11 | May | 2017 | Be a Seed for Change

Trump is undermining U.S. democracy

Demand Congress to start an independent commission to investigate Trump’s, Pence’s and all senior aides’ ties to Russia.

TAKE ACTION!

Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael Flynn just resigned after he was caught in a lie about communication with Russia.¹

But here’s the scary, yet unsurprising, part: Trump’s administration knew Flynn lied about Russia an entire MONTH ago. And leaks from Trump aides say the only reason Trump pushed him out was because of news stories about the incident.² Things were so bad, that Flynn was under threat of being BLACKMAILED by the Russian government.³ Trump is putting our country’s safety and democracy at risk. Now isn’t the time to let him and his fascist administration’s lies go unchecked.

It’s past time for Congress to investigate Trump’s administration–and they need to do it NOW before it’s too late.

Tell Congress: Start an independent commission to investigate Trump’s ties to Russia.

This is first and foremost about democracy. While Trump is lying about millions of voter fraud cases, the real threat to our democracy is Putin’s involvement in our election and Russia’s illicit ties to Trump and his administration. But even more threatening is Congress’ refusal to do anything about it. Black people have fought to make our democracy real and we won’t stand for any threats, foreign or domestic, to our ability to participate in free and fair elections.

There’s too much evidence pointing to a cover-up of what could be acts of treason by Trump’s administration. Let alone the terrifying reality that Trump and the Russian government might have rigged the 2016 presidential election. During the 2016 presidential campaign, phone records indicate that members from Trump’s campaign team had repeated contact with senior Russian officials a year before the election.⁴ Even Trump said at a campaign rally that “he hoped Russian intelligence services had stolen Hillary Clinton’s emails and would make them public.”⁵ More disturbing, a report released publicly in January by U.S. intelligence agencies revealed that the Russian government intervened in the presidential election.⁶ And now Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who campaigned aggressively for Trump, is refusing to remove himself from any role that would involve an investigation.⁷ But Congress has a unique opportunity to once and for all stand up to Trump and his illegitimate presidency.

Demand Congress investigate Trump and restore the integrity of democracy back into the hands of the people.

We certainly cannot rely on Senate Republicans to do any investigation. A transparent, fair and honest investigation should be:

run by an independent commission that can formulate a much broader and deeper investigation than the Senate Republicans on the Intelligence Committee.

contain public hearings that require testimony from President Trump, Vice President Pence, Attorney General Sessions and other top aides in the Trump administration.

and should force the administration to release all relevant tapes, documents, and records.

What the Trump Administration is doing is more than an insult — it’s an injustice. For every battle to dismantle Jim Crow and abolish “separate but equal” laws, to make sure a person has the right to vote, to earn a fair wage, to gain access to quality education, to hold police and prosecutors accountability, to live and love freely, Black people have been on the frontlines. Too many people will suffer from Trump’s attack on our democracy — we can’t let that happen.

Congress can no longer pretend there’s a real leader in the White House. This has gone on long enough.

Sign the petition.

Until justice is real,

Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Anay, Clarise, and the rest of the Color Of Change team

References:

“GOP Senate Intel Member: Exhaustive investigation into Trump-Russia connections needed following Flynn resignation, ” CNN, 02.14.2017. http://act.colorofchange.org/go/7476?t=9&akid=7436.1174326.5SsE1E
“Flynn’s Downfall Sprang From ‘Eroding Level of Trust’,” The New York Times, 02.14.2017 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/7477?t=12&akid=7436.1174326.5SsE1E
“White House was warned Flynn could be blackmailed by Russia, ” CNN, 02.14.2017 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/7478?t=14&akid=7436.1174326.5SsE1E
“Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence, New York Times, 02.14.2017 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/7479?t=16&akid=7436.1174326.5SsE1E
“Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence, New York Times, 02.14.2017 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/7479?t=18&akid=7436.1174326.5SsE1E
“Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence, New York Times, 02.14.2017 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/7479?t=20&akid=7436.1174326.5SsE1E
“Jeff Sessions Resists Pressure to Remove Himself in Russia Inquiries, New York Times, 02.14.2017 https://act.colorofchange.org/go/7480?t=22&akid=7436.1174326.5SsE1E

“Where are we going to live? If our homes are destroyed, what future awaits our upcoming generations?”
– Ronald Suárez, Shipibo indigenous activist

Ronald Suárez Maynas, president of the Shipibo Conibo Xetebo Council, outlined the serious threats facing the Peruvian Amazon during the 16th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

The indigenous communications expert from the Shipibo people demanded that the Peruvian government guarantee and expedite processes of communal land titling, put the brakes on natural resource extraction, and suspend all mega-projects that pose a threat to uncontacted indigenous communities, especially projects tainted by corruption.

Suárez explained before the Permanent Forum how indigenous territories are being subject to violence and the rights of indigenous communities threatened. He demanded that governments, in particular the Peruvian government, recognize the self-determination of his indigenous people.

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