Imho, this is extremely concerning (gift link below):
DOJ HITS STATES with BROAD REQUESTS for VOTER ROLLS & ELECTION DATA
"The Trump administration and its allies have launched a multipronged effort to gather data on voters and inspect voting equipment, sparking concern among local and state election officials about federal interference ahead of the 2026 midterms.
"The most unusual activity is happening in Colorado — a state that then-candidate Donald Trump lost by 11 points — where a well-connected consultant who says he is working with the White House is asking county clerks whether they will allow the federal government or a third party to physically examine their election equipment. Federal agencies have long offered technical assistance and cybersecurity advice to election officials but have not examined their equipment because election laws tightly limit who has access.
"Separately, the Justice Department has taken the unusual step of asking at least nine states for copies of their voter rolls, and at least two have turned them over, according to state officials."
There is no doubt in my mind that the Trump regime will do everything it can to corrupt the 2026 election. Based on its utter depravity and immorality so far, we should expect anything.
polling all moves together. Yes if you read that polling memo I mentioned yesterday they are down in the competitive Congressional districts. Both in Civiqs I link to and here in GE Morris' site - https://www.gelliottmorris.com/p/data - you can see estimates of where his approval is in the states. I want to repeat - 55% disapproval got Biden knocked out of the Presidential race. Trump is there now.
I'm so old that I remember when a few missing minutes from an audio tape led to Nixon having to resign. Maybe we'll be treated to Pam Bondi trying to stretch from her desk to a computer with Adobe editing software on it. It's always the cover up that gets them.
I believe that one reason the Epstein issue is sticking with Trump's base is that a lot of them may have been becoming more and more disenchanted with some other aspects of his actions/failures. He hasn't brought peace to Ukraine on Day One. He's championed a law that will take away their ACA subsidies and Medicaid. He's jerking them around on tariffs as jobs get harder to find and costs go up. No matter what he says, gas isn't $1.98 at their pumps. But until now it's been apostasy to criticize him. Now, suddenly, it is OK to complain about him, or at least about his AG. I really think there's a huge opportunity for Dems to use this issue to reach a group of Trump voters.
I called Congressman Raskin to thank him for staying out in front of the Epstein issue. I thanked Senator Van Hollen for the same. I thanked Senator Alsobrooks for staying in front of the RFK issue. I'm writing postcards to Virginia voters today.
Raskin was very smart to try and force a debate on the release of the files. Now the R's are on record as blocking that, and, essentially, ignoring many of their constituents' wishes the files be released. So not only is 47 pissing them off, so are their congress critters. Looks like House DEMS will continue to keep this ugly no-win issue out into the open, making things very uncomfortable for R's who must choose between which door with a tiger behind it to open.
Learned today of the release of a Feb 25 letter from Bondi to Kash Patel (via a Freedom of Information - FoIA request) that she's indicating to him -- in writing -- that she's got a LOT of information on Epstein to share with him, including "lists" -- clients, flights, etc.) Loads of info...
Gerrymandering is not rigging the election. Folks need to calm down a bit on all this stuff. These are signs of desperation not strength. They know they are in trouble, and states and localities controlled by Dems are not going to roll over and play dead. Resist the pull to into despair and craziness about this stuff.
Senator Josh Hawley had every opportunity to find his spine and vote against Trump’s Big Ugly Bill. He failed to do so. And now he introduces a bill yesterday to roll back Medicaid cuts that he himself voted for??
This is performative and beyond pathetic!
The Big Ugly Bill isn’t just Trump’s. Democrats need a powerful information campaign to make American voters realize that *every" Republican senator and representative owns it!
Yes, Arctic Stones, we need that AND our own vision and goals, something positive, not just anti-Trump. We stand for values, ethics, competence, fact-based governance, science, etc; Let’s succinctly (so important, brief and in plain language) create a statement for all Americans, as Simon and all of us have discussed and begun to act on here. Then publicize it on every forum possible!
I finished my postcards to cards to Georgia, and then I wrote to Josh Hawley. Short note about the depth of the cruelty of the GOP. Burning food meant for the hungry, and cutting aid for the poor in this country. Jesus wept. The card I sent had a heart with swords piercing it.
Burning food for the poor is disgusting. Nothing to do with Jesus. This is just plain, old-fashioned human cruelty. How pathetic in inhumane. All that wealth and this is what they do? What a den of vipers.
New fiscal year budget will really tell exactly where all these congressional members stand and just in time for House Elections and many Senate races.
