Tuesday Actions: Impeachment, Clean Water, Teacher Pay, and More

****Actions 11/19/2019****

FEDERAL:

Hold Tillis Accountable on Foreign Intervention in Our Elections:
Tillis still seems content to defend Trump when it comes to accepting foreign interference in our elections. We’ve called several times to push for a statement, and so far, despite overwhelming evidence that Trump sought to extort political favors from Ukraine, Tillis is standing by his man. Yeah, he’s afraid of losing a primary, but he should be putting our democracy over his political career.

Script:
Hello, my name is _____________ and I am a constituent from ____________. I want to know if Sen. Tillis still thinks it’s appropriate that Trump sought to extort political favors from Ukraine by withholding military aid. Has Sen. Tillis issued a new statement on this? Does he think it’s appropriate to withhold military aid and to put the safety and sovereignty of Ukranian citizens at risk?

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342


Tweet:
.@SenThomTillis thinks it's okay for the President to withhold military aid in exchange for interference in our 2020 elections. @SenThomTillis time and time again you choose your failing party over country and Constitution. #OneTermThom #DemCastNC

Or just retweet our tweet with your own message:
https://twitter.com/I_TDCA/status/1195160305132851205

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Add PFAS to the Clean Water Act:
[Action from Clean Cape Fear] Call to action!!! Please call Senators Burr and Tillis TODAY (and your House Reps) and tell them to make sure PFAS as a class are added to the Clean Water Act, CERCLA, and the Toxics Release Inventory as part of the fiscal year 2020 NDAA (the annual defense spending bill). The NDAA vote should be tomorrow, so TODAY is the day to call or email. We need to fill their voicemail with requests!!

Details:
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-energy/2019/11/18/house-focuses-on-pfas-climate-change-782575

Script:
My zip code is ___. I am calling to encourage Rep./Sen. _________ to make sure PFAS as a class are added to the Clean Water Act, CERCLA, and the Toxics Release Inventory as part of the fiscal year 2020 NDAA. This issue is very important to me. Thanks.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972
House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/

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STATE:

NCGA Elections:
The NCGA has finally adjourned for the 2019 session and won’t be back until January, so I will be posting fewer actions involving calls to your state lawmakers. Now would be a good time to identify candidates you’d like to support in 2020, though, and I CANNOT stress enough: winning back at least one chamber of the state legislature (if not both) is FAR more important than picking up a Congressional seat or two. This does not mean we should ignore Congress, but unless y’all want to be doing daily Facebook actions for another decade, the Democrats HAVE to have a seat at the table when we’re drawing districts in 2020. See below for a couple of actions to help make that happen.

Red For Ed Rally:
[From my favorite PTA President] On Wednesday, November 20 from 8:30 to 8:40 a.m., please come out, in your red attire, and take a stand to support our educators. Let's let our legislators know that the billion dollars they want to give to big corporations, for tax breaks, should be invested in our public schools. Just 10 minutes of your time says and means a whole lot! Join us on Wednesday morning in front of the school on Fayetteville Street. Thanks for your continued support!!!

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Clean Water for NC Communities:
Issues related to water quality in NC have increasingly become front and center. Often, environmental injustice has disproportionate impacts on low-income residents and communities of color. To learn more about ways in which you can advocate for environmental justice, use the link below.

Link to get involved: https://ncejn.org/get-involved/

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ELECTIONS:

Become Involved with Stamp NC Blue:
Stamp NC has an ambitious plan to recruit people to run postcard campaigns to remind people to vote in the upcoming 2020 primaries and general elections. From Stamp NC: We  are finalizing our Stage 2 postcards focused on the 2020 primary election and are eager to get them out to our writers early in the new year.  After that, we'll be focused on getting postcards ready for the general election in November 2020. We've got an amazing group of 69 Postcard Captains who participated in  Stage 1 this fall. We have room for 31 more to join us.

