Des Moines, Iowa — The American Civil Liberties Union will launch its first-ever presidential campaign engagement, Rights for All, to ensure that our next president is committed to protecting and advancing the civil liberties and civil rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Activists will gather in Des Moines for a Kickoff and Watch Party on March 31 at 4:00 p.m. at 515 Brewing Company.
Rights for All, a non-partisan effort, will elevate criminal justice reform, access to voting, reproductive freedom, and immigrants’ rights in the 2020 presidential race.
The campaign will support and encourage volunteers, many of whom are directly impacted people, here in Iowa and other states with early nominating contests, to meet the candidates face to face and to record candidates’ answers on what they will do about the key issues. These videos will then be shared on social media and in the press and be available for candidate comparisons on the Rights for All website.
“While we don’t endorse or oppose individual candidates, we do want to ensure they are all talking about key issues our supporters care about — criminal justice reform, voting rights, reproductive freedom, and immigrants’ rights,” said Ronald Newman, ACLU’s acting national political director. “Our volunteers and supporters have great ability to impact candidates’ policy positions and proposals — as this is the moment when politicians are listening most closely to voters and seeking to find ways to distinguish themselves.”
The Rights for All Iowa launch event will unveil the ACLU policy platform, which will encourage candidates to adopt bold policies that advance civil liberties and train volunteers.
The launch in Des Moines is open to the press and more information can be found here.
More information about ACLU’s 2020 work can be found at RightsforAll.us.