I would like to know which states have $1.99 gas. The reporters need to do their job and call him out on the blatant lies. I love the Unabomber thread. Another lie to get
You brush your teeth every day, right? It helps to prevent decay. Our country is experiencing rot and decay at the highest levels right now, and it’s overwhelming. We know that Superman is not coming and that we have to be our own cavalry, but how?! I’d like to suggest that we incorporate pro-democracy activities into our daily lives not only to prevent further rot, but also to rid our country of the sadistic and fascistic leaders currently in charge.
“But what can I do?” you might ask yourself. The best thing you can do is the thing that you will do. We don’t know what’s going to stick, but if all of us consciously add just one thing to our lives every day to promote and protect democracy, we will succeed – and we’ll feel less anxious and more hopeful as a result.
Here is a brief list of actions you can take. Do what works for you! But please forward this email (or your version of it) to your pro-democracy friends to spread the message.
Speak up: Contact your members of Congress; talk to MAGA friends (but don’t shame them – people who leave cults say they did so because someone was kind to them); write postcards for a candidate; canvass or phone bank; talk to people who tune out the news about what is actually happening; use social media to promote what matters to you; tell the stories of immigrants you know to counter the narrative that they are criminals.
Show up: Attend a rally, Tesla takedown, or local event; attend a concert or art show, buy a book from a favorite author – the arts do a lot to promote democracy; host a pro-democracy potluck to connect with friends and discuss ideas; picket with neighbors at an intersection near your house; shop locally.
Join up: Join a local pro-democracy group; get involved in local politics on an issue that matters to you; join online groups that give you ideas.
Wise up: Educate yourself by subscribing to your local newspaper and independent journalism (my favorite site is Hopium Chronicles).
Pony up: Donate to a candidate, your state Democratic party, or an organization that promotes an issue you support; donate your time and talents to organizations that are working to promote democracy in your area or nationally; sign the Bethesda Declaration to support scientific research; support immigrants and refugees.
Happy to chat if you want to get in touch. Thanks, proud patriot!
This resonates with the message at our Democratic group's meeting last night. The president of the club said the newsletter lists ALL the things we are involved in. It is a buffet. You aren't expected to do everything on the list. Pick the parts you feel comfortable doing. I liked that message a lot.
“Show us all the Epstein client list now!!! Why would anyone protect those scum bags? (sic) Ask yourselves this question daily and the answer becomes very apparent!!”
Yesterday, premier MAGA noisemaker Marjorie Taylor Greene, and every other Republican in the House, voted to BLOCK the release of the Epstein Files. How repulsively sycophantic and telling!
There are some MAGA types now advocating that Ghislaine Maxwell be released and suggesting that she was framed. But other MAGAs are having none of it and are demanding for the release of all the information Kash Patel has. It will be interesting to see which narrative sticks.
in the first six months: the courts have clapped back* musk/47 public feud* polls indicate big trouble* some maga splits, like epstein* NATO still there* Ukraine still fighting * national guard withdrawn from LA* signal fiasco* tariff meglomaniac see saw* hawley bill to claw back medicaid cut* republicans reintroduce the "Dignity" bill for comprehensive immigration* protests everywhere all the time * PEPFAR saved* some dem electeds really standing up now. on the other hand: SCOTUS awol* MSM awol* murder bill passed* DOJ now political arm of White House* 47 made billions* NOAA, national weather service, FEMA threatened* incompetents and loyalists run the govt* national security apparatus ruined*science & research gutted* universities & law firms at peril* putin still in play* gaza genocide continues. so a mixed bag for us. but on jan 20th we had no idea how this would play out. we just knew it would be bad. really bad. so some wins along the way! we're still here even tho they have all three branches of govt. where there are cracks, the light gets thru! onward & upward!
Called my MOCs to urge continued and stronger pushback against ICE. Writing postcards for VA. Making my sign for Good Trouble tomorrow. I submitted my resolution of condementatio and expect it to get its first committee hearing in early August.
I would love your thoughts Simon on what "stupid" thing Trump could do because he feels boxed into a corner. I know lots of politicians will assert their power and do something that could be really harmful.
I have been tracking 28 grocery items weekly since 1/19. The only week prices (the cumulative total of the list) went down was 1/26 (-3.30). Since then prices have gone up and up, first marginally, now in greater amounts every week. The first 19 weeks, the average increase was $2.96/wk. The last 8 weeks the high was $11 the low $2.20 (with $2 in coupons and several significant "loss leaders"). The store is in my neighborhood, it is a smallish chain. Store brands, same products week to week. The 8 week average increase in the most recent months is $7.49.
