Thursday, October 26, 2017

ACTION: CALL TO PROTECT OUR COURTS FROM EXTREMIST JUDGES

From Indivisible Oregon...

**CALL TO ACTION**
Thursday, October 26, 2017
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PROTECT OUR COURTS FROM EXTREMIST JUDGES
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#AFJustice
McConnell, facing massive pressure from GOP donors, is speeding up judicial confirmations of the right-wing ideologues pushed by Federalist Society. 
Gregory Katsas, Trump’s top White House attorney, had his Judiciary Committee hearing on October 17—to the influential D.C. Circuit that handles most litigation involving power of federal agencies. An active Federalist Society member since 1989, Katsas’ background and legal positions demonstrate unfitness for this position:
• advocates unchecked executive power
• helped craft Muslim travel bans, DACA’s rescission, “election integrity” commission, executive order rolling back contraceptive coverage, White House response to Mueller’s investigation
• advised Trump on business conflicts of interest likely violating Emoluments Clause
• failed to demonstrate independence from Trump’s disregard of constitutional, legal, ethical obligations.
Nominees like Katsas pose a grave danger to the health of the judicial system. To ensure confirmation of only fair, impartial judges, our MoCs must promise to use all available weapons:
• non-return of blue slips
• fully investigate nominees’ positions by limiting numbers considered together
• demand cloture votes and adherence to Senate’s procedural rules
• bring Senate business to halt for all but mainstream nominees.
Senators Wyden and Merkley have refused to return blue slips for a Trump nominee already. Let’s call and support them to do more. 
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**ACTION 1: CALL YOUR SENATOR
(or call after hours and leave a message)**
SAMPLE SCRIPT
“My name is [--] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am very concerned about the extremist judicial nominees, like Gregory Katsas, that Trump is sending to the Senate for confirmation. I know the Senator is aware of the seriousness of this threat to our judicial system, and I thank him for refusing to return his blue slip on Ryan Bounds, another ultra conservative appellate court nominee. But this is not enough. So, I am asking our Senator to do everything in his power to make sure Senate colleagues are aware of the GOP’s insidious strategy and to convince them to use all weapons available—including bringing Senate business to a halt until Trump agrees to send nominees with bipartisan credentials. Thank you.”
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**ACTION 2: SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY**
Share this post with friends and family. Help them call their Senators to explain the seriousness of this assault on the federal judiciary and to ask for a promise to use all weapons available to block Gregory Katsas, and Trump’s other ultra conservative judicial nominees, until Trump agrees to send judges with bipartisan credentials.
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**PHONE NUMBERS**
SENATOR MERKLEY
Portland: (503) 326-3386, DC: (202) 224-3753
Salem: (503) 362-8102, Eugene: (541) 465-6750
Medford: (541) 608-9102, Bend: (541) 318-1298
Pendleton: (541) 278-1129
SENATOR WYDEN
Portland: (503) 326-7525, DC: (202) 224-5244
Salem: (503) 589-4555, Eugene: (541) 431-0229
Medford: (541) 858-5122, Bend: (541) 330-9142
La Grande: (541) 960-7691
** After you call, please comment below and briefly share your experience!**