The Topline · [email protected]

July 20, 2021 at 7:49 PM

McCarthy makes his picks

McCarthy makes his picks Five GOP members added to Jan. 6 panel House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's picks for the Jan. 6 select committee are a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, Rep. Jim Banks, selected as ranking member, said right off the…

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July 19, 2021 at 8:59 PM

The White House targets Big Tech

The White House targets Big Tech As Covid cases rise, so does frustration with social media It was only a matter of time, right? Yesterday, Los Angeles County became the first major county in the U.S. to revert to requiring masks for all peop…

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July 16, 2021 at 7:00 PM

The week in review

The week in review Cubans cry out for freedom Protests across Cuba this week have surprised and heartened the world. At a time when forces around the globe—including in the United States—are pushing toward authoritarianism, the demonstrations…

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July 15, 2021 at 7:34 PM

Bending the knee

Bending the knee McCarthy can't make a move without Trump's blessing In a sign of the times, the GOP in Michigan has eaten another one of its own over the Big Lie. Jason Roe, until yesterday the Michigan GOP executive director, stepped down f…

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July 14, 2021 at 8:15 PM

All eyes on Texas

All eyes on Texas The latest battleground in the voting rights war If we're going to renew America, Republicans of conscience must be bold and consistently call out the lies and conspiracy theories being spread by fellow members of the GOP. W…

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July 13, 2021 at 8:45 PM

'This is a test of our time'

'This is a test of our time' Biden delivers fiery defense of voting rights "Have you no shame?" President Biden didn't mince words in his defense of voting rights this afternoon at the U.S. Constitution Center. Biden, whose presidency has so …

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July 12, 2021 at 7:34 PM

General Lee gallops away

General Lee gallops away Charlottesville removes its contentious statues With so much negativity in our reporting on the current state of the Republican Party—by necessity, unfortunately—we enjoy the opportunity to highlight positive stories …

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July 9, 2021 at 7:30 PM

The week in review

The week in review Bidding goodbye and good luck to Afghanistan Court records released earlier this week detailed the disturbing story of one of the Capitol rioters and his ongoing plans for insurrection. We should all take the time to read a…

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July 8, 2021 at 7:45 PM

Biden's voting rights push

Biden's voting rights push Amid criticism he's doing too little, Biden steps up It has been 14 days since the Surfside condo collapse in Florida. Yesterday, officials made the difficult decision to call off search-and-rescue efforts and trans…

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July 7, 2021 at 8:19 PM

Was Jan. 6 just the beginning?

Was Jan. 6 just the beginning? Insurrectionist's plans suggest future attacks Six months after the most dangerous attack on our democracy in living memory, we're still learning a lot about Jan. 6 (though not as much as we would if Republican …

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  The Topline · [email protected]

July 6, 2021 at 7:29 PM

The heat is on

The heat is on Western states struggle with hot temps, drought, and fires Six months out from the Capitol insurrection, a new poll reveals that 67% of Americans believe U.S. democracy is under threat. That number includes majorities of Democr…

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July 2, 2021 at 7:49 PM

The week in review

The week in review SCOTUS deals a blow to voting rights The newly revealed tax fraud charges against the Trump Organization are both shocking and unsurprising. On the one hand, we repeatedly witnessed the contempt and disregard for the rule o…

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July 1, 2021 at 9:00 PM

'The courage of my party's leaders has faded...

'The courage of my party's leaders has faded... ...but the threat to our republic has not' The GOP playbook has become, in a word, played. Ahead of an expected loss or the potential for accountability, Republicans begin laying the groundwork …

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June 30, 2021 at 7:45 PM

House votes on Jan. 6 select committee

House votes on Jan. 6 select committee Who will sit on the panel that investigates the insurrection? This past year has seen more coverage of election administration than perhaps ever before as more voters have learned about vote-by-mail, ear…

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June 29, 2021 at 7:14 PM

'It's a tough, tough time'

'It's a tough, tough time' President will visit tragic scene in Florida Good news for voting reformers in Colorado. Yesterday, Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill that will make it easier for cities and municipalities to run ranked-choice election…

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June 28, 2021 at 7:34 PM

Blue lives matter?

