We will pass the Green New Deal, and we’re going to keep fighting until we win.

This is a long email about our movement’s fight for decisive climate action, where we’ve been, and where we’re going from here. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read it, and then if you can, make your next $10 contribution to stand with our movement today.

I wanted to take a moment to look back and reflect on where our climate movement has come from:

In 2009, when I was in the House of Representatives, we passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act — also known as Waxman-Markey — the only comprehensive climate legislation to ever pass a chamber of Congress.

Thanks to the big oil and gas companies and their powerful lobbyists, that bill died in the Senate. It never even got a vote. But rather than agonize, the people organized.

In the years that followed, as the science continued to become even more undeniable, the climate action movement grew, mobilizing and organizing from coast-to-coast and around the world. And in 2019, three years ago this week, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and I officially introduced the Green New Deal.

The Green New Deal centers justice in all its forms — environmental, racial, social, economic — and has shown people what is possible when we engage on a transformative agenda to save our planet.

In 2020, we proved that the Green New Deal and climate justice were winning issues at the voting booth, electing a new generation of strong progressive allies, up and down the ballot and all across the country.

In 2021, these progressive victories gave us the institutional weight and power to unite, stand up for our values, and say: “No climate, no deal.”

And in 2022, we need to stand together once again, on this issue especially. We cannot allow this moment — with the climate and equity provisions of the Build Back Better agenda hanging in the balance — to be a rerun of 2009.

We need to go into this November’s midterm elections having delivered tangible, meaningful results for the working class of this country, and outline a clear vision for the future. We must remember where we’ve been, and know where we’re going.

Our fight is not about one single election, one campaign cycle, one policy, or one bill. This movement is about building the progressive power that we need if we’re going to take on the entrenched, well-funded special interests who want to see us fail, and address the needs of working people in our country.

Now is not the time for despair or to lose hope. Our democracy and our future simply cannot afford for us to give up. We are on the verge of delivering real results on climate, not just for the people of this country, but for people all over our planet. And we’re going to continue that fight until we win.

But here’s the truth: Nobody — not Ed Markey or anyone else — can do it alone. That’s why I need you to join the thousands of people from our grassroots, people-powered movement and say you’re in, especially today.

Make your next contribution — of $10 or anything you can — to support our movement’s fight for a Green New Deal and our bold progressive agenda for climate justice. This is important.

We have a responsibility to keep organizing and deliver on our promise of a just and livable future for all people. Thank you, as always, for being with me in the fight.

In solidarity,

Ed Markey

 

---

Paid for by The Markey Committee

The Markey Committee PO Box 120029 Boston, MA 02112 United States

 

Study: Almost $30 Billion In Revenues Lost To Taxpayers By "Giveaway" Of Federally Owned Coal In Powder River Basin

Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, Cambridge, MA 

Jun 25, 2012,

With Almost No Accountability, BLM Failure Created Boom in Electric Power Industry Use of Artificially Cheap Coal from Montana and Wyoming; Next Major Coal Sale Set for Thursday.

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Taxpayers missed out on an estimated $28.9 billion in revenues over 30 years due to the failure of the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to get fair market value for U.S.-owned coal mined in the Powder River Basin, which currently produces 44 percent of the nation's coal, according to a major new analysis by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).   The report calls for a moratorium on additional Powder River Basin coal sales and a full-scale federal investigation of the deeply flawed BLM program.

A major "red flag" identified in the report:  Since 1991, only four out of 26 major Powder River Basin (PRB) coal sales have had more than one bidder, and the small handful that were "competitive" only had two bidders each.  IEEFA concludes that this failure resulted from of a lack of transparency under which BLM coal-leasing activities neither have been audited nor subjected to any other publicly available external review for almost 30 years. This lack of oversight is especially troubling as a scandal erupted three decades ago over the same industry give-away practices, and clear, transparent reforms were laid out in the wake of that scandal by Congress. 

Issued just days ahead of another major BLM coal sale Thursday (June 28, 2012), the new IEEFA report, titled "The Great Giveaway: An analysis of The United States' Long-Term Trend of Selling Federally Owned Coal for Less Than Fair Market Value" is available online at http://www.ieefa.org.

