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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 29,2003 National Coalition for Disability Rights 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20004 Phone: 202-661-4722 FAX: 202-318-4040 Email: adawatch@aol.com WEB: www.adawatch.org Contact: Jennifer Burnett (717) 335-3340 jburnett@dejazzd.com   Janine Bertram-Kemp (503) 504-9787   Disability Groups Protest Nominee to Federal Appeals Court Point to Sutton's Activism in Rolling Back Federal Disability and Civil Rights Protections Washington - January 29, 2003: The National Coalition for Disability Rights (NCDR) is an alliance of more than 500 national, state, and local disability organizations joined to protect and strengthen the civil rights of people with disabilities. NCDR's ADA Watch has united hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals in opposition to the confirmation of Jeffrey Sutton to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and has organized opposition events in Washington, DC and in Columbus, Ohio. NCDR's president, Jim Ward explains: "Sutton's career has been highlighted by aggressive -- and often successful -- efforts to dismantle federal disability rights and civil rights protections. He has actively worked to weaken Federal protections for people with disabilities, minorities, seniors, women victims of violence, Medicaid recipients and others. Sutton -- like too many of the Bush judicial nominees -- has targeted the New Deal, the Great Society, Medicaid, the ADA, Olmstead, and the authority of a democratically elected Congress to legislate remedies when petitioned by American citizens." Regarding the attempts of Sutton's supporters to demonstrate his "good will" towards people with disabilities, Ward continued, "What is in Sutton's heart is really of no concern to us and we have to do the job of directing public attention - and that of the Senate - towards his record and the records of other nominees who place ideology before justice. Attempts to focus on Mr. Sutton's "character" will only distract from the need for a national dialogue on Federal-State powers and Congress' authority to invoke the ADA as a "clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against people with disabilities." Events Schedule: Wednesday, January 29: Disability rights supporters rally in Columbus, Ohio and hold vigil as colleagues travel to Washington to oppose Sutton. Individuals with disabilities and supporters gather in Washington to speak out against Sutton and to attend his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 226. Thursday, January 30: Disability Rights supporters will attend the official Executive Session of the Senate Judiciary Committee at 9:30 AM in Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 226. This will be followed by ADA Watch's "People's Hearing," in Dirksen 138 at 1:30 PM, to examine the impact of Mr. Sutton's activism on people with disabilities. Individuals from Sutton's home-state of Ohio will share their stories and illustrate the threats of Federalism to real people.