Committee and Affinity Group News
[See the Web Log for prior Committee News write-ups. All meeting Minutes are available on the Documents and Resources page.]
We are working on a messaging campaign for use in all media that ends with the tagline, “—you might be a Democrat,” Take a look at our current list of messages on this Google Sheet. If you have more catchy lines, please send them to secretary@bencodems.org.
Buttons for Committees and Affinity Organizations:
From the Chair
Benton County Democrats Executive Board Meeting July 15
Delivering Results from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Legislation Committee
Follow the progress of Bills of Interest in this linked chart.
Editor’s Note: In the following announcement our Senator joins Tim Eyman in opposing a tax bill needed to fund public services.
Elections Committee
Daily Presidential Primary Ballot Tracking
Update on Legislative Redistricting
Document on Partisan Endorsements in Nonpartisan Elections
Candidate Index
I just addressed the American people about the need for us to lower the temperature in our politics.
We must remember that, while we may disagree, we are NOT enemies. We are neighbors, friends, co-workers, citizens, and, most importantly, we are fellow Americans.
We must stand together.
Yesterday’s shooting at a Donald Trump rally in Pennsylvania calls on us all to take a step back, to take stock of where we are, and how we go forward.
Thankfully, former President Trump was not seriously injured. I spoke with him last night and I’m grateful he is doing well. Jill and I keep him and his family in our prayers.
We also extend our deepest condolences to the family of the victim who was killed. Corey was a husband, a father, a volunteer firefighter, and a hero sheltering his family from those bullets. We should all hold his family and all those injured in our prayers.
I have said it many times that the choice we make in this election will shape the future of America and the world for decades to come.
Yes, we have deeply felt and strong disagreements. And the stakes in this election are enormously high.
But the path forward — through competing visions and campaigns — should always be resolved peacefully. Not through acts of violence.
All of us now face a time of testing as the elections approach. The Republican Convention will start tomorrow.
I will be traveling this week making the case for our record and vision for the country. I will continue to speak out strongly for our democracy and stand up for the Constitution and the rule of law. I will continue to call for action at the ballot box, not violence in our streets.
That’s how democracy should work. We debate and disagree. We compare and contrast the character of the candidates, the records, the issues, the agendas, and visions for America.
We cannot lose sight of who we are.
In America, we resolve our differences at the ballot box. NOT with bullets.
We cannot — we must not — go down this road in America. We have traveled it before throughout our history. Violence has never been the answer.
May God bless you all and may God protect our troops.
Joe
Joe Biden
President of the United States
With less than four months until Election Day, we need this full team united in our important work to reelect President Biden and Vice President Harris. Today, we’re asking you to sign up to help reach your friends, family, neighbors, and communities with President Biden’s message.
Add your name below to get involved with the campaign:
We sincerely thank you for your help and support.
Hi, it’s Carole King 🎶 and I personally wrote this email.
Joe Biden is wise and experienced, and he loves his country more than his ego. Joe is running to beat a wannabe dictator so he can continue to help people of good will achieve their aspirations.
I’m with Joe.
Will you join me in supporting the Biden-Harris campaign right now?
We already have a strong presence on the ground. The only poll that matters is the ballot.If every eligible person of good will votes for Joe in November, we’ll win!
Thank you so much for participating.My best to you and your family,
– Carole
| Carole King is a singer-songwriter, author, and activist. Her distinctions include a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Kennedy Center honor. Now she’s using her platform to help Democrats win up and down the ballot in all 50 states. And she actually did write this email. |
We sincerely thank you for your help and support.
Let’s be clear: It is one of the foundational principles of our system of justice that no one is above the law.
That was the case until the United States Supreme Court granted Donald Trump wide-reaching immunity for his actions as president.
As a former prosecutor and district attorney, I know this is a big deal.
In Donald Trump, we have a candidate who has openly said he will be a dictator on day one and that he will weaponize the Department of Justice against his political enemies. And it is very likely that he could be immune from those kind of acts.
Immune.
We have to take seriously the stakes of this election.
The Donald Trump running for office right now is not the same one that we ran against in 2020. He is more unhinged. He is more dangerous. And he has nothing to lose.
If Donald Trump wins four more years in the White House, not even the courts will hold him back. It’s what he wanted. It’s why he hand-picked three justices for the Court who helped deliver this decision.
Donald Trump has shown us who he is.
Look at what happened at the debate. Trump lied over and over and over again as he is wont to do.
He proudly took responsibility for robbing women of their freedom to make decisions about what happens to their own bodies.
He would not disavow what happened on January 6.
He refused to commit to accepting the election results this November.
We cannot let him win four more years in the White House. If he does, there will be nothing holding him back.
We can hold Donald Trump accountable at the ballot box. Donors like you helped make it happen in 2020, and we can do it again now.
We must do it again now.
Thank you for rising to this moment,
Kamala
Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States
We sincerely thank you for your help and support.
In a moment, I will ask you to take decisive action to help us secure a pro-choice Senate majority to counter the GOP’s extreme measures. But first, let me share why your immediate help is critical.
The only barrier stopping right-wing conservatives from a full rollback of reproductive rights is our Democratic Senate majority.
As your Senator, I am at the forefront, determined to block a nationwide ban on abortion.
However, I’m up against an opponent who staunchly believes “life begins at conception.” In fact, he said he hadn’t even considered whether he’d vote to codify Roe until recently asked by the Seattle Times – and even then, he wouldn’t give a straight answer.
In the latest distressing development, the Supreme Court dismissed a case challenging the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires hospitals receiving Medicare funding to provide necessary treatments, including abortions, during medical emergencies. This decision sends the case back to lower courts, leaving our rights vulnerable and under continuous threat.In states like Idaho, extreme abortion bans have created severe access issues, forcing women, including rape victims needing critical care, to cross state lines.
As Washington continues to welcome an influx of out-of-state patients seeking abortions—increased by 50% since the Dobbs Decision—we stand firm in our commitment to protecting reproductive freedoms.
This fight is not just about our state but about our nation’s moral and legal responsibility to women.
Our rights, our health, and our futures depend on what happens now.
Stand with me, stand with us. Please, take action now to protect what matters most.
Maria
Friends of Maria
PO Box 12740
Seattle, WA 98111
United States
This Sunday is a critical public reporting deadline and it’s our best chance of proving Maria’s grassroots supporters are standing strong with her.
Nothing is guaranteed this year. Washington voters will start to cast their ballots in just a few weeks, and Maria’s facing 10 challengers – and we just can’t afford to lose her leadership to someone who will fall in line with the GOP agenda. Rush a contribution now to make sure we hit our goal before the books close at the end of the quarter →
Maria has delivered historic victories for our environment, spearheaded legislation to rebuild American chip manufacturing, and is leading the fight to protect and restore reproductive rights.
Now, we need to show we have Maria’s back in the fights ahead as GOP operatives look for vulnerable Democrats in their mission to flip the Senate red.
That’s why we’re ramping up our efforts to ensure the Senate stays in Democratic hands. We can’t afford to be complacent.
– Cantwell.com
Friends of Maria
PO Box 12740
Seattle, WA 98111
United States
Misty “Birdie” Jane Muchlinski will have a fundraiser on June 20 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM in Prosser at the home of Cindy Bluemel, 216 Claret Drive.
Every week, we file a report showing our campaign’s fundraising totals. So does anti-choice Republican Dave Reichert.
Unfortunately, he just outraised us in June — this is a significant setback.
| DATES | Ferguson | Reichert |
| June 2024 | Raised less ➖ | Raised more ✅ |
We can’t afford to be outraised again, Ben. Trump-supporting Dave Reichert is far too extreme to become Washington’s next Governor. That’s why we’re asking for your help to pick up our pace today.
Being outraised is a problem, but we have the opportunity to turn things around. If you donate today, you’ll join thousands of supporters, including grassroots donors in all 39 Washington counties.
A powerful team like this can do anything — especially if folks come off the sidelines to chip in their first donation and our supporters chip in a bigger amount than they have in the past.
Thank you,
Team Ferguson
To give by check:
Bob Ferguson for Governor
PO Box 22169
Seattle, WA 98122
Email us: info@electbobferguson.com
I’m concerned. Ballots for the August Primary arrive in mailboxes next week, and a new poll has Bob only 2 points ahead of anti-choice Republican Dave Reichert.
Please pitch in a donation to stop Reichert from taking the lead.
Anti-choice Republican Dave Reichert is too extreme for Washington. But the reality is, his campaign outraised us last month.
Reichert’s campaign is using those dollars to mislead voters into thinking he’s a moderate. If Reichert outraises us again this month, Bob could fall behind in this race.
Donate now to help Washington voters hear Bob’s message.
I wouldn’t ask for your help if it wasn’t important.
Thank you,
Bayley
Campaign Manager, Team Ferguson
To give by check:
Bob Ferguson for Governor
PO Box 22169
Seattle, WA 98122
Email us: info@electbobferguson.com
You might be surprised to hear this, but we’re just asking you to contribute $3 today.
Our mid-month deadline is just three days away. The amount of money we raise is important, but knowing you have Nick’s back means even more.
Tomorrow, we’d love to show Nick a list of people from across Washington’s 39 counties and beyond who chipped in $3 — less than a cup of coffee or a newspaper — to help him reach as many voters as possible before the primary voting period starts.
With just one week to go until Washingtonians begin casting their ballots, this is our most important mid-month fundraising goal yet.
Let’s win this!