Located in southeastern Montana and northeastern Wyoming, Powder River Basin in the U.S. coal picture has increased significantly in the last 40 years. The Department of Interior (DOI), through its agency the Bureau of Land Management, is responsible for the sale of PRB coal. Given that the United States owns almost all the coal in the region, the U.S. government holds an effective monopoly of western coal. As a result, the DOI is extremely influential, shaping U.S. annual coal production levels and the market price of coal.  An example of how the BLM program is not connected to reality, according to the report, is that the Powder River Basin is not officially recognized as a "Coal Production Region," thus resulting in lower lease prices, and a process where industry proposes land for sale, rather than the government doing so.

IEEFA Executive Director David Schlissel said:  "Our new report makes it clear that BLM is failing U.S. taxpayers on a colossal scale. This is a textbook example of what happens when the government operates with almost zero transparency.  As a result of policy choices and an inherently subjective and flawed fair market value appraisal process, the U.S. Treasury has lost almost $30 billion in revenue throughout the past 30 years. As applied by the federal government in the case of federal coal leasing, the term 'fair market value' rings completely hollow." 

The analysis was conducted by Tom Sanzillo, director of finance for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.  The author of several studies on coal plants, rate impacts, credit analyses, and the public and private financial structures for coal, Sanzillo spent 17 years with both the City and the State of New York, serving as the State of New York's first deputy comptroller, a position responsible for the management and oversight of the state pension system and its investments, contracts, and audits.   

Sanzillo said:  "The coal boom in electric power generation in America has been fueled by artificially cheap coal from the Powder River Basin.  Now, there is the prospect that U.S. taxpayers are effectively subsidizing the expansion of other nations, including China, with underpriced coal that is being exported.  Given future mining projections — 12 billion tons by 2035 — it is time for Congress to reevaluate the program. The last meaningful public discussion regarding the agency's mission and program was nearly 30 years ago. The stakes are much higher now."

According to the IEEFA report:  "The current BLM lease program allows coal producers to set the terms for the mining, distribution, and pricing of coal. Theoretically, the bid process should stimulate competition among coal producers and this competition should then drive up prices to a market level. Competition is meant to both augment the valuation and serve as an independent check on BLM's coal appraisals. But without competition, the appraisal process is inherently flawed … It is well known among industry officials that the BLM's common practice is to allow lease applicants to designate coal tracts to inhibit competition. Thus, competition between coal producers in the PRB is virtually nonexistent."

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

• The Department of the Interior should implement an immediate moratorium on the sale of federal coal leases in the Powder River Basin.
• The Department of Interior should reinstate the PRB as a Coal Production Region. Redesignating the Powder River Basin and other areas as coal production regions will help the BLM address broader economic issues and set a fairer price to taxpayers.
• Congress must conduct a fundamental review of the federal coal-leasing program, beginning with an evaluation of the use of U.S. coal assets.
• The General Accounting Office should conduct an audit, or series of audits, of the Bureau of Land Management's federal coal-leasing program. 
• The Department of Interior's Office of the Inspector General should conduct oversight activities regarding the Bureau of Land Management's interactions with coal producers. 
• An independent entity should evaluate the Bureau of Land Management's coal-leasing program, with specific attention paid to fair market valuation. The entity, which should remain in existence for at least 10 years, should regularly report to the president, Congress, and the public.

BACKGROUND

In a tightly controlled and mostly secret process, the BLM leases coal tracts to private coal producers.  After the BLM and the coal industry select parcels to mine, the agency establishes a fair market price for the coal tract that is held strictly confidential. The parcels are offered at a competitive auction, and the highest bidder that exceeds the confidential price is then awarded the mining lease. Most coal tracts sell for hundreds of millions of dollars and typically generate at least 20 years of revenue for federal and state governments, which split the revenue 50/50. If the BLM fails and sets the price too low, both federal and state governments lose billions of dollars in revenue.

Although the Department of the Interior implemented reforms in the wake of a scandal in the 1980s, neither Congress nor any independent entity has conducted an evaluation of the program in nearly 30 years.   The last on-point review that covered the major issues related to fair market value was a 1983 GAO audit.

Recently, Congressman Edward Markey, the ranking Democrat of the House Committee on Natural Resources, requested a GAO review of the federal coal-leasing program. Concerned about the rising levels of exports, the flawed fair market valuation process, and the fact that the program hasn't been evaluated in 30 years, Markey made the request in order to provide Congress with the most up-to-date and relevant information and analysis on the topic.  The GAO has recently agreed to perform the audit despite BLM's stated belief that the audit is unnecessary.

