New York State Senator Daniel Squadron will resign on Friday to campaign for democratic values he says are under threat under President Donald Trump, he announced Tuesday.
“Since November, I’ve thought a lot about how best to change the direction of our country,” he wrote in a statement released Wednesday. “I have decided to lend my hand to make a difference in states across the country, pushing policies and candidates that will create a fairer and more democratic future.”
Squadron did not go into detail about what his national campaign will entail, but said it would not be possible to do while working as a full-time senator.
The country is threatened by “a growing divide,” Squadron wrote in a New York Daily News article explaining his resignation.
“This divide has been manufactured for the financial gain of the Koch brothers and very few others,” he wrote, referring to Charles and David Koch, who own a major oil company and have invested heavily in Republican politicians.
“For decades, they have invested in campaigns on the local, state and national levels, as well as think tanks, legislative development, and media outlets, building a unified front to advance their self-serving agenda,” Squadron said.
“It was recently reported that their network is ‘warming’ to Trump,” he added, “at the same time that his actions are an increasing cause of alarm for anyone worried about our country’s institutions.”
Squadron said Democrats in Congress have done well hitting back at some of Trump’s priorities, but he believes more needs to be done at the state level.
“I believe stronger candidates, a sharpened approach and better policies at the state level can help turn the tide nationally,” he wrote.
