McCaffrey Nomination: NEXT STEPS

Prevent an Anti-Democratic Judicial Nominee in RI

THANK YOU TO ALL who were able to write expediently and/or be present at short notice for the highly important RI Judge Commission Vote on Wednesday.

See the coverage from Rhode Island Currant we are interviewed in.

Your energy and focus on this work is UNPRECEDENTED for this branch of our state government. While rallies+ are important, this work is essential for everyone!

Our energy in this work is actively doing something local, which helps the 1.2 million people living in this state. Let’s be governed by a more equitable concept of democracy for decades to come, rather than insider deals and relationships.

What to know that informs the unique impact we have made thus far:

1. The Commission Chair asked every candidate but McCaffrey the same question, the one we asked her to ask. In McCaffrey’s opening remarks he claimed he has ‘evolved’ from the issues we are calling him out for regarding anti-reproductive rights, anti-marriage equality, for church/state messiness, anti-gun restrictions to name a few.
2. People rarely write testimony or show up at these judicial nominating events. On Wednesday night, 8 people were present, 6 of whom were our folks who stayed for the 4-hour meeting.
3. In the past, ALL the names in the final voting ledger shared below would have had ‘X’s next to everyone’s name. Not this time. This is why community outreach matters!

Voter roll from the JNC’s July 2025 vote to nominate Michael McCaffrey

***July 18, 2025 Update***

We are allowing the Governor to do the right thing. There are a couple of candidates that are qualified and answered emphatically they are for bodily freedom for all.

We encourage you to join us in writing or calling Governor McKee to vote for Maria Deaton or Robert Johnson, per the score card here.

Please do all 3 steps below as actions in this important work!

Summer brings a lot of different behaviors after the political session “wraps up” in Rhode Island but because of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) a lot of things are changing.

It has taken a while to write you as so much has been going on but we remain focused on reproductive rights and LGBTQIA equity in our state.

And that is what we will bring you in our activism. We will remain specific in our actions fighting for equal access for all, as so much is being removed.

How?

We have had some great success in building coalitions and networks across this state and are strengthening them now more than ever. We are inviting businesses, religious leaders, and building a new Community Advisory Board, (interested in joining)?

We have new board members joining both of our the organizations, a new building about to be inhabited, a gallery program focused on building a catalyst culture to grow whomever wants to be an artivists, two new websites about to launch, and a network across the state of activists using their voices in their communities. It’s incredibly heartening.

As a grassroots movement, we are unified in our investment in bodily freedom — and have a plan of action ahead of us.

This last year we advocated and pushed for inclusive legislation as a part of multiple coalitions (Yay! the Freedom to Read Act was signed into law on July 3rd), all the while doing the work with you in your towns and cities. We took the time to build our Bodily Freedom Action League (join us still) while defending our past legislative successes, and will launch a new legislative plan for 2025 in the Fall.

We refuse to excuse JOY as a tool.

Join us in using our people power we have used before and harness our voices for a more democratic Rhode Island. Below are a few actions. Because we will use strategic action to create critical pressure points. Big or small, it is great to find involvement with art and action. Thank you for being in this with us. It is community that makes this work doable. And as we have seen, people power makes BIG changes in Rhode Island. Now, let’s get to work!

In Solidarity and Care,
Jocelyn Foye
Executive Director of The Womxn Project and TWP Education Fund
(we are only Rhode Island organizations)

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CALL TO ACTION
Say NO to this anti-democratic judicial nominee, former Senator Michael McCaffrey

✔  Phase 1: DONE! Community, you ROCKED!
The chair of the Judicial Nominating Commission stated we broke precedent for the amount of emails and oral testimony shared against this one candidate. Never has this kind of pressure been put on a candidate. Let’s keep it up.
> Our Summary video
> Steve Alhquist’s full coverage

⚠️ Phase 2: TODAY! The Judicial Nominating Commission will VOTE on their candidates for a range of judge roles in the state.

1. Attend the meeting, July 16th @5:30p
The Department of Administration Building, 1 Capitol Hill, Providence RI. Second floor, conference room A

No community comments allowed but wear your messages of inclusion on your person in the audience.

2. Email the Commission Chair and encourage her to do the right thing. Lead our future into one that considers candidates that stand for ALL the people, not just the wealthy few.

Email: [email protected]
Subject: ** Do the right thing, vote in a civil rights and fully democratic candidate for district judge
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⚠️ Phase 3: Possibly coming if the commission passes this candidate out of committee, the Governor has to approve of the recommendation. Attention will be pointed to Governor McKee.