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Tuesday News: “Hell’s Encore Is Dawning”; “Trump the wrecking ball brings chaos…grievances,” “gilded age”; “executive orders that threaten democracy,” “Armed Jan. 6 Criminals Back on Streets as Cops ‘Betrayed'”; “Musk’s Straight-Arm Salute”

By
lowkell
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16

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, January 21. BTW, the news clips were delayed several hours today due to a power outage in Arlington. Power back on now.

DNC War Room: Trump’s Inauguration Features Neo-Nazis and Hitler Salutes from Top Ally

By
Blue Virginia
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2

From the DNC War Room:

🚨Trump’s Inauguration Features Neo-Nazis and Hitler Salutes from Top Ally
In response to displays of antisemitism throughout Trump’s inaugural ceremonies, DNC Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd released the following statement: 

“On Day One, as Donald Trump promised an inauguration speech of ‘unity,’ he and his top allies instead chose hate. Between Trump’s close advisor Elon Musk doing Nazi salutes at an inauguration event and a Nazi sympathizer being invited to the ceremony, Trump and Musk are showing that they’re not just unfit to lead but antithetical to our basic values as Americans.”

WATCH: Elon Musk, who has a history of backing neo-Nazis, gave multiple Nazi salutes at Donald Trump’s inauguration parade. 

Jarrett Renshaw, Reuters: “Elon Musk just did what looked closely identical to a Nazi salute at the Capital Arena rally in DC. Here’s a screenshot.”

The Jerusalem Post: “Musk was seen making the gesture a total of three times on live television.”

New York Times: “Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a close adviser to President-elect Donald J. Trump, on Friday endorsed Germany’s far-right party, a group with ties to neo-Nazis whose youth wing has been classified as ‘confirmed extremist’ by German domestic intelligence.”

CNN: “On Monday, Elon Musk invoked the names of two German Nazis in a tweet … attempting, as he so often does, to make a joke. …

“It was hardly Musk’s first, and certainly not his most offensive, statement involving the Third Reich or their White supremacist progeny. Just last month, Musk promoted Tucker Carlson’s widely condemned interview with a Nazi apologist who said the murder of Jews in concentration camps was ‘humane’ and that Winston Churchill was the ‘chief villain’ of World War II. Musk later deleted his X post that called the interview ‘very interesting’ and ‘worth watching,’ per the Independent.”

“Nazi sympathizer” and January 6 rioter, Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, was reportedly invited to Trump’s inauguration. 
Tom Dreisbach, NPR: “The Jan. 6 rioter described by prosecutors as a ‘Nazi sympathizer’ who once went to work with a ‘Hitler mustache’ and compared Orthodox Jews to a ‘plague of locusts’ has posted his invite to inaugural ceremonies.”

MSNBC: “Prosecutors also said Hale-Cusanelli ‘subscribes to White Supremacist and Nazi-Sympathizer ideologies that drive his enthusiasm for another civil war.’ …

“…court filings noted that 34 of Hale-Cusanelli’s co-workers told investigators that he held ‘extremist or radical views pertaining to the Jewish people, minorities, and women’ …

“McFadden said a supervisor had to counsel Hale-Cusanelli about his Hitler-style mustache, and said it was abundantly clear that he holds animus toward racial and religious groups, and had ‘sexist, racist, and antisemitic’ views.” 

REMINDER: Trump has a long history of embracing antisemitism, repeatedly praising Hitler, and attacking Jewish Americans.
CNN: “Trump allegedly reserved some of his most unnerving praise for Hitler, who led Nazi Germany during World War II. … ‘[Trump] said, ‘Well, but Hitler did some good things.’

“Trump’s admiration for Hitler went further than the German leader’s economic policies, according to Kelly. Trump also expressed admiration for Hitler’s hold on senior Nazi officers. Trump lamented that Hitler, as Kelly recounted, maintained his senior staff’s ‘loyalty,’ while Trump himself often did not.”

Trump: “Any Jewish person who votes for Democrats hates their religion, hates Israel, and should be ashamed of themselves.”

