Call Your Senators and Tell Them To Vote NO On Mitch McConnell’s Attempt to Reduce Debate Time For District Court Nominees to Two Hours, April 3 Edition

April 3, 2019April 2, 2019 otycd

Update April 3, 2019: The vote on this is still due to happen this week. Please continue to call your Senators to oppose McConnell’s motion, and please spread the word about this bullshit move by him and urge others to call their Senators, too.

This is going to be the OTYCD task until McConnell backs down or until this is a moot point. Also please stay on calling all three of your Congressional representatives to demand the release of the Mueller Report in full, unredacted form to them, and a version with the fewest possible cuts to us.

On the off-chance you didn’t hear about it, MoveOn will be holding a second No One Is Above the Law protest if Attorney General William Barr fails to deliver the Mueller Report by Congress’s April 2 deadline.

These protests will be held Thursday, April 4, at 5 pm.

Find the protest nearest you here:

https://act.moveon.org/event/mueller-firing-rapid-response-events/search/

Important: Don’t just go back to the same place you went for the November 2018 protests that MoveOn called for when Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions and installed Matt Whitaker as acting AG.

Check the link above and make sure your nearest protest is happening at the same place. Not every group that participated in the November 2018 event is able to join this one. And there might be other groups hosting events nearer to you this time around.

Original text of this post follows.

Call your Senators and tell them to vote NO on Mitch McConnell’s attempt to reduce debate time for district court nominees to two hours.

OTYCD note: Please keep calling all three of your Congressional representatives and demand the release of the full, unfiltered-by-William-Barr-or-the-White-House Mueller Report. But this flared up on March 28, 2019 and requires urgent attention.

Since Trump entered the White House, Senator Mitch McConnell has been shoving through judicial nominees with the fervor of a contestant grabbing cash in one of those booths with paper money flying around in it.

He keeps throwing aside norms and tradition to greedily serve his borked goals. Each of these terrible far-right nominees will sit on the bench for life.

It is truly absurd how many he’s managed to cram through already. Something like one in 10 serving federal judges is a Trump appointee already.

We have warned you about this problem in the past and encouraged you to call to oppose the ongoing train wreck.

We’re already in a position of having to add many more judges to rebalance the judicial branch once the Dems gain power again.

Now McConnell wants to reduce the debate time on judicial nominees from 30 hours to two.

Yeah. You read that right. And it’s just as bullshit as you think it is.

McConnell wants to hold a vote on the rules change next week.

We at OTYCD are asking you to call NOW to urge your Senators to vote NO HELL NO.

We need to scream loud and long over this, until the GOP backs down or until the point is moot.

You should call whether or not your Senators are on the Judiciary Committee, but it’s extra-important for you to step up if they are. See the list of Senate Judiciary Committee members here:

https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/about/members

Celeste Pewter, who is always on top of everything, has your script:

After you call, please show your appreciation for Celeste Pewter in some fashion.

You can follow her on Twitter: @Celeste_Pewter

You can tweet about calling your MoCs, using the #ICalledMyReps hashtag.

You can follow @ICalledMyReps on Twitter.

And you can subscribe to her peerless newsletter, It’s Time to Fight:

http://itstimetofight.weebly.com

Subscribe to One Thing You Can Do by clicking the blue button on the upper right or checking the About & Subscribe page. And tell your friends about the blog!

Action Alerts · Call Your Senators · Senate Bills, Federal

Call Your Senators and Tell Them To Vote NO On Mitch McConnell’s Attempt to Reduce Debate Time For District Court Nominees to Two Hours, April 2 Edition

April 2, 2019April 2, 2019 otycd

Update April 2, 2019: The vote on this is still due to happen this week. Please continue to call your Senators to oppose McConnell’s motion, and please spread the word about this bullshit move by him and urge others to call their Senators, too.

Original text of this post follows.

Call your Senators and tell them to vote NO on Mitch McConnell’s attempt to reduce debate time for district court nominees to two hours.

He keeps throwing aside norms and tradition to greedily serve his borked goals. Each of these terrible far-right nominees will sit on the bench for life.

It is truly absurd how many he’s managed to cram through already. Something like one in 10 serving federal judges is a Trump appointee already.

We have warned you about this problem in the past and encouraged you to call to oppose the ongoing train wreck.

We’re already in a position of having to add many more judges to rebalance the judicial branch once the Dems gain power again.

Now McConnell wants to reduce the debate time on judicial nominees from 30 hours to two.

Yeah. You read that right. And it’s just as bullshit as you think it is.

McConnell wants to hold a vote on the rules change next week.

We at OTYCD are asking you to call NOW to urge your Senators to vote NO HELL NO.

We need to scream loud and long over this, until the GOP backs down or until the point is moot.

You should call whether or not your Senators are on the Judiciary Committee, but it’s extra-important for you to step up if they are. See the list of Senate Judiciary Committee members here:

https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/about/members

Celeste Pewter, who is always on top of everything, has your script:

After you call, please show your appreciation for Celeste Pewter in some fashion.

You can follow her on Twitter: @Celeste_Pewter

You can tweet about calling your MoCs, using the #ICalledMyReps hashtag.

You can follow @ICalledMyReps on Twitter.

And you can subscribe to her peerless newsletter, It’s Time to Fight:

http://itstimetofight.weebly.com

Subscribe to One Thing You Can Do by clicking the blue button on the upper right or checking the About & Subscribe page. And tell your friends about the blog!

Action Alerts · Call Your Senators · Senate Bills, Federal

Call Your Senators and Tell Them To Vote NO On Mitch McConnell’s Attempt to Reduce Debate Time For District Court Nominees to Two Hours

March 29, 2019March 28, 2019 otycd

Call your Senators and tell them to vote NO on Mitch McConnell’s attempt to reduce debate time for district court nominees to two hours.

He keeps throwing aside norms and tradition to greedily serve his borked goals. Each of these terrible far-right nominees will sit on the bench for life.

It is truly absurd how many he’s managed to cram through already. Something like one in 10 serving federal judges is a Trump appointee already.

We have warned you about this problem in the past and encouraged you to call to oppose the ongoing train wreck.

We’re already in a position of having to add many more judges to rebalance the judicial branch once the Dems gain power again.

Now McConnell wants to reduce the debate time on judicial nominees from 30 hours to two.

Yeah. You read that right. And it’s just as bullshit as you think it is.

McConnell wants to hold a vote on the rules change next week.

We at OTYCD are asking you to call NOW to urge your Senators to vote NO HELL NO.

We need to scream loud and long over this, until the GOP backs down or until the point is moot.

You should call whether or not your Senators are on the Judiciary Committee, but it’s extra-important for you to step up if they are. See the list of Senate Judiciary Committee members here:

https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/about/members

Celeste Pewter, who is always on top of everything, has your script:

After you call, please show your appreciation for Celeste Pewter in some fashion.