Link:
https://www.stampncblue.org/2019/11/18/nov-18


Join Flip NC for a “Super Canvass” on December 8:
From Flip NC: On December 8, 2019, FLIP NC is coordinating with grassroots volunteers across North Carolina for a statewide SUPER CANVASS. Our message is simple: When we knock, we win! Please join us for a day of action to talk with left-leaning voters across the state about the issues that matter to them and what is at stake in 2020. If you live in the Triangle area, you can join FLIP NC’s Graham/Burlington (Alamance County) or Fuquay Varina (Wake County) canvass. If you live in the Greater Charlotte area, you can join FLIP NC’s Concord (Cabarrus County) canvass. Otherwise, sign up below to knock doors in your area! You can register to canvass as a group or on your own/with a partner. First-time canvassers welcome! We’ll provide all the support and information you need to run your canvass.

Go here to sign up and join the fun:
https://flipnc.org/december-8th-super-canvass

Monday Activities: Housing Justice, Bolivia, and More

****Actions 11/18/2019****


LOCAL:

Housing and Economic Justice:
Wake County is currently soliciting feedback from residents when it comes to assessing the need for affordable housing and equitable community development. This feedback will help guide what Wake County prioritizes in the next five years. For those living in Wake County, please complete the survey using the link below.

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Regional-AI-WakeCo 

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STATE:

Clean Water for NC Communities:
Issues related to water quality in NC have increasingly become front and center. Often, environmental injustice has disproportionate impacts on low-income residents and communities of color. To learn more about ways in which you can advocate for environmental justice, use the link below.

Link to get involved: https://ncejn.org/get-involved/
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FEDERAL:

U.S. Intervention in Latin America:
Bolivia is currently facing political pressure from the United States and other powerful nations when it comes to their electoral process. This follows a global pattern of interfering in the elections and general sovereignty of nations, especially in Latin America. For more information, please check out the details below and consider calling your representative.

Details: https://theintercept.com/2019/11/15/bolivia-evo-morales-coup-brazil-intercepted/

Script:
Hello, my name is ___________ and I am a constituent from ______________. I am calling to urge Rep./Sen. ______________ to denounce U.S. intervention in Latin America. Whether it be in Venezuela or the more recent events in Bolivia, the sovereignty of a nation should be valued and respected. Thank you.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972
House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/

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ELECTIONS:

Increase Voter Registration & Turnout:
As you likely know, there are many groups working to produce meaningful change in the 2020 elections. A group known as Vote Forward is partnering with Swing Left to make sure that traditionally underrepresented communities are registered to vote and actually turn out on election day, especially in battleground races. To join one of their letter writing campaigns, sign up using the link below.

Link: https://votefwd.org/swingleft

Friday Actions: Stephen Miller, Gun Safety, Fair Maps, and More

****Actions 11/15/2019****

STATE:

Fair Maps:
Our ongoing gerrymandering takes its latest turn today, a twist as sharp as some of the district lines the GOP likes to draw. The NC senate will be voting on the new Congressional map today. The map is still an 8-5 gerrymander with no swing districts, so it’s only marginally an improvement in terms of numbers but in terms of principle (having competitive districts where the representatives actually have to work for our votes), it’s actually worse. There are Call your NC senators and tell them to demand more competitive and more representative maps. The senate will be in session and discussing the maps, so if you can show up, please do so.

Aylett’s update:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220269018373131&set=a.1475917695432&type=3&theater

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FEDERAL:

Gun Safety:
There was another mass shooting at a high school on Thursday. Two more young people have died senselessly because of the GOP leadership’s absolute cowardice in the face of the NRA. The House has passed three bills that would reduce access to dangerous guns for people who should not have them. They have passed expanded background checks, reductions in high-capacity magazines, and more. The Senate needs to bring up these bills and vote to protect its citizens. CT Sen Richard Blumenthal was actually on the Senate floor debating HR 8 when news about the mass shooting was passed along to him. He then attempted to get HR 8 passed by unanimous consent, but MS Republican Cindy hyde-Smith blocked it. Our lax gun laws are making us unsafe and creating a generation of kids and young adults who constantly live in fear. It’s time to fix this.

