Action Friday February 6th: Demand the Release of All the Epstein Files and Investigate People Named in Files + Decry Outing of Survivors
Good Morning Folks, first week in February over and so many things to react to. It’s like being presented with a cornucopia of bad fruit; you will get indigestion trying to respond to all of them. It’s one of our burdens in this news-rich environment that we can take in way more information than we can respond to. My effort is to pick one thing a day to do and match it with something that builds community, creativity or my sense of being alive.
Top Action to Take Today:
Contact Congressional Representatives to have ALL of the Epstein Files Released: Congressman Rho Khanna has demanded that Epstein’s associates named in these files be investigated by Congress, even though Todd Blanche, Deputy Attorney General + former personal Trump lawyer, has said that the case is over, and “it isn’t a crime to party with Mr. Epstein.” In this most recent release, the DOJ did not redact the name of many survivors and allowed nude pictures of them to be included. This is beyond disgusting. More on this at Democracy Now See the attached email below from them as well. For a script and more information go to 5calls.org.
More Actions Today if You Have the BandwidthCall/write Senators King and Collins to support extending the ACA tax credits as the House did on January 8th. The House’s version is a “clean” extension with no amendments. The Maine People’s Alliance makes this really easy, go here. If you wish to write your own note or call, our Senator’s contact information is below in the Contact Information part of this email. For more information go to 5calls.org. For a full toolkit on how to support this action go here.
If you have done the above, let’s make contact with our Congressional Representatives to ask them to oppose the “Make Elections Great Again” (MEGA) This act would require voter ID, ban mail in ballots, and use the Republican lies about widespread fraud in elections to allow the Federal Government to supersede state’s rights in voting procedures. Go to 5calls.org for more information and a script for this call/contact.
As Abbie McMillen points out in her Action 207, “Keep Maine Blue”, post (attached) there is a special election in Lewiston coming up February 24. Democrat Scott Harriman is running for the House. His campaign needs donations, time, and energy to beat a challenging MAGA-aligned candidate. Find out more about Scott here and here (Maine Beacon Article). You can help by making a donation, joining a canvassing effort on a Saturday morning: 2/7, 2/14 or 2/21, and joining a phone bank on a Monday evening 2/9, 2/1, or 2/23. The balance of power in Maine is very close in the House – Dems 74, Republicans 72, Independents 3.
ICE related ActionsContact our Congressional Representatives to: Claw back the 175 BILLION dollar slush fund that was approved in the “OBBA”(The Budget Bill Passed this Summer), for Immigration enforcement actions over the next four years. Collins + King both voted in favor of the Sanders Amendment which clawed back 75 Billion from ICE and CBP. Thank them for this, and then ask them to clawback this funding, and defund ICE and CBP until they meet standards of conduct for police professionals. For more information and a script go to 5calls.org for defunding ICE, and here for the 175 Billion Dollar Clawback. They will be voting next week on this – February 13th.
On Jan. 29, at 1 pm the Maine legislature’s Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on an emergency bill, LD 2106 “An Act to Prohibit the Disclosure of Nonpublic Records Without Proper Judicial Review” to make sure ICE can’t enter private spaces in hospitals, schools, and childcare centers (learn more here ). MPA has an ACTION TOOLKIT on this bill here. You can still submit testimony on this bill here.
Maine’s Attorney General Aaron Frey has started an ICE tip-line Citizens are urged to report intimidating and excessive federal enforcement behavior to CitizenReporting.OAG@maine.gov. “
Emailers should be advised that any content sent may be subject to public dissemination under Maine’s Freedom of Access Laws.”
Bruce Springsteen just released the Streets of Minneapolis – exactly what we need to keep our momentum building!
The Maine Immigrant’s Rights Coalition has set up a resource hub on responding to ICE. If you see what you identify as an ICE vehicle in your town call the ICE Watch hotline in Maine:207 544 9989. You can also text them a photo of what you believe to be an ICE vehicle, or any ICE actions in your area.
