With the path paved for Project 2025 author Russel Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget, more than 100 protesters gathered outside Senator Chuck Schumer’s Peekskill office on Tuesday, Feb. 4, to demand he protect democracy.
The Indivisible Westchester organized rally called for Schumer to use every tool at his disposal to block Vought’s nomination, oppose Project 2025, and fight back against the federal funding freeze and “war” on the U.S. government.
Protesters criticized President Donald Trump for seeking to dismantle the Department of Education and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). They also lambasted Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team, which has engineers between ages 19 and 25 gaining access to the Treasury Department’s payment system.
Protester Blair Mulzac-Rigauv told the Peekskill Herald she was disgusted by the current administration and believed this wasn’t what her grandfather fought for as one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen in World War II.
“I want (electeds) to fight like hell,” she said. “Because our lives depend on it. Everyone’s lives depend on it. Future generations’ lives depend on it. Our freedom is at stake here. This is paramount. They need to fight like hell and stand 10 toes down and don’t give in.”
An organizer with the group said they had more than 200 people show up about an hour into the protest, which started at 12:30 p.m. and ended at 4:30 p.m.
While President Donald Trump and his administration were initially supposed to be the primary focus of the rally, protesters also shared criticism for Schumer; neither he nor his staff were at the office at the time of the protest.
Dr. Courtney Williams said Schumer’s Hudson Valley Regional Director sent a text Tuesday saying it was the first time he heard of the demonstration, (organizers said they sent notice on Monday) and would not be able to attend due to meeting with people in the western part of the region.
Williams told the Herald she believed Schumer was not doing what he needed to do to protect democracy and criticized him holding press conferences about the cost of tomatoes while Musk took control of the federal treasury.
(Eric Harvey)
Dr. Courtney Williams speaks to rally goers on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Williams is an environmental activist, the founder of Westchester Alliance for Sustainable Solutions, and co-founder of Safe Energy Group.
“This is not business as usual, this is saving our democracy,” Williams said at the rally. “You are not going to do it standing behind a podium and you’re not going to do it by rubber stamping all of these Cabinet nominees. You need to shut this down. You need to run out the clock. You need to debate everything.”
Protesters wrote messages to Schumer on a dry erase board, as well as note cards that were placed underneath Schumer’s office door. Organizers also printed a cardboard cutout of the senator and encouraged protesters to record videos, sharing concerns about what was going on in the country.
According to a spokesperson for Schumer, during the protest the senator was at a press conference talking about the same exact issue.
In a statement, Schumer thanked those who showed up to the protest and said he would continue to oppose Vought and other unqualified nominees, as well as push legislation along with allies to fight against “these disturbing and damaging policies.”
“Democracy does not shun accountability and restraint,” Schumer said. “It does not run away from transparency, but welcomes it. And it does not give privilege to the needs of a small group of ultra-wealthy people at the expense of working people.”
(Eric Harvey)
Leila Goldmark, an environmental attorney who said she previously worked with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said all Democratic senators, including Schumer, needed to put their bodies on the line and get hauled off to jail in protest of Trump’s agenda and Musk’s access to the treasury.
“Schumer needs to educate the public. I don’t want to see him getting on television smiling and talking about, ‘Everything will turn around at the midterm elections,’” Goldmark said “Chuck, you need to sit your physical body as an obstruction.”
Linda Paris, another protester at the event, called for elected officials, both Democrat and Republican, to stand up and protect their rights.
“There are people dictating policy in the United States government who were not elected, who were not vetted, who have ill intentions, who have close ties to other countries that are not exactly friendly to the United States,” Paris said.
U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler did not respond for a comment on the protest and criticism of the Trump Administration.
Following Tuesday afternoon’ protest, Schumer joined Democratic lawmakers outside the Department of the Treasury in Washington during the evening to protest Musk and DOGE’s access to sensitive information.
