MEDIA ADVISORY NADER RALLY ON WALL ST, 10/4 Ralph Nader takes it to “The Street” to demand a “Crackdown on Corporate Crime” NEW YORK — On Friday, October 4, from noon to 1:30, consumer advocate Ralph Nader will lead a “Crackdown on Corporate Crime” rally. The rally will take place on the steps of Federal Hall, facing the New York Stock Exchange, on the corner of Wall Street and Broad Street. “The current corporate crime wave shows every sign of worsening, as more major corporations scramble to admit massive deception of investors, looting of pension funds, self-enrichment of top executives, restatement of earnings and giant farewell compensation packages to departing bosses who wrecked their companies to further their own mega-greed,” said Nader. “The daily beating of the drums of war are destabilizing the economy, depressing the markets, and shattering the public confidence of investors -- draining the attention of our government from domestic matters and necessities at a time of growing recession, deficits, unemployment and poverty.” “We are organizing the ‘Crackdown on Corporate Crime Rally’ to focus attention on the vast array of corporate misdeeds and to propose sound remedies that will help shareholders, taxpayers, workers, and consumers tame the reckless and out-of control corporate bosses. This rally will unify the plights of workers, shareholders, and pensioners in a common cause for both law and order against corporate crime and basic corporate reform,” Nader added. The rally will include: • Mark Green, former NYC public advocate • Frances Fox Piven, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Sociology, CUNY • Brian McLaughlin, President of AFL-CIO’s NY Central Labor Council • Ron Daniels, Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights • Tom O’Keefe, President of the National Association of Investment Professionals • Medea Benjamin, Founder of Global Exchange • Stanley Aronowitz, NY Green Party Gubernatorial Candidate • Patti Smith, internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter • Richard Grasso, chairman of the New York Stock Exchange is also invited to speak on the Exchange’s reform packages. New York is the 13th stop of the 2001-2002 season on a nationwide tour organized by Nader and Democracy Rising. The tour began in Portland, Oregon, on August 4, 2001. More than 7,500 people attended the rally that day. Since Portland, the tour has packed venues in San Francisco, Phoenix, Boston, Cleveland, Toledo, Austin, Atlanta, Tampa, Portland (ME) and New Haven. “Democracy Rising, Nader’s newest organization, seeks to unify people in the cause of freeing the American political system from the grip of corporate interests,” said event organizer Jason Kafoury. For further information, call Jason Kafoury at (212) 822-0282 or visit www.democracyrising.org. www.democracyrising.org