Jack Ciattarelli has won the Republican primary and will face Governor Phil Murphy this November. New Jersey voters will have the opportunity to uphold Governor Murphy’s radical abortion agenda and sexualization of public education, or pivot to a more popular and mainstream position regarding life in the womb and children in the classroom.

Jack has a track record in the legislature that concerns many conservatives. He voted for assisted suicide and has generally considered himself a pro-choice candidate in the past. However, the extreme anti-life platform of Governor Murphy gives a traditionally moderate republican a strong upper hand in protecting preborn babies.

“Phil Murphy’s eagerness to sign legislation that would permit abortions up to the time of birth shows how extreme and out of touch he is with the values of the vast majority of New Jerseyans in both parties. The debate over Roe v. Wade is one that evokes passion on both sides whereby reasonable people can disagree, but a law that would allow the abortion of full-term babies, outlaw parental notification for minors, and authorize non-licensed physicians to perform abortions is radical by any measure.”
Jack Ciattarelli
.

I have spoken to Jack on many occasions, including an hour-long conversation he had with pastors. He was clear in his objection to the social and sexual indoctrination happening in New Jersey public schools. He firmly believes these sensitive moral subjects should be left to parents, not activist teachers.

There are many months to go before the general election and a lot can happen. Please stay in prayer for our state, join us and other groups as we publicly gather to stop the so-called Reproductive Freedom Act, contact your legislators regarding their incessant erosion of parental rights, and speak out at your local board of education. We can not expect legislators to fight for our children if we do not first take a stand to protect them and the religious freedoms we cherish.

Protecting your family,

Shawn Hyland
Executive Director

New Jersey is the most densely populated state and one of the most diverse states in the nation. Here, people of different cultures and backgrounds can at times land on different sides of the intense policy debates that our state is facing.  However, I believe there is one thing we can agree on: the priorities of Governor Murphy are misplaced.

This week, he launched his first reelection campaign ad. His vision is to “move New Jersey forward.” Sounds catchy – something you would expect from high paid consultants tasked to poll slogans that resonate with targeted demographics and financial donors. This ad was his opportunity to put forward his platform to convince voters he is the best choice for the future of New Jersey.

What are his priorities in a second term?

  1. Increase school funding. Our state already has the fourth-highest cost-per-student of the 50 states and Washington, DC. Is this about funding students or rewarding teacher unions for their unwavering political allegiance?
  2. Increase the minimum wage. By the year 2024, New Jersey will tie as the #1 state in the nation for the highest minimum wage. Do we need to cripple more small businesses just to keep up with California? The CATO Institute presently ranks NJ as the second worst state in the nation for entrepreneurs.
  3. Increase the number of abortions. Seriously, Gov. Murphy’s vision for the future of New Jersey is to make sure we have more abortions in our state. The so-called Reproductive Freedom Act is a feature in his “move New Jersey forward” campaign ad, mentioned under the guise of “protecting reproductive rights.” According to Abort73.com, our state already ranks #2 among the 50 states and Washington, DC for the percentage of pregnancies that end in abortion. It seems Governor Murphy will not be satisfied until we are #1.

Governor Murphy is even weaponizing his Department of Education to make sure New Jersey remains abortion destination #1. The new revised learning standards you have heard me mention repeatedly also change the way abortion is taught in Health Class. NorthJersey.com covered this controversial abortion language change in an article last year:

Board member Andrew Mulvihill pointed to a change in language around abortion. Previous standards mentioned legal rights of abortion; the new standards cite it as an option for pregnancy.

“I don’t think teachers should be telling kids that one of the things you can do if you get pregnant is to have an abortion,” Mulvihill said at a May 3 meeting when the resolution was adopted. “There are a lot of people who fundamentally believe that is not something that should be taught.”

Please know that Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey, and a coalition of pro-life organizations in our state, meet every week as we work to save babies from this dangerous agenda.

Protecting your family,

Shawn Hyland
Executive Director

 

This past Monday, Governor Murphy nominated Rachel Wainer Apter to become the new Associate Justice of the New Jersey State Supreme Court. She is currently the head of the civil rights division for the Attorney General’s office. Before serving in this capacity, Ms. Apter was a polarizing attorney devoted to chiseling away Constitutionally protected religious rights.

Remember the ongoing saga of Jack Phillips? He was the Colorado baker that was financially penalized by the state and publicly scrutinized by the media for not using his artistic design to celebrate a same-sex wedding. The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) legal team in that case, which included Ms. Apter, tried to infringe on Jack’s religious rights by forcing him to create religious and moral messages that violated his faith.