Washington Post: “Trump calls political enemies ‘vermin,’ echoing dictators Hitler, Mussolini”

CNN: “Trump uses anti-Semitic tropes to again criticize Jewish Americans” 

“Trump’s comments are the latest in a series of controversial remarks he has been known to make about Jewish Americans. During his first campaign for president, Trump delivered a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition that was rife with anti-Semitic stereotypes. More recently, he told conservative radio host Ari Hoffman that ‘Israel literally owned Congress…10 years ago, 15 years ago… and today it’s almost the opposite.’”

CNN: “Trump hosted Holocaust denier at Mar-a-Lago estate during visit with Kanye West, a week after announcing 2024 run”

Axios: “Former President Trump dined and conversed with white nationalist Nick Fuentes and rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Tuesday night, according to two sources familiar with the matter. … Fuentes, who frequently promotes racist and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, had been spotted with Ye at Mar-a-Lago, but reports erroneously suggested he did not have dinner with the former president.”

The Guardian: “Donald Trump repeatedly refused to disavow the outspoken antisemite and white supremacist Nick Fuentes after they spoke over dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort. … Trump ultimately made clear that he fundamentally did not want to criticise Fuentes.”

Video: Glenn Youngkin Claims Trump’s Inauguration Marks “the dawn of the golden age of America”; Declares “the sun set on weakness…[and] wokeness”

By
lowkell
-
6

Who knows if Glenn Youngkin was always like this, but…yikes. I mean, what can you even say about someone who delivers lines like these without busting up into laughter (or blushing in embarrassment)? See below for video and a few “highlights” (plus my notes following each of these bizarre lines) from Youngkin’s speech at Trump’s inauguration today, as well as my notes on why what Youngkin said is – as former President George W. Bush once put it about Trump’s 2017 inaugural address – “some weird sh*t!”

  • “This is the dawn of the golden age of America because we inaugurated the forty-seventh President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump.” (NOTE: 100% guarantee that we’re not entering a “golden age of America because we inaugurated…Trump.” More likely, this will be akin to the Robber Baronera, or maybe a new DARK age of America.)
  • “My friend, we are standing here on the dawn of a new age, and we are seeing the sun set – the sun set on weakness, the sun set on wokeness, and the sun set on a wide open border that has turned every state into a border state.” (Of course, we haven’t had a “wide-open border,” far from it, no is “every state…a border state.” That’s just false. But this nonsense about the sun setting on “weakness” and “wokeness” is really bonkers – a sure sign that Youngkin has become like a far-right internet troll/radio host, or maybe is just pretending to be one for the MAGA base, because of course Youngkin has ambitions of succeeding Trump as president in 2028, and he’s going to do whatever it takes to make that dream come true for himself)
  • “They tried to take him down legally. They tried to put him in jail. They tried to even assassinate him. And he never gave up on America, and America, we will never give up on him.” (This is wildly irresponsible rhetoric. In fact, “they” didn’t try to “take [Trump] down legally,” that was the RULE OF LAW attempting to hold Trump to account for his many crimes. As for some vague “they” trying to assassinate Trump, in fact the attempt in Pennsylvania, that one seems to have been by a deranged individual whose political beliefs and motives are unclear. As for the attempt in Florida,  that guy also sounds nuts; he also “claimed to have voted for Trump in 2016 and later regretted it” and also supported Tulsi Gabbard at one point. But regardless, the main point is that this wasn’t some vague “they” who tried to assassinate Trump, it was two deranged individuals whose motives and political beliefs appear murky.)
  • “He is bringing down inflation.” (Obviously, since Trump has only been president for a few hours, he’s not “bringing down inflation.” And if Trump carries through with his policies – tariffs, deportations, etc. – it’s much more likely that inflation will INCREASE under Trump, unless of course he crashes the economy into a deep recession or depression, in which case inflation will fall – but not for the reasons anyone would *want* it to fall.)

Agree or Disagree? “Liberals should recognize the stone-cold truth – that *liberal* democracy is dead. Really. We had a chance to save it. We lost. It’s gone.”

