For Immediate Release: April 5, 2017
Contact: [email protected]

Today the People’s Defense, a coalition of the nation’s largest grassroots organizations led by NARAL Pro-Choice America, is rolling out a six-figure digital ad campaign urging Senate Republicans not to change the Senate rules for President Donald Trump. The ads will run in Arizona, Alaska, Maine, Nevada, and South Carolina to pressure Republican senators to oppose changing the rules to push through President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, especially as the president is under active FBI investigation for potential ties to Russia. Seven in 10 Americans strongly object to any Republican attempt to use political tactics to strong-arm Trump’s nominee through the confirmation process.

“The millions of Americans who make up the People’s Defense want Senate Republicans to know: The decision to blow up the Senate is squarely in their hands, and their hands alone. It will be only Republican votes to change the rules, a move the majority of Americans strongly oppose. In a reasonable world, the response would be to change the nominee, not the rules—but that’s not the world Senate Republicans live in. It’s on them to prove whether they stand with their constituents or Donald Trump,” said Kaylie Hanson Long, national communications director of NARAL Pro-Choice America.

The ads follow a weeks-long effort in opposition to Judge Gorsuch led by the millions of members who make up the People’s Defense. Last weekend, the People’s Defense rallied in cities across the country to call on senators to oppose President Trump’s dangerous agenda, including his nominee for the Supreme Court. After delivering one million petition signatures to all 100 senators and mobilizing members to call, write, and engage online with their senators, 44 senators committed to stand against the most extreme Supreme Court nominee in a generation.

The People’s Defense is a massive grassroots campaign to defeat Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court. Joining the campaign, which has been organized by NARAL Pro-Choice America, are Indivisible, American Federation of Teachers, Center for American Progress Action Fund, CREDO Action, Demos, Emily’s List, End Citizens United, EveryVoice, MoveOn.org Civic Action, People for the American Way, Planned Parenthood, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Service Employees International Union, Stand Up America, and the Working Families Party.

“The People’s Defense” is a massive grassroots campaign with actions planned in all 50 states to defeat Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court. Joining the campaign, which has been organized by NARAL Pro-Choice America, are Indivisible, American Federation of Teachers, Center for American Progress Action Fund, CREDO Action, End Citizens United, EveryVoice, MoveOn.org Civic Action, People for the American Way, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Service Employees International Union, and Stand Up America.

NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates are dedicated to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom for all Americans. NARAL works to guarantee that every woman has the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. In recognition of its work defending our constitutional right to choose, Fortune Magazine described NARAL as “one of the top 10 advocacy groups in America.”

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