Daily Dems Doing the Work, Making Noise and Fighting Back Day 40
FOURTY DAYS???? That’s wild. How have I been doing this series for 40 days????
Thank you so much to all my amazing readers, and here’s to 40 more days learning about our fighters!
On that note, here are today’s!
Sens Ed Markey (MA), Chuck Schumer (NY) and Chris Van Hollen (MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)
Are asking for answers from the CitiBank CEO on the freeze of funds already allocated for environmental purposes. We all know the answer, but going directly to the source, instead of trying, yet again, to get an answer from the administration, is pretty brilliant.
Not to mention, companies do have to answer to their share holders and customers, so they are much more likely to give answers.
DNC Vice Chair Malcolm Kenyatta
Was on MSNBC with Michael Steele yesterday and his passion and anger and level of alarm is exactly what we need right now.
It’s important to highlight the Dems who are doing it right, and, frankly, the entire DNC leadership falls into that category.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard a whole lot from the DNC Vice Chairs, but Kenyatta is totally changing that. Reminds me of how we never knew what the Secretary of Transportation did, or cared, until Buttigieg made it the most visible cabinet position.
Rep Paul Tonko (NY-20)
Held a round table with fired federal workers today.
He also created a survey for all fired and furloughed federal workers in his district so he can better fight for them.
It’s not necessarily easy when someone asks to tell your story, cause you don’t know which part of your story matters, so a form like this can make it much easier and far less stressful, which I love.
Rep Lloyd Doggett (TX-37) and the Progressive Caucus
Held a press conference after the Joint Address. I always get so frustrated when people scream that if Dems cared they’d be holding press conferences. They are, there is at least once Press Conference a day, whether from the Dem Caucus or one of the smaller ones within.
Lloyd Dogget got his own shout-out, because he posted his speech on his socials. Not everyone has the patience or time to watch a full press conference, but they do have the time to watch one person’s speech. The more clips from press conferences we have, the better.
CA Sens Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla
had a big win. The Committee on Indian affairs advanced legislation they introduced to recognize the Tule River Tribe’s water rights. Given what’s going on with Republican misinformation surrounding water in CA, a bill like this could not be more vital. And the fact that it got through committee means that more than one Republican voted for it, which is huge.
Rep Gwen Moore (WI-04)
Posted this wonderful video. Her incredible digital team juxtaposed her speech from markup a few days ago with Speaker Johnson lying about there not being cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
She’s a really strong speaker, but, some people just don’t have the attention span to listen to a really strong speech. However, when it’s interspersed with other things, like the Republican bald-faced lies, that’s a lot easier for many people to focus on.
If you do have the attention span, this is the full speech. The length of the video feels daunting, but it’s already set to when she starts speaking.
Moore is, without a doubt, one of our best fighters, and I hope more people notice that.
Sen Adam Schiff (CA)
Posted this week’s “In Case You Missed It” this one is about DT’s attempts to privatize the Postal Service. It’s not a fun story, but it’s one we all need to be aware of.
I really love this series, which is why Schiff is in this list twice. The first video went completely viral, but the rest haven’t done quite as well. I hope that changes.
Reps Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Lateefah Simon (CA-12) and Maxwell Frost (FL-10)
were interviewed at the joint address by Walter Masterson. He asked them “What the Fuck are you Going to Do?”
Pingree said that farmers should dump manure on the Capitol Steps
Swalwell said he’s been in WI helping get Judge Susan Crawford on the WISC bench so that we can get the districts we deserve, and also MO working to find the best candidates so that we can win against republicans in 2026. AND that he will also have town halls in red districts that invite him (I didn’t know any of this)
Simon is withholding her vote on everything and is just a complete badass
Frost is using his organizing background to get us off our asses and doing the work to scream as loud as we can.
Four incredible fighters, and it’s possible you never even heard of two of them (unless you read this series daily)
So the next time someone says the Dems are doing nothing, and we have no fighters and no leaders, you’re gonna counter them on that, right?
I’m still in awe of some of our leaders.
Our voices are our superpower, but only when we use them!
Thank you! I'm so sick of "where are the Democrats?" -- yes, doing the work. (And go Kenyatta, who should have been our Senator in the first place.)
No secret why Malcolm Kenyatta is visible as Pete Buttigieg - Pete and he are friends and Pete supported him during his state legislature race in 2020 through his Win The Era PAC. I got to know so many of today's dynamic young leaders through that group's work in the 2020 cycle. Like any good leader, Pete identifies and helps develop new talent.