By
lowkell
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8

Is there a serious counterargument to this thread, by John Stoehr of The Editorial Board? If so, what is it? Because so far at least, what I’ve seen from Democrats, the media, the business community, etc, etc. is a combination of a “deep sense of denial” (as Stoehr puts it); ” a good deal of magical thinking in this denial, as if the criminals who shot their beloved will soon come to justice, and once they do, their beloved will rise again, good as new”; “patronizing solace”; concern about “self-regard, group-esteem and pleasure-seeking more than duty, sacrifice and the common good”; etc. Also, of course, tens of millions of Americans obviously SUPPORT Trump’s authoritarianism, cruelty, etc. And then there are tens of millions more who are mostly just checked out from politics, “the news,” etc. As for the media, they’re busy groveling to Trump, “sanewashing” and “normalizing” him, etc. Horrible.

But back to Democrats: do they actually believe that, going forward, democracy’s just going to proceed along its usual course, that winning back power is just an election (free-and-fair, of course) away, etc? If so, what are Democrats basing this belief system on? Simply because it’s worked that way in the past? Same thing, by the way, with the assumption that with Trump in the White House, Democrats should cruise to victory in the Virginia elections this November and in the midterms in 2026. Again, is that just based on mindless “whatever happened in the past will inevitably happen again in the future” thinking? Because, sure, it’s POSSIBLE those historical relationships could still hold, but what if they don’t? Is anyone even considering that as a serious possibility, and responding accordingly? Uhhhh…

Video: Sen. Tim Kaine Says Pete Hegseth “would be a very dangerous Secretary of Defense”; Trump Tariffs/Deportations “would be an absolute gut punch to the Virginia and American economy”

By
lowkell
-
5

Yesterday, Sen. Tim Kaine was interviewed on CBS News’ Face the Nation. See below for video and a transcript, including Kaine’s comments about how Pete Hegseth “would be a very dangerous Secretary of Defense,” how “you’re going to see a lot of pain for consumers and a lot of pain for employers if they carry through on mass deportation,” etc.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, good morning to you.

SENATOR TIM KAINE: Margaret, great to be with you. Thanks.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you about some of the positions you hold on key committees that have a role in nominat- or, in going through the confirmation process for some of Mr. Trump’s picks. Senator Rubio is expected to be swiftly confirmed as Secretary of State. You expect him in on day one?

SEN. KAINE: I do. He visited my office before the hearing. He did very well at the hearing, and I think we are likely to act on day one, and he’ll get a strong bipartisan vote.

MARGARET BRENNAN: When it comes to some of the other picks, Democrats have very little say, frankly, because Republicans have this 53 seat majority, so they don’t need Democratic votes. You sharply questioned Pete Hegseth this past week, who is the pick to run the Pentagon. You asked about his willingness to break oaths, having cheated on his second wife and the mother of a child born two months before, when he had told police he was having consensual sex with a woman in Monterey, California who filed a claim of sexual assault- assault and he filed a financial settlement. Why did you choose to put that issue of character so front and center instead of asking him about policies?

SEN. KAINE: The- I believe he would be a very dangerous Secretary of Defense, and so my observation of my Republican colleagues is the only reason they ever vote no on a nominee is either a belief of gross incompetence in terms of qualifications or serious character deficit. That’s why Matt Gaetz withdrew, because the Senate Republicans felt, on both of those counts, he was a non-starter. I believe my questions of Pete Hegseth about his serial infidelity, about the allegation of sexual assault that he refused to disclose to President-elect Trump and the transition team, and his own mother’s allegation that he’s a serial abuser of women, I think those are the kinds of things that might affect how Republicans view this, if not in the committee, possibly on the floor. We’ll see. I think there’s likely to be committee action as early as late tomorrow, in the Armed Services Committee. We’ll see when there’s action on the floor.

MARGARET BRENNAN: To actually confirm him. The Wall Street Journal editorial board, which is not liberal by anyone’s definition, said “Hegseth made noises about restoring U.S. military deterrence, and that’s something. But it appears we’re on track to have a secretary of Defense whose real views are a mystery.” Wasn’t it also important to hear what his plans are for China and the like? Because it looks like he is going to sail through if Republican leadership can keep Republicans in line and get them all to deliver the votes they need.

