Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 27, 2023 at 7:36 PM

Kyrsten Sinema is at it again

Need another reason to be disappointed in or infuriated with Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona? Sinema recently proposed a surprise amendment to the Federal Aviation Act, which must be renewed later this summer. Sinema’s proposal would allow airlines to substitute time spent in flight simulat…

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  President's Office · [email protected]

June 22, 2023 at 10:17 PM

just a few hours from now

Support Public Citizen Congressional VIPs like Elizabeth Warren, Jamie Raskin, Nancy Pelosi, and Raphael Warnock spoke recently in recognition of the work you and Public Citizen are doing together. See my earlier message — copied below in case you missed it — for more. Our dollar-for-dollar ma…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 22, 2023 at 4:25 PM

Elizabeth Warren said what?!

Support Public Citizen Congressional VIPs like Elizabeth Warren, Jamie Raskin, Nancy Pelosi, and Raphael Warnock spoke recently in recognition of the work you and Public Citizen are doing together. See my earlier message — copied below in case you missed it — for more. And remember, our dollar…

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  Robert · [email protected]

June 21, 2023 at 9:32 PM

you deserve this

Support Public Citizen Congressional VIPs like Elizabeth Warren, Jamie Raskin, Nancy Pelosi, and Raphael Warnock spoke recently in recognition of the work you and Public Citizen are doing together. See my message from yesterday — copied below in case you missed it — for more. And please note t…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 21, 2023 at 3:29 PM

you have been praised by multiple members of Congress

Support Public Citizen Congressional VIPs like Elizabeth Warren, Jamie Raskin, Nancy Pelosi, and Raphael Warnock spoke recently in recognition of the work you and Public Citizen are doing together. See my message from yesterday — copied below in case you missed it — for more. And please note t…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 20, 2023 at 5:04 PM

what these politicians said about you

Support Public Citizen Some high-profile politicians are praising the work you and Public Citizen do together: “If Public Citizen had not been created 50 years ago, it would have to be created today — so in need are we of ... everything Public Citizen has accomplished to keep America healthier, …

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 17, 2023 at 8:18 PM

they are defending the indefensible

Number of federal charges brought against Donald Trump (so far): 71. Number of federal charges brought against every other former president in U.S. history: zero. There has always been bitter partisanship. There has always been political grandstanding. There has always been loose talk of retr…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 15, 2023 at 6:26 PM

just say it's wrong

Number of federal charges brought against Donald Trump (so far): 71. Number of federal charges brought against every other former president in U.S. history: zero. There has always been bitter partisanship. There has always been political grandstanding. There has always been loose talk of retr…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 12, 2023 at 5:25 PM

bless its little five-sided heart

Because of Republican brinkmanship over the debt ceiling, the federal government very nearly ran out of money — an outcome that would have been an economic catastrophe both here at home and around the world. One thing the GOP got for ransoming the full faith and credit of the United States is a…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 10, 2023 at 6:18 PM

for the sake of democracy itself

In a testament to the rule of law, Donald Trump has been indicted over his (mis)handling of classified files once he was out of office. Trump can now claim the “distinction” of being the first former president in U.S. history to be brought up on federal charges. (We know how much he likes to fe…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 9, 2023 at 6:01 PM

Donald Trump indicted

In a testament to the rule of law, Donald Trump has been indicted over his (mis)handling of classified files once he was out of office. Trump can now claim the “distinction” of being the first former president in U.S. history to be brought up on federal charges. (We know how much he likes to fe…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 8, 2023 at 8:44 PM

the hawkish hawks are hawking

Because of Republican brinkmanship over the debt ceiling, the federal government very nearly ran out of money — an outcome that would have been an economic catastrophe both here at home and around the world. One thing the GOP got for ransoming the full faith and credit of the United States is a…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 6, 2023 at 4:55 PM