— Team Nick
Nick Brown for Attorney General
401 2nd Ave S STE 303
Seattle, WA 98104
United States
To: Interested parties
From: Aisling Kerins, General Consultant, Nick Brown for Attorney General
Re: Nick Brown for AG: Campaign Update
Date: July 2024
As reported by the Seattle Times yesterday, Nick’s Democratic opponent is facing criticism for misrepresenting her work history – repeatedly stating she’s currently employed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO). However, as KOMO News and The Seattle Times both make clear in their coverage, the KCPAO told Sen. Dhingra weeks ago that she has not been employed there for almost three years, nor is she on a leave of absence. Despite their direct request that she correct the record, the only change she has made is to now say she is on a leave of absence, even after KCPAO has clearly said she is not.
Nick continues to lead the fundraising in the race for Attorney General – having raised over $300,000 more than any other candidate and maintaining a significant cash on hand advantage in the final weeks before the Primary. Nick’s financial success also tells a story about statewide grassroots support, with 93% of contributions coming from Washington State, and donors from 36 of 39 counties (tell your friends in Garfield, Adams and Lincoln counties we need them!).
Nick’s momentum continues to grow, and new endorsements since my last update include:
● Washington State Council of Fire Fighters
● Whatcom County Sheriff Donnell Tanksley
● Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle
● Quinault Indian Nation
● Asian Pacific Islander Americans for Civic Empowerment (APACE)
● American Muslim Advancement Council
● Bricklayer and Allied Craftworkers, Washington and Alaska
● Cowlitz, Island, Skamania, Snohomish, and Spokane County Democrats
● 30th, 31st, 34th, 37th, 21st, 10th, 11th Legislative District Democrats
● Pierce County Young Dems and the Young Dems of Clark County
● Washington Democrats Veteran and Military Families Caucus
● Washington Democrats Native American Caucus
● Democrats for Diversity and Inclusion
Check out the full and growing list of endorsers on his website here!
Nick has also been campaigning around the state – participating in the LWV Attorney General Candidate Forum in Richland WA, attending Juneteenth events in Tacoma and Seattle, meeting with the Veterans and Military Families Caucus at the Washington State Democratic Convention, walking in the Seattle Pride Parade with the Washington Education Association, and celebrating the 4th of July with supporters in Dupont and Steilacoom. Nick also took a quick detour to his past, joining the Talking with T-Bird podcast for Survivor fans!
And last but not least – we have merch! Grab your Nick Brown totes, yard signs, and t-shirts here.
Stay tuned for more news from the campaign trail!
Nick Brown for Attorney General
401 2nd Ave S STE 303
Seattle, WA 98104
United States
Hi Friends,
I wanted to be sure you read last week’s ringing endorsement from The Seattle Times editorial board. The editorial hammers several reasons it is so important we have a strong Primary Election and then win in November.
“[Secretary of State Steve] Hobbs, a Democrat, has held his ground amid attacks from some on the far right who have taken a cue from former President Donald Trump by questioning the integrity of Washington’s vote-by-mail system.
“To combat such tactics Hobbs expanded voter education across the state by letting voters know more about what happens to their ballots once they are placed in a drop box.”
The Times editorial continues…
“In May 2023, Hobbs’ office hired Logically, a British AI company, to monitor what people are saying on social media, including X, Facebook, Rumble and Truth Social… The effort is to alert Hobbs’ office to misinformation about elections, mined from public posts, so staffers can counter with accurate information. It is neither spying nor censorship, as critics suggest.”
“As secretary of state, I need to know what people are saying. I need to be able to counter a false narrative before it trends,” Hobbs told The Times editorial board.
“Hobbs also was instrumental in the passing of Senate Bill 5152 that prohibits political campaigns from using false images, videos or audio without a disclosure that the material has been manipulated. “Deepfake” campaign material, as it called, can trick voters into thinking what they see and hear is actually true. Campaigns in Washington targeted by deepfakes can now go to court to seek an injunction and sue for damages. Hobbs also requested a bill that allows people to register to vote online with the last four digits of a Social Security number instead of a driver’s license or state ID number.”
“Elections are the foundation of preserving democracy, nationally and locally. Washington needs a secretary of state who is dedicated to preserving a fair voting system and to make it more accessible. Hobbs is best suited for this challenge.”
The funds we raise this month will determine what we can plan to spend in this election. Now is the time to make a donation to ensure accessibility and security are the top priorities to the people running Washington elections.
Thank you for your help.
Steve
Friends of Steve Hobbs · 3309 114th Dr NE · Lake Stevens, WA 98258-8787 · USA
Happy 4th of July – You know what’s not in our Constitution….
45 Days, 4,500 road miles; A top ten list of observations.
Trump is guilty; he leads in swing states, and if he wins, our students will pay the price!
BIG NEWS: Team Reykdal secured major endorsements over the weekend!
Friends –
It’s time to take our activism to the next level and take 5 minutes to become a Precinct Committee Officer (PCO) for your local Democratic Legislative District.
This is an important role to connect with neighbors and remind folks that their voices, and their votes, matter. Our democracy is not something we can take for granted — and its strength and ability to deliver as a partner to local businesses and community members depends on each of us exercising our civic engagement muscles.
I just filed to continue to serve my local neighborhoods as a PCO, and I hope you will too!
Adelante,
Team Rebecca Saldaña (D)
PO Box 20776
Seattle, WA 98102
United States
Unfortunately, we are going to have to postpone the event that was previously scheduled for this Sunday, July 14!
We will NOT be having a fundraiser this Sunday. Our hosts will still be holding an event for Maria Beltran’s and Ana Ruiz Kennedy’s campaigns, just at a later date. Stay tuned for more details!
Thank you for your flexibility,
Team Beltran
Friends of Maria Beltran (D)
PO Box 2011
Yakima, WA 98907
Platform and Resolutions
The Platform Task Team has proposed a platform update for 2024.
The Platform and Resolutions Committee is starting resolutions work this year.P
For those wishing to propose a resolution, below is a link to a template you can use to craft your resolution.
This is a link to a chart of our current resolutions plan and actions taken.
The following resolutions have been passed by the Central Committee and forwarded to the State party.
- Agrivoltaics Benefits to Eastern Washington
- Reinstate ban on naked credit default swaps
- Limit ratio of Executive v Employee pay
The following resolutions have been passed by the State party.
- Reinstate Restrictions on Stock Buybacks (final)
- Recovery Government Funded IP & Patents developed in whole or in part with taxpayer investments: Modification of Bayh-Dole Act 1980
- Faith and Credit-Debt Ceiling
- Reforming SCOTUS Nomination and Confirmation Process
The following resolutions are available for comments as they are being worked on by the committee:
Link to our Rittenhouse Resolution:
This is a link to the current State Party resolutions.
Organization Committee
Blue Dots in Red Sea – Michael Moore’s latest podcast, Young Voters
Benton County Elected Precinct Committee Officers for 2023-2024
Here’s a complete list of all our PCO’s, elected, appointed, and acting:
Benton County Democratic Precinct Committee Officers
Join this Day of Action to Support the NEW 14th LD
Call to Meeting Thursday, July 18 – Includes voting
Opportunities to support Pasco and the LD14
Call to Meeting Thursday, June 20 – including endorsements
Meet and Support Senator Manka Dhingra for Atty. General
Meet and Support Chelsea Dimas Candidate for WA House of Representatives LD14 Position 1
Join Us at These Events and Meetings
4th CD News
Focus on Down-Ballot Races and Newly Registered Voters Drive Democratic Wins
Just Kidding, This Is Anything But Boring
Strength in Unity: Working Together Trumps Division
Outrageous Spending in Down-Ballot Races: 2024’s Extravagant Political Battlegrounds
Our Winning Strategy, Stop Whining!
