Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON — The National Organization for Women (NOW) is proud to endorse Nancy Pelosi to reclaim her position as Speaker of the House. The first woman in U.S. history to ascend to this position richly deserves to return.

Republicans have long demonized Nancy Pelosi, ostensibly for her progressive politics, but the name of their game has always been misogyny and ageism. They used the same tactics against Hillary Clinton. They tried it in district after district during the 2018 elections—but this year, they mostly failed.

Democrats in Congress must not buy into this completely false and utterly transparent narrative. Opponents of progressive government would castigate any Democratic Speaker with the same name-calling and vicious personal attacks. Nancy Pelosi is a target because she’s a strong, progressive Democrat—and because she’s a woman.

Republicans fear Congressional leadership that puts the priorities of everyday Americans above corporations, that protects women’s rights, voting rights and the right to quality, affordable health care. And they fear a strong woman leading that fight most of all. They know what Nancy Pelosi can do. They saw her shepherd the Affordable Care Act into law. They saw her stand up to Donald Trump. They know she’ll be an enormously effective Speaker who will expose their mean-spirited, dangerous agenda.

During the campaign, many Democratic candidates were put on the defensive by these attacks, and some tempered their support for Nancy Pelosi in response. Now that they’ve won, they should reconsider their positions and realize that what the House needs most is experienced leadership, progressive values, and skilled legislative strategies. Nancy Pelosi is overwhelmingly the only choice for Speaker.

Contact

NOW Press, press@now.org, 202-628-8669

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt, Sonia Ossorio, president of NOW-New York. Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority, and Shaunna Thomas, executive director of UltraViolet:

Thousands of people have signed on to a petition launched by the Feminist Majority, the National Organization for Women, the National Organization for Women of New York, and UltraViolet demanding that former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman donate the millions of dollars from his now defunct re-election campaign to organizations that support survivors and seek to end intimate partner and sexual violence.

“Eric Schneiderman was charged with protecting survivors and vulnerable people. Instead, he perpetuated the epidemic of violence against women, hurting those closest to him and undermining the public’s confidence in one of the most important legal positions in our country,” said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority. “If he intends to make amends, the least he can do is ensure that his campaign contributions actually go to an organization that will defend the survivors he failed.”

“Schneiderman can and must do more than just offer remorse for the abuse he inflicted on his partners. He needs to step up and put his money where his mouth is,” said Toni Van Pelt, president of the National Organization for Women. “Survivors of sexual violence need more than words. They need support and legislation that protects them, instead of their abusers.”

“Mr. Schneiderman used his office as a weapon to exert political and law enforcement power on his victims,” said Sonia Ossorio, president of the National Organization for Women of New York. “These survivors have done a great public service in bravely taking him on and he should do the right thing and donate his defunct campaign funds to organizations that support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Women deserve more than an apology.”

“If former NY Attorney General and domestic abuser Eric Schneiderman is serious about accepting ‘full responsibility’ for his abuse of women, he needs to back that up with action and donate the millions of campaign contributions he continues to hoard to intimate partner violence prevention and support groups,” said Shaunna Thomas, executive director of UltraViolet. “Anything less proves that Schneiderman’s claims of contrition are just self-serving empty words.”

Schneiderman was forced to resign in disgrace in May 2018 after four women with whom he had previously been in relationships accused him of repeated physical abuse described as hitting, choking, and slapping. After initially insisting that the physical abuse had been “consensual,” Schneiderman has since accepted “full responsibility.” The Nassau County District Attorney has said that while she believes the women, legal impediments, such as statutes of limitations, preclude her from moving forward with a criminal prosecution at this time.

Feminist Majority Contact: Erin Gistaro – erin@feministmajority.org – 703.522.2214

National NOW Contact: Dee Donavanik – press@now.org – 202.695.8229

New York NOW Contact: Rose Levy – rose@pacepublicrelations.com – 202.262.1635

UltraViolet Contact: Brett Abrams – brett@unbendablemedia.com – 516.841.1105

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON– Last night proved that voters were more determined than ever to elect feminists to positions of leadership, but women’s rights are still being threatened and we have more work to do. Though voters in Oregon had the good sense to defeat a ballot initiative which would have prohibited the use of public funds to pay for abortion services, reproductive justice is still under attack. In West Virginia and in Alabama, voters have passed dangerous ballot initiatives which will preemptively criminalize abortion.

These measures threaten the lives of women. Not only do they open the door to banning abortion, but they will criminalize the act of receiving or providing abortion with a potential jail sentence. For many women, access to abortion will become increasingly difficult without the ability to use the resources of Medicaid.

The National Organization for Women (NOW) and its members are more empowered than ever to keep defending a woman’s right to make her own choice about health care.

Together, we will continue demanding protections for women that include universal access to affordable health insurance coverage, broadly available sex education for middle and secondary school students, access to reproductive health care services for all girls and women, affordable insurance coverage for contraception and safe, legal abortion.

We will continue to strengthen support for survivors of sexual violence by demanding the DNA testing of thousands of rape evidence kits, the removal of statutes of limitation, and other legislation that will assure women’s safety at home, on the streets and at work.

Contact

NOW Press, press@now.org, 202-628-8669