To put this in perspective, asking Jack to celebrate a same-sex wedding – or lose his business – is a little like asking a Jewish deli owner to make a pork roll and cheese sandwich for a customer. He is religiously bound to serve only kosher food, and his refusal to make the sandwich is not discrimination against non-Jews. He is more than glad to make a kosher plate for anyone, including gentiles, but he cannot serve non-kosher food because it would violate his conscience. Yet, using the same logic as Ms. Apter and the ACLU team in the Jack Phillips case, the Jewish deli owner should be forced to serve the pork sandwich – or have his business shut down.

Thankfully, in Jack Phillips’ case, the United States Supreme Court sided with Jack and against the religious hostility that was on display by Ms. Apter, the ACLU, and the plaintiffs she represented in the case.

Reflecting on the case, Ms. Apter has said her experience, “has given me wide exposure to many different issues of equality and discrimination and how different constitutional values can intersect.” In other words, constitutionally guaranteed religious rights will conflict with judicially created sexual rights. That’s not groundbreaking analysis, but where will she land on those types of cases if faced with them as an Associate Justice of the New Jersey State Supreme Court? Her prior legal stances are clear – including being an advocate of forcing religious institutions to pay for abortion inducing drugs.

We applaud her work in confronting sexual harassment and anti-Semitism, but her historical dismissal of fundamental religious rights should be troubling to people of faith across the Garden State. I encourage you to contact your state senator to express your concern with Rachel Wainer Apter’s nomination.

Working for a better New Jersey!

Shawn Hyland
Executive Director

I am grieved to inform you that Governor Murphy signed into law Assembly bill 4454 on March 1. Starting in the upcoming school year, all public schools will be required to teach transgender identity and sexual orientation diversity lessons beginning in kindergarten. This will only complicate and confuse the understanding of human sexuality for 5-year-old children who are so young they are just learning to tie their shoes. Discussions about various sexual attractions and subjective gender identities have no place in the kindergarten classroom.

Governor Murphy received 19,000 emails opposing this bill in less than 45 days. Despite the widespread outrage and objection from parents, pastors, and legislators, he authorized this bill to become law.

It is clear Governor Murphy and the legislators that passed this bill do not have the best interest of your child in mind.

Let’s not forget: on June 3, 2020, Governor Murphy’s Department of Education adopted new learning standards for Health Class. Part of these revised standards for 8th grade include 2.1.8.SSH.9: Define vaginal, oral, and anal sex. Schools will now be required to teach 13-year-old students explicit sexual acts. These lessons were never part of even 11th-12th grade health class standards, but now are abruptly forced into much younger grades.

I frequently speak to churches regarding Parental Rights in Education. The public-school teachers in attendance always – with great passion and frustration – confirm the hard realities that I share. Students are being intimidated by peers and obligated by faculty to affirm a sexual ideology that contradicts their religious beliefs. Tragically, teenagers are labeled as transphobic as they are harassed on social media to conform to the approved sex beliefs of state government.

What do we do now?

  1. Inform your friends and family. Forward this email and help to get the word out. Local, state, and regional media refuse to cover this story.
  2. Support Christian schools and ask your pastor to consider starting a home school group at the church for parents and students to meet during the week.
  3. Look for an upcoming mobilization campaign this spring from Family Policy Alliance. Together, we will fight for your chance to opt your child out of lessons and materials that violate your religious beliefs regarding sex, sexuality, and gender identity.
  4. Talk to your school board to encourage them to push back on this mandate.
  5. Hold Governor Murphy and legislators accountable in the 2021 upcoming election.

Let kids be kids. New Jersey families deserve better!

Shawn Hyland
Executive Director

Governor Murphy had 45 days to veto the transgender identity lessons in kindergarten bill (assembly bill 4454). That day was today! However, the Assembly was not in session and by state law, the chamber of origin must be in session on the 45th day or the governor has until the next time that chamber meets to veto the bill. In other words, he has to take action by day the Assembly meets after the 45th day – Monday, March 1. If he decides to take no action, the bill becomes law by default.

We must continue to urge him to VETO THIS BILL!

Thankfully, his office has been inundated with over 18,000 emails in the past month as people across New Jersey urge him to veto it. There has been a diverse group of voices pressuring the governor to not allow these harmful and objectionable lessons to be taught to 5-year-olds.

