Sign the petition: Release Trump's tax returns now

Democrats must release Trump's tax returns without delay Petition to Rep. Richard Neal, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means: "Obtain and release Donald Trump's tax returns without delay." Add your name: Dear Katy, Voters sent a Democratic House of Representative to Washington in part because of a promise to investigate and release Donald Trump's tax returns. But now, Rep. Richard Neal, new chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, is stalling. He has no immediate plans to request Trump's taxes, according to recent reports – giving Trump political cover and delaying what could be a long legal battle.1 Trump's taxes could be key to unveiling his web of corruption and the way wealthy elites dodge taxes, which is why Trump rejected tradition and refused to release them. It is up to us to make it clear to establishment Democrats that Americans are counting on them to investigate and oppose Donald Trump. Rep. Neal must immediately seek and release Trump's tax returns without any further delay. Tell House Democrats: Release Trump's tax returns without delay. Click here to sign the petition. Rep. Neal appears to be trying to pressure Trump to release his tax returns voluntarily, even though this strategy has not worked so far and Rep. Neal has the legal authority to take bolder steps. Chairs of congressional tax-writing committees have the authority to demand that the IRS provide them with tax returns.2 Every day that Rep. Neal waits delays the start of a long legal battle. It also feeds Trump's argument that Democrats are engaged in a witch hunt instead of engaging in routine oversight as allowed by law. Trump's tax returns could be key to exposing all sorts of potential corruption: Tax fraud. A breathtaking New York Times investigation found that the Trump family used shell companies, illegal markups and undervalued properties to transfer millions from Fred Trump to Donald and his other children. The reporting not only explodes the myth of Trump the self-made billionaire, but also specifies "instances of outright fraud."3 Compromising financial ties to Russian oligarchs or the super-rich in America. Without a look at his tax returns, the American public cannot know whether Trump's current debt or his previous business partnerships obligate him financially to Russian oligarchs aligned with Vladimir Putin. Trump's debt load increased from $350 to $630 million in 2016, when American banks were reluctant to extend Trump credit.4 In 2008, Trump's son is claimed to have said, "Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia."5 Profiting from the Trump Tax Scam and holding office. A government watchdog filed a lawsuit just days after the inauguration claiming that Trump is in violation of the Constitution because any payments to Trump from foreign entities violates the anti-bribery "emoluments" clause of the Constitution.6 It appears clear that Trump is using his position to enrich himself and his family. We cannot know the extent of Trump's corruption until we see his tax returns. Trump's tax returns could also contribute to policy goals by demonstrating how the ultra-wealthy routinely deceive the government and duck paying their fair share of taxes. But despite all this, Rep. Neal is playing into Trump's hands by delaying using his power to do what voters sent Democrats to do. Tell House Democrats: Release Trump's tax returns without delay. Click below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/neal_trump_taxes?t=7&akid=31090%2E12967895%2Ecc1c9Q Thank you for speaking out, Josh Nelson, Co-Director CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: Arthur Delaney and Paul Blumenthal, "House Democrats Not Rushing To Get Trump's Tax Returns," HuffPost, Jan. 3, 2019. Ibid. David Barstow, Susanne Craig and Ross Buettner, "Trump Engaged in Suspect Tax Schemes as He Reaped Riches From His Father," The New York Times, Oct. 2, 2018. Josh Marshall, "Trump & Putin. Yes, It's Really a Thing," Talking Points Memo, July 23, 2016. Tom Hamburger, Rosalind S. Helderman and Michael Birnbaum, "Inside Trump's financial ties to Russia and his unusual flattery of Vladimir Putin," The Washington Post, June 17, 2016. Kim Bellware, "President Trump Has Already Violated The Constitution, Lawsuit Claims," HuffPost, Jan. 23, 2017. Share on Facebook Post to your wall Tweet this Post to Twitter © 2019 CREDO. All rights reserved. This email was sent to katy63.kelso@blogger.com. To change your email or mailing address, please click here: https://act.credoaction.com/me/update/?t=20&akid=31090%2E12967895%2Ecc1c9Q To unsubscribe, please visit our subscription management page at: http://act.credoaction.com/cms/unsubscribe/unsubscribe/?t=22&akid=31090%2E12967895%2Ecc1c9Q