You can follow her on Twitter: @Celeste_Pewter

You can tweet about calling your MoCs, using the #ICalledMyReps hashtag.

You can follow @ICalledMyReps on Twitter.

And you can subscribe to her peerless newsletter, It’s Time to Fight:

http://itstimetofight.weebly.com

Subscribe to One Thing You Can Do by clicking the blue button on the upper right or checking the About & Subscribe page. And tell your friends about the blog!

Action Alerts · Call Your Senators · Common-sense Gun Laws · Senate Bills, Federal · Stand Up for Civilization · Stand Up for Norms

Call Your Senators and Support S. 2974, Which Would Modernize How the ATF Tracks Guns Used In Crimes

November 20, 2018September 1, 2018 otycd

Call your senators and support S. 2974, a new bill that would modernize how the ATF tracks guns used in crimes.

Informally called the Crime Gun Tracing Modernization Act, it was introduced in late May by Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy and Florida Senator Bill Nelson (who, by the way, is up for reelection in 2018 and needs your help).

It would allow the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) to build a computerized database of gun records.

What we’re going to tell you next will sound too borked to be true, but we assure you that it is.

When the ATF needs to trace a gun that was used in a crime, they have to rummage through cardboard boxes and pull paper records by hand.

Seriously. In 2018.

Do we need to tell you that this is a needlessly antiquated system that only makes it easier for those who commit crimes with guns?

Things are the way they are because a segment of American gun owners who are really closer to being gun fetishists fear the notion of the government having an accurate list of who owns guns.

You’ll be shocked, SHOCKED to learn that the National Rifle Association (NRA) is against any initiative that would do what S. 2974 promises to do, squawking that it would violate Second Amendment rights.

The bill, if passed, would give the ATF three years to build a functional computerized records system.

Please call your senators and voice support for this bill. And if Leahy or Nelson represent you? Call to thank them as well.

Sample script: “Dear Senator [Lastname,] I am [Firstname Lastname of town, zip code]. I am calling to ask you to support S. 2974, which would modernize the way America keeps and searches records of firearms sales. Right now, when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms needs to track the records of a gun used in a crime, they have to rummage through paper records. For real. No joke. That’s nuts. S. 2974 would allow the creation of a computerized database. That, in turn, would help the ATF pin down information faster, help solve crimes faster, and might prevent more crimes from being committed with the same suspect gun. It’s long past time to drag gun-tracking into the 21st century. This bill should make that happen. Please support it. Thanks.”

See the GovTrack page on S. 2974, which was introduced on May 24, 2018:

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/s2974

Read a Sun Sentinel article on Senator Bill Nelson’s co-sponsorship of S.2974:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-reg-gun-database-bill-20180601-story.html

Subscribe to One Thing You Can Do by clicking the blue button on the upper right or checking the About & Subscribe page. And tell your friends about the blog!

Read a March 2011 MPR article on how building an accurate electronic database of gun records was seen by some as controversial and sensitive. It references an earlier records modernization bill that ultimately failed:

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2011/03/20/tracing-guns-firearms-part4

A note: We at OTYCD intend to nurture and encourage the movement sparked by the Margory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting by devoting one post at least every other week to gun safety-related issues.

The reason that the NRA has a death grip on Congress, and in particular, GOP Congressfolk, is that NRA members get off their asses and call if there’s a whisper of a muttering of a hint that a law might pass that could impose even the slightest imposition on ownership of guns in America.

That’s what the politicians are afraid of. It’s not just that some of them get metric buttloads of money for their campaigns from the NRA. Those who embrace the NRA’s outlook pounce on their phones and berate their representatives the instant they think their beloved guns are under threat.

So, yes, it’s on us to shout back.

We have to adopt the tactics of those who support the NRA.

We have to call our representatives often to make it damn clear that the status quo is unacceptable, and we want common-sense gun safety laws.

OTYCD will start out with one weekday post every two weeks, at minimum, that has to do with improving gun safety and pushing back against the NRA.

We do this in honor of the Parkland victims, and all victims of mass shootings in America, and everyone who has been fighting to change our laws on firearms all along.

If Trump finally bows to the will of Congress and imposes the sanctions against Russia for messing with the 2016 election, we will switch to devoting one post per week to these issues.

Honor the victims of the Parkland shooting, and all other shootings, by stepping up and calling your reps about common-sense gun safety laws, and by supporting politicians who have low grades from the NRA, and voting out those who do the NRA’s bidding.

#NeverAgain. For the love of all that is right and good, Never Again.

Action Alerts · Call Your Senators · Community Activism · Marches and Protests · Postcard Campaigns · Stand Up for Civilization · Stand Up for Norms · Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) · Use Your Power, Recruit Friends

Call Your Senators to Oppose SCOTUS Nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Oct 6 Update

October 6, 2018October 5, 2018 otycd

Update from Sarah Jane, Oct 6: The Senate invoked cloture early yesterday. The move closed debate on Kavanaugh’s nomination and started a 30-hour clock leading to the final floor vote.

Lisa Murkowski delivered a surprise when she voted no on cloture, which also signaled her intention to vote no on the nomination.

Unfortunately, the other three Senators who had been undecided–Jeff Flake, Joe Manchin, and Susan Collins–voted for cloture and stated they would vote yes.

I won’t rehash their rationales. I will only remind you that today is the last day to call and oppose Kavanaugh.

Yes, you can still do that, provided the vote hasn’t been held when you read this. The Senators can change their minds right up until they formally enter their choices.

Odds are too many of them will do the wrong thing. You can still thank those who will do the right thing and make it difficult (politely! Always politely!) for those who will do the wrong thing.

Scroll down for calling scripts, which come courtesy of Celeste Pewter (@Celeste_Pewter).

Another way to fight is to join an anti-Kavanaugh #NoJusticeNoSeat protest. Several are planned for today across the country. See this link to find one near you:

https://act.weareultraviolet.org/event/no-justice-no-seat_attend/search/?akid=s691842..oEaapt

If you can’t attend, watch and boost the #NoJusticeNoSeat hashtag.

Continue to check the feeds of Celeste Pewter (@Celeste_Pewter) and Ben Wikler (@BenWikler) for news on the vote and on protests, respectively.

Taking some time away is perfectly legit. This Kavanaugh madness has been long and tiring. If you need my dispensation to get extra rest, you have it. Just please come back. You’ve got to stay here and carry on the fight.

Still another good way to direct your energy is to pour it into the campaign of a worthy Democrat or two. You’re familiar with our Core Four strategy, yes? If not, learn about it here:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/08/17/choose-your-core-four-for-2018-2/

Then get to work. Choose two Democrats per chamber, one incumbent and one challenger for each. Work to make sure Democrats take the House of Representatives and do what you can to help Democrats win control of the Senate (this is a longer shot but it’s not impossible).

