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Video: DPVA Chairwoman Susan Swecker Announces Her Decision to Step Down; Successor to Be Selected on March 22

By
lowkell
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6

Thanks to Susan Swecker for her many years of hard work, dedication and service to Virginia, and specifically to the Democratic Party of Virginia, which she’s served as Chair since March 2015! See below for her announcement, which has been long expected (possible/rumored candidates for chair include: Tonya James, Alexsis Rodgers, David Mills, Amanda Pohl and Lamont Bagby, probably others as well…maybe Lashrecse Aird?). According to this press release, “The Democratic Party of Virginia Steering Committee will meet on February 20 to adopt rules of procedure for an election to be held on March 22, 2025.”

It’s amazing what ups and downs we’ve seen since 2015, with numerous victories (e.g., Ralph Northam’s landslide victory in November 2017, the election of Abigail Spanberger/Jennifer Wexton/Elaine Luria in 2018, Democrats regaining control of the House of Delegates in November 2019, Joe Biden winning a landslide victory in Virginia in November 2020, Kamala Harris winning Virginia by 6 points in November 2024), but also some really bad losses (Glenn Youngkin’s narrow win in 2021, along with Democrats losing control of the House of Delegates; Luria losing to Jen Kiggans in November 2022).

Of course, the Chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia can only do so much, but it’s still an important position in terms of messaging, coordination, organization, etc.  So let’s hope we get a strong, competent Chair to replace Susan Swecker, because we’re definitely going to need to be firing on all cylinders – and at all levels of the party – during these challenging, dangerous times.

DPVA Chairwoman Susan Swecker Announces Her Decision to Step Down

Today, the Democratic Party of Virginia Chairwoman Susan Swecker announced she will be stepping down from her position pending the election of a new Chair. She has served as Chairwoman since March 2015. She released the following statement:

“This month marks my tenth anniversary as Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, a journey that has been both an honor and a privilege. After our strong victories in Virginia this past November, I believe the time is right to pass the torch to a new leader who can continue to build on our successes and further strengthen our party.

When I first ran for Chair in 2015, I made a commitment to create a sustainable infrastructure that would outlast any single election cycle. Over the past decade, we’ve achieved that vision—building a larger, more robust full-time staff, strengthening local committees, and establishing year-round programs focused on voter protection and training.

As I step down, I do so with pride and confidence, knowing that our party is in capable hands. The solid foundation we’ve laid will ensure Virginia remains a beacon of Democratic strength for generations to come.”

The Democratic Party of Virginia Steering Committee will meet on February 20 to adopt rules of procedure for an election to be held on March 22, 2025.

Watch the FULL VIDEO of her announcement here.

New Virginia Polling Finds “Strong Support for Democratic Proposals Such as Millionaires Tax, Child Tax Credit, and Down Payment Assistance”

By
Blue Virginia
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0

Interesting findings by Public Policy Polling for Freedom Virginia:

NEW POLL: Virginians Want Middle-Class Relief, with Rich and Corporations Paying Their Fair Share

Gaming Unpopular Across All Regions, Especially Fairfax County

RICHMOND, Va. — Today, Freedom Virginia released polling conducted by Public Policy Polling in six battleground House districts and all of Fairfax County that shows strong support for a fair tax agenda that prioritizes hardworking people over special corporate interests.

The survey focused on tax fairness and where Virginians would like economic relief in the 2024-2026 biennial budget. A memo with results can be read here.

Polling found that among the districts surveyed, policies included in the Freedom Virginia “Get Ahead” Agenda are strongly supported by hardworking Virginia voters.

In a majority of districts surveyed, a higher tax rate on income above $1,000,000 a year, or a millionaire’s tax, to ensure the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share was widely popular, ranging from 60% support to more than 70% support. Across all districts, when asked which forms of tax relief they support most, voters said that a first-time homebuyer’s grant was number one above other forms of tax relief polled like exempting tips from state income tax and a car tax credit.

The polling shows that while Virginians are struggling with rising prices, they cite corporate price gouging as the primary reason for the cost of living crisis — more than COVID-19 era inflation or increased federal spending.

Virginia voters strongly support fair tax reforms, not gaming ventures like casinos and illegal skill games, to ensure the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share to fund the right priorities.

When asked if they would support the legalization of skill games, voters in all districts viewed legalization unfavorably, with opposition ranging from -47% net approval to -67%. According to a recent study by Magnum, the median income for communities where skill games were placed when they were legal between 2020-2021 was below the 2021 state median, and there are a number of people who fall below the poverty level in these communities. Across Fairfax County, voters expressed opposition to a Tysons casino; when asked if they would support legislators’ efforts to authorize the Board of Supervisors to hold a referendum, 62% were opposed, and when asked how they would vote in a referendum right now, 68% said they would vote no.

The polls took place in six battleground House districts 21, 57, 65, 71, 82, 97 and all of Fairfax County from January 29 to January 31.

Freedom Virginia co-Executive Director Ryan O’Toole released the following statement on the new polling:

“Virginia voters are clear: they need economic relief, and they need it now. In contrast to the governor’s introduced budget, the House and Senate’s proposed budget amendments address voters’ economic anxieties by including a first-time homebuyers’ grant, more affordable child care, and lowering taxes for working people through a higher standard deduction and an increase in the refundable earned income tax credit to tackle the ever-increasing cost of living in Virginia. Our research shows clearly that voters want to fund the right priorities through fair taxes, not through gaming schemes like so-called skill games or the proposed Tysons casino. It’s time to provide hardworking families the opportunity to do more than get by; we must ensure they can get ahead.”
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Freedom Virginia is a nonpartisan 501(c)4 organization committed to building a Commonwealth where all Virginia families have the freedom to thrive. Freedom Virginia advances economic security policies through grassroots activism, voter engagement and legislative advocacy. Our efforts began in 2020 and since then we’ve pushed for a more economically secure Virginia by sharing real stories about Virginians’ lack of access to affordable healthcare, education, energy, and the need for policies that foster more safety for families. Visit our website at freedomva.org to learn more. 

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08)’s Deputy Chief of Staff Aaron Fritschner Warns: “complacency, acceptance, and cowardice are powerful forces aiding those attacking our Constitution”

By
lowkell
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1

Where we’re currently at, from Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08)’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Aaron Fritschner. Is there a serious (e.g., not “hand waving” or “remain calm”/”things will work out fine”/”keep on keeping on” bullsh*t) counterargument to any of this? If so, what is it? Because I’m not seeing it.

************************

“They’re breaking laws to dismantle the US govt
The Legislative Branch is a rubber stamp
They neuter legal consequences with DOJ purges and pardons
They call reporters who cover them criminals
They call political opposition criminals
They’re preparing to ignore the Judicial Branch

I’d say official Washington and American civil society are acting like slowly-boiled frogs but this is happening fast.

I’ve seen movies about historical or fictional events of mass upheaval where people cling to normalcy in ways that seem crazy. Didn’t expect to see it in person

Items 2 & 3 below are done. The rest are in progress; if this was happening elsewhere you’d expect those to increase along with:
– deploy police/military to suppress political/popular opposition
– criminalize dissent
– suspend elections or make meaningless

This will sound hysterical to some people and look, nobody wants that to be true more than me. I fervently hope I am wrong. But things like this have happened before elsewhere, and there were people who warned about it, and there were people who called those warnings hysteria

The United States Constitution is a marvelous thing, but it’s not self-enforcing. It depends on a system of checks and balances to stop a return to the monarchy and despotism the Founders sought to escape. Right now those checks and balances are failing one by one before our eyes

I’m not saying all is lost and I’m not for giving up. We are fighting this. But complacency, acceptance, and cowardice are powerful forces aiding those attacking our Constitution, just as they were for other authoritarians through history. We have to start calling this what it is.”