SEN. KAINE: Well I- and Margaret, I think that if you look at the entire hearing, a number of his views were heard on the table. I had seven minutes. It was so unusual to have a Secretary of Defense nominee refuse to even meet with any of the Democratic members of the committee, except for the chairman. RFK has met with Democratic members, the Secretary of Labor nominee, Secretary of Army, Secretary of Navy, Secretary of State. They’re all meeting with the Democratic members of the committee. But when he refused to meet with us, and you only have seven minutes, we divided up topics. I asked him about what I consider to be glaring faults of character. Other members on the committee asked him about positions on strategy, the role of women in combat, whether he is qualified to run an organization of the size of the Pentagon. I think overall, in the hearing, we put a lot of material on the table for folks to consider.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Let me ask you about immigration. You’re a former governor. Incoming border czar, Tom Homan, has said that there will be massive deportation raids beginning as soon as Mr. Trump takes office. There are just about 300,000 undocumented individuals believed to be living in your state, according to Pew Research. And I know your current governor, Youngkin, has pledged to fully support efforts through state law enforcement or the National Guard. How do you think this is going to work?

SEN. KAINE: Well, I don’t exactly know how the administration is going to do it. But let me tell you, I’m hearing significant concerns from many sectors in the Virginia economy, agriculture, hospitality, health care, construction, that massive deportation rates would be an absolute gut punch to the Virginia and American economy. And if you add to that the Trump threat of massive tariffs, I think you’re- you’re going to see a lot of pain for consumers and a lot of pain for employers if they carry through on mass deportation. Now look, you’ve got a president who says a lot of things and then chooses not to do them, so I don’t know exactly what this is going to look like.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.

SEN. KAINE: But I would say that the economy of Virginia and the economy of this country is going to suffer through deporta- mass deportations and tariffs, if they go forward with what the President has said he will do. 

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well the Biden administration prioritizes criminals in their roundups and deportations. The Trump administration says they’re also going to target criminals. Do you think this is going to look different?

SEN. KAINE: Well, it’s- I do think the Biden administration prioritizes criminals who are a public safety risk, who threat- pose a threat of violence. The Trump administration could go much broader than that. You know, looking at folks- I mean, for example, there’s a bill that’s pending in the Senate right now that would deport people on the basis of an arrest even if they’ve not been convicted of anything. A shop lifting arrest, even if they’ve not been convicted of anything. A fundamental aspect of our society is that an arrest doesn’t mean anything unless there’s a conviction, because people get arrested all the time for things that they didn’t do. So if the Trump administration says, look, an arrest leads to deportation even without a conviction, yep, it’s going to look completely different, completely different than what the policy has been during the Biden administration.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Tim Kaine, thank you for your time today.

MLK Jr. Day News: “Israel Enters Truce Stronger but With Unfulfilled Goal: Destroying Hamas”; “They’re Back”; “Trump to take oath of office as US braces for vengeful second term”; “From Brownshirts to Billionaires”; “Reckoning With the Reality of Four More Years”

By
lowkell
-
15

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, Martin Luther King Day (and, unfortunately, Inauguration Day), January 20 . Martin Luther King Jr, of course, was a great man, and basically the antithesis of Donald Trump in every way.

Find the Cracks in Their Armor and Target Them

By
kindler
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7

by Kindler

No, we cannot waste a minute on despair – we’ve got a war to win.  This is certainly the attitude that Republicans bring to the fight, in their fetishization of the marketplace, the battlefield and the playing field: that winning, at any cost, is all that ever matters.

Democrats and our allies take a more principled and policy-centered approach, but let’s face it, we need to focus a whole lot more on winning.  So let’s disregard all the stupid Trump distractions and train our sights on what will deliver us from this evil, however long it takes.

The first mission – which is actually a fun one! – is to pinpoint Republican vulnerabilities, so that we may begin to systematically exploit them. I’m going to point out a few here and I encourage folks in the comment section to add more.

It’s the Billionaires, Stupid

As blue collar MAGA diehards fume over their wasted plane tickets and hotel rooms for the cancelled outdoor inauguration, they get to watch Trump, warm and dry, rub shoulders in the Capitol with some of the richest guys on Earth, including: Elon Musk ($430.9B), Jeff Bezos ($235.3B), Mark Zuckerberg ($212.6B), OpenAI CEO Sam Altman ($1.1B), Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong ($11.9B), gambling empire widow Miriam Adelson ($31.8) and heir to the Ricketts banking fortune, Todd Ricketts ($4B).

