Chop Wood, Carry Water 6/17
Hi, all, and happy Friday.
Hope you had a chance to watch yesterday’s hearings. To say they were dramatic is an understatement. Described in painstaking detail was a plot of dastardly brazenness, undertaken by powerful and immoral actors with the full knowledge that it was both illegal and seditious.
It was mind-blowing and very scary stuff.
The panel continued its wise practice of using conservative and highly regarded witnesses to do the heavy lifting for them; accusations of partisanship lose more credibility with every hearing.
What becomes more credible? That we are still in very grave danger.
Judge Luttig—who delivered his testimony in a stentorian fashion due both to a recent stroke and an obvious tendency towards considered speech—attested that he believed former President Donald Trump and his supporters represented, "a clear and present danger to American democracy," given their continued efforts to erode confidence in election security. He added, "The former president and his allies are executing that blueprint for 2024 in open and plain view of the American public."
It is our job to amplify that fact everywhere. Every day.
It is also our job to stop them. AND WE CAN.
When people tell you Democrats have already lost in November ignore them. It’s simply not true— no one can know what will happen in an election of this much historical consequence. Over and over again our side has shown that, when the chips are down and turnout matters, we show up.
So. Do. Not. Underestimate. Our. Power.
Or your own.
Doing so is literally the only way we lose. And losing is not an option.
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 ______.
The new revelations about Ginni Thomas tell us that she was deeply involved in an attack on our country. Her husband, Clarence Thomas, is hopelessly compromised by his connection to a seditionist. He needs to be investigated at the very least, and ideally impeached. Our Supreme Court has lost all credibility, and this will remain the case until he is off the court.
Also, we want a strong gun bill and we want it immediately. I’m frustrated by rumors that Republicans are backing off their promises already. It’s unacceptable. Pass stringent gun legislation now. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m extremely concerned about the integrity of the Supreme Court. With Ginni Thomas so deeply involved in the attempts to overturn our election, and her husband’s refusal to recuse himself, we are facing a judicial crisis that must be addressed. Has the Congressmember yet co-sponsored legislation requiring a judicial code of ethics like H.R.7426 the 21st Century Courts Act? How about HR 2584 the Judiciary Act? Faith in the Supreme Court’s impartiality has fallen to its lowest point in decades. It needs to be rebalanced and it needs an ethical code. Please ask the Congressmember to co-sponsor both bills right away. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
Let’s call the Select Committee at (202) 225-7800 and say:
I know the Department of Justice is asking for transcripts of all of your interviews. Please grant their request quickly in order to advance the public interest in securing convictions of all responsible parties. Our country is under attack—the attackers need to be prosecuted. Also, please get Ginni Thomas in to testify as soon as possible, and if she refuses refuses please charge her with contempt. The Committee needs to thoroughly examine her involvement, which is likely criminal, and make sure she’s held accountable. Her husband, too. Thanks.
[H/T R. Hubbell for some of this language]
Get Smart! 📚
Worried about the future of Medicare? Please consider attending: “The Plan to Privatize Medicare, and What You Can Do About It.”
It’s a teach-in and panel discussion organized by San Francisco Senior and Disability Action, and it’s on Monday, June 20 at 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time
Panelists include:
* Barbara Commins: A simple introduction to Medicare and Medicare Advantage
* Melanie Grossman: A simple explanation of Medicare Direct Contracting and REACH
* Dr. Claire Cohen: What seniors and people with disabilities can do to fight back
Please spread the word and share the Zoom registration link with others:
Get Messaging! 📣
Recently I’ve been saying it’s our job to portray the Republican Party as what it is, tied to MAGA and unfit to govern. A group of Midwestern readers created an easy-to-use messaging toolkit, the 2022 WinBook, for Democratic candidates and their supporters to do exactly that. Take a look, and if you agree, please get it into the hands of as many Democratic candidates as possible, ASAP! Me, I love it and will be using its messaging in my TikToks!
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.)
[to your Senators] [H/T] [Quick send text SIGN PHHHXQ to 50409]
We know that Ginni Thomas exchanged text messages with Mark Meadows, Trump’s former Chief of Staff, telling the White House not to concede the 2020 election. She sent emails to 29 Arizona Republican lawmakers, pressuring them to overturn the election results should Biden win the presidency. She corresponded with John Eastman, the lawyer who schemed with Trump to pressure Mike Pence to block the certification of Biden’s victory. And she attended the deadly insurrection on the Capitol on January 6th.
Despite all of this, her husband, Justice Clarence Thomas failed to recuse himself from Supreme Court cases related to January 6th. On the contrary—he was the only justice to vote against granting the January 6th Select Committee access to key Trump administration documents related to the insurrection.
This is a clear conflict of interest and is blatantly unethical. But unlike every other federal judge in the nation, Supreme Court justices aren’t beholden to any structured code of conduct.
As a voter and your constituent, I'm urging you to launch a full investigation in Clarence Thomas’s actions and to pass the 21st Century Courts Act (S.4010), which would introduce a long overdue code of ethics for the Supreme Court.
No one is above the law—even the Supreme Court. It’s time for accountability. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk tomorrow.
Jess
I appreciate your information that the slow speaking Judge had recently had a stroke. Much more understanding to know that!!