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Following Deadly DCA Collision, Virginia & Maryland Lawmakers Request Answers From FAA

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Blue Virginia
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0

From Sen. Mark Warner’s office:

FOLLOWING DEADLY DCA COLLISION, VIRGINIA & MARYLAND LAWMAKERS REQUEST ANSWERS FROM FAA

~ As DOGE continues to meddle in government operations, letter warns against hasty changes to nation’s air traffic systems by inexperienced & partisan individuals ~ 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), along with U.S. Reps. Don Beyer, Gerald Connolly, Suhas Subramanyam (all D-VA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today requested answers and commitments from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on its plans to protect the flying public in the wake of the January 29 collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines airplane. In the letter, the lawmakers applauded the precautionary safety measures put in place by the FAA, as well as the agency’s collaboration with the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) investigation into the causes and factors behind the collision. They also stressed the need to carefully review existing protocols to ensure that flight operations do not simply return to business as usual.

The lawmakers also expressed serious concern with potential interference with the FAA by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has caused mayhem across the government, from attempting to push out nonpartisan civil servants, to reportedly accessing the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, as well as systems at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

“While we applaud FAA for early actions taken to bolster safety, recent actions indicate that your agency is inviting inexperienced individuals with intense partisan leanings into a process that should be objective and expert driven,” wrote the lawmakers, citing an Elon Musk tweet. “We are extremely concerned that an ad hoc team of individuals lacking any expertise, exposure, certifications, or knowledge of aviation operations being invited, or inserting themselves, to make ‘rapid’ changes to our nation’s air traffic systems. This the wrong course of action to take.”

They continued, “We want the safest skies in the world, and any efforts to weaken standards will not be tolerated. Aviation safety is not an area to “move fast and break things”. Proven, methodical, and deliberate action is what is called for when any changes are considered to safety. We express in the strongest possible terms our alarm at allowing Musk’s cadre of unvetted, untrained, and unaccountable individuals the ability to make changes to complicated and sensitive FAA policies at a time when serious and knowledgeable people should be in charge.”

Stressing the need to prioritize safety and to base any future measures on the knowledge of aviation experts, the lawmakers requested answers to the following questions: 

1.       The FAA’s current restrictions on helicopter flights at National Airport are tied to the release of NTSB’s preliminary report. What factors will FAA consider as it reassesses the need for extending or modifying the restrictions? Please provide details on, and documentation sufficient to substantiate, additional safety measures that are being contemplated and/or will be proposed to deconflict or otherwise improve safety in the air space over National Airport.

2.       As you assess the need for additional measures, will you commit to consulting recognized aviation experts – both in and out of the federal government – to identify requirements or operational changes for civil and military aviation in the National Capital Region?

3.       On February 4, less than one week from the incident, reports emerged that FAA directed its personnel to cease participating in Federal advisory or aviation rulemaking committees. Were FAA personnel directed to cease participating in these committees?

  •  If true, please describe the rationale for such a decision and provide documentation sufficient to substantiate any directives received from other Federal government officials, other individuals acting under the direction of the President, or who are otherwise asserting a legal authority to direct or influence decision-making at the FAA.

4.       On February 5, 2025, Elon Musk and Secretary Duffy each announced that DOGE would “upgrade our aviation system”.

  • Were you informed of this decision in advance of either social media posting?
  • What engagement have you had with DOGE at this time?
  • What engagement has been discussed or is planned for the future?
  • Do you have knowledge of what comprises the “rapid safety upgrades” Musk tweeted about?
  • Do you commit to timely report to Congress any actions that the FAA is directed to undertake at the direction of the President, DOGE, or by the Office of the Secretary of Transportation regarding any aspect of aviation safety?
  • Do you commit to providing the public with details about what recommendations DOGE staff and representatives provide to you in relation to aviation safety? Will you notify Congress if you elect to follow through on any recommendations provided to you by DOGE staff and representatives?
  • In your prior experience at FAA, has any special government employee been directed or otherwise empowered to influence FAA officials on safety decisions?

5.       Will you commit the full cooperation and support of the FAA to the NTSB investigation and to swiftly implement its recommendations?

6.       Will you commit to examining the communication processes and protocols between FAA, the U.S. Department of Defense, and other stakeholders that are used during aviation operations in and around National Airport and the National Capital Region?

7.       Will you commit to working with the U.S. Department of Defense to evaluate training protocols for required missions in the National Capital Region, particularly those around National Airport and during high-traffic periods, and enact any modifications needed to reduce risk?

8.       Will you commit to briefing us on the implementation of changes to the slot (i.e., high density) rule included in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, given that the first of the routes authorized under that legislation will become operational this week? 

A copy of the letter is available here and below.

Chris Rocheleau
Acting Administrator
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20591

Dear Mr. Rocheleau:  

In the aftermath of the January 29, 2025 mid-air collision between a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) RJ Aviation (Bombardier) CRJ700 and a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (“National Airport”), we write to request information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on plans to protect the public during the investigations and once the investigations are complete. As the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the causes and factors behind the collision is carried out, the FAA should identify and implement immediate steps to improve safety for aviation industry personnel, the flying public, and the communities that surround National Airport. 

As we mourn the victims of this tragedy, we must work together to ensure that collisions like this one do not happen again in honor of the memory of those lost. We applaud the FAA’s decision to restrict helicopter traffic near National Airport until the NTSB preliminary report is released and to pause of the use of two of the smaller runways at the airport. Your collaboration thus far with the NTSB as it carries out an independent, fact-based, and thorough investigation into this incident is appreciated. While the NTSB works to complete their investigation, it is crucial that we thoroughly review and scrutinize the protocols that govern flight operations near the airspace over National Airport, and ensure that we are not simply restarting “normal” operations. This is of further importance in light of the FAA’s steps to ensure airspace safety after Congress’s decision last year to add additional traffic to this airspace. 

While we applaud FAA for early actions taken to bolster safety, recent actions indicate that your agency is inviting inexperienced individuals with intense partisan leanings into a process that should be objective and expert driven. On February 5, 2025, Elon Musk announced via X (formerly known as Twitter) that “With the support of President @realDonaldTrump, the @DOGE team will aim to make rapid safety upgrades to the air traffic control system. Just a few days ago, the FAA’s primary aircraft safety notification system failed for several hours!” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, also on X, stated “Big News – Talked to the DOGE team. They are going to plug in to help upgrade our aviation system.” 

We are extremely concerned that an ad hoc team of individuals lacking any expertise, exposure, certifications, or knowledge of aviation operations being invited, or inserting themselves, to make “rapid” changes to our nation’s air traffic systems. This the wrong course of action to take.  

We want the safest skies in the world, and any efforts to weaken standards will not be tolerated. Aviation safety is not an area to “move fast and break things”. Proven, methodical, and deliberate action is what is called for when any changes are considered to safety. We express in the strongest possible terms our alarm at allowing Musk’s cadre of unvetted, untrained, and unaccountable individuals the ability to make changes to complicated and sensitive FAA policies at a time when serious and knowledgeable people should be in charge. 

Safety must not be compromised, and FAA’s actions must be based on knowledgeable and accountable experts. Given our shared goal of promoting safety along with our expressed concerns about how DOGE’s involvement could jeopardize that safety, we request your attention and response to the following questions:

9.       The FAA’s current restrictions on helicopter flights at National Airport are tied to the release of NTSB’s preliminary report. What factors will FAA consider as it reassesses the need for extending or modifying the restrictions? Please provide details on, and documentation sufficient to substantiate, additional safety measures that are being contemplated and/or will be proposed to deconflict or otherwise improve safety in the air space over National Airport.

10.   As you assess the need for additional measures, will you commit to consulting recognized aviation experts – both in and out of the federal government – to identify requirements or operational changes for civil and military aviation in the National Capital Region? 

11.   On February 4, less than one week from the incident, reports emerged that FAA directed its personnel to cease participating in Federal advisory or aviation rulemaking committees. Were FAA personnel directed to cease participating in these committees?

1.       If true, please describe the rationale for such a decision and provide documentation sufficient to substantiate any directives received from other Federal government officials, other individuals acting under the direction of the President, or who are otherwise asserting a legal authority to direct or influence decision-making at the FAA. 