Call or write King, Collins, Golden or Pingree and demand a full investigation of ICE killings, refuse to pass extra appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security which funds ICE, and call for the Impeachment of Kristi (Cowboy Hat) Noem. For more information and a script for your call go to 5calls.org.
There are now 140 co-sponsors of a bill to impeach Krist Noem, Head of the Department of Homeland Security.
Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings.If you want to get more involved check out
this training manual for becoming an ICE verifier.
The Maine ACLU has a page on preparation for ICE invasion: go here.
Other resist ICE resources: Resources from the Democracy Security Project: Printable De-Escalation Pocket Guide Printable Protest Pocket Guide Other DSP Resources
Finally, consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below:
Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.
Environmental Actions
LD 1870, the climate superfund bill was passed out of committee! Next it’s headed to the Senate for a vote. If you support this important legislation, please continue to contact your legislators about LD 1870 and urge them to Make Polluters Pay! To learn NRCM’s priority bills for this short session,check their YouTube channel Check out https://www.nrcm.org/events/ (thank you Linda for this info.)
ACA Related Actions
Call Collins and King and ask them to support the ACA tax extension bill coming from the House with no amendments. This bill has stalled in the Senate because Republicans want to add an abortion amendment. For more information on the ACA go here. For a full toolkit on how to support action on this go here. This bill passed in the house!!Boycott: Being a consumer is one of the greatest powers we have as members of a capitalist economy. For a complete list of ICE related boycotts go to https://www.resistandunsubscribe.com/ a new website that lists and explains all the corporations that are directly enabling the Trump administration’s nasty policies and/or helping ICE and CBP: (Thanks Shelly for this link) Another resource on Boycotting – Scott Galloway’s podcast – Raging Moderates, discusses boycotting TechBro products at about 14:30 into the podcast, go here. (thank you Wendilee for this)
Mutual Aid
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.” Activate Maine also has a Mutual Aid page with lots of resources.
Heating Assistance: If you have friends, neighbors, or need support for Heating Assistance, Li Heap funds have been authorized for Maine, Click here to learn more about applying for LIHEAP assistance.
Insurance Crisis: The ACA cuts are in the Senate to be voted on. Please contact Esther at the Maine People’s Alliance who is collecting personal testimony to support the passage of the ACA tax cuts.
ICE Related Mutual Aid: Both documented and undocumented immigrants are staying home in Maine, scared to leave the house to go shopping, bring their children to school, go to Dr’s appointments etc. You can help go here to find out how.
Arts and Politics!
If you live near Skowhegan check out Kevin James Studios at 127 Water Street for a whole gallery of resistance art! (Let me know if you know of other art galleries showing political art and I will list them here.)Attached below is a poster for anyone who wishes to display it in their home, office, on demonstrations, protests, vigils. Thanks to Catie for creating this beautiful piece of activist art
Research!
Learn more about Chenoweth’s 3.5% rule – go to one or more of these links: Wikipedia: BBCHarvard:
The Resource Alliance . (Thank you Beth for these links!) Get connected to Govtrack.US for daily information on what’s going on in Congress in terms of bills and votes.
GOT MORE TIME? HERE ARE SOME MORE ACTIONS (just pick one!)
- Join the Maine People’s Alliance in bringing your story to our Congresspeople: Are your insurance rates going up? Did you lose SNAP benefits – the MPA wants to hear your story and use it to fight for Mainers in the ongoing shutdown budget battle. Fill out this form and tell your story here.
- Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below: Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, go here to donate to the Capital Area New Mainers Project.
State Wide Actions
- (Calendar March 28th for the next NO KINGS national mobilization)
- Lisa Savage is leading a group to protest Pete Hegseth when he comes to speak at BIW on Monday, February 9th. If you want to join the action contact her at lsavage3@gmail.com.
- Support LD 2106 to prevent ICE + CBP from entering private spaces in Schools, Hospitals, Libraries and Daycare Centers. There is an ACTION TOOLKIT on this bill here. You can still submit testimony on this bill here.