Thanks for this update. Are you the person who announced they were going to do this in the Hopium comment section? I have thought about this project several times over the last six months and wondered how it was playing out. So, thanks a lot for doing this and sharing your info.
Self report: I have begun a daily call in to my reps opposing ICE. Last week I attended my first local Indivisible meeting. I’ve also revamped my Substack to focus on inclusion fiction stories and am pushing myself to keep at this so I can put out there examples of how things can be better.
Adelita Grijalva won 62% of the vote in a 5 candidate primary yesterday. Adelita shares her father’s (Raul Grijalva) values, dedication to the environment, education (Adelita served 20 years on school board for the largest school district in AZ) immigrant rights and demonstrated excellent leadership as member and Chair of Pima County’s Board of Supervisors. Adelita is the hardest working elected official in Southern Arizona. She’s pragmatic and focused on getting results. Adelita be an outstanding member of Congress when she takes her seat after the September general election.
I love the “Trump Tax” phrase to describe tariffs.
I have also seen the idea of a long all of the fallout from the BBB (e.g, increased premiums, eliminated medical research, etc., etc.) “Trump-care.”
The dude loves branding and throwing his name around, so this works nicely!
Imho, this is extremely concerning (gift link below):
DOJ HITS STATES with BROAD REQUESTS for VOTER ROLLS & ELECTION DATA
"The Trump administration and its allies have launched a multipronged effort to gather data on voters and inspect voting equipment, sparking concern among local and state election officials about federal interference ahead of the 2026 midterms.
"The most unusual activity is happening in Colorado — a state that then-candidate Donald Trump lost by 11 points — where a well-connected consultant who says he is working with the White House is asking county clerks whether they will allow the federal government or a third party to physically examine their election equipment. Federal agencies have long offered technical assistance and cybersecurity advice to election officials but have not examined their equipment because election laws tightly limit who has access.
"Separately, the Justice Department has taken the unusual step of asking at least nine states for copies of their voter rolls, and at least two have turned them over, according to state officials."
https://wapo.st/3IvgS0s
See Simon’s comment on my comment below about this
I saw. Not quite the same thing. WaPo’s article is descriptive and level-headed.
There is no doubt in my mind that the Trump regime will do everything it can to corrupt the 2026 election. Based on its utter depravity and immorality so far, we should expect anything.
The national polling is encouraging. Are there polls in red states or congressional districts? Is Trump’s support weakening there?
polling all moves together. Yes if you read that polling memo I mentioned yesterday they are down in the competitive Congressional districts. Both in Civiqs I link to and here in GE Morris' site - https://www.gelliottmorris.com/p/data - you can see estimates of where his approval is in the states. I want to repeat - 55% disapproval got Biden knocked out of the Presidential race. Trump is there now.
Loved what I saw in Texas, Florida, Iowa and Ohio. It looks like they could be on the cusp of flipping.
Thanks for the updates, Simon.
I'm so old that I remember when a few missing minutes from an audio tape led to Nixon having to resign. Maybe we'll be treated to Pam Bondi trying to stretch from her desk to a computer with Adobe editing software on it. It's always the cover up that gets them.
I believe that one reason the Epstein issue is sticking with Trump's base is that a lot of them may have been becoming more and more disenchanted with some other aspects of his actions/failures. He hasn't brought peace to Ukraine on Day One. He's championed a law that will take away their ACA subsidies and Medicaid. He's jerking them around on tariffs as jobs get harder to find and costs go up. No matter what he says, gas isn't $1.98 at their pumps. But until now it's been apostasy to criticize him. Now, suddenly, it is OK to complain about him, or at least about his AG. I really think there's a huge opportunity for Dems to use this issue to reach a group of Trump voters.
I called Congressman Raskin to thank him for staying out in front of the Epstein issue. I thanked Senator Van Hollen for the same. I thanked Senator Alsobrooks for staying in front of the RFK issue. I'm writing postcards to Virginia voters today.
I can't attend a protest tomorrow, so I'll be writing postcards for Virginia as well.
Raskin was very smart to try and force a debate on the release of the files. Now the R's are on record as blocking that, and, essentially, ignoring many of their constituents' wishes the files be released. So not only is 47 pissing them off, so are their congress critters. Looks like House DEMS will continue to keep this ugly no-win issue out into the open, making things very uncomfortable for R's who must choose between which door with a tiger behind it to open.
