One Message About Tomorrow, April 5

Also A Short Summary of What AG Brian Schwalb Said and an Ed Martin Update

I’m a knock-on-doors kinda gal, less of a hold-signs-at-a-protest kinda gal.

But I am hunting down some poster board and markers and will be standing with my sign tomorrow at the Washington Monument at noon for the pro-Democracy, pro-Rule-of-Law, pro-Science, Anti-Trump, Anti-Musk, Anti-Autocracy Day of Action.

ACTIONS TO HELP OUR COUNTRY

Saturday, April 5: This is tomorrow!

You might be like me and feel uncomfortable standing in a crowd holding a sign. You might be like me and feel awkward chanting in a crowd. Or you may be fully confident, sign held high in the air, loudly shouting protest classics.

Come either way! If you need a protest buddy, let me know. I do think crowd size matters tomorrow.

Here’s a list of partnering organizations involved in tomorrow’s event.

If you are one of the wonderful people on this list who does not live in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area (and reads this because you’re a devoted friend or family member of mine—I love you guys) you can find a protest in your neighborhood here.

If you have concerns about being at a protest, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is putting together a Know Your Rights Training for Protests and Rallies tonight at 8 p.m. RSVP for the link here.

See you tomorrow.

ACTIONS TO HELP OUR CITY

It’s worrisome when the run-of-the-mill, outrageous actions in D.C. local government—an expelled D.C. Council member arrested by the FBI for taking cash bribes declares on Instagram he is running again for office; Council Chair Phil Mendelson and his crew saying they don’t like to say things in public despite being public officials and pass an emergency bill to discuss all important things behind closed doors— don’t even hold a candle to what’s happening at federal level.

In case you’ve been overwhelmed like me, it might have also slipped your mind that D.C.’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget has been held hostage by Congress: The Senate passed a stand alone measure that allows D.C. to continue spending at FY25 levels, but the House has yet to take action, which means D.C. might have to cut the budget mid-year. I wasn’t a fan of the tax and spending decisions made in the FY25 budget, but I am a big supporter of D.C. budget autonomy—and I think Congress already green-lighted our budget and shouldn’t change course now. I’ll write more later, but here’s an action involving kids that caught a lot of attention the first time:

WHAT D.C.’S ATTORNEY GENERAL TOLD US AND ED MARTIN UPDATE

Thanks to D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb for joining about 70 of us at the Southwest Neighborhood Library a few weeks ago. Quick highlights:

• Schwalb told us that a team in his office has been working for more than a year on legal strategies to combat “every possible way the [Trump] administration might be hostile to the District.” His biggest worries are tripping one of the Control Board triggers and the federalizing of MPD.

• He was reluctant to enforce D.C.’s Budget Autonomy law: “It’s a validly enacted Council law that has not been fully court challenged.” When asked whether D.C. would be violating the Anti-Deficiency Act if it spent beyond FY24 levels without Congressional approval, Schwalb responded that “I want to avoid us being in that situation even if we might win that fight in court.”

• When asked whether he thought Ed Martin was qualified to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, the generally loquacious AG fell silent for about 10 seconds. He then went on to say that he’s spoken with Martin and urged him to listen to both experienced prosecutors in his office and to the D.C. community.

On that note, Martin’s senior community outreach specialist Baretta Francis says we are on the list to meet with Martin, but it’s a long list.

• Kudos to the Anacostia Coordinating Council for being Martin’s first community meeting. Here’s the video (Martin starts about an hour in.)

• Sen. Adam Schiff has placed an indefinite hold on Martin’s nomination. Perhaps we should put together a letter thanking Sen. Schiff?

• The Post also reported today on Martin’s support of the frightening far-right AfD party in Germany and other disturbing things.

Again, see you tomorrow!