ACLU Statement on the Passing of U.S. Rep. Donald Payne

March 06, 2012

ACLU-NJ Executive Director Deborah Jacobs & Rep. Donald Payne in 2006

NEWARK — The ACLU of New Jersey is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of U.S. Rep. Donald Payne. New Jersey has lost a staunch defender of civil liberties in the state and the country. Throughout his distinguished career, Rep. Payne stood for causes that were not always popular – the true hallmark of a civil libertarian. He stood firm for his principles in voting against measures to make the Patriot Act permanent, to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman and to prohibit flag desecration.

“Rep. Payne was a true champion of the disaffected and the underrepresented populations of our country,” said ACLU-NJ Executive Director Deborah Jacobs. “He was a principled leader whose legacy will live on in the freedoms that we enjoy. We were proud to have Congressman Payne represent New Jersey and remain grateful for his many years of public service.”

"Donald Payne was a forward thinking civil libertarian in the Congress who voted against making the Patriot Act permanent and supported employment non-discrimination for the LGBT community and championed the reproductive rights of women," said Laura Murphy, Director of the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office. "Overall he was one of our reliable and outspoken leaders on civil rights and civil liberties. We will miss his gracious and open demeanor in what has become a difficult and hyper-partisan environment in Washington."

Gov. Christie Earns Mixed Marks on Civil Liberties During His First Two Years

January 24, 2012

ACLU-NJ examines Christie’s record on respecting rights

NEWARK – The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ) released a midterm report card for Gov. Chris Christie today (182k PDF), issuing mostly low marks for his administration’s handling of critical civil liberties issues such as reproductive freedom and free speech.

The report card examines Christie’s record on an array of civil liberties issues during his first two years in office. The ACLU-NJ issued a similar report card for Newark Mayor Cory Booker (229k PDF) in 2009 during his first term in office.

“Christie has two years to turn a mediocre civil liberties record into a testament to individual rights,” said ACLU-NJ Executive Director Deborah Jacobs. “The people of New Jersey expect a leader who will stand up for their freedoms, not one who will let them know that despite his unfair policies, his heart is in the right place. It’s time for Gov. Christie’s good intentions to turn into policies that strengthen our rights and improve our lives.”

The ACLU-NJ issued the following grades:

• B in Freedom of Religion. Gov. Christie made headlines several times in his first term for defending the religious freedom of Muslims and warning against extremists trying to promote discrimination against Islam.


• F in Freedom of Speech. When provided the opportunity to speak up for our nation’s most fundamental value, the Governor stood idly by, letting the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs trample the rights of Occupy Trenton, and going so far as to endorse the termination of a NJ Transit employee fired for exercising his right to free expression.


• B- in LGBT Rights. Although the Governor has spoken out against bullying and supported some interests of the LGBT community, he has turned his back on marriage equality for same-sex couples.


• D in Open Government. Although the Governor signed a bill that lowers the cost of copies in New Jersey, his administration has put itself on the wrong side of open government disputes numerous times, allowing agencies to hide public documents and forcing citizens to go to court to get them.


• C in Police Practices. Improvements made by the Office of Attorney General (OAG) to its statewide police Internal Affairs policies were a step forward, but the OAG has failed to address other important issues, such as developing a statewide policy on the use of confidential informants.


• C in Privacy Rights. The governor conditionally vetoed a bill that sought to open adoption records, taking into account the privacy rights of birth parents. At the same time, he signed into a law a bill that allows police to collect DNA of people once they have been arrested in violation of privacy and due process rights.


• F in Reproductive Rights. Not only did the governor cut $7.5 million from the budget for family planning centers, but he also withdrew an application for a federal program that would have covered family planning expenses for some of New Jersey’s most vulnerable women and children.


• D in Separation of Powers. The Governor refused to reappoint New Jersey Supreme Court Justice John J. Wallace, Jr., calling into question the tradition of evaluating judges based on merits, and personally attacked a Superior Court judge because he disagreed with the outcome of her ruling. Gov. Christie’s actions threaten to undermine the judiciary’s independence and credibility.

ACLU-NJ Celebrates 50 Years on the Front Lines of Freedom

June 16, 2010

Newark, N.J. - For five decades, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey has been a gale force in the most critical social debates of our time and a vigilant guardian of civil rights for all.

In June, the ACLU-NJ will mark the 50th anniversary of its founding and celebrate its standing as one of the largest and most active affiliates in the nation. Created to counter the growing pressures on civil liberties in the state, the affiliate's first official meeting took place on the night of June 16, 1960. Since its start, the affiliate, which has continued to keep its headquarters in Newark, has seen its membership multiply nearly 10-fold, from 1,600 people to more than 15,000.

ACLU-NJ Bestowing Highest Honor to Poritz

November 06, 2007

Chief Justice Poritz

New Brunswick, N.J. -- The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey will award its highest honor to Chief Justice Deborah Poritz tonight at its annual U.S. Supreme Court Briefing.

"Chief Justice Poritz has demonstrated a commitment to equality through her opinions on abortion rights and same sex marriage," said ACLU-NJ Executive Director Deborah Jacobs. "Although the ACLU has not always agreed with her positions, we recognize her thoughtful approach to constitutional rights."

Named after the founder of the ACLU, the Roger N. Baldwin award recognizes outstanding contributions to the preservation and promotion of civil liberties. In years past it has been awarded to national luminaries such as Justice William Brennan, Gloria Steinem and Cornel West, and New Jersey legal achievers such as Frank Askin, Ronald Chen and Larry Lustberg.

Poritz, nominated by former Governor Christine Todd Whitman, served as Attorney General of New Jersey from 1994 to 1996. Whitman appointed her Chief Justice for the New Jersey Supreme Court in 1996, a position she held until retirement in 2006. Poritz was the first woman to serve in both positions.

"I am honored to receive the Roger Baldwin Award from an organization I respect and admire." Said Poritz. "By raising issues that involve fundamental constitutional rights, the ACLU performs a critical function in our legal system."

In Planned Parenthood v. Farmer, brought by the ACLU, Poritz held that the Parental Notification for Abortion Act was an unconstitutional violation of equal protection because the state did not provide adequate justification for distinguishing between minors seeking an abortion and minors seeking other pregnancy related medical care.

In Lewis v. Harris, Poritz dissented from the majority of justices who ruled that the state could preclude same-sex couples from marriage so long as the state provides a parallel structure of rights. Poritz wrote: "We must not underestimate the power of language. Labels set people apart as surely as physical separation on a bus or in school facilities. Labels are used to perpetuate prejudice about differences that, in this case, are embedded in the law. By excluding same-sex couples from civil marriage, the State declares that it is legitimate to differentiate between their commitments and the commitments of heterosexual couples. Ultimately, the message is that what same-sex couples have is not as important or as significant as 'real' marriage, that such lesser relationships cannot have the name of marriage."

In addition to the presentation of the award to Poritz, the event will feature Steven Shapiro, Legal Director for the National ACLU, who will highlight critical civil liberties issues before the U.S. Supreme Court this term. The ACLU appears before the U.S. Supreme Court more than any other individual or organization aside from the U.S. government itself. With such a relationship, the ACLU has a unique perspective on the inner workings and the broad implications of the Court's actions.

Following Shapiro's presentation, both he and Poritz will field questions on the courts.