Thursday, November 29, 2018

Huge news: Senate vote on Yemen, Saudi Arabia

Every Democratic and Independent senator, along with 14 Republican senators, voted the right way on Yemen.

Dear MoveOn member,

Huge news. 

Last night, the U.S. Senate voted to advance a bipartisan war powers resolution that would force the Trump administration to end U.S. military aid for the horrific Saudi-led war in Yemen.1

This stunning grassroots win is a rebuke of the Trump administration's increasingly alarming relationship with Saudi Arabia and its hawkish foreign policy posture. And it comes after the Trump administration's attempt to block the vote by sending Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis to have a private briefing with senators in the morning.

But the administration couldn't stop it.

A bipartisan group of senators—including every Democratic and Independent senator and 14 Republican senators—voted to discharge the resolution.2 This means that in the coming week, the Senate will be able, for the first time, to debate and vote on a check on Trump's war-making in Yemen and disrupt the U.S.'s unconscionable support of the Saudi regime after crucial grassroots pressure.

That's why it's critical MoveOn members send a message to Congress now—to keep up momentum in the Senate in advance of the upcoming debate and vote and to push for new House leadership to take up this fight in the new year. Please add your name to the petition calling for Congress to end U.S. support for the war in Yemen if you haven't yet.

The vote was 63-37 in favor of discharging the resolution and having a debate on the U.S. support of Saudi's war in Yemen.

That is a huge bipartisan rebuke of the Trump administration's ongoing policies supporting Saudi Arabia at all costs, despite allegations of war crimes in Yemen by the United Nations and the killing of Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. 

But the work isn't done.

The Senate could be debating and voting as early as next week to officially pass the War Powers Resolution. And then, the House will also need to vote in the coming months. Can you sign the petition to Congress to show your support for ending the inhumane war in Yemen? 

For nearly a year, MoveOn members have doggedly channeled widespread outrage about the nearly four-year Yemen war and mounting humanitarian crisis in the region that is leaving millions on the brink of famine. In just the past few months, MoveOn members have made over 6,000 calls to Congress and generated tens of thousands of signatures on petitions to hold Saudi Arabia accountable and end U.S. support for the war in Yemen.

In March, MoveOn led an action laying nearly 5,000 flowers on the Capitol Hill lawn to symbolize the number of children that have been killed in this man-made crisis so far. Recent reports show that number could be as high as 85,000 Yemeni children killed, making this rebuke of U.S. military involvement all the more important.3

Now, it's critical that MoveOn members act immediately to build on this historic victory to pressure the Senate and the House—especially as Democrats take the majority in January—to follow through on this vote and take action. Sign the petition to show your support.

This is historic. What's next?

The Senate overwhelmingly tackling the hurdle to discharge the Yemen War Powers Resolution is one clear step toward establishing a new global policy in the United States to keep the United States accountable for the powers we hold on the world stage.

For too long, our global policies have been based around the interests of weapons manufacturers, detrimental alliances with those who are committing human rights abuses, and xenophobia and anti-Muslim racism that scapegoats some of the most vulnerable communities in the country.

As Representative Ro Khanna points out, even the backlash on the Yemen War Powers Resolution in the House has been in part due to the defense industry fearing they will lose Saudi Arabia as a client. 

As strong bipartisan groups of senators and congresspeople act on reclaiming their war powers to rebuke Trump on Yemen, now is the time to work toward a truly progressive global policy.

A policy that prioritizes people, not corporate profits.

A policy that is focused on diplomacy, not war.

A policy focused on humanitarian relief, not weapons sales to countries with horrific human rights abuses.

A policy focused on the freedom of mobilization for those seeking asylum and safety, not racist bans or border walls.

A policy focused on world cooperation and working toward global solutions to global problems like climate change, not isolationism.

A policy focused on reallocating the bloated Pentagon budget toward domestic needs like health care or free college, not wasting trillions more on endless wars.4

As Democrats take the House in January and we push our values into the center of the political discussion through 2020 and beyond, there is an opportunity in the next two years to set up what this progressive foreign policy looks like.

In the immediate future, this includes making sure the House and Senate pass a Yemen war powers resolution, with a debate and vote happening as early as next week in the Senate. This would be the first time Congress would be reclaiming their war powers and categorically putting an end to the U.S. military involvement in the inhumane attacks in Yemen. 

For now, can you co-sign your support for ending U.S. military involvement in Yemen and make sure Congress acts?

Every single MoveOn member, like yourself, has a role to play in the historic shift that is possible. 

Thanks for all you do.

–Iram, Robert, Michael, Kate, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Senate advances Yemen resolution in rebuke to Trump," The Hill, November 28, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/61365?t=21&akid=221149%2E10220574%2EYIi96m

2. "Roll Call Vote 115th Congress - 2nd Session,"  United States Senate, November 28, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/61367?t=23&akid=221149%2E10220574%2EYIi96m

3. "85,000 Children in Yemen May Have Died of Starvation," The New York Times, November 21, 2018 
https://act.moveon.org/go/61347?t=25&akid=221149%2E10220574%2EYIi96m

4. "U.S. has spent six trillion dollars on wars that killed half a million people since 9/11, report says," Newsweek, November, 14, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/61368?t=27&akid=221149%2E10220574%2EYIi96m

Want to support our work to build a progressive foreign policy? For too long, our global policies have been based around the interests of weapons manufacturers, detrimental alliances with those who are committing human rights abuses, and xenophobia and anti-Muslim racism that scapegoats some of the most vulnerable communities in the country. Now, we have a chance to start changing that. Will you stand with us and start a weekly contribution today?