New post in RuralAmericansUnited
Democrats Cure MAGA Cancer: Sunlight
Ag and Rural Caucus
Ag and Rural Caucus for July
| Better Practices No Meeting – Enjoy the 4th Policy Advocacy: Wind and Solar 6:30 pm Thursday 18 July Agrivoltaics Chad Higgins, OSU College of Agricultural Sciences 6:30 pm Thursday 25 July County Incentives https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85907982157?pwd=MU4vV3E3VGZ5VU02dnhvZjg2b3hKZz09 Paste link into browser. |
| Sheep and Panels? For Real? Is agrivoltaics for real? Can we actually mix sheep, or vegetables, with solar panels? Chad Higgins, our guest Thursday, will bring us up to date what mixed use is actually installed and what is in the works. Chad’s day job is with the Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering at Oregon State. His research is “probing the spatial characteristics of atmospheric water vapor”. Chad knows the science, and he knows farming. Chad inspired the agrivoltaics that feature in the Hop Hill project in the Black Canyon region north of Sunnyside. The project is on hold at the moment. The siting was deemed inconsistent with Benton County’s land use regulations. The Hop Hill presentation assigns agrivoltaics a central role. Watch its video for a persuasive message. BrightNight, the developer behind Hop Hill, was an early advocate of agrivoltaics. It correctly understood the issue of taking ag land out of production, and crafted a plan to offset the effects of installing solar panels. Go to the project presentations and the video and evaluate BrightNight’s plans. Then join us Thursday to discuss the promise of agrivoltaics. Don 14 July 2024 |
| Decades to Recover? So why are we looking at soil quality and agrivoltaics as our first session? The answer is simple. It has become a graphic talking point used by opponents of solar. It goes back to last August. Kelly McLain, WSDA, wrote to EFSEC that the Carriger project just outside Goldendale was on prime agricultural land and that soft soils meant that Carriger would grade and gravel much of the site. On January 17 Carriger responded saying that the farm ground was not all that good. Besides, Carriger argued, “the Project’s solar arrays will generally follow existing contours within the MPE, requiring minimal grading…[and] only three percent of the project site would be “new, impervious surfaces”. Then came the headlines – McLain’s response a week later: “The impacts of the project include ground compaction, gravel additions to meet footing requirements, a long length of time for the project, and reduced opportunity for tillage, photosynthesis, irrigation, grazing, etc. throughout the life of the project… it may take decades for the agricultural viability issues to be remediated.” This is what made farmers shake their heads, and opponents cheer their new ally. Chad Higgins will lay out “the rest of story”. Join us. 7 July |
| Largest Solar Farm in the State Pre-pandemic, Ormand Hilderbrand and I attended the opening ceremony of the solar installation at Lind…Avista’s Adams Nielson Solar Farm. It was a grand affair with Governor Inslee, Congressman Newhouse, and Senator Schoessler in attendance. It was the largest solar farm in the state at that time, at about 200 acres. Times change. Our thinking in attending was to assess the ground preparation for the solar panels. Ormand had experience in Sherman County in Oregon of bad performance by the solar developer. There was excess ground leveling and a general desert under the panels. We wanted to see what was happening in Lind. Lind was different. The ground, taken out of CRP, was undisturbed and the development impact appeared minimal. This was before much attention was paid to soil consequences of solar development. It was a naïve installation. So, what does it look like today? I visited the site last week and took a photo from the Lind Cemetery, which is surrounded by the solar farm. Don 2 July 2024  |
| July Shift from Briefing to Advocacy Our Policy Briefings shed light on issues affecting rural communities around the state. The idea is to provide you information…the advocacy is up to you. (Of course, there is an advocacy nudge from the topics we choose to cover.) This July is different. We will have two Policy Advocacy meetings where we advocate a position. This position is in favor of wind and solar installations. The first Policy Advocacy session is about solar arrays and soil quality, and the consequences of solar installations for agricultural production. The second session is about the economic incentives for counties to promote wind and solar installations. This shift to advocacy for July follows the unfortunate politicization of wind and solar in central and eastern Washington. It does not have to be this way. We have a model in central Oregon where conservative counties are cheerleaders for wind and solar because of the revenue generated to build local public infrastructure. One goal is to have Washington commissioners to sit down with their Oregon counterparts, compare notes, and discuss what is required for Washington counties to profit from development. Don 29 June 2024 |
Our Better Practices roundtable is on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm.. Use the link above for 2024.
Our Policy Series is on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. Use the link above for 2024.
Copyright © 2024 Ag and Rural Caucus, All rights reserved. Ag and Rural Caucus of State Democratic Central Committee
Our mailing address is: Ag and Rural Caucus 2921 Mud Creek Rd Waitsburg, WA 99361
Ag and Rural Summer Fun Contest
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Summer Fun: “A Rural Democrat…” contest
Progress Report II Jake, Cheryl, Kathie, Diana, Vicki joined.in. Thank you!
Don 10 May 2024 |
| Summer Fun: “A Rural Democrat…” contest Progress Report So far Rick, Ron, Ann Marie, Glenn and Doug have submitted texts. Keep them coming. A Rural Democrat doesn’t wait to be asked, they offer help Rural Democrats are the OG Americans. (Or original if you don’t feel gangsta enough, lol) A Rural Democrat knows where their food comes from; the backyard Rural Democrats are the real party of Lincoln. A Rural Democrat: my feet on the ground, my eyes on the horizon. if you farm land in Maga country and still believe in a woman’s right to choose- you might be a rural Democrat! if you farm land in Maga country and still believe in unions- you might be a rural Democrat! A Rural Democrat knows that plants like warmth, but they don’t like climate change (this is from Jerrod Sessler, who famously stated while on stage with me that “Climate change can’t be that bad, plants like the heat don’t they”) Rural Democrats are the fabric that binds this nation together. Rural Democrats feed America. Rural Democrats, 40 miles and 40 years from town, closer to the heart of America. Rural Democrats–tied to the land, connected to the people A take on Jeff Foxworthy: if you farm land in Maga country and still believe in equal rights- you might be a rural Democrat! Rural Dems drive beat-up trucks Rural Democrats- the heart of America. Don 8 May 2024 |
| Summer Fun: “A Rural Democrat…” contest Identity is everything in today’s politics. And “rural” is a current favorite of political organizers. Yet the content of rural as an identity is left undefined. It is time that we, who are rural, step forward and advance a favorable image of rural. We talk about controlling policy agendas. Let’s work on owning our identity. Rural cannot be taken seriously having our own image we can wave. The identities that swirl around our political talk are artful blends of fact and imagination. We can take liberties with census data and voting habits as long as we are not too flagrant. Every dark side has silver tones if you look hard enough. This is a call to have fun with sloganeering. Email me with your suggestions for how to package the good, the honorable, the praiseworthy parts of being rural and a Democrat in Washington. Examples: “A Rural Democrat fixes things” “A Rural Democrat, where who you are is who you are” “A Rural Democrat knows who owned your house before” “A Rural Democrat celebrates Thanksgiving – with family” And so it can go. Have fun with this. I will include your suggestions in a special box in this summer’s mailings. Don 5 May 2024 |
Our Better Practices roundtable is on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm.. Use the link above for 2024.
Our Policy Series is on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. Use the link above for 2024.
Copyright © 2024 Ag and Rural Caucus, All rights reserved. Ag and Rural Caucus of State Democratic Central Committee
Our mailing address is: Ag and Rural Caucus 2921 Mud Creek Rd Waitsburg, WA 99361
Address: 117 Legislative Modular Building * PO Box 40408 * Olympia, WA 98504
Olympia Office: (360) 786-7614 * Toll Free Hotline: (800) 562-6000 * E-mail: Matt.Boehnke@leg.wa.gov
July 3, 2024
SENATOR MATT BOEHNKE
8TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT – WASHINGTON STATE SENATE
360-786-7614 | 800-562-6000 | P.O. Box 40425 Olympia, WA 98504-0425
Media Contact: Eric LaFontaine: (360) 870-7268
Boehnke selected to serve on new state AI task force
OLYMPIA… On June 21, State Sen. Matt Boehnke, the Legislature’s leading expert on cybersecurity and technology, was selected to serve on a new state Attorney General task force on artificial intelligence technology.
Boehnke, R-Kennewick, will serve on the 18-person task force, which will be tasked with issuing findings, guiding principles and policy recommendations.
“Serving on this task force provides an incredible opportunity to bring the insights and experiences I have gained through my service in the military cybercommand units and representing the innovative Tri-Cities community to the forefront of state policy,” Boehnke said. “I look forward to contributing to the development of comprehensive AI guidelines that will benefit all Washingtonians.”
Boehnke is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, assistant professor, and founding director of Cyber Security studies at Columbia Basin College in the Tri-Cities. He currently serves as ranking Republican on the Senate Human Services Committee.
On May 17, Boehnke traveled to Quebec City, Canada, to participate in a meeting with the National Conference of State Legislatures Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Privacy. During the event, he was involved in several discussions on topics such as EcoBytes, comparative AI legislation across the border, internet routing security, and the cybersecurity workforce and apprenticeships available in different states.
“Learning from our neighbors across the border is crucial,” Boehnke said. “Increasing our cybersecurity defense posture and learning more about comparative AI legislation allows us to adopt best practices and avoid pitfalls, ensuring that our policies are robust, forward-thinking, and capable of addressing the unique challenges posed by AI.”
The task force will be divided into eight subcommittees focused on education, public safety and ethics, health care, labor, government, state security and cyber security, consumer protections and industry innovation.
Attorney General Bob Ferguson partnered with Sen. Joe Nguyen, D-White Center, to create the task force with Senate Bill 5838. Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, sponsored the companion bill in the House. The bill passed the Legislature with bipartisan support and was signed by Governor Inslee in March.
“By bringing together a diverse group of experts and stakeholders, we have a unique opportunity to craft policies that balance innovation with public safety and ethical considerations,” Boehnke added. “I am excited to be part of this important work and look forward to our collaborative effort.”
In addition to Boehnke and Nguyen, Ferguson selected state Rep. Clyde Shavers, D-Clinton, policy experts, labor organization representatives, civil liberty experts, and other stakeholders to complete the task force membership. The task force will begin meeting this summer and provide a final report to the governor and Legislature by July 1, 2026.
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CORRECTED LD8 Membership Meeting – NOW Wednesday, July 10, 6-8 p.m., Conf Room A, Richland Library
15th LD Democrats News
16th LD Democrats News
Walla Walla County Democrats News
Yakima County Democrats News
May meeting moved to Wednesday
Monthly Meeting! Candidates, events planning and more!
Petitions, meet a judge, and more!
March Meeting 3/25 + Run for Delegate!
February 26: See you at Single Hill!
Chelsea Dimas for state representative
City Council letter-writing and 13th LD meeting
Updates! Endorsements, engagement, and the coming spring
Meeting update: Bob Ferguson and local politics watch
Join us for our Election Watch Party!
Thanks for an amazing weekend!
From the State Central Committee
Dear friend,
We’ve just launched a groundbreaking website that reveals the true Dave Reichert, and it’s crucial that you see it for yourself. In public, Dave Reichert tries to deceive voters, but behind closed doors, he reveals his true MAGA self. Reichert is desperate to divert attention from his extreme, far-right agenda and is even willing to distort the facts to hide the truth. Thanks to your support, we’ve launched “Reichert Revealed,” a website exposing the real Dave Reichert.