But they’re not just here for the party.  As in his last administration, Trump is shamelessly appointing record numbers of billionaires to his administration. Besides his ridiculous task force (not a department!) led by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy ($1 billion), that includes:

  • Scott Bessent: Treasury Secretary (finance – net worth unknown)
  • Howard Lutnick: Commerce Secretary (Cantor Fitzgerald CEO – $1.5 billion)
  • Linda McMahon: Education Secretary (former WWE CEO – $3B)
  • Jared Isaacman: NASA Administrator (payment processing and defense industries – $1.8B)
  • Kelly Loeffler: SBA Administrator (married into money – $1.1B)
  • Frank Bisiganano, SSA Commissioner (finance – $1B)
  • Stephen Feinberg: Deputy DOD Secretary (Cerberus founder – $5B)
  • David Sacks: AI and Crypto Czar (Paypal – net worth unknown)
  • Ambassadors:
    • Charles Kushner, France (real estate – $1.8B)
    • Warren Stephens, UK (Stephen’s – $3.4B)
    • Tom Barrack: Turkey (finance – $1B)
    • Leandro Rizzuto Jr, OAS (Conair – $3.5B)
    • Tilman Fertitta, Italy (Landry’s and Houston Rockets: $10.4B)
    • Steven Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East (lawyer – $1B)

And no, we’re not going to list all the mere millionaires like Doug Burgum and Mehmet Oz here because we’re talking serious money here, folks!

You don’t need a PhD in Poli. Sci. to figure out that the optics of a candidate constantly claiming to have been running to help the little guy or “forgotten man”, and then turning around in a split-second and appointing every greedy plutocrat he can find to surround him…is not great.

But it’s only going to get worse for them, because now they have to delve into the crafting and implementation of actual policy, and with the robber barons preparing their trillion-dollar tax cuts and looking for government programs to slash to pay for them – Medicaid, top of the list – the class conflicts in the MAGA camp will only keep sharpening.  And our assignment is to do all we can to help split their coalition apart.

MAGA Civil War

The fissures in Trump’s coalition, in fact, are already in full view. The late December spat over H1B visas showed how the take-no-prisoners MAGA political style is not exactly made for holding hands and singing Kumbaya.  With just one issue dispute less than two months after the election, major figures in Trump’s orbit were already engaged in thermonuclear war with each other, with statements like:

  • Ramaswamy: “Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long.”
  • Laura Loomer: “I got you and all of your Big Tech buddies who are trying to infiltrate the White House to respond and expose yourselves as being in opposition to MAGA immigration policy.”
  • Musk: “Take a big step back and F*** YOURSELF in the face. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend.”
  • Steve Bannon: “We haven’t fought these battles over years and years and years to allow American citizens…to be gutted by the sociopathic overlords in Silicon Valley.” And “Don’t come up and go to the pulpit in your first week here and start lecturing people about the way things are going to be. If you’re going to do that, we’re going to rip your face off.”

There’s something to be said for the old saying “There’s no honor among thieves.” Holding such an unpleasant, aggressive, uncompromising, anthropomorphic and unlikeable group of people together is an inherently thankless and unsustainable task.

And think about how many more opportunities to get them to fight with each other are likely to pop up.  Will big businesses targeted for workplace immigration raids pressure the White House to back off? Will the voters who swallowed Trump’s claims that he is a peacenik be happy with all the nonsense about invading Panama and seizing Greenland?  If RFK Jr. tries to go after Big Pharma and the likes of Monsanto, will corporate executives find ways to shower Trump in cash and flatter to convince hin to rein Bobby in? And how will the MAGA masses respond when their Trump crypto investments crash and they are left in financial ruin while the Con-Man-in-Chief makes off once again with their moolah?

It’s the task of politics to keep hacking away at your opponents’ coalition while weaving yours together more comfortably, and whatever mischief we can do to stoke the fires in their compound is likely to pay off.

House Majority Shrinkage

Yes, everyone in the GOP is being ordered to kiss the boss’ pinky ring and almost all are complying as meekly as they can.  But math is a stubborn thing, and the tightness of the Republican majority in the House is going to keep making life difficult for them.  After two members join the administration, that majority will go from an already uncomfortable 219-215 majority to a razor thin 217-215 edge.