12.   On February 5, 2025, Elon Musk and Secretary Duffy each announced that DOGE would “upgrade our aviation system”.

1.       Were you informed of this decision in advance of either social media posting?

2.       What engagement have you had with DOGE at this time?

3.       What engagement has been discussed or is planned for the future?

4.       Do you have knowledge of what comprises the “rapid safety upgrades” Musk tweeted about?

5.       Do you commit to timely report to Congress any actions that the FAA is directed to undertake at the direction of the President, DOGE, or by the Office of the Secretary of Transportation regarding any aspect of aviation safety?

6.       Do you commit to providing the public with details about what recommendations DOGE staff and representatives provide to you in relation to aviation safety? Will you notify Congress if you elect to follow through on any recommendations provided to you by DOGE staff and representatives?

7.       In your prior experience at FAA, has any special government employee been directed or otherwise empowered to influence FAA officials on safety decisions? 

13.   Will you commit the full cooperation and support of the FAA to the NTSB investigation and to swiftly implement its recommendations? 

14.   Will you commit to examining the communication processes and protocols between FAA, the U.S. Department of Defense, and other stakeholders that are used during aviation operations in and around National Airport and the National Capital Region? 

15.   Will you commit to working with the U.S. Department of Defense to evaluate training protocols for required missions in the National Capital Region, particularly those around National Airport and during high-traffic periods, and enact any modifications needed to reduce risk? 

16.   Will you commit to briefing us on the implementation of changes to the slot (i.e., high density) rule included in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, given that the first of the routes authorized under that legislation will become operational this week? 

In addition to the above questions, we request that you provide us with a briefing on FAA’s implementation of critical aviation safety and air traffic controller tower staffing provisions in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act and on the implementation of Section of 502 of that Act. 

We look forward to your swift response and to working together for the best interests of the public, the National Capital Region, and the United States of America. 

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Tuesday News: “Hell’s already broken loose” in Gaza; Trump “threatens rule of law”; “Most Corrupt Start in History”; “Trump’s Slash-and-Burn Second Term”; “Constitutional crisis looms”; “The power of mass protests, strikes, stoppages, and boycotts”

By
lowkell
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14

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, February 11. This morning, Robert Hubbell argues, ” Defenders of the rule of law are on a judicial winning streak. At the same time, it appears unclear whether Trump and Musk are complying with existing orders compelling them to cease their unlawful behavior…I believe those around Trump understand the consequences of “crossing the Rubicon” of disregarding court orders. But if it does get that far, I feel pretty good about the prospects of the American people in a political tug of war with Trump and Musk.” And Hubbell strongly recommends, “The power of mass protests, strikes, stoppages, and boycotts will be particularly potent in America. The US is the largest economy in the world because its markets are stable, its political climate is (relatively) corruption-free, and the rule of law is enforced.” So keep that in mind as you read the following, mostly disturbing, news…

Video: Ahead of Key Vote, Sen. Mark Warner Speaks on the Senate Floor to Oppose Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence

By
Blue Virginia
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5

From Sen. Mark Warner’s office:

AHEAD OF KEY VOTE, WARNER SPEAKS ON THE SENATE FLOOR TO OPPOSE TULSI GABBARD FOR DNI

WASHINGTON – Vice Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today spoke on the Senate floor about his opposition to the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence ahead of a key procedural vote.

“We need leaders in the Intelligence Community and throughout government who are prepared to stand up to short-sighted attempts to attack our workforce at the expense of our national security. Unfortunately, I do not believe Ms. Gabbard is such a leader. Nor is she well-suited, by dint of experience or judgment, to serve as Director of National Intelligence,” said Sen. Warner. 

For weeks, Sen. Warner has been raising the alarm about Gabbard’s lack of qualifications for the position. You can view her full hearing in front of the Intelligence Committee here.  

Sen. Warner’s full remarks as prepared are below:

“I rise in opposition to the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence… because nothing less than our national security is currently on the line. 

Now, I’m going to start by saying that I have nothing but respect for Ms. Gabbard’s many years of service to our nation… both in uniform, and as the former representative for Hawaii.  

I do not question Ms. Gabbard’s patriotism… I oppose her nomination because I question her judgment. 

Many may not understand the important role of the Director of National Intelligence… 

If confirmed, Ms. Gabbard will lead the 18 agencies of the Intelligence Community. She will also serve as the Principal Advisor to the President… the National Security Council… and the Homeland Security Council for all intelligence matters related to national security. And she will be responsible for over $100 billion between the National Intelligence Program and the Military Intelligence Program. 

