Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 26, 2020 at 7:24 PM

will we get through this?

It has been just over five months since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States. Doesn’t it feel like more than that? All along, there have been voices trying to downplay the severity of the ongoing crisis — none more recklessly than Donald Trump himself. And with all we’v…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 25, 2020 at 6:28 PM

worst day yet

38,115. That’s the number of new coronavirus cases reported yesterday in the United States. And it’s a new record. Let me say that again, because there are forces trying to downplay the severity of the ongoing crisis and because a numbness to the reality of this era may be setting in: The…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 24, 2020 at 8:29 PM

Barr should be impeached

Attorney General William Barr is failing to uphold his duty to defend the Constitution. He is undermining the independence and integrity of the United States Department of Justice. And he is failing to enforce the nation’s laws with an even hand. Attorney General William Barr should be impe…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 23, 2020 at 11:30 PM

will Mitch McConnell ever do the right thing?

Today, voters in Kentucky are choosing who they want to run against Mitch McConnell for the United States Senate this fall. By and large, the Bluegrass State seems to have avoided the kinds of meltdowns we’ve seen in Wisconsin, Georgia and elsewhere over the past few months. How? Because st…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 20, 2020 at 7:34 PM

did you see it?

It was such a wonderful event. If you weren’t able to tune in to our virtual benefit show Thursday evening — or if you’d just like to see it again — you can watch a recording on Public Citizen’s YouTube channel or Facebook page. Representative Pramila Jayapal and Senator Elizabeth Warren shar…

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  Bret, Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 19, 2020 at 4:21 PM

Unconscionable, jaw-dropping corruption

end coronavirus secrets ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 18, 2020 at 11:41 PM

our Virtual Gala starts NOW and you're invited!

Elizabeth Warren, Ray Romano, Sarah Silverman, Steve Earle and other comedy legends and musical guests are waiting for you! Public Citizen’s 2020 Virtual Benefit starts in just a few minutes, at 8:00 p.m. EDT. And it’s free! Join on Facebook. Or Twitter. Or YouTube. This star-studded e…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 18, 2020 at 12:02 PM

party tonight

For so many of us, the past few months have been unlike anything we’ve experienced in our entire lives up to this point. And the past few weeks have been even more intense as we’ve all reacted to the killing of George Floyd and the unprecedented uprising for racial justice his murder touched of…

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  Aquene, Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 16, 2020 at 9:49 PM

your health, your vote – in your state

On May 23rd, join us for a nation-wide day of action.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  Friend,​ Our democracy is in crisis, but with your help, we can make a difference.   Throughout America’s history, black communities and communities of color have h…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 15, 2020 at 1:32 PM

is Elizabeth Warren coming to your house?

For so many of us, the past few months have been unlike anything we’ve experienced in our entire lives up to this point. And the past few weeks have been even more intense as we’ve all reacted to the killing of George Floyd and the unprecedented uprising for racial justice his murder touched of…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 14, 2020 at 12:13 AM

Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump, racism

In August 1980, Ronald Reagan launched his campaign as the Republican nominee for president with a rally outside of Philadelphia, Mississippi — where the Freedom Summer workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner were murdered by the KKK in 1964. In his speech, Reagan announced h…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 12, 2020 at 7:02 PM

this statement is unusual in a couple of ways

One man just did two things you rarely see. Yesterday, General Mark Milley — who, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is our nation’s highest-ranking military officer and a key adviser to the president — apologized for taking part in Donald Trump’s sacrilegious photo-op last week at a chu…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 11, 2020 at 7:08 PM

pass police reform now

Americans are rising up in a way we haven’t seen for at least a generation. We are rising up to lament the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and so many more of our fellow citizens. We are rising up to call out the ongoing injustices of systemic racism. We are rising up …

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  Bret, Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 11, 2020 at 12:18 AM

lob·by: a group of people seeking to influence politicians or public officials on a particular issue. (noun)

No more corporate lobbyists in the military | Friend,​ In Donald Trump's America, a former weapons lobbyist is our Secretary of Defense.  Even worse, Defense Secretary Mark Esper refuses to commit to not returning to Raytheon, where he made more th…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 9, 2020 at 7:02 PM

voting in person may be impossible

We’re not going to be able to hold the presidential election in November 2020. Not in a way that looks like previous presidential elections. The coronavirus is going to make in-person voting impossible or unsafe throughout much of the country. Happily, there’s an easy solution: voting by ma…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 8, 2020 at 7:41 PM

no more immunity for police

As we have witnessed again and again — including in the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis — too many law enforcement personnel in our country are too willing to ignore the civil rights of the people they are supposed to protect. One reason for this — along with severe problems in …

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  Robert, Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 7, 2020 at 2:42 AM

just back from the protest

Sometimes, demonstrations hit a sweet spot where they express rage over injustice and, simultaneously, make you feel optimistic about the prospect for change. I’m just back from marching with my wife and two boys, and I can tell you that’s what happened today in Washington, D.C. Protests and …