Mike Johnson retained the Speakership with literally no votes to spare, which means he is the hostage of every one of his members who may have an ax to grind or a reason to fear offending the voters in their district, particularly for those in swing districts. For all that Trump and Musk threaten GOP members with political death if they don’t fall into line, there are already signs of the limits of that strategy.

The chaotic intraparty battle over the budget showed that Trump cannot simply demand something like an increase in the debt ceiling that goes against strongly held conservative viewpoints and expect abject surrender from all.  Hence, the pre-Christmas stumble in which Trump and Johnson lost the votes of 38 Republicans, forcing them to once again lean on Democrats to get a budget bill passed.

There have been a few other warning signs.  The Speaker giving the hatchet to the head of the Intelligence Committee, Rep. Mike Turner, for not being sufficiently deferential to Putin has, by some accounts, created a new enemy that Trump and Johnson really don’t need.

Meanwhile, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna is fighting the Speaker on an issue of personal concern, a proposal to allow mothers in Congress who have just given birth to vote remotely for six weeks.  Again, she just needs a couple of Republican colleagues to go along with her to beat him on the issue.

Call these hairline fractures, an early sign of a dam not yet anywhere near the brink of collapse. But it’s worth asking how many times the Musk-Trump threat of opposing unhelpful members in their primaries will work before some just go rogue and say, the hell with it.  The “nothing left to lose” attitude can be deadly when dealing with members who still have two years left in their terms.

There are lots of other vulnerabilities for us to target, and many more will become apparent. Trump’s advanced age and how he will increasingly manifest it is one.  Inflation creeping back for all kinds of reasons – from his threatened tariffs and evictions of immigrants to the bird flu crisis driving up egg and chicken prices – is very much another.

Bottom line: don’t feel defeated. We’re still standing and they have many more vulnerabilities than their tough guy chimeras let on.  Instead of moping around in despair, focus on weaving our side more closely together while splitting theirs apart. It’s how American politics has worked for 250 years and it’s time to do all we can to make that pendulum swing back again – even harder and more durably this time.

Please check out and subscribe to my Substack

 

High-Level Virginia Faith Leaders Call on Elected Officials and Community Leaders to Refuse to Participate in Deportation Efforts that Violate Human Rights 

By
Blue Virginia
-
0

From the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy:

High-Level Virginia faith leaders call on elected officials and community leaders to refuse to participate in deportation efforts that violate human rights
Richmond, VA – Judicatory religious leaders who oversee thousands of houses of worship across the Commonwealth have joined the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy in issuing a statement calling on elected officials and community leaders to implement humane immigration policies in Virginia and across the U.S. These faith leaders are requesting a peaceful, humanity-centered approach to immigration policy and implementation.

Rev. Dr. LaKeisha Cook, co-executive director of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, said, “During a time when significant changes in our country’s immigration policies and practices are being discussed with the incoming presidential administration, we believe it is important for the faith leaders of Virginia to collectively call for peace and compassion.”

The statement points out a special concern for the faith community: “Of special concern to us are reported methods of detention and deportation that might include raids on churches, houses of worship, hospitals, schools, and other locations associated with meeting basic human needs. Moreover, the threat of separating children from their parents as a means of punishment or deterrence is exceptionally reprehensible.”

TEXT OF JUDICATORY LEADERS’ STATEMENT

“As faith leaders representing diverse faith traditions in the Commonwealth, we stand united in our unwavering commitment to the dignity and humanity of all people. Guided by the principles of justice, compassion, and mercy, we call for immigration policies and practices that honor the inherent worth of every individual. While we recognize the lawful right of nations to monitor and control their borders, we also recognize that in many ways our current U.S. immigration laws do not uphold individuals’ rights to a dignified life, family unity and safety. As immigration and migration are driven by complex factors, oftentimes resulting in life-or-death situations, the rights of those fleeing disaster, hunger, conflict, violence, or war are urgent and compelling.

