Extra! Extra! 4/27
Another week of wins to celebrate
Hi, all, and happy Sunday!
It’s been another crazy, chaotic, and disturbing week, but we’ve also got a long list of wins to celebrate. So let’s take a few minutes away from doomscrolling to really bask in everything that went right.
Remember, lists like these come about because of people like you. You, and the actions you take, are the reason we’re making small but meaningful progress in all kinds of areas. So yes, things are still very bad, but because of your hard work they’re moving in the right direction—even if slowly. That matters a whole lot!
I’m proud of you. I’m grateful for you. And I can’t wait to see what you add to the list next week!
Celebrate This! 🎉
New Jersey is now among 16 states that have declined to sign a letter from the Trump administration asking states to certify that they are not using "illegal DEI" policies in public schools.
Tesla saw profits slide 71% in first-quarter earnings! SEVENTY-ONE PERCENT!! You guys played a role in that. Nice work!!
Rep. Garcia was able to extract a promise from the US Ambassador in El Salvador that he would look into the whereabouts of Andry Romero, the wrongly disappeared-to-El-Salvador gay hairdresser.
A jury found that the NYT did not libel Sarah Palin.
Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration.
Rep. Byron Donalds got booed and yelled at almost continuously by hundreds of pre-screened, in-district participants at his Town Hall in a safely red district.
A federal judge in Maryland has ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the return of a 20-year-old Venezuelan man deported to El Salvador, whose removal violated a previous court settlement.
A judge paused the NYC Deputy Mayor’s executive order allowing ICE to operate out of Riker’s Island jail.
More than 150 current presidents of U.S. colleges and universities — large and small — have signed a letter denouncing the White House’s “unprecedented government overreach and political interference” with higher education. (I like to think that our letters to our alma maters helped make this happen!)
A federal judge ordered the state of Florida to address water pollution that led to a record number of manatee deaths.
The West Sacramento, CA City Council unanimously approved the first reading of a new ordinance that would change city zoning code to allow tiny homes on wheels to be considered legal dwellings.
The Old Growth Forest Network has officially recognized 32 acres of old-growth forest within the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, which contains trees estimated to be 300 years old.
Despite Trump administration orders, a coal-fired power plant in Colorado is still set to shut down this year. Because coal is over, Donny. Accept it.
A panel of Brazil’s supreme court justices unanimously accepted criminal charges against six more allies of former president Jair Bolsonaro, over an alleged coup plot to keep him in office after his 2022 election defeat.
Wyoming’s only abortion clinic is resuming abortions after a judge suspended two state laws that were blocking them.
The bipartisan Federal Election Commission unanimously dismissed a complaint from conservative activists who alleged NPR is controlled by the Democratic Party and “clearly and unmistakably” advocated for 2024 presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
CA Gov. Newsom made $24 generic Narcan available to all Californians.
A federal judge found the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle Voice of America and affiliated news services likely were unlawful, indefinitely blocking the shuttering of the government-funded news outlet and affiliated news services.
The Treasury Inspector General for the Tax Administration office, Heather M. Hill, has opened a criminal investigation into Elon Musk and his DOGE team for accessing and stealing highly restricted taxpayer information.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a pair of bills into law that safeguard access to abortion and gender-affirming care in the state.
Rep. Don Bacon, a prominent Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, became the first sitting GOP lawmaker to suggest Trump should fire Pete Hegseth.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Cory Booker have been doing a sit-in on the Capitol steps all day to defend—and protest cuts to—Medicaid.
A federal judge ruled that President Trump’s proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act exceeds the President’s authority.
A federal court temporarily blocked North Carolina from taking steps to throw out ballots in the Griffin-Riggs lawsuit.
Three career prosecutors at the DOJ resigned rather than apologize for prosecuting Eric Adams.
The DNC announced it is making its biggest investment ever in state parties, including doubling down on investments in red states
IL Gov. JB Pritzker announced that he is making moves to have the state of Illinois boycott companies controlled by El Salvador, as a way to push back against Abrego Garcia’s unlawful detention in the country.
A new global study found that endangered sea turtles are showing signs of recovery in a majority of places where they are found in the world. Experts say it’s a “real conservation success” story.
A record-breaking 3.8 million pounds of compost was collected in the second week of a new recycling mandate in New York City — a number so overwhelming that the city is opening a new site dedicated to the “black gold.”
