On January 15, hundreds of local New Jersey residents rallied in support of the Affordable Care Act at the Robert Treat Hotel in Downtown Newark.
Among those present were U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez, U.S. Congressman Donald Payne Jr., Newark Mayor Ras Baraka — and Maplewood Mayor Victor DeLuca.
Although DeLuca did not take to the podium with the high profile pols, he snapped and shared some photos via Facebook (see below), while others took to twitter and instagram with the hashtag #ProtectOurCare.
“We are here to save the Affordable Care Act, to save lives,” Menendez said, according to ABC7. Menendez worried that the 400,000 New Jersey residents who have health care coverage due to the ACA would soon be deprived of it. “This is a fight for our lives, the lives of our family, friends and neighbors.”
NBC and ABC projected the crowd numbers at “hundreds,” but DeLuca said the room held “more than 1,000” and noted that many were from Maplewood and South Orange. In fact, NJ.com’s coverage of the event featured a photo of Maplewood resident Susan Greeley.
NBC News focused coverage on Booker’s participation in the rally here. See NBC7’s coverage of the rally here.
“Great speeches by Senators Menendez & Booker, Congressman Payne and Newark Mayor Baraka. Rallying & resisting are the best ways to celebrate the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King,” wrote DeLuca.
Click on photos to enlarge:
