Action 30: Blanket HOLD on Trump Nominees
Background:
Russell Vought comes up for a vote at 7 PM today. If he is confirmed, the consequences could be dire. More background on this disastrous appointment under Extra Credit below.
Action:
Call Senator King. Ask him to put a blanket hold on Trump nominees before Russell Vought comes up for a vote at 7pm. Senators have the power to do that. Then contact as many other Democratic senators as you can, urging them to show some courage, put on a blanket hold, and STOP the madness. NO MORE
CONFIRMATIONS until MUSK and his illegal coup are stopped and their dangerous, cruel actions are reversed.
Contacts:
King’s office locations: some lines will be jammed, try a different office. Call all of them if you can.
Keep your remarks short and to the point! Also consider sending a note through his Web contact form.
Washington DC 202 224 5344. Biddeford 207 352 5216
Augusta 207 622 8292 Portland 207 245 1565
Bangor 207 945 8000 Presque Isle 202 764 5124
Other Senators:
This link takes you to the caucus and Senators’ websites:
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/about-senate-dems/our-caucus
Urgency:
Obviously this needs to happen today.
Extra credit:
More Info on Russell Vought
The impoundment (funding freeze) that came down from OMB last week is right out of Project 2025, where Vought wrote that the OMB should establish a “reputation as the keeper of ‘commander’s intent,’” (P. 20) He has also stated and written
numerous ties that the Executive branch has the legal authority to impound funds appropriated by Congress, notwithstanding the Anti-Impoundment Law of 1974 and the Power of the Purse granted to Congress in Article I of the Constitution. In other
words, he is the architect of the lawless seizure of government funds launched by Elon Musk since Donald Trump’s inauguration and has no business being brought into the US government in any capacity.
Vought founded a think tank, the “Center for Renewing America”. CRA is a Christian nationalist organization. Christian nationalism adherents advocate abolishing the separation of church and state, a fundamental pillar of American democracy.
CRA published an analysis of presidents using Impoundment throughout the country’s history, with the authors concluding the Impoundment Control Act is unconstitutional. We expect the current, ethically compromised Supreme Court, to draw on this analysis to overturn the legal challenges which Maine among many other states brought over the funding freeze.
Instead of curbing tax cuts for the rich, Vought has left a trail of support for measures intended to hurt the most vulnerable. It’s hard to square his advocacy of the following actions, with any legitimate practice of the Christian faith:
Cutting Medicaid by $2 trillion
Cutting the Affordable Care Act by $600 billion
Cutting food stamps by $400 billion
Eliminating LIHEAP (the low-income home energy assistance program, so important in Maine)
Throwing children off Head Start
Cutting educational subsidies
“Traumatizing” the federal work force
Say no to Vought and to Project 2025. Here’s HCR’s post today:
https://open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/february-5-