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 6, 2020 at 1:17 PM

the protests are working

Notes of solidarity and encouragement have been pouring in from Public Citizen supporters all across America in reaction to the messages I sent yesterday and earlier in the week. Thank you. By request, both messages — the initial one from late Monday night followed by yesterday’s update — are…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 5, 2020 at 2:01 PM

emotions have been so raw

The past week has felt like a year — so much has happened and emotions have been so raw. I wanted to share three observations, following up on my note to you earlier this week. First, the protests are working. The police officers responsible for the murder of George Floyd have now all been …

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 4, 2020 at 12:32 PM

former defense secretary denounces Trump

Yesterday, former Marine general and Secretary of Defense James Mattis condemned Donald Trump’s threat to send American troops into battle against their fellow citizens — who are rising up throughout the country to collectively lament the killing of George Floyd and demand an end to police racism…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 3, 2020 at 6:33 PM

war has been declared

Right now, millions of Americans are rising up — online and in the streets — as we collectively lament the killing of George Floyd and demand an end to police racism and violence. In response, Donald Trump has threatened to invoke a 213-year-old law, the Insurrection Act, and send American troo…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 2, 2020 at 4:31 PM

there are so many things that need to be said

After Donald Trump announced last night that he may well order the military into cities throughout the country to “dominate” American citizens who are peacefully protesting, I sent you an email. But it was rather late in the day, so I’ve copied my note below in case you missed it. Please take…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 2, 2020 at 4:02 AM

as I write, helicopters are flying overhead

At this moment when it feels like the country is plummeting into a kind of deranged chaos, there are so many things that need to be said, so many feelings that need to be expressed to make sense of what’s happening and to think sensibly about what we can do about it. Here are a few thoughts abo…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 30, 2020 at 1:32 PM

killed by police

Yesterday, Donald Trump said this about how people in Minnesota and throughout America are reacting to the death of George Floyd: “Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the …

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 29, 2020 at 7:10 PM

George Floyd

On Monday, a man named George Floyd died after being apprehended by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The entire incident was caught on video by a passerby. In broad daylight. From just a few feet away. George Floyd was face down on the bare asphalt of a city street as an officer’s k…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 28, 2020 at 8:19 PM

it did not have to be this bad

The first reported coronavirus-related fatality in the United States was on February 29. Not even three full months later, our country has surpassed 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths. That’s far more than in any other country on the planet. And — because of factors like limited testing, rep…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 23, 2020 at 12:31 PM

Jeff Bezos' shameless profiteering

While most of us are suffering through a global emergency unlike anything humanity has faced for at least a century, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has seen his net worth go up by $30 billion in just the past two months. But even as countless millions of people rely on Amazon to get the things they need…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 22, 2020 at 2:02 PM

Attorney General William Barr must resign

“Lawyers holding public office assume legal responsibilities going beyond those of other citizens. A lawyer’s abuse of public office can suggest an inability to fulfill the professional role of lawyers.” That’s from Rule 8.4 — “Maintaining The Integrity Of The Profession” — of the American Bar …

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  Bret, Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 21, 2020 at 8:31 PM

Sacrifice your rights to Big Business

an opportunity for powerful corporations to take more power | Friend,​ In the face of this historic crisis, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has a plan: Sacrifice your rights to help Big Business. We’ve already lost many critical levers to lim…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 20, 2020 at 6:14 PM

Trump might blame Martians for coronavirus

Donald Trump is threatening to permanently end U.S. funding to the essential World Health Organization (WHO). Trump claims that the WHO went too easy on China in the early stages of the global coronavirus pandemic. So let’s look at just two examples of what Trump was saying (on Twitter, of co…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 19, 2020 at 6:03 PM

Donald Trump admits taking dangerous medication

Yesterday, Donald Trump announced that he has been taking hydroxychloroquine because he thinks it will protect him from being infected with the coronavirus. To be absolutely clear: Hydroxychloroquine has not been shown to be effective in preventing or treating COVID-19, the disease caused by t…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 18, 2020 at 8:01 PM

Bezos, Jeff Bezos

You really have to wonder if Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is plotting his next move from a secret mountain hideout while stroking some exotic cat, like the supervillain in a James Bond film. He is the richest person on earth. In fact — while most of us are suffering through a global emergency unlike…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 16, 2020 at 6:47 PM

will Jared Kushner get away with this?

Our petition against a scheme promoted by Jared Kushner to dismantle Social Security already has over 13,000 signatures. Add your name now. Jared Kushner: Keep your hands off Social Security. My earlier note, copied below in case you missed it, has more info. - Robert ****** A quick b…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 15, 2020 at 5:57 PM

he thinks you're nothing but chum for corporate sharks

Always keep an eye on Mitch McConnell. In the midst of a crisis unlike anything humanity has faced for at least a century, Mitch McConnell is pushing for the Senate to give businesses immunity from liability even if they fail to take reasonable steps to keep workers, patients and consumers from…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 14, 2020 at 5:58 PM

where are your senators on vote-by-mail?

