Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee, released the following statement concerning the 2016 election results:

“Today, we find ourselves at a deeply challenging and demoralizing moment for our great country.  Millions of Americans are walking around in a state of disbelief, of grief, anger, and frustration, as a campaign capitalizing on our nation’s worst impulses won the day.  We recognize that we are facing an unprecedented threat to the progressive values that so many of us hold dear—equality, pluralism, mutual respect, and decency—and that even our democracy is on the line.

“We must of course respect the outcome of the elections.  But we must also refuse to surrender our values, refuse to give up fighting for what is right, refuse to abandon the project of making this country a more just and fair place for all Americans. 

“Hillary Clinton’s historic campaign gave us the hope of shattered glass ceilings and dreams of boundless opportunities for future generations, no matter an individual’s gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or ability.   

“Looking forward, we must demand that the President-elect and GOP Majority in Congress take a very different path in governance than was seen during the campaign.  Simultaneously, we must leverage every tool in our system of checks and balances in order to curb the excesses of the new administration.  As a senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee, I will do everything in my power to hold the administration accountable and uphold the Constitutional rights of all Americans.

“We have successfully resisted regressive forces in the past, and I am hopeful that we will prevail going forward as we face these challenges together.  I am personally inspired by the millions of Americans who I know will join me and the other leaders in Congress to resist the kinds of bigotry, hatred, and isolation which have been used to exploit the very real economic insecurities in our country.  While President-elect Donald Trump has indeed won a majority in the Electoral College, Hillary Clinton appears to have won the popular vote.  And millions of Americans have loudly rejected the corrosive and hate-fueled politics that have been on display. 

“I fundamentally believe that the institutions which have endured in this country for 240 years can and will provide a foundation for the defense of our values and democracy if our citizens continue to make their voices heard loudly and do not shrink from this struggle.  For our children and grandchildren, we must now stiffen our spines for this fight, because there is no time to waste and this is a fight we must not lose.”

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