The Senate is the tougher get. The map favors Republicans. If the Democrats hold all their Senate seats and gain two, they’ll win control.

The Road to 2018 showcases incumbent Senate Democrats (and one Independent, Angus King of Maine) who are perceived as vulnerable.

Site is here: https://www.roadto2018.com

The Road to 2018 is one of Celeste Pewter’s projects. She encourages you to adopt a Senator by supporting him or her however you can–donating, phone-banking, canvassing, spreading the word.

The most endangered among those shown on the page include Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, who bravely came out against Kavanaugh the day before the cloture vote; Bill Nelson of Florida, who is in a tough battle with Republican Governor Rick Scott for the seat; and Claire McCaskill of Missouri.

Several strong Democratic challengers are aiming to push Republican Senate incumbents out of their seats. They include:

Beto O’Rourke, who aims to unseat Ted Cruz in Texas

Kyrsten Sinema, who’s seeking the Arizona seat that Jeff Flake is vacating

Jacky Rosen, who wants to push out Nevada Republican Dean Heller

Once you settle on a few candidates to boost, go to ActBlue and donate, then visit their websites and see what other sorts of help they need.

Here are links to several past OTYCD stories on Democratic candidates for the House of Representatives. Most are challengers. This is far from a comprehensive list, and probably doesn’t include everyone we’ve written about who advanced to the general; this is just to give you ideas.

Katie Porter, California’s 45th District, where she faces Republican Mimi Walters:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/08/25/support-katie-porters-run-to-unseat-california-house-republican-mimi-walters/

Amy McGrath, running in Kentucky’s 6th District:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/08/20/support-democrat-amy-mcgraths-run-for-a-house-seat-in-kentucky-s-6th-district/

Gil Cisneros, running for the open seat in California’s 39th District:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/08/22/support-democrat-gil-cisneross-campaign-for-ed-royces-old-california-house-seat/

Andrew Janz, who is running against Dana Rohrbacher in California’s 22nd District:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/06/09/keep-an-eye-on-andrew-janz-whos-running-for-devin-nuness-house-seat/

Maxine Waters, who needs no introduction:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/06/09/support-democrat-maxine-waters-for-re-election-to-a-house-seat-in-californias-43rd-congressional-district/

Mike Levin, who is running for the open seat in California’s 49th District:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/06/09/keep-an-eye-on-mike-levin-who-is-aiming-to-push-california-republican-darrell-issa-out-of-his-house-seat/

Jana Lynne Sanchez, who is running in Texas’s 6th District:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/05/26/keep-an-eye-on-jana-lynne-sanchez-who-is-running-for-a-texas-house-seat-in-2018/

Chrissy Houlihan, who is running in Pennsylvania’s 6th District:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/05/26/support-chrissy-houlahan-democratic-candidate-for-a-pennsylvania-house-seat-in-2018/

Joseph Kopser, who is running for a seat in Texas’s 21st District:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/05/26/support-democrat-joseph-kopser-who-is-challenging-republican-lamar-smith-for-his-texas-house-seat/

Adrienne Bell, who is running in Texas’s 14th District:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/05/26/support-adrienne-bells-run-for-the-house-seat-in-texass-14th-district/

Conor Lamb, who is running for a corresponding Pennsylvania seat now that the state has redrawn its maps to be less gerrymandered:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/05/18/support-conor-lambs-run-for-a-pennsylvania-house-seat-in-a-march-2018-special-election/

Randy Bryce, aka Ironstache, who is running for the seat that Paul Ryan is leaving in Wisconsin’s 1st District:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/04/08/support-randy-bryces-bid-to-unseat-house-rep-paul-ryan-in-wisconsin/

Same again here as with the Senators. Once you’ve made your picks, donate through ActBlue and contact their campaigns to see how you can help.

If you’re a regular OTYCD reader, it’s unlikely that Postcards to Voters is new to you. But! Tony the Democrat says that they’d need to recruit a few thousand more writers before they could consider assisting Heidi Heitkamp in North Dakota.

This is not to imply Tony has a Heitkamp campaign lined up, or even under discussion; he simply said the postcarder army would have to add many more recruits before they could give her the help she’d need to get out the vote across the entire state.

So! How about recruiting new writers to the Postcards to Voters cause? Here’s the FAQ page for Postcards to Voters. Get fluent in these answers, and start convincing others to sign on.

https://postcardstovoters.org/faq/

Now, the calling scripts from Celeste Pewter (@Celeste_Pewter). Scroll past them to learn how to show your appreciation for her outstanding work.

For Dem Senators who are firm no votes [don’t forget to thank them]:

Script for bullheaded GOP Senators who are tilting toward yes:

Script for Joe Manchin (only call if you live in West Virginia):

Script for Susan Collins (only call if you live in Maine):

Script for Lisa Murkowski (only call if you live in Alaska):

Script for Jeff Flake (only call if you live in Arizona):

Script for all Senators (but only if you live in their home states, please):

Lastly, here are general tips for leaving a voicemail message:

You can show love for Celeste Pewter in many ways.

You can follow her on Twitter: @Celeste_Pewter

You can tweet about calling your Senators, using the #ICalledMyReps hashtag.

You can follow @ICalledMyReps on Twitter.

You can adopt a vulnerable incumbent Democratic Senator by checking out The Road to 2018, an organization Pewter created. Read about it here:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/08/08/support-the-road-to-2018-which-defends-democratic-senators-2/

You can follow The Road to 2018 on Twitter: @Roadto18

And you can subscribe to her peerless newsletter, It’s Time to Fight:

http://itstimetofight.weebly.com

Subscribe to One Thing You Can Do by clicking the button on the upper right of the page. And tell your friends about the blog!

Action Alerts · Call Your Senators · Marches and Protests · Stand Up for Civilization · Stand Up for Norms · Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) · Use Your Power, Recruit Friends

Call Your Senators to Oppose SCOTUS Nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Oct 5 Update

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018 otycd

Update from Sarah Jane, October 5, 2018: Ok. So.

One copy of the FBI report was made available to the 100 Senators, who were allowed up to an hour to review it.

Yes, you read that right.

West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin evidently was booted from the room before he could finish his review. He said he would return today to finish looking it over and show his cards at some point after that.

North Dakota Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp came out as a no.

In doing so, she put her re-election chances in danger. She is a Dem in a state that went big for Trump in 2016. Her constituents had been asking for a yes.

In her statement, which she tweeted yesterday, she said:

“Our actions right now are an important signal to women and girls across the country, and that signal I hope I’m sending is I’ll continue to stand up and for you.”

Her brother, Joel, said of her act: “She may lose. But in the morning, when she’s brushing her teeth, she needs to like the person she sees.”

If you are in North Dakota, please volunteer for her campaign, and tell her why. She really needs to GOTV.

If you can donate to Heitkamp’s campaign, please do so:

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/hh4nd?abt=twitter …

Brett Kavanaugh wrote an Op-Ed for the Wall Street Journal titled, I shit you not, “I am an Independent, Impartial Judge.”

Yeah, that might have worked better if he hadn’t exclusively chosen right-wing media outlets (Fox, WSJ) to get his message out. The Op-Ed was roundly mocked, as it should have been.

As of last night, more than 2,400 law professors had signed a letter stating that Kavanaugh is unfit for SCOTUS:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2018/10/04/unprecedented-unfathomable-more-than-law-professors-sign-letter-after-kavanaugh-hearing/?utm_term=.520720ba82e8

The National Council of Churches, which is said to be the largest umbrella organization for churches, released a statement demanding that Kavanaugh not be considered for the nation’s highest court:

https://www.vox.com/2018/10/4/17937312/national-council-churches-condemns-brett-kavanaugh-scotus

The Washington Post Editorial Board called for Senators to vote no. More than 30 years have passed since they urged a no vote on a SCOTUS nominee, and that was Robert Bork. See their Op-Ed:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/vote-no-on-kavanaugh/2018/10/04/23495e3a-c7f3-11e8-b1ed-1d2d65b86d0c_story.html?utm_term=.02e52050db93

And retired SCOTUS Justice John Paul Stevens, age 98, who had initially been in favor of Kavanaugh, said that Kavanaugh is no longer a fit. He told the Palm Beach Post:

“At that time, I thought (Kavanaugh) had the qualifications for the Supreme Court should he be selected,” Stevens said. “I’ve changed my views for reasons that have no relationship to his intellectual ability … I feel his performance in the hearings ultimately changed my mind.”

Full article is here:

https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/retired-supreme-court-justice-kavanaugh-does-not-belong-high-court/aXEO6XTeiF8OECimtNxpjJ/

Apparently, this has never happened before–no former SCOTUS judge has publicly counseled against the elevation of a nominee.

This has got to sting Kavanaugh personally. For several years, he taught a course at Harvard University on the history of SCOTUS.

Also! Republican Montana Senator Steve Daines will not be in D.C. on Saturday, when the final vote on Kavanaugh will probably take place. He has a standing comittment: His daughter is getting married, and he is walking her down the aisle.

Celeste Pewter (@Celeste_Pewter) retweeted the news and said this:

This could be nothing. They could just hold the vote open for hours. But still

There was some brief confusion over whether Republican Senator Cory Gardner might step away from his presumed yes vote. Manu Raju later got this comment from him, which he tweeted:

Responding to reports that he’s undecided, Cory Gardner has been and still is supportive of Kavanaugh, spokesman says. “He had the opportunity to review the FBI report tonight. Nothing in the report changed his mind and he remains supportive of Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination.”

Before that tweet appeared, Celeste Pewter had tweeted:

I’ll be upfront: he [Gardner] might be feinting. But the public declaration that he hasn’t made up his mind, is most definitely worth calling about and following up on. Explore EVERY option.

And at the very least, this lets him know you’re watching. You’ll be ready for whatever he does when he’s up for re-election next [in 2020]. The GOP absolutely have the tougher map for Senate Class 2.

Later she said:

For all of you with GOP senators, there are a lot of rumors flying around ATM. Instead of thinking “there’s no point in calling”, recoginze you are in a unique position to yell @ them, and be recorded as a constituent call. At the end of the day, call data still matters.

And BY yelling at them, you’re putting them on notice. The GOP are the ones with the tougher map for Senate Class II.

Senate Class 2 are those Senators who are up for re-election in 2020. Far more Republicans are due than are Democrats. Those Republicans are:

Lamar Alexander of Tennessee

Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia

Bill Cassidy of Louisiana

Susan Collins of Maine

John Cornyn of Texas

Tom Cotton of Arkansas

Steve Daines of Montana

Michael Enzi of Wyoming

Joni Ernst of Iowa

Cory Gardner of Colorado

Lindsey Graham of South Carolina

Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi

James Inhofe of Oklahoma

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky

David Perdue of Georgia

James Risch of Idaho

Pat Roberts of Kansas

Mike Rounds of South Dakota

Ben Sasse of Nebraska

Dan Sullivan of Arkansas

Thom Tillis of North Carolina

The overall message: Call, and keep urging friends and family to call, especially between now and 10:30 am EST, when the Senate will vote to invoke cloture (this is a table-setting move. It is not the actual floor vote; that will likely follow on Saturday).

We still have a shot of stopping this. As Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of Indivisible, tweeted last night:

Look, the Kavanaugh op-ed is outrageous. But he wouldn’t be writing it if he wasn’t worried that his nomination is in danger. Show up. Speak out. There are at least four Senators still undecided. The next 24 hours are crucial.

If you have Dem Senators who are solid no votes, Celeste Pewter (@Celeste_Pewter) encourages you to use this script, amending to include events from yesterday, several of which I detail above:

Script for bullheaded GOP Senators who are tilting toward yes:

Script for Joe Manchin (only call if you live in West Virginia):

Script for Susan Collins (only call if you live in Maine):

Script for Lisa Murkowski (only call if you live in Alaska):

Script for Jeff Flake (only call if you live in Arizona):

Script for all Senators (but only if you live in their home states, please):

Lastly, here are general tips for leaving a voicemail message:

Don’t give up. Don’t despair. There are more of us than them. But we need all hands on deck NOW. Please don’t sit this out. Don’t assume a Justice Kavanaugh can be impeached. We need YOU to stop him. [She’s right, you know.]

If you tweet about your calls, hashtag your tweets with #ICalledMyReps. @icalledmyreps will boost. Let others know who’s picking up, who to ask for, which numbers have space in their VMs. It’s critical we pool all information possible right now.

Ok, got all that? Now I’m throwing you into a thread by Ben Wikler (@BenWikler) of MoveOn, who has info on protests. All of the below is from his current pinned tweet, which he sent on Oct 2. I have re-edited this to take out events that have gone by.

Check both @Celeste_Pewter’s feed and his feed on Twitter to stay on top of the Kavanaugh situation.

Furious about Kavanaugh? Don’t just sit there. We need your power. The truth is, there’s a LOT you can do. We may only have four days until the final vote, and your voice is needed now. This is a thread about what’s coming, and how you can help. Please follow along and share. 1/

What’s next with Kavanaugh? On Wednesday, McConnell sets wheels in motion by filing for cloture. Senate rules require an intervening day before cloture vote—so that vote will be Friday. Then 30 hours of debate & final confirmation vote as soon as Saturday night. Time is SHORT.

