Chop Wood, Carry Water 4/25
Reinforcements are arriving!
Hi, all, and happy Friday.
Also, happy George Santos sentencing day. Seven years in prison! It appears that not every Republican is above the law. Nice to see a modicum of justice delivered—even if it’s not yet to the people who most deserve it.
This isn’t the only good news we’ve gotten in the last 24 hours—in fact there’s been quite a lot of it. Most of you read Robert Hubbell (and if you don’t, you should) so I won’t repeat the litany of court cases Trump just lost—you can find them in Hubbell’s latest column. Suffice it to say there were many, and they were all significant.
Trump’s polling, moreover, is free falling. He’s even losing ground on immigration. In fact, a new polling memo published today by Research Collaborative and ASO Communications shows a majority of likely voters now support impeaching him. Good!
On trade, Trump looks to be caving in a big way. Josh Marshall from Talking Points Memo thinks the U.S. is going to come out of the fight with China empty handed, and soon. It’s a huge comedown from the administration’s bluster of a few weeks ago, and it’s more proof that Trump is a blowhard and bully who almost always backs down at the first challenge. Let’s make sure everyone knows it.
By retreating on tariffs, furthermore, Trump’s managing to fail multiple groups of supporters at once. Pro-tariff voters (to the extent that there are any left) will be angry he gave in; small business owners will feel bruised and exhausted by the back-and-forth and uncertain of their futures, everyone else will see only the massive, long-term damage Trump’s actions have caused to our economy, the U.S. dollar, and the stock market—with absolutely no upside. It’s a total debacle.
Heedless of his increasing unpopularity, however, Trump continues to plow ahead with more destructive, stupid, and often unconstitutional actions. Yesterday his team advertised a “Trump 2028” baseball cap (ignore it; it’s a distraction). Last night they released an executive order attacking Act Blue. Today we learned that Patel’s FBI arrested a Milwaukee judge who, they allege, helped an undocumented person escape ICE. (There’s a rally for her in Milwaukee at 3PM CT today. Please go if you can.)
In other words, the atrocious acts continue. Many will be reversed or thwarted. It’s nevertheless exhausting and alarming for all of us to live through.
But take heart. A sleeping giant is also stirring. We, of course, have been awake the whole time, but around us we’re seeing institutions, organizations, and individuals rouse themselves from their lethargy and join us in the fray. It’s a wonderful thing to behold, and it’s very definitely catching.
As law firms like Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps see talent flee, as universities band together against executive overreach (ahem, not long after we wrote to them), as civil rights groups form coalitions to resist Trump’s attacks, and as judges of all stripes add their voices to the chorus of pro-constitutional outrage, others are taking note. They are seeing the writing on the wall; soon they will be with us, too.
We’re still in the middle of the battle, in short, but reinforcements are finally coming in. Right now they’re a trickle; soon they’ll be a flood. They will continue to arrive, because Trump and his criminal cohort will continue their egregious attacks on our democracy. He is, then, through his actions, sowing the seeds of his own eventual downfall.
Our job in the meantime is to keep doing what we’re doing! If we do, we cannot lose.
So let’s get to work one more time.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m calling for a few reasons today:
First, there are two bills that recently passed in the House that I want the Senator to oppose.
The first is H.R. 1526, the NORRA Act. This bill severely restricts federal judges' ability to issue nationwide injunctions—a crucial tool courts use to block illegal or unconstitutional executive actions.
The second is HR 22, the SAVE Act, a voter suppression bill that would disenfranchise tens of millions of Americans.
I want to say a couple more things: Donald Trump’s executive order assailing Act Blue is deeply alarming. This shouldn’t happen in a democracy. Trump is weaponizing the DOJ to attack the infrastructure of the opposing party—that’s an authoritarian act, and an abuse of power. Has the Senator spoken out against it?
Finally, I understand the FBI has arrested a Milwaukee judge and charged her with obstructing an immigration arrest because she allowed an undocumented person to leave her courtroom. What is happening in this country? The Trump administration is turning this into a police state. They’re going too far. I want the Senator to call for the charges against this judge to be dropped at once. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
Donald Trump’s executive order assailing Act Blue is deeply alarming. This shouldn’t happen in a democracy. Trump is weaponizing the DOJ to attack the infrastructure of the opposing party—that’s an authoritarian act, and an abuse of power. Has the Congressmember spoken out against it?
Second, I understand the FBI has arrested a Milwaukee judge and charged her with obstructing an immigration arrest because she allowed an undocumented person to leave her courtroom. What is happening in this country? The Trump administration is turning this into a police state. They’re going too far. I want the Congressmember to call for the charges against this judge to be dropped at once. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
I received an email from a parent member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA ). They recently released an easy call to action in support of Medicaid protection for children with disabilities. She asked me to amplify it and I’m happy to.
Please personalize and sign the letter to your MOCs here.
Get Smart! 📚
Day in, day out, the cruelty, chaos, and corruption emanating from the Trump Administration shows no bounds.It can feel overwhelming, but that’s their point. Flooding the zone with all the outrages at once is designed to fracture our movement and divide our attention.
That’s why the awesome activism org Activate America is hosting a webinar on the path forward. It’s taking place on Tuesday, April 29th at 5:00 PM Pacific / 8:00 PM Eastern.
During the webinar, they’ll take a closer look at the districts we are most likely to win in the 2026 election and cover actions Activate America is currently taking to strengthen local organizing, create speed bumps to the Trump/Musk agenda, and hold swing-district Republicans accountable.
