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It’s time for your members of Congress to support impeachment procedures. Indivisibles,
Before we get into this week’s to-dos, we want to acknowledge the horrific attacks in Sri Lanka. Our hearts are with those affected and their loved ones. Whether it’s here in the U.S. or halfway across the world, we must stand united against hate and violence everywhere.
Last Thursday, Attorney General William Barr released a redacted version of the Mueller report and (surprise!) it contained more evidence of obstruction of justice committed by Trump than Barr’s initial summary of the report suggested. Mueller and his team investigated numerous “episodes” when Trump’s actions may have constituted obstruction of justice. Based on the available evidence, Mueller’s report ultimately stated that his team was unable to clear Trump of obstruction.
Once the redacted report was made public, several members of Congress (MoCs) -- including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Ayanna Pressley -- joined Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s resolution (H. Res. 257) calling for impeachment proceedings to begin in the House Judiciary Committee. We agree with Rep. Tlaib and every other co-sponsor; we need a formal impeachment investigation launched in the House.
And up next, Barr will testify before the House Judiciary Committee about the Mueller report on May 2. He’ll likely face tough questions about why his summary of Mueller’s findings deviated from the contents of the report, as well as his decisions about what to redact.
Your 5 weekly to-dos
- It’s time for your MoC to support impeachment hearings. Donald Trump has committed numerous impeachable offenses. Even if he hadn’t committed obstructive actions during the Mueller probe (which he clearly did), he would still deserve to be impeached for his corruption and his unforgivable cruelty against immigrant families. Take action by sending a letter to your MoC telling them to support Rep. Tlaib’s impeachment resolution.
- Tell your MoC to support H.R. 1046 to lower prescription drug prices. Last Friday, HuffPost ran a story about how House Democratic leadership might cut a bad deal with Donald Trump to weaken legislation designed to lower prescription drug prices. But it doesn’t have to be like this -- H.R. 1046, Rep. Lloyd Doggett’s proposal, would force Big Pharma to make drugs more affordable while also protecting patients’ access to crucial medicines. Check out our H.R. 1046 explainer here.
- Call your MoC to support H.R. 1046. We can’t let Democratic leadership cut a bad deal with Trump. Call your MoC and tell them to support strong legislation to lower drug prices.
- Tell your MoC to co-sponsor and vote for H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act. Nearly every House Democrat has co-sponsored this critical legislation, which would provide permanent relief from the threat of deportation to Dreamers, TPS holders, and DED holders. Call your MoC and tell them that you expect them to vote for this bill, and against any Republican motion to recommit.
- Sign up for our May national activist call! Join us on Thursday, May 2 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT for our monthly national call. Make sure to register here so you don’t miss out!
Trump Threat Level
Reminder: Donald Trump is a national security risk and makes us all less safe. Here’s the latest #TrumpThreatLevel (we’re keeping a running list here):
→ Under Trump and his war cabinet, U.S. military spending is set to become just as expensive as the #TrumpTaxScam (You can read more about this here). We should instead be working to lower the Pentagon’s bloated budget and prioritize investments in fighting climate change and meeting domestic human needs. That’s how we build real security.
→ It sure looks like this administration is trying to start a new war with Iran. They’ve decided to ramp up sanctions against all who do business with Iran, further isolating allies and risking the entire nuclear deal falling apart.
Indivisible in your state
More than 80% of state legislative sessions will adjourn by the end of June so there are only a few months left for activism around state bills! Indivisibles across the country have been taking part in state-level advocacy since the beginning of the year and show no sign of stopping yet. Just last week:
- Ohio Indivisibles held a statewide Indivisi-Lobby Day.
- Tennessee Indivisibles fought against criminalizing voter registration
- California Indivisibles are trying to kill a bill that would still allow police to use deadly force when they have other alternatives.
- New York Indivisibles marched against a fracking pipeline.
Ready to join these Indivisibles in fighting for democracy in your home state? Check out our latest resources on how to expand access to democracy in your state: How States Can Fight Money in Politics and The Case for Proactive State Policy.
CALIFORNIA: Fight for the real police reform our state needs!
Too many families have been shattered by police violence in California, and the impact falls disproportionately on our communities of color. Two weeks ago, the Assembly Public Safety Committee passed AB 392, a commonsense measure that would update California’s outdated use of force standard to ensure police officers avoid using deadly force at every possible opportunity. But law enforcement has retaliated by introducing their own toothless, distracting counter bill SB 230, which would still allow police to kill people when they have other alternatives.
Here’s what you can do:
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Show up. Tomorrow morning, Tuesday, April 23, join the SB 230 hearing at 8:30 am at the state capitol in Sacramento, Room 3191. Giving public comment in opposition to SB 230 is an impactful way to make your voice heard!
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All Eyes on 2020
🔮 This week, we’re talking predictions 🔮(well, not really that kind of prediction!). Yes, we know polls are ultimately just a snapshot temperature check of the electorate, but polls are still important and we wanted to share some predictions and polls we’ve found helpful so far in the presidential primary.
→ What we do and don't know about 2020. This is a good reminder that elections are hard to predict and that we frankly don’t know much about what will happen at this point. 2020 predictions based on theories, like “incumbents always win in a good economy,” all have counter-arguments. For instance, the same can be said that “no incumbent has ever won with an approval rating as low as Trump’s.” (See what we did there?!) That’s why we need to focus on both weakening Trump and on finding the right candidate.
→ Voters thinking about electability over values? According to recent polling, Democrats are increasingly willing to vote for the more “electable” candidate rather than supporting those closest to them ideologically. Well, forget electability! Don’t vote for who you think other people like -- vote for who you like. The idea that voters should consider “viability” as a priority typically pushes out presidential candidates from backgrounds different than previous presidents we’ve had -- specifically, women and candidates of color.
Your grassroots pressure matters
There’s a lot going on this week, but you’re doing exactly what you should be doing: juggling policy fights while rebuilding democracy in your home turf. So as we look to 2020 and beyond, it’s more important than ever that we continue to push for exactly what our movement wants.
As candidates begin taking the debate stages, you won't be surprised when things like impeachment, expanding voting rights, and taking on big pharma are the sound bites of our front runners. And it’ll all be because of your grassroots pressure.
In solidarity,
Indivisible Team 
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