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Trump’s Justice Department created a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund that could send taxpayer money to MAGA loyalists, January 6 defendants, and political allies claiming they were targeted by Biden’s Department of Justice.
This is a slush fund that's as corrupt as it gets.Trump sued over the leak of his tax returns and “settled” the lawsuit, and his own administration created a massive taxpayer-backed compensation fund that would benefit the same political movement that attacked the Capitol on January 6.Even Republicans know this is indefensible.
According to the DOJ, the settlement also blocks the IRS from auditing or pursuing charges tied to Trump’s tax returns, including his family and his businesses. That means Trump’s Justice Department is creating not just a slush fund for his allies. It’s also a scheme designed to keep the entire Trump empire from being investigated or held accountable for tax fraud.
Republicans standing up to Trump is a good start, but that alone won’t kill the deal.Rep. Jamie Raskin has introduced legislation to block taxpayer money from being spent on this corrupt and dangerous scheme. We must strike now, while the iron is hot, to build support and kill this scam for good.
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NEW HAMPSHIRE IS FLOODED WITH ANONYMOUS DARK MONEY AND
SPECIAL INTERESTS TO ELECT REP. CHRIS PAPPAS' OPPONENT WHO
PROMISES TO GENUFLECT AS HE ALWAYS HAS....
SCRUTINIZE THE CANDIDATES BEFORE MAKING YOUR VOTING DECISION!
Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) says he will continue to work and fight for Granite Staters in Washington, if elected to the Senate. (Bob Martin/The Laconia Daily Sun photo)
Hi, it’s Chris. I’ll get right to the point:
This race is going to come down to resources – and right now John Sununu and his Republican allies have a massive financial advantage over us.
Our opponents are counting on right-wing donors and billionaire-backed super PACs to flood the airwaves and flip this seat red.
And so far it’s working: We’re being outspent here in New Hampshire, and polling shows this race in a dead heat.
But we’re counting on people like you to overcome that disadvantage and win. Every dollar from this grassroots team helps us fight back against the GOP dark money-backed machine.
If enough of us come together, we’ll win this race and keep NH blue.
Please chip in $10 or any amount to my campaign and Mark Warner today to help build the campaign we need to win. Whatever you can give will have a direct impact on our Senate campaign
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will be automatically split between Chris Pappas and Mark Warner:
Friends of Mark Warner 1490-5A Quarterpath Road #213 Williamsburg, VA 23185 United States
Paid for by Friends of Mark Warner
Pappas offers experienced, fresh face for one of Granite State's US Senate seats
By BOB MARTIN, