ACLU-NJ: We Congratulate New Governor and Hope to Advance Civil Rights and Liberties Together
On inauguration day, ACLU-NJ director expresses hopes for progress on civil rights in Garden State under Murphy administration
The ACLU-NJ congratulates New Jersey’s 56th Governor Phil Murphy, who took the oath of office today after running on a platform of advancing civil rights and civil liberties. The ACLU-NJ hopes to work with the new governor, and the new Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, to see those ideals solidified into policy.
The following statement can be attributed to ACLU-NJ Executive Director Amol Sinha:
“The ACLU-NJ congratulates Governor Murphy on his inauguration. We look forward to working with him, with his cabinet, and with the Legislature to make New Jersey fairer and more equitable for everyone, and to fulfill the promise of this moment.
“The nation stands at a crossroads, with each state determining whether its path ahead will diverge from the Trump administration’s course of division, xenophobia, and fear. Early steps even before the governor’s official swearing-in – such as committing to welcoming and protecting all immigrants in the state, advocating for economic justice, promoting voting rights, and providing a vision for legalized marijuana that advances racial justice – indicate a new chapter for New Jersey.
“The issues that Governor Murphy mentioned in his inaugural address are some of the most pressing of our time: comprehensive criminal justice reform including legalization of marijuana, opportunities and fair treatment for immigrants, restoration of family planning funding in the budget, income inequality, equal pay for women, a $15 minimum wage, and reducing income inequality, among others. We, too, are unbridled optimists: the belief that we can make a better world is a prerequisite for changing it.
“We have a long road ahead of us to secure the essential rights of every resident of our state, but New Jersey can and will be a leader in promoting civil rights for all. We’re excited to welcome a new governor who has pointed to those fundamental protections as a core part of his governing philosophy, and we will do everything in our power to make sure that they remain a central priority for the governor, his administration, and all who hold public office in New Jersey.”
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