Yes, I'll chip in $3 a week.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a weekly donation.

Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on November 29, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Help victims of the Camp Fire this Giving Tuesday

Tens of thousands of people are homeless after the deadliest, most destructive wildfire in California's history.

Dear MoveOn member,

Tens of thousands of people are homeless after the deadliest, most destructive wildfire in California's history.1

The horrific Camp Fire destroyed the town of Paradise and ravaged an area the size of Chicago.2

Even people who did not lose their homes can't go back because the debris and ash surrounding their neighborhoods is toxic.3

Many victims of the fire are camping in parking lots in below freezing temperatures or are at makeshift shelters.4

The situation is harrowing, and the needs are tremendous. And that's why, on this Giving Tuesday, we're raising relief funds for the North Valley Community Foundation, which is on the front lines helping families displaced by the fire and will eventually help the community rebuild.

Can you make a tax-deductible donation now to the North Valley Community Foundation to help victims of the horrific Camp Fire? 100% of your donation will go to the foundation's emergency response and long-term recovery efforts.

At least 52,000 people have been displaced by the fire. Hotels are at capacity, church and superstore parking lots have become tent cities, and disease is spreading at numerous makeshift shelters in what now looks like an outbreak of norovirus, a highly contagious infection that most impacts children.5

And now that the fire has finally been contained, the death toll—currently 85 people—is expected to rise, as first responders search for survivors and human remains.6

On this Giving Tuesday, can you rush an emergency, tax-deductible donation to support the Northern Valley Community Foundation's relief and rebuilding efforts?

In recent years, MoveOn members have come together to chip in millions of dollars to provide much-needed assistance to victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, residents in Flint during the water crisis, and immigrant families being separated on the border.

Our donations cannot wipe away the tragedy, but together we can ease the burden of those who are suffering and those who are working around the clock to help them.

The Northern Valley Community Foundation's focus is two-fold:

  • Provide temporary shelter, food, and basic services to the people that have been displaced and are currently in shelters or sleeping in tents. This includes funds for portable toilets, portable showers, blankets, energy and water costs—and so much more.
  • Begin to map out and fund long-term recovery efforts, with an emphasis on creating after-school programs for kids, helping to rebuild schools, and providing longer term housing for people as they rebuild.

Eddie, on this Giving Tuesday, will you make a tax-deductible gift to support the Northern Valley Community Foundation's relief and rebuilding efforts? Click here now.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Chris, Zachary, Anne, and the rest of the team

Sources: 

1. "The deadliest, most destructive wildfire in California's history has finally been contained," The Washington Post, November 26, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/61340?t=5&akid=221049%2E10220574%2EA6pW0C

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. "With illness in shelters and hotels at capacity, wildfire evacuees desperately seek refuge," The Washington Post, November 19, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/61341?t=7&akid=221049%2E10220574%2EA6pW0C

6. "The deadliest, most destructive wildfire in California's history has finally been contained," The Washington Post, November 26, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/61340?t=9&akid=221049%2E10220574%2EA6pW0C

Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?

Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.

Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on November 27th, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Monday, November 26, 2018

Add your name: Don't allow troops to use deadly force against asylum seekers

Will you sign the petition demanding that U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis reject this illegal authorization?

Dear MoveOn member,

Tell Sec. Mattis to make clear that U.S. troops cannot use any force against people seeking asylum. Period. Bring the troops home immediately.

This weekend, border officials attacked people seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border—including children and toddlers—with tear gas.1 This comes just after the Trump administration issued an order authorizing troops at the border to use deadly force against families.2

This is not only alarmingly dangerous, it violates the critical law that keeps the military completely separate from domestic law enforcement. Will you sign the petition demanding that U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis reject this illegal authorization of violence?

Sign the petition to reject the White House's illegal order authorizing troops to hurt or kill those simply seeking safety and asylum at the border. 

This is one of the most horrific things the Trump administration has ever done. Active-duty troops authorized to shoot people seeking refuge at the southern border not only terrorizes migrant families, it erodes our rule of law and makes service members political pawns. This is not just terrifying; it's illegal, and we cannot allow it to happen.

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Thank you.

–Stephen Miles, Win Without War

Sources:

1. "'They Started Running': Photograph of Children in Diapers Fleeing Tear Gas at the Border Sparks Anger," The New York Times, November 26, 2018
 
2. "White House approves use of force, some law enforcement roles for border troops," Military Times, November 21, 2018

Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your support, now more than ever. Will you stand with MoveOn?

Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.

Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on November 27, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Trump is FREAKING OUT

We're living through a slow-motion Saturday Night Massacre. Jeff Sessions recused himself from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, so Donald Trump fired him.

Dear fellow MoveOn member,

We're living through a slow-motion Saturday Night Massacre.

Jeff Sessions recused himself from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, so Donald Trump fired him.

Assistant Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was next in line to replace Sessions, but Trump didn't think he'd shut down the Mueller investigation, either.