Last week you heard from Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Greg McGuckin and John Catalano from Brick, and Pastor Ed Ramirez from Paterson. We continually hear from more pastors, legislators, and parents who are calling on Governor Murphy to let kids be kids and not be subjected to this sexual ideology at such young ages.

Legislators are speaking out – “It is outrageous to foist concepts on school children as young as kindergarten that even many adults struggle to understand. Schools are supposed to be places of academics and scholarly pursuits which prepare students for college and eventually a place in the work world. Teachers are becoming overwhelmed with non-academic requirements, leaving less and less time for traditional learning.  This bill once again would allow the state to usurp the duties of the parents. It is imperative that this bill be vetoed and return the duties of teaching morals where it belongs, with parents and clergy.” – Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger, District 13, Middletown

Pastors are speaking out – “Please veto the bill (A4454) that sits on your desk that mandates sexual orientation and gender identity diversity lessons starting in kindergarten! As a parent, a grandparent, a pastor, and an African-American, I am appalled that this bill has made it as far as your desk! I am totally opposed to the bill on faith, family, cultural, and educational grounds.  From the perspective of my faith and culture, the topic of sexual orientation and gender identity is one for parents to handle with their children, not educators.  I feel that the introduction of such topics is totally inappropriate for 5–6-year-old kindergarteners, and highly disrespectful of parental rights and freedom of religious expression.” – Pastor Kedrick Brown, Middletown, NJ

Now you must speak out!

Please email and text your friends this information.

Let’s make New Jersey better!

Shawn Hyland
Executive Director

Dear Friends,

In less than 10 days, more than 4,000 people have used our Action Center to urge Governor Murphy to veto legislation that would force school districts to teach sexual orientation and transgender identity lessons beginning in kindergarten.

News media in New Jersey and national markets have covered this outrageous legislation.

First, if you have not contacted the Governor – click here! We need you to add your voice to the thousands who have spoken out already. Governor Murphy has 45 days after the passage of this bill on Jan. 11 to veto it. It is not too late to tell him that these lessons are inappropriate at such a young age and should be left to parents.

Second, we need you to share this action alert through text and email. The most direct way of informing your friends is to forward them this link. Social media sites often suppress “shares” of our action alerts to prevent people from knowing what is really happening. Please text or email your friends to encourage them to protect the minds and bodies of young children.

Thank you for spreading the word!

Sincerely,

Shawn Hyland
Director of Advocacy

This past Tuesday, Governor Murphy gave his State of the State address. Once again, he referenced his strong commitment to passing the most unsafe and radical abortion bill ever proposed in our state – or possibly anywhere.

“After years of willful neglect, we are funding women’s health care and family-planning services [Planned Parenthood] — and, no matter what happens in Washington, we are working to protect a woman’s full reproductive rights as a matter of state law [New Jersey License to Kill Act].”
– Governor Phil Murphy, State of the State address, Jan 12, 2021, brackets added for clarity.

The New Jersey License to Kill Act (so-called Reproductive Freedom Act) rejects the pro-life beliefs of voters, to instead satisfy and subsidize the Big Abortion Industry. Did you know that this bill would codify into law that certified midwives and nurses can perform suction and surgical abortions? Why? Because the Big Abortion Industry can pay them less money than a licensed physician.  Planned Parenthood and politicians are jeopardizing women’s health by putting profits above people. It’s shameful, unethical, and it must stop!

Yet, Murphy’s administration is so committed to this agenda that he won’t wait for the law to be passed to implement these dangerous ideas! He has instructed the Board of Medical Examiners to change the rules regarding abortion care to allow non-physicians to perform abortions. This bureaucratic department is currently taking comments from the public regarding this rule change.

In response, I am excited to share with you that we have a webpage dedicated to opposing this abortion up-to-birth bill! You can go to www.JerseyVotesNo.com to learn more about this dangerous bill – including its sponsors and how you can contact them. Also on the webpage, you’ll find news stories, videos, and a resource you can share with others.

Additionally, billboards featuring the website are being erected near the offices of key senate sponsors across the state, including one (pictured above) at the entrance to Trenton, only 2 miles from the statehouse.

Wondering how you can speak up? Here are two ways to help:

  1. Text or email JerseyVotesNo.com to your friends today!
  2. Join us in speaking up like lives depend on it! Please join us for:

The New Jersey Rally for Life
(led by New Jersey Right to Life)

Friday, Jan 22 at 11 AM
Statehouse Annex, 145 West State Street, Trenton, NJ

Join thousands of New Jerseyeans speaking up for babies in the womb.
Click here for detailed information.