From voting to ban abortion and criminalize doctors who perform this essential care to supporting his BFF Donald Trump over 92% of the time, Reichert’s record is clear: he’s an extremist trying to hide behind a moderate facade, and we can’t let him get away with it.
Your continued support is crucial. Let’s ensure that every voter is informed and ready to vote AGAINST Reichert’s dangerous agenda and FOR Democrats up and down the ballot.
Thank you for standing with us.In solidarity,
Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Dems
We sincerely thank you for your help and support.
Washington State Democrats PO Box 4027 Seattle, WA 98194 United States
PCOs Can (and Should) Start Doorbelling – For PCOs, the time to walk or call the voters in your precincts is NOW so that we can get that data back into Votebuilder ASAP. The data PCOs collect in the first quarter of this year is essential to the voter targeting every Democratic candidate will be able to do in the primary election and for the rest of the year. If needed, our Coordinated Campaign staff can help set PCOs up with a phone or canvass list, an appropriate script for their precinct, and either a listening or ID canvass – just ask us at organizing@wa-democrats.org.
Democratic National Committee News
Hey friend,
Here’s the deal. The Republican National Convention is starting on Monday in Milwaukee (a great city, by the way). Over the next few days, Republicans will officially nominate Trump, he’ll tout his new VP running mate, and the GOP will rally around their election-denying, Roe-ending, millionaire-supporting MAGA ticket.
There’s not much we can do about what happens in Milwaukee this week, but what we can do is make sure that Trump and the GOP know where Democrats stand.
So, send a message to Trump and the GOP in Milwaukee by shopping for official Democratic Party merch TODAY. And, from now until the Republican convention ends on Thursday, we’re offering you 20 percent off the entire store with code SENDAMESSAGE. Take your pick of our merch, but we have a few suggestions:
Happy shopping,
❤️ Emma
Merchandise Director
Democratic National Committee
Text JOIN to 43367
If you’re ready to elect Democrats in all 50 states, territories, and D.C., make a contribution today.
Contributions or gifts to the Democratic National Committee are not tax deductible. Paid for by the Democratic National Committee, www.Democrats.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
One week from tonight, Donald Trump will accept the Republican nomination for president in a nationally televised speech.
And when he does, his MAGA-right devotees will be donating in huge numbers. It happened during his last two conventions, and it will again.
Every time he promises to pardon insurrectionists, says the last election was stolen, or attacks President Biden, they’ll donate. Click. Click. Click. And it will add up fast.
This is on top of his record fundraising after his criminal conviction and the launch of his first general election ads, and you can see why we’re reaching out for help.
The Democratic Party has very real fundraising goals. They are not arbitrary numbers. They are what we need to win. And getting there is even more important as Trump’s fundraising climbs and will go higher next week.
But in order to reach our goals, we need Democrats to chip in a few bucks at a time to help us win this fall. And the truth is, there is no single greater source of those donations than emails like this.
So please. Your president needs you. Your party needs you. Our democracy needs you.
Thank you,
The Democratic Party
Text JOIN to 43367
If you’re ready to elect Democrats in all 50 states, territories, and D.C., make a contribution today.
Contributions or gifts to the Democratic National Committee are not tax deductible. Paid for by the Democratic National Committee, www.Democrats.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
In just a moment, we are going to ask you to donate directly to the Democratic National Committee before the Republican convention begins and our FEC deadline ends. Please give us a chance to explain why this request is so important.
Here is the truth:
Most years, the FEC fundraising deadlines we write about happen once every three months. Those are the big, official deadlines. And when they end, we are legally required to report what we’ve raised for everyone to see.
But during the homestretch of presidential campaign years, these official FEC deadlines happen every month — which means we have another one coming up fast.
And this one is especially important. It will be the first full report we file after the presidential debate, Trump’s VP announcement, and the Republican convention.
Everyone in the press will be watching what we file and what Republicans file — and the difference will be talked about by the press for days.
So we’re hoping for a big report. And at the same time, we also need to reach our very real fundraising goals for the month. And we need you for both.
You may not have woken up thinking today was the day you’d donate to the DNC, but we hope this explanation helped. So here’s the part where we ask:
Thank you in advance for contributing today. This is a huge deadline in the course of this campaign.
The Democratic Party
Text JOIN to 43367
If you’re ready to elect Democrats in all 50 states, territories, and D.C., make a contribution today.
Contributions or gifts to the Democratic National Committee are not tax deductible. Paid for by the Democratic National Committee, www.Democrats.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
Join us for Out and Proud: Let’s Sashay to the Polls!
Tri-City Democrats
Winter Social
Ballot Initiatives//League Reflections //Candidate Forums // more
LWVWA Takes NO Position on I-2117 //Candidate Forums // more
As we approach this year’s GiveBIG (May 7-8), I want to share with you many of the ways the League of Women Voters of Washington is poised to make a significant impact on the electoral landscape in our state and beyond. We invite you to join us and get that GIVING feeling!
At the heart of our mission of empowering voters and protecting democracy lies our commitment to ensuring that every voice is heard and every vote counts. To that end, the League is organizing and hosting candidate forums for state-wide offices, including Senate, Governor, Attorney General, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Commissioner of Public Lands. These events will provide voters with invaluable opportunities to hear directly from candidates and gain deeper insights into their positions on key issues.
On or about July 12, our voter guide VOTE411.org will go live with comprehensive information on all races in this year’s primary election. With personalized voter ballot information and candidate responses to community questions, VOTE411 serves as a valuable tool for voters of all backgrounds and experience levels.
At the forefront of vital efforts to safeguard the integrity of our elections and promote transparency in political discourse, the League recently took a stand in the landmark case State of Washington v. Meta Platforms, advocating for campaign disclosure laws that uphold the principles of accountability and fairness.
And our work is far from over. We need your support to continue making a difference. Your generous contribution will enable us to expand our voter education programs, advocate for meaningful reforms, and empower even more citizens to exercise their right to vote.
GiveBIG and join us in our mission to uphold democracy and advance the cause of justice and equality. Together, we can build a brighter future for our state and our nation.
Thank you for your steadfast support.
Sincerely,
Mary Coltrane, President
Evergreen Voter | LWVWA Council //Extending Your Impact // more
Legislative Action Newsletter March 13, 2024
Legislative Action Newsletter March 3, 2024
Get Out The Vote
Local dance group helped create a GOTV video, sponsored by our local League. Please view this delightful video.
Spanish Version
English Version
https://1drv.ms/v/s!Ah1rUQEIS9Efg6U8J-TO1fM9Kz5XJw?e=cLuAc
Columbia Basin Badger Club
BADGER FORUM: UPDATE FROM KYIV
BADGER FORUM THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, Noon
Ukraine
September 12: LIVE FROM UKRAINE
John Lewis: Good Trouble Online Screening Event
Sunday, April 28th @ 4 pm PT/7 pm ET
Join Meaningful Movies Project and Fix Democracy First for a special online screening of John Lewis: Good Trouble on April 28th at 4 pm PT/7 pm ET!
John Lewis: Good Trouble is a documentary film that provides an intimate glimpse into the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of legendary U.S. Representative John Lewis. Spanning over six decades of remarkable activism, the film portrays Lewis’s evolution from a bold teenager at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement to a formidable legislative force. It begins with Lewis’s courageous plea to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for assistance in integrating a segregated school in his hometown of Troy, Alabama, a pivotal moment that cemented their close bond. From organizing Freedom Rides amidst violence and imprisonment to standing steadfastly at the forefront of historic marches in Washington and Selma, Lewis displayed resilience and determination. Throughout his journey, he championed the spirit of “good trouble,” inspiring fellow Americans to confront injustice fearlessly. As the film chronicles Lewis’s unparalleled commitment to justice and equality until his passing on July 17, 2020, it underscores his enduring message of hope and perseverance. View the trailer HERE.
Also join us for a panel discussion after the film with:
Barbara Arnwine is the President & Founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition, an organization focused on systematic change that achieves racial justice, gender, economic and social justice and human rights. Ms. Arnwine is internationally renowned for contributions on critical justice issues including the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1991 and the 2006 reauthorization of provisions of the Voting Rights Act. She is also a founder of Election Protection, the nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition.
Rev. Dr. Derrick Harkins is a senior advisor with Raben, a public affairs and organizational consulting firm, where he uses his extensive political and ministerial experience to help advance the firm’s Faith Strategies Group. Prior to this position, Rev. Dr. Harkins was appointed by the Biden-Harris administration to serve as director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He also currently serves on the board of Interfaith Alliance.
Cinthia Illan-Vazquez is the Executive Director at The Washington Bus, a movement building organization that increases political access and participation for young people across WA. Prior to joining the Bus, Cinthia was the Community Engagement Manager at the Center for Education Results where she led and supported various community engagement efforts and strategies. Cinthia also served as legislative assistant to current Speaker of the WA State House of Representatives Laurie Jinkins, and as a community organizer with the Washington Dream Coalition, an undocumented and youth-led advocacy organization.
Support Democracy! Please make a donation to support our programs and work for democracy. We can't do this without you!
Follow Us!
Fix Democracy First
1402 3rd Ave Ste 500
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 552-3287
info@fixdemocracyfirst.org
Support Democracy! Please make a donation to support our programs and work for democracy. We can't do this without you!
Follow Us!
Fix Democracy First
1402 3rd Ave Ste 500
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 552-3287
info@fixdemocracyfirst.org
John Lewis: Good Trouble Online Screening Event
Sunday, April 28th @ 4 pm PT/7 pm ET
Join Meaningful Movies Project and Fix Democracy First for a special online screening of John Lewis: Good Trouble on April 28th at 4 pm PT/7 pm ET!
