FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 19, 2021

New Jersey Residents Lobby to Get Big Money Out of Politics
Community Members Meet with Republicans and Democrats to Build Support

Cherry Hill, NJ, May 19, 2021: Residents from the New Jersey state chapter of American Promise joined a nationwide virtual lobbying effort seeking to remove the corrosive effects of money in politics. The lobby meetings, almost 100 nationwide, aim to build support in Congress for a constitutional amendment that would allow reasonable limits to be set on political spending. In the last two weeks, American Promise citizen advocates from 9 of New Jersey’s 12 congressional districts met virtually with the offices of both Senator Booker and Senator Menendez as well as Rep Donald Norcross NJ-1, Rep Jeff Van Drew NJ-2, Rep Andy Kim NJ-3, Rep Josh Gottheimer NJ-5, Rep Tom Malinowski NJ-7, Rep Albio Sires NJ-8, Rep Donald Payne, Jr NJ-10, Rep Mikie Sherrill NJ-11, and Rep Bonnie Watson-Coleman NJ-12.

“I am encouraged by the supportive reception of our request to support a resolution for a constitutional amendment by the offices of our representatives,”said Heather Santos of Califon, NJ. ”In the last session of Congress, 11 of our 12 Congressional representatives and both Senators co-sponsored the joint resolutions for the Democracy For All amendment. We hope to see that same level of support in this Congress.”

Eighty percent of Americans believe that the U.S. political system is out of control and that the billions of dollars in campaign contributions from corporations, unions and the wealthiest Americans result in policies that help the rich rather than fostering the common good. That is why twenty-six residents from every corner of New Jersey joined others around the country in virtual lobby visits as part of the National Citizen Leadership Conference Lobby Days organized by American Promise. American Promise is a cross-partisan organization committed to ratifying a 28th amendment to the Constitution that would give Americans the right to place reasonable limits on campaign contributions and restore human liberty to people, not corporations or the wealthy elite.

“Commonsense solutions supported by the majority of Americans across the political spectrum have failed to be enacted on issue after issue when there is huge political spending by big donors that oppose those solutions. Lobby day meetings like these with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are a meaningful way to build support for an amendment that will allow the voices of We the People to regain our influence on the laws and policy adopted by our elected Congress.,” said Marie HenselderKimmel MD of Cherry Hill, NJ.

American Promise members talk of the $14 Billion that was spent in the 2020 election cycle, over twice what was spent in 2016 and say that to get $14 billion dollars out of our elections we must commit to true reform and that means amending the U.S. Constitution.

“In order to advance our constitutional amendment,” said American Promise President Jeff Clements, “we need cooperation and understanding from both sides of the political aisle. American Promise is bringing together all Americans behind the campaign to end big money in politics, and these Citizen Lobby Day visits help the momentum for the 28th Amendment.”

As regional leaders, Camden County residents Marie HenselderKimmel and Joan Divor, Essex County resident Monica Rodriguez, and Morris county resident Heather Santos and David Jones are committed to building the American Promise chapter throughout our state that aims to help New Jersey residents speak up for a saner political finance system. Anyone interested in learning how they can help to grow the American Promise state chapter here in New Jersey can contact Marie HenselderKimmel at tricountyapa@gmail.com . To learn more, go to: www.americanpromise.net.
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