Details:
https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/senator-finds-school-shooting-gun-control-debate

Script:
[Senate only] Hello, my name is ________ and I am a constituent from ____________. I am calling to urge Sen. ____________ to support HR 8 and the two other gun safety bills recently passed by the House. We need expanded background checks and to ban high-capacity magazines. We also need to ban assault-style weapons. Thank you.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972

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Demand Stephen Miller’s Resignation:
Stephen Miller is the author of Trump’s immigration and refugee policies. His history of expressing sympathy with white nationalists was not exactly a secret, but recently leaked emails show that he was coordinating with white nationalist website Breibrat and that he had privately expressed views that are explicitly promoting a white nationalist viewpoint. This also includes his practice of relying on data produced by the Center for Immigration Studies, a right-leaning think tank, to shape policy at the White House. He is toxic to our democracy. He needs to go. Our Congressional representatives need to speak out against him (PS: I’m guessing our Democratic reps have, so this is really for our GOP reps).

Details:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/14/us/politics/immigration-trump.html

Script:
Hello, my name is ___________ and I am a constituent from ______________. I am calling to urge Rep./Sen. ______________ to demand the resignation or firing of Trump advisor Stephen Miller. We now have compelling evidence that Miller is coordinating with white nationalist organizations including VDare, Breitbart, and the Center for Immigration Studies. Miller needs to go immediately, and I want Sen./Rep. ____________ to speak out against him.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972
House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/

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VOTING RIGHTS:

Spread the Word about Voter ID:
As you no doubt know, North Carolina voters will be required to show ID when they vote in the 2020 elections. There is a LOT of confusion about what IDs will count, and even some inconsistencies for certain institutions. From what I can glean, some school IDs will allow students to vote, some will allow employees to vote, and some will allow both students and employees to vote using school-issued IDs. For Fayetteville State, for example, student IDs won’t be considered valid, but employee IDs will (which makes NO sense, but also makes perfect sense). This is sure to sow chaos and confusion, which, of course, is the point. Please start spreading the word to all your friends, especially college students and people who may not have a driver’s license or passport and tell them to make sure they have proper ID when they vote in the general elections in 2020.

Voter ID Info:
https://www.ncsbe.gov/voter-id

Thursday Actions: Defund ICE, Oppose Menashi, and More

FEDERAL:

Just a quick note on impeachment: Obviously the hearings are going to grab the headlines and attract endless hours of media attention. We can and should call out our lawmakers if the defend Trump’s abuses of power. But we also need to remember that Trump is engaging in all kinds of destructive, immoral actions that will do great harm to people, so I’ll try to focus on including actions that go beyond impeachment.

Tell Your Representative to Defund Hate:
[From Indivisible National] The biggest fight on immigration this year will be over funding. While Democratic control of the House has given us a firewall against some of the worst Republican attacks, Trump’s attacks against immigrants continue. He shut down the government for over a month in an effort to get his hateful wall, and has already requested billions more for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and CBP (Customs and Border Patrol) in next year’s budget, “FY20.” He hopes to use the money to pay for his wall, more ICE and CBP agents, and more cages for immigrant families.

The appropriations process is our best chance to act to stop Trump’s deportation machine. The next deadline for Congress to fund the government is November 21. If you care about ending Trump’s racist immigration policies—like separating, caging, and tear gassing families—make a call today and tell your Member of Congress (MoC) to reject special funding increases for ICE and CBP.