What about the FBI report? WSJ says it could end by Wed. Many potential corroborating witnesses won’t be interviewed—nor Dr. Blasey Ford, nor Kavanaugh. Once background report is updated, only Senators will get to see it. Don’t bet on it to end this fight. [He included this link to a story from The Hill:]

https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/409516-mcconnell-says-only-senators-will-see-fbis-kavanaugh-report

Other than Wed night vigils, what can you do? First: CALL YOUR SENATORS. Call volumes are going through the roof. But unlike w health care, the other side is mobilizing too. Which means your calls are even more vital. 202-224-3121. [He retweeted this message from Liz Ruskin (@lruskin)] Sen. @lisamurkowski says the volume of calls from Alaskans on Kavanaugh is unprecedented. Deluge is larger than before the health care vote. “All the voicemail boxes are are literally filled within the first hour,” she says.

Call your senators to say no to Kavanaugh—but don’t just call the switchboard. And don’t give up if the line is busy or voicemail box is full. Senators have lots of offices. Find them all at http://contactingcongress.org . Here’s Susan Collins, to take one totally random example: [He included a screenshot which I can’t reproduce]

Senators employ staff assistants to answer the phone, check if callers are real constituents, then tally their positions. How many support Kavanaugh? How many oppose? Most offices circulate the call tallies to entire staff + senator every day. Your calls are counted. They count.

If you don’t like talking on the phone, or it’s tough for you to call, that doesn’t mean you don’t have a voice. One quick thing to do is DM @resistbot or go to https://resist.bot or text “resist” to 50409. It’ll help you write a message & send it as a fax or letter.

You know what’s even better than calling/tweeting/faxing/writing? Stopping by your senator’s offices in person. This is the week to do it. Grab a friend or ten and stop by on Wed, Thu, & Fri. Find local address @ http://contactingcongress.org . Staff are friendly! Make a plan & go!

There’s a lot you can do from whatever state you live in. But if you’re within driving or flying or kayaking distance of the Capitol, I have a request: COME TO DC. There’s a TON to do, led by @womensmarch & @CPDAction. To plug in, sign up w this form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfe1qMxy2BFypszJoc5DgiH6YEz1KKsLWR_R8VwfcRqZWWPJw/viewform

[Leaving out a tweet that’s now obsolete]

Speaking of heroes. Remember when @AdyBarkan met @JeffFlake on a plane & asked him to be a hero? Remember @AnaMariaArchil2 (in a #BeAHero shirt!) & @mgallagher822 talking to Flake on the elevator last week? Learn to do what they did. Trainings 3x/daily if you come to DC.

The atrium of the Hart Senate Office Building in DC has been renamed the People’s Atrium. It’s where folks are gathering. Bird-dogging trainings are happening daily at 8:30am, noon, and 4pm. On Tuesday, bird-doggers spoke to more than *60 senators.* Come help reach them all.

Want to get trained as a bird-dogger? It’s a skill that will last you a lifetime. @UltraViolet is coordinating the thrice-daily trainings. Help them help you by signing up at advance here: https://act.weareultraviolet.org/survey/oct-1-5-protest-halls-us-senate/ … … and follow @mcbyrne for realtime updates.

If you’re in DC, bring some food and coffee to the folks in the People’s Atrium. And each day at 10am and 5:30pm, head out with the folks from your state to visit your home-state senators’ offices to register your feelings about Kavanaugh with a drop-by.

FRIDAY, as on Wed & Thu, there’ll be 8:30/12/4 bird-dogging trainings, 10am and 5:30pm DC office walk-ins—and probably a lot more, still in development. Ditto for Saturday. If the Senate votes, you know we’ll be protesting. So make a plan to get your butt to DC this weekend.

Is there anything else you can do to stop Kavanaugh? Yes. There is more you can do to stop Kavanaugh. Pull out your credit card. To fight a justice who supports unlimited money in politics, time to put some money into politics. It’s a stick, it’s a carrot, & it’s organizer fuel.

The fund for Susan Collins’s 2020 Democratic Senate opponent—whoever that might be—is up to $1,787,311 in pledges from 63,023 people… to be collected ONLY IF Collins votes yes on Kavanaugh. Give to it here. And spread the word. [He included this link:]

https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/387413/either-sen-collins-votes-no-on-kavanaugh-or-we-fund-her-future-opponent

Joe Donnelly, D-Indiana, was undeclared on Kavanaugh. Last Friday morning, he came out against. For this act of bravery, he’s certain to be targeted by the right. So we’ve raised nearly $100k to show him we have his back. Chip in here: [He included this link:]

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/moveondonnelly?akid=217353.8237109.3NmZwC&rd=1&refcode=217353&t=2

The organizing at the Capitol and around the country requires energy and sacrifice. It also costs money. Here’s a fund specifically to support @CPDAction to organize with folks at the Capitol, like the women who confronted Flake in the elevator. Donate! [He included this link:]

https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/388295/support-the-heroes-who-convinced-flake

There are so many groups doing amazing work in this fight. Support & follow the ones listed above, plus @NARAL @WeDemandJustice @civilrightsorg @NAACP_LDF @AFJustice @nwlc @CAPAction @peoplefor @mfalpac @mainepeople @SEIU @AFTunion @HRC @MALDEF @NEAToday & many more. Thx to all.

And no matter how *this* fight ends, the fight continues. There’s a midterm election coming up that could determine what happens to another SCOTUS seat, or two, or three. (Or none, let’s hope.) Sign up to canvass for Dems at http://MoveOn.org/waves .

And while you’re committing to make a difference, take a sec to sign up to volunteer during the last weekend of this election at—where else?—http://thelastweekend.org , a joint effort by all your favorite orgs to turn out every blue vote we possibly can.

BTW, have I mentioned that Maine is important right now? It is SO important. Other important states: Alaska, West Virginia, Arizona, and let’s throw in Nevada because Dean Heller should be held accountable. Call your friends & relatives in these states, and ask them to speak up.

Here’s the underlying message of this giant thread. You have power. For the next four days, you have power. If all of us wield that power, we have a chance to win a fight with impossibly vast stakes. Don’t just scroll through Twitter. Show up. Fight back. The time, folks, is now.

So, you heard Celeste and Ben. The answer, as always, is to call, and urge friends and family to call.

If you have not called your Senators yet, now is the time. If you’ve called before, call again.

Only call your own Senators. Urge your friends and family members to call their Senators.

And yes, you have to pick up the phone and call, and I’m serious about only calling your own Senators.

Be polite. Always, be polite. Practice what you want to say before you say it. Get it right, master your emotions, then call.

This is as serious as it’s ever been, people. Only a large, loud outcry from us has a chance of stopping this nomination.

Please honor the bravery of Dr Christine Blasey Ford by making those calls, and then urge friends and family to do the same.