Monday News: “Trump Plans to Impose 25% Tariffs on Steel, Aluminum Imports”; “Legal experts warn of ‘constitutional crisis’ as Vance and Elon Musk question judges’ authority over Trump”; “Democrats: This Is War. Isn’t It Time You Acted Like It?”; VA Police Want Youngkin NOT To Veto Collective Bargaining

By
lowkell
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12

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, February 10. Good advice from Robert Hubbell – “We are not sheep. Get louder. Take action. Create a shadow cabinet.” So far, at least, we’re not getting nearly enough of any of that, and way too much “business as usual” from Democrats in Congress, such as Democratic US Senators voting for many or most of Trump’s horrendous Cabinet picks. Unacceptable. And as Margaret Sullivan writes, “We need righteous indignation and truth-telling, not complacency: The tone, in media and politics, is far too restrained for our current emergency.” Bingo.

Which Virginia Politicians and Reporters Are Active on Bluesky? Some Are, but Many (Particularly Republicans) Aren’t…

By
lowkell
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15

At this point, with Elon Musk busy engaging in a coup against the U.S. government, and also supporting far-right parties in Germany and elsewhere (not to mention giving Hitler-style salutes at rallies, saying/amplifying incredibly bigoted things all the time, etc.), it seems like a no-brainer that Democrats would have been busy for weeks or months now, diversifying their social media accounts to ones that aren’t run by someone like Musk, with Bluesky the main contender, given that Meta-owned properties like Threads are also highly problematic.

So, with that in mind, which Virginia politicos and reporters are on Bluesky at the moment? See below for a non-comprehensive list (although I did spend a decent amount of time on this), which shows that: 1) the vast majority of Virginia Republicans are avoiding Bluesky like the plague, because clearly it’s not a far-right echo chamber or a “safe space,” which is obviously what they prefer; 2) all the Virginia Congressional delegation Democrats are active on Bluesky; 3) none of the Virginia Congressional delegation Republicans are active on Bluesky; 4) most Virginia Democratic state senators are NOT active on Bluesky (that really needs to change, ASAP), and zero Republican state senators appear to be there; 5) only 14 House of Delegates Democrats (out of 51) seem to be active on Bluesky (that also needs to change, ASAP); 6) several statewide Democratic candidates (Jay Jones, Shannon Taylor, Levar Stoney) are active on Bluesky, while basically zero Republican statewide candidates are active there; 7) among Virginia journalists, but more appear to NOT be active on Bluesky than to be active there.

By the way, Blue Virginia now has over 6,000 followers on Bluesky, and growing fast. And overall, Bluesky now has over 31 million users, also growing fast, with tons of national reporters, politicians, etc. on there, so it’s not exactly an obscure or niche site. Which raises the question, what on earth are the Virginia Democrats who aren’t on there yet waiting for exactly???

P.S. A few others active on Bluesky include Sam Shirazi, VAPLAN, the Virginia Young Dems, Indivisible Virginia, Rep. Don Beyer’s deputy chief of staff Aaron Fritschner, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia executive director Jamie Lockhart, former Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-VA05), Larry Sabato, etc. See the Blue Virginia “Starter Pack” for more!



Video: Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA04) Declares, Bluntly “Yeah this is a coup. And it is not a coup by Donald Trump, it is a coup by Russ Vought and Elon Musk.”

By
lowkell
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16

This is both fascinating and disturbing coming from Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA04), given that she is most definitely NOT an alarmist; that she’s very level-headed, smart and politically astute; that she’s considered by many Virginia politicos to be the likely successor to Tim Kaine in the US Senator when he retires; etc. So for her to say, without equivocation, the following, is really jarring:

“I mean look, so here whenever anybody asks me, ‘how are you doing?’, I try to answer ‘excellent’, because in the grand scheme of things, all of my family members are alive, I’m alive, God woke me up this morning, it could be a lot worse. And when I remember that I almost died in childbirth, both my daughter and I, that puts everything in perspective. So my number one piece of advice for everybody today is find you’re excellence and don’t let anybody take it away from you. Couple other mantras for the year before I kind of jump into the the update, because it’s going to be rapid fire yeah: try to control, try to focus on what you can control and let go of the rest; you cannot control everything, you can’t impact everything, and if you try you’re going to kill yourself or drive yourself crazy…that is easier said than done, I know, but if you constantly every morning remind yourself, focus on what you can control and let somebody else handle the rest, it’ll help; and this is an all-hands-on-deck moment.