Signatures needed: Reauthorize VAWA

Signatures needed: Republicans just let the Violence Against Women Act expire The petition to Congress reads: "Reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act" Add your name: Dear Katy, Trump and Republicans are so desperate to advance their anti-immigrant agenda that they just let landmark legislation to prevent violence against women expire.1 Congress first passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994 and reauthorized it three times with bipartisan support. But Trump Republicans are not really interested in protecting women. Instead of passing legislation to fully fund VAWA, they keep passing short-term extensions as part of must-pass spending bills, which is why VAWA expired when they shut down the government over border wall funding. Stopping violence should be a priority for every member of Congress, not a partisan issue. Speak out now to demand that Congress restore VAWA immediately. The safety of survivors depends on it. Tell Congress: Reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. Click here to sign the petition. Since Congress first passed VAWA 24 years ago, the program has funded prevention programs like the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which has received more than 4 million calls since its launch, and hundreds of nonprofit organizations and social service programs that provide housing, counseling and legal aid to survivors of violence.2 Programs funded by VAWA have played a crucial role in changing our collective understanding of gender-based violence, shifting it away from victim-blaming and toward accountability for perpetrators. Because of VAWA, we're moving in the right direction, but there is still so much work to do. One in four women experience severe intimate partner violence in their lifetimes.3 Survivors often grapple with lasting mental and physical trauma as well as heightened economic insecurity. If Congress does not restore VAWA, all forms of gender-based violence will get worse and survivors won't have access to the resources they need to stay safe. With the youngest, most progressive and most diverse group of members in history now controlling the House of Representatives, we have new champions in Congress who could fight for VAWA and push forward legislation to strengthen it. It's up to us to make sure they act. Tell Congress: Reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. Click here to sign the petition. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee's Violence Against Women Act of 2018 is model legislation. It improves on previous versions and includes these important provisions:4 Baring evictions of survivors based on the actions of their abusers. Prohibiting those who have been convicted of dating violence or stalking from possessing firearms. Explicitly acknowledging the concerns of Native American women by improving tribal access to federal crimes databases and affirming tribal criminal jurisdiction in cases even when the assailant is not a member of the tribe. Ensuring that technological abuse including online harassment is taken seriously. Expanding protections for LGBTQ survivors. It seems impossible to imagine that just as survivors are feeling safe speaking out and sharing their #MeToo stories, Congress could defund the programs that provide them with support. But Republicans are nothing if not consistently hostile to women. They tried to play games around reauthorization in 2013 because they opposed protections for LGBTQ people, immigrants and Native Americans, but with massive pressure from CREDO members and our allies, Democratic champions gained the bipartisan support they needed to pass VAWA.5 We need to unleash that same grassroots power to make sure Congress reauthorizes VAWA again – and we must do it now. Tell Congress: Reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. Click the link below to sign the petition. https://act.credoaction.com/sign/VAWA_2019?t=8&akid=31072%2E12967895%2E6d1jj0 Thank you for all you do, Nicole Regalado, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: Elise Viebeck, "Violence Against Women Act expires with government shutdown," The Washington Post, Dec. 22, 2018. Kate Thayer, "Violence Against Women Act lapse is part of government shutdown. Advocates: What message does that send?" Chicago Tribune, Jan. 3, 2019. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, "Statistics," accessed Jan. 3, 2019. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, "H.R.6545 - Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2018," accessed Jan. 3, 2019. Ashley Killough, Maeve O'Brien and Dan Scully, "Democrats pitch plan to reauthorize Violence Against Women Act," CNN, July 26, 2018. Share on Facebook Post to your wall Tweet this Post to Twitter © 2019 CREDO. All rights reserved. This email was sent to katy63.kelso@blogger.com. To change your email or mailing address, please click here: https://act.credoaction.com/me/update/?t=21&akid=31072%2E12967895%2E6d1jj0 To unsubscribe, please visit our subscription management page at: http://act.credoaction.com/cms/unsubscribe/unsubscribe/?t=23&akid=31072%2E12967895%2E6d1jj0

