Welcome new and "seasoned" members! Read on for Resistance actions you can take today.
SAVE THE DATE! Our next all-network monthly meeting will be Sunday, Mar. 5, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Mill Valley location TBA.
Watch highlights of our Feb. meeting on MVCAN's new YouTube Channel!
Thanks to Heimo Schmidt for shooting and editing the videos. Thanks to Jonah Newman for setting up the channel.
Missed our Feb. monthly meeting? Read How and Why to Call Your Representative, and How Our Calls Are Working, which includes tips from MVCAN's recent meeting with Senator Feinstein's State Director.
PUT THESE ADDITIONAL EVENTS ON YOUR CALENDAR
• CALL AND COFFEE FRI MAR 10, 8-9:30 am - info below
• MULTIPLE COMMITTEE MEETINGS - see below
• RESISTANCE RECESS RALLY: SAVE OUR HEALTHCARE, OUR COMMUNITIES, AND OUR DEMOCRACY, FRI FEB 24, 11:30 am, San Francisco - info below
• DR. STEVEN SCHROEDER ON THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, SUN FEB 26, 3:30-5 pm, 450 Sycamore Ave., Mill Valley - info below, see Health Care team report
- STANDING WITH STANDING ROCK, Benefit for Legal Defense Fund, SAT MAR 4, First Presbyterian Church, 72 Kensington Road, San Anselmo, 6:30 pm - info below
- SIGNS OF HOPE ART AND ACTIVISM SHOW, FRI APR 14, Art Works, San Rafael. Contact Angelique Benicio btweenmargins@yahoo.com for more info and to contribute protest signs.
NEW TO MVCAN?
Visit MVCAN.org to learn about the organization, teams and strategies; read past MVCAN newsletters, and gain helpful Resistance tools.
HELP WANTED
MVCAN is growing! There are multiple ways you can help today, whether you're on a team or not. MVCAN seeks the following. Contact MVCAN's Volunteer Coordinator Laura Boles: boles9552@gmail.com
QUICK - Be on the “Short List” Are you available for errands, data entry and other quick assignments? We want to hear from you!
SHORT TERM - DRUPAL Expert needed for web development team.
WEEKLY - Only on Tuesday Want to get right in the action? Volunteer to organize carpools for Noon-1 rallies in the city–this is a great job to do with a friend!
MONTHLY - Logistics Chief for Monthly Meetings Lead a team of volunteers in running our MVCAN monthly meetings. Videographer needed to capture our meetings and edit footage into short videos.
Thank you to those who have stepped up so far! Your assistance is most appreciated!
Got a skill, talent and/or time? Contact Laura Boles, boles9552@gmail.com and let her know how you might be able to help our growing Resistance group.
READY FOR ACTION!
ACTION 1: Demand that Attorney General Jeff Sessions recuse himself from Trump investigations taking place in the FBI and Senate.
What to Do
Call the U.S. Department of Justice: 202-353-1555
Suggested script: It is essential that Attorney General Jeff Sessions recuse himself from any investigations involving criminal wrongdoing by the Trump Administration or campaign. Attorney General Sessions’ extensive personal and political involvement in the Trump campaign and White House transition absolutely disqualifies him from overseeing these critical investigations.
*Why This is Important - Action 1
The FBI and the Senate Intelligence Committee are currently investigating the illicit communications that have taken place between the Trump Administration and the Russian government. The Justice Department now headed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions is charged with overseeing these criminal investigations in the FBI and Senate.
Dept. of Justice (DOJ) guidelines clearly state situations where Attorney Generals must recuse themselves: "No DOJ employee may participate in a criminal investigation or prosecution if he has a personal or political relationship with any person or organization substantially involved in the conduct that is the subject of the investigation or prosecution..."
Without dispute, Sessions’ impartiality has been severely compromised given his close involvement in the Trump campaign and White House transition. To ensure that these investigations proceed without political partisanship, we need to demand that Sessions recuse himself from participating in any Trump-related inquiry.
Congratulations to all who have been calling on last week’s action item (urging Intelligence Committee members to pursue rigorous investigations into the Trump Administration’s Russian connections). We are already seeing movement from those committee members who have been more vigorously calling for strong, independent investigations. In fact, we want you to keep up the great work this week!
ACTION 2: Contact selected members of Congress, including members of Congressional Intelligence Committees and urge them to thoroughly and rigorously investigate members of the Trump campaign and administration who have made illicit connections to Russia.
This action item has been carried over from last week since an individual caller can actually call the same congressional member multiple times, and each call will be tallied separately. Therefore, you can greatly expand your ability to make a real impact with your calls!
*Why This is Important - Action 2
We can’t let Republicans whitewash these critical investigations into Trump’s Russian connections! The collusion of the Trump administration with a hostile foreign government must be quickly uncovered and publicly disclosed. Prevent Republican-controlled Intelligence committees from getting away with their efforts to minimize damage to the Trump White House by “containing” the findings of their investigations.
