Good morning. We are still focusing on the illegal actions in Venezuela that President Trump has taken. I will not be able to send out this newsletter for a few days, so I will add the other items back to make a nice long newsletter for your reading and action-taking enjoyment. ~~George
Following this newsletter is today’s Emanuel’s Daily Action Email from Augusta; the daily action along with a link to his great list of important actions and information. Today’s call to action is to contact our congressional representatives again to support a war powers resolution and to call Reps. Pingree and Golden to have them support ACA tax credit extension. The vote is tomorrow, Thursday.
Two new actions from Hancock County Democrats: Action 189 – Voting 2026 (1/2), Action 190 – Support Small-Scale SOLAR (1/2), and an addendum to Action 191 that was promoting Sunday’s protest. This addendum is a graphic that shows the amount of oil reserves that countries have, showing Venezuela at the top. More HCD actions here.
Also, a new action from the Bold Coast Civic Alliance, Bold Coast Civic Alliance (1/7), discussing the illegal war on Venezuela, the fight for affordable healthcare, and other actions, and a special edition, Bold Coast Civic Alliance Special Edition (1/4), with information on what we can do in response to these war actions . More BCCA actions here.
A lot of research goes into these additional actions, so be sure to read them!
And THANK YOU to supporters who have been donating to our ActBlue fund! Planning events and maintaining the website and email list take money, so these donations are appreciated!
Current News:
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Weekly vigils are happening here in the Bangor area!
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Tuesdays
Weekly Vigil at the Federal Building in Bangor – 11:00 am
(This Tuesday Protest celebrated one year and was mentioned in Robert Hubble’s Substack yesterday, 1/7/2026!)
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TODAY!!!
Wednesdays
Weekly Orono Vigil in the town center,
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.
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Tomorrow, Thursday, 1/8/26
Thursday, January 8, there is a one-time protest against Trump’s weekend action in Venezuela. Anyone who is interested in joining, please meet at 3:00 in front of the Federal Building on Harlow Street. From the Federal Building, there will walk to City Hall.
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Fridays
Bangor Visibility Brigad
The week finishes with two highway overpass actions! There is the Visibility Brigade on the Essex Street I-95 overpass at the new time of 3:00 p.m. Learn more here. Tell them you read about it here!
Upcoming Events:
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Bangor Town Hall – US Senate Candidate Tucker Favreau
This Saturday, 1/10/26
Join US Senate Candidate Tucker Favreau in the Laurence E. Crofutt Community Room at the Bangor Public Library for a Town Hall event on Saturday, 10 January. Tucker will discuss his background as well as how we can fight for Medicare For All, workers’ rights, and a Nation that actually supports everyday people instead of just the elites. Bring your questions and get to know one of the other options for replacing Susan Collins.
Register here on the Mobilize site.
Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026
Event begins: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm; Doors open at 1:45
Location: Bangor Public Library
145 Harlow Street, ME 04401
Here We Go Map
Join a Community Conversation with Maine Legislators
Saturday, January 17, 2026
Join Eastern Area Agency on Aging for Supporting Older Mainers: A Legislative Conversation, an engaging and interactive event designed for agency participants, older adults, caregivers, volunteers, staff, and local legislators. This community-centered conversation provides legislators an opportunity to hear directly from those with lived experience and from the staff and volunteers who support them, and to learn more about the needs of older Mainers and caregivers in our region. Legislators will share their priorities and connect one-on-one with constituents in a respectful, focused setting centered on aging-related issues.
The event will feature informal networking, guided tours of the Durgin Center, interactive program demonstrations, remarks from legislators and AARP Maine, and time to enjoy a complimentary lunch together while continuing the conversation.
Event Details
Saturday, January 17
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
EAAA’s Durgin Center, 274 State Street, Brewer
Registration is required (Registration Closes this Friday, Jan. 9)
Please reserve your spot by visiting: EAAA.org/legislativeconversation
Faith Linking in Action’s
2026 Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Faith Linking in Action will host a Martin Luther King Day gathering featuring singer/educator Reggie Harris and artist Bob Shetterly on Sunday afternoon, January 18.
Join them at the First United Methodist Church in Bangor at 3:00 p.m. Contact Faith Linking in Action for more information!
2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast
Monday, January 19, 2026
The Greater Bangor Area Branch NAACP is hosting our annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast at a new location, Jeff’s Catering & Event Center in Brewer, ME on 01/19/2026.
This year’s keynote speaker is Darmita Wilson, Northern Light Health Vice President of Medical Education and Research.
Join us for good food and inspiring speeches. Individual, business, and organizational sponsorships gratefully accepted!
Please visit https://www.bangornaacp.org/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-breakfast for more information and tickets! Thank you!
Come See the New Dunlap for Congress Office!
Friday, 1/23/26
“Join us for the opening of our campaign office! Come meet Matt Dunlap, connect with fellow volunteers and supporters, and help us kick off the campaign by signing petitions and getting involved. We’ll share campaign updates, talk about how you can help, and start building momentum together. Hope to see you there!”
