Chop Wood, Carry Water 6/10
People power works!
Hi, all, and happy Monday!
Hope you had a great weekend and got some rest!
You’re going to need it, because it’s going to be another big week. What can we expect?
We’ll have more Supreme Court decisions on Thursday, some of them hugely consequential. Democrats are likely to tee up a vote on an IVF bill; I’ll have a call script for you tomorrow. Republicans will continue their descent into full-throated fascism—the ugliness is staggering. Trump will meet with his probation officer today.
Let me just say that one more time. Trump meets with his probation officer today.
It sounds crazy, and it is. Make sure everyone knows it.
Anyway. Let’s head into what’s sure to be another eventful and stressful week with our tools at the ready: deep breaths, a determination to stay in the day, breaks from the news cycle, and lots of self care. And actions! Lots and lots of actions!
The more I do, the less I fear. It’s that simple.
Feel the same? Great! Let’s get to work one more time.
P.S. — I forgot to tell you, we had three major victories at the AQMD meeting on Friday. Three huge wins for clean air and climate! I’ll put the details in “Extra! Extra!” on Sunday but just know: People power works! So does showing up!
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
Over the weekend we learned that Justice Clarence Thomas amended a financial filing from 2019, acknowledging that he should have reported two free vacations he accepted from Texas billionaire Harlan Crow. To say that this situation is fishy is an understatement. It’s absolutely corrupt. Thomas has now accepted more than $4 million in gifts over the last 20 years. It’s long past time for there to be comprehensive criminal and congressional investigations into Justice Thomas, his finances and his taxes. What he has taken, and what he has failed to disclose, is beyond belief. The Senate must act! Thanks.
[H/T George Conway and Heather Cox Richardson]
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling to ask the Congressmember to cosponsor the School Meals Expansion Act (H.R. 2567). The bill would fund an expansion of community eligibility for free school meals, making it more financially viable for thousands of schools to offer free meals to all students at no charge. This is so important. Also, please ask the Congressmember to help protect and strengthen SNAP in Farm Bill negotiations. In a country as rich as ours, no American should go hungry. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
Please send this to President Biden via the White House contact form, personalizing a bit first:
Hello, I’m contacting you from [STATE] because I’m concerned about declining representation of LGBTQ+ people among our federal judges and nominees. Twenty-six states still do not have an openly LGBTQ+ federal judge, and the absence of transgender or nonbinary judicial nominees is glaring. I urge you to expand on your efforts to diversify the bench by nominating queer people of color; transgender, nonbinary, bisexual, and intersex people; and people living with HIV. Representation matters. Thanks.
[Source: Lambda Legal]
Get Smart! 📚
The Supreme Court is a disaster. Over the past few weeks, we’ve navigated egregious revelations about the justices; the devastating blow in the MAGA Court’s decision allowing South Carolina to strip political power from Black voters; and the seemingly interminable limbo of anticipating the remaining 25+ rulings.
Through it all, it’s clear our communities deserve better. As we all collectively fight for better, please join United For Democracy for their next, monthly SCOTUS Coordinating Call on Wednesday, June 12 at 12:30 pm ET.
These off-the-record calls are open to those who are interested in learning more about what is happening with the Supreme Court and how you (and your organization, if you have one) might be able to plug in.
Spread the Word! 📣
Check out this UNBELIEVABLY COOL post from the Grassroots Connector. Then watch the video. You’ll thank me. And please find a way to share it!
Give 💰!
I am moderating an exciting fundraising event on Monday, June 17 at 7pm ET with the Executive Directors of the donor alliances in Montana, Stacie Anderson, and Ohio, Misha Barnes. These are the two "toss-up" Senate states that can get Democrats to a 50-50 Senate majority if Biden is re-elected.
Stacie and Misha know the political landscape in their states in ways that we do not; they know which groups have boots on the ground and which have proven track records of effectiveness.
Please help these groups reach the voters who will decide if a re-elected President Biden has a US Senate that can confirm Supreme Court justices.
Donate any amount here to RSVP. (You can also just donate!)
Win Races! 🗳
So far 56,000 volunteers have signed up with Postcards to Swing States to write postcards to voters across 11 presidential and Senate battleground states! They're 30% of the way to their goal of 26 million postcards.
Please join PTSS virtually on Tues. June 18 at 8pm ET for an update about the postcard program. They'll explain how they know that writing postcards with them is the most effective way to help re-elect President Biden and other Democrats from home. They'll discuss the details of their 2024 program. And they'll answer the most common questions they get from volunteers.
Please also invite at least one friend or family member to help write postcards to rally Democrats to vote this fall. We need a lot more hands!
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all 3 reps] [H/T] [Text SIGN PACRQJ to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]
Flying insurrectionist flags at his homes on two separate occasions after the January 6 attack on the Capitol, Justice Alito has unequivocally shown his support for the violent attempt to prevent Congress from certifying the 2020 election.
The insurrectionists threatened the lives of Congress members, their staffs and families, and law enforcement officers who sought to protect the Capitol.
The facts are, Justice Alito flew an upside down American flag outside one of his homes in January 2021, between January 6 and the inauguration of President Biden.
Two years later, he also flew an “Appeal to Heaven” flag outside another home. This flag is even worse, since as a symbol of Christian Nationalism, it represents a belief that the law of the land is not the Constitution, but the law of God as they interpret it.
The future of American democracy can not be placed in the hands of a Justice who supports those who want to destroy it or replace it.
If Justice Alito will not recuse himself from cases related to Donald Trump, January 6, or the 2020 election, as to date he has refused to do, it is up to Congress to do it for him. Permanently.
The only means to hold Justice Alito accountable and begin to restore integrity to the Supreme Court is impeachment. Do it! Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Rep. Schiff reintroduced The Protecting Our Democracy Act 2023-2024, HR 5048. I wonder if you would highlight it to get your members to urge its passage in the House, and then onto the Senate. I understand it has provisions that could limit or prevent abuses of executive power and corruption, et cetera. Thanks for your consideration.
Thanks for sharing the Connector article on voter registration. Like they say, you need to be in it, to win it. That can't be more true than this year.