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4/19/19 

Contact Federal Government Officials


1.      BARR WORKS FOR US, NOT TRUMP: “Fox News anchor Chris Wallace said Attorney General William Barr sounded like a counselor to the president during his press conference Thursday ahead of the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report. “The attorney general seemed almost to be acting as the counselor for the defense, the counselor for the president, rather than the attorney general, talking about his motives, his emotions," Wallace told "America's Newsroom" anchors Bill Hemmer and Sandra Smith. "Really, as I say, making a case for the president," he added.”  https://thehill.com/homenews/media/439502-foxs-chris-wallace-barr-sounded-like-a-counselor-to-trump-rather-than-ag   Let’s contact Barr and remind him that he works for the American people, not Trump, and that we are calling for his resignation and asking that the full report be released to us without delay:  (202-353-1555; 950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC, 20530-0001; website form; Facebook; Twitter: @TheJustice Dept).  We can also sign this petition: https://actionsprout.io/67552B  Then, let’s call the White House Comment Line  (202-456-1111) where, after being on hold (I recommend putting it on speaker and doing something else), we will reach a volunteer operator. Please thank this person for volunteering and then say that we are calling to ask for the president's resignation. They will not ask for our name.

2.     MUELLER REPORT: Here is just one of many ways Attorney General Barr spun the Mueller Report to make Trump look as favorable as possible:  https://twitter.com/search?q=Josh%20Marshall&src=typd. The part underlined in red is what Barr said in his press conference before releasing a highly redacted version of the report. The part underlined in blue is what he conveniently omitted. Furthermore, it is highly suspect and inappropriate for the highest justice official in the land to be acting in the role of Trump’s defense counselor, a conclusion noted by people as divergent as Fox News Host Chris Wallace and California Senator and Democratic presidential contender Kamala Harris. Let’s tell Congress that we’ve had enough lies and cover-up and we expect a full, unredacted version and a thorough investigation into Mueller’s allegations, especially those Barr chose to de-emphasize in his spin attempts.

3.     IMMIGRATION:  While we are distracted by the release of the Mueller report, Trump’s AG William Barr issued an order intended to make seeking asylum in the US even more difficult than it is now; in a ruling issued Tuesday, he announced that, beginning in 90 days, asylum-seekers who demonstrate a "credible fear" and are then sent to full deportation proceedings are not eligible to be released on bond. Thousands of people who once might have been released while waiting for a judge to determine their immigration status will now be kept in detention; according to  the Migration Policy Institute "This ruling gives ICE the legal authority to detain all of these people indefinitely,": https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/ruling-attorney-general-barr-means-thousands-more-migrants-may-wait-n995246 and https://thehill.com/latino/439219-barr-rules-that-asylum-seekers-must-be-detained-during-deportation-proceedings The current backlog in the immigration courts all but ensures that these asylum-seekers will remain in detention for months or even years. This violates human rights: https://immigrantjustice.org/press-releases/denying-bond-hearings-asylum-seekers-violates-human-rights Let’s let the White House know what we think of this latest assault on immigrants, and tell ICE we don’t want our taxes used to build more detention centers to accommodate this order: 1-802-872-6199 or 500 12th St., SW, Washington, DC 20024. 

4.      DISABILITY RIGHTS/SOCIAL SECURITY: The Trump administration has proposed increased social media surveillance to help curb Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) fraud; something that constitutes less than 1% of all SSDI benefit payouts. (https://reut.rs/2UGr5xi, https://nyti.ms/2u0cNYU). Not only is social media an inaccurate portrayal of our lives and abilities, but the increase in surveillance is also troubling. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) have sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget, and the Social Security Administration, voicing their concerns about the proposal. Let's join them and ask Director Mick Mulvaney and Acting Commissioner Nancy A. Berryhill to reject this proposal. Mailing address: Mick Mulvaney, Director, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th St. N.W., Washington, D.C., 20552. Ms. Nancy A. Berryhill, Acting Commissioner, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21235.