So, instead, Trump installed as acting attorney general an unqualified lackey named Matt Whitaker, who has already said on CNN how he would go about ending the Mueller investigation—by starving it of funds. Whitaker is well-known in the Justice Department as a "White House spy," who will feed information about the investigation directly to Trump.1 (Let's be clear: Not only is Whitaker a Trump loyalist opposed to the probe, he also has his own record of shady business dealings and a history of attacking the values of non-Christian Americans.)

Congress must act now to protect the rule of law by passing bipartisan legislation to protect the Mueller investigation during the lame-duck session of Congress. And then, when Democrats take over the House in January, they need to begin oversight hearings immediately.

Will you chip in $3 a week to help MoveOn mobilize the grassroots pressure we need to stop Whitaker and protect Mueller? 

Yes, I believe that no one is above the law, including the president. I'm ready to chip in weekly to fight back!

No, I'm sorry, I can't chip in weekly.

Putting a stooge like Whitaker in charge of the Justice Department is shocking even by Trump standards. Whitaker tweeted out an article referring to the Mueller investigation as a "lynch mob."2 He's linked to a firm that scammed veterans out of their life savings.3 And the Justice Department won't even release his financial disclosure forms.4

But now that Trump has installed his lackey as acting attorney general, the next step is obvious: Trump will either order Whitaker to fire Mueller or simply allow Whitaker to implement his own plan of defunding the Mueller probe.

Either way, the very integrity of our democracy and rule of law are at stake.

That's why the American people are rising up against this grotesque abuse of power. MoveOn has a sharp campaign plan to keep the pressure on, including:

  • A media-grabbing "Guilty Pleas-ures" ice cream truck handing out free ice cream, with flavors like "Cocoa Conspirator" and "IndictMint Chip," and sharing real facts about the impact of the Russia probe. Everywhere it goes, the ice cream truck gets great press, and MoveOn has decided to keep it going (next week, the truck will be right outside the Watergate building in Washington, D.C.).
  • Organizing extended protests in Washington, D.C. and around the country, following up on the more than 1,000 events that MoveOn members pulled off in the days after the Sessions firing. 
  • Flooding Congress with calls to make sure Republicans know that they will be held accountable for Trump's abuses and to remind Democrats that their constituents expect them to fight.
  • Producing a raft of new shareable videos to explain in clear terms that people can understand what's at stake and why Trump's actions are so dangerous.

So much of this resistance is tied to the work that MoveOn members have been fueling for the past two years—and relies on MoveOn's continued investment, leadership, and mobilization.

MoveOn has proven time and again that its tactics are effective, but after a knock-down, drag-out midterm election, MoveOn needs our help to sustain this long-term fight.

Can you chip in $3 a week to help build and sustain the next stage of MoveOn's grassroots resistance?

Yes, I'll chip in weekly to power MoveOn's critical work to hold Trump accountable!

No, I'm sorry, I can't chip in weekly.

Legal experts from both political parties say that Whitaker's appointment is illegal, and Democrats have filed a lawsuit to stop it.5 Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has threatened to add the Mueller protection bill to must-pass spending legislation to prevent a government shutdown.6

The reason that Democrats in Congress are standing strong is because they've heard our voices. Within hours of Trump firing Sessions, MoveOn members organized more than 1,000 rallies all over the country, which were attended by more than 100,000 people.

MoveOn members are ready to hit the streets again—and, in the meantime, have been hitting the phones, protesting at local events, getting TV coverage, and flooding social media every step of the way to defend the investigation and demand real accountability for Trump and the truth about Russia. It's now just as critical that MoveOn help protect Mueller's work, push Democrats in the House to use every tool at their disposal to hold Trump accountable, and force Whitaker to recuse—or, even better, have him removed from his unconstitutionally-appointed position.

We must keep up the pressure. This is perhaps the greatest threat to our democracy and rule of law that we've seen in a generation, and we need to demand that Republicans join Democrats in passing legislation to protect the Mueller investigation during the lame-duck session of Congress, and then make sure that Democrats begin investigations when they take over the House in January.

Will you chip in $3 a week so that MoveOn can answer this constitutional crisis with the intensity of public outrage that this moment demands?

Yes, I'll chip in weekly to fight back against Trump's constitutional crisis!

No, I'm sorry, I can't chip in weekly.

Thanks for all you do.

–Robert Reich

Sources:

1. "Schumer calls for investigation of Whitaker's contacts with White House," The Hill, November 20, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/61289?t=8&akid=220934%2E10220574%2Ey-Y2ZQ

2. "What Sessions's Resignation Means for Robert Mueller," The Atlantic, November 7, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/61284?t=10&akid=220934%2E10220574%2Ey-Y2ZQ

3. "The many scandals of Trump's new acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker, explained," Vox, November 14, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/61285?t=12&akid=220934%2E10220574%2Ey-Y2ZQ

4. "Failure to turn over Whitaker's public financial disclosure forms angers critics," CNN, November 19, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/61286?t=14&akid=220934%2E10220574%2Ey-Y2ZQ

5. "Senate Democrats are suing to try to stop Matthew Whitaker from serving as acting attorney general," Vox, November 19, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/61287?t=16&akid=220934%2E10220574%2Ey-Y2ZQ

6. "Charles Schumer says Democrats might tie spending bill to Mueller protection," USA Today, November 11, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/61288?t=18&akid=220934%2E10220574%2Ey-Y2ZQ

Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on November 25th, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

What's happening in Inwood?

Use MoveOn's free digital tools to launch a petition and make your voice heard.

Dear Eddie,

In 2018, it's easy to feel powerless. Our leaders are attacking our rights—and in some cases, our lives. They want us to feel depressed and defeated, to throw in the towel and let them steamroll everything we hold dear about this country.

But, Eddie, we don't have to let them.

All over America, we're seeing how much change is possible when we rise up and fight back. Waves of women are running for office. Kids are walking out of their schools to protest gun violence, and professional athletes are taking a knee to protest systemic racism. Last October, I took up Tarana Burke's call as part of the #MeToo movement and asked women who've been sexually harassed or assaulted to say, "Me, too." The public response and continued engagement from inspiring survivors has changed the course of history.

Today, I'm asking you to be a part of this moment by starting your very own MoveOn petition. You have the power to make a change in your community and in this country—but only if you raise your voice.

The MoveOn petition tool is a wonderful resource to help you to speak out, organize, and win. Maybe you want to fight to save arts education in your school district or to ask your local police force to wear body cameras to curb systemic violence directed at communities of color. Maybe you want to organize to stop a bill in your state legislature that would make it easier to buy a gun or harder to access reproductive health care. Or maybe you're thinking really big today, and you're ready to spark a nationwide movement about an issue that matters deeply to you.

Eddie, there's no telling what kind of change you can make until you speak out and try. I know that better than anyone as a survivor of sexual assault and as an active member of the community. And the good news is, you're not alone. MoveOn has advice and resources to help you every step of the way, and the incredible community of millions of MoveOn members can rally together to make change happen. You've done it before—and frankly, with everything happening in the world today, we've never needed you more.

This is the moment to speak out, fight back, and make change—and, Eddie, it starts with you.

Will you take five minutes right now to start your very own MoveOn petition?

You'll never know just how much you can accomplish until you try.

Thanks for all you do.

–Alyssa Milano

Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your support, now more than ever. Will you stand with MoveOn?

Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.

Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on November 20, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Monday, November 19, 2018

TOMORROW: Take action to fight climate change

You're invited!
Green New Deal National Day Of Action
WHEN Tuesday, November 20
WHERE Hundreds of locations across the country
Join the Sunrise Movement and people across the country as we demand a #GreenNewDeal to confront climate change.
Yes! I'll be there!

Enough is enough! The massive devastation in California is only the latest reminder that we can waste no time in confronting climate change. Thousands of people are displaced, and communities are grieving. We need action now. That's why MoveOn members are joining the Sunrise Movement all across the country to demand that the next Congress tackle climate change—and to call for a special committee to plan a #GreenNewDeal.

Yes! I'll be there!
Click here to find an event near you

By choosing to attend this event, you are committing to participate nonviolently and in accordance with the law, to work to de-escalate confrontations with others, and to behave lawfully to ensure the safety of event participants. You also acknowledge that you are solely responsible for any injury or damage to your person or property resulting from or occurring during this event and that you release all event sponsors and organizers (and their officers, directors, employees, and agents) from any liability for that injury or damage.


Saturday, November 17, 2018

FW: Can we send you a **FREE** "Blue Wave 2020" sticker? (last chance!)

Hi Eddie—I wanted to give you one last chance to order your free "Blue Wave 2020" sticker before we run out. 

Hi Eddie—I wanted to give you one last chance to order your free "Blue Wave 2020" sticker before we run out. 

Just click here to order one, and read on for more information!


Dear MoveOn member,

The past two years of hard work have really paid off: On election night—propelled by grassroots volunteers from coast to coast—we ended Republican control of Congress with the biggest blue midterm wave since the Watergate era!

The Democratic lead in the U.S. House continues to grow—and could swell to as many as 40 seats. Many of the newly-elected representatives reflect the communities they will serve and are champions for a progressive vision of our country's future.

And if you thought the progressive people power was going to stop fighting after Election Day, think again. Last week, just 48 hours after this historic election and 24 hours after Donald Trump fired Jeff Sessions and installed a loyalist to oversee Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, more than 100,000 people flooded the streets to declare that no one is above the law.

Our feet may be tired from marching and canvassing, but millions of us are deeply committed—and reinvigorated by this huge electoral win—to continue working to turn the tide for our country.

To celebrate our victory, we've printed up a batch of "Blue Wave 2020" stickers, and we want to send you one for free. Want one?

Just click here to order your free "Blue Wave 2020" sticker—while supplies last—and celebrate this historic moment with us!

We didn't just end Republican control of the House, we elected incredible, history-making progressive candidates, including Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, the first Muslim women ever elected to Congress; Deb Haaland and Sharice Davis, the first Native women in Congress; and Ayanna Pressley and Jahana Hayes, the first Black women ever elected to Congress from New England. These women and other progressive champions in the new Congress will protect our health care, defend our rights, and hold Trump accountable.

But this is only the beginning. Last week, we took back power in the House. Next time, we will take back the Senate and the White House!

We want to celebrate this historic victory with you.

Just click here to order your free "Blue Wave 2020" sticker to celebrate this historic moment!

