Today, March 15, Governor Murphy nominated Rachel Wainer Apter, Director of the NJ Division of Civil Rights, to the State Supreme Court. NJ Citizen Action releases the following statement in response:

Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, NJ Citizen Action Executive Director:

“Director Rachel Wainer Apter is an excellent choice for the state Supreme Court, and would bring a more proactive and thorough perspective on civil rights. With her history at the ACLU and the NJ Division of Civil Rights (DCR) as a fierce defender for victims of discrimination, her presence on the Court would ensure the voices of the marginalized and disadvantaged are heard. At the DCR, on top of pursuing individual incidents of discrimination, Director Wainer Apter worked in conjunction with the Attorney General’s Affirmative Civil Rights and Labor Enforcement to initiate investigations into patterns of discriminatory behavior. She was counsel to AG Grewal in some of the most impactful litigation defending immigrants against Trump Administration policies, including threatening the DACA program and adding citizenship to census questions. She has led the way in NJ informing women of their rights and the tools they have to defend themselves – she has a comprehensive view of what women need and how the law can help them.

As a Qualified Fair Housing Organization, NJCA sees every day how discrimination is still harming people of color, women, seniors, immigrants, and working families. It is vital to have jurists on the Court who are not only legal experts but are also knowledgeable about the current environment of discrimination in NJ, such as Wainer Apter. We applaud Governor Murphy’s nomination and urge the Senate to confirm her swiftly.”