Kelly Cassidy Continues Fight Against Right-Wing Extremism in New Term

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, returned to Springfield to be sworn in for a new term in the Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday and issued the following statement:

“Illinois is facing unprecedented challenges to the rights and freedoms we have held dear for so long, but through these challenges, justice under the law and equality for all will prevail. I have spent my life advocating for others; I will not let a second, more radical Trump Presidency stop me from continuing that work.

“I have had the privilege of leading the charge in the Illinois House for an individual’s right to choose and access to the lifesaving HIV medication generations of queer people fought for, and I still have more to contribute.

“We are going further to encourage teachers and nurses who are subject to extreme right-wing laws to come to Illinois and pursue their passions under a state government that supports, not vilifies, them. And we are doubling down on our Illinois values to make HIV prevention and treatment medication available to everyone who needs them, not just those you can afford them. We are also cracking down on a longstanding, and unjust, practice that has discouraged countless survivors from reporting their abuse. We do not keep ourselves and our streets safer by letting abuse run unchecked or by discouraging our neighbors from filing a report and seeking justice.

“While I look back fondly on my years in the Illinois House at the progress we have made, I am under no impression that the work to continue protecting us from right-wing extremism will be easy. But, I continue to look towards a bright future for Illinoisans that our constituents deserve. We will continue to stand against injustice regressive politics and a vision of the future that leaves people behind. I’m ready to get back to work.”