Florida NOW

Statement from NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A lawsuit by Alabama’s Attorney General to block the renewed push to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment is, as the ERA Coalition stated, “a shameful effort to keep women from gaining Constitutional equality.”

This crowd of extremist state attorneys general continues to march in lockstep with Bill Barr’s increasingly unconstitutional Justice Department. There is nothing they won’t do to undermine equality and perpetuate the patriarchy. In his suit, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall says that “the ERA would not promote true equality, but rather a far-left agenda.”

The false assertion that the ERA is unnecessary is the same kind of hateful trope used to undermine civil rights laws during the 1960’s.  NOW opposes this clear and shameful action to block equal rights and justice for women, and with our ERA Coalition partners we will stay on the front lines defending the ERA until it is ratified into law.

Contact

Press Team, press@now.org, 202.695.8221

Statement from NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House of Representatives’ vote to impeach President Donald J. Trump is a solemn step that will test our Constitutional rule of law.  Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the most diverse House of Representatives in history are, in the Speaker’s words, acting as “custodians of the Constitution” and we are proud of their leadership today.   

Demanding foreign interference in our elections and obstructing the sacred duty of Congress to investigate is illegal, immoral and impeachable.  Each member of Congress swore to protect the Constitution and to fail to do so now would have dangerous repercussions for our country for generations to come. 

Everyday NOW’s grassroots leaders and activists across the country are working on our six core issues: Reproductive Rights, Economic Justice, Ending Violence Against Women, Racial Justice, LGBTQIA+ Rights and Constitutional Equality through the Equal Rights Amendment. But if our democracy is allowed to crumble, then how can our work for equality for all be successful? With this impeachment vote the U.S. Congress must uphold the constitutional democracy that we all value and defend so strongly.  

NOW calls on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to let the witnesses speak and allow Senators to fulfill their Constitutional role as objective, informed jurors in an impeachment trial. 

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745

Statement from NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Hypocrisy and misogyny have long been hallmarks of the response from professional sports organizations when it comes to sexual assault committed by their players. As the just released investigation by the USA Today Network documents, the NCAA is a repeat offender when it comes to putting profits over people. They have continued to let college athletes charged with assault off the hook, with at least 28 current and former athletes allowed to stay in the NCAA despite being disciplined or even convicted for a sexual offense at another college.

Like the NFL—or, for that matter, Hollywood, Wall Street or anywhere #MeToo truths are being told, the NCAA must be held accountable for excusing, enabling and perpetuating a culture of sexual misconduct and victim-blaming.  NOW is working to stop U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos from tilting the scales of justice even farther away from survivors and allowing athletes convicted of violent sex crimes to stay in multi-million dollar sports programs.

No one is above the law, and no institution is above accountability for patterns of criminal behavior and violence against women.  The NCAA must institute rigorous and enforceable codes of conduct that prevent teams from monetizing sexual abuse. This predator pipeline must come to an end. Enough is enough.

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745