Brooklyn, NY — More than 100 New Yorkers, along with several of the city’s largest advocacy groups, rallied at U. S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’s district office in Brooklyn today, calling on Jeffries to more aggressively resist the Trump administration’s ongoing assault on democratic rights, the environment and public health, among other issues. Participating groups included Food & Water Watch, New York Communities for Change, 350Brooklyn, Indivisible Brooklyn, New York Progressive Action Network (NYPAN), MoveOn, Extinction Rebellion NYC, Brooklyn for Peace and Met Council on Housing, among others.

As the Trump administration tears apart regulations in service of its pro-corporate, anti-democracy agenda, the response from Congressional Democratic leadership has been tepid thus far. Advocates called on Jeffries to use every power at his disposal to oppose the Musk-Trump efforts to dismantle the federal government and strip away critical public health, education, environmental and human rights protections. 

“Americans are suddenly under attack from a radical, anti-democracy president working hand-in-hand with a selfish oligarch to decimate our federal government and operate as a despotic king. Among the basic rights being attacked are clean water, safe food and a livable climate future for all. Democratic leaders like Hakeem Jeffries must be fighting back with every ounce of strength they possess amidst this existential threat to America as we know it,” said Eric Weltman, senior New York organizer at Food & Water Watch.

“While in recent days, Representative Jeffries has spoken out more forcefully against recent actions by the current administration, he has yet to grasp that the threat to our democracy is immediate and profound,” said Sara Gronim, Co-leader of the climate group 350Brooklyn. “This is not a matter of party rivalry. The Constitution makes Congress, the Judiciary, and the Executive co-equals in governing the nation and it is this, the foundation of our nation, that Trump seeks to overthrow. Jeffries must move beyond partisan announcements to get at the heart of this threat.”

“We ask that you immediately present a credible plan for leading the Democratic opposition through the Republican-caused crisis facing our country. We are counting on you to shut down President Trump’s agenda with procedural hardball to stop what we can, slow down what we cannot stop, and focus public attention in order to generate a backlash. And we will hold you accountable for whether you rise to the challenge of leading the opposition through this fateful moment or instead succumb to the temptation of shameful appeasement,” said Adam Ring, organizer with Indivisible Brooklyn.