Blue lives matter? GOP crosses the thin blue line Our path is clear now. For years, Republicans, conservatives, and right-leaning independents have discussed how to oppose the radical—and growing—authoritarian strain in the GOP. Our new movem…

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  The Topline · [email protected]

June 25, 2021 at 7:50 PM

The week in review

The week in review Infrastructure deal, DOJ sues Georgia over voting law, and more The last few years haven't been easy ones in America. Deep political polarization, government dysfunction, extremism, lies, and even violence have threatened t…

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June 24, 2021 at 7:00 PM

'It is imperative that we establish the truth of that day'

'It is imperative that we establish the truth of that day' House select committee to study Jan. 6 insurrection Tonight's the night. At 7:30pm ET, A Call for American Renewal will launch its first national town hall event, and we hope to see y…

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June 23, 2021 at 7:44 PM

It's up to you, New York, New York

It's up to you, New York, New York Ranked-choice voting gets its NYC debut Start spreading the news...New York City has successfully completed its first primary election using ranked-choice voting. Well, not exactly completed. The voting is o…

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June 22, 2021 at 8:05 PM

Voting on voting

Voting on voting Senate prepares to vote on For the People Act again Overshadowing the threat of foreign terrorist groups such as ISIS, domestic violent extremists have become one of the largest threats to our national security. In an effort …

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June 21, 2021 at 8:14 PM

In denial

In denial Republican voters and the latest election conspiracy theory If you were told that 70% of a group of people believed that 2+2=4, would you consider that percentage good or bad? How about 70% believing that the earth revolves around t…

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June 18, 2021 at 6:59 PM

The week in review

The week in review Let the Juneteenth celebrations begin Happy Juneteenth (one day early)! For the first time, the nation will formally celebrate this important date in American history with the establishment of a federal holiday. But while t…

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June 17, 2021 at 7:29 PM

Do we have a deal?

Do we have a deal? A bipartisan solution on infrastructure is in play There's a lot to feel good about in the U.S. right now. The pandemic is abating, at least in the short term. Congress is working in a bipartisan manner on infrastructure. P…

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June 16, 2021 at 7:19 PM

Head to head

Head to head Biden and Putin meet in Geneva Through my work with various pro-democracy organizations, I've had the opportunity to engage in advancing reforms at the state and local levels. What a refreshing change it is from our national poli…

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June 15, 2021 at 8:50 PM

Disarray at the DOJ

Disarray at the DOJ New allegations throw department into turmoil An alert from the FBI puts to bed the hope that QAnon might be fading, as some analysts had optimistically suggested. The conspiracy theory did lose some adherents, who disenga…

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June 14, 2021 at 8:30 PM

NATO can't ignore China

NATO can't ignore China But Russia is still a big concern too It's a new week, and it's a new era for NATO. At the summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization today, President Biden convinced some holdouts that the alliance should expand…

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June 11, 2021 at 8:29 PM

The week in review

The week in review The president overseas, vaccine diplomacy, no simple solutions at border The sham audit of Maricopa County, Arizona's 2020 general election is beginning to wrap up, and Republican delegations from around the country are hea…

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June 10, 2021 at 8:14 PM

Biden's 'defining' moment

Biden's 'defining' moment On a mission to save democracy A consequential overseas trip by Joe Biden, the first of his presidency, is being carefully watched by pro-democracy observers, who have some big questions they hope to see clarified ov…

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June 9, 2021 at 7:00 PM

A rare moment on the Hill

A rare moment on the Hill Democrats and Republicans find something they agree on: China The presidential election was just over 7 months ago—and many of us who worked to defeat Donald Trump did so because of the imminent threat he and those s…

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June 8, 2021 at 8:14 PM

Senate report details chaos at Capitol

Senate report details chaos at Capitol But not a word about the cause of Jan. 6 insurrection For many Americans, Jan. 6 was a wake-up call, illustrating the looming dangers of campaigns against truth, and laying bare the precarious state of o…

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June 7, 2021 at 7:49 PM

Hacker crackdown

Hacker crackdown Taking action in the ransomware crisis Lots happening this week. President Biden will be heading overseas for a trip being billed as nothing less than the last best hope for reviving global democracy. After meeting with frien…

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June 4, 2021 at 7:30 PM

The week in review

The week in review DeJoy investigation, Israel's political shakeup, and more After the Capitol insurrection, many of us optimistically and somewhat naively believed that eyes would finally be opened, and the GOP would at last extricate itself…

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  Mike Brand · [email protected]

June 4, 2021 at 7:28 PM

Democracy Update

Here’s an update on some of the biggest issues affecting our democracy today.     Dear John, Here’s an update on some of the biggest issues affecting our democracy today. January 6th Commission Blocked Republicans in the Senate have effectively used the filibuster to block the …

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June 3, 2021 at 7:29 PM

Dems prepare to play hardball

Dems prepare to play hardball They'll investigate Jan. 6 with or without Republicans Now that the Jan. 6 commission has failed, what does that mean for our country? In the short term, Democrats are expected to hold their own investigation. Un…