Suggested Script: I urge Senator/Representative______ to aggressively and completely investigate the role that the Trump administration played in Russia’s attack on our democracy both during the campaign and after the election. I also urge the Senator/Representative to push as strongly as possible for the formation of an independent, bipartisan committee with subpoena powers that can carry out a politically objective investigation into allegations of illegal activity by Trump and his associates.
What to Do
Contact Congressional Intelligence Committee Members:
Tip - First, try calling the congressional member you want to reach. If, however, due to high call volume, you have difficulty getting through, write a postcard or letter. We are advising you to send your mail to one of the senators’ “district” offices since mail sent to Washington apparently has to go through a lengthy security screening before the senator receives it.
Nancy Pelosi, - House Minority Leader, (D) CA DC Office -- (202) 225-4965 San Francisco -- (415) 556-4862 90 7th Street Suite 2-800 San Francisco, CA 94103
Mitch McConnell – Senate Majority Leader, (R) KY Louisville -- (502) 582-6304 601 W. Broadway Room 630 Louisville, KY 40202
Chuck Grassley – (R) IA DC Office -- 202 224-3744 Des Moines -- (515) 288-1145 721 Federal Building 210 Walnut Street Des Moines, IA 50309
Senate Intelligence Committee
Richard Burr, Chair (R) NC
DC Office--202 224-3154
Winston Salem--800-685-8916
2000 West First Street, Suite 508
Winston-Salem, NC 27104
Mark Warner (Ranking Democrat) VA
DC Office--202-224-2023
Norfolk---757-441-3079
101 W. Main Street, Suite 7771
Norfolk, VA 23510
Dianne Feinstein (D) CA
DC Office---202-224-3841
SF Office---415-393-0707
email: https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
One Post Street, Suite 2450
San Francisco, CA 94104
Kamala Harris (D) CA
DC Office---202-224-3553
Fresno---916-448-2787
San Francisco---415-355-9041
email: https://www.harris.senate.gov/content/contact-senator
50 United Nations Plaza, Suite 5584
San Francisco, CA 94102
House Intelligence Committee
Chair Devin Nunes (Republican Chair) 22nd District, CA
DC Office---202-225-2523
Clovis---559-323-5235
Visalia---559-733-3861
113 North Church Street, Suite 208
Visalia, CA 93291
Senate Armed Services Committee
John McCain- (R) Arizona
DC Office---202-224-2235
Prescott--928-445-0833
Tucson---520-60-6334
2201 East Camelback Road, Suite 115
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Thank you! Every call makes a difference.
WHAT MVCAN DID THIS WEEK
1. Continued Dialogue with our 3 MOCs (Members of Congress) to lobby them to take action on specific issues and provide reinforcement for strong opposition to the Republican agenda.
2. Ongoing Leadership Training MVCAN Leadership continues to train with national organizations like Indivisible for strategic guidance and best practices.
3. Phone Banking 15 Electoral Team members made 800+ calls and reached over 70 voters for Connecticut State Senate Candidate Greg Cava. Contact Susan Bolle (swbolle@gmail.com) or come to the Electoral Team meeting this Sat. to get trained and involved. (Details in the Electoral team report, below.)
4. More Phone Banking 7 people attended Call & Coffee to urge members of the Congressional Intelligence Committees to thoroughly and rigorously investigate members of the Trump campaign and administration who have illicit and illegal connections to Russia. Along with wonderful OFA partners, our Health Care team phone banked to voters in Maine to mobilize them to contact their senators to support the ACA. (Details in the Health Care team report, below.)
5. Outreach and Communication with various local resistance and community groups.
6. Multiple Team Meetings and Actions We do most of our work in teams, so please do not be shy: contact team leaders of the team(s) you are interested in, or just show up at a meeting of your choice.
ACTION TEAM REPORTS
Civil Rights/Immigration works with multiple local and national organizations and communities to work toward civil and racial justice.
This team will be partnering with other Marin organizations for Rapid Response to deportation. If you are interested in further information about the executive order, this meeting may be helpful:
Teach-in on Trump Executive Orders, Wed. March 1, 3:30 pm UC Hastings will be holding a panel discussion to explore the implications of recent executive orders for immigration enforcement. Details here: http://bit.ly/2mnKQ7t
ACTION: Please call, e-mail or write to Sheriff Doyle, the Marin Sheriff, urging him to keep our immigrant neighbors safe from round-up and deportation. It may ultimately be the decision of local law enforcement to decide to implement the executive order. Remember: Sheriff Doyle is an elected official and has not been a friend to the Latino community. He can be reached by e-mail at Rdoyle@marinsheriff.org, or at Sheriff Robert T. Doyle, 1600 Los Gamos Dr, #200, SR, CA 94903. 415-473-7250
Next team meeting PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE
Sun. Mar. 12, 4-6 pm at Marin Horizon School, 305 Montford, Rm 201 at top of the stairs. Driveway for parking off Melrose, Mill Valley. Sara Matson, from the Canal Alliance, and Khadija Hansia from the Muslim community will be featured speakers. Please complete the Future Projects form and return to dgold94941@aol.com asap so we can solidify future actions at the meeting.Contact Diane Goldman (dgold94941@aol.com) for more info.