We now have more levers than ever in our collective fight against Trump's worst attacks on immigrants, Muslims, women, people of color, and so many other groups. And, for the first time in Trump's presidency, we have a firewall in Washington, D.C., that can put a stop to Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and give more tax breaks to billionaires.

Of course, there is so much more to do. One hundred women in the House is an amazing milestone, but it is not enough. Congress should mirror the people of America. We will have to fight a reactionary Senate that lurched further rightward. We have so much work to do at the state and local levels. And we will have to gear up for the fight of our lives in 2020.

But, no matter the challenges ahead, make no mistake: This midterm election is a HUGE VICTORY.

Click here to order your free sticker now—only while supplies last—and celebrate this historic moment with us.

Thanks for all you do.

–Kelly, Adam, Stephanie, Maria, and the rest of the team

Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?

Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on November 17th, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Call now: Bipartisan vote to protect Mueller investigation!

Call your senators before they vote today on protecting the Mueller investigation.
Dear MoveOn member,

Breaking news: A bipartisan group of senators will head to the Senate floor today to demand passage of legislation to protect Robert Mueller's independent investigation from Donald Trump's interference. Democrats and Republicans have already passed this bill through committee and will try to force a full Senate vote today.

Can you call your senators right now to ask them to vote yes on S.2644, the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act, to protect the Mueller investigation from Trump, his crony newly placed in the Justice Department, and any other interference?

Here's where to call: 

  • Sen. Schumer - (202) 224-6542
  • Sen. Gillibrand - (202) 224-4451

You can say: All senators must vote yes on S.2644, the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act, to protect the Muller investigation.

Then click here to report how the call went.

This is a fast-moving story.

One week ago, as America was waking up to a blue wave that elected a progressive slate of Democrats into Congress and ended Republican control of Washington, Donald Trump wasted no time installing acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker at the Justice Department. Whitaker will almost certainly act to undermine Robert Mueller's independent investigation.

MoveOn members, in turn, wasted no time in responding, and that night, crowds of Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life stood up to declare, "Nobody is above the law."

From massive turnout that filled city blocks in New York (you've got to see the aerial photo included below), to crowds in Sarasota, Charlottesville, Denver, Bellingham, and on and on and on. And the signs! Let's just say that you all are a creative bunch :)! More than 100,000 people and hundreds of events to demand that the new acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker recuse himself and that Congress act to defend the independent Mueller probe from Donald Trump.

To get a sense of the scale of these protests, just watch this short video someone posted on Twitter from above Times Square—and make sure to have the volume turned on so you can chant along, "One-two-three-four // Nobody's above the law!"

nyc aerial view

The crowds were so immediate, so national, so resounding that even the White House is reportedly taken aback by how vocally their move to quash the investigation is being rejected, suggesting Whitaker's role running the Department of Justice may be short-lived.1 And Senator Jeff Flake announced that he and Senator Chris Coons would force a roll-call vote on the "protect Mueller bill" when the Senate reconvenes.2 Donald Trump floated a trial balloon for authoritarianism, and we just popped it. Our actions are playing a critical role in shaping the response to this power grab.

Senators Booker, Coons, and Flake are pushing for the Senate to take action today! Can you make a call?

Here's where to call:

  • Sen. Schumer - (202) 224-6542
  • Sen. Gillibrand - (202) 224-4451

Then click here to report how the call went.

Donald Trump thought he could catch us when we had no energy left to march against his power grab after we had just marched to the polls. But he was wrong. And the fact that so many members of Congress were home for the election meant that many events featured speakers who have the power to hold Trump accountable, such as Representative Elijah Cummings, who spoke to a crowd of 800 in Baltimore, Representative Pramila Jayapal in Seattle, or Senator Michael Bennet in Denver.

This was the culmination of one action but just one step in another, longer march toward justice and freedom. Whitaker could meet our demand tomorrow, or he could attempt to fire Mueller today. Mueller's findings of criminality could come out, or Trump could suppress them. This month, Congress could act to defend Mueller—or in January, a new Democratic chair of the Judiciary or Intelligence committees could bring incredible focus to finally getting at the truth.
 
We will keep pushing. If Trump crosses another red line—firing Mueller or pardoning one of the key people of interest including, potentially, his own son—we'll likely take to the streets again. In the meantime, we're taking to the phones, the airwaves, and social media to push Republicans to finally stand up to Trump, as well as to push Democrats to hold true to their promises of protecting and furthering investigations.
 
Please. Take five minutes and make your calls right now. MoveOn members will keep the pressure on Trump and Whitaker, but we must also pressure Congress to act responsibly in the face of this constitutional crisis.

Here's where to call: 

  • Sen. Schumer - (202) 224-6542
  • Sen. Gillibrand - (202) 224-4451

You can say: All senators must vote yes on S.2644, the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act, to protect the Muller investigation.

Then click here to report how the call went.

Thanks for all you do.

—David, Maria, Ryan, Kate, and the rest of the team

 
P.S. Today, we're launching a much-anticipated tactic: GUILTY PLEAS-URES, D.C.'s first investigation-themed ice cream and dessert truck. This MoveOn member-funded project is meant to be an attention-grabbing, media-friendly, social media-attractive, and delicious way to break through the Trump noise and remind folks how impactful the Mueller investigation has been. For the next few weeks, it will will be touring Washington, D.C., scooping out free ice cream while serving up the truth about how many guilty pleas, guilty verdicts, and indictments have already come from Mueller's work.