Get in the Streets! 🪧
In D.C. this weekend? Join Leader Jeffries (D-NY) and Sen. Booker (D-NJ) on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, East Entrance, Sunday, April 27, beginning at sunrise (6:15 a.m.) for a vigil on budget reconciliation and the impact of proposed program cuts. Individuals that would be impacted by proposed cuts are encouraged to attend and share. Contact Tim Klipp-Lockhart, TKlipp-Lockhart@frac.org, if you are interested in speaking.
Grab Your Wallet! 💳
[H/T Alan Unell]
The Trump administration has paid $6 million dollars to El Salvador to house hundreds of people deported from the U.S. to that country’s high-security mega-prison. Last Monday, April 14, while sitting in the Oval Office, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele told reporters he would not return Kilmar Abrego Garcia from the El Salvadoran prison where the U.S. Justice Department mistakenly deported him; he called the idea “preposterous.”
It is preposterous that American companies manufacture in countries that do not respect due process or clear orders by the U.S. Supreme Court. So let’s take two actions:
Boycott all products made in El Salvador. Such products include clothing, mattresses, food and more, so check tags and packages and avoid buying those marked “Made in El Salvador.” Companies that manufacture in El Salvador include Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, Gildan, Diana, Capri, Indufoam, Bon Appetit, and many more.
Contact the heads of companies manufacturing in El Salvador, such as Hanes and Fruit of the Loom, to voice your dismay at their silence.
Hanes email: contact_us@hanes.com or 336-519-8080; brands include Maidenform, Bali, Playtex, Hanes, Bonds, and more
Fruit of the Loom contact form or 1-855-253-4534; brands include Spalding, Russell Athletic, Vanity Fair, Jerzees, Dudley, Fruit of the Loom, BVD, and American Athletic
Sample script (please personalize):
As a company that manufactures in El Salvador, you should be speaking out loudly and publicly against President Bukele’s refusal to send Kilmar Abrego Garcia home. Your company has influence to reinforce U.S. constitutional rights and democratic values. Until you have done all you can to pressure president Bukele to return Abrego Garcia, I will boycott your brands.
Ask Target Corporation (or Tesla) how boycotts are working out for them.
Thanks.
Name, City, State
Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥
You're invited to join the Environmental Voter Project on Wednesday, April 30th at 8pm ET / 5pm PT for an online presentation of their latest research on the growing power of women climate voters. Their brief data presentation will be followed by an in-depth panel discussion with Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Dominique Browning, and Camila Thorndike.
RSVP here to learn more about the panelists and get the zoom link.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all 3 reps] [H/T Coleman Rogers] [Text SIGN PCAZFL to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]
The Trump administration's recent executive order to fast-track mining and clear-cutting on public lands under the guise of an "energy emergency" is a blatant disregard for environmental protection and sustainability. This unilateral action, devoid of scientific evidence or public input, prioritizes short-term profits over the long-term well-being of our natural resources and ecosystems.
Expediting environmentally destructive practices such as mining and deforestation will undoubtedly exacerbate climate change, habitat loss, and ecological degradation. The irreversible damage inflicted on pristine landscapes, fragile ecosystems, and vulnerable species will be felt for generations to come. This reckless executive overreach not only undermines existing environmental regulations but also sets a dangerous precedent for future administrations to circumvent the democratic process.
We demand that Congress take immediate action to denounce and overturn this illegal executive order. Our public lands are a national treasure, held in trust for the American people, and must be safeguarded from exploitation by corporate interests.
It is imperative that Congress reasserts its constitutional authority and upholds its responsibility to protect our natural heritage for current and future generations.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
That Haines number goes to a recording that gives you three options, none of which yield a live person or even a way to leave a message. Each goes to a website referral. As for Fruit of the Loom, they have a live person who will answer your call and take a message respectfully. It appears they’ve been told to say that Fruit of the Loom management is aware of the situation in El Salvador, to which I replied awareness is not enough. Fruit of the Loom must speak out, and by doing so will gain many customers, versus losing them by remaining silent.
As you requested yesterday, I wrote to my Senator, Mark Kelly, encouraging him to vote No on the Save Act. I received this very disappointing response (quoting only the salient part):
"The Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, S. 128, was introduced by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) on January 16, 2025. The SAVE Act would amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship, such as birth certificates or passports, in order to register to vote. The bill would also require states to establish alternative processes under which citizens who cannot provide documentary proof at the time of registration, including submitting other documentation and signing an attestation under penalty of perjury that they are a U.S. citizen and eligible to vote in federal elections. This bill would duplicate the voter registration process that already exists, but would add administrative requirements and criminal penalties for election officials, increasing the likelihood that eligible voters will be prevented from voting by making it more difficult to register to vote. On April 10, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the SAVE Act's companion bill, H.R. 22, by a vote of 220 to 208. It may now be considered by the U.S. Senate.
"Every election should be secure and accessible, and states have a responsibility to ensure all eligible voters can cast a ballot without unnecessary barriers. As Arizona's senator, I remain committed to working with my colleagues in the United States Senate, both Republicans and Democrats, to ensure all Americans can trust the integrity of our elections and can fulfill their sacred right to vote."
In other words, no commitment to vote NO. I generally love and support Kelly, but he is wrong on this one. What a shame! Let's hope he comes around.