John Lewis: Good Trouble is a documentary film that provides an intimate glimpse into the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of legendary U.S. Representative John Lewis. Spanning over six decades of remarkable activism, the film portrays Lewis’s evolution from a bold teenager at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement to a formidable legislative force. It begins with Lewis’s courageous plea to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for assistance in integrating a segregated school in his hometown of Troy, Alabama, a pivotal moment that cemented their close bond. From organizing Freedom Rides amidst violence and imprisonment to standing steadfastly at the forefront of historic marches in Washington and Selma, Lewis displayed resilience and determination. Throughout his journey, he championed the spirit of “good trouble,” inspiring fellow Americans to confront injustice fearlessly. As the film chronicles Lewis’s unparalleled commitment to justice and equality until his passing on July 17, 2020, it underscores his enduring message of hope and perseverance. View the trailer HERE.
Also join us for a panel discussion after the film with:
Barbara Arnwine is the President & Founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition, an organization focused on systematic change that achieves racial justice, gender, economic and social justice and human rights. Ms. Arnwine is internationally renowned for contributions on critical justice issues including the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1991 and the 2006 reauthorization of provisions of the Voting Rights Act. She is also a founder of Election Protection, the nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition.
Rev. Dr. Derrick Harkins is a senior advisor with Raben, a public affairs and organizational consulting firm, where he uses his extensive political and ministerial experience to help advance the firm’s Faith Strategies Group. Prior to this position, Rev. Dr. Harkins was appointed by the Biden-Harris administration to serve as director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He also currently serves on the board of Interfaith Alliance.
Cinthia Illan-Vazquez is the Executive Director at The Washington Bus, a movement building organization that increases political access and participation for young people across WA. Prior to joining the Bus, Cinthia was the Community Engagement Manager at the Center for Education Results where she led and supported various community engagement efforts and strategies. Cinthia also served as legislative assistant to current Speaker of the WA State House of Representatives Laurie Jinkins, and as a community organizer with the Washington Dream Coalition, an undocumented and youth-led advocacy organization.
Support Democracy! Please make a donation to support our programs and work for democracy. We can't do this without you!
Follow Us!
Fix Democracy First
1402 3rd Ave Ste 500
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 552-3287
info@fixdemocracyfirst.org
Build skills with FAN this summer and Vote NO on Initiatives
Announcing Our Search for FAN’s Next Executive Director
Putting Our Values into Action
Table with us at Spokane Pride
Taking Action Together this Election Season
Announcing our FAN Spring Summits
Continuing Opportunities for Advocacy
Important announcement from FAN
How to respond to the violent attack at Trump’s rally
Trump should have been sentenced today
The way forward, Project 2025, No to Netanyahu, and Monday updates
This is America, We Don’t Do Monarchy Here
Special guest Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin at this month’s DEI Lies, Busted: Big Truths Call
Special Newsletter: What We Do After the Debate Edition
Whoa, that thing that happened/he said at the debate was wild/awesome/scary
We’re doing everything we can to defeat Trump. Here’s what that looks like:
Join us Join us for the June Raucous Rural Caucus Call!
Hello Raucous Rural Caucus,
When Roe fell, we made a promise to you, our rural members: we will always keep you updated with the best possible messaging and provide a unique rural lens to our work with the courts as they continue to chip away at our rights and freedoms. We told you it wouldn’t stop with Roe, and we let you know we’d have your back any time that rural folks were disproportionately affected by major rulings. As we inch closer to the election and the publication of more rulings, we want to talk to you about how this rogue court and extremists in Congress plan to dismantle the structures that keep rural communities afloat – and we’re going to give you the tools to talk about these topics in your communities. After our June call, you will be equipped to speak to the real-life consequences of multiple rulings, the ramifications of changes to the Farm Bill, and you’ll leave our call knowing where to look to level up your expertise even more. Join us on Wednesday, June 26 at 8pm ET/7pm CT. If we don’t talk to our communities about these complex and far-reaching issues, MAGA extremists will. Let’s own this narrative together – join us!
Register now! We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, June 26th
8:00 PM ET/ 5:00 PM PT
Indivisible’s Rural Caucus Team (Scott, Natalie, Cameron, and Rachelle)
Indivisible Project
PO Box 43884
Washington, DC 20010
United States
📣One day to go before our Weekend of Action📣
Our Roe repeal Weekend of Action begins, No to Netanyahu, and Monday updates
Happy Flag Day, Justice Alito🚩🚩🚩
SCOTUS ruled unanimously on mifepristone…but abortion is still in danger
a groundbreaking tool that can shift the outcome of the 2024 election
Federal IVF protections, Indivisible Action’s Weekend of Action, No to Netanyahu, and Monday updates
Newsletter: The Kennedy-Curious Voter
📣Two weeks to go until our Weekend of Action
SPECIAL GUEST: Kristina Wilfore at our Truth Brigade call next Wednesday
✅Congratulations, IndivisiCandidate Andy Kim! On to victory this November
🚀 Campaign Launch: Project 2024
Here it is: our plan to win in 2024
Indivisible Rural Program [2021 WORKING DOC]
Want to get involved?
Council meetings take place in person and online every second Thursday.
Email info@TCDIC.org for more information and the zoom link
Volunteer with the Council today!
👋 This is your weekly recap when it comes to all things NDTC! Check out our upcoming events and featured course of the week. Find more at traindemocrats.org
NDTC Expert Q&A:
Winning Together with Labor Communities
Have you secured your spot for our panel discussion yet? Whether you’re a candidate, campaign staffer, or community leader, we invite you to join us on July 25th at 1 PM EST. Dive into a thought-provoking conversation on building robust alliances with labor communities across the country, shaping policies that support workers, and championing the needs of American laborers.
We’ll be joined by Former Rep. Cheri Bustos, Mike Monroe, Chief of Staff at North America’s Building Trades Unions; Elissa McBride, AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer; and Sara Nelson, AFA-CWA International President.
So if you have questions about…
- Legislative priorities for labor communities
- How to work with unions in your district
- Seeking labor endorsements
COURSE OF THE WEEK
Relational Organizing 101
If you want to see your community more politically engaged and equitably represented, relational organizing can produce results.
UPCOMING LIVE TRAINING
Building Equity-Centered Volunteer Teams
We know volunteers fuel your people-powered campaign. To keep your volunteer community as inclusive and diverse as possible, check out this course where we’ll review effective volunteer team management practices.
7.15
10am PDT
UPCOMING LIVE TRAINING
How to Recruit and Train Volunteers
Where do you find volunteers? In this course, we’ll review volunteer recruiting best practices & introduce you to effective strategies for training all of your new volunteers.
7.17
12pm PDT
UPCOMING LIVE TRAINING
How to Have Meaningful 1:1 Conversations
Why are 1:1 conversations so important to your organizing strategy? In this course, we’ll review the connection between 1:1 conversations and the Ladder of Engagement, plus participants will have time to practice successful 1:1 conversations.
7.18
12pm PDT
Follow us on our social media and stay up to date with NDTC!
Copyright (C) 2024 National Democratic Training Committee. All rights reserved.
Here are some ways you can take action.
- Mon, Jul 15 @ 10am
Building Equity-Centered Volunteer Teams › - Wed, Jul 17 @ 6pm
How to Recruit & Train Volunteers › - Thu, Jul 18 @ 10am
How to Have Meaningful One-on-One Conversations › - Wed, Jul 24 @ 10am
How to Have Successful Volunteer Recruitment Conversations › - Thu, Jul 25 @ 10am
NDTC Expert Q&A: Winning Together with Labor Communities › - Mon, Aug 5 @ 10am
What is GOTV? ›
All times PDT
Connect with us on social media!
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National Democratic Training Committee
910 17th Street NW, Suite 925 Washington, DC, 20006, US
Assault Weapon Shootings To Gun Lobby Politicians: Follow The Blood Money Trail
Sweating Without Power? Follow The Money To See How Utility Firms Have Rigged The System!
What’s in Trump’s Project 2025? Chat with Our WhatsApp Bot!
Mapping Clarence Thomas’ Billionaire-Funded Luxury Trips: Putin’s Hometown and Beyond
Houston’s Storm Woes: The Republicans Who Opposed Better Infrastructure
‘Fetal personhood’ Laws: 10 Ways Trump’s Project 2025 Can Land You In Jail
Tax-Free Tip or Bribe? Trump’s Scheme To Reward Justices Who Gave Him Immunity
Supreme Court Cripples FAA Undermining Flying Safety
Mapping Hurricane Beryl as MAGA Climate Change Deniers heading for cover
MAGA Supreme Court Revives Slavery: Could You Be Enslaved?
ACLU Supporter, the RNC is just days away – where the Republican Party will officially present their platform and confirm their nominee for president – with the DNC soon to follow. And thanks to the Supreme Court, both candidates know they can now use their powers to break the law without fear of criminal prosecution.
With one ruling, the Court gave the president the ability to use their elected office to break the law with impunity – overruling centuries of precedent. We’ve been fighting to reverse this destructive order ever since.
Congress could pass a constitutional amendment overturning this decision and establish once and for all that presidents are not above the law. Yet in the two weeks since this ruling dropped, Congress has refused to act.
But thousands of your fellow ACLU supporters have acted – sending over 100,000 messages to Congress demanding they take bold action to repair the Supreme Court’s mistake. Join them and tell Congress: Inaction is not an option. We must overturn this decision by passing a constitutional amendment today.