Lastly, let me repeat: All of this has been exhausting and enraging. While Flake successfully demanding an extension of no more than one week to let the FBI do additional work on Kavanaugh’s background check is a good thing, Kavanaugh could still get confirmed.

Continue to call every day, and continue to urge friends and family to do so. But please prepare yourself for the possibility that Kavanaugh proceeds.

You can show love for Celeste Pewter in many ways.

You can follow her on Twitter: @Celeste_Pewter

You can tweet about calling your Senators, using the #ICalledMyReps hashtag.

You can follow @ICalledMyReps on Twitter.

You can adopt a vulnerable incumbent Democratic Senator by checking out The Road to 2018, an organization Pewter created. Read about it here:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/08/08/support-the-road-to-2018-which-defends-democratic-senators-2/

You can follow The Road to 2018 on Twitter: @Roadto18

And you can subscribe to her peerless newsletter, It’s Time to Fight:

http://itstimetofight.weebly.com

Action Alerts · Call Your Senators · Marches and Protests · Stand for Science · Stand Up for Civilization · Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) · Use Your Power, Recruit Friends

Call Your Senators to Oppose SCOTUS Nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Oct 4 Update

October 4, 2018October 4, 2018 otycd

Update from Sarah Jane, October 4, 2018: Just gonna go straight to Celeste Pewter (@Celeste_Pewter), who tweeted the following late last night.

Ok. Let’s recap what’s going on, since Twitter is chaotic ATM. 1. McConnell just filed cloture. Here’s what that means: [She retweeted Jake Tapper (@JakeTapper) saying:]

Mitch McConnell has filed cloture on the Brett Kavanaugh nomination to the Supreme Court — expect cloture vote Friday and final vote on confirmation Saturday

2. This is despite the fact no Senators have seen the FBI report – yet. They’re not seeing it until tomorrow morning. The report is being released to Senators/staffers ONLY. [She retweeted NPR (@NPR) saying:]

Only one copy of the report is being made available. Senators — and a limited number of aides with security clearances — will be allowed to read the report in a secure room at the Capitol.

3. The FBI investigation has been completed w/ over 40 people not being interviewed. We cannot forget this as we’re calling our Senators. [She retweeted NBCNews (@NBCNews) saying:]

More than 40 people with potential information for the investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh have not been contacted for interviews by the FBI, @NBCNews has learned. [That tweet included a link to this story:]

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/dozens-potential-sources-information-have-not-been-contacted-fbi-kavanaugh-n916146?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

4. So here’s what we should all do next: – Do not assume the FBI report will make a difference at this point. Even with the expanded scope, the entire thing thing has come off as a sham. E.g. Dr. Ford has not been interviewed. [She included a link to this CNBC story:]

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/02/fbi-does-not-plan-to-interview-kavanaugh-accuser-christine-blasey-ford.html

a. For those of you with Dem Senators who have confirmed they will vote NO on Kavanaugh and will NOT flip (e.g. Harris; Casey) You CAN call and affirm their stances one final time. It doesn’t have to elaborate, but template script here if you need it.

Remember, the rule of thumb is to call when you have new information to add to previous calls. Your new info is McConnell teeing up the vote. However. IF you’ve called/emailed/faxed, your time is better spent rallying your personal networks to call. Everyone you know.

b. For those of you represented by red state Democrats (Tester/Manchin/Heitkamp) – Get Tester to affirm his no vote, like Donnelly did this morning. I doubt Tester will flip, but affirmation is critical right now. Don’t take chances.

For Manchin and Heitkamp: remind them there are many reasons to vote no to Kavanaugh, as listed by Tester and Donnelly in their statements. – For Manchin: he praised women in latest statement for coming forward. Remind him, supporting Kavanaugh => doing the opposite. Scripts.

Script for Joe Manchin (only call if you live in West Virginia):

Script for Heidi Heitkamp (only call if you live in North Dakota):

c. For those represented by GOP senators who will vote to confirm, even if Kavanaugh stands in the middle of the street, screaming about beer: Call anyway. You’re in a unique position to give them complete hell. They have to know we’re watching and we WILL NOT FORGET. Script.

Script for the 40 + bullheaded GOP Senators, so you can give them hell (but only if you live in their home states, please):

This is ESPECIALLY if any of your Senators are in Senate Class 2: https://www.senate.gov/senators/Class_II.htm … The GOP have the weak map next time around. Let them know you won’t forget. (You can’t talk elections to an elected/FEC violation. But you can STRONGLY imply it.)

Senate Class 2 are those Senators who are up for re-election in 2020. Far more Republicans are due than are Democrats. Those Republicans are:

Lamar Alexander of Tennessee

Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia

Bill Cassidy of Louisiana

Susan Collins of Maine

John Cornyn of Texas

Tom Cotton of Arkansas

Steve Daines of Montana

Michael Enzi of Wyoming

Joni Ernst of Iowa

Cory Gardner of Colorado

Lindsey Graham of South Carolina

Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi

James Inhofe of Oklahoma

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky

David Perdue of Georgia

James Risch of Idaho

Pat Roberts of Kansas

Mike Rounds of South Dakota

Ben Sasse of Nebraska

Dan Sullivan of Arkansas

Thom Tillis of North Carolina

d. For those of you represented by Collins/Murkowski/Flake: Nothing has changed from this morning. All of this is still being rushed through. – For Collins, remind her Julie Swetnick didn’t get an interview. Collins wanted one. [She linked to a Maine newspaper story supporting that point:]

https://www.pressherald.com/2018/10/01/sen-collins-wants-swetnick-interviewed-as-part-of-broader-investigation-into-kavanaugh/

– And not only did Julie Swetnick NOT get an FBI interview, Senate Judiciary slut-shamed her to boot. Ask Collins if she’s really okay with this? [She included a link to a WaPo story supporting that point:]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republicans-on-senate-panel-release-explicit-statement-about-kavanaugh-accusers-sex-life/2018/10/02/714d8abc-c685-11e8-9b1c-a90f1daae309_story.html?utm_term=.707d62388dd4

– For Lisa Murkowski: She said this AM Trump’s comments were wrong. She said earlier this week, this is about believing the woman. Tell her nothing has changed. If this was about believing women, a full investigation would have been performed. [She included a link to a KTUU story supporting that point:]

https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Murkowski-Trumps-remarks-on-Kavanaugh-accuser-wrong-unfortunate-495109831.html

– For Jeff Flake: Look, I don’t trust Jeff Flake. But I have to hope, if enough of his constituents call and shame him, he’ll develop a conscience. Call and remind him, he questioned Kavanaugh’s temperament. That’s concrete. [She included a link to this Atlantic story:]

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/10/jeff-flake-criticizes-supreme-court-nominee-kavanaugh/571915/

She followed this with a script for Senator Jeff Flake (call only if you live in Arizona):

…a script for Senator Lisa Murkowski (call only if you live in Alaska):

…and a script for Senator Susan Collins (only call if you are in Maine):

But wait! There’s more!

