DWC Breakfast Club is Going Strong!

Just a reminder that the DWC Breakfast Club meets at various restaurants around the area on the second Thursday of each month at 8:30 a.m. Our next breakfast will be March 13, in Ocean City.

If you would like to be included in the next monthly email breakfast club notice, email Pam Ferande at mpferande@aol.com. Pam will coordinate the breakfast and send out reminder emails asking for RSVPs.

What is the Resistance Doing?

CITIZENS LIKE YOU AND ME:

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski posted last week that "The US Senate phone system has been receiving around 1,600 calls EACH MINUTE, compared to the 40 calls we usually receive -- which has disrupted our call systems."

1600 CALLS A MINUTE!

Jessica Craven of "Chop Wood, Carry Water"says: "...But it's the street actions that really made my day. I went online yesterday (Feb. 5) and saw picture after picture of people -- including many of you -- protesting at Senators' offices, or for the 50501 Movement's protests across the country, or to support immigrants in downtown L.A. There was a protest at the Department of Labor, too! THIS is what we need, and we're only getting started. I'm really proud of you, folks. Let's do more!

FINALLY, DEMOCRATIC SENATORS, REPRESENTATIVES AND THE COURTS ARE TAKING ACTION!

This from Robert Hubbell's "Today's Edition Newsletter" Feb. 8 - "Democrats are gaining a foothold in opposing Trump's coup -- through the courts, through public opinion, and through legislative stalling tactics. Those are not complete defenses, and they take time. But they are the tools we have.

• Federal Judge delays Trump's deadline for federal workers to accept "Fork in the Road" deferred terminations. To date, every time a judge has ruled on a lawsuit against a Trump executive order on illegal terminations, Trump has lost.
• The Labor Department barred the sharing of information on employees with the DOGE "team"
• Employees' unions sued to prevent termination of USAID workers
• Thirteen states (and growing) plan to sue DOGE to prevent access to personal information about citizens.
• House Democrats apparently secured agreement from Speaker Johnson to hold hearings on DOGE hacking of Treasury data
• On Trump cabinet nominees (like OMB Director Russell Vought), Democratic Senators heard their constituents, located their spines, and went down swinging. They held down the floor for 30 hours -- the maximum time allowed under Senate rules -- to try and delay the vote. That outcome is far superior to losing on perfunctory votes that signal surrender. Keep it up!

Our Senator, Chris VanHollen has vowed to put out newsletter updates from his office weekly. On Monday, February 3, he organized a group of more than a dozen of his Senate and House colleagues to go to the USAID Headquarters to stand with current and former employees against Musk's illegal power grab at the agency. On Tuesday, VanHollen joined a large rally outside the Department of Treasury and called out the Administration for giving away American's most sensitive information. "I asked bank executives at our Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee if they would allow access to this type of information at their institutions -- (NO). I called on the Chair of the Committee to immediately hold hearings on this breach of American privacy," said Van Hollen.

"Trump and Musk are engaged in an illegal power grab, trying to accomplish through executive orders and other means what can only be legally achieved through congressional action. They want us to believe they are more powerful than they really are. They want us to think we can't do anything about it. But it isn't true. Together, we can and will keep fighting back," VanHollen said.

To contact Senator Van Hollen's office call 202-224-4654

To contact Senator Alsobrooks' office, 202-224-4524

ACLU in Action by Maggie Miller

The DWC's monthly donation will be hard at work!

Here is a report from the ACLU's Town Hall I attended February 4 on Fighting Trump's First Attacks.

The ACLU is tracking 45 Executive Actions initiated by Trump. Of note, there are just 550 attorneys who work for the ACLU (versus thousands who work for the government). They are the "David to the Government Goliath." They've been working hard ever since it became apparent that Trump was possibly returning to the White House. The ACLU carefully read Project 2025 and actually had some legal work done before he was even sworn in. As a result, they have instituted five lawsuits and a 6th is ready to go.

Suit 1 was filed within two hours of the Executive Order (EO) issued regarding denial of birthrights under the 14th Amendment, because they had anticipated it and had already done the legwork and research necessary to file the suit. The ACLU found this EO extremely onerous, given that the 14th Amendment's Birthright provision was how the U.S. made citizens of the children of slaves. It ensures equality of all races and all Americans. It is sacred ground for civil rights. It is anticipated that this suit will be successful against this unconstitutional, illegal EO. Why did the Administration issue this EO? To demonstrate their aggressiveness to undo the Constitution.

Suit 2 was filed challenging the termination of a phone app called CBP1 (from Customs and Border Protection/Homeland Security), which was instituted by the Biden Administration and was the only method remaining to allow immigrants to apply for asylum protection. The suit was filed in Federal District Court. Immigrants have fundamental right to seek asylum in the U.S. to take away the only method of applying for asylum violates that fundamental right.

Suit 3 was filed to stop the administration from using expedited removal at places other than immediately at the border. Trump wants to use expedited removal everywhere in the U.S. By using this method, the immigration courts are bypassed. This is where specially trained judges and attorneys are who normally handle these cases. Bypassing them leaves immigrants with untrained, inexperienced attorneys and judges who are not accustomed to these laws. It violates the due process clause.

Suit 4 was filed to cease using Section 212F of the Immigration Code which provides the extreme action of completely banning the entry of immigrants at the Southern border. In the EO, it was claimed that there was "an invasion of immigrants", making the use of this Section of the Code necessary. This is not true and an injunction is being sought for using this language and Section of the Code.

Suit 5 was filed to cease the denial of medical care to transgender youth under age 19 (for any care relating to their sexuality). This was deemed extremely broad and beyond the Executive Power after Congress has passed bills to fund such care. The power of the purse rests with Congress, not the Executive branch and denial of care violates the Separation Clause.

A sixth suit is ready to be filed regarding the flights to Guantanamo taking immigrants there for imprisonment before any due process hearing has been held establishing the case against them. This action violated the Due Process clause of the Constitution.

The ACLU is trying to be a disrupter to the Trump Administration. However, it needs help form volunteers to "flood the zone" with calls to action. There are two ways (other than the donation of money) to help:

Volunteer via ACLU.org/joinpeoplepower. This group organizes telephone banks and text banks to call/text state and federal legislators hoping to persuade them to vote against Trump's agenda. They also contact State Attorneys General asking them to institute actions for their States.

Volunteer via ACLU.org/KYRtraining. Know Your Rights Training sends volunteers out into areas where immigrants are likely to be detained by ICE. This program teaches the volunteers how to teach the folks likely to be detained how to resist legally and safely. An example is teaching teachers and children how to handle these situations if they occur in schools, bus stops, places of employment and at home. The training is free and the dates for sessions are listed on the web when you use this link.

Of course, the ACLU will gladly take any and all donations so that their legal work can go on. If you'd like to become a monthly donor, go to ACLU.org/gomonthly. One-time donations are also gladly accepted. No amount is too small.

All in all, it was a good Town Hall. I am going to explore the Know Your Rights Training to see what's involved.