3 of the 4 largest bank failures in U.S. history have all happened *this* year

Three of the four largest bank failures in U.S. history have all happened this year. The CEO of First Republic Bank — whose collapse this year is our nation’s second largest bank failure ever — made $17.8 million in 2021. The CEO of Silicon Valley Bank — whose collapse this year is our nation…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 5, 2023 at 6:17 PM

reckless bank executives must pay

Three of the four largest bank failures in U.S. history have all happened this year. The CEO of First Republic Bank — whose collapse this year is our nation’s second largest bank failure ever — made $17.8 million in 2021. The CEO of Silicon Valley Bank — whose collapse this year is our nation…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

June 1, 2023 at 8:17 PM

investigate opioid billionaires

The family who became gazillionaires through their company’s aggressive marketing of OxyContin just got immunity from lawsuits brought by victims of our nation’s opioid epidemic. An appeals court has ruled that the Sackler family — the former owners of Purdue Pharma — can buy themselves immunit…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 31, 2023 at 4:48 PM

opioid tycoons get immunity

The family who became gazillionaires through their company’s aggressive marketing of OxyContin just got immunity from lawsuits brought by victims of our nation’s opioid epidemic. An appeals court ruled yesterday that the Sackler family — the former owners of Purdue Pharma — can buy themselves i…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 30, 2023 at 7:17 PM

the risk of extinction from artificial intelligence

“Mitigating the risk of extinction from A.I. should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks, such as pandemics and nuclear war.” That’s the full text of a succinct yet potent statement released today that has so far been signed by over 350 executives, researchers, and engineer…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 26, 2023 at 7:36 PM

when a multinational corporation begs to be regulated

Corporate titan Microsoft just called for the U.S. government to regulate what it and other Big Tech companies are doing with artificial intelligence. And it is not the only major A.I. company that has requested government intervention. A few thoughts: These companies are not wrong. Public …

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 25, 2023 at 5:40 PM

economic catastrophe

I want to spell out what all the talk about a “debt ceiling” really means. Here’s what Republicans in Congress — under the leadership, if you can call it that, of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy — are doing: Every year — through a normal, if often contentious, legislative process — Congress pass…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 24, 2023 at 6:49 PM

19 school children killed one year ago today

One year ago today, a man killed 19 children and 2 teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Ten days before that, a man killed 10 people at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. In the year since those slaughters, there have been literally hundreds of mass shootings in our country —…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 23, 2023 at 7:15 PM

Republicans are holding us all hostage

I want to spell out what all the talk about a “debt ceiling” really means. Here’s what Republicans in Congress — under the leadership, if you can call it that, of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy — are doing: Every year — through a normal, if often contentious, legislative process — Congress pass…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 18, 2023 at 7:22 PM

end this national disgrace

A shameful fact: One out every 11 Americans does not have health insurance. Think about the people you know. Co-workers. Neighbors. Folks from church. Your children’s classmates and their families. The school bus driver. Everyone who works at the coffee shop, the grocery store, the movie th…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 17, 2023 at 5:54 PM

Medicare. For. All.

A shameful fact: One out every 11 Americans does not have health insurance. Think about the people you know. Co-workers. Neighbors. Folks from church. Your children’s classmates and their families. The school bus driver. Everyone who works at the coffee shop, the grocery store, the movie th…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 16, 2023 at 6:09 PM

a significant threat to truth and democracy as we know it

Imagine it is October 29, 2024. The presidential election is one week away. A video surfaces where one of the two leading candidates appears to be seen and heard whispering to his closest aide that he’s been lying about his position on abortion. The video is played around the clock on cable…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 15, 2023 at 6:59 PM

candidates must pledge not to use A.I. or deepfakes to deceive voters

Imagine it is October 29, 2024. The presidential election is one week away. A video surfaces where one of the two leading candidates appears to be seen and heard whispering to his closest aide that he’s been lying about his position on abortion. The video is played around the clock on cable…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 12, 2023 at 5:27 PM