Register here on the Mobilize site.
Date: Friday, January 23, 2026
Event begins: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm;
Location: Matt Dunlap For Congress Offices
275 Main Street, ME 04468
Between Center Street and Middle Street
Here We Go Map
Jordan Wood in Orono! Town Hall at the Orono Public Library!
Thursday, 1/29/26
About this event
Orono! Democratic House Candidate Jordan Wood is coming to meet you. We’ll be at the Orono Public Library. Come out to meet Jordan, learn why he’s the strongest candidate to defeat Paul LePage, and hear about what his plans as your next Congressman: sweeping campaign finance reform, passing the Ultra-Millionaire Wealth Tax, enacting universal childcare and addressing the affordability crisis head on.
Bring your friends and family!
Register here on the Mobilize site.
Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026
Event begins: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm;
Doors Open: 5:15 pm
Location: Orono Public Library
39 Pine St Orono, ME 04473
Here We Go Map
Other News:
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As mentioned in the BCCA Special Edition action, Indivisible has a toolkit to help us relay the message to Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela:
“The Trump administration is dragging us into war with Venezuela. On the night of January 2, they launched an attack that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Maduro.
“Now Trump has declared that the US will “run” Venezuela and control oil production until a transition of power can take place. He is disregarding national sovereignty and forcing a regime-change all without authorization from Congress and without citing evidence of a legitimate threat to the United States.
“And it’s all in service of his own authoritarian ambitions. If he’s not stopped, Trump will continue this power grab, escalating violence in the region and putting US service members and civilians in danger unnecessarily.
“We need Congress to check this regime’s lawless violence, or there’s no telling where this will end. The Constitution states clearly that war powers belong to Congress—not the White House.
“Every Member of Congress must do everything in their power to stand up to Trump and prevent war with Venezuela.”
Go to Take Action: Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela to see what you can do.
How Maine Politicians Reacted to Trump’s Illegal Actions in Venezuela
From the Bangor Daily News article, “How Maine politicians reacted to the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro,” by Michael Shepherd on January 3, 2026. See it here. You will need a paid account to read it, but here are some important excerpts:
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins
The Republican senator said in a statement that she was personally briefed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying Maduro was “a narco-terrorist and international drug trafficker who has been indicted twice in U.S. courts and who should stand trial in this country.”
“Congress should have been informed about the operation earlier and needs to be involved as this situation evolves,” she said.
Gov. Janet Mills
Mills, who is running for the Democratic nomination to face Collins in 2026, said on X that Trump was moving the U.S. “closer to a costly, unnecessary, and unjustified war” in part because he knows Republicans in Congress won’t hold him accountable.
Graham Platner
The progressive military veteran facing Mills in the primary had one of the most aggressive lines against Trump’s move, noting Collins’ vote in the Senate against a war powers resolution on Venezuela. He reacted to a Trump video touting the invasion by saying he watched friends die in Iraq in the wake of similar speeches.
“From Iraq to Venezuela, you can count on Susan Collins to enable illegal foreign wars,” he said on X.
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree
Trump’s move is “a breathtaking abuse of power,” the Democrat from Maine’s 1st District said in a statement. While she called Maduro “a ruthless dictator,” she said Trump does not have the power to pursue regime change without congressional approval.
“This reckless move risks destabilizing an already fragile region, puts millions of civilians at risk, and further isolates us from our friends and allies,” she said.
State Auditor Matt Dunlap
The Democratic candidate for the 2nd District called Trump’s move “absolutely reckless” in a statement.
“In a functioning democracy, this kind of reckless, unilateral action would be condemned across party lines,” he said. “Instead, one party is bending over backwards to justify it.”
Jordan Wood
Wood, a former Democratic political operative who ran for the U.S. Senate before switching into the 2nd District race, said on social media that “no president can unilaterally take us to war.”
“Yes, Maduro is a lawless dictator, but that does not give Trump permission to invade,” he said.
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Also, from Senator Angus King:
His podcast conversation with Senator Jon Tester on Saturday
His interview with CNN News Central this morning
Please call your representatives in Washington. Go to Take Action: Stop Trump’s War in Venezuela to see what you can do.
Trump Protest
Tomorrow
Thursday, 1/8/26, Bangor
Thursday, January 8, there is a protest against Trump’s weekend action in Venezuela. Anyone who is interested in joining, please meet at 3:00 in front of the Federal Building on Harlow Street. From the Federal Building, there will walk to City Hall.
No War in Venezuela Protest
Sunday, 1/5/26 Recap
Around 100 people braved the freezing temperatures on Sunday, January 4, 2026, to show their opposition to the war actions in Venezuela. “No Blood For Oil” was seen on many signs. Graham Platner, Jordan Wood, Paige Loud, and other spoke out against the war actions.
See the television news coverage here: WABI and WVII. More to come later.