5. If you’re a DC resident who wants to get involved, follow and contact @HerdOnHill, sharpish. They help deliver letters for constituents to critical senators. This is another way to help facilitate contact to key swing votes, even if they don’t represent you.

If you want to SEND a letter to @HerdOnHill, go to: http://stampslicked.org/Kavanaugh and they will hand deliver a paper copy in DC. (And please thank them!)

6. If you’ve done ALL of these things and need a outlet? Focus on these key Senate Dem races [The following are Twitter handles for 10 Democratic Senators and Democratic candidates for Senate. Restore the ‘@’ to get their Twitter handles]: 1. @McCaskill4MO 2. @jontester 3. @JoeforIndiana 4. @HeidiHeitkamp 5. @NelsonForSenate 6. @kyrstensinema 7. @PhilBredesen 8. @RosenforNevada 9. @espyforsenate 10. @TinaSmithMN

Remember. Judicial nominees are voted on by the Senate. Flipping the Senate: – Stops these judicial nominations – Strips Mitch McConnell of his power ASAP. This is the fastest way of doing. Guide.

And if you want to donate to key Senate races? @robdelaney set up a handy way of doing it here. Join the 5,772 who’ve already donated. [She included this link]:

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/demsretakesenate

Our jobs over the next few days is to BOMBARD WITH CALLS/EMAILS/FAXES. However you can. Check here for ways to find out which offices to call. (Or you can just google “Senator” and “contact”)

As usual, call tips. * Don’t call Senators who don’t represent you. * At this point, it doesn’t matter if you call DC or district offices. Just try to through however you can. Try EVERY number. * If you can’t call, email/fax/use @resistbot. Just make contact. [She included this tip sheet for leaving voicemail for Congressfolk:]

Ok, got all that? Now I’m throwing you into a thread by Ben Wikler (@BenWikler) of MoveOn, who has info on protests. All of the below is from his current pinned tweet, which he sent on Oct 2. Check both @Celeste_Pewter’s feed and his feed on Twitter to stay on top of the Kavanaugh situation.

https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/409516-mcconnell-says-only-senators-will-see-fbis-kavanaugh-report

So, what can you do to stop Kavanaugh? How can you help? First, VIGILS WEDNESDAY NIGHT. Nationwide. 64 so far & growing fast. Find one here, or register a new one: http://moveon.org/scotus . We’ll help recruit. Let’s make these powerful. Again, http://moveon.org/scotus —pls share. [Not including the link because you’re reading this on Thursday. I’m also leaving out subsequent tweets about specific Wednesday vigils for the same reason.]

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfe1qMxy2BFypszJoc5DgiH6YEz1KKsLWR_R8VwfcRqZWWPJw/viewform

[Leaving out a tweet that’s now obsolete]

This THURSDAY [That’s today, people] in DC, folks gather at 12:30pm at Kavanaugh’s current courthouse, 333 Constitution Ave NW, and then at 12:30, @womensmarch is leading a march to the court he wants to join—followed by rally at SCOTUS. This will be big. @lsarsour will keep you posted; follow her.

Thursday is also a national youth and student day of action, with organizing led by @PPGenAction and @genprogress. Youth & students will march to Senate buildings to visit key offices. Follow them for more info. As @davidhogg111 says, the young people will win.

https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/387413/either-sen-collins-votes-no-on-kavanaugh-or-we-fund-her-future-opponent

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/moveondonnelly?akid=217353.8237109.3NmZwC&rd=1&refcode=217353&t=2

https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/388295/support-the-heroes-who-convinced-flake

So, you heard Celeste and Ben. The answer, as always, is to call, and urge friends and family to call.

If you have not called your Senators yet, now is the time. If you’ve called before, call again.

Only call your own Senators. Urge your friends and family members to call their Senators.

And yes, you have to pick up the phone and call, and I’m serious about only calling your own Senators.

Be polite. Always, be polite. Practice what you want to say before you say it. Get it right, master your emotions, then call.

This is as serious as it’s ever been, people. Only a large, loud outcry from us has a chance of stopping this nomination.

Please honor the bravery of Dr Christine Blasey Ford by making those calls, and then urge friends and family to do the same.

To stay on top of things, check the Twitter feeds of @Celeste_Pewter for news on what you can do; @ICalledMyReps to see others acting alongside you; and @BenWikler for news about potential protests.

Also, if you live in or near Washington, D.C., a rally dubbed Brett Kava-NAH, Just Say No will take place Thursday, October 4, at 12:30 pm EST at the Barrett Prettyman Courthouse. Several celebrities have committed to appear. Bookmark the link below and watch for updated info (you can also register for updates):

https://www.2022243121.com

You can also monitor the #CancelKavanaugh hashtag.

Continue to call every day, and continue to urge friends and family to do so. But please start mentally preparing yourself for the possibility that Kavanaugh proceeds.

You can show love for Celeste Pewter in many ways.

You can follow her on Twitter: @Celeste_Pewter

You can tweet about calling your Senators, using the #ICalledMyReps hashtag.

You can follow @ICalledMyReps on Twitter.

You can adopt a vulnerable incumbent Democratic Senator by checking out The Road to 2018, an organization Pewter created. Read about it here:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/08/08/support-the-road-to-2018-which-defends-democratic-senators-2/

You can follow The Road to 2018 on Twitter: @Roadto18

And you can subscribe to her peerless newsletter, It’s Time to Fight:

http://itstimetofight.weebly.com

Action Alerts · Call Your Senators · Stand Up for Civilization · Stand Up for Norms · Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) · Use Your Power, Recruit Friends

Call Your Senators to Oppose SCOTUS Nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Oct 3 Update

October 3, 2018October 2, 2018 otycd

Update from Sarah Jane, October 3, 2018: Mitch McConnell is still bloviating about holding a vote on Kavanaugh this week.

Yesterday Celeste Pewter (@Celeste_Pewter) tweeted this message, bracketed by a bunch of siren emojis. I’m not including the link to the Wall Street Journal story because it’ll be paywalled, but you get the point:

All, are you calling your Senators about Kavanaugh? Per @WSJ the investigation could wrap by tomorrow, Wednesday [October 3]. Remember what I’ve said. This is a moving target. Take this seriously. Script again in next tweet

She retweeted this New York Times tweet and encouraged West Virginians to keep up the pressure:

The Manchin campaign said that he spoke with protesters “to listen to their stories and views on Brett Kavanaugh.” One protester said they also told him their own stories of sexual abuse.