Communications provides graphic and promotional support for MVCAN, and helps our large meetings be organized, rewarding experiences. The group is planning the March 5 MVCAN monthly meeting.
Next team meeting Sat. Feb. 25, 9:30-10:30 am, Good Earth, Mill Valley. Contact Danny Altman (dan@ahundredmonkeys.com) for more info.
Dump Trump’s 55 team members work on ways to resist and remove Trump: especially by focusing on corruption and Russian ties. This committee is currently working on impeachment strategy and the Trump campaign's collusion with Russian agents, by supporting Congressional investigations that they hope will bring about his removal. The team meets every week, rain or shine. Passions run high, but they focus on practical actions for all team members, such as the calls specified in today's Wag.Next team meeting PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE Sat Feb 25, 10-11am. Mill Valley Community Center Manzanita Room. Contact Bernard Catalinotto (bernardcatalinotto@gmail.com) for more info.
Health Care is focusing on actions being taken to repeal the ACA, and addressing what comes next with regard to health care coverage. The group hosted a Phonathon to support the ACA.
In partnership with Organize for Action, the Health Care team hosted a phonathon to call constituents of Susan Collins (ME). In addition to mobilizing them to approach and call their MoCs, the team gathered stories about their experiences with the ACA. They will be partnering with Karen Andresen and the local OFA chapter to attend and host additional Phonathons.
Team members also attended Leader Pelosi’s Community Health Care Forum in San Francisco on Feb. 18. Her advice: continue to reach out to RED states, making sure people are telling their stories. She cautioned us not to be taken in by the Republicans' promise to replace with something better.
Next team meeting Sun. Feb. 26, 3:30-5 pm at the Waste Management Treatment Agency, 450 Sycamore Ave., Mill Valley. Dr. Steven Schroeder will be speaking on the Affordable Care Act as well as Single Payer options. He is the Distinguished Professor of Health and Health Care at the University of California, San Francisco. After his talk the group will vote on a mission statement and discuss next steps: strategic plan. The meeting is open to the community of MVCAN and friends. Space is limited. Please RSVP for the event at this Doodle link: http://doodle.com/poll/8v3z6dazcidz5a8m If you have already signed up and found that you cannot attend please use the link to remove your name so others can attend. Contact Elyse Foster (fosterel22@gmail.com) for more info.
Women's Issues is exploring the candidacy of Kimberly Ellis (see Electoral Team report), setting up fundraising for clinics, revisiting grabyourwallet.org for consumer pressure, supporting naral.org, and following the MVCAN Wag and istandwithpp.org for phone calls/postcards, as they direct.
Next team meeting Tues. Feb 28, 7:30pm, Location TBA. Contact Leigh Ann Townsend (townsendleighann@gmail.com) for more info.
EVENT DETAILS
CALL & COFFEE FRI MAR 10, 8-9:30 am Come and make calls together on time-critical issues. No experience necessary, we will train you. Bring a laptop and cell phone. Please RSVP by Thurs., Mar 9, if you can make it. Host: June Cooperman, email juneellenc@aol.com for exact address. RSVP 415-389-1306.
RESISTANCE RECESS RALLY: SAVE OUR HEALTHCARE, OUR COMMUNITIES, AND OUR DEMOCRACY, FRI FEB 24, 11:30 am, 500 Washington St., San Francisco
Rally outside: a Feinstein ticketed event Details here: http://bit.ly/2lsgmn8
DR. STEVEN SCHROEDER ON THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, SUN FEB 26, 3:30-5 pm, 450 Sycamore Ave., Mill Valley - for info, see Health Care team report
STANDING WITH STANDING ROCK, Benefit for Legal Defense Fund, SAT MAR 4, 6:30 pm. First Presbyterian Church, 72 Kensington Road, San Anselmo,
Panel discussion with attorneys Larry Bragman and Ford Greene in conversation with Erin Schrode (all observer-participants at Standing Rock last fall). Also featuring Cherokee-Metis and singer-songwriter Jane De Cuir. Please join for a special reception immediately following the event, with organic food provided by Good Earth Natural Foods. MVCAN is a sponsor of this event. Details here: https://tinyurl.com/j8hvmqs
Thank you for all you do!
– June, Bernard, Suz, Danny, Eileen and everyone at MVCAN
See MVCAN’s website
Top Photo: Ken Pontac