And those are kind of the mantras that I have told my team and…how we are approaching every day. Because this is a coup, yeah this is a coup. And it is not a coup by Donald Trump, it is a coup by Russ Vought and Elon Musk. I’m not even sure Donald Trump knows half of the things that he’s on…”

There’s a lot more after this, including:

  • “Only the Speaker of the House has  standing to sue on behalf of Congress, and so for many of these actions that overstep presidential authority and infringe on con Congressional authority, we are not in a position to challenge that in the courts, we have to work with allies.”
  • “Every member of Congress is sort of picking those three or four areas where they’re going to laser focus on and… that’s the only way we can handle this sort of all hands-on-deck approach“
  • “Where we can file legislation in response, we’re doing it. But remember, we’re the minority party…we need three Republicans in the House to join us, to do anything. And the Senate needs Republicans to join them, to do anything. So while we know my office has gotten hundreds of calls a day – and that’s great, keep them coming – but those of you that live in Republican districts or those of you who friends that live in Republican districts they need to feel the pressure…the only way they will grow a spine is if they understand there’s electoral pressure, that if they don’t there are going to be consequences.”
  • “Be strategic about what you share. So perfect example – I was flooded with people…saying have you noticed that all the federal government websites have a flag that has nine stars on the top, is that the Confederate flag? Well, number one, no it’s not the Confederate flag. Number two, there are reasons behind that. And number three, should our priority right now be on…what the flag looks like on websites, or should our  focus be on the trauma that’s being inflicted on the federal workforce? So please pick your battles in a way that are going to really have an impact, but check the facts before you share something.”
  • “Every time in this country that marginalized communities, especially black people, gain social political and economic power, there is a backlash. That backlash involves three things: voter suppression, violence and propaganda. We are in the backlash now. We are in the backlash of all backlashes. But don’t get dispirited, because we we are fighting that backlash from a position of more power than our ancestors ever dreamed. And so when you get tired – because you will, when you get angry, when you are on the verge of I don’t know what to do, remember that power and remember what John Lewis said, ‘democracy is a state that requires every generation to do its part to build the beloved community’. And we cannot give up…we can’t become complacent, because the backlash always comes. But together we are in this fight against the backlash, and I’m so proud to be in this fight with each and every one of you watching this right now.”

Brilliant. Definitely watch the entire interview – great information, motivation and advice from Rep. Jennifer McClellan in these extremely dark times!

P.S. Also check out this brilliant, spot-on – and disturbing! – piece by Thomas Zimmer. According to Zimmer, “We are witnessing an unprecedented autocratic power grab. If the different MAGA factions can just dissolve whatever parts of the government they don’t like and functionally suspend the constitution, then democratic self-government is over.” and “What we are faced with is a rightwing “counter-revolution” unleashed – and in this moment, no one on the Right cares all that much what form it takes, or what script it follows, or who is in charge: Just be maximally radical and ruthless, destroy the enemy.” UGH.

Sunday News: “While Trump blathers about tariffs and Gaza, Musk is executing a coup d’état” (Will They Defy Court Orders?); Musk, Trump “seem to only defend racist speech”; “Catastrophic” Science Funding Cuts; “Defending Democracy in 2025 Is All That Matters”

By
lowkell
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5

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines. Time for Democrats, as well as anyone who’s a small-d democrat, to really crank it up at this point.

Virginia General Assembly Week Four 2025: “Crossed Over” and “Left Behind in the Dust”

By
lowkell
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0

From VAPLAN; great work by Cindy as always!