Details:
https://indivisible.org/tell-your-representative-defund-hate

Script:
Hi, my name is _________ and I'm calling from __________. I'm calling to ask Rep./Sen. _____________  to make sure that ICE and CBP don't receive any increased funding in the short-term funding bill Congress is likely to consider in November. I expect Rep./Sen. _______________ to oppose all requests for increased funding for these agencies—including all "anomalies" for CBP and ICE which we know they will use to expand the immigrant detention system and implement other cruel anti-immigrant policies. Thank you.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972
House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/


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Keep Fighting on Menashi:
Steven Menashi’s nomination got out of the Judiciary Committee on Thursday, and now the only thing that stand between the 40-year old and a lifetime appointment to the Federal Bench is a full Senate vote (which means he could be a federal judge until 2065). Sen. Susan Collins  (R-Waffleland) reportedly thinks he is icky, but we need several other GOP Senators to come out against him to ensure that he does not get appointed. Slate has an incredibly detailed of Menashi’s history of sexist, homophobic, Islamophobic, and even white nationalist views. He would also be a walking conflict of interest, appointed to a court where Trump now faces several pending lawsuits. I’m so sure--so sure--he would recuse himself on those, right? Menashi really is pretty toxic, and moderate Senators might not want to carry that baggage during the 2020 elections, so let’s keep the pressure up. Tillis supported Menashi in the Judiciary Committee. Let’s make him own that vote.

Details:
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/11/menashi-confirmation-second-circuit-nominee-senate-vote.html

Tillis Script:
Hi, I am a constituent from __________ calling to ask why Senator Tillis voted to advance the nomination of Steven Menashi to the U.S. Court of Appeals. Menashi has a history of racist, sexist, and homophobic views that should disqualify him from a lifetime seat on the federal bench. He can’t be trusted to make impartial rulings. Tillis needs to vote against Menashi when the full Senate votes on his nomination.

Other Senators Script:
Hi, I am a constituent from __________ calling to urge Sen. ___________ to vote against the nomination of Steven Menashi to the U.S. Court of Appeals. Menashi has a history of racist, sexist, and homophobic views that should disqualify him from a lifetime seat on the federal bench. He can’t be trusted to make impartial rulings. Sen. _________ needs to vote against Menashi when the full Senate votes on his nomination.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972


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STATE:

Maps, Of Course:
The NC House Redistricting Committee meeting tomorrow (Thursday) at 9am in room 643 of the Legislative Office Building to take up draft congressional maps. Show up and make your presence felt. Call your reps. Do everything you can to stand up for fair maps that actually represent the citizens of our state.

State Contact Numbers:
NC House: http://bit.ly/2CVneDK
NC Senate: http://bit.ly/2DamgAn


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ELECTIONS:

Defeat Tillis:
There will be tons of groups out there working to make a difference in the 2020 elections. One of those groups is the appropriately named Defeat Tillis. They have an action page that includes writing letters and postcards, donating, and most importantly, canvassing. Defeat Tillis is promoting Flip NC’s planned “Super Canvas” on December 8. This is your chance to make sure that voters are engaged early and that they know what kinds of values Tillis has chosen to embrace (hint: those values are not very good).

Link:
https://www.defeattillis.org/take-action

Friday Actions: Bad Judges, Bad Maps, and More

****Actions 11/8/2019****

FEDERAL:

Keep Fighting on Menashi:
Steven Menashi’s nomination got out of the Judiciary Committee on Thursday, and now the only thing that stand between the 40-year old and a lifetime appointment to the Federal Bench is a full Senate vote (which means he could be a federal judge until 2065). Sen. Susan Collins  (R-Waffleland) reportedly thinks he is icky, but we need several other GOP Senators to come out against him to ensure that he does not get appointed. Slate has an incredibly detailed of Menashi’s history of sexist, homophobic, Islamophobic, and even white nationalist views. He would also be a walking conflict of interest, appointed to a court where Trump now faces several pending lawsuits. I’m so sure--so sure--he would recuse himself on those, right? Menashi really is pretty toxic, and moderate Senators might not want to carry that baggage during the 2020 elections, so let’s keep the pressure up. Tillis supported Menashi in the Judiciary Committee. Let’s make him own that vote.