The stakes here have become all the more critical in recent days. 

Just in the past couple of weeks, President Trump has issued several directives that could irreparably harm our intelligence efforts and our nation’s ability to defend itself against the many threats we face. 

At the FBI, some of our most experienced agents… who have protected us for decades from terrorists, drug traffickers, spies, and violent criminals… have been unceremoniously fired. 

Thousands more have reason to fear they may be next, based on the vindictive list apparently being assembled of every FBI official who was involved in investigations into the Capitol riot on January 6. 

Across the IC…including the CIA, DIA, NSA, NRO and NGA…intelligence officers and analysts with irreplaceable skills are indiscriminately being pressured to resign or retire…And reportedly, senior law enforcement and national security officials are being asked to take political litmus tests, such as whether the 2020 Presidential Election was “stolen,” and whether the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol was a “inside job.” 

Across the government, whole agencies are being eliminated and funding impounded in flagrant defiance of the Constitution and the law… while unvetted, unqualified “DOGE bros” – one who formerly worked for a Russian hacker group and was fired for leaking sensitive company secrets to a competitor … and yet another who proudly declared himself a “racist” and said he would not mind if, quote, “Gaza and Israel were both wiped off the face of the Earth” – illegally burrow into classified and other sensitive information… jeopardizing our national security and violating Americans’ privacy.  

To take just one recent example of what is at stake here: last week, the CIA apparently sent an email – using an unclassified system – to the White House listing the names of all recently hired employees… evidently in an attempt to comply with an executive order to reduce the size of the workforce… no matter how badly their skills might be needed. 

I shouldn’t need to explain to any member of this body the counterintelligence risks associated with exposing these officers’ identities to our adversaries. 

And I know that many of my Republican colleagues profess to take the use of unclassified servers very seriously indeed. 

Beyond the counterintelligence risk of foolishly exposing these officers’ names using channels known to be targeted by foreign hackers… this careless effort to identify and potentially dismiss recently recruited and trained CIA officers also imperils longstanding, bipartisan efforts by the Senate Intelligence Committee to modernize and streamline the Agency’s hiring process… and help CIA recruit and retain the talented young officers it needs to confront the growing national security threat posed by the People’s Republic of China.   

We need leaders in the Intelligence Community and throughout government, who are prepared to stand up to these short-sighted attempts to attack our workforce at the expense of our national security. 

Unfortunately, I do not believe Ms. Gabbard is such a leader. 

Nor is she well-suited, by dint of experience or judgment, to serve as Director of National Intelligence. 

The DNI is a position of great importance and significance to our national security… created after one of the worst security failures in our nation’s history… 9/11. 

For that reason, when Congress established the position… thanks in large part to the work of my good friend, Susan Collins… it mandated in law that any individual nominated for the position must have, and I quote, “extensive national security expertise.”  

As I noted previously, the DNI was created in part to fill an intelligence sharing gap identified by the 9/11 Commission. 

That mission – to share intelligence not only between all U.S. departments and agencies, but also with our allies – is predicated on trust… trust that we and our allies will protect each other’s secrets. 

Yet repeatedly, Ms. Gabbard has excused our adversaries’ worst actions… and instead blamed the United States and our allies for them. 

For example, she blamed NATO for Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. 

And despite the unanimous assessment of the Trump Administration DOD, State Department, and IC… she rejected the conclusion that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against his own people.  

Now I don’t know if her intent in making those statements was to defend those dictators… or if she was simply unaware of the intelligence and how her statements would be perceived. 

In either case, it calls into question her judgment… and if she has what it takes to build and develop the trust relationships necessary to give our allies confidence that they can share their most sensitive intelligence with us.  

Make no mistake about it… if our allies stop sharing that intelligence, we will all be less safe. To offer just one example, last summer, intelligence sharing between the United States and Austria saved countless lives by disrupting a terrorist attack at a Taylor Swift concert… underscoring the importance of these relationships. 

Ms. Gabbard has also been publicly outspoken in her praise and defense of Edward Snowden… someone who betrayed the trust and jeopardized the security of our Nation. The vast majority of the information he stole and leaked – before running off to hide in China and Russia, might I add – had nothing to do with Americans’ privacy… and compromised our nation’s most sensitive collection sources and methods.  