After some very long floor sessions in both the House and the Senate, crossover was reached–for the rest of session, each chamber will only consider bills that originated in the other chamber. Racing toward the end of this short session!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK,  Delegate Callsen on the House floor for Black History Month: “Study after study shows that race matters in the criminal justice system…political rhetoric steeped in fear and not fact has been used to justify what is by definition an unjust system…Mr. Speaker, my hope with this speech is to remind everyone in this chamber that the history of our justice system is both Black history, and also current events. And any of us in this room who are in a seat of power should be analyzing policies not with a campaign lens, not only with a personal lens, but with a lens of what is just, fair, and aligned with truth and fact.”

Left behind in the dust:

  • The House occasionally dockets bills to subcommittees that never then see the light of day. Here are a few bills that were left unvoted on in the House:
    • HB1865, the Access to Justice Act, which would have ensured a public defender’s office in every jurisdiction as well as an appellate defender office, made it out of Courts of Justice, only to die a quiet death in Appropriations without a vote. (It was expected to cost nearly $90 million.)
    • HB2607, prohibiting campaign contributions from public utilities, was left without a vote in House Privileges and Elections committee.
    • The House Education committee has endured listening to this bill to require students to pass the US Naturalization Test to graduate several years in a row. This year, they didn’t even docket it.
    • House Finance left behind without a vote a bill to impose a $5 tax on firearms purchases.
    • House Courts of Justice did not docket for discussion a bill to “clarify” that terminating a nonviable pregnancy isn’t a crime. Which, of course, wouldn’t be needed if we didn’t ever criminalize people and their doctors for private healthcare choices.
  • The Senate typically dockets all the bills that are filed. However, it’s not unusual (in either chamber) for bills to get suddenly re-referred back to committee from the floor when there are no more committee meetings, effectively killing the bill.
    • On the day of crossover, two campaign finance bills were re-committed back to committee: SB1050 prohibiting campaign contributions from corporations, and SB1469 restricting the dollar amount of all campaign contributions.
    • Additionally, the Senate recommitted SB1190 that created a consortium to assist localities in setting and achieving clean energy goals, and barred restrictive ordinances that limit solar.

Some interesting resolutions that crossed over:

  • HJ440 and SJ251, to have the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) study what books are being banned in what schools, why, and at whose request.
  • SJ255 to have JLARC study Virginia’s campaign finance laws (mostly with an eye to whether they are clear and transparent and enforceable).
  • HJ446 to designate the first full week of September as Zero Waste Awareness week.
  • HJ447 to have the Commission to End Hunger create a statewide food desert mapping system for Virginia.
  • SJ269 to designate March as Persian Heritage Month.
  • SJ253 and HJ443 to have JLARC study the potential impact of moving Virginia’s elections onto an even-year only schedule.

Photos, Audio: Freeda, a 20-Foot Inflatable IUD, Returns to Richmond as Lawmakers and Advocates Call for the Passage of the Virginia Right to Contraception Act

By
Blue Virginia
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3

From Americans for Contraception:

Freeda, a 20-Foot Inflatable IUD, Returns to Richmond as Lawmakers and Advocates Call for the Passage of the Virginia Right to Contraception Act

Nophar Yarden, a fourth-year medical student, speaks in support of the Virginia Right to Contraception Act as legislators and advocates look on.

High-resolution photos from the event are HERE.

High-quality audio from the event is HERE.
RICHMOND, Va. — Freeda, a 20-foot inflatable IUD who has traveled the country to raise awareness about threats to the right to contraception, made a return visit to Richmond’s Capitol Square on Feb. 7 as lawmakers and advocates renewed their call for the passage of the Virginia Right to Contraception Act.

SB 1105, patroned by Senator Ghazala Hashmi (D-Richmond), and HB 1716, patroned by Delegate Cia Price (D-Newport News), would codify Virginians’ right to use and doctors’ right to prescribe FDA-approved forms of contraception, including condoms, IUDs, the pill, and emergency contraceptives. The legislation is a response to heightened threats to the right to contraception since the fall of Roe v. Wade and Donald Trump’s return to power.

In his concurrence in the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe. v. Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas said the U.S. Supreme Court “should reconsider” the right to contraception next. On the campaign trail last year, Donald Trump said he was “looking at” restrictions on contraception. The Associated Press reported last week that some information about contraception was stripped from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. Project 2025 also takes aim at emergency contraception.