A dozen states sued the Trump administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York to stop its tariff policy, saying it is unlawful and has brought chaos to the American economy.
The European Union fined Apple $570 million and Meta $228 million for breaking its new rulebook on digital regulations.
Michigan’s supreme court ruled that it is unconstitutional to impose an automatic sentence of life without the possibility of parole on young adults up to age 20
Larry David mocked Bill Maher for normalizing Donald Trump — by writing a satirical New York Times op-ed titled “My Dinner with Adolf.”
AZ Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill passed by the GOP-run legislature that would have forced local officials in Arizona to comply with ICE directives and that would have required administrators to allow ICE agents to come into schools.
U.S. grid-scale battery storage is on track to nearly double this year compared to 2024.
The Supreme Court appears likely to keep the Affordable Care Act’s provision requiring insurers to cover some preventive services at no cost, such as health screenings, tests and HIV drugs.
A group of international students whose legal statuses were revoked by the Trump administration took the matter to court — and won.
The HHS is not going to create a new “autism registry” after all. Blowback works, all.
Maryland has now become the first state to reach its pledge to protect 30% of the state’s land — six years ahead of schedule.
A huge 89% majority of the world’s people want stronger action to fight the climate crisis.
HUGE! A panel of North Carolina judges struck down a new Republican-led law that sought to move the state’s elections board under the control of the GOP state auditor — siding with Democratic Gov. Josh Stein and declaring the law unconstitutional.
A federal judge blocked Trump administration directives that threatened to cut federal funding for public schools with diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
On the same day, a different federal judge blocked the Trump administration from immediately enacting certain changes to how federal elections are run, including adding a proof-of-citizenship requirement to the federal voter registration form.
On the same day, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from withholding federal funding from more than a dozen sanctuary jurisdictions that have declined to cooperate with the Republican president's hardline immigration crackdown.
The Pentagon will resume gender-affirming care for transgender service members.
Elon Musk’s net worth has declined by a staggering $122 billion this year.
Donald Trump’s polling “is freefalling.”
During a recent ceremony for the Breakthrough Prize, which rewards innovations in science, actor Seth Rogen called out Silicon Valley for its support of Trump and Elon Musk.
The Trump Admin reversed the cancellation of 1800 student visas.
Seven in 10 Republican voters now believe that the richest Americans should pay more tax – a significant increase from 62% six years ago, according to Morning Consult. What’s more, two-thirds back proposals to raise taxes on those earning more than $400,000.
A majority of likely voters (52%) now support impeaching Trump, including a majority of independents (55%).
George Santos was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Vaccine scientists and medical leaders announced they are launching “the Vaccine Integrity Project,” an initiative to react to vaccine misinformation and scientifically unfounded vaccine decisions by the U.S. government.
A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from gutting collective bargaining for most federal employees.
A website listing MAGA-friendly businesses (it’s called Public Square, in case you’re wondering) is backfiring as people are using it to find out who to boycott.
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez got raked over the coals at a town hall this week for her vote on the SAVE Act.
Kentucky's Supreme Court made history, swearing in Justice Pamela Goodwine — the first Black woman elected to serve on the commonwealth's high court.
In Washington, Governor Ferguson signed a bill into law that ensures people can access a one-year supply of birth control upon initial prescription.
In Tennessee the cruel Lamberth & Watson bill to kick undocumented kids out of schools is DEAD FOR THE YEAR, after huge pushback.
They’re turning the Freshkills landfill in Staten Island into a haven for pollinators! The Freshkills Park Alliance launched its 50,000 Violets Project, which aims to attract bees, monarch butterflies, and other pollinators to the purple fields, this week. Amazing!
Watch This! 👀
Look at what the attendees of the Key West, Florida April 19 event did. Beautiful! I think we should make this a thing at all of our protests.
[H/T subscriber Marilyn K.]
You are a light in this tunnel—and I am so grateful to you! Activism is hard, weary, nonstop work that’s expensive in more ways than dollars. To actually view the Good that had occurred is a catalyst to keep on keeping on. You do that! Standing ovation!!
This list is 🔥. I’m ALL in for the sea turtles 🐢 & I was literally bawling at the vid you ended with. Go Key West!! Lead the way. Thank you for being you, Jess 🫶🏻