Here's an image of the truck—and follow it on Twitter @GuiltyPleas_urs if you want to see it making its mark in D.C.
ice cream truck
 
Sources:
 
1. "Whitaker announcement prompts concerns at the White House," CNN, November 8, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/57570?t=13&akid=220388%2E10220574%2ENqI-6L
 
2. "Flake, Coons push for vote on Mueller protection bill," Politico, November 8, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/57571?t=15&akid=220388%2E10220574%2ENqI-6L
 
3. "Trump signs a 90-day asylum ban for border crossers," VOX, November 9, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/57572?t=17&akid=220388%2E10220574%2ENqI-6L
 

Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your support, now more than ever. Will you stand with MoveOn?

Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.

Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on November 14, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Can we send you a **FREE** "Blue Wave 2020" sticker?

The past two years of hard work have really paid off: We ended Republican control of Congress with an even bigger win than we originally thought on Election Night—the biggest since Watergate!

Dear MoveOn member,

The past two years of hard work have really paid off: On election night—propelled by grassroots volunteers from coast to coast—we ended Republican control of Congress with the biggest blue midterm wave since the Watergate era!

The Democratic lead in the U.S. House continues to grow—and could swell to as many as 40 seats. Many of the newly-elected representatives reflect the communities they will serve and are champions for a progressive vision of our country's future.

And if you thought the progressive people power was going to stop fighting after Election Day, think again. Last Thursday night, just 48 hours after this historic election and 24 hours after Donald Trump fired Jeff Sessions and installed a loyalist to oversee Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, more than 100,000 people flooded the streets to declare that no one is above the law.

Our feet may be tired from marching and canvassing, but millions of us are deeply committed—and reinvigorated by this huge electoral win—to continue working to turn the tide for our country.

To celebrate our victory, we've printed up a batch of "Blue Wave 2020" stickers, and we want to send you one for free. Want one?

Just click here to order your free "Blue Wave 2020" sticker—while supplies last—and celebrate this historic moment with us!

We didn't just end Republican control of the House, we elected incredible, history-making progressive candidates, including Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, the first Muslim women ever elected to Congress; Deb Haaland and Sharice Davis, the first Native women in Congress; and Ayanna Pressley and Jahana Hayes, the first Black women ever elected to Congress from New England. These women and other progressive champions in the new Congress will protect our health care, defend our rights, and hold Trump accountable.

But this is only the beginning. Last week, we took back power in the House. Next time, we will take back the Senate and the White House!

We want to celebrate this historic victory with you.

Just click here to order your free "Blue Wave 2020" sticker to celebrate this historic moment!

We now have more levers than ever in our collective fight against Trump's worst attacks on immigrants, Muslims, women, people of color, and so many other groups. And, for the first time in Trump's presidency, we have a firewall in Washington, D.C., that can put a stop to Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and give more tax breaks to billionaires.

Of course, there is so much more to do. One hundred women in the House is an amazing milestone, but it is not enough. Congress should mirror the people of America. We will have to fight a reactionary Senate that lurched further rightward. We have so much work to do at the state and local levels. And we will have to gear up for the fight of our lives in 2020.

But, no matter the challenges ahead, make no mistake: This midterm election is a HUGE VICTORY.

Click here to order your free sticker now—only while supplies last—and celebrate this historic moment with us.

Thanks for all you do.

–Kelly, Adam, Stephanie, Maria, and the rest of the team

Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?

Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on November 14th, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Thursday, November 8, 2018

We are in a constitutional crisis

This is it: Donald Trump has just thrown our country into a full-blown constitutional crisis. Yesterday, Trump forced Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign. Then, he replaced Sessions with rabid loyalist Matthew Whitaker.

Dear MoveOn member,

This is it: Donald Trump has just thrown our country into a full-blown constitutional crisis.

Yesterday, Trump forced Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign. Then, he replaced Sessions with rabid loyalist Matthew Whitaker—who has made it clear in the past that his intention is to shut down Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian collusion in the 2016 elections.

Whitaker, a Trump loyalist, is now poised to be Robert Mueller's direct supervisor.

Let's be very clear: This is a constitutional crisis. Trump is desperate to shut down Robert Mueller's investigation, because he is afraid of what Mueller has uncovered and how many of Trump's closest cronies and even family members may be caught up in the probe—at the very moment that Democrats have regained control of the House and can now bolster Mueller's efforts with their own investigations.

MoveOn has been preparing for this day for months. After Tuesday's election, many of us are bone tired. And we're running on fumes.

But once again, Donald Trump has underestimated the grit and heart of the Resistance—and of MoveOn members like you.

Our resistance was there the night after Trump was elected, holding candlelight vigils organized by MoveOn.

We were there at the Women's March, filling the streets in Washington, D.C., and across the country, just one day after Trump was sworn in.

More than 100,000 of us were there tonight, at hundreds and hundreds of events across America, demanding Whitaker recuse himself, pressuring Congress to take action, and declaring that nobody is above the law.

And we will be there for as long as it takes.