No American should have to risk their health to vote during the coronavirus emergency. That’s why Public Citizen is helping lead a nationwide campaign to make sure a system for easily voting by mail is in place in all 50 states for the election this November. The U.S. House of Representatives…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 12, 2020 at 8:05 PM

Jared Kushner pushes plan to end Social Security

A quick but important update today. Jared Kushner is pushing the White House to consider a scheme that would end Social Security as we know it. Of course, it’s not even his scheme. It was devised by a buddy of his. Who works in the State Department. Which has nothing to do with Social Secur…

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  Bret, Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 11, 2020 at 9:06 PM

Warren & AOC’s new pandemic plan

stop abusive coronavirus mergers Friend,​ COVID-19 has put many businesses in crisis mode. To help protect these companies, their workers and their customers, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have come up with a pla…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 9, 2020 at 3:32 PM

Trump admin's secret infection forecast

Right now, about 30,000 new coronavirus infections are reported every day in America. A document leaked Monday from within the Trump administration itself predicts that number could explode to 200,000 infections every day by the end of this month. With an absolutely staggering rise in fatalit…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 8, 2020 at 1:02 PM

Bernie Sanders and Pramila Jayapal

I hope you had a chance to read the note I sent you yesterday — copied below in case you missed it — about the work we’re doing in partnership with Bernie Sanders and Pramila Jayapal. Please give it a quick read. And don’t forget to add your name in support of expanding Medicare and Medicaid …

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 7, 2020 at 8:01 PM

open up Medicare and Medicaid right now

Humanity has endured pandemics before — even without the vast medical knowledge and economic resources at our disposal today. Yet here in America, we remain hostage to a corporate health insurance regime that further reveals its sheer immorality and unsustainability with every passing day. Th…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 6, 2020 at 8:03 PM

leaked federal estimates on imminent surge in infections

Right now, about 30,000 new coronavirus infections are reported every day in America. A document leaked Monday from within the Trump administration itself predicts that number could explode to 200,000 infections every day by the end of this month. With an absolutely staggering rise in fatalit…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 4, 2020 at 5:54 PM

helping families in their darkest moments

I want to talk about one especially heartbreaking way the coronavirus can ambush families. The crisis is obviously causing unprecedented financial hardship for millions of Americans — indeed, for our entire economy. This can affect us even if nobody we know gets sick. Then there are the tens …

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  Bret, Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 2, 2020 at 3:02 PM

a quick victory against corruption

no more stock trading for Congress ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  Friend,​ This is a scandal that shouldn’t have happened. Two weeks before COVID-19 caused record-setting market crashes, U.S. Sen. Richard Burr sold off up to $1.72 million in stocks. T…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 1, 2020 at 10:01 PM

a real plan to produce needed medical supplies

Major news from Senator Elizabeth Warren and Public Citizen. Warren — along with Representative Jan Schakowsky in the House — is announcing a bill called the COVID-19 Emergency Manufacturing Act. This comprehensive legislation would help make sure we can produce the hospital supplies and medi…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 30, 2020 at 8:14 PM

what Elizabeth Warren did today

Major news today from Senator Elizabeth Warren and Public Citizen. Warren — along with Representative Jan Schakowsky in the House — is announcing a bill called the COVID-19 Emergency Manufacturing Act. This comprehensive legislation would help make sure we can produce the hospital supplies an…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 29, 2020 at 6:47 PM

Mitch McConnell admits your life doesn’t matter

You may have heard that Mitch McConnell is calling the United States Senate back into session next week. Take a guess as to what Mitch McConnell thinks is “an urgent need” for the Senate to address: Making sure our nation’s health workers have the personal protective equipment and medical sup…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 28, 2020 at 6:43 PM

since 1775

The Post Office in America traces its origins all the way back to 1775, with Benjamin Franklin as the first postmaster general. And now Donald Trump is trying to snuff it out. Please read my previous message — copied below in case you missed it — for more about what Trump is trying to do to t…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 27, 2020 at 7:17 PM

no more mail?

Take a moment and imagine how our lives might be different without the United States Postal Service: Do you look forward to getting cards and letters from friends and family? Subscribe to any magazines? Were you planning to vote by mail in the presidential election this November? Are you …

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 25, 2020 at 7:45 PM

human beings or bowling shoes?

On Thursday — during his nightly farce of a press briefing — Donald Trump suggested that people infected with the coronavirus could be cured by being injected with disinfectant. Does Trump also think it would be a good idea to spray Lysol down everyone’s throat, as if the human body is no diffe…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 22, 2020 at 6:09 PM

hurling into the abyss of deregulation

One very simple question today: In the midst of a global health emergency unlike anything humanity has faced for at least a century, is now the time to do more to protect people or less? Foolishly — and just as predictably — mutterings are emerging from the White House of plans to suspend or …

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