Last month, a group including what Slate called “the biggest names in voter suppression” wrote an open letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions that could have disastrous consequences for our voting and civil rights. Responding to a wave of voter suppression laws passed after the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has taken an active role in rooting out and opposing laws meant to keep eligible people from voting based on race or other factors. This open letter wanted to change that -- urging Attorney General Sessions to shift the Civil Rights Division’s priorities away from fighting voting discrimination, and to hire people who shared that mission. That’s hiring discrimination plain and simple -- federal law prohibits the government from making hiring decisions based on political affiliation. And politicizing the hiring process like this would be a massive step backwards for the Division, which ought to be free to pursue its mission without political interference. We should be hiring the best people to protect our civil rights and make decisions on merit -- not political affiliation. This letter echoes a shameful chapter in the Department of Justice’s history, which some signatories to the letter, like Hans von Spakovsky, were a part of. In the mid-2000s, the Bush Administration deliberately favored conservatives over other candidates when staffing the Civil Rights Division, leading to a rightward shift overall in the Division’s crucial work. If Sessions follows through on these right wing ideologues’ requests, he’ll undermine the Division’s ability to carry out its important mission and the nation’s confidence in the even-handed application of the laws. We can’t allow that to happen.

When President Trump conducts the public’s business from the White House, the public has a right to know who he’s conducting it with. That’s why his decision to keep the White House visitor logs secret is an attack on the principle of open government our democracy relies on. Trump’s decision reverses President Obama’s policy of publishing visitor logs, which was hailed by open government advocates as a step forward for transparency, and provided a valuable resource to journalists and anyone seeking to hold the President accountable. But the current President’s administration is shrouded in controversy -- from his unaddressed conflicts of interests to his unprecedented refusal to publish his tax returns, to him and his team’s undisclosed ties with the Russian government. His repeated attempts to shield himself from public scrutiny and oversight should alarm anyone who cares about transparency. President Trump works for us -- the American people. And if he won’t be straightforward with us, it’s up to our representatives in Congress to make him come clean. That’s why our lawmakers must immediately pass the MAR-A-LAGO Act, which would make public visitor logs from the White House and anywhere else the President regularly conducts business, like the Florida estate that lends its name to the bill. It’s our right and duty as citizens to hold the President to the highest standards of ethics and transparency. Congress must pass the MAR-A-LAGO Act so we can hold Donald Trump accountable.

Cambria Community Services District: CEASE and DESIST! The Regional Water Quality Control Board has issued more Notices of Violation to the Cambria Community Services District due to failures stemming from their rushed water project. In 2014 the Cambria Community Services District deceived ratepayers and claimed an emergency brackish water project would be temporary and portable, for existing customers only, costing between $100,000 to $4 million and would deliver water by July 1, 2014. The project construction was to be completed by November of 2014 and to run only during a Stage 3 water shortage declared by CCSD. None of these claims proved to be true. The district FAILED - to analyze less expensive alternatives to this project - to provide water by July of 2014 - to design/construct an affordable, temporary project to abate an emergency - to complete construction of the project - to analyze disposal of brine waste - to complete the application for a Coastal Development Permit for the emergency project - to complete an environmental impact report for three years - to respond to three years of comments submitted by regulatory agencies and citizens - to hold project contractor responsible for obvious hydrogeologic and design flaws - to comply with Water Board discharge regulations and monitoring requirements - to comply with County ordinances - to adequately respond to neighbor complaints regarding noise and brine overspray - to offset the $9 million loan by applying a $4 million grant as promised - to provide competent operators to run the emergency project Failing so much, the Cambria Community Services District must be held accountable. In March of 2016 the CSD changed the purpose and intent of this emergency project (renamed it the Sustainable Water Project) to support new water meter connections in Cambria without voter approval. The CSD submitted an application for this growth inducing project in 2017, which describes new water treatment construction options and brine disposal methods without analyzing the costs and impacts of these modifications. The project has not been subjected to the level of review required for a long term public works project that guarantees growth. Ratepayers did not vote for a public works project for growth. The project has already committed us to years of ratepayer debt while our infrastructure fails. Total cost of the “emergency” project and the “sustainable” project is unknown because the district continues to make decisions behind closed doors to revise and correct the current “emergency” water project and to amend contracts to expand their scope. We, the ratepayers of Cambria and others, oppose this deception and abuse of power. No new project for growth should be approved until long overdue habitat protection programs are fully funded and implemented by qualified and independent agents including: - Instream flow studies for both San Simeon and Santa Rosa Creeks - Water Quality Monitoring programs to protect iconic species - Build Out Reduction program to mitigate growth - Cambria Forest Management Plan and Forest Ecologist hired to protect Monterey Pines - Habitat Conservation Plans to protect our local creeks for the future The Regional Water Quality Control Board is preparing a cease and desist order (attached) and an administrative civil liability complaint against Cambria CSD for multiple violations of their permits. San Simeon and Santa Rosa Creeks and wildlife must be protected.