Will you chip in $3 a week and help us respond to Trump's all-out war on our democracy? (MoveOn will bill your weekly donation once a month starting today. You can modify or cancel your weekly donation at any time.)

Yes, I'll chip in weekly to fight back against Trump's all-out war on our democracy—and win.

No, I'm sorry, I can't chip in weekly.

More than 100,000 MoveOn members and Americans of all walks of life are taking to the streets tonight in hundreds of rapid-response events around the country, which MoveOn and allies have spent months preparing for. This is a huge first moment to show the national outrage in ways that will impact media coverage and push members of Congress of both parties to act quickly and decisively in defense of our democracy.

But these events are only the first step. We have the pieces in place, but we need support to supercharge this work, meet the surge in activism, continue our post-midterm advocacy, and confront this fundamental challenge to our Constitution.

Will you chip in $3 a week and help MoveOn respond to Trump's unrelenting attacks on our democracy? (MoveOn will bill your weekly donation once a month starting today. You can modify or cancel your weekly donation at any time.)

Yes, I believe that no one is above the law, including the president. I'm ready to chip in weekly to fight back!

No, I'm sorry, I can't chip in weekly.

MoveOn members have been on the front lines preparing for this moment. Here is what we have planned:

  • Emergency rallies tonight. Hundreds and hundreds of events have been taking place across the country, with more than 100,000 concerned citizens standing up and saying that no one is above the law. And we are demanding that our elected officials respond immediately to stop Trump now. 
  • Calling on Congress to investigate Trump for impeachable offenses. Even some Republicans have said that interfering with the Mueller investigation would be an impeachable offense, and it is time they put their money where their mouth is. MoveOn first called for impeachment in 2017, and now we are dramatically expanding that work, engaging allies to join the fight, and pushing thousands of calls to Congress calling for impeachment proceedings to be initiated.
  • Working to immediately pass bipartisan legislation to protect Robert Mueller and the investigation. Legislation has been introduced in both the Senate and the House, but no votes are planned to actually pass it. We cannot wait. We are driving calls to Congress, promoting petitions, and planning events to demand a vote immediately. Some Republicans are even saying they'll join Democrats in demanding action on this legislation before the end of the year, and we need to build off of that momentum.
  • Preparing the next phase of actions. Tonight's rallies are only the beginning. The crisis we are in may last for months or more, which means we need to build a sustained and organized response that overwhelms the misinformation and lies from Trump and his cronies. That includes making this crisis a critical part of the incoming Democratically-controlled House agenda. 

This is a huge undertaking, and we need your help to make it happen. Will you chip in $3 a week? (MoveOn will bill your weekly donation once a month starting today. You can modify or cancel your weekly donation at any time.)

Yes, I'll chip in weekly and help with this enormous undertaking.

No, I'm sorry, I can't chip in weekly.

Back in March, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that if Trump fired Mueller or interfered with the investigation, it would be "the beginning of the end of his presidency."1

Trump essentially just pulled that trigger, and it is our responsibility to make sure that Lindsey Graham's prediction comes true. It's up to all of us to rise to the occasion. After all, our democracy is on the line.

Will you become a weekly donor today? (MoveOn will bill your weekly donation once a month starting today. You can modify or cancel your weekly donation at any time.)

Yes, I'll chip in $3 a week.

No, I'm sorry, I can't chip in weekly.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Kelly, Mark, Karthik, and the rest of the team

Source: 

1. "Graham: Trump firing Mueller would be 'the beginning of the end of his presidency,'" CNN, March 18, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/37921?t=10&akid=220152%2E10220574%2Eqsz_co

How do MoveOn weekly donations work? If you sign up to make a weekly donation through MoveOn, your weekly contribution will be billed once per month to your credit card, today and on the same day of every month going forward. To determine your monthly contribution amount, we will multiply the weekly amount of your donation by 4.34—the average number of weeks per month. You can cancel, modify, or request a full or partial refund of your recurring donation at any time.

Want to support make a one-time donation instead?

Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.

Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on November 9th, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Sign the petition re: Mueller

Add your name: We the people ask Congress to do everything in its power to ensure that Mueller cannot be fired or removed and that the investigation will continue regardless of Trump's attempts to stop it.

Dear fellow MoveOn member,

With the latest firing of the attorney general it's imperative that Congress do everything in its power to ensure that Mueller cannot be fired or removed and that the investigation will continue regardless of Trump's attempts to stop it.

Demand that Congress to do everything in its power to ensure that Mueller cannot be fired or removed and that the investigation will continue regardless of Trump's attempts to stop it.

Donald Trump is closer than ever to firing Robert Mueller and ending the Trump-Russia investigation.

Trump attacked Jeff Sessions repeatedly and forced him to resign as attorney general.

Trump put a loyalist, Matthew Whitaker, in charge of the Justice Department and oversight of Mueller's work.1

Trump has attacked the Department of Justice and the FBI a number of times.

We need to make sure Trump can't fire Mueller and derail the investigation. The American people deserve the truth.

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Thank you.

–Jane Dewing

Source:

1. "In Matthew Whitaker, Trump has a loyalist at the helm of the Justice Department,"
The Washington Post, November 7, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/57541?t=9&akid=220114%2E10220574%2E7iSuh8

You're receiving this petition because we thought it might interest you. It was created on MoveOn.org, where anyone can start their own online petitions. You can start your own petition here.

Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your support, now more than ever. Will you stand with MoveOn?

Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.

Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on November 8, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

URGENT: Trump crossed a red line. Rally on Thursday!

Join an emergency "Nobody Is Above The Law" rapid response rally.

Dear Friend,

Earlier today, Donald Trump installed a crony to oversee special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, crossing a red line in a brazen attempt to obstruct Mueller's work.1 

By replacing Rod Rosenstein with just-named Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker as Mueller's boss overseeing the investigation, Trump has undercut the independence of the investigation. Whitaker has publicly outlined strategies to stifle the investigation, referred to Mueller's team as a "lynch mob," and cannot be allowed to remain in charge of it.This amounts to a direct assault on the independent Mueller probe which has already produced dozens of indictments, guilty pleas, and guilty verdicts.

That's why MoveOn and our allies are organizing emergency "Nobody Is Above the Law" rallies at 5 p.m. local time on Thursday, November 8. There are hundreds events scheduled across the country!

Can you attend a rapid-response rally?

There are hundreds events nationwide. Click here to find and attend an urgent event near you!

(Please note that most events are at 5 p.m. local time, but in some cases local hosts may change the time. Find an event and RSVP to get the most up-to-date information on what to expect at the event.)

Rosenstein named Mueller as special counsel to get to the bottom of the Russian meddling in the 2016 election—and any ensuing effort to cover it up. This scope covers conflicts of interest within the Trump campaign, as well as possibly including Trump's own finances.

By replacing Rosenstein as Mueller's boss with Whitaker, Trump has enacted a plan he's mused about publicly to prevent the investigation from proceeding freely—he's triggered a full-fledged Constitutional crisis, asserting that he is above the law.3 The next few hours will determine whether he is proved right.

Congress has the constitutional authority and obligation to hold Trump accountable for this abuse of power. But we've seen the Republican Congress give Trump pass after pass every time he crosses another line.

If this isn't the moment they put country over party to hold Trump accountable, it's not clear whether it will ever happen. Let's show our lawmakers that we won't stand by while they allow Donald Trump to slide the U.S. into authoritarianism.

Join thousands across the country at an urgent protest at 5 p.m. tomorrow Thursday, November 8, demanding immediate action to hold Trump accountable and protect the Mueller investigation. Click here to find an event near you and to confirm the timing and details of your event!!

When Richard Nixon fired Archibald Cox from the Watergate investigation, it became a tipping-point moment for lawmakers in his own party to finally decide that they had to act or risk forfeiting our democracy. It's up to us to make Trump's appointment of Whitaker into the moment when our lawmakers finally wake up and prevent Trump from putting himself above the law.

Thanks for all you do.

–David, Milan, Mark, Anna, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "DOJ: Acting AG to take over oversight of Russia probe," The Hill, November 7, 2018 
 
2. "Matthew Whitaker, a Trump Loyalist, Is Seen as Ascendant Amid Rosenstein Chaos," The New York Times, September 28, 2018
 
3. "Trump may realize that firing Mueller would be bad, but firing Rosenstein might be worse," The Baltimore Sun, April 11, 2018

Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your support, now more than ever. Will you stand with MoveOn?

Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.

Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on November 8, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Can we send you a FREE "Blue Wave 2020" sticker?

To celebrate last night's historic victory, we've printed up a batch of Blue Wave 2020 stickers and we want to send you one for free. Want one?

Dear MoveOn member,

Last night, the past two years of hard work finally paid off: We ended Republican control of Congress and put up a real firewall to stop Donald Trump's agenda. To celebrate, we've printed up a batch of Blue Wave 2020 stickers, and we want to send you one for free. Want one?

Just click here to order your free Blue Wave 2020 sticker—while supplies last—and celebrate this historic moment with us!

Last night, we didn't just end Republican control of the House. We also elected incredible, history-making progressive candidates like Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, the first Muslim women ever elected to Congress; Deb Haaland and Sharice Davis, the first Native women in Congress; and Ayanna Pressley and Jahana Hayes, the first Black women ever elected to Congress in New England. These women and other progressive champions in the new Congress will protect our health care, defend our rights, and hold Trump accountable.

And that is only the beginning. Last night we took back power in the House. Next time, we will take back the Senate and the White House!

We want to celebrate last night's victory with you, Eddie.

Just click here to order your free Blue Wave 2020 sticker to celebrate this historic moment!

Thanks to our hard work together, we have more support than ever in our collective fight against Trump's worst attacks on immigrants, Muslims, women, people of color, and so many other groups. And, for the first time in Trump's presidency, we have a firewall in the government that can put a stop to Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and give more tax breaks to billionaires.

Of course, there is so much more to do. 100 female representatives is an amazing milestone. But it is not enough. Our Congress should mirror the people of America. We will have to fight a reactionary Senate that lurched further rightward. We have so much work to do at the state and local level. And we will have to gear up for the fight of our lives in 2020.

But, no matter the challenges ahead, make no mistake: This is a HUGE VICTORY. And it's time to celebrate! Will you join us?

Click here to order your free sticker now, only while supplies last—and celebrate this historic moment with us.

Thanks for all you do.

–Kelly, Adam, Stephanie, Maria, and the rest of the team

Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?

Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on November 7th, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.