Therefore, grounded by the demands of our faith and love of our neighbors, we urge our elected officials and community leaders to stand with us to protect family unity and human dignity by refusing to participate in any deportation efforts that violate these most basic human rights. Of special concern to us are reported methods of detention and deportation that might include raids on churches, houses of worship, hospitals, schools, and other locations associated with meeting basic human needs. Moreover, the threat of separating children from their parents as a means of punishment or deterrence is exceptionally reprehensible.

While the practice of religion is a basic human right recognized by most international organizations, we note that for those living in America it is part of the very foundation upon which our nation was built. We find it unacceptable that undocumented persons might be intimidated from going to a church and thereby exercising their right to the practice of religion. We also assert that the disruption of any religious gathering for deportation purposes is equally an assault on our own right to the free exercise of our religion. We also acknowledge that the stability of our society is under grave threat when undocumented persons are too fearful to seek necessary health care for themselves or their children, access basic education or contact law enforcement when being victimized or observing criminal activity.

We stand in solidarity with members of federal agencies, state agencies and local law enforcement personnel who may choose not to participate in deportation raids deemed unjust by their conscience. In accord with long-standing humanitarian principles, these conscientious objectors must be respected. Motivated by our faith, we urge federal, state, and local personnel tasked with detention or deportation of undocumented persons to consider how their actions might be seen in the eyes of God.

We likewise reiterate the call to our nation’s federal legislature to create an immigration system that is fair, reasonable and recognizes the human dignity of all persons. Let us be guided by the principles of mercy and compassion as we shape policies and practices that reflect the best of our shared humanity. In doing so, we honor the sacred dignity of all people, and we fulfill our moral obligation to care for the stranger, protect the vulnerable, and promote a world of justice and peace for all.”

LIST OF JUDICATORY LEADERS 

  • Reverend Bronwen Boswell, General Presbyter & Stated Clerk for Shenandoah Presbytery PCUSA
  • Bishop James Coleman, President, Baptist General Convention of Virginia
  • Pastor Emmanuel Falaye, Apostolic Church Glorious Vision, USA (Northern VA Assembly)
  • Bishop Susan Haynes, Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia
  • Reverend Warren Lesane, Presbyterian Church, Synod Executive of the Mid-Atlantic, Virginia Synod ECLA
  • Pastor John Olukanni, Apostolic Church Glorious Vision, USA (VA Beach Assembly)
  • Bishop Lelia M. Ortiz, Bishop of the Metropolitan Washington DC Synod, ELCA
  • Reverend Mark Snipes, Cooperative Baptist Church
  • The Very Reverend Donna L. Steckline, Ecumenical Officer of the Episcopal Diocese of SWVA, Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church
  • The Right Reverend E. Mark Stevenson, Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
  • Dr. Leo Whitaker, Executive Minister, Baptist General Convention of Virginia

 

CONTACTS

Reverend Dr. LaKeisha Cook, Co-Executive Director, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Lakeisha@virginiainterfaithcenter.org  

Roberta Oster, Communications Director, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Roberta@virginiainterfaithcenter.org                                                               

_____________________________________________________________

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy is a multi-faith, nonprofit, non-partisan organization with a statewide base that includes over 20,000 people of faith and good will in every legislative district in Virginia, working together with hope for and focus on a more just society.

###

Video: Rep. Jennifer McClellan Says President Joe Biden’s Assertion that the ERA Should Be Considered Ratified Is “an important first step,” “a capstone for [his] career as a champion for women’s rights”

By
lowkell
-
1

Well said by Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA04):

  • “Well, we really have no choice [but to fight to keep hope alive]. And as we’re going into the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, I am reminded how every time in American history we have made progress on civil rights, on women’s rights, there’s been a backlash. And the only way we continue that progress going forward is to double down and stay committed and building towards the beloved community that he gave his life for. So for me personally, while I am sometimes angry that I’m fighting the same fights that my parents, my grandparents and my great grandparents fought, I do it so that my children and their children don’t have to continue those fights, and I root myself in the joy and the love of making any progress and not letting anyone steal that joy as we face the backlash.”
  • “Well, first of all, [declaring the ERA to be the law of the land] is a capstone for President Biden’s career as a champion for women’s rights, going back to when he was a senator and passed the Violence Against Women Act. And so it’s the perfect capstone for his career.  It is an important first step. I remind people it took 100 years after ratification of the 14th amendment for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to enforce it. And so while we can and should celebrate this moment, and I am proud to have played a part in making Virginia the 38th state to ratify the ERA, we know there are going to be legal challenges, and we know it is not self-executing, and we have got to make sure that Congress acts to enforce it.”

