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To that end, we endorse organizations that work towards these goals and share ways to support their efforts. We also publish informative articles from trustworthy news sources and information on related events and actions we can take as individuals.

Featured Articles From Our Newsletter

Jan62022

Events and opportunities to mark the January 6 Insurrection

The first anniversary of the victory of democracy over autocracy (or worse) on January 6th will take place on Thursday of this week. If you have not already made plans to commemorate January 6th, check out Defend Democracy’s website, which lists hundreds of in-person and virtual events. Speaker Pelosi has arranged for a series of events in Washington D.C., including a moment of silence in the House, remarks by President Biden and Vice-President Harris.

CNN will host a two-hour special at 8 pm EST that will include live interviews with members of the House and the Capitol Police about their experiences on January 6.

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Dec22021

Perspective on the Freedom to Vote Act and the Filibuster

The Freedom to Vote Act remains in suspended animation in the Senate as Joe Manchin has failed to convince a single Republican to support the Act. The situation will not change unless and until the Senate carves out an exception to the filibuster for voting rights legislation. A group of scholars representing dozens of universities has published a statement urging the Senate to modify the filibuster to pass the Freedom to Vote Act.

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Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor Presents

Now that the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission has issued new maps, come learn what that means for you and for future elections. Guests on Conversations will be Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, Capital Reporter for Bridge Magazine and Bob Chunn and Yalcin Yonikoglu of Next Vote and Mark Brewer of Goodman Acker P.C.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 16 @ 7:30 ET

This zoom presentation will take place on January 16 at 7 pm ET. Email Chuck to register for the program and send me the questions you would like me to ask my guest experts. For comments and questions contact Charles Newman at Chuck@Lba80.com.

How to Join

Click here to join this CONVERSATION! If you would like to be inluded in future programs contact Charles Newman at Chuck@Lba80.com or Noemi Herzig, director of Jewish Cultural Arts and Education at noemiherzig@jccannarbor.org.

Investigating the Day of Outrage

The bipartisan Congressional Committee investigating the January 6th insurrection is considering making “criminal referrals to the Justice Department that would urge prosecuting former President Donald J. Trump or his allies.” They have witnesses who testified that both his son and daughter advised him to stop it and that Trump was in continual contact with Kevin McCarthy and Jim Jordan that day. Says Liz Cheney, the vice chair of the committee, “We have firsthand testimony now that he was sitting in the dining room next to the Oval Office, watching the attack. The briefing room at the White House is a mere few steps from the Oval Office.” As Benny Thompson said, “We need to know as a committee, why did it take so long, as this riot was going on at the Capitol, for you to say, ‘Stop?’ ”
The Committee has interviewed more than 300 witnesses, perused 1000s of documents, and connected the dots, which create a picture of GOP principals who planned the attack to undermine Biden’s legitimate victory in the November 2020 election. They’re also following the money trail, issuing subpoenas for bank records, to determine the financing of the insurrection. And they continue to fight in the courts for access to Trump’s records, a fight Trump’s lawyers have taken to the Supreme Court.
Above all, the Committee is in a rush. If the Republicans win control of the House in the November 2022 election, they very well might shut down the investigation. They plan to air what they’ve found behind closed doors as soon as possible.
The real fear is that this insurrection could happen again, perhaps more threatening to our nation next time. “I think that the challenge that we face is that the attacks on our democracy are continuing — they didn’t come to an end on Jan. 6,” said another panel member, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., also chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

Upcoming Events

Thu 20

Race Class Narrative Training with We Make Michigan and Distill

January 20 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Sat 22

State Senator Irwin’s January Coffee Hour

January 22 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Feb 08

Memories of Selma: Three Marches, Two Sisters, One Bridge

February 8 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

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