before the next pandemic

The United States government has formally ended its classification of COVID-19 as an emergency. We are a different country than we were before. We have lost more than a million people to the disease. With hundreds more dying each week. Many others are struggling with Long COVID. Many busi…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 11, 2023 at 7:54 PM

how little we seem to have learned is itself an emergency

As of today, the United States government is formally ending its classification of COVID-19 as an emergency. We are a different country than we were before. We have lost more than a million people to the disease. With hundreds more dying each week. Many others are struggling with Long COVID…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 10, 2023 at 7:42 PM

the validity of the public debt of the United States shall not be questioned

A long-ish note today. Stick with me — I want to talk about why we’re hearing things like “debt ceiling” and “default” so much right now and why it is absolutely critical to understand what’s at stake. First, the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution plainly states (among other thi…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 8, 2023 at 5:13 PM

convicted of seditious conspiracy

Last week, four members of the so-called Proud Boys — including the former leader of the neo-fascist group — were convicted of seditious conspiracy. Their crime, of course, was conspiring to keep Donald Trump in the White House — despite his loss in the 2020 election — by leading a violent atta…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 6, 2023 at 7:25 PM

this is not science fiction, the threat is real

Earlier this week, a man many call the godfather of artificial intelligence resigned from Google so that he can speak freely about the “dangers of A.I.” Geoffrey Hinton is one of the computer scientists who pioneered the neural network technology that is at the core of modern A.I. systems such …

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 5, 2023 at 6:40 PM

not-so-proud boys

Four members of the so-called Proud Boys — including the former leader of the neo-fascist group — were convicted of seditious conspiracy yesterday. Their crime, of course, was conspiring to keep Donald Trump in the White House — despite his loss in the 2020 election — by leading a violent attac…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 4, 2023 at 6:21 PM

hit pause on artificial intelligence before it's too late

Earlier this week, a man many call the godfather of artificial intelligence resigned from Google so that he can speak freely about the “dangers of A.I.” Geoffrey Hinton is one of the computer scientists who pioneered the neural network technology that is at the core of modern A.I. systems such …

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 3, 2023 at 5:51 PM

Supreme Court and ethical standards

There was a Senate hearing yesterday on ethical standards at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court’s decisions on voting rights, labor laws, reproductive freedoms, and more impact our lives and shape the direction of our nation. But Americans’ confidence in the integrity of the Supreme Court h…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

May 2, 2023 at 7:26 PM

ethics at the Supreme Court

The United States Senate held a hearing today on ethical standards at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court’s decisions on voting rights, labor laws, reproductive freedoms, and more impact our lives and shape the direction of our nation. But Americans’ confidence in the integrity of the Suprem…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 30, 2023 at 6:40 PM

candidate / president / authoritarian wannabe / national disgrace

This past Thursday, former Vice President Mike Pence testified before the grand jury looking into Donald Trump’s plot to remain in power despite losing the 2020 election. Look, the American people have been subjected to candidate / president / authoritarian wannabe / national disgrace Donald Tr…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 29, 2023 at 6:05 PM

his unpleasant visage and his unhinged blather

On Thursday, former Vice President Mike Pence testified before the grand jury looking into Donald Trump’s plot to remain in power despite losing the 2020 election. Look, the American people have been subjected to candidate / president / authoritarian wannabe / national disgrace Donald Trump for…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 28, 2023 at 6:52 PM

dang, Mike Pence

Former Vice President Mike Pence testified yesterday to the grand jury looking into Donald Trump’s plot to remain in power despite losing the 2020 election. Look, the American people have been subjected to candidate / president / authoritarian wannabe / national disgrace Donald Trump for 7 year…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 25, 2023 at 7:12 PM

this Republican plan is cruel and anti-American

House Republicans — as part of their brinkmanship over the urgent need to raise the debt ceiling — are about to pass an extortionate proposal to slash government spending. Republicans claim this plan shows they are “responsible” and “serious.” That’s a lie. The Republican plan would force a…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 24, 2023 at 7:01 PM