New Jersey Walk for Life led by Rev. Clenard Childress of Blackgenocide.org will immediately follow the Rally for Life.

I hope to see you Friday, Jan 22 in Trenton!

Shawn Hyland
Director of Advocacy

 

Dear Friends,

Today, the New Jersey State Assembly approved bill A4454, which if signed into law by Governor Murphy, would mandate sexual orientation and gender identity diversity lessons starting in kindergarten. Assembly members were made aware before the vote that their decision would be scored and recorded for Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey’s 2021 voter guide that will be sent to 1500 churches and tens of thousands of concerned residents prior to next year’s statewide election campaigns.

Four assembly members publicly spoke out against this bill during the vote to protect your parental rights in education. I urge you to thank them for their bold leadership.

Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey hopes Governor Murphy will respect the fundamental religious beliefs of millions of New Jersey citizens by vetoing this legislation.

Vote Tally of Assembly Members

❌ Every Republican present voted NO
✅ Every Democrat present voted YES (with one exception*)
* Assemblyman Jamel Holley (D) voted NO

46 – Yes
29 – No
0 – Abstain

 

Armato, John (D) – Yes Mazzeo, Vincent (D) Yes
Auth, Robert (R) No McClellan, Antwan L. (R) No
Benson, Daniel R. (D) Yes McGuckin, Gregory P. (R) No
Bergen, Brian (R) No McKeon, John F. (D) Yes
Bramnick, Jon M (R). No McKnight, Angela V. (D) Yes
Burzichelli, John J. (D) Yes Mejia, Pedro (D) Yes
Calabrese, Clinton (D) Yes Moen, William F., Jr. (D) Yes
Caputo, Ralph R. (D) – Not Voting Moriarty, Paul D. (D) Yes
Carter, Linda S. (D) Yes Mosquera, Gabriela M. (D) Yes
Catalano, John (R) – No Mukherji, Raj (D) Yes
Chaparro, Annette (D) Yes Munoz, Nancy F. (R) No
Chiaravalloti, Nicholas (D) Yes Murphy, Carol A. (D) Yes
Clifton, Robert D. (R) No Peters, Ryan E. (R) No
Conaway, Herb, Jr. (D) Yes Peterson, Erik (R) No
Coughlin, Craig J. (D) Yes Pintor Marin, Eliana (D) – Not Voting
Dancer, Ronald S. (R) No Quijano, Annette (D) Yes
Danielsen, Joe (D) Yes Reynolds-Jackson, Verlina (D) Yes
DeAngelo, Wayne P. (D) Yes Rooney, Kevin J. (R) No
DeCroce, BettyLou (R)- No Rumpf, Brian E. (R) No
DePhillips, Christopher P. (R) No Schaer, Gary S. (D) – Not Voting
DiMaio, John (R) No Scharfenberger, Gerard (R) No
DiMaso, Serena (R)- No Schepisi, Holly T. (R) No
Downey, Joann (D) – Yes Simonsen, Erik K. (R) No
Dunn, Aura K. (R) No Space, Parker (R) No
Egan, Joseph V. (D) Yes Spearman, William W. (D) Yes
Freiman, Roy (D) Yes Speight, Shanique (D) Yes
Giblin, Thomas P. (D) Yes Stanfield, Jean (R) No
Gove, DiAnne C. (R) No Sumter, Shavonda E. (D) Yes
Greenwald, Louis D. (D) Yes Swain, Lisa (D) Yes
Holley, Jamel C. (D) No Taliaferro, Adam J. (D) Yes
Houghtaling, Eric (D) Yes Thomson, Edward H. (R) No
Jasey, Mila M. (D) Yes Timberlake, Britnee N. (D) – Not Voting
Jimenez, Angelica M. (D) Yes Tucker, Cleopatra G. (D) Yes
Johnson, Gordon M. (D) Yes Tully, P. Christopher (D) Yes
Karabinchak, Robert J. (D) Yes Vainieri Huttle, Valerie (D) Yes
Kean, Sean T. (R) No Verrelli, Anthony S. (D) Yes
Kennedy, James J. (D) Yes Webber, Jay (R) No
Lampitt, Pamela R. (D) Yes Wimberly, Benjie E. (D) Yes
Lopez, Yvonne (D) Yes Wirths, Harold J. (R) No
Zwicker, Andrew (D) Yes


Please take 30 seconds to thank the four assemblymen, and then share the link with others. Thank you for spreading the word!

Sincerely,

Shawn Hyland
Director of Advocacy