns, letters to the editor and to elected officials, meeting requests for Members of Congress, grass- and net-roots information sessions, virtual policy conferences, blogs, protests, and media call-in campaigns.
Furthermore, CCM will bridge the policy gaps between conservatism's diverse adherents, working with economic, social, and foreign policy conservatives on a variety of causes.
The concept for CCM was created by DeLay and a group of influential conservatives at Restoration Weekend, a three-day retreat for conservative leaders to discuss legislative activism. The organization filed earlier this year, and officially launched its efforts at ACU's Conservative Political Action Conference in March. After nearly a year of fundraising, recruiting activists, and developing the operation, CCM now boasts a fully functioning operation, and will host its first chapter organizational meeting in Houston later this month.
For more information about CCM and conservative grassroots activities, please visit www.ccmajority.org.
###
MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Ken Blackwell (bio below) will be available to discuss many policy issues on behalf of CCM, liberal fundraising and activities, and political news of the day. To book Blackwell, please contact Shannon Flaherty at (202) 543-3819.
Ken Blackwell Biography
Ken Blackwell serves as Chairman for the Coalition for a Conservative Majority, a results driven grassroots action and advocacy organization. Mr. Blackwell is also the Senior Fellow for Family Empowerment at the Family Research Council, the Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow for Public Policy at the Buckeye Institute in Columbus, Ohio, a member of the Club for Growth's Leadership Council, serves on the Board of Directors for the National Taxpayers Union and a member of the National Rifle Association's Public Affairs Committee. He is a columnist for the New York Sun, a contributing editor and columnist for the conservative news and opinion site Townhall.com, and a public affairs commentator for the Salem Radio Network.
Mr. Blackwell's public service includes terms as mayor of Cincinnati, an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission. In 1994, he became the first African-American elected to a statewide executive office in Ohio when he was elected treasurer of state. He subsequently was elected to two terms as secretary of state.
Mr. Blackwell is a lifelong resident of Cincinnati. He and his wife of 39 years, Rosa, have three adult children, Kimberly, Rahshann, and Kristin.