January 2, 2025
The fight starts in Virginia, the Speaker fight starts on Capitol Hill, the fight against mass deportations should include the White House, and more!
The Rogan’s List team joins the nation in mourning those killed in yesterday’s attack in New Orleans and hoping for a quick and full recovery for the survivors. We are closely monitoring the situation and urge everyone to be mindful of best practices in following breaking news. If we want to show tangible support, the Greater New Orleans Foundation is collecting donations at the request of Mayor LaToya Cantrell for victims and their families, and we can contribute here.
Contact all members of Congress:
By phone: (202) 224-3121
By email: Congress.gov
By US mail: Representatives / Senators
By fax: Representatives / Senators
By Resistbot: Resist.bot
Contact White House or other federal agencies:
THE DEM RESURGENCE STARTS IN VIRGINIA - IF WE WORK FOR IT
The first special elections of the new year are this coming Tuesday in Virginia! With Democrats holding a one-seat majority in the Virginia State Senate and the House of Delegates, this special election will determine which party holds control of the legislature. There are three races: Jack Trammell for Senate District 10, JJ Singh for House District 26, and Kannan Srinivasan for Senate District 32. Let’s help elect these candidates. We can sign up for phone banking, texting, and door knocking opportunities here and here. And, if we’re able to get to Loudoun County, let’s connect directly with Loudoun Dems Precinct Opps Chair Laura Reynolds (laurareynolds@gmail.com) for canvassing opportunities. (h/t
)
PREPARING FOR A SPEAKER SHOWDOWN
Republicans will take control of the House this week with a 219-215 seat majority – smaller than the one that needed 15 rounds of voting to elect Kevin McCarthy Speaker in the last Congress. Having endured sharp criticism from all corners over his mishandling of the government funding negotiations and with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) already saying he won’t support him, it is unclear Mike Johnson can find the votes to maintain his position from within his own party - even with Trump and Musk’s endorsements. Johnson demonstrated plainly last month that Democrats cannot trust him – costing us funding for pediatric cancer research, the criminalization of revenge porn, targeting of junk fees, and restrictions on investment in China that would have hurt Elon Musk’s profits. The party helped rescue his speakership from an attempt to oust him in May. Many Democrats have indicated they are unlikely to do so again, and they must not. If we’re represented by Democrats, let’s reach out to them and tell them we want them to let the Republicans clean up their own mess unless they are willing to make real concessions on running the House. If our members are Republicans, let’s let them know Mike Johnson has proven he cannot run the House without Hakeem Jeffries’ help and has not earned their support.
LET THE FULL SENATE SEE HEGSETH’S FBI BACKGROUND CHECK
Allegations of sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and financial mismanagement during Fox News host Pete Hegseth’s time at veterans’ groups have cast bipartisan doubt on his nomination for Pentagon chief. As the Armed Services Committee reviews his record, at least a dozen senators from both parties are demanding access to the FBI’s background check on him - and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has asked for it to be shared with the entire Senate. Typically, only the Armed Services Committee chair and ranking member view such reports, but these serious issues require greater transparency and an in-depth investigation - our armed forces deserve no less. We can call the Senate Armed Services Committee at 202-225-4151 and support the demand to give access to Hegseth’s background check to all committee members, and urge our own senators to push to see the report before they vote.
TELL THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO STOP LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR TRUMP’S DEPORTATION PLANS
With Trump continuing to emphasize his hardline plans for extensive detention and deportation, it’s time for Biden and DHS Secretary Mayorkas to make this harder for Trump to accomplish, not easier. It was distressing to learn that right now the Biden administration is in talks with private prison companies to extend 14 immigration detention centers, despite opposition from many Democrats and immigration advocates. More than 62 organizations have signed on to a letter to DHS Secretary Mayorkas calling for a mass unenrollment from the Immigrant Surveillance Program which tracks people who have been released from detention but are still at risk for deportation. Immigrant advocates fear that using this sensitive geolocation data will make it that much easier for the new administration to round up and deport immigrants before their court cases receive due process. Let’s contact the White House and DHS and tell them that we want them to use their remaining few weeks in power to protect immigrants by letting private prison contracts expire and unenrolling them from surveillance. (We can also gear up for the fight ahead by finding an pro-immigrant group to organize with in our community here.)
TRUMP THREATENS OUR NEIGHBORS
While some of us were busy celebrating the holidays, Donald Trump was saber-rattling against much of North America. In addition to threatening trade wars with our neighbors, he has suggested America should buy Greenland, make Canada the “51st State” and demand control of the Panama Canal. His antagonism was promptly slapped down by its targets among our allies, and while this rhetoric is dangerous it is unclear how serious Trump is about pursuing any of these goals as opposed to irresponsibly trying to seek some sort of concessions, enact some grand strategy against Russia and China as suggested by his advisers, or simply has an idea caught in his head from a fellow billionaire. Lost in these headlines, however, was Trump again reiterating he will treat drug cartels in Mexico as terrorists, in keeping with his campaign pledge to use military force against them with or without Mexico’s approval. Analysts have expressed this nightmare, a mainstream position among Republicans, is likeliest to become a reality. Regardless, we should not have to wonder. Let’s reach out to our senators, especially if they serve on the Foreign Relations Committee, and ask them to press hard for answers on what Trump’s plans are with respect to our friends and neighbors during the confirmation process for Secretary of State Designee Marco Rubio. Let’s also reach out to all our members of Congress and lay down a hard line – we do not want to send the troops into Mexico. We can do so using this Resistbot petition by texting PIAVWC to 50409 or crib its language for calls.