Details:
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/11/menashi-confirmation-second-circuit-nominee-senate-vote.html

Tillis Script:
Hi, I am a constituent from __________ calling to ask why Senator Tillis voted to advance the nomination of Steven Menashi to the U.S. Court of Appeals. Menashi has a history of racist, sexist, and homophobic views that should disqualify him from a lifetime seat on the federal bench. He can’t be trusted to make impartial rulings. Tillis needs to vote against Menashi when the full Senate votes on his nomination.

Other Senators Script:
Hi, I am a constituent from __________ calling to urge Sen. ___________ to vote against the nomination of Steven Menashi to the U.S. Court of Appeals. Menashi has a history of racist, sexist, and homophobic views that should disqualify him from a lifetime seat on the federal bench. He can’t be trusted to make impartial rulings. Sen. _________ needs to vote against Menashi when the full Senate votes on his nomination.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972

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Oppose the Refugee Ban:
The Trump-GOP is once again attacking the rights of refugees and other migrants. The Trump Administration announced it would set a refugee cap of 18,000 people for the fiscal year, which is an incredibly small number, and the order would also allow states to ban resettlement. They have also not allowed a single refugee into the United States in the month of October. These changes to US refugee policy are “tantamount to destroying the program,” according to experts, as the amount of people displaced worldwide continues to grow. Let’s do what we can to stand up for the rights of refugees to seek asylum in our country.

Details:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/27/trump-refugee-cap-asylum-program

Script:
Hello, my name is _____________ and I am a constituent from ______________ calling to urge Rep./Sen. ______________ to oppose Trump’s attempts to shut down our refugee program. It is a travesty that Trump will only allow 18,000 refugees into our country this year. Worse, no refugees have been admitted into the United States in the entire month of October. These refugees are often fleeing completely inhumane conditions in their country. We need to welcome them into our country.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972
House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/


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STATE:

The Maps are Still Terrible:
The NC GOP continues AGAIN to draw maps that are partisan and arguably racial gerrymanders. You can draw up committee maps from the NCGA website. Some of them have maps containing districts that link southwest EWake County to Charlotte. Several cut out a narrow strip of land linking southern Mecklenberg to a district that travels along the NC border basically to Fayetteville to kee Bishop in his gerrymandered district.There are several maps where borders literally seem to have been drawn around incumbents’ houses. Pitt County, where Greenville is located, is divided in half in almost every map, to pack the county’s black population into a single district or, in some cases, to divide their voting power by carefully splitting them. We can’t change the fact--yet--that lawmakers should not be allowed to draw their own districts, but we can tell the NCGA that their map-making process is undemocratic. If you haven’t commented yet, please do so. Then, work your tails off to make sure the people who’ve designed these maps don’t get reelected in November.

Maps and other Data:
https://www.ncleg.gov/Committees/CommitteeInfo/NonStanding/6740#Documents 

Comment Portal:
https://www.ncleg.gov/RequestForComments/32


Spread the Word about Voter ID:
As you no doubt know, North Carolina voters will be required to show ID when they vote in the 2020 elections. There is a LOT of confusion about what IDs will count, and even some inconsistencies for certain institutions. From what I can glean, some school IDs will allow students to vote, some will allow employees to vote, and some will allow both students and employees to vote using school-issued IDs. For Fayetteville State, for example, student IDs won’t be considered valid, but employee IDs will. This is sure to sow chaos and confusion (which, of course, is the point). Please start spreading the word to all your friends, especially college students and people who may not have a driver’s license or passport and tell them to make sure they have proper ID when they vote in the general elections in 2020.

