Rogan’s List February 23, 2023

Sue Rogan

3 years ago

February 23, 2023

Contact all members of Congress:

Contact White House or other federal agencies:

CENSURE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE’S SECESSIONISM
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, now one of the most powerful politicians in the country, reiterated and doubled down on her calls for a “national divorce.” This idea is in clear contradiction to her oath to uphold the Constitution. Let’s call on our members of Congress to push for official congressional censure of Rep. Greene.
DEMAND CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS OF TRUMP’S SAUDI FUNDING
The Washington Post ran an extensive piece (linked here as a gift article) on how the Saudi royal family has financially propped up both Trump and Jared Kushner since leaving the White House, and the ways in which both parties have benefited from their relationship. These findings pose questions that can’t be ignored about whether American foreign policy has been fundamentally corrupted. House investigations into the Trump family’s Saudi financial backing have stalled since the GOP took control, but the Senate Finance Committee continues to move forward. Let’s contact our members of Congress into both houses, no matter what their party, and demand that they do their job and aggressively seek the full truth about the Trump-Saudi relationship.

MISSISSIPPI GODDAMNThe Republican-controlled Mississippi legislature is carving out an exception to the rule that its state judges and prosecutors are elected by the people: a bill that would create a state-appointed court system in a district within Jackson, a majority Black city. Judges would be appointed by the state’s white, conservative supreme court justice, and prosecutors would be appointed by the state’s white Republican attorney general. The law would benefit Jackson’s white citizens and while disenfranchising Jackson’s Black citizens, according to an analysis by The Guardian. Let’s tell Attorney General Merrick Garland that we expect the Justice Department to fight this law, and let’s consider donating to the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Education Fund.

CALL FOR STRONGER PROTECTIONS AGAINST SOOT POLLUTION
The EPA has proposed a new rule for regulating industrial soot pollution, one of the nation’s deadliest air pollutants. This measure could save 4,200 lives a year and produce $43 billion in net health benefits, along with some benefit in our struggle to reduce emissions. However, public health experts and environmental activists have argued the EPA isn’t going far enough, arguing we’d be better served with an 8 microgram per cubic meter standard instead of the proposed nine. Let’s join Evergreen Action in submitting a public comment to the proposed rule encouraging the EPA to adopt stronger protections.

SUPREME COURT ETHICSPublic confidence in the Supreme Court has fallen to an all-time low; yet the Court refuses to adopt and enforce the same code of ethical standards that all other judges must comply with. The Supreme Court Ethics Act and the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act would require a Code of Conduct and install an ethics Investigation Counsel to address violations. It would also require justices to explain their decisions for recusing (or not recusing) themselves. So far, no Republicans have come forth to co-sponsor these bills. Let’s call out our MoCs from both sides of the aisle and demand that they stand on the side of ethics and accountability in sponsoring and voting for these pieces of legislation. In addition, some progressive organizations are going further in petitioning the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate the Supreme Court. Let’s reach out to Judiciary Committee Chair, Dick Durbin and the other members of the Judiciary Committee and ask them what they plan to do to hold the Supreme Court accountable for continued allegations of unethical behavior.

STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS

ALL: ASK OUR STATE TO PASS A BILL TO PROTECT MENSTRUAL DATA FROM SEARCH WARRANTSLast week the Virginia State Senate in a bipartisan vote (31-9), passed a bill that would have prohibited law enforcement from accessing people’s menstrual data on phone apps in prospective search warrants geared to prosecute people and providers for having abortions. Unfortunately, the bill was defeated in a House subcommittee after Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin voiced his opposition. While Virginia might have to wait for a new legislative session, there’s no reason why the other 49 states can’t pass a similar bill. Let’s ask our state legislators to introduce and pass this legislation ASAP. For a model, we can find a copy of Virginia’s bill, SB 852, here.
MA: PUBLIC RECORDS LAWS FOR THE GOVERNOR, TOOMassachusetts’ governors have long claimed the state’s public records laws don’t apply to them. Governor Maura Healey has indicated in the past that she’d be different and said she would bring more transparency into the office. She has not kept that promise, denying the Boston Globe’s requests for access to her emails and phone call logs. Let’s contact Governor Healey and urge her to keep her word, respond to this and future requests in full and let the press do their job.