5.     PUERTO RICO DISASTER RELIEF: Congress headed to recess this week without passing a disaster aid package for Puerto Rico (https://nbcnews.to/2Gl75Yj). Meanwhile, the island is still in recovery mode, experiencing frequent power outages, and many residents living without a roof over their heads (https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article217659345.html). Our members of Congress will be on recess throughout next week; let's be sure to visit them in-person, and call their local offices to tell them that we care about Puerto Rico and expect a disaster relief package to be passed as soon as Congress is back in session. We can also visit Unidos US to learn about on-the-ground work, and local organizations we can donate to:  https://www.unidosus.org/campaigns/disaster-relief/puertorico

6.      ENVIRONMENT: The Trump administration has withdrawn support for a large-scale conservation program that was approved and funded by Congress. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/08/trump-administration-sabotages-major-conservation-effort-defying-congress. The landscape cooperative program consisted of 22 research centers investigating the effects and solutions to climate change, flooding and species endangerment. 16 of these research centers have currently been suspended or are on hiatus. Let’s contact our MoCs and ask them to push for an investigation.

Election/Voting

1.      ELECTION INTERFERING:  Now that Mueller’s report shows us the weaknesses in our election system, it is time to start addressing and fixing them with ways experts have suggested:  http://time.com/5572927/mueller-report-elections-fixes/   Let’s check with our federal and state MoCs to see how this is being addressed.

Other Actions

1.      TRUMP IMPEACHMENT: Many are saying that the Mueller report is an “impeachment referral” to Congress.  https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/04/mueller-report-impeachment-referral/587509/  While some Democrats in the House are reluctant to do this, every day that Trump remains in power, our country and our democracy are damaged. So far only a few voices have called for his impeachment, but that number is growing as the harm his administration is causing becomes clearer. By The People (BTP) is one such voice, demanding that the House of Representatives start the impeachment process, and this grassroots group has the tools and vision to help us educate and organize ourselves for meaningful political action. To get connected to this growing network, let's sign on to BTP's efforts to support Rep. Tlaib's impeachment resolution in the House, and sign up for BTP's info/update messages, here:   https://www.bytheppl.us/get-involved

2.      SUPPORT FOR BLACK LOUISIANA CHURCHES DESTROYED BY ARSON: Three Black churches in Louisiana’s St. Landry Parish were destroyed by fire, apparently the work of an arsonist motivated by racism. To help rebuild St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre, and the Greater Union Baptist Church and Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas, the Jewish Federation of New Orleans and the Anti-Defamation League are recommending donations to the Seventh District Missionary Baptist Association at this page: https://www.gofundme.com/church-fires-st-landry-parishmacedonia-ministry  Let’s give what we can.

3.      SUSPEND TRUMP FROM TWITTER:  Trump knows very well how influential social media is, and does not hesitate to abuse its power. The video he posted targeting Representative Ilhan Omar is just the latest example. Rep. Omar has noted that she has received more death threats in the wake of the tweet. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has the power to do something about this. The same goes for Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg. Let's sign this petition telling them we want the video deleted and Trump's account suspended: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/suspend-trump-from-facebook-and-twitter/

4.      JARED AND IVANKA IN MUELLER REPORT:  Prior to the release of the Mueller report, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump managed to stay largely out of the conversation regarding alleged campaign collusion with Russia. But the redacted version of the report released Thursday contains 265 references to the president’s son-in-law and 15 to his most politically-involved daughter. Here are some important details on the billionaire couple toying around in politics: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/what-mueller-report-says-about-jared-kushner-ivanka-trump-donald-n995866  Let’s watch and see what charges this information could bring or not.  