House Democrats vote to reopen government and deny Trump wall money, defying veto threat

CREDO Action Headlines: BREAKING: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says he wouldn't resign if Trump asked Rep. Ocasio-Cortez breaks with House Speaker Pelosi in key early vote for Democrats Trump should be worried: Democrats to ask for 10 years of presidential tax returns in new bill Welcome to the new Congress. We've never seen anything like it. Oh, the "scandal." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez danced on a rooftop in college. Powerful – Women form 385-mile human chain to protest temple's menstruation ban The women of the new Congress dressed to honor their roots at their swearing-in ceremonies Tell House Democrats: Investigate McKinsey & Company's ties to oppressive regimes (SIGNATURES NEEDED) Harry Reid is right: Trump is "amoral" and "the worst president we've ever had" Tell Mitch McConnell: End the government shutdown now (SIGNATURES NEEDED) Absolutely unacceptable: An Alabama sheriff personally kept $1.5 million that was supposed to feed ICE detainees In an unacceptable move, drugmakers hike prescription drug prices for 2019 Tell Alex Azar and Kirstjen Nielsen: Let the children go. Stop sharing sponsor data with ICE. (SIGNATURES NEEDED) WATCH: CREDO activists confront CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan at his home House Democrats vote to reopen government and deny Trump wall money, defying veto threat Please forward this email to anyone who might enjoy it. Was this email forwarded to you? Click here to receive it each Friday. Don't want to receive this weekly newsletter? Click here. © 2019 CREDO. All rights reserved. This email was sent to katy63.kelso@blogger.com. To change your email or mailing address, please click here: https://act.credoaction.com/me/update/?t=20&akid=31081%2E12967895%2EJGR-CB To unsubscribe, please visit our subscription management page at: http://act.credoaction.com/cms/unsubscribe/unsubscribe/?t=22&akid=31081%2E12967895%2EJGR-CB

Sign the petition: Mitch McConnell must stop holding the government hostage

Tell Mitch McConnell: End the government shutdown now. The petition to Mitch McConnell reads: "Stop holding the federal government hostage to Trump's racist demands for a border wall. Immediately allow a vote on legislation passed by the House of Representatives to end the government shutdown." Add your name: Dear Katy, Mitch McConnell needs to be reminded that he does not work for Donald Trump. On Thursday evening, just hours after Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Pelosi passed legislation to clean up Republicans' mess and end the Trump-McConnell government shutdown.1 But now – even though the same legislation passed the Senate unanimously just two weeks ago – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is saying he won't even allow a vote because the bill doesn't meet Trump's racist demands.2 Sign our urgent petition now to remind McConnell that he works for the American people – not Trump. Tell Mitch McConnell: End the government shutdown now. Click here to sign the petition. In November, voters unequivocally rejected Trump's anti-immigrant agenda. But Republicans are still not listening. Now, thanks to the Trump-McConnell government shutdown, more than 800,000 federal employees and contractors have been on unpaid leave or working without pay for the past two weeks.3 Many of them are struggling to pay their bills and make ends meet.4 McConnell is allowing the whims of his party's fragile racist leader to dictate his every move. He is not listening to the majority of voters who don't want a border wall.5 He doesn't seem to care about the workers suffering because of the shutdown. He is not doing his job. Democrats want to end the shutdown. Does he? The Democratic plan to end the government shutdown includes two components: one bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security until February to allow time for further negotiation and another to fund other federal agencies through October. Both bills easily passed in the House of Representatives with bipartisan support and would very likely pass the Senate. In fact, on Thursday at least three Senate Republicans called on Congress to stop playing games and end the shutdown.6 The next step is for the Senate to pass legislation and send a bill to Trump. That can't happen until McConnell gets the message and allows a vote. Click the link below to sign the petition to McConnell now: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/mcconnell_shutdown_2019?t=7&akid=31087%2E12967895%2ENU2s_E Thanks for everything you do, Nicole Regalado, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References Matt Fuller, "Democrats Pass Bill To Reopen Government; Shutdown Continues," HuffPost, Jan. 3, 2019. Kaili Joy Gray, "Tweet," Jan. 3, 2019. Khushbu Shah, "'Our income has stopped': shutdown leaves workers stressed and struggling," The Guardian, Jan. 4, 2019. Stephanie Ebbs, "Faces of the shutdown: In second week, more people impacted by closed agencies," ABC News, Jan. 4, 2019. Joe Davidson, "Unpopular Trump pushes unpopular wall as federal employees, services suffer," The Washington Post, Jan. 4, 2019. Alexander Bolton, "Cracks beginning to show in GOP shutdown resolve," The Hill, Jan. 3, 2019. Share on Facebook Post to your wall Tweet this Post to Twitter © 2019 CREDO. All rights reserved. This email was sent to katy63.kelso@blogger.com. To change your email or mailing address, please click here: https://act.credoaction.com/me/update/?t=21&akid=31087%2E12967895%2ENU2s_E To unsubscribe, please visit our subscription management page at: http://act.credoaction.com/cms/unsubscribe/unsubscribe/?t=23&akid=31087%2E12967895%2ENU2s_E