The Court’s decision to grant unprecedented immunity from criminal legal consequences leaves our country vulnerable to rising authoritarianism and puts our democracy at risk. Future presidents could use their new powers to weaponize the government against anyone they disagree with – from political rivals to everyday critics to you.
Now is not the time to sit back and express dismay. Our representatives need to do their job and pass a constitutional amendment immediately.
Join us: Tell Congress to take action today.
–The ACLU Team
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA
ACLU Supporter, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. United States gives presidents unprecedented immunity from criminal consequences – even allowing presidents to turn the army against their critics or weaponize the Justice Department against opponents.
Our country was founded on a rejection of kings – and no president since our founding has been granted this level of power and protection above the law.
(Please note: these links will take you to a third-party website, signforgood.com.)
Over 200 years of precedent are clear: Presidents cannot be placed above the law. See how much you remember about America’s legacy of presidents over kings.
– The ACLU Team
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA
We’re almost halfway through July and our team at Emerge is going all out to ensure Democratic women up and down the ballot have the critical tools to win in November. But our work is far from over.
We’re entering what many call the “summer slump.” Historically, this is the slowest time of year for contributions, and this year is no exception.
We cannot afford to slow down our momentum during this crucial time in the election cycle. Your grassroots support is important now more than ever to support Emerge women.
Will you contribute today to ensure we keep up the heat in July and beat the summer slump?
Thank you for your support,
Jasmine Smith
Development Manager, Emerge
Empowering Democratic women to run – and win!
www.emergeamerica.org
4 Embarcadero Center
Suite 1400
San Francisco, CA 94111
United States
My name is Jena Griswold, and I am the Secretary of State of Colorado. Today, I wanted to share a little bit about what Emerge meant to me, but first, will you contribute $25 or more to show your support to recruit and train more Democratic women in 2024 and beyond?
I grew up in a cabin in rural Colorado on food stamps, and went on to become the youngest Secretary of State in the country. How? In a word, Emerge.
At the age of 32, I decided to run for statewide office, never having run for office before. It was a long shot. I was up against a statewide Republican incumbent in Colorado. And folks like me don’t run for office, much less run for Secretary of State in Colorado – a seat Democrats hadn’t won in 60 years.
But I’ll tell you this – Emerge was there for me. My Emerge sisters were the ones who showed up and encouraged me when everybody thought it was an impossible task. Emerge’s training provided me with the crucial strategy and support to make the impossible race become possible in 2018.
When I was first elected Colorado Secretary of State, I became the youngest Secretary of State in the country. So when a woman asks me what is the first step they should take to run for office, I always tell them about Emerge.
Let me tell you the truth, Kendall: This is the most consequential election in our lifetime, and I need more Democratic women on the frontline to fight back against Donald Trump and his extremists.
This is URGENT—Emerge needs your support to recruit and train more Democratic women! Will you contribute to ensure Emerge has the resources to recruit and train more Democratic women? Every dollar you invest has an immediate impact on women seeking to run for office.
Let’s support more Democratic women,
Jena Griswold
Colorado Secretary of State
Empowering Democratic women to run – and win!
www.emergeamerica.org
4 Embarcadero Center
Suite 1400
San Francisco, CA 94111
United States
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Several years ago, federal immigration authorities established a fake university with a real physical office, a real internet presence, and a real admissions process. As part of the scheme, they even got the board that accredits universities to say the fake institution was accredited. And so international students, in fact, applied to the fake university that gave every appearance of being real, and when they were accepted they arrived in the US with student visas and paid the tuition they owed.
The catch: the fake college was actually a sting operation designed to catch people seeking to engage in “pay to stay” scams where they pretended to be students in order to enter the country, but no education was provided. Even though it’s true that the fake university did not, in fact, offer any classes, the students weren’t the scammers, they were the ones who were scammed — they sincerely believed they were enrolling in an American university to receive an American university education. But nonetheless, hundreds of students who enrolled in the government’s fake school were arrested and deported. The good news is that courts have ruled these students are now able to sue the government over the whole thing, but that doesn’t answer the question of how on earth did the federal government come to carry out a scam… and arrest people over it… as part of an effort to crack down on scams? Can we get the FTC involved in rooting out this form of fraud, too?
Make it make sense.
on the gig customer service platform Arise made less than the advertised pay rate of “up to $18/hour.” The company must now pay a $7 million settlement and cease making these kinds of earnings claims after internal documents were uncovered, which showed that average pay was, in fact, just $12/hour.
has temporarily stopped the new federal rule banning noncompete agreements from taking effect. The US Chamber of Commerce sued to block the rule because banning noncompetes “amounts to a vast overhaul of the national economy.”
are handled by three giant Pharmacy Benefit Managers who are supposed to negotiate with drug companies on behalf of healthcare providers and customers. Instead, a new report finds the business practices in this concentrated industry can raise prices — “including overcharging patients for cancer drugs.”
Almost 1 in 5 Americans live in locations that can fairly be described as “left behind” — places where population growth, income growth, and investment have lagged the rest of the country throughout this century. It’s mostly the kinds of places you’re probably picturing — deeply rural communities in the South, pieces of the industrial Midwest, and the like.
It turns out something amazing has been happening in these places, according to a new report from the Economic Innovation Group: from 2020 – 2023, jobs have grown more than four times faster in “left behind” areas than in the four previous years. And as the chart below shows, new businesses are being formed in these communities at an impressive clip. While they still lag behind the growth rate of the rest of the country, these left-behind communities are now seeing new businesses being created at a faster rate than the rest of the country had experienced before the pandemic. There’s still much to be done to close the gap, and it’s remarkable to see yet more evidence that, for the first time in a long while, the whole country is growing together.
Everyone knows that whatever its merits, a Dior purse that sells for $2,800 doesn’t cost anything like $2,800 to produce. There’s markup in every step of the production cycle, and that’s just how the luxury goods business works. But still, it’s a bit of a shock to learn that the Italian-made handbags cost just $57 to manufacture… and that they are made by workers employed by third-party contractors to labor in substandard conditions without required safety equipment.
It’s the kind of unsettling story we’ve all been reading about since the Kathy Lee Gifford Walmart sweatshop scandal of the 1990s, but what’s remarkable here is the depth of the investigation by Italian authorities that uncovered these conditions — they even mapped electricity consumption at the factory to determine that, in violation of the law, they were engaged in “seamless day-night production cycles, including during the holidays.” Even more remarkable is the penalty: the subsidiary of Dior that makes the bags has been put under court supervision, stripping corporate executives of direct control of the offending operations.
What did you think? Choose a reaction:
Civic Action
119 1st Avenue South Suite 320
Seattle, WA 98014
United States
America cannot avoid our tragic history of political violence, but neither are we doomed to repeat it. Fascism is fueled by violence. Community is how we keep us safe and the place where democracy is protected and expanded.
How do we get there together? How do we talk about this with our family, friends, and loved ones? And how do we do all of this while continuing to fight the same violent forces and rhetoric that leads to political violence of the sort we have seen before and that everyone saw this weekend.
Join us for a critical, grounding conversation on Tuesday at 7:30 pm ET.
– Women’s March
| Women’s March is a 501c(4) organization. Your generous support helps us prepare for fights we see coming and those we don’t. Donations are not tax-deductible. If you prefer to make a tax-deductible gift, we encourage you to support the Women’s March Network. Gifts to the Network support our organizing, communications, advocacy, and public education efforts. |
As November approaches, the stakes for our nation couldn’t be higher. We’re not DC insiders, and we don’t know all of the conversations that go on behind closed doors, but we do know a few things for certain.
According to our recent survey, over 97% of us believe that our democracy is on the line in November. We see the threats, we feel the urgency, and we know that our collective power can turn the tide.
Note the new date: November 2nd, 2024
Women have always been at the forefront of change, leading movements, and making history. This November, we have the chance to do it again. Together, we can safeguard our democracy and ensure a future where our voices are heard and our rights are protected.
It’s time to stand up, speak out, and mobilize. Our democracy depends on it. We depend on it. The future depends on us.
Join us. Let’s show the world that women will save our democracy.
How are you taking action on November 2nd?
See you in the streets,
Amanda & the Women’s March team
| Women’s March is a 501c(4) organization. Your generous support helps us prepare for fights we see coming and those we don’t. Donations are not tax-deductible. If you prefer to make a tax-deductible gift, we encourage you to support the Women’s March Network. Gifts to the Network support our organizing, communications, advocacy, and public education efforts. |
Firearms are the most common weapons used in domestic violence homicides. Every 12 hours, a woman is shot and killed by a current or former intimate partner, and in America, 60% of mass shooting events between 2014 and 2019 were either domestic violence attacks or perpetrated by those with a history of domestic violence.
This troubling statistic highlights the urgent need for comprehensive gun safety measures to protect survivors and prevent senseless tragedies in our communities. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court made a historic 8-1 ruling in U.S. v. Rahimi, prohibiting individuals subject to a protective order from possessing a firearm. This ruling ensures that individuals deemed a credible threat by the courts cannot possess firearms, potentially preventing further violence, and is a MAJOR victory in our movement to end gun violence.
However, the battle is far from over. Despite a promising Supreme Court ruling in U.S. v. Rahimi, our work remains unfinished. Just a week before this decision, the predominantly conservative Court overturned the federal ban on bump stocks—deadly devices that effectively convert assault weapons into machine guns—in Garland v. Cargill—ignoring the pleas of gun violence victims and weakening efforts to enact gun safety laws across the country.
We should never have reached this point—and another Trump presidency could lead to more extreme judicial appointments, resulting in dangerous decisions that endanger countless lives.
