FRIDAY 8/4/17 CALLS TO ACTION: The Grandest of Juries

 

FEDERAL:


 

 

 

 

 

 

Report: Mueller convenes grand jury in Russia investigation 

Grand juries give prosecutors the ability to put witnesses under oath if there is evidence of a crime. Mueller and his expanding team will also have the power to seek indictments and subpoena documents. According to the Journal, the grand jury was convened in Washington several weeks ago. Another grand jury in Virginia had been investigating former national security adviser Michael Flynn, but that probe has been taken over by Mueller, the Journal reported.

This is the second Grand Jury under Robert Mueller.  The first is the jury he took over in the Michael Flynn investigation. So, now we can say there are multiple Grand Juries convened in the Trump-Russia probe.

Hold on to your hats, folks. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

 

Credit Where Credit is Due

Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) have introduced a bill that would prevent removal of special counsel without judicial review. This will protect the work Robert Mueller is doing on investigating the Trump Administration and their collusion with Russia to hack our government and the 2016 elections. So, giving credit where credit is due, thank you Senators Tillis and Coons.

Senator Tillis’ tweet:

And from Senator Coons:

So in the interest of positive reinforcement, give Thom Tillis a call and let him know that this bill to safeguard the process of the special counsel is much appreciated.

That being said:

Don’t forget that Thom Tillis is part of the reason we don’t have a sales tax holiday for back-to-school shopping anymore.

During his tenure as Speaker of the NC House, Thom and his partner in crime Senate Majority Leader Phil Berger effectively raised taxes on the middle and working classes by eliminating this tax holiday.

“But I thought Republicans only cut taxes,” you say.  Oh you sweet summer child. They only cut taxes for the rich because the rich donate to their campaigns. Now get back to work, they’ve got zillionaires to coddle!

Think about this while you ‘re shopping for that long list of items your kids’ teachers send you.

 

 

 

 

NORTH CAROLINA:

Republican Revenge Fantasies

Josh Stein cuts 45 positions in AG’s office: ‘We can’t do the last third’

At a news conference the same morning the General Assembly returned to Raleigh for a special session, Stein announced that state agencies, commissions and boards had come up with another $3 million or so that would stave off some personnel cuts he had anticipated. But Stein still has to find $3 million more in savings, he said, adding, “we’ve cut the attorney general’s office into the bone and we cannot go deeper.”

“What I’m telling you today is, we can’t do the last third,” said Stein, a Democrat in his first term. “The last third will put too much damage, too much risk on the public’s safety. For that reason, we are repeating our call to the General Assembly: ‘Please, protect the people of North Carolina, and find a way to fill this gap.’”

This has never been about trimming the fat, it’s been about revenge, pure and simple. Phil Berger and Tim Moore want to punish all Democrats who had the audacity to win their elections last year, including Josh Stein and Roy Cooper.

After lawmakers approved the budget in June, Senate leader Phil Berger defended the cut, saying he did not think it would be as devastating as portrayed by Stein, who served alongside Berger when he was a state senator from Wake County. Berger, a Republican from Rockingham County, added that GOP leaders were not happy with how Stein has been doing his job.

“The attorney general’s job is to represent his client, and his client is the state of North Carolina, and in many respects, it’s the state of North Carolina as represented by the elected representatives of the state,” Berger said at a June 22 news conference. “There have been instances where the attorney general seems to believe that that’s not his job, that his job is to do whatever he thinks is appropriate.”

Berger seems to think that defending the constitutionally indefensible actions of the Republican-led General Assembly is a good way to spend North Carolinians’ tax dollars. Maybe they should have foregone all those extra special sessions last year which gave us nothing but new laws that were struck down by the courts. The Republican-led General Assembly seem good at doing two things: consolidating power in the most reprehensible ways they can and wasting taxpayer dollars on their revenge fantasies.

Call your so-called legislators in Raleigh to let them know this is unacceptable and they need to make this right.

SCRIPT: I am calling from Sen/Rep_________’s district. I want to urge the Sen/Rep to revisit their involvement in the recent budget which cut funds for the NC Attorney General’s office. Republicans always claim to be law and order legislators who want to keep people in their jobs.  Yet at the first opportunity you vote to cut the AG’s office, forcing layoffs for 45 people and impeding the office’s ability to do its job. This is nothing but Republicans getting revenge on Democrats because they had the audacity to win their elections.

Representatives: Allen McNeill, Pat Hurley

Senators: Jerry Tillman, Rick Gunn

And while you’re at it:

Remind them that we’re still waiting on the maps correcting the illegal racial gerrymandering done by the Republicans in the General Assembly. What’s the hold up? They’ve had ample time to get this handled.

SCRIPT: I am calling from Sen/Rep__________’s district. I would like to know what the hold-up is in completing the court ordered redistricting maps to correct the racial gerrymandering GOP legislators engaged in. Elected officials such as yourself should not be considered above the law. If I, a citizen of this state, ignored a court order I would be thrown in jail for contempt. Please explain how the General Assembly members charged with redrawing these maps are not in contempt of court as we speak. Do your jobs.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Visit our new and improved calendar for more events coming up!

Banquet Committee & Executive Committee Meeting Tuesday August 8, 2017. Banquet Committee meets at 6:00pm, Executive Committee meets at 7:00pm  Location to be announced.

Lunch & Learn is back! – Pete Glidewell, former candidate for NC’s 6th District, will be joining us to talk about Gerrymandering. Join us at the Asheboro Library in the downstairs meeting room at 12PM on Monday August 14th.

RC Democratic Women’s Monthly Breakfast Meeting – August 26, 2017 9:30am at the Archdale Public Library 10433 S Main St, Archdale, NC 27263  Bring a breakfast item to share if you like.

The Democratic Women of North Carolina invite you to the 57th Annual State ConventionSeptember 22-24, 2017, in Winston-Salem at the Hawthorne Inn & Conference Center.

SAVE THE DATE: 9th Annual Defending Democracy Blue Jean Gala – Saturday September 23, 2017, 6:00PM – The Exchange 204 S Fayetteville St, Asheboro, NC  Speakers and entertainment to be announced.