Learned today of the release of a Feb 25 letter from Bondi to Kash Patel (via a Freedom of Information - FoIA request) that she's indicating to him -- in writing -- that she's got a LOT of information on Epstein to share with him, including "lists" -- clients, flights, etc.) Loads of info...
Trump is trying to rig the 2026 elections, including gerrymandering seats in Texas and today demanding to see voter data. How do we combat this?
https://open.substack.com/pub/aaronparnas/p/news-trump-administration-demands?r=4o8dwj&utm_medium=ios
Gerrymandering is not rigging the election. Folks need to calm down a bit on all this stuff. These are signs of desperation not strength. They know they are in trouble, and states and localities controlled by Dems are not going to roll over and play dead. Resist the pull to into despair and craziness about this stuff.
Thanks, Simon
Agreed. I loved Gavin Newsom’s response to Greg Abbott.
Then what is gerrymandering? Please explain.
WHERE IS JOSH HAWLEY’s SPINE?
Senator Josh Hawley had every opportunity to find his spine and vote against Trump’s Big Ugly Bill. He failed to do so. And now he introduces a bill yesterday to roll back Medicaid cuts that he himself voted for??
This is performative and beyond pathetic!
The Big Ugly Bill isn’t just Trump’s. Democrats need a powerful information campaign to make American voters realize that *every" Republican senator and representative owns it!
Yes, Arctic Stones, we need that AND our own vision and goals, something positive, not just anti-Trump. We stand for values, ethics, competence, fact-based governance, science, etc; Let’s succinctly (so important, brief and in plain language) create a statement for all Americans, as Simon and all of us have discussed and begun to act on here. Then publicize it on every forum possible!
He torched his spine at the capitol on Jan 6, 2021.
I finished my postcards to cards to Georgia, and then I wrote to Josh Hawley. Short note about the depth of the cruelty of the GOP. Burning food meant for the hungry, and cutting aid for the poor in this country. Jesus wept. The card I sent had a heart with swords piercing it.
Burning food for the poor is disgusting. Nothing to do with Jesus. This is just plain, old-fashioned human cruelty. How pathetic in inhumane. All that wealth and this is what they do? What a den of vipers.
New fiscal year budget will really tell exactly where all these congressional members stand and just in time for House Elections and many Senate races.
They have already shown us. Now we need to tell voters, loudly and clearly.
I would like to know which states have $1.99 gas. The reporters need to do their job and call him out on the blatant lies. I love the Unabomber thread. Another lie to get
This is the letter that I am emailing out to my left-leaning friends. Please feel free to copy and send it to your contacts or to use it as a template. I have links in my letter, but they didn't copy over into the chat. You can see the letter here (complete with links): https://docs.google.com/document/d/17jV3nBeXLq8Z0LGuXn4C887pEWlnpPrpwORz2I4TFgw/edit?usp=sharing
Dear pro-democracy friend,
You brush your teeth every day, right? It helps to prevent decay. Our country is experiencing rot and decay at the highest levels right now, and it’s overwhelming. We know that Superman is not coming and that we have to be our own cavalry, but how?! I’d like to suggest that we incorporate pro-democracy activities into our daily lives not only to prevent further rot, but also to rid our country of the sadistic and fascistic leaders currently in charge.
“But what can I do?” you might ask yourself. The best thing you can do is the thing that you will do. We don’t know what’s going to stick, but if all of us consciously add just one thing to our lives every day to promote and protect democracy, we will succeed – and we’ll feel less anxious and more hopeful as a result.
Here is a brief list of actions you can take. Do what works for you! But please forward this email (or your version of it) to your pro-democracy friends to spread the message.
Speak up: Contact your members of Congress; talk to MAGA friends (but don’t shame them – people who leave cults say they did so because someone was kind to them); write postcards for a candidate; canvass or phone bank; talk to people who tune out the news about what is actually happening; use social media to promote what matters to you; tell the stories of immigrants you know to counter the narrative that they are criminals.
Show up: Attend a rally, Tesla takedown, or local event; attend a concert or art show, buy a book from a favorite author – the arts do a lot to promote democracy; host a pro-democracy potluck to connect with friends and discuss ideas; picket with neighbors at an intersection near your house; shop locally.
Join up: Join a local pro-democracy group; get involved in local politics on an issue that matters to you; join online groups that give you ideas.
