The LuLac Edition #4,544, June 24th, 2021

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ON THE HUNT FOR INSURRECTIONISTS

Every week the Justice Department is releasing more videos about the horrible attempt at a coup on January 6^th. We will keep on posting this as long as weasels like Dan Meuser and Fred Keller keep trying to push this under the rug. 

 

HB1300 and SB735  NOT A GOOD THING

The Pennsylvania Policy and Policy Center recently put out a statement on the shenanigans in Harrisburg regarding voting restrictions.

Pennsylvania, our state legislature took steps to make voting harder with the passage of HB1300 and SB735. HB1300 is an appalling attack on our democracy. It makes voting harder for all voters, especially those with low incomes, those who are Black and brown, seniors, and people with disabilities. And it makes elections more difficult for counties to administer. It is based on the endlessly repeated lie that the conduct of the 2020 election was questionable and the result illegitimate.

There is no justification for confusing and disenfranchising voters or to make election administration more difficult.

Recent polling shows that a strong majority of Pennsylvania voters believe the 2020 elections were administered well. There is tremendous public support for preserving vote by mail and early voting, as well as counting mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day and more funding for county boards of election.

We remain appalled that voting itself has become partisan and support Governor Wolf’s declaration that he will veto this appalling legislation. It is hard to imagine a circumstance in which the use of the governor’s veto power is more justified.

SB735, which proposes a constitutional amendment that would require voters to present an ID before voting in person or by mail, is also deeply problematic. First, it is not an appropriate topic for constitutional amendment. Second, it is justified by the falsehood that unidentified people are showing up and trying to vote. It simply isn’t so, and public policy should not be based on lies. And, finally, voter ID already exists in Pennsylvania—we all have to present an ID to register to vote. Republican legislators are exploiting ignorance of this fact and an entirely unjustified fear that there is voter fraud to encourage support for a constitutional amendment that’s both unnecessary and anti-democratic.

What’s worse is that while Republican legislators spent hours and hours on this nonsense, they are failing to do the people’s business and invest funds available to the state to help people get back to work, feed their families, fix the generations-old education funding inequity, and invest in our communities.

 

GEORGIA OFFICIALS COLLECT FEES FROM TRUMP’S LAWYERS

Election officials in two Georgia counties have recovered legal fees stemming from former President Trump's failed election lawsuit — but his attorney is playing coy about who really paid the bills.

Election officials in DeKalb and Cobb counties in February sought to recoup legal fees over what they described as a "meritless and legally deficient" lawsuit, which claimed, entirely without evidence, that tens of thousands of illegal voters participated in the presidential election. Trump withdrew the lawsuit a day before the hearing, the same week as the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

A court was set to hear arguments over the legal fees last Friday but both counties said in filings that they had recovered the costs, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  (LuLac, AP) 

 

SUPREME COURT CONSERVATIVES JUST 'UNDID ONE OF CÉSAR CHÁVEZ'S GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS'

The Supreme Court session, which up to now has not shown a great ideological bent has displayed its Conservatism with this ruling that does not help laborers. In a 6-3 ruling along Conservative  lines, the Supreme Court struck down a California law that gave union organizers access to farm sites. The decision means people seeking out farm workers for unionization purposes going forward will be violating the property rights of agricultural landowners and food processors, who can now legally keep them off their land.

Critics lamented the result. Niko Bowie, a professor at Harvard Law, wrote that the regulation "was the product of a years-long campaign by César Chávez" and the United Farm Workers "to force agribusiness to respect the dignity and workplace rights of agricultural workers." Slate's Mark Joseph Stern agreed, tweeting that the high court's "conservative supermajority just undid one of César Chávez's greatest accomplishments." He called it "a complete and total blowout against unions" that marks "an incredibly dark day for organized labor."

Chief Justice John Roberts, who penned the majority opinion, said the regulation is "not germane to any benefit provided to agricultural employers or any risked posed to the public," while it "grants labor organizations a right to invade growers' property," which "constitutes a per se physical taking." Read more at The Los Angeles Times.  (The Hill, LuLac) 

 

 REP. CARTWRIGHT ANNOUNCES $21,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE EARTH CONSERVANCY 

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives) 

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright announced that the Earth Conservancy received $21,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to support their efforts to conduct a solar feasibility study to build solar installations on 6,000 acres of abandoned mine lands. With an additional $21,000 from local funding sources, the Earth Conservancy has a total of $42,000 to invest in this initiative.