5.      HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE VOTER ID LAWS: Vote Riders is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that helps people get the IDs that they need to vote. Their website lists nine ways that we can help. Let’s visit this page and learn what we can do:   https://www.voteriders.org/get-involved

6.      REMOVE ACCUSED CHILD MOLESTER FROM TENNESSEE STATE SENATE:  Tennessee State Senator David Byrd, accused of sexually abusing three of his underage students, has not denied these charges. In fact, his recorded apologies and confessions appear to support the allegations. Still, despite bipartisan calls for his resignation, Byrd remains in office, supported by House Speaker Glen Casada. Now Enough is Enough Tennessee, joined by the leader of Indivisible Tennessee has been locked in a standoff with the Tennessee Governor, holding firm in a sit-in in the State Capitol to protest Byrd continuing in office. We can see a video of the protests and learn more about Byrd at www.enoughisenoughtn.com and in this recent Tennessean article:  https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2019/02/20/david-byrd-tennessee-allegations/2927612002/  We can support the protest against accused ( and self-admitted) child molester David Byrd remaining in office by spreading the word with our friends and fellow activists, on social media and in our Indivisible chapters if we are members. If we are on twitter, we can retweet the following tweet, tag Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee on Twitter) and let him know BYRD MUST GO.  https://twitter.com/Kanew/status/1118591497870479366

State Actions

1.      ALL:  WOMEN: RIGHT TO CHOSE:  For years, Ohio Right to Life, the state’s largest and oldest anti-abortion group, steered clear of a bill that would ban abortion in the very early weeks of pregnancy— after a fetal heartbeat is detected. The reason was simple. The bill, which would have been the toughest abortion restriction on record, would be dead on arrival once it reached an unfriendly Supreme Court. But after seven years of avoiding the ban, Ohio Right to Life’s board gathered in an office building outside Toledo in November and voted unanimously to support it. Last week, here in Columbus, it was signed into law. “Now is our time,” said Michael Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life in Columbus. “This is the best court we’ve had in my lifetime, in my parents’ lifetime.”https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/18/us/ohio-abortion-heartbeat-bill.html and https://www.governing.com/topics/health-human-services/How-Banning-Abortion-in-the-Early-Weeks-of-Pregnancy-Became-Mainstream.html We must be diligent in protecting women’s rights.  Please let your state reps know that women have a right to choice about their own bodies.  

2.      FL: IMMIGRATION: SB 168, an anti-immigration bill, has passed the Senate Rules Committee along a party line vote (https://hrld.us/2GtLmgP). The bill, along with the House version (HB 527), would prohibit sanctuary cities and require law enforcement agencies to work with ICE and identify people who may not have legal citizenship (https://bit.ly/2FDMYmw). It would also require correctional facilities to detain any person who ICE requests to be held (https://bit.ly/2I7bfVd). Let's contact our MoC and tell them to oppose these bills.

3.      KY: LGBTQ DISCRIMINATION: Officials in Bowling Green, KY voted against an ordinance that would add specific housing and employment protections for the LGBTQ community.  The Bowling Green City Commission voted 3-2 to reject the first reading of the ordinance; another reading is scheduled for May 7. (Source: Courier-Journal).Let's contact the City of Bowling Green with our feedback. If we able, let's make a plan to attend the May 7 hearing and bring our friends.

4.      NV: WOMENS' RIGHTS: The Nevada Senate voted 12-to-9 in favor of the Trust Nevada Women Act (TNWA), SB179. This state bill relaxes some of the informed consent rules prior to an abortion. (Source: KKOH) This bill is now in the Nevada State Assembly. Let's contact our NV assembly legislators to let them know we support SB179.

Marches/events/webinars/Tweetstorms to attend/organize

Reading/Watching

1.      Report on the Investigation Into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election (the redacted Mueller report) -  https://www.npr.org/assets/news/2019/04/muellerreport.pdf or a searchable version here:  https://www.scribd.com/document/406729844/Mueller-Report

2.      9 Questions to Ask About the Mueller Report - https://politicalcharge.org/2019/04/18/9-questions-to-ask-about-the-mueller-report/

3.      The Barr Cover-Up, Call it What it Is -https://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2019/04/15/the-barr-cover-up-call-it-what-it-is/



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