Wise up: Educate yourself by subscribing to your local newspaper and independent journalism (my favorite site is Hopium Chronicles).
Pony up: Donate to a candidate, your state Democratic party, or an organization that promotes an issue you support; donate your time and talents to organizations that are working to promote democracy in your area or nationally; sign the Bethesda Declaration to support scientific research; support immigrants and refugees.
Happy to chat if you want to get in touch. Thanks, proud patriot!
Elizabeth
Great letter! Sending it to friends
This resonates with the message at our Democratic group's meeting last night. The president of the club said the newsletter lists ALL the things we are involved in. It is a buffet. You aren't expected to do everything on the list. Pick the parts you feel comfortable doing. I liked that message a lot.
“Show us all the Epstein client list now!!! Why would anyone protect those scum bags? (sic) Ask yourselves this question daily and the answer becomes very apparent!!”
– Donald J. Trump, July 8, 2023
Yesterday, premier MAGA noisemaker Marjorie Taylor Greene, and every other Republican in the House, voted to BLOCK the release of the Epstein Files. How repulsively sycophantic and telling!
There are some MAGA types now advocating that Ghislaine Maxwell be released and suggesting that she was framed. But other MAGAs are having none of it and are demanding for the release of all the information Kash Patel has. It will be interesting to see which narrative sticks.
in the first six months: the courts have clapped back* musk/47 public feud* polls indicate big trouble* some maga splits, like epstein* NATO still there* Ukraine still fighting * national guard withdrawn from LA* signal fiasco* tariff meglomaniac see saw* hawley bill to claw back medicaid cut* republicans reintroduce the "Dignity" bill for comprehensive immigration* protests everywhere all the time * PEPFAR saved* some dem electeds really standing up now. on the other hand: SCOTUS awol* MSM awol* murder bill passed* DOJ now political arm of White House* 47 made billions* NOAA, national weather service, FEMA threatened* incompetents and loyalists run the govt* national security apparatus ruined*science & research gutted* universities & law firms at peril* putin still in play* gaza genocide continues. so a mixed bag for us. but on jan 20th we had no idea how this would play out. we just knew it would be bad. really bad. so some wins along the way! we're still here even tho they have all three branches of govt. where there are cracks, the light gets thru! onward & upward!
I love your list, and am going to copy it!
Called my MOCs to urge continued and stronger pushback against ICE. Writing postcards for VA. Making my sign for Good Trouble tomorrow. I submitted my resolution of condementatio and expect it to get its first committee hearing in early August.
I would love your thoughts Simon on what "stupid" thing Trump could do because he feels boxed into a corner. I know lots of politicians will assert their power and do something that could be really harmful.
Thanks for sharing the great new resource from Democratic Party www.trumptax.com with its excellent drop-down menu showing the impact on each state.
I have been tracking 28 grocery items weekly since 1/19. The only week prices (the cumulative total of the list) went down was 1/26 (-3.30). Since then prices have gone up and up, first marginally, now in greater amounts every week. The first 19 weeks, the average increase was $2.96/wk. The last 8 weeks the high was $11 the low $2.20 (with $2 in coupons and several significant "loss leaders"). The store is in my neighborhood, it is a smallish chain. Store brands, same products week to week. The 8 week average increase in the most recent months is $7.49.
Thanks for this update. Are you the person who announced they were going to do this in the Hopium comment section? I have thought about this project several times over the last six months and wondered how it was playing out. So, thanks a lot for doing this and sharing your info.
Self report: I have begun a daily call in to my reps opposing ICE. Last week I attended my first local Indivisible meeting. I’ve also revamped my Substack to focus on inclusion fiction stories and am pushing myself to keep at this so I can put out there examples of how things can be better.
It's such important work to create and share visions of better days to come. I do this too, in my podcast. Keep it up!!
Adelita Grijalva won 62% of the vote in a 5 candidate primary yesterday. Adelita shares her father’s (Raul Grijalva) values, dedication to the environment, education (Adelita served 20 years on school board for the largest school district in AZ) immigrant rights and demonstrated excellent leadership as member and Chair of Pima County’s Board of Supervisors. Adelita is the hardest working elected official in Southern Arizona. She’s pragmatic and focused on getting results. Adelita be an outstanding member of Congress when she takes her seat after the September general election.
I know. I was SO excited about her win! I will be more than glad to phone bank for her!
Thank you !
Congratulations to Adelita. (I was incredibly impressed with Deja Foxx.)