Unprecedented “Resistance Coalition” to counter federal attacks on women, immigrants, the environment; other Trump targets
TRENTON — Activists and community leaders joined Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg and Speaker Emeritus Sheila Oliver as well as Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, Assemblywoman Liz Muoio, and Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker to launch the statewide “Resistance Coalition” to protect New Jersey residents from the Trump agenda, which is putting women, immigrants, and working families at risk.
The coalition — which is unprecedented in New Jersey politics — will champion a legislative and policy agenda to counter the Trump administration. The legislators in the Resistance Coalition will introduce state legislative measures to protect rights that New Jersey’s working families need to live and prosper, including funding health care, upholding fair labor standards, and proactively protecting our immigrant communities.
For months, activists have employed town halls, vigils, protests and public forums to push against Trump administration initiatives, including immigration bans, mass deportations, repeal of the Affordable Care Act, roll backs of environmental protections, and other attacks on our democracy. Hundreds of activists and dozens of local organizations have now enlisted state legislators to play a key role in the resistance movement.
“The policies and pronouncements coming out of the Trump Administration are dangerous. From the president’s inhumane attack on immigrants and refugees to his commitment to repeal the landmark healthcare law, he has put forth policies that are contrary to New Jersey values and the values of this country,” said Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg . “We have a responsibility to fight on behalf of our residents and protect them from the impact of the harmful actions that are taken in Washington. We are committed to doing that through legislation and advocacy that will resist the Trump agenda and help to protect our state.”
Initial legislation will include measures to ensure voting rights; ban the use of dangerous pesticides; protect online privacy; advance workers’ rights; and divest pension investments from companies that help build Donald Trump’s border wall.
“I am proud to stand with the Working Families Alliance and allies, and to join with Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg in locking arms and exerting legislative muscle to our Resistance Movement,” said Assembly Speaker Emeritus Oliver (D-Essex, Passaic).” When I think about all the sacrifices made by New Jerseyans as well as people throughout the country to ensure that there is liberty and justice for all, I know that as a legislator, civic leader and grassroots representative, I must be in the line of defense against the horror being perpetrated by Trump and his” Billionaires Boys Club” that has invaded our nation’s capital. As the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm proclaimed many decades ago, ” You can’t stand on the sidelines whimpering and complaining, if you don’t have a seat at the table, then bring a folding chair! Today we proclaim that we are ready, armed with our folding chairs?”
“We need to be here. We need to call this administration out every time it attacks our values and our safety. And we need to take action on the state level to make up for the lack of moral leadership coming from Washington. I’m proud of my colleagues here today and know that together we will do everything we can to right this president’s wrongs where we can,” said Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-Union).
The coalition is organized by the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, a nonpartisan organization that has spearheaded a progressive policy agenda in the state, in collaboration with grassroots partners and allies.