Dear Friends,

Many New Yorkers are still reeling from the news story that broke on Monday. Four women are accusing now former NYS Attorney General Eric Schneiderman of violence and abuse.

It is hard to reconcile that the described actions and accusations can be attributed to the same person that inspired many of us and led the charge on so many progressive fronts.

We at WCLA – Choice Matters won’t attempt to.

The former Attorney General was to be our keynote speaker on June 14^th. Clearly, that is no longer the case.

Violence of the kind described is always wrong and cannot be explained away. People must always be held accountable.

As we navigate our way forward, we must hold on to some rock-solid truths:

1. Over the past 8 years, the New York Attorney General’s office has been the most progressive AG’s office in the country. It was an office that showed no fear when threatened by Washington. It fought relentlessly for comprehensive reproductive rights for all, Dreamers in the DACA program, immigrants facing the travel ban, workers cheated of their wages, environmental protection, and voting rights. The AG’s office was THE legal resistance holding Donald Trump accountable to the law.And that can continue to be the case. The work of the Attorney General’s office was not conducted by one person.The staff that did the legal work to make those fights a reality is still in place. Eric Schneiderman was the face of the office but it was the staff that did the heavy lifting. We must support the staff, and elect an AG who will allow them to keep moving this progressive agenda forward;
2. It is clear that a double standard is alive and well in the United States. While New Yorkers would not tolerate such behavior by one of its own elected officials, the country has a president that brags about assaulting women and encourages voters to support a pedophile. We must keep up the legal resistance and demand that all play by the same rules; and
3. Every Election Matters. Whether it is a school board election (which occurs in Westchester next Tuesday) or County or State or Federal one – every election matters. The message “when they go low, we go local” must become the mantra of our resistance. We can only advance a progressive pro-choice agenda if we vote.

Here at WCLA – Choice Matters, we continue to work to advance reproductive freedom. Thursday, June 14^th, is the date of our annual gala. This annual event raises funds necessary to pay for some of the arduous grassroots work we do.

Please save the date and stay tuned for the announcement of our new featured speaker!

Sincerely,
Catherine Lederer-Plaskett
President