Sign if you agree: Facebook must protect our data

Tell Congress and the FTC: Hold Facebook accountable The petition to Congress and the Federal Trade Commission reads: "Hold Facebook accountable for protecting its users' privacy." Add your name: Dear Katy, Facebook has shown again and again that it will exploit its 2.2 billion users for profit in any way possible, even if it means violating its own privacy policies – or the law. A New York Times investigation just found that for years, Facebook has been giving away users' private communications, without permission or notification, to more than 150 other companies.1 After so many broken promises to do better, it's clear that Facebook won't change unless it has to. We need government oversight and strong enforcement to require Facebook to protect its users. Tell Congress and the Federal Trade Commission: Hold Facebook accountable. Click here to sign the petition. Even if you have come to expect these kinds of violations from Facebook, the latest news is shocking. Since 2010, Facebook has made secret agreements to share private user data with more than 150 companies, from Microsoft to Ford Motors.2 None of your data is off-limits. Facebook allowed Netflix and Spotify to read private messages.3 It enabled Amazon and Sony to obtain users' email addresses through their friends.4 Facebook gave user data to Apple devices even when users had disabled data sharing.5 Facebook has a long history of these kinds of abuses. In 2011, the Federal Trade Commission charged Facebook with eight counts of violating its own privacy agreements. The FTC issued a decree that prohibited Facebook from sharing user data without explicit permission.6 Facebook absurdly claims that its latest data giveaway doesn't violate that agreement, because these companies have agreed to follow Facebook's own privacy policies and thus are an extension of Facebook itself.7 Tell Congress and the Federal Trade Commission: Hold Facebook accountable. Click here to sign the petition. Facebook must do better. Our partners at Color Of Change are pushing the company to agree to a series of steps to reform: hire an executive-level user advocate, conduct a public review of its practices, issue a public report with recommendations for improving these practices, and create a task force to implement them.8 Unless Facebook voluntarily makes these changes, Congress and the FTC must step in. Along with our friends at Free Press, we are calling on the FTC to enforce its agreements with Facebook. Members of Congress must also hold Facebook accountable with hearings, investigations and strong privacy legislation. If Facebook won't police itself, then policymakers must act. Tell Congress and the Federal Trade Commission: Hold Facebook accountable. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/congressftc-facebook?t=8&akid=31036%2E12967895%2EQD2kQy Brandy Doyle, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: Gabriel Dance, Michael LaForgia and Nicholas Confessore, "As Facebook Raised a Privacy Wall, It Carved an Opening for Tech Giants," The New York Times, Dec. 19, 2018. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Color Of Change, "Color Of Change Responds To Facebook's Civil Rights Update: Do Better," Dec. 18, 2018. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Share on Facebook Post to your wall Tweet this Post to Twitter © 2019 CREDO. All rights reserved. This email was sent to katy63.kelso@blogger.com. To change your email or mailing address, please click here: https://act.credoaction.com/me/update/?t=16&akid=31036%2E12967895%2EQD2kQy To unsubscribe, please visit our subscription management page at: http://act.credoaction.com/cms/unsubscribe/unsubscribe/?t=18&akid=31036%2E12967895%2EQD2kQy