We need advocates like you to chip in $20 to help us fight against the expansion of gun rights.
Thankfully, thanks to our work–and the work of countless others–Washington State continues to be a national leader in disarming abusers. The Regional Domestic Violence and Firearm Enforcement Unit, a collaboration between the City of Seattle and King County, remains the national model for a proactive, upstream, data-driven, public health approach to removing firearms from some of the deadliest circumstances.
The fight against gun violence cannot wait. Your donation today will enable us to advocate for comprehensive gun safety laws, close dangerous loopholes, and oppose bills that jeopardize the safety of our community. We need you to act now.
We can’t afford to stop fighting to end the epidemic of gun violence. Your donation today will help us build a safer tomorrow.
Thank you,
Renée Hopkins
CEO, Alliance for Gun Responsibility
P.S. Your gift before midnight matters – every dollar you give will help further our mission to end gun violence.
Dear MoveOn member,
It’s been two weeks since the debate between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and there is no denying that these two weeks have been incredibly hard.
It’s been two weeks filled with nonstop news coverage, speculation, discussions about the best path forward, and, importantly, two weeks without nearly enough focus on Trump’s lies, criminal convictions, unhinged conspiracy theories, or his plans to implement the dystopian Project 2025 MAGA takeover.
The stakes of this election could not be higher: Will we preserve and strengthen our democracy so that we can push for progressive change, or will we fall to fascism and be forced to live through another—likely more extreme—resistance era where so much we fought for will be on the line?
And understandably, MoveOn members—just like so many Americans—are feeling anxious and uncertain.
We do not know how the next few weeks, days, or even hours will unfold at the top of the Democratic ticket, but we want to assure you of one thing:
No matter the candidate, MoveOn will be here, moving full steam ahead and fighting with everything we have to defeat Donald Trump this November. And we know that we can win.
Giving up is not an option. It’s what the Republicans want us to do. They know full well their agenda is wildly unpopular—the American people don’t support a national abortion ban, the dismantling of public education, or the destruction of Social Security—and so their easiest path to victory is suppressing turnout.
And they are hoping that we simply do that job for them.
But we can’t, and we won’t.
They counted us out in 2020. We won the presidency and both houses of Congress.
They declared that a red wave was coming in 2022. Democrats held onto the Senate and gave Republicans the slimmest—and most chaotic—House majority in 90 years.
Now it’s time to do it again.
MoveOn has been executing our election plan for months, and we are not slowing down.
- We’re launching a major sustained campaign to combat Trump’s lies and propaganda, and now, we’re recruiting a cadre of social media influencers to expose and counter their lies on social media platforms like TikTok, where, according to the Pew Research Center, one-third of people under 30 are getting their news.1
- We’re fighting to expose Project 2025—the right’s nearly 1,000-page blueprint for taking over America and turning it into a fascist police state, by executive order and without an act of Congress, if Trump is reelected.
- We’re running a massive effort to connect with 1.5 million “surge” voters—Democratic-leaning voters who don’t regularly vote—in battleground states and districts, who will make the difference between winning and losing this November. We’re contacting these surge voters through postcards, targeted ads, text messages, phone-banking, canvassing, and more to connect with them about the terrible policies that Trump plans to implement, hear their concerns, and turn them out to vote.
And it’s working.
MoveOn members are consistently reporting that their conversations with surge voters are succeeding in persuading those voters to cast a ballot.
And after months of silence, Project 2025 is finally starting to be covered by the media—so much so that Trump’s campaign is panicking and trying to pretend they know nothing about it even though the lead writer worked in Trump’s administration and two others were appointed to write the RNC’s official platform.2
We must keep pushing forward, no matter what. The outcome of this election is simply too important to sit out or look away.
Thanks for all you do.
–Rahna Epting, Executive Director
Sources:
1. “News Platform Fact Sheet,” Pew Research Center, November 15, 2023
https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/news-platform-fact-sheet/
2. “Trump is trying to distance himself from Project 2025 — but its architects helped shape his RNC party platform,” ABC News, July 9, 2024
https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-distance-project-2025-architects-helped-shape-rnc/story
Want to support MoveOn’s work? Voters just defied history and stopped a MAGA wave of extremism at the polls. But there is more work to do to end the filibuster, codify abortion rights into law, and defend our freedoms, our families, and our futures. We can accomplish all this and more, but only if we work together.
Will you chip in monthly to power our critical work?
No, I’m sorry, I can’t make a monthly donation.
MOVEON POLITICAL ACTION, https://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. MoveOn Political Action – PO Box 96142, Washington, D.C. 20090-6142.
RSVP to Thursday’s swing district phone bank!
Donald Trump wants to have it both ways regarding his record on abortion: He wants to gloat to conservatives about being the one to put enough MAGA justices on the Supreme Court to overturn Roe and end abortion freedoms for millions of Americans, while also hiding his extreme abortion record from everyone else.1
We can’t let him do it. Voters, including the younger, less frequent voters whose decision on whether to vote could tip the outcome of this election, overwhelmingly believe in bodily freedoms. We’ve just got to talk to as many of them as possible to connect the dots with what’s on the ballot this election, including abortion rights.
Last Tuesday, MoveOn members hit the phones big-time in our most successful phone bank yet in the wake of the Supreme Court’s horrific immunity decision. Together, more than 100 of us called more than 21,000 voters in swing districts. We tore through our first list of voters and had to load up a second one to keep calling.
How did we manage to make about 200 calls per person in a little over an hour?! It wasn’t magic. 🙂 Unlike old-school phone banks where you spend most of your time dialing phone numbers and waiting for answering machines to pick up, MoveOn is using a “predictive dialer,” which makes the calls for you in the background, and whenever someone picks up, it patches the live voter through to you, the caller. It’s way more efficient and way more fun, because you spend more time actually connecting with voters to hear what matters to them.
This week, MoveOn members in the places we’re prioritizing most are launching the first member-led canvasses of our election program. In Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Phoenix, Arizona, they’ll be going door to door to talk to voters face to face about this election and what’s at stake. Those of us who aren’t near an in-person event can support their efforts by following up with phone calls to these very same voters. So sign up today and join us Thursday!
Trump and his allies want us to lose hope, want us to feel like his lies cannot be corrected and that he will never be held accountable for his violence. But if we insist that a better future is possible, and if we choose to act to bring it about, then we can overcome this strategy and make accountability into reality. So let’s come together, now and always.
Thanks for all you do.
–Amanda, Alexis, David, Tatiana, and the rest of the team
P.S. If you can’t join us on Thursday but want to call voters, you can RSVP for one of these future phone banks:
- Thursday, July 25, at 7 p.m. ET (5 CT/4 MT/3 PT)
- Friday, July 26, at 7 p.m. ET (5 CT/4 MT/3 PT)
- Saturday, July 27, at 2 p.m. ET (1 CT/12 MT/11 a.m. PT)
- Sunday, July 28, at 2 p.m. ET (1 CT/12 MT/11 a.m. PT)
Source:
1. “Opinion: Trump’s move to the center is stunningly transparent,” CNN, July 9, 2024
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/07/09/opinions/gop-strategy-on-abortion-trump-softening-rnc-filipovic
Want to support MoveOn’s work? Voters just defied history and stopped a MAGA wave of extremism at the polls. But there is more work to do to end the filibuster, codify abortion rights into law, and defend our freedoms, our families, and our futures. We can accomplish all this and more, but only if we work together.
Will you chip in monthly to power our critical work?
No, I’m sorry, I can’t make a monthly donation.
MOVEON POLITICAL ACTION, https://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. MoveOn Political Action – PO Box 96142, Washington, D.C. 20090-6142.
SIGN: Rename Donald J. Trump State Park NOW!
`Dear MoveOn member,
While Trump-picked judges and courts sympathetic to Republicans—from Judge Aileen Cannon to the Georgia Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court—have delayed multiple trials against the disgraced former president, there are some folks who are successfully holding him accountable.
A jury of 12 regular New Yorkers found Trump guilty of 34 felonies—making him the first former president to be convicted of crimes. Another jury of New Yorkers found him liable for sexual assault against E. Jean Carroll. And it was the New York justice system that levied a $355 million verdict against Trump for fraud.
That’s right, there is still a public “Donald J. Trump State Park,” maintained with taxpayer dollars through the New York State Office of Parks. But a growing number of legislators are working to change that—and you can join nearly 40,000 fellow MoveOn members demanding the state change the park’s name.
Trump’s crimes and abusive actions should have consequences. Join the movement of people working to make those consequences realized. Click here to add your name to the petition and then share with three friends to help spread the word!
–Valeria, Aliya, Justin, Isbah, and the rest of the team
P.S. Read our email from earlier this month on the growing effort to rename Donald J. Trump State Park in northern Westchester County and why we need MoveOn members to act now.
Dear MoveOn member,
Disgraced former president Donald Trump just got convicted on 34 counts, making him the first former U.S. president convicted of felony crimes.1 His conviction confirms what we already knew, that Trump is a corrupt opportunist, willing to deceive Americans in order to obtain and keep power. Trump’s presidency, and the crimes he committed against the American people, are a stain on our democracy. It’s shameful that a public state park in New York still bears Trump’s name! Public spaces should carry names that symbolize the values we hold dear, the leaders we admire, and the principles we stand for. Trump Park’s being named after a man convicted of hiding information from the American people in order to steal an election is just plain embarrassing.