Voter ID Info:
https://www.ncsbe.gov/voter-id

Thursday Actions: Redistricting, Judges, Impeachment, and More

****Actions 11/7/2019****

ELECTIONS:

State Elections:
We’re still waiting to hear about Congressional maps--more on that below. But in 2020, we need to focus on elections at every level, and winning back at least one chamber of the state legislature is absolutely essential to ensure that we will have maps that aren’t gerrymandered for the next decade, too. There are a couple of ways to get involved in supporting your state senate and house candidates. One starting point would be the North Carolina Democratic Party. Donating and volunteering early could make a huge difference: https://www.ncdp.org/action

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FEDERAL:

Push Tillis to Defend His Support of Trump’s Wall:
We need to keep Tillis on the defensive. He is continuing to latch onto positions that are going to be increasingly difficult to justify. Tillis needs to answer for the fact that he voted to take $80 million away from military projects to build a section of the Border Wall. Now migrants are literally cutting through that wall with chainsaws available from The Home Depot. The wall itself is an inhumane symbol, one that is meant to tell migrants they are not welcome here, but it’s also completely wasteful and has literally taken money that would have been spent right here in our state.

Details:
https://www.politifact.com/north-carolina/statements/2019/nov/06/democratic-senatorial-campaign-committee/did-nc-senator-vote-let-trump-administration-raid-/

Script:
Hi, I am a constituent from _________ to urge Senator Tillis to explain why he supported Trump’s decision to take $80 million away from military projects in our state to pay for a useless section of border wall. The border wall is itself an inhumane statement, but it’s also incredibly wasteful. Migrants have now discovered that Trump’s wall can easily be cut with chainsaws available at hardware stores. Can Senator Tillis explain why he thinks Trump’s border wall is a good idea? Thank you.

Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342

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Oppose Steven Menashi’s Appointment to the US Court of Appeals:
[Senate Only] Steven Menashi, the Trump administration’s nominee for a lifetime seat on the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, is yet another judicial appointee with a long history of espousing and defending bigoted views. In college, Menashi wrote antigay, misogynist, and racist editorials. Menashi later defended former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s racist claim that Western culture was superior to Islamic societies. In 2010, he wrote a 65-page article arguing that racial and ethnic diversity led to less effective government. Before he joined the White House general counsel’s office in 2018, he was acting general counsel at the Department of Education, where he provided legal oversight of the department’s reversal of Obama-era civil rights protections.

Recognizing the controversy surrounding Menashi’s nomination, the Senate Judiciary Committee quietly scheduled his initial confirmation hearing just two days in advance. During his September 11th confirmation hearing, Menashi refused to answer questions about his role in the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies, his stance on the Bill of Rights, and his positions on gun control. Menashi’s history of extreme bigoted positions and his stonewalling during his hearing make him unfit for a lifetime judgeship. Urge your senators to oppose his confirmation. Word on the street is that Menashi is becoming increasingly difficult to defend, and it sounds like many Republicans may be ready to cut their losses and withdraw his nomination. This is one we can win.

Background:
https://www.advocate.com/politics/2019/8/26/trump-judicial-nominee-has-history-antigay-misogynistic-writings

Script:
Hi, my name is __________ and I'm a constituent from __________. I'm calling to urge Senator ___________ to oppose Steven Menashi's nomination to the US Court of Appeals. Menashi has a troubling history of espousing racist, sexist and anti-lgbtq views. His extremist beliefs have no place in our federal judiciary. Thank you.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972

————

Impeach Trump:
Let’s keep the pressure on about impeachment. Tillis and Burr both need to know that we will not tolerate the kind of corruption that Trump and his GOP cronies have displayed in their efforts to undermine a political opponent. Also, because our Congressional districts will be redrawn in 2020, our current reps may actually have to respond to their constituents’ concerns, so make sure they hear clearly from us that we will not tolerate having a crime boss running our country and trying to extort favors from a foreign country.

