Chop Wood, Carry Water 6/9
Wild times.
Hi, all, and happy Monday.
This is going to be an extremely abbreviated newsletter, as I’m heading to Downtown Los Angeles for an 11AM rally. We are gathering to demand the release of David Huerta, the President of SEIU; he was arrested for “obstructing ICE” on Friday.
I’m not sure what to expect downtown today, but I can tell you this: Los Angeles as a whole remains peaceful, calm and quite “normal.” I add the quotation marks because, if anything, it feels eerily quiet. I had the opportunity to drive through much of the city yesterday after my car broke down in West Hollywood. AAA came to give me a jump and advised that I should get my vehicle to a dealership immediately to have my battery replaced. I decided to take surface streets back to Northeast LA in case something went wrong. It gave me an excellent opportunity to survey the city. Again, it was very, very quiet. The only evidence of the protests were one or two choppers circling in the distance.
The extra quiet, I suspect, is because the presence of ICE has made many L.A. residents afraid. They are likely hunkering down, terrified to go out for any reason. I find this sad, and very, very angering.
While I didn’t make it to Downtown LA yesterday, due to my car trouble and then the States Project event I had to speak at, Mike and Mj did go. They sent me lots of videos, and reported that things were relatively calm until they left at 4PM or so. Tens of thousands of people, in fact, marched peacefully throughout the day yesterday. You won’t see that on FOX News, though, of course.
I know things got crazier last night, but what I will tell you for sure is that the vast, overwhelming majority of Angelenos have no interest in chaos or property damage. We simply want ICE—and now the National Guard as well—to get out of our city. Tell a friend.
As usual I’ll be doing a Live at 4PM PT / 7PM ET today, and I will have as my guest (for the second half) the amazing Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37)! We’ll chat about the protests, her approach to dealing with Republicans, and where things stand on Trump’s bill. Kamlager-Dove was my favorite speaker at the Democratic Convention last weekend, so I’m really excited to get to know her a bit better. I hope you’ll join us!
I’ll be back with a full newsletter tomorrow, folks.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) and your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I want the Senator/Congressmember to call for Trump to pull the National Guard out of Los Angeles. Their presence there is unwanted; it is inflaming tensions rather than keeping anyone safe. LA residents have a right to protest peacefully against ICE’s presence in their city, and the LAPD has said the Guard’s help is unneeded. Trump is trying to create a crisis where none existed.
Also, ICE agents need to show their faces, display identification, and come with signed judicial warrants. They are law enforcement officers. They need to act like it. Thank you.
Extra Credit ✅
ICE agents were staying at the AC Marriott hotel in Pasadena until yesterday evening. It seems that protests there were effective in getting them to leave. Now, however, the same agents are rumored to be staying at the Courtyard Marriott hotel in Monrovia. I called Marriott’s corporate offices and asked them why they’re letting ICE set up shop in their hotels. Feel free to join me—I got through to a person.
(301)380-3000 (press 2, then 1, then 1)
I simply said:
I’m calling to say how upset I am that Marriott is allowing ICE agents to stay in their hotels in Los Angeles. ICE is terrorizing that city and brutalizing the community. They are ripping families apart. Is Marriott OK with harboring these thugs? If so I will look for accommodations elsewhere in the future. Please ask Marriott’s corporate management to stop harboring ICE agents. Thanks.
Get Informed! 📚
Here’s an awesome resource from the Revolving Door Project—the Corporate Enforcement Capacity Cuts tracker.
The tracker records cuts made by the Trump administration to enforcement capacity at agencies responsible for overseeing corporations’ activities and identifying wrongdoing.
“Enforcement capacity” refers to staffing and funding dedicated to monitoring, oversight, investigation, and preparation of cases against corporations for breaking the law. Cuts to and attacks on enforcement capacity can include firings, buyout offers, funding cuts, reorganizations, and other similar steps the Trump administration has taken to date.
Currently, the tracker includes the Department of Justice (DOJ), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), among others, with 14 total agencies featured; future developments at these agencies will be added on at least a monthly basis, and additional agencies may be added.
Each agency entry features:
an overview of the enforcement function of the agency
an analysis of who will be hurt by these cuts and who stands to benefit
links to further resources on the Trump administration’s impact on the agency
a chronological list of developments limiting the agency’s enforcement capacity since the start of Trump’s second term.
The Revolving Door Project also has a Substack, by the way.
Save Democracy! 🗳
Build Power: Start A Democracy Circle
Tuesday, June 10, 7:00 – 8:00 PM ET
Join the Workers Circle to learn how to build grassroots power to demand the democracy we need. A Democracy Circle is a small group of people you bring together — friends, colleagues, family — to take simple, concrete actions to demand the democracy we need and learn how to counter threats to our democracy today. Learn how people just like you have started circles across the country that are building community and having impact. There will be ample time for questions and discussion. Co-sponsored by the Center for Common Ground.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all 3 reps] [H/T
] [Text SIGN PGGBLV to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram](Note that for the most effective RESISTBOT it’s best to personalize this text. More about how to do this here. But if you’re short on time just send it as is using the above code.)
The excessive use of force and escalation by deploying 2,000 National Guard troops against protesters in Los Angeles is an alarming authoritarian overreach by the President and his regime. This disproportionate military response to largely peaceful protests risks further inflaming tensions and eroding civil liberties that are fundamental to American democracy.
The President's false characterization of protesters as "insurrectionists" and "paid troublemakers" is a dangerous attempt to delegitimize dissent and justify oppressive tactics reminiscent of a police state. This is the hallmark of dictatorships and an unacceptable transgression in a democratic society governed by the rule of law.
These protests, regardless of one's view of them, in no way constitute an armed insurrection or present a threat to national security. They represent the exercise of constitutional rights that must be safeguarded, not suppressed through martial force.
The governor and mayors have made it clear that federal intervention is unwanted and unnecessary, as local law enforcement has the situation under control. Activating a state's National Guard without the governor's request for the first time in 50 years is an unconstitutional violation of state sovereignty.
Specific incidents like ICE agents shooting tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and less-lethal rounds at protesters in Paramount demonstrate an unacceptable willingness to use military force against civilians exercising their First Amendment rights. Arresting union leaders like David Huerta for protesting further chills free speech.
The excessive militarization risks a catastrophic escalation of violence in a major American city against our own citizens unjustly targeted by draconian immigration crackdowns. I urge Congress to intervene and curtail this reckless overreach to prevent further civil rights violations and uphold democratic principles. Forcefully check and balance this regime's authoritarian abuses of power immediately.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Why isn’t anyone calling attention to the fact that Trump did not call in the National Guard for the January 6th insurrection even though a clear and present danger was posed to police, senators and congressmen. In fact, he pardoned those people!
Wouldn't it be great if thousands of people in LA showed up to protest wearing inflatable Halloween costumes? Imagine all those armed thugs facing a sea of T-Rex's, Barneys, Sumo Wrestlers, Unicorns and whatever else people have. What better way to de-escalate? If I lived out there I would organize it.