Tucker Carlson is off the air

Earlier today, Fox “News” announced that it is parting ways with Tucker Carlson — its most popular prime-time host. Now, Fox could replace Carlson with someone even more racist, spiteful, and obnoxious. Or Carlson could end up shopping his “talents” — and millions of followers — to a rival ne…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 20, 2023 at 6:21 PM

paying the price for the Big Lie

Fox News will pay Dominion Voting Systems $787.5 million to drop its defamation lawsuit against the network. That’s more than the reported net worth of music icons like Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Mick Jagger, or Taylor Swift. More than the reported net worth of beloved movie star…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 19, 2023 at 7:31 PM

Fox News forks over 1.2 Bruce Springsteens to avoid trial

Yesterday, Fox News agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems $787.5 million to drop its defamation lawsuit against the network. That’s more than the reported net worth of music icons like Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Mick Jagger, or Taylor Swift. More than the reported net worth of be…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 18, 2023 at 8:38 PM

there's negotiation and then there's extortion

Republicans in Congress are trying to exploit the debt ceiling to do something very cruel. To get away with their cruelty, congressional Republicans are counting on the rest of us either misunderstanding what the debt ceiling is or not paying close attention because it sounds wonky. It is nor…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 16, 2023 at 6:17 PM

American exceptionalism at its most degenerate

This past Monday, a man killed five people and wounded eight others at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky. As has become tragically common in America, the killer used an AR-15 style rifle. These and other military-grade weapons exist for exactly one reason — to mow down human beings as rapidly an…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 14, 2023 at 5:49 PM

ban assault weapons

On Monday, a man killed five people and wounded eight others at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky. As has become tragically common in America, the killer used an AR-15 style rifle. These and other military-grade weapons exist for exactly one reason — to mow down human beings as rapidly and feroc…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 13, 2023 at 7:13 PM

we have to fight this insane abortion ruling

Last Friday, a Trump-appointed judge in Texas, Matthew Kacsmaryk, issued a ruling intended to further limit abortion access nationwide — even in states where large majorities of residents support keeping it legal. The ruling purports to overrule the FDA’s approval — 23 years ago! — of a drug ca…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 12, 2023 at 9:18 PM

America has more guns than people

On Monday, a man killed five people and wounded eight others at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky. As has become tragically common in America, the killer used an AR-15 style rifle. These and other military-grade weapons exist for exactly one reason — to mow down human beings as rapidly and feroc…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 11, 2023 at 7:57 PM

somehow it is 1984 and 2023 at the same time

Big Brother really is watching you. The Transportation Security Administration is rolling out facial recognition technology in America’s airports. In fact, the head of the TSA recently said that the agency intends for “biometrics” such as facial recognition technology to eventually be mandato…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 8, 2023 at 7:06 PM

what they did in Tennessee is a disgrace

A long note today. Stick with me. In the 2020 election, Donald Trump beat Joe Biden 61% to 37% in the state of Tennessee. No doubt, Tennessee is a red state — the tenth reddest in the country according to the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. But because of radical and self-serving gerryma…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 7, 2023 at 7:16 PM

this is not what democracy looks like

A long note today. Stick with me. In the 2020 election, Donald Trump beat Joe Biden 61% to 37% in the state of Tennessee. No doubt, Tennessee is a red state — the tenth reddest in the country according to the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. But because of radical and self-serving gerryma…

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  Public Citizen · [email protected]

April 5, 2023 at 5:58 PM

the felony charges against Trump

Donald Trump was arraigned in a Manhattan courthouse yesterday. Trump was charged with 34 felonies related to hush money he is said to have paid adult actress Stormy Daniels in 2016. He was also fingerprinted. This indictment was issued by a grand jury composed of everyday Americans who loo…

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