Thanks to Democratic majorities, both bills have crossed over to opposite chambers. However, nearly every Republican in the Virginia General Assembly voted against the Right to Contraception Act. Lt. Governor Winsome Sears also voted against the Right to Contraception Act. 

“This is a danger that we are facing in the Virginia Senate,” said Senator Hashmi. “When the Right to Contraception Act came up in front of the full chamber, not a single Republican colleague voted in support of that bill. Even more critical for us to understand is that our lieutenant governor voted against the right to contraception. When it was presented to her on the floor of the chamber as a tie vote, she voted to restrict access to contraception. She said Virginia women do not have a right to contraception.”

“Last year, we stood right here with the same ask that the governor would stand with Virginians and sign the Right to Contraception Act. Instead, he ended up vetoing the bill,” said Delegate Price. “So we are back, because we have to keep working until Virginians’ right to access contraception is protected. So what has changed since last year? I’ll tell you. MAGA Republicans have taken charge and have wasted no time rolling back our rights, rolling back access to scientific information and stripping life-saving information from the CDC website about contraception.”

“Access to contraception is about more than just personal choice. It is about public health and social equity,” said Rae Pickett, communications director at Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia. “Contraception helps people plan their families, pursue education, and maintain their well-being. Without it, unintended pregnancies can have significant economic and social consequences, especially for people of color, people with low incomes, and those who live in rural areas.”

“At Birth in Color, we are often reminded of how essential contraception access is,” said Kenda Sutton-EL, executive director of Birth in Color. “We work with individuals each year who rely on contraception, not only for family planning, but for managing serious health conditions. For those with polycystic ovary syndrome or endometriosis, contraception isn’t just a choice, it’s a crucial medical treatment that impacts their daily lives. Do they really know what it’s like to be survivors of PCOS, endometriosis? Do they know the pain that people go through without contraception? Do they really understand how you still have to get up and go to work daily while managing these symptoms?”

“I’ve seen firsthand the consequences of limited access to contraception,” said Nophar Yarden, a Virginia resident and fourth-year medical student. “At a Title X clinic, I worked closely with a young mother who had recently given birth and had found herself unexpectedly pregnant again. Through tears, she shared her fears, how would she afford her diapers, food, child care, and housing for her growing family. Unfortunately her story is not unique. Nearly half of all pregnancies in Virginia are unintended. The ability to decide if and when to grow a family is essential to the health and stability of individuals and communities.”

“I have two sons who are now 19 and 23 years old. But I am very aware of the fact that had I not had access to contraception after they were born, I might not have been around to raise them,” said Sarah Goodman of Roanoke, who serves as Red, Wine & Blue’s southwest regional organizer. “My pregnancies were both very difficult, both ended in emergency Caesarean sections. And after my last pregnancy, my doctor came up to me — it was a very traumatic experience for everyone in that operating room — and she said ‘Sarah, 100 years ago you would have been one of those women who died in childbirth, and I cannot recommend that you ever undertake another pregnancy. It’s just too risky for you.’ And that was so sobering to me. Here I am holding my newborn son and my toddler is looking on, and I’m thinking ‘wow, it is absolutely pivotal that I have access to birth control so that I can be here and show up for my own children.’”

Contraception champions Senator Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax), Senator Kannan Srinivasan (D-Loudoun) and Delegate Holly Seibold (D-Fairfax) stood in support at the press conference.

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Americans for Contraception is a leading advocacy organization committed to protecting and expanding the fundamental right to contraception nationwide.

Saturday News: “‘In a real sense, US democracy has died’: how Trump is emulating Hungary’s Orbán”; “19 states sue Trump, Treasury to halt DOGE access”; “Is Donald Trump Afraid of Elon Musk?”; “Trump revokes Biden’s security clearance,” Names Himself Kennedy Center Chair

By
lowkell
-
19

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, February 8. Continued crazy times in America…not sure where it’s heading, exactly, but doesn’t seem good at all if you like things such as democracy, rule of law, protection of human rights, a professional civil service, etc.

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