Gun Violence Prevention Protesters at Celgene in Summit on Friday, 4/7/17 (rescheduled from 3/15)

Subject: Gun Violence Prevention Protesters at Celgene in Summit on Friday, 4/7/17

For Immediate Release: New Jersey Million Mom March/Brady Campaign State Council, Bergen County Brady Chapter, Sussex County Brady Chapter,

Gays Against Guns NJ, and BecauseLifeIsSacred.Org to protest Celgene’s repeated support of NRA Congressional Puppets Lance, Frelinghuysen, and MacArthur

Where: 86 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ

When: Friday, 4/7, Noon – 1:00 PM

Contact: Dwight Panozzo, Direct Action Coordinator, NJ MMM/Brady Campaign State Council 201-315-7095 (cell)

The Brady Campaign and its cosponsors are taking the battle against thoughtlessly cruel politicians who get Americans killed by ignoring what science teaches us about gun violence prevention to Celgene, a company that should definitely know better!

Protesters will gather outside Celgene's campus in Summit because Celgene financially supported candidates such as Reps. Leonard Lance, Thomas MacArthur, and Rodney Freylinghuysen. All have a long history of actively opposing evidence-based gun policy to reduce gun violence.

According to Dwight Panozzo, PhD, LCSW, Direct Action Coordinator of MMM/Brady Campaign State Council: “In so doing, Celgene enabled these politicians as accessories to murder before the fact. Indeed, the willful ignorance of these and other lawmakers has led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans.”

He further stated: “In the quest for corporate profits through political favor, Celgene rubber stamped the deaths of multitudes and condemned thousands more to die before the next federal elections in 2018.” And that “We require Celgene to cease making further donations to politicians who oppose evidence-based gun policy. We will publicly name, blame and shame them until they publicly vow to support only candidates who favor evidence-based gun policy.”

Panozzo concluded that: “It is pointlessly cruel to develop life-saving therapies while thoughtlessly getting others killed.”

The group selected Celgene because they donated tens of thousands of dollars to Lance, Freylinghuysen, and MacArthur during the last campaign cycle. All of these representatives favor gun policies completely out of step with the values of New Jersey voters. Many of the protesters in the group were very active last fall in the 5th congressional district where they cite their multiple protests against Scott Garrett as key to his defeat.

For further information contact Dwight Panozzo at 201-315-7095 (cell) and at dwightpanozzo@gmail.com