Details:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trumps-envoy-tells-congress-the-president-outsourced-ukraine-policy-to-giuliani/2019/10/17/484b30d0-f0ee-11e9-b648-76bcf86eb67e_story.html

Script:
Hello, I am a constituent from ______________ calling to urge Rep./Sen. _____________ to support the impeachment of Donald Trump. It is becoming increasingly clear that his abuses of power qualify as impeachable offenses. We need to restore the rule of law and Trump has consistently violated the law and is quickly destroying whatever credibility our nation has on the global stage. It’s time to take your oversight responsibility seriously and to support impeachment.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972
House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/

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STATE:

Redistricting Comment Portal:
The NC GOP is still trying to play games with drawing our new Congressional districts. Every day they delay is one less day that candidates can get out and campaign and connect with voters. But they are also using a number of tricks to try to protect their majority. Among other things, they are using a backdoor means to try to ensure that incumbents’ addresses are taken into consideration so they are not double-bunked. Some of their maps still divide counties and communities in ways that avoid principles of compactness. They are essentially reverse-engineering gerrymandered districts. The NCGA has opened up a comment portal. Let’s leave hundreds of comments telling the NC GOP to respect our rights as voters to choose our representatives rather than having our representatives choose the voters they would like to have.

Comment portal link:
https://ncleg.gov/RequestForComments/32

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Thank Governor Cooper for Vetoing SB 250:
SB 250 would have required the State Board of Elections to identify and remove people from voting rolls who — at some point in the past — have been excused from jury service because they said they were not U.S. citizens. That information, however, is often unreliable and difficult to verify. For example, a person's information may not be updated after they become a naturalized citizen. Similar voter purge programs have resulted in eligible registered voters having their right to vote denied. Worse, because it makes these records publicly available, it could expose people to prosecution by ICE. Thanks in part to your calls, Governor Cooper has vetoed this awful piece of legislation. Let’s send him some thank you emails.

Link:
Email: https://governor.nc.gov/contact/contact-governor-cooper

Wednesday Actions

****Actions 11/6/2019****

ELECTIONS:

2020 Starts Now:

Many of us have been preparing for the 2020 elections since 2016, but now we are in the final leg of the race. It’s time to roll back Trumpism permanently. And that includes winning the Senate so that our future Democratic President can nominate judges and pass progressive legislation. We have many reasons to be inspired tonight. Democrat Andy Beshear knocked off a terrible GOP governor. The Virginia House of Delegates and Senate flipped from red to blue. Even the woman who flipped off Trump’s motorcade won (remember her?). All of these races will make incremental differences in people’s lives, and it’s the work of people like you that made that happen! So, now that means you--yes, you--need to donate, campaign, phone bank, text bank, canvass, and do all the stuff that makes democracy happen. Here are a few things you can do:

Seeing Democrats win the Governor’s race shows us that Moscow Mitch McConnell is vulnerable, so let’s send his Democratic opponent, Amy McGrath, some love: https://amymcgrath.com/

We have three outstanding Senate candidates here in North Carolina ready to unseat One Term Thom, aka Flip Flop Thom. I’m not going to endorse (and y’all are welcome to have that conversation), but you can support Cal Cunningham, Trevor Fuller, or Erica Smith.

Cal: https://www.calfornc.com/

Trevor: https://www.fullerfornorthcarolina.com/

Erica: https://ericaforus.com/

I’ll try to keep reminding y’all about down-ballot races, too. We’re still waiting for Congressional districts to redrawn (more on that below). We have an NCGA chamber (or two) to flip, a Governor’s seat to hold, and more. Sleep in tomorrow, but after tonight, let’s gear up because it’s go time!

FEDERAL:

Push Tillis to Defend His Support of Trump:

Trump is rewarding Senators who have his back on impeachment by fundraising for him. In just the last few days, Trump raised over $100,000 for Tillis’s re-election. Let’s remind Tillis that Trump ought to be impeached and call him out for taking money from his GOP crime boss.

Details:

https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/31/trump-impeachment-senators-donor-062084

Script:

Hello, I am a constituent from __________ calling to demand that Senator Tillis explain his support of Trump. It is becoming increasingly clear that Trump has been running the Presidency like a mob boss. More evidence is showing that Trump threatened to withhold foreign aid from the Ukraine unless they investigated Trump’s political opponent. Do you really want our foreign policy to be conducted this way? It’s time to stand up for the rule-of-law and to support impeachment proceedings.