The Trump administration says the EPA cuts reflect a philosophy of limiting federal government and devolving authority to the states, localities and, in some cases, corporations. But environmental groups say the Trump administration is answering the call of companies seeking lax regulation and endangering Americans’ air and water.

We want a face to face interactive town hall meeting with our representative in Congress. Mr. Gohmert refuses to meet with us. He has "tele-town halls" that are useless. He calls us a "small group of liberals", "paid protestors", "disruptive", and "a distraction." He thinks he can ignore us because he has a safe seat. But we are his constituents and it's his duty to represent us!

The amount of news involving gun violence in the world today, especially in the United States, is still prevalent and cause for major concern. Thousands of innocent individuals die because of the vast amount of guns present in society.

Education Secretary Betsy Devos just okayed further gouging of student borrowers. Lenders can charge 16% fees on borrowers who miss payments after DeVos axed former President Obama's policy that prohibited companies from gouging students.

After the social security was enacted in 1935, Franklin Roosevelt called the payroll contributions feature "straight politics" and explained: "We put those payroll contributions there so as to give the contributors a legal, moral and political right to collect their pensions. … With those taxes in there, no damn politician can ever scrap my social security program." Sign this petition to protect Social Security and send a message to Congress and the Trump administration that given a choice, the American people still believe FDR's straight talk over the ever growing proliferation of lies and broken promises of the Trump Administration.

All Members of Congress have been sent to their home Districts specifically in order to connect with their constituents - those whom they represent - in events such as Town Hall Meetings and casual gatherings, so as to better represent the sentiments of those whom they serve. However, since the 145th Congress first convened this January, they have shown an utter disdain for the voice of the public, instead pursuing their own interests and those of their donors. They have been actively seeking to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency so that major corporations could make more money without have to be concerned with environmental protection. They've also sought to dismantle the Department of Education, and many others that protect endangered species, while at the same time passing bills to allow both suspected terrorists and those declared mentally ill the right to own a firearm of any kind. Not to mention the healthcare repeal and Trumps proposed Federal budget which would basically take billions from humanitarian efforts in order to spend it all on military action.

Based on all information that is readily available to the Public, it is evident that our right to free and fair elections was stolen from us, specifically in swing states such as PA, WI, MI. The American Public deserves an election that is free from Russian Interference, free from misinformation, free from active measures, free from corporate donors trying to control the vote, free from voter suppression, and free from any other unfair measures that are used. We demand that we be allowed to redo the vote. We also demand that paper ballots be used nationally so that there is no hacking done.

On April 6, President Trump attacked Syria without Congressional authorization, violating the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. On April 8, he said he would take additional action as he deemed necessary. He has not yet agreed to seek Congressional authorization before further military action. Representative Zoe Lofgren [CA-19] is circulating a bipartisan letter to President Trump, demanding that he seek Congressional authorization before further military action in Syria. The Lofgren letter echoes a bipartisan 2013 letter led by then-Republican Representative Scott Rigell to then-President Obama, pressing him to come to Congress before U.S. military action in Syria. [1] Urge your Representative to support the Lofgren letter by signing our petition. References: 1. "192 Reps., Including 73 Democrats, Call for Debate & Vote Before War With Syria," http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/8/29/1234850/-162-Reps-Including-64-Democrats-Call-for-Debate-Vote-Before-War-With-Syria

Ben Carson is appointment to fix low-income housing challenges by cutting the HUD budget by $6 billion. I work at a halfway house with hardworking Moms who struggle with addiction and mental health. If the HUD cuts go into effect, these women will struggle to find affordable transitional housing. If they have no housing, they and their children are likely to go back on the streets or live in unsafe situations. Let's work together to give those struggling with addiction and mental a chance to have a safe and sober life.