In the wake of Trump’s conviction, state lawmakers are reviving efforts to rename Donald J. Trump State Park in northern Westchester County.2 The park, largely abandoned and neglected, stands as a tarnished symbol of a divisive figure whose actions have caused immense harm and division in our nation. Despite past failures to change the park’s name, the momentum is building again. New Yorkers have seen Trump’s name vanish from skyscrapers, golf courses, and skating rinks.3 It’s time for it to disappear from our public parks, too!
Rename Trump State Park and welcome a fresh start, free from associations with a divisive, convicted, and disgraced former president.
Donald Trump donated the land in 2006, which is why it bears his name.4 However, throughout history, governments have renamed public spaces to reflect the values of the times and withdraw recognition from those who have done damage. Changing the park’s name is within the rights and power of the New York State Legislature and the governor—they just need to hear from concerned citizens, like you, who demand action. With 34 convictions just announced and three more criminal trials pending, it’s even more clear that naming one of our state parks after Trump is not just inappropriate—it’s shameful.
In light of Trump’s conviction and the renewed legislative efforts, we have a real chance to finally strip his name from this state park. This is our moment to act. By renaming Donald J. Trump State Park, we send a powerful message that we reject attacks against our democracy and stand for a future where every community member is treated with dignity and respect.
Sign the petition and share it with all your family, friends, and neighbors.
Thanks for all you do.
–Valeria, Aliya, Noor, Isbah, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. “Guilty: Trump becomes first former US president convicted of felony crimes,” AP News, May 31, 2024
https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0
2. “Trump’s Conviction Renews Push to Strip His Name From a New York Park,” The New York Times, May 31, 2024
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/31/nyregion/trump-park-taconic-ny.html
3. “Here’s Every Trump Property That’s Dropped His Name,” Forbes, June 30, 2021
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/10/23/heres-every-trump-property-thats-dropped-his-name/#:~:text=Besides%20the%20skating%20rinks%2C%20six,recovery%20from%20a%20prolonged%20slump.`
4. “Latest effort to rename Donald J. Trump State Park falls short,” Lohud, June 11, 2021
https://www.lohud.com/story/news/2021/06/10/donald-j-trump-state-park-name-change-vote/7634149002/
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 MoveOn’s work? Voters just defied history and stopped a MAGA wave of extremism at the polls. But there is more work to do to end the filibuster, codify abortion rights into law, and defend our freedoms, our families, and our futures. We can accomplish all this and more, but only if we work together.
Will you chip in monthly to power our critical work?
No, I’m sorry, I can’t make a monthly donation.
MOVEON POLITICAL ACTION, https://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. MoveOn Political Action – PO Box 96142, Washington, D.C. 20090-6142.
June 25, 2024
In this issue:
- Democrats’ dream of a wealth tax is alive
- In Our View: Voters should know how much initiatives cost
- Inequality: ‘Let’s continue to tax wealth’
- WA voters want more child care investments, new poll finds
The forces behind I-2109 and other bad initiatives are doing everything they can to keep the fiscal impact facts away from voters. They don’t want voters to know that I-2109 will slash more than $5 billion from childcare and education by 2030 by giving a tax break to mega-millionaires and billionaires. Now, we learned they are taking that fight all the way to the state Supreme Court.
But it’s not all bad news! The US Supreme Court ruled in our favor in Moore v. United States – a case that started in Washington state – by keeping the pathway to a wealth tax open.
And, WA voters say they want more investments in childcare, not less. And more than 100 parent, education, small business, and other community organizations – including Invest in WA Now – are coming together to defeat I-2109 to stop cuts to childcare and education. You can do your part by pledging to vote No on I-2109 this fall!
– Treasure
DEMOCRATS’ DREAM OF A WEALTH TAX
IS ALIVE
“For years, liberal Democrats have agitated for the United States to tax wealth, not just income, as a way to ensure that rich Americans who derive wealth from real estate, stocks, bonds and other assets were paying more in taxes. On Thursday, that dream survived a Supreme Court scare.
Thanks to a narrow court ruling, a raft of plans to use the tax code to address the gaping divide between the very richest Americans and everyone else appear set to live for years to come in the campaign proposals and official budgets of top Democrats.
The Supreme Court also could have taken an activist turn of the worst kind by preemptively ruling federal wealth taxes unconstitutional today, Amy Hanauer, the executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, which supports higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, said in a statement. To its credit, the court did not do so.
But the ruling also showed a path for a wealth tax, albeit a narrow one. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, one of the court’s liberals, urged justices to allow the dispute to be resolved by the public, perhaps knowing that wealth taxes tend to poll well.”
More – Jim Tankersley, New York Times
IN OUR VIEW: VOTERS SHOULD KNOW HOW MUCH INITIATIVES COST
“Thurston County Superior Court Judge Allyson Zipp has ruled that ballots across the state must include information regarding the budget impact of three initiatives. The measures would close revenue streams approved by the Legislature in recent years, overturning a capital gains tax, the Climate Commitment Act and a long-term care program.
As Misha Werschkul, executive director of the Washington Budget and Policy Center, said: The Washington Constitution provides voters with the right to participate in the lawmaking process through the initiative and referendum processes. Voters have a right to know these initiatives cost too much and will have massive impacts on our state’s ability to provide critical services to all Washingtonians.”
INEQUALITY:
LET’S CONTINUE TO TAX WEALTH
“Many of us have accumulated resources beyond our needs — through hard work, inheritances, stock options, etc. And inequality will only get worse as the wealth transfer from older generations to their kids intensifies. I would count myself among this group, having inherited money when my mom passed away a few years ago. I have more than I need, and I would rather live in a society that invests in our community than be able to buy more stuff.
For decades Washington state was the worst in the country at taxing low-income people much more than high earners. But that changed thanks to a new capital gains tax and Seattle’s tax on high earners. And these tools fund things most of us care deeply about — public education and affordable housing. It seems that public policy does make a difference.
Rather than throw up our hands in the face of inequality, let’s continue to tax wealth — starting by voting no on Initiative 2109, which would eliminate the capital gains tax.”
More – Melanie Mayock’s Letter to the Editor, The Seattle Times
WA VOTERS WANT MORE CHILD CARE INVESTMENTS, NEW POLL FINDS
“Washington voters want more money invested in child care and support more taxes on wealthy people and businesses to pay for it. And, in a poll released Thursday, 87% of those surveyed said child care and early education will be priorities for them when casting ballots this November.
Washington already has a capital gains tax, which taxes proceeds from sales of stocks and bonds and directs that money into early learning and child care programs. Paying for the sweeping proposal sought by advocates would likely cost more than what the tax generates. It’s brought in $1.2 billion in its first two years of collections, but an initiative on the ballot this November could repeal the tax.
The most important thing is that voters support ensuring Washington’s wealthiest people and businesses fund child care because it is a critical part of our economy, said Lauren Hipp, national director for early learning and Washington state at MomsRising.
More – Laurel Demkovich, Washington State Standard
Be an Early Endorser!
Get in Touch Today
Invest in Washington Now, 509 Olive Way Ste 1133, Seattle, WA, 98101
Dems 101 – Two messages from the heart
Dems 101 – The Real Meaning of the 4th of July
Dems 101 – A message from Ohio – Part 1
Dems 101 – Over 50 groups have adopted the Democratic Creed
Dems 101 – News + help for candidates
Dems 101 – Upcoming events in Michigan, Georgia & Ohio
Dems 101 – This time, just Forward!
Dems 101 – Backward and Forward
Dems 101 – March 2024 Newsletter – BUILDING A COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY COALITION (Part 2)
Dems 101 – February 2024 Newsletter – BUILDING A COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY COALITION
Friend, how much do you know about I-2109?
Today, you can find out. Take our four-question quiz to test your knowledge.
I-2109 is bankrolled by hedge fund millionaire Brian Heywood, who moved to Washington just a few years ago. He’s already spent $6 million on paid signature gatherers to qualify I-2109 and other initiatives for the ballot. Now, he and his ultra-wealthy friends are ready to spend millions more to try to deceive voters about this initiative, all so they can avoid paying what they owe.
By arming ourselves and our neighbors with the facts, we can fight their misleading messages and inspire our fellow Washingtonians to vote NO. For instance, do you know how repealing this tax on mega-millionaires would affect education, childcare, and early learning in Washington? Take the quiz now to find out and brush up on the facts about I-2109.
Together, we will protect Washington’s investments in children and families.
Thanks,
The No on I-2109 Team
No on 2109 Committee
PO Box 21961, Seattle, WA, 98111
Top Contributors:
National Education Association, WA Federation of State Employees, Washington Education Association, Lisa Mennet, SEIU Initiative Fund
Our campaign is heating up. With so much at stake, we need all hands on deck. I’m asking you to take the next step and volunteer with us.
Fill out our new volunteer form and let us know how you’d like to get involved.
We must defeat I-2117 and protect our clean air and water, forests and farmland, jobs, and transportation investments. But we can’t do that without folks like you stepping up and providing the people power to beat the right-wing millionaires funding the opposition.
Thanks in advance, and I hope to see you soon!
Sincerely,
Beth Doglio
Field Director, No on 2117
We’re gearing up to defeat I-2117, but we need your help to keep accelerating our campaign.
With your support, we’ve secured endorsements from more than 250 organizations and the resources to grow our campaign team.
Very truly yours,
Jay Inslee
Good of the Order
What Can I Do? Here’s a way to join the postcard brigade
BCDCC Officers and Subcommittee Chairs for 2023-2024
The Benton County Democratic Central Committee is searching for a Newsletter editor, if you’re interested please check out information here: https://www.bencodems.org/newsletter-editor/