NYT story link is here:

She also tweeted a link to a story from The Hill that stated that Deborah Ramirez’s lawyer says the FBI hasn’t contacted corroborating witnesses:

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/409545-kavanaugh-accuser-ramirezs-attorney-worries-fbi-not-conducting

She included this with that retweet: Related. Even with the expanded scope, I’m of the opinion we have to consider the GOP will basically try to ram this through no matter what. Be LOUD. Now is the time.

And she retweeted Sahil Kapur (@SahilKapur), a political reporter for Bloomberg News, who tweeted this yesterday afternoon:

News: Christine Blasey Ford’s lawyers write a letter to the FBI saying they’ve offered to cooperate with the Kavanaugh investigation and asked to contact the agent in charge, but: “We have received no response.”

The answer, as always, is to call, and urge friends and family to call.

If you have not called your Senators yet, now is the time. If you’ve called before, call again.

Only call your own Senators. Urge your friends and family members to call their Senators.

And yes, you have to pick up the phone and call, and I’m serious about only calling your own Senators.

Be polite. Always, be polite. Practice what you want to say before you say it. Get it right, master your emotions, then call.

This is as serious as it’s ever been, people. Only a large, loud outcry from us has a chance of stopping this nomination.

Please honor the bravery of Dr Christine Blasey Ford by making those calls, and then urge friends and family to do the same.

To stay on top of things, check the Twitter feeds of @Celeste_Pewter for news on what you can do; @ICalledMyReps to see others acting alongside you; and @BenWikler for news about potential protests.

https://www.2022243121.com

You can also monitor the #CancelKavanaugh hashtag.

Here is Celeste Pewter’s latest general script for all Senators. Please check her feed, @Celeste_Pewter, for the freshest, most up-to-date scripts. Please tweet about your calling experiences to #ICalledMyReps, noting full voice-mail boxes and whether and how readily the office staff for your Senators picks up the phone.

Because GOP Senate Leader Mitch McConnell made at least one public appeal to move Collins in his direction, and because Collins reportedly asked the FBI to include the Swetnick allegations in the re-opened probe (Swetnick is Michael Avenatti’s client), Celeste Pewter retweeted her script for Collins, saying:

Maine pals – call and support this request [of Collins’s, to include Swetnick] . Reiterate to her if this doesn’t happen, she HAS to vote no.

Here is the Collins script. Again, if you’re not from Maine, DO NOT CALL. Instead, recruit friends and family in Maine to call.

Continue to call every day, and continue to urge friends and family to do so. But please start mentally preparing yourself for the possibility that Kavanaugh proceeds.

You can show love for Celeste Pewter in many ways.

You can follow her on Twitter: @Celeste_Pewter

You can tweet about calling your Senators, using the #ICalledMyReps hashtag.

You can follow @ICalledMyReps on Twitter.

You can adopt a vulnerable incumbent Democratic Senator by checking out The Road to 2018, an organization Pewter created. Read about it here:

https://onethingyoucando.com/2018/08/08/support-the-road-to-2018-which-defends-democratic-senators-2/

You can follow The Road to 2018 on Twitter: @Roadto18

And you can subscribe to her peerless newsletter, It’s Time to Fight:

http://itstimetofight.weebly.com

Action Alerts · Call Your Senators · Stand Up for Civilization · Stand Up for Norms · Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) · Use Your Power, Recruit Friends

Call Your Senators to Oppose SCOTUS Nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Oct 2 Update

October 2, 2018October 2, 2018 otycd

Update from Sarah Jane, October 2, 2018: Ok, first, the good news.

Yesterday, Senator Jeff Flake was in Boston to appear at a Forbes magazine event. Lots of folks came together at City Hall Plaza, around 10 am, on a weekday, to protest the Kavanaugh nomination. See the October 1 tweet from the Boston Globe:

Protesters began converging shortly on Boston City Hall Plaza before 10 a.m., where Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, a key figure in the nomination battle, was slated to appear later in the day as part of the Forbes Under 30 Summit.

Here’s a link to the story (which is behind a paywall):

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/10/01/city-hall-plaza-protest-calls-sen-flake-reject-kavanaugh-for-supreme-court/xPzjW6IIq40Lc9QwAdH0lN/story.html?s_campaign=bostonglobe%3Asocialflow%3Atwitter

This article from the Guardian states that 1,500 people managed to appear at short notice, on a weekday morning. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez got there too, and spoke, as did House of Representatives candidate Ayanna Pressley.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/01/jeff-flake-brett-kavanaugh-latest-boston-protests

Quotes from Flake in the article point to more good news:

Flake told a crowd of young entrepreneurs attending a Forbes “Under 30” business summit that his staff is in contact with White House counsel to make sure the investigation into accusations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh is “up to standard”.

Despite White House assurances of an unrestricted investigation, there have been complaints about limited time and scope for the FBI to investigate allegations by California professor Dr Christine Blasey Ford that Kavanaugh attempted to rape her in high school, and allegations by two other women of sexual misconduct.

“We ought to have more information, not less,” he said. He called Ford’s testimony before the Senate judiciary committee last Thursday “compelling and credible”.

After initial confusion and back-and-forthing on the matter, reporters at the New York Times confirmed that the White House removed at least some restrictions on the FBI investigation of Kavanaugh’s background, provided it stuck to the no-more-than-a-week timeline. From Peter Baker (@PeterBakerNYT), early yesterday afternoon:

Breaking: White House authorizes FBI to expand its abbreviated investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh by interviewing anyone it deems necessary as long the review is finished by the end of the week.

Full NYT story:

Celeste Pewter (@Celeste_Pewter) retweeted this yesterday, saying:

Public pressure definitely helped. Keep it up, all. And please continue to call your Senators.

Important to add: the article doesn’t fully clarify where Julie Swetnick’s allegation stands at the moment, or any relevant examinations into Kavanaugh’s drinking. Let’s make sure we continue to push on these two issues – they continue to be critical to all of this.

Later on, after urging us to support endangered incumbent Democratic Senators, she tweeted:

IMPORTANT: McConnell confirmed the vote on Kavanaugh is this week. This is not a surprise; it was basically confirmed last week, especially with the procedural vote. But confirmation confirms we are quickly running out of time. Call your Senators.

She also retweeted a statement from Democratic West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, which indicated that he would ‘continue to listen to all West Virginians’ and would make his decision ‘based on the facts,’ followed by a sympathetic statement about survivors of sexual assault.

Also, if you live in or near Washington, D.C., a rally dubbed Brett Kava-NAH, Just Say No will take place Thursday, October 4, at 7 pm EST. Location is TBD. Several celebrities have committed to appear. Bookmark the link below and watch for updated info:

https://www.2022243121.com

Last bit of good news worth noting: It’s October 2. That means SCOTUS is back in session, and Kavanaugh is not on the bench. At least not as I type this. Stay firm and focused, and perhaps we can ensure that he never joins that bench.