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June 2, 2021 at 8:44 PM

Biden passes the baton

Biden passes the baton Kamala Harris to lead voting rights charge In a culture in which nearly everything is hyped up for maximum drama, it's natural to wonder if some issue is being overblown or is really what it seems. That sort of critical…

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June 1, 2021 at 7:45 PM

Don't mess with Texas

Don't mess with Texas Texas Democrats block anti-democracy bill We hope all of our readers enjoyed the long weekend and found some time to reflect on the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform who paid the ultimate price for our nation. I…

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May 28, 2021 at 8:04 PM

The week in review

The week in review Republicans slam the door on Jan. 6 commission "It was horrifying to see a presidency come to such a dishonorable and disgraceful end." That's how former Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, in a speech delivered at t…

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  Stand Up Republic · [email protected]

May 28, 2021 at 5:19 PM

Statement On 1/6 Commission Vote

It’s trite to say that the Republican Party has sunken to a new low, but with today’s vote to block a January 6th Commission, they proved once again that there is no bottom to their drive for power.     Dear John, It’s trite to say that the Republican Party has sunken to a new l…

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May 27, 2021 at 7:59 PM

A day of reckoning for Senate Republicans

A day of reckoning for Senate Republicans Will they choose party loyalty over the quest for truth? It's a consequential day in the U.S. Senate. The chamber is preparing to vote on whether to create an independent commission to fully investiga…

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May 26, 2021 at 8:54 PM

The Big Apple bites back

The Big Apple bites back Manhattan DA ramps up Trump probe Once again, our former president is in the news. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has convened a special grand jury in its investigation of Donald Trump's business practices p…

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  Stand Up Republic · [email protected]

May 26, 2021 at 6:53 PM

Action Alert: January 6th Commission

Uncovering the truth of what happened and who was involved on January 6th is paramount to ensuring that such an attack on our Capitol and our democracy never happens again.     Dear John, Tomorrow, it is likely that the Senate will vote on a bill that would establish a bipartis…

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May 25, 2021 at 8:04 PM

The anniversary of a tragedy

The anniversary of a tragedy U.S. takes stock a year after George Floyd’s murder Since the tragic death of George Floyd one year ago, many Americans have come to recognize, often for the first time, systemic injustices that still exist in our…

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May 24, 2021 at 8:30 PM

Focus shifts to infrastructure

Focus shifts to infrastructure Can a deal be made in a starkly divided Congress? Infrastructure. It may not be the most gripping topic, and yet it's arguably one of the most wide-reaching. Expect to hear a lot about it this week. With great p…

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May 21, 2021 at 7:45 PM

The week in review

The week in review The Capitol insurrection...will we ever get the full truth? Our nation was born of noble convictions, and we have led the world in defending democracy. But we cannot lead if we fail to adhere to a common set of principles. …

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  Stand Up Republic · [email protected]

May 21, 2021 at 7:16 PM

We must uncover the truth about Jan. 6th

Uncovering the truth of what happened and who was involved on January 6th is paramount to ensuring that such an attack on our Capitol and our democracy never happens again.     Dear John, On January 6, 2021, we all witnessed the horrifying attack on the US Capitol Building. The…

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  The Topline · [email protected]

May 20, 2021 at 6:59 PM

A tale of two commissions

A tale of two commissions One hangs on by a thread, the other is just getting started I had a glass half-full/glass half-empty moment yesterday when I heard the result of the House vote on the bill that would establish a Jan. 6 commission. My…

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May 19, 2021 at 7:35 PM

Hopes for Jan. 6 commission fade

Hopes for Jan. 6 commission fade Bucking the House, McConnell says no to investigation Yesterday it was Kevin McCarthy. Today it's Mitch McConnell opposing the bipartisan Jan. 6 commission. Republican leadership has made it crystal clear: the…

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May 18, 2021 at 7:34 PM

Accountability is the word of the day

Accountability is the word of the day Kevin McCarthy offers none, police unions offer more House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced today that he is opposed to the formation of a bipartisan, independent commission to investigate the Jan…

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May 17, 2021 at 8:05 PM

Cheney unchained

Cheney unchained Liz Cheney and other Republicans get real on GOP Since her unceremonious removal from GOP leadership last week, Rep. Liz Cheney has unloaded on her party. For pro-democracy political watchers, it's been something to see. Chen…

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May 14, 2021 at 7:20 PM

The week in review

The week in review A new way forward for the politically homeless What once distinguished the two major U.S. political parties from one another was their different approaches to solving problems. Now, the parties often seem to live in differe…

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