Sign the petition: Hold hearings to investigate McKinsey's work for autocrats

Investigate McKinsey & Company's ties to oppressive regimes The petition to House Democrats reads: "Hold hearings to investigate McKinsey & Company and other corporations helping to prop up authoritarian regimes that lie, murder, torture and steal." Add your name: Dear Katy, "The world is divided into people who are for beheadings and against beheadings," said one former consultant with McKinsey & Company, the powerhouse global business consulting firm, implying his old employers pick the wrong side.1 In fact, a new blockbuster New York Times report just revealed the extent to which McKinsey props up authoritarian governments that lie, murder, torture and steal.2 Democrats in the House of Representatives are about to gain the power to hold investigative hearings with subpoena power – a powerful tool not only to check Trump but to expose and crack down on out-of-control corporations like McKinsey. We need to pressure Democrats in the House to use their majority to investigate the companies profiting from human rights abuses, starting with McKinsey. Tell House Democrats: Investigate McKinsey & Company's ties to oppressive regimes. Click here to sign the petition. McKinsey held a recent global staff party in the Chinese desert just miles from one of the concentration camps where the Chinese government is detaining as many as 1 million ethnic Uighurs for indoctrination. It was an ugly symbol of a corporation that claims to be a purveyor of best business practices and a force for good, but makes big bucks by lending its credibility to some of the worst regimes in the world:3 Saudi Arabia. McKinsey is one of the few corporations that did not withdraw from the 'Davos in the Desert' conference after the Saudi government's murder and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. It previously helped the Saudi government identify critics of the regime on social media, one of whom was later arrested. Ukraine. Paul Manafort and McKinsey both helped rebrand and promote Ukraine's corrupt, billionaire oligarch Viktor Yanukovych. China. McKinsey worked for nearly two dozen Chinese government companies, played a pivotal role in pushing China's controversial 'Made in China 2025' policy and helped the company that sparked tensions with the United States by building artificial islands in the South China sea. Russia. Dozens of front companies for Putin and the Kremlin are McKinsey clients – including companies currently facing U.S. sanctions and tied to the Trump-Russia investigation – and former McKinsey staff work at many of the firms. A former assistant U.S. secretary of state said it is "likely they enable these regimes and likely become complicit… They don't want to alienate regimes, or they would lose business."4 If House Democrats are going to be serious about cracking down on corporations that are profiting from misery, they need to use their subpoena power to investigate companies like McKinsey. Tell House Democrats: Investigate McKinsey & Company's ties to oppressive regimes. Click here to sign the petition. The New York Times also reported that McKinsey helped support corrupt governments in South Africa and Malaysia, and is under investigation for advising both sides of major financial transactions. For decades, McKinsey helped push right-wing economic ideas and pro-corporate policies while its current and past employees grew fabulously wealthy.4,5 Now, it's time to put a spotlight on companies like McKinsey. Tell House Democrats: Investigate McKinsey & Company's ties to oppressive regimes. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/mckinsey?t=8&akid=31045%2E12967895%2ETiCZ4J Thank you for speaking out, Josh Nelson, Co-Director CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: Walt Bogdanich and Michael Forsythe, "How McKinsey Has Helped Raise the Stature of Authoritarian Governments," The New York Times, Dec. 15, 2018. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Mary Williams Walsh, "Justice Dept. Says McKinsey Hid Dual Roles to Profit From Bankruptcy," The New York Times, Nov. 30, 2018. Share on Facebook Post to your wall Tweet this Post to Twitter © 2018 CREDO. All rights reserved. This email was sent to katy63.kelso@blogger.com. To change your email or mailing address, please click here: https://act.credoaction.com/me/update/?t=18&akid=31045%2E12967895%2ETiCZ4J To unsubscribe, please visit our subscription management page at: http://act.credoaction.com/cms/unsubscribe/unsubscribe/?t=20&akid=31045%2E12967895%2ETiCZ4J

Fantastic news