Announcing LitPAC

Hey blogosphere,

What better place than the Huffington Post to announce the formation of a new political action committee, LitPAC. Through literary events around the country we're hoping to raise money for progressive congressional candidates in 2006. I'm attaching the press release. Keep your eyes open for events near you.

LitPAC Press Release
April 3, 2006

Announcing LitPAC

Based on the success of The Progressive Reading Series we're launching LitPAC, a political action committee focused on raising funds for congressional candidates in 2006. LitPAC will sponsor progressive readings all over the country. In addition to the monthly reading in San Francisco there will be a monthly reading in New York starting April 17. Readings are planned for Portland, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Houston, Washington D.C. with more cities being added soon. Authors who have appeared or are appearing at forthcoming Progressive Readings include Mary Gaitskill, Rick Moody, Jonathan Ames, Adrienne Miller, Aimee Bender, Pam Houston, Jim Shepard, Po Bronson, Jane Smiley, Tobias Wolff, Dave Eggers, Daniel Handler, Anthony Swofford, and ZZ Packer.

Here's The Long Version

LitPAC is about getting authors more involved in the political process. Through literary fundraisers like The Progressive Reading Series along with individual donations LitPAC intends to support at least 15 house candidates running in 2006 with direct gifts of up to $5,000. We currently endorse four candidates, Tony Trupiano in Michigan 11, Nick Lampson in Texas 22, Tammy Duckworth in Illinois 6, and Patricia Madrid in New Mexico 1. More endorsements will be announced following state primaries. The more money we raise the more effective we can be.

Here's some other things we will do in 2006:

• We will register voters at author events across the country, particularly on college campuses.

• We will have large voter registration events in specific "hot" districts and volunteer our services to candidates and organizations we support to help them with their own fundraisers.

• In certain districts across the country we will offer voters a phone call from their favorite author on Election Day reminding them to vote.

Who We Are

Stephen Elliott, Executive Director
Stephen Elliott is the author of four novels, the political memoir Looking Forward To It, and the editor of two anthologies of political fiction.

Tobias Wolff, Board of Advisors
Tobias Wolff is the author of many notable books including This Boys Life, In Pharaoh's Army, Old School, The Barrack's Thief, and The Night In Question

Daniel Handler, Board of Advisors
Daniel Handler is the author of three novels the most recent being Adverbs. Under the name Lemony Snicket he also writes the Series Of Unfortunate Events books, which have sold more than 48 million copies worldwide.

Aimee Bender, Board of Advisors
Aimee Bender is the author of Willful Creatures, The Girl In The Flammable Skirt, and An Invisible Sign of My Own

David Poindexter, Board of Advisors
David Poindexter is the founder and publisher of MacAdam/Cage publishing and the CEO of Commonwealth Communications.

Rick Moody, Board of Advisors
Rick Moody is the author of Demonology, Purple America, The Ring of Brightest Angels Around Heaven, The Ice Storm and Garden State, which won the Pushcart Press Editors' Book Award.

Rebecca Gold Rubin, Web Mistress
Rebecca Gold Rubin is a graphic and web artist for ETR Associates, a health education non-profit in Scotts Valley, California. She volunteers her services to various political organizations including but not limited to the Four Star Democrats, General Wesley Clark, Band of Brothers 2006, and Brazile and Associates.

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To donate to LitPAC please go to http://www.actblue.com/page/litpac

To read a recent article on the Progressive Reading Series from the San Francisco Chronicle go here.

For more information check out our website www.litpac.org