As Seen in Yesterday’s Printed Bangor Daily News
Yesterday was January 6th, and it was 5 years ago that day that Donald Trump called upon his followers to attack the Capitol to try to keep him in power, even though he lost the 2020 election. Maine resident Dave Hobbins has not forgotten, and neither have we. Thank you, Mr. Hobbins, for paying to have this reminder printed in our local paper.
CBS News and the
60 Minutes CECOT Story
In case you missed it, we want to share with you the CBS 60 Minutes story that was to have aired on December 21st, 2025. The Trump-friendly CBS News editor-in-chief axed this story that was about the administration sending Venezuelans to the maximum security prison in El Salvador. It was not broadcast in our country, but was available in Canada and was available on the Internet Archives site here, but has since been removed from that specific location. It is still available here, also on the Internet Archives.
Please see issue no. 5 in the BCCA action (12/29) for more details on the state of CBS News and their collaboration with the Trump administration. This Wikipedia article also has good information, including background discussing the Paramount-Skydance merger.
Join Indivisible Bangor!
Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? How about helping to organize events, such as rallies and visibilty actions or be a peacekeeper? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing? Sign up to volunteer with Indivisible Bangor! Your level of involvement is up to you!
Weekly member meetings are on Zoom with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. Please click the link below to sign up and we’ll help you with the process of becoming a member of Indivisible Bangor!
New members, and current members, too, are invited to join one of our monthly Zoom informational meetings, which will resume after the holidays!
Donate to a Food Bank or Pantry
The shutdown is over, but the need is not. There are still cuts to programs that help people with food and other needs.
Please DONATE to a local food pantry- food, personal items, and even cash. Faith Linking in Action maintains a database of all food pantries and free meals– organized by both location and day of the week– in the Bangor area. Check it out here.
Also, ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.” If you know of any food drives that are happening, please visit this site to add it to the database!
The Maine ICE Watch Hotline
The purpose of the hotline is to protect immigrant families by providing accurate, real-time information about ICE and Border Patrol activity and connect Maine families to resources and support services during a time of heightened enforcement and targeting of immigrants and refugees.
Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition ICE Watch Resource Hub.
Read more about it here in this Newscenter Maine article.
| Other Ways to Take Action (Courtesy of Indivisible Cumberland County: Maine’s ICE Watch Hotline Training: Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities. Action Alert on LD 1917: Contact Governor Mills and tell her to sign into law this bill to protect Maine’s immigrant communities, workforce, public safety, and future! Donate to the Maine Solidarity Fund: Fund pools resources from across communities into a shared fund we can draw from immediately when urgent needs arise. NO I.C.E. for Maine: Learn more about this effort to reign in ICE. |
Make Some Calls!
It’s mentioned a few times in these newsletters about calling your representatives in Washington, D.C. It’s one of the most important things we can do and it’s so easy!
Write Some Emails!
If you are more comfortable with sending emails to our Maine congressional delegation in Washington, click the links/buttons. This is a good option if you have lengthy comments or questions.
We are on Blue Sky, Instagram, and Facebook!
Follow us! Invite your friends! Comment! You’ll be glad you did!
We have an easy way to donate to Indivisible Bangor. Drop off your returnable bottles and cans to Ohio Street Redemption in Bangor and tell them to put it on the account of Indivisible Bangor. They’ll add the money to our kitty, mail out a regular check, and the money goes to our bank account to help with our expenses! You can find them here!
****Be sure the attendant writes down “Indivisible Bangor” because several donations have not been credited. Thank you!****
And you can donate here, too! Donations help pay for supplies, website, outreach, and to fund the many upcoming actions in Maine.
Thank you for all you do! – George and Indivisible Bangor
Emanuel’s Daily Call to Action:
Action Wednesday January 7th: Call or Write Collins and King to Vote YES on the War Powers Resolution to Block Further Military Action in Venezuela
Good Morning Folks, there is a vote likely TODAY on the War Powers Resolution sponsored by Senator Tim Kaine (Virginia). Please act on this, and get one (or more) friend to do the same. More info. on this action right below.
Top Action to Take Today:
- Call Collins and King to ask them to vote Yes on the War Powers Resolution sponsored by Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia. The resolution aims to block further military action in Venezuela without congressional approval and seeks to reassert Congress’s constitutional authority over military engagements. If you have done this already get one friend to do the same. Indivisible has an action kit on this – for a letter template to send to your Senators and other strategies go here. For a script for calls go here.
- Spread the word on your social media. For a comprehtensive take on the stakes here, set aside 30 minutes to listen to Heather Cox Richardson on the situation. Act today.
With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!
As always, throw a little sand in their gears!
~~Emanuel
It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!
The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!
Senator Angus King
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292
Senator Susan Collins
DC: (202) 224-2523
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019
Waterville: (207) 873-5713
Congressman Jared Golden
DC: (202) 225-6306
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767
Find your State Representative:
By name: Here
By district: Here
Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here
Our government in Augusta:
Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400
Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800
Questions or comments? Contact George!