Check out the video, below, and a few more highlights after the video, of Rep. McClellan speaking yesterday on MSNBC’s The Katie Phang Show. As for the ERA, as this article makes clear:

“A senior administration official told CNN that Biden was not taking executive action but merely “stating an opinion” that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was in effect. The National Archives — the federal government agency that is the official keeper of the Constitution — has stated for years that they cannot legally publish the amendment, because they’re bound by a Department of Justice holding that says they can’t. Plus, Donald Trump is about to take office and will likely express a different opinion.”

In other words, while the ERA *should have* been ratified many years ago, and while it *should be* the law of the land – and in the US constitution – the fact is, sadly, it is not. And who knows if/when it ever will be, but that will require, at the minimum, a pro-ERA Congress, president, Supreme Court and probably a bunch of state legislatures. In other words, none of the necessary conditions for the ERA’s ratification currently exist, and it’s hard to see if or when they WILL exist going forward. Something to aspire to, though, no question…

  • “I am an eternal optimist, and so I am hopeful that this [the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas] is a breakthrough that will begin the process of restoring peace and stability in the Middle East. But we have seen where we have been close to a cease fire before, and how fragile a cease fire can be. We were in a cease fire when the October 7th terrorist attack happened. So this is going to require vigilance and attention to ensure that this cease fire leads to long-term peace.“
  • “Weather allowing me to head up I-95…Yes, I will be there [at the inauguration].”

President Joe Biden Announces Presidential Pardon for VA Speaker Don Scott “for a mistake I made in 1994—one that changed the course of my life and taught me the true power of redemption.”

By
lowkell
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Great to see, well-deserved! For more information on Speaker Don Scott’s life, see here (“In 1994, Scott was arrested on federal drug charges and served seven years in prison. Later, he acknowledged his mistakes, and said that the experience motivated him and showed him injustices of the legal system.”) A truly remarkable and inspirational life’s journey since then for Don Scott!

Statement from Speaker Don Scott on Receiving a Presidential Pardon
Richmond, VA – Speaker Don Scott released the following statement after President Joe Biden announced a Presidential Pardon, recognizing his journey of redemption and transformation following his 1994 incarceration for a drug-related offense, for which he served nearly 8 years.

“Today, I am deeply humbled to share that I have received a Presidential Pardon from President Joe Biden for a mistake I made in 1994—one that changed the course of my life and taught me the true power of redemption.

“I want to begin by thanking President Biden for granting me this pardon and recognizing my journey of redemption. His commitment to second chances is truly remarkable, and he will undoubtedly be remembered as the President who championed redemption and transformation. His unprecedented efforts in issuing pardons and supporting individuals in rebuilding their lives cannot be understated.

“After serving nearly eight years in federal prison for my actions, I came out determined to reshape my future. I was driven by faith, family, and the belief that a person’s worst mistake doesn’t define the entirety of their story. My journey—from being arrested as a law student to standing here today as the first Black Speaker of the House of Delegates in Virginia’s 405-year history—is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of second chances.

“My deepest thanks go to Senator Tim Kaine, Congressman Bobby Scott, Senator Mark Warner, my dear friend Ken Johnson, and all those who have supported me and advocated for me along this journey. To my wife, Mellanda, and our daughter—your unwavering love has been my foundation and my guiding light.

“I will never forget the pain my family felt when I was sentenced or the sound of my mother’s anguish in that courtroom. But I also won’t forget the joy of redemption and renewal—the sound of her tears as I was sworn in as Speaker. To those who may feel their mistakes define them, I want you to know that it’s possible to rebuild and thrive.

“This moment is not just about me. It’s about demonstrating that our nation can embrace the potential for change, for justice, and for redemption. It’s about what happens when we refuse to give up on each other.

“Thank you to everyone who believed in me, stood by me, and reminded me that my story was far from over.”

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