“The Earth Conservancy is doing important work to transform previously unusable lands into job creating projects that are good for our environment and our economy,” said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “It is projects like these that demonstrate why the ARC is so meaningful for our area. I look forward to seeing this investment in solar installation for our region move forward.”

For fiscal year 2021, Rep. Cartwright secured $180 million in federal funding for ARC, a $5 million increase over fiscal year 2020.

“On behalf of Earth Conservancy, I am grateful for the support of ARC, and excited to get started on this study of utilizing legacy mine lands in Luzerne County for solar development.  We’ll screen approximately 6,000 acres and rank their suitability for photovoltaic arrays. Those that meet the selected criteria will have great potential for reuse – turning “brownfields into brightfields,” as they like to say – which ultimately can help northeastern Pennsylvania meet its energy needs,” said Terry Ostrowski, Earth Conservancy President and CEO.  “Solar has other important benefits, including diversifying the local energy supply, creating skilled jobs, and attracting investments by both developers and businesses looking to green their operations. It can also provide money-saving opportunities for local energy consumers. I especially appreciate Congressman Cartwright’s support of this project and for his ongoing efforts to revitalize abandoned mine lands in the communities he serves.”

The funding comes from ARC’s Area Development Program which supports critical infrastructure as well as business and workforce development. It also encourages Appalachian communities to partner with their state governments to invest in revitalization projects.

 

REP. CARTWRIGHT STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT DECISION TO UPHOLD PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT 

 

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright  made this statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s dismissal of Republicans’ third legal challenge to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in ten years:

“For more than ten years, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has been the key to health coverage for millions of working families, seniors and people with pre-existing conditions,” said Rep. Cartwright. “With the Supreme Court’s rejection of the GOP’s latest assault on this critical health care law, everyone who relies on it can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Now, it is time for us to get back to work to improve upon the ACA and make health care better and more accessible for all Americans.”

Rep. Cartwright has been an outspoken critic of this lawsuit brought by a group of state GOP attorneys general, which attempted to strike down the entirety of the ACA. Had the legal challenge been successful, health coverage for over 1 million Pennsylvanians and dozens of rural Pennsylvania hospitals would have been jeopardized.

 

 CASEY STATEMENT ON THE SUPREME COURT’S ACA RULING 

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives) 

Senator Robert Casey made this statement about upholding the Affordable Care Act by the Supreme Court last week. Republicans in Congress and far-right Attorneys General have once again failed in their attempt to rip health care away from millions of Americans and decimate Medicaid. It’s past time for those Republicans who keep bringing these frivolous lawsuits to finally stop these attacks on affordable health care. It’s time to make the changes in the American Rescue Plan permanent and build on the Affordable Care Act to expand coverage and bring down costs for working families.

 

MEDIA MATTERS 

 

WALN TV

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

 

This week's guests are Dottie Johnson and Bruce Spencer from Equines for Freedom.  You'll hear the program Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400am The Mothership, and at 7:30 on 105 The River

 

1987

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Iraqi warplanes drop mustard-gas bombs on the Iranian town of Sardasht in two separate bombing rounds, on four residential areas. This is the first time a civilian town was targeted by chemical weapons……..An accidental explosion at the Hohenfels Training Area in West Germany kills 3 U.S. troops……..South Korean politician, presidential candidate of the ruling party Roh Tae-woo makes a speech promising a wide program of nationwide reforms, the result of the June Democracy Movement……….Canada introduces a one-dollar coin, nicknamed the "Loonie"……Ali Stroker, American actress and singer, first actress to appear in a wheelchair on Broadway and win a Tony award, born in Ridgewood, New Jersey…"The Living Daylights", 15th James Bond film, 1st film to star Timothy Dalton premieres in London…… In South Africa, the Afrikaans Protestant Church, a breakaway faction of Dutch Reformed Church, is formed……… "Dreamgirls" opens at Ambassador Theater NYC for 177 performances…….Don Baylor sets career hit-by-pitch mark at 244 (Pitcher Rick Rhoden)…..the Phil's Steve Bedrosian is 1st to record 12 saves in 12 attempts…..and this week in 1987 the number one song in LuLac land and America was “Something So Strong” by Crowded House.