- More ICE resistance: Check in with organizations in Lewiston and Portland to see how you can help. Activate Maine has an ICE toolkit including links to sign up for ICE verifier and de escalation trainings. Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities. Here is the number for the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: 207 544 9989
- Mid Maine Indivisible has a great weekly newsletter – To sign up: go here. Indivisible Bangor has a great daily newsletter and actions go here to sign up. If you are in the Mid Coast area consider joining Audacity – learn more here. The Bold Coast Civic Alliance has a newsletter as well as the Hancock County Democrat. Cumberland County Indivisible newsletter go here. Greater Portland Indivisible, go here. We are developing a great ecosystem for resistance communications in Maine.
Find Your State Senator: By name:
Find your State Representative: By name: Here , By District:Here
New:
For Maine State Legislative Calendar day by day go here
For links to US Legislative Calendars go here
Check complete bill listing here.
Find the text of any bill here
Instructions for testifying are here
LOCAL ACTIONS:
Mid Maine Indivisible is sponsoring two NOT-THIS-PRESIDENT events on President’s Day, February 16th. One is a virtual event accessible to anyone here. And one is an in-person event which you can sign up for here. The idea is to contrast what a President you would respect does with our current inhabitant of the White House.
Join Mid Maine Indivisible(Kennebec and Somerset Counties) Please join us if you are in the Mid Maine area. To sign up: go here.
The Capital Area New Mainers Project is collecting furniture and kitchen supplies for families in our area. They are helping a family who lost everything in a house fire – you can contribute
here to this fund. They are also looking for the following in good condition for families they are working with:
•Living Room: Sofas, TVs, armchairs, coffee tables, end tables•Dining & Kitchen: Dining tables, chairs, sideboards, cooking utensils, small kitchen appliances•Bedroom: Dressers, nightstands, bed frames, rugs, blankets (no mattresses or pillows)•Baby Items: Gently used toys and clothes (separated by age), strollers, cribs, diapers, wipes•Office: Desks, sturdy bookshelves. To donate fill out the form here.
There is a community member who is looking to provide home cleaning services in the Waterville area for $25 an hour. Send an email with subject “Cleaning” to get in contact for scheduling! You would be providing income for a local mother with an infant son to care for.
Are you interested in helping New Mainers learn/improve their English? To sign up for English tutoring or any of our other volunteer opportunities, please visit: Capital Area New Mainers Project (CANMP) to fill out a volunteer interest survey. An English Learning option at the Waterville library at 1:00 on Mondays is also an option for volunteers. Contact CANMP for the details. You can also Donate to the Capitol Area New Mainers Project’s rapid response fund. CANMP is actively helping those affected by ICE abductions, both with legal funding and other financial support for family members.
The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and partners have organized an ICE watch Hotline in Maine. They need volunteer hotline operators to answer phones from Mainers concerned about ICE sitings. They are looking for folks fluent in one or more of the following: Spanish, French and Portugese. 207-544-9989
First Saturday of Each Month: Somerset Stands Up Rallies 2:30–Margaret Chase Smith Bridge, downtown Skowhegan. Bring your signs, American flags, your voice, your friends, families and neighbors for this peaceful gathering of concerned residents of Somerset County.
Sunday, February 7th : 1:00 (and every Sunday) Bridge on KMD by the CVS Waterville: Stop the Killing, (ICE, Venezuela, USAID closing, ACA extensions dropped, etc.)
Tuesday, February 3d: 12:00-1:00 (and every Tuesday) Old Location at Tesla Charging Stations at Elm Plaza, Waterville Stand with us to remind the traffic that we need to WAKE UP and start resisting the authoritarian take over of our Government. We have been at this location since Tuesday, Feb. 4th? 2025!
Wednesday, February 4th: (and every Wednesday) 12:00-1:00 Waterville, Corner of Main and Chaplin St. Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights, GRR! demonstrates every Wednesday across from Resolve, the local anti-abortion center. For more info please contact Elayne Richard at recordconnection@gmail.com
Thursday, February 12th, (And Every Thursday) Fairfield Benton Bridge 3-4 pm:….stop the coup, support Democracy, ICE OUT
With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!
As always, throw a little sand in their gears!
Emanuel
“I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him.” “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” Booker T. Washington
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!
