May 2025 Commentator

CALENDAR

May 18, 2025, AAPI Picnic at the Oval, 5 PM-8PM

May 21, 2025, Panel on Environmental Hazards of Plastics and Issues regarding Formosa Plastics, 7:30 via Zoom

June 6-7, 2025- LWVNJ Convention in Woodbridge, NJ

June 8, 2025-Summerfest at the Oval, 8AM-8PM

PRESIDENTS’ MESSAGE

As we welcome May, we have several events coming up. For our May meeting, on May 21, we have organized a panel on issues surrounding Formosa Plastics, whose world headquarters is in Livingston and has been the site of protests about the company’s actions that have allegedly damaged the environment in Texas and Louisiana and elsewhere. We will also hear from Phoebe Stapleton, a Professor of Pharmacology in the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute at Rutgers University. Other panelists include Diane Wilson, a fourth-generation fisherwoman and executive director of the San Antonio Bay Estuarine Waterkeeper on the Texas Gulf Coast. She’s a Goldman Environmental Prize Winner who won a landmark case against Formosa Plastics, one of the world’s largest petrochemical companies, for the illegal dumping of toxic plastic waste on Texas’ Gulf Coast. The $50 million settlement is the largest award in a citizen suit against an industrial polluter in the history of the US Clean Water Act. We will also hear from Paula Rogovin, a

resident of Teaneck, NJ and the co-chair of Food and Water Watch, North Jersey Volunteer Team. She taught elementary school in New York City for 44 years, where she and her students initiated a successful effort to pass a law that bans toxic pesticides in New York City parks and playgrounds. Paula has been deeply involved in efforts to stop gas power plants and other fossil fuel projects in New Jersey. She is an active member of the Teaneck League of Women Voters which is co-sponsoring this event. We will send a Zoom link separately.

We are planning for our Annual Meeting in June. We are seeking a restaurant that has a private room, or someone’s home. If you have any suggestions for a reasonably priced restaurant or if you are willing to have the meeting at your home (or have an outdoor area that is suitable for a meeting), please let us know. We have not finalized the date. We will vote for new officers at that meeting; let us know if you are interested in running

for a leadership position.

Amy Ipp, Laurie Babij, Raya Sapherstein and Poorva Gopal met with the advisor to our Livingston School LWV chapter to discuss voting and civics education activities at the High School. A teaching session is scheduled for June 4th.

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The Montclair LWV is holding several new citizen registration days. Several of our members have participated in this in the past and it is very moving and important work. New Citizens Swearing In Ceremonies are on May 7th, May 22nd, June 4th, June 25th, July 23rd. Times vary. If you are interested in helping, contact jedd18@comcast.net. We can carpool to the events which are generally held at the Courthouse in Newark.

The scholarship committee met this past week and selected two recipients of the Grace Russo Memorial Scholarship. Honoring our beloved former Vice-president Grace Russo, the annual scholarship is given to students who exemplify public service to the community. Awards will be given out at a ceremony at Livingston High School in June. The committee consisted of Judith Friedman, Robin Weiss, Joan Balash and Nora Lichtenstein.

Membership

We are now officially using the ChapterSpot membership platform. Let us know if you have any issues with this.

Voter Service

There are two Township events coming up where we will have a table to register voters and provide voting information. They include the Asian and Pacific Islanders Picnic on May 18th and the Summerfest on June 8th, both on the Oval. Please let us know if you can help out on either of those days.

From LWVNJ

Call to Convention: The League of Women Voters of New Jersey will hold our 66th Biennial

State Convention on Friday, June 6, 2025, and Saturday, June 7, 2025, at APA Hotel Woodbridge, Iselin, NJ. Visit the Convention webpage for all info. The early bird registration rate of $200 ends tomorrow, May 5th. A variety of other tickets are available to fit your budget and schedule. The early bird special is for a 2-day all-inclusive ticket (includes all events both days, breakfast and lunch both days, and a special Friday night dinner reception). We have two more delegate spots available, and will partially subsidize admission, so please let us know if you are interested in attending to have input and learn about the state LWV programs.

Fundraiser: We thank those who have donated to the annual fundraiser. As of now, we are in fourth place in the State. The top League in each size category will receive 30% of all donations back to the local league while others will receive 25% back. Therefore, it is important that we raise as much as possible. To give, go to:

https://givebutter.com/LWVNJ2025/livingston

Latest Fear Tactic to Intimidate NJ Voters

LWV Responds to Creation of Anti-Voter Task Force by US Attorney:

On April 29, 2025, US Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba announced the formation of a federal task force, the “Election Integrity Task Force,” pertaining to voting in the state. In response, the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) and the League of Women Voters of New Jersey (LWVNJ) issued the following statement:

“US Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba’s announcement of the creation of an 'Election Integrity Task Force’ is a fear tactic meant to intimidate New Jersey voters. Further, it is part of a larger false narrative used nationwide to push anti-voter policies and make voting more difficult.

“New Jersey state and county election officials are dedicated public servants and work year-round with federal and state agencies to safeguard our elections. The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and the New Jersey Division of Elections works with local, state, and federal partners through an Election Security Task Force to uphold free and fair elections. Multiple agencies, election officials, and nonpartisan partners, including the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, collaborate across the country on election protection efforts to safeguard voting rights and protect voters at the polls.

“It is both incorrect and irresponsible for a US Attorney to imply there is widespread voting fraud and to undermine public confidence in our elections. Extensive research shows that fraud is very rare and voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent. This issue is the repeated, false allegations of fraud that make it harder for millions of eligible voters to participate in elections. The League of Women Voters has and will continue to fight against voter suppression and the myth of voter fraud. Our elections are secure, and any attempt to undermine them is an attempt to silence voters.

“The League remains dedicated to both upholding voting rights and protecting elections. New Jersey voters will not be intimidated. The League will pursue all available avenues to protect voters from attempts to purge them from the rolls or restrict access to the ballot.”

From LWVUS:

For the first time in its 105-year history, LWVUS has declared that our nation is in a constitutional crisis. Today, I am excited to share the launch of our new initiative: Unite and Rise 8.5. Under our Women Defend Democracy campaign, this initiative will protect and preserve our democratic institutions and fight back against authoritarianism through civic education, advocacy, voter mobilization, and engagement. Over the next 90 days, Leagues can participate in both ongoing and timely actions — actions focused on emerging events and what your League can do in response. To support Leagues in their Unite and Rise actions, we’ve created a toolkit with talking points, graphics, FAQs, and more. Access the toolkit now on the League Management Site. We will continue to add specific, timely actions over the next few months. In just over three months, the President has issued a series of executive orders and directed actions that violate the law and threaten our

liberties, Constitution, and democracy. To mark the 100th day since President Trump took office, LWVUS staff and League members gathered on Capitol Hill to lobby for our democracy, calling on members of Congress to stand up for our democracy.

Treasurer’s Report

As of May 1, 2025, the balance in our checking account at Valley National Bank was $4,097.74 and our CD was $3,787.51.