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Here are a few other federal actions we can keep pushing:

Pass a Federal Revenge Porn Law:

California Rep. Katie Hill resigned from Congress earlier this week, and a once-promising political career has been derailed, in large part because a malicious ex chose to publicly humiliate her by providing naked photos to a right-wing propaganda site. Hill didn’t deserve to be treated this way. We know that women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ community are far more likely to be victimized by revenge porn. The most prominent revenge porn bill on Capitol Hill — the Stopping Harmful Image Exploitation and Limiting Distribution (SHIELD) Act — would establish federal criminal liability for individuals who share private, sexually explicit or nude images without the consent of those photographed. While 46 states have revenge porn laws, we need a federal law because jurisdiction is often fuzzy. Questions come up like where the film was uploaded, where it was taken, and so on, all of which make prosecution more complicated. This is a form of violence, usually directed towards women or LGBTQ individuals, and it needs to be stopped. Period. We need a federal law.

Details:

https://thehill.com/news-by-subject/technology/468028-katie-hill-resignation-reignites-push-for-federal-revenge-porn-law

Script:

Hello, I am a constituent calling from ____________ to urge Rep./Sen. ______________ to pass the Stopping Harmful Image Exploitation and Limiting Distribution, or SHIELD, Act. We need a federal law banning revenge porn. A patchwork of local laws is not sufficient, and it makes it much more difficult to prosecute. Revenge porn is a form of violence, and it needs to be stopped. Red State should have been punished for publishing the images of Katie Hill, and we need stiffer laws and stronger enforcement to prevent something like this from happening again. 

Federal Contact Numbers:

Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342

Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154

Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121

Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972

House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/

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Oppose the Refugee Ban:

The Trump-GOP is once again attacking the rights of refugees and other migrants. The Trump Administration announced it would set a refugee cap of 18,000 people for the fiscal year, which is an incredibly small number, and the order would also allow states to ban resettlement. They have also not allowed a single refugee into the United States in the month of October. These changes to US refugee policy are “tantamount to destroying the program,” according to experts, as the amount of people displaced worldwide continues to grow. Let’s do what we can to stand up for the rights of refugees to seek asylum in our country.

Details:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/27/trump-refugee-cap-asylum-program

Script:

Hello, my name is _____________ and I am a constituent from ______________ calling to urge Rep./Sen. ______________ to oppose Trump’s attempts to shut down our refugee program. It is a travesty that Trump will only allow 18,000 refugees into our country this year. Worse, no refugees have been admitted into the United States in the entire month of October. These refugees are often fleeing completely inhumane conditions in their country. We need to welcome them into our country.

Federal Contact Numbers:

Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342

Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154

Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121

Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972

House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/

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STATE:

Hearings on Congressional Redistricting:

Our Congressional districts are being redrawn, and you might be shocked--shocked--to learn that the NCGOP is pulling some of the same shenanigans they have been pulling for the last decade. They are using a court ruling that endorsed compactness as a criterion for drawing districts, which is great, BUT compactness has been used to draw maps that are racially gerrymandered. They have also decided to take into account the residences of current Congressional reps, which would be a problem anyway (why should incumbents get special treatment?), BUT it’s exacerbated by the fact that we currently have 11 Republican and 3 Democratic incumbents. The redistricting committee will start back Wednesday morning at 10 AM, so if you are available, please show up and make our presence felt. Let the GOP know that we are watching them and will hold them accountable if they try to waste our time with unconstitutional maps. There apparently will be a period for public comment, probably on Tuesday, November 12. I’ll keep y’all posted about that.

Details:

https://twitter.com/democracync/status/1191846143119917059

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CALENDAR:

Here is your weekly activism calendar courtesy of NC Wins: 

http://ncwins.org/events/

Note: If you have events, please share them on the NC Wins website.

BLOG:

We have a blog!

For those of you weaning yourself off of Facebook, you can use our blog to access all of our actions:

https://indivisibletriangle.blogspot.com/

Let’s dominate 2020!