In many ways we are still paying a price for Snowden’s betrayal… and it is beyond dispute that his actions put our men and women in uniform in places like Iraq and Afghanistan at risk. 

Yet, Ms. Gabbard has celebrated Snowden as a, quote, “brave whistleblower” and advocated for his pardon. 

This is someone the Chairman of the Intelligence Committee called a “traitor” who should, quote, “rot in jail for the rest of his life.” 

When given the repeated opportunity in her confirmation hearing to agree with our esteemed Chairman in that assessment, she repeatedly declined.  

Instead, she said, and I quote, “The DNI… has no role in determining whether or not Edward Snowden is a lawful whistleblower.” 

Not only does she seem to believe that someone who divulged sensitive national secrets to Russia and China should be celebrated as “brave”… and not denounced as a “traitor”… she also does not seem to understand the DNI’s role in whistleblower determinations.  

In fact, the DNI has a significant role in transmitting lawful whistleblower complaints to the intelligence committees. It would be irresponsible to confirm someone who cannot distinguish between complaints that are made lawfully, and those that are not.   

Further, it is the statutory responsibility of the DNI to “protect intelligence sources and methods from unauthorized disclosure.” 

What message would it send to the intelligence workforce to have a DNI who would celebrate staff and contractors deciding to leak our Nation’s most sensitive secrets as they see fit? 

Now let me move to another issue of pressing relevance to this nomination: that is section 702 of FISA. 

It is hard to overstate the importance of this law. It is responsible for sixty percent of the intelligence in the President’s Daily Brief… and it has been instrumental in disrupting everything from terrorist attacks … to fentanyl trafficking… to foreign cyberattacks.   

Many in Congress have, at various points, supported reforms to 702 to better balance security and civil liberties. 

However, Ms. Gabbard has consistently gone further. 

Not only did she vote against reauthorizing 702… she introduced legislation to repeal the whole thing and called its very existence a, quote, “blatant disregard for our Fourth Amendment constitutional rights.” 

I understand that after she was nominated to be DNI she expressed a change of heart. That is welcome… but it is simply not credible.   Just last May she criticized the very reforms she now credits with changing her mind as having made the law, quote, “many, many times worse.”  

The DNI is responsible for making annual certifications under Section 702, without which all collection under the law will cease…  And the law itself is up for reauthorization in just over a year, a process typically led by the DNI.   I have no confidence in Ms. Gabbard’s commitment to either task.   

Nor is it the only issue where she has demonstrated poor judgment that should be disqualifying for the role. 

During an ill-advised trip to Syria and Lebanon in 2017, Ms. Gabbard exercised terrible judgment in electing to meet with Bashar al-Assad amid a conflict in which Assad was using sarin gas and other chemical weapons against his own people.   

On that same trip, she also met with Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun. 

Many Americans may not be familiar with Mr. Hassoun… but in 2011 he threatened to conduct suicide bomb attacks in the United States.  

At her confirmation hearing Ms. Gabbard claimed not to know about Hassoun’s past. 

But reporting following the hearing makes clear that her staff made her aware of that history at the time of her trip, in 2017… to say nothing of the fact that a simple Google search would have easily revealed his past. 

What does it say about her judgment and experience that she would willingly meet with someone who very publicly issued terrorist threats against the United States of America? 

Nor is it an isolated lapse… 

Just last summer she accepted a trip to Italy that was paid for by the foundation of Pierre Louvrier, a man with deep connections to sanctioned Russian oligarchs. 

And at her confirmation hearing she seemed unable to recognize why the national security interests of the United States might be better protected if TikTok… a social media app that reaches into the homes of millions of Americans… was under American ownership, rather than being subject to the control of the People’s Republic of China. 

The world today is more complex and more dangerous than ever before… and we need serious people with the experience,  expertise, and judgment to navigate that complexity. 

Ms. Gabbard is not such a nominee.  A vote in favor of her confirmation is an endorsement of President Trump’s lawless efforts to hollow out our national security workforce, and her confirmation will further strain the alliances that have kept our country safe for decades.   

Therefore, I urge my colleagues to oppose Ms. Gabbard’s nomination.

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.

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