FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RALLY ROUNDUP: Powerhouse Lineup Calls for Court Expansion, Rallies “4” our Future

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 26, 2021) Today — on the one year anniversary of Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation — Take Back the Court Action Fund and People’s Parity Project joined forces to host Rally 4 Our Future,calling on Congress to expand the Supreme Court by passing the Judiciary Act of 2021. Hundreds of people joined live virtually from across the country — along with dozens of activists in front of the Court — to hear from Senators, members of Congress, experts, and advocates.

The powerful lineup of speakers included: Senators Ed Markey and Tina Smith; Representatives Veronica Escobar, Ilhan Omar, and Mondaire Jones; Founder of Be a Hero and Organizer at Center for Popular Democracy Action Ady Barkan; Rewire News Group’s Imani Gandy and Jessica Mason Pieklo; Co-host of Pod Save America & Former Senior Advisor to President Obama Dan Pfeiffer; Historian, author, and professor Carol Anderson; Outreach & Faith Manager at Just Texas and S.B. 8 individual plaintiff Rev. Erika Forbes; and leaders from Take Back the Court Action Fund and People’s Parity Project. The event was MC’ed by the co-host of SiriusXM Progress’ Signal Boost Jess McIntosh.

ICYMI, watch the full event here, and check out highlights from the speakers below.

“Right now, a stolen, illegitimate, and far-right Supreme Court is responsible for making life or death decisions, on issues from reproductive rights, to gun control, to voting rights. And we cannot allow Republicans to use the nation’s highest Court to check off the right-wing’s wishlist that they have had for generations. The time to restore balance to the Court is now.” — Senator Ed Markey

“Democracy is an action word. It is not a sit-around-and-talk word. So my question to all of you: Are you ready to take action on this most important step?....Are you ready to fight for your democracy? Are you ready to make sure this Supreme Court represents all of us?” — Senator Tina Smith

“This Court has become Mitch McConnell’s plaything. It has lost integrity, and it essentially is no longer an institution we can depend on. … I don’t trust that this Court will uphold our democracy. … If we don’t do this, then the battle gets even harder going forward.” — Representative Veronica Escobar

"The far-right will do whatever it takes — whatever it takes — to hold on to power. And now, bolstered by last year's confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, this Court will go further than any other in modern history to rig our democracy...." — Representative Mondaire Jones

"Our democracy is on the line right now. Voting rights, reproductive rights, health care, racial justice, climate, immigration reform, DC statehood, and democracy itself are all under attack." — Representative Ilhan Omar

“The health care I need to survive depends on the decisions of the Supreme Court. … We’re here because we know there will be no health justice without court expansion. … Everything we care about is at risk right now in the Court.” — Ady Barkan

"The Court needs to be rebalanced, it has already been packed. It was packed when Merrick Garland's nomination was stopped, when Neil Gorsuch was put in that place, when Brett Kavanaugh was rushed through, when Amy Coney Barrett was pushed through." – Carol Anderson

“I used to be one of those people that believed in the courts. … But the way that the Court has devolved into this hyper-partisan morass … Roe v. Wade is effectively nullified in Texas. … We seem to have a judiciary system that isn’t working for the people.” — Imani Gandy

“This is the cause of our lifetimes. … We’re not going to stop until that building understands that they should represent us, and we are demanding our rights.” — Jess McIntosh

Adding seats is the only pragmatic, proportional solution to restore balance to the stolen Supreme Court and end its assault on Americans. For more information visit www.rally4ourfuture.org.

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Take Back the Court raises awareness about the urgent need to expand the number of seats on the Supreme Court to address the theft of the court by Senator Mitch McConnell during the Obama Administration. Without adding seats, Congress will not be able to restore the right to vote, ensure reproductive freedom, protect workers, halt our climate emergency, or pass new legislation. Court expansion, which can be accomplished without a constitutional amendment, is the only reform that enables the un-rigging of the system and the restoration of democracy. Learn more: https://www.takebackthecourt.today/