ABOUT IEEFA

IEEFA conducts research and analyses on financial and economic issues related to energy and the environment. The Institute's Mission is to accelerate the United States' transition to a diverse, sustainable and profitable energy economy and to reduce the nation's dependence on coal and other non-renewable energy resources.  For more information, go to http://www.ieefa.org on the Web.

SOURCE Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, Cambridge, MA

 

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Mayor hopefuls compete for Boston’s Black vote

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY MAKING THE PITCH — The first forum of the general election offered the first real look at how Boston mayoral hopefuls Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George are working to win over Black voters. “It is important to take stock of the fact there is no Black finalist” Wu said during a forum hosted last night by the Black Ministerial Alliance, adding that there’s “urgency to make sure we are responding to the incredible energy in the city in this moment for racial justice” and that she’ll strive for a “city government that is reflective of, representative of and accountable to the Black community.” Essaibi George vowed to build a “diverse” Cabinet that represents not just Black and Brown communities but also “what our city needs our focus to be — whether it's racial justice, whether it's housing, whether it's education, and public safety and public health — that we are doing those things as an administration in those very early days.” The city councilors also spoke of creating more homeownership opportunities in an increasingly gentrified city. Essaibi George pledged to prioritize that “for both first-time homebuyers and first-generation homebuyers” and to put $1 million toward down-payment assistance for would-be homeowners. Wu said the latest Census numbers, which show the city’s Black population has declined , were cause for “alarm.” She reiterated her calls for rent control and vowed to put at least $200 million toward housing so “housing will be the foundation of our recovery” from the pandemic. She also called to increase the percentage of city contracts for minority-owned businesses beyond the current 10% goal. All of those are among the key issues community leaders told me last week they want to see Wu and Essaibi George focus on as they work to engage voters in the city’s predominantly Black neighborhoods. The mayoral rivals also made overtures to the city’s youth and discussed education, public safety and recovery from the pandemic. GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. MassDems is rolling out lists of speakers for the party’s platform convention this weekend. But one of the lineups emailed out this week — Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Lori Trahan, Secretary of State Bill Galvin, and state Attorney General Maura Healey, Treasurer Deb Goldberg and Auditor Suzanne Bump — is drawing some scrutiny. #MassDemsConventionSoWhite, tweeted state Rep. Nika Elugardo, who is Black. Elugardo called the email “tone deaf” and told me it’s both “problematic we don’t have enough electeds of color at that level” and important “to continue encouraging grassroots BIPOC leaders to be in those featured spaces so that we’re building those pipelines.” The full speaking lineup is more diverse and includes state Reps. Liz Miranda, Jon Santiago, Andy Vargas and Tram Nguyen; Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins and former Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Jay Gonzalez, who are two of the convention committee chairs; and Segun Idowu, executive director of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts. “This is the bench,” MassDems Chair Gus Bickford told me. “We are doing everything we possibly can to do outreach, make sure we are inclusive and make sure we are all working together. It’s incredibly important and I think you see that in our speaking program.” But Elugardo said sending an email with all white speakers, even if it was one of several, “did not reflect that value.” TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and EEA Sec. Kathleen Theoharides visit the Big E fair at 10:45 a.m.; Galvin is there at 11:30 a.m. Baker and Polito attend a Springfield Prep Charter School ribbon cutting at 12:30 p.m. Baker and Theoharides are in Westfield at 2 p.m. Former mayoral candidate John Barros and former state Rep. Marie St. Fleur are on WBUR’s “Radio Boston” at 3 p.m. Essaibi George visits the Latino Pioneers in Boston Exhibition at 11 a.m. and stops by the Bay Village Block Party at 8 p.m. Wu distributes PPE with new endorser 1199SEIU at 11:30 a.m. Janey attends the inaugural Old School R&B Night in Copley Square at 6:30 p.m. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com.   STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.     THE LATEST NUMBERS – “Massachusetts coronavirus cases up 1,821, hospitalizations drop for fifth straight day,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “Massachusetts health officials on Wednesday reported 1,821 new coronavirus cases, as COVID-19 hospitalizations ticked down for the fifth straight day.” DATELINE BEACON HILL – Ring the special election alarm (again): Second-term state Rep. Maria Robinson of Framingham is President Joe Biden’s nominee for assistant secretary in the Office of Electricity at the Department of Energy, the White House announced yesterday. "To have the opportunity to serve my country using my background in energy policy is a dream come true, as is serving under [Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm], a leader I have long admired for her smarts and bravery," Robinson tweeted to an outpouring of congratulations. She was previously vetted as a potential Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner and led the Advanced Energy Economy’s program on wholesale markets prior to being elected as a state representative. – Speaking of special elections: OPEIU Local 453 and Teamsters Local 25 have endorsed Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards in her bid for the 1st Suffolk & Middlesex Senate seat recently vacated by former state Sen. Joe Boncore, per her campaign. – “House members to vote Thursday on rules for State House reopening including vaccination,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “The bill submitted Wednesday leaves the reopening timeline up for discussion, but sets the stage for imposing the set of new pandemic rules amid a House state of emergency declaration. Per the emergency rules, staffers and members would be required to submit proof of vaccination by Nov. 1 to work in-person at the State House.” – “Taking Aim At One Of Beacon Hill's Favorite Moves: Kicking The Legislative Can Down The Road,” by Mike Deehan, GBH News: “On Beacon Hill, there are countless of ways to delay action on controversial topics lawmakers would prefer to avoid. One of the most popular: Appoint a commission. … Now comes Rep. Tami Gouveia of Acton, who also is running for Lt. Gov. Gouveia wants to bring a sense of accountability to the State House by curbing the use — or abuse — of commissions as a delay tactic to dodge tough issues.” – “Ombudsman Tasked With Overseeing Prisons' COVID Response Placed On Paid Leave,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “Seth Peters, the first person appointed to the new position of ombudsman for the Department of Correction, was suddenly placed on paid administrative leave Tuesday after WBUR inquired about whether he is the same Seth Peters who was involved in a wrongful death lawsuit that UMass Memorial settled nine years ago.” VAX-ACHUSETTS – “Mass. State Police Fight In Court To Delay Vaccine Mandate,” by Tori Bedford, GBH News: “A Superior Court judge is considering whether to allow the state’s police union more time to negotiate the terms around Gov. Charlie Baker’s vaccine mandate for state employees. If granted, an injunction would effectively exempt state troopers from the vaccine deadline until an agreement is established.” – “‘I’ve never seen it this bad.’ Central Mass. hospital system runs out of ICU beds due to COVID, other factors,” by Travis Andersen and Kay Lazar, Boston Globe: “The largest hospital system in Central Massachusetts, UMass Memorial Health, ran out of intensive care beds Wednesday as critically ill patients with deferred chronic health problems and those stricken with COVID-19 overwhelm health care providers. … [Fueling the problem] is a reduction in available beds at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, a facility outside the UMass system where nurses are on strike.” – “Medical staff at Worcester’s Saint Vincent Hospital urge striking nurses to return to work as patients with COVID, other ailments wait for beds,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com. FROM THE HUB – “Kim Janey doubles down on Revere Methadone Mile hotel plan,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey and Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo escalated their sudden feud over Janey’s plans to rent out hotel rooms in Revere to Methadone Mile homeless, with each side doubling down and blaming the other of being misleading.” – “Boston elected officials of color condemn Biden administration’s handling of Haitian migrants,” by Julia Carlin, Boston Globe: “The officials called the handling of the crisis ‘reprehensible,’ ‘barbaric,” and racist, and they demanded the administration to act urgently to provide asylum for Haitians seeking refuge.” – “TD Garden to require COVID-19 vaccination or negative test to attend Bruins and Celtics games, concerts,” by Michael Silverman, Boston Globe. THE RACE FOR CITY HALL – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Iron Workers Local 7 has endorsed City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George for mayor of Boston, the seventh union to back her, according to her campaign. “Throughout her career she has fought for the issues our membership cares about most, from affordable housing to good jobs to high quality education,” Local 7 business manager Michael Hess said in a statement. – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: State Rep. Russell Holmes has endorsed Carla B. Monteiro for Boston City Council at-large, per her campaign. “Carla is truly someone who puts the needs of the community above her needs as an individual,” Holmes said in a statement. – "Boston state Rep. Liz Miranda endorses Michelle Wu for mayor," by Nik DeCosta-Klipa and Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: "'This moment will shape the future of Boston for years to come and calls on all of us to elect a Mayor who will lead for and with all of our neighborhoods in Boston, someone who is accountable to the people of Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, Hyde Park and communities of color from across the diaspora who call Boston home,' Miranda said in a statement." – "Super PACs should stay positive in mayor’s race, Wu says," by Gintautas Dumcius, Dorchester Reporter: "City Councillor At-Large Michelle Wu on Wednesday said outside groups, which have poured millions into the Boston mayor’s race, should stay positive but she stopped short of asking them to steer clear of the battle between her and City Councillor At-Large Annissa Essaibi George. Her comments came a day after Essaibi George told the Reporter the groups, known as super PAC, shouldn’t be involved in the contest. " – “City to conduct City Council District 7 recount this weekend,” by Tiana Woodard, Boston Globe: “City election officials on Saturday will conduct a recount of preliminary election ballots in the City Council District 7 race, an official said Wednesday. Tania Fernandes Anderson, executive director of Bowdoin Geneva Main Streets, finished well ahead of the other eight competitors, with 2,014 votes. But the race for the second position on the November ballot was much closer; the city’s initial count had Roy Owens Sr. in second place, with 1,284 votes, and Angelina ‘Angie’ Camacho just 28 votes behind him.” – But for now: “Look who landed in Roxbury council final,” by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: “In the contest for the open District 7 city council seat based in Roxbury, perennial candidate Roy Owens, who shows up reliably on Boston ballots for everything from City Council to Congress but invariably falls short of ever winning, landed one of the two slots for the final election to replace Kim Janey, who gave up the seat to run for mayor.” – JP Progressives’ leadership is recommending its members endorse Wu in the general election and is putting it to a vote over the next few days. The progressive group’s steering committee was pulling for Acting Mayor Kim Janey in the preliminary election, but the organization as a whole didn’t endorse after no candidate reached 60% support among members. JP Progressives also endorsed incumbent Julia Mejia, Ruthzee Louijeune and David Halbert in the at-large Boston City Council preliminary, and they’re now recommending adding Monteiro to that slate. FEELING '22 – Environmental leaders are hosting a virtual breakfast fundraiser for state auditor hopeful Chris Dempsey this morning, suggested contributions for which range from $50 to $1,000. Hosts include Alexandra Bok, Gordon Burnes, Susan Centofanti and George Bachrach, Tim Cronin, Steve Crosby, Evan Grossman, Sonia Hamel, Ira Jackson, Ken Kimmell, John Markey, Peter Rothstein, the outgoing Northeast Clean Energy Council president; Dan Seiger, Audrey Schulman, HEET executive director; and Environmental League of Massachusetts President Elizabeth Turnbull Henry. Dempsey just barely lagged behind rival candidate state Sen. Diana DiZoglio in August fundraising, according to state campaign finance reports, and is further behind in cash on hand. FROM THE DELEGATION – “Markey says US needs a ‘watchdog’ at hearing for Biden’s nominee to lead trucking regulator,” by Laura Crimaldi, Boston Globe: “US Senator Edward J. Markey on Wednesday called on President Biden’s nominee to oversee the trucking and bus industries to scrutinize companies more closely and reverse the troubling rise in fatalities from large truck crashes.” – “US Rep. Richard Neal voices concern over Irish border, trade with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson,” by Ray Kelly, Springfield Republican. DATELINE D.C. – "Rachael Rollins confirmation vote for US attorney to be delayed by GOP senator," by Andrea Estes and Jim Puzzanghera, Boston Globe: "A Republican senator has forced a delay of a key vote on Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’s nomination to be the next US attorney for Massachusetts to give him time to lobby his colleagues to oppose her." [SENATOR TOM COTTON] – “Biden Chooses Local ICE Critic To Be The Agency's Top Prosecutor,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “The Biden administration has appointed seasoned Boston immigration attorney Kerry Doyle to become its immigration enforcement agency’s top prosecutor.” – "Biden cools Democratic fever over domestic agenda, but can't cure it," by Sarah Ferris, Marianne Levine, Heather Caygle and Laura Barrón-López, POLITICO: "Democrats returned from an Oval Office sitdown Wednesday with earnest pledges to break the logjam threatening their entire domestic agenda — even as deep cracks remain in their party." Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark and Rep. Jim McGovern were there. IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN – Municipal light plants are heading in the right direction when it comes to energy efficiency and transitioning to clean, renewable energy. But there’s more to be done to combat climate change, according to a new scorecard from the Massachusetts Climate Action Network shared first with Playbook and being released later today. Massachusetts has 41 municipal light plants that serve 50 municipalities and provide about 14% of the energy used in the state. While investor-owned utilities like Eversource distribute electricity generation, municipal light plants can own the power generation they supply, giving them more control over how and where they get energy. MLPs in Concord and Belmont got the highest marks on the MCAN scorecard, which looks at the clean energy transition, energy efficiency, transparency with ratepayers and more. MLPs in Chester and Russell were among the lowest. MCAN says it’s focused less on rankings and more on encouraging MLPs to prioritize clean energy and energy efficiency, goals the group will talk more about during a virtual forum at 6 p.m. Combating the climate crisis is already an issue in the Boston mayor’s race, and it’s shaping up to be a major issue in the 2022 governor's race. Former state Sen. Ben Downing, for instance, is pushing to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2030 and 100% clean energy by 2040 in his climate plan. – “'A perfect location': Baker, officials tout offshore wind workforce at New Bedford terminal,” by Anastasia E. Lennon, Standard Times: “During his visit on Wednesday to the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal — the future construction base for what is set to be the country's first utility-scale offshore wind farm — Gov. Charlie Baker said New Bedford is ‘a perfect location’ for the industry in the United States." – "Boston City Council approves major emissions cuts for large buildings," by David Abel, Boston Globe. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES – “East Boston-South Boston ferry launching Monday,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “A new ferry service between East Boston and South Boston is launching on Monday, but it’s not quite what transportation advocates think of when they envision Boston Harbor as a blue highway.” FROM THE 413 – “DA’s office urges allegations of sexual assault at UMass Amherst be reported to authorities, outlines process for criminal investigations,” by Cassie McGrathy, MassLive.com: “Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan emphasized Wednesday that his team is taking sexual assault allegations at University of Massachusetts Amherst seriously, urging people to report cases to authorities after students protested outside Theta Chi Fraternity on Sunday and Monday.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “Brookline Law Is Trying To Phase Out Legal Tobacco Buyers. These Sellers Are Suing,” by Amy Gorel, WBUR: “Owners of Brookline gas stations and convenience stores filed a lawsuit against the town challenging the ban on selling tobacco products to anyone born after Jan. 1, 2000." The law, voted in by local officials in November 2020 and approved by state Attorney General Maura Healey this July, intends to gradually phase out legal tobacco purchases.” – “Ethics Commission mulls dismissal request of ex-state police major in 'Troopergate' probe,” by Brad Petrishen, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “Maj. Susan Anderson, one of several state police brass to retire in the wake of allegations they improperly scrubbed details from the arrest report of a judge’s daughter, asserted she and others involved acted ‘lawfully,’ a contention commission lawyers disputed.” – “Robert Gentile, reputed mobster tied to Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist, dies,” by WCVB. MEDIA MATTERS – “The Globe and Boston Black News are launching a new radio program focused on telling the community’s stories,” by Nick Stoico, Boston Globe. TRANSITIONS – Nutter Chair Deborah J. Manus has been elected president of the Boston Bar Association. Felicia Cumings Smith is the National Center for Families Learning's new president. ON THE HORSE RACE THIS WEEK – Hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky dig into preliminary mayoral elections across the state with Matt Szafranski, editor in chief of the Western Mass Politics & Insight blog, MassINC COO and former state Rep. Juana Matias and Greta Jochem of the Berkshire Eagle. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Michael Falcone, chief of government affairs and advocacy at the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association; and Joshua Foer. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.   JOIN TODAY FOR A WOMEN RULE CONVERSATION ON ENDING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY: Sexual assault in the military has been an issue for years, and political leaders are taking steps to address it. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) proposed bipartisan legislation to overhaul military sexual assault policies, but still face opposition. Join Women Rule for a virtual interview featuring Sens. Ernst and Gillibrand, who will discuss their legislative push and what it will take to end sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military. REGISTER HERE.       Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA

TEXAS ABORTION BAN

ACLU: 

Last night, the Supreme Court did not respond to our emergency request to block Texas' radical six-week abortion ban, Senate Bill 8.

That means the law will now take effect today – prohibiting most abortions in the state. The impact will be immediate and devastating.

This extreme and blatantly unconstitutional law bans abortions at six weeks – before many people even know they are pregnant. But, there's more.

The law also actively encourages private citizens to act as bounty hunters by awarding them at least $10,000 if they successfully sue another person for providing an abortion or assisting someone who gets an abortion at around six weeks of pregnancy.

Donate now. Help the ACLU keep fighting back against the most extreme abortion ban in the nation and other assaults on our fundamental freedoms.

The bounty hunting abortion ban is intentionally designed to overwhelm clinics in the state with lawsuits and legal bills, ultimately forcing them to shut down. And due to structural racism and inequities, laws like Texas' abortion ban disproportionately harm Black and Brown people, people with low incomes, and those living in rural areas. The impact would be so sweeping, it would effectively end abortion access in Texas. Jessie, we can't allow it.

We – in partnership with a steadfast coalition of reproductive health care providers, advocates, and nonprofit partners – will keep vigorously pursuing this lawsuit to have this extreme law struck down. And, with your support, we will do everything we can to protect the reproductive rights of people in Texas and help clinics stay open.

Donate now to help the ACLU fight back in Texas and beyond.

The ACLU is pushing back against a massive assault on access to abortion – in Texas and across the country. And you've helped us win some critical battles. Earlier this summer, we successfully blocked Arkansas' ban on abortion, the latest and most direct attack on abortion by anti-abortion politicians in that state. In addition, our ongoing litigation is currently blocking bans in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee.

But, the attacks on our abortion rights are not letting up – and we urgently need you by our side.

Don't let anti-abortion extremists win. Help the ACLU use our on-the-ground strength across the nation to defend reproductive freedom and all of our civil liberties.

Together, we have to keep fighting for access to reproductive healthcare for everyone, everywhere. Please donate as quickly and generously as you can.

Jennifer Dalven
Pronouns: She, her, hers
Director of the Reproductive Freedom Project, ACLU

P.S. The ACLU was made for moments like this – when people's fundamental freedoms depend on our strength and persistence. Thank you for your passionate support for reproductive freedom and all of our civil liberties.

This email was sent by:
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA

BETO O'ROURKE:

The worst anti-women’s health care law in the country

A tough week for Texas.

The anti-voter elections bill we’d fought this entire year passed the Texas legislature on Tuesday, and the following day a raft of truly terrible new laws went into effect.

For example, anyone can now carry a gun in public without getting a permit, or going through a background check or receiving any kind of training. This, in a state that has four of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history and a crisis in gun violence against women (women in Texas are 24% more likely to be murdered with a gun than women in other states).

And now in a state that leads the country and much of the developed world in the rate of maternal mortality — because it was already so hard for women to get healthcare, family planning help or to see a doctor of any kind at all — nearly no one will be able to get a safe, legal abortion. Our state has created a system of legalized harassment with the passage of the worst anti-women’s health care law in the country, one that literally places a $10,000 bounty on anyone who supports a woman trying to exercise her basic right to control her own health and decide her own future.

That’s just some of what the people of Texas are up against thanks to our state’s radical, out of control Republican government. They’re also hard at work making scapegoats of public educators, transgender kids and immigrants — all while making Texas one of the deadliest states when it comes to Covid transmission, and keeping their donors in the energy industry happy at the expense of the lives of our fellow Texans.

The only way to change these laws and the terrible trajectory we’re on is to change the people in power.

That’s why I’m asking you to join me by making a donation of $5 or more to support our efforts to reach, register, and turn out the voters who can help us stop this slide toward cruelty, corruption and authoritarianism and win back Texas in 2022.

Please chip in whatever you can afford to help us ramp up our efforts to register new voters, improve access to the ballot box, and ensure that the communities targeted for intimidation and suppression can participate in our democracy and have a say in our future.

If we stay focused on registering and connecting with voters — especially those who have traditionally been left out or written off — we can win Texas back by electing leaders who truly represent the people of this state.

Keep the faith.

Beto

PAID FOR BY POWERED BY PEOPLE, POWEREDXPEOPLE.ORG, NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE'S COMMITTEE.

DAVID CICILLINE:

The Texas law is an abomination and unconstitutional

This week, the Supreme Court failed to stop the implementation of an incredibly restrictive new abortion law in Texas. In failing to act, the Supreme Court is setting itself up to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Let me be clear: The Texas law is an abomination and unconstitutional. The right of women to make their own healthcare decisions, including the right to abortion, was settled by the Supreme Court nearly 50 years ago and has been upheld in case after case ever since.

We need to speak out loudly on this. Will you join me in adding your name in support of Roe v. Wade and women’s reproductive choice?

When Trump jammed three ultra-conservative justices onto the Supreme Court, we knew it would only be a matter of time before the right-wing came for Roe.

Now, the Supreme Court is abdicating its constitutional responsibilities by allowing this law to stand, endangering the health and well-being of Texas women. And this decision will have far-reaching implications for women’s health across the country for years to come.

We need to continue to protect access to full reproductive healthcare for all women. I stand proudly in solidarity with everyone fighting for abortion access, and ask you to stand with me by signing on here today.

Let's keep fighting —

David

Democrat David Cicilline proudly represents Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District. An advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, a leader on gun violence prevention, and a fighter for Rhode Island families — David is one of our fiercest legislators in Congress today. Our campaign is powered by supporters like you, and your grassroots support is critical to helping David's campaign for Rhode Island's 1st District.

 

Paid for by The Cicilline Committee

The Cicilline Committee
P.O. Box 9107
Providence, RI 02940
United States

ADAM SCHIFF: 

Texas abortion ban

The Supreme Court’s right-wing majority just refused to block Texas’s unconscionable new law that bans abortion after only 6 weeks — a stage when most women don’t yet know they are pregnant. It’s unconscionable.

In just a moment, I’m going to tell you how you can help in Texas right now, but first, I want to tell you the stakes.

In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote:

“This equates to a near-categorical ban on abortions...Presented with an application to enjoin a flagrantly unconstitutional law engineered to prohibit women from exercising their constitutional rights and evade judicial scrutiny, a majority of Justices have opted to bury their heads in the sand.”

Yes they did. A 5-4 majority dominated by justices picked by Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell has effectively overturned Roe v. Wade in Texas. They were just too cowardly to do it outright. But in effect, that’s exactly what this ruling does.

If that’s not bad enough, this law places a $10,000 bounty on anyone who assists someone getting an abortion, even the person driving them to the clinic. And a case being brought by the Mississippi attorney general to the Supreme Court this fall could end up overturning Roe v. Wade for good.

Already, Florida Republicans are eagerly writing their own laws modeled off of the Texas ban with even more states ready to follow suit. Like their fanatical crusade against voting rights, Republicans have introduced more than 500 anti-choice bills in state legislatures this year alone: limiting reproductive freedom, restricting access to safe and legal abortion, or outright banning it.

This is just the start, unfortunately. Which is why it’s so important that we show right now that we won’t accept these unconstitutional rulings — Congress must act to enshrine the right to abortion now.

But here’s how you can help Texas women.

We have put together a list of 10 abortion and women’s health organizations across Texas that are working to help vulnerable people including low-income women, women of color, and transgender individuals gain access to safe, legal reproductive care. They need our support now more than ever. If you can afford it, your donation will go a long way.

Can you chip in $10 to help these 10 amazing organizations right now? 100% of your donation will go directly to them.

Thank you, as always, for your activism. We won’t accept this ruling without a fight. — Adam

PAID FOR AND AUTHORIZED BY SCHIFF FOR CONGRESS

Schiff for Congress
150 E. Olive Ave.
Suite 208
Burbank, CA 91502
United States

ED MARKEY:

Abortion is health care and health care is a human right.

This week, following a 5-4 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a major blow to reproductive freedom when it chose not to block Texas’s radical six-week abortion ban.

The Court has thrown the door wide open to Roe v. Wade being struck down, and now more than ever our movement must come together and make it crystal clear: Abortion is health care and health care is a human right.

Here’s the truth: Senate Democrats have the power to fix this problem right now by abolishing the filibuster and expanding the Supreme Court. So today I’m asking you to add your voice to mine and call on my Senate colleagues to do exactly that:

Add your name if you agree: We must abolish the filibuster and expand the Supreme Court. Our democracy is in crisis, and we must act boldly if we’re going to save it.

We’re already seeing what lengths Republicans in deep-red state legislatures across the country are willing to go to to dismantle the constitutional rights of the American people — especially those of marginalized groups including people of color, low-income families, and the LGBTQ+ community.

Expanding the Supreme Court to restore balance following Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell’s blatant theft is supported by 75% of Democrats and a plurality of likely voters — it is not only the right thing to do, it is popular and necessary.

Whether it’s reproductive freedom and health care, voting rights, climate action, immigration reform, the list goes on — we cannot stand idly by. We must abolish the Jim Crow-relic that is the filibuster and expand the Supreme Court.

This solution may be simple, but it will not be easy. It’s going to take all of us united and demanding that our voices be heard on this issue. So if you agree, please:

Sign my petition calling on my Democratic colleagues to abolish the filibuster and expand the Supreme Court. Help us take this important step toward ensuring equal justice for all.

Last November, the American people elected a Democratic trifecta in the House, Senate, and White House. It’s our duty to deliver what the American people demand. The time to act is now.

Thank you for being a part of our fight.

In solidarity,

Ed Markey

Paid for by The Markey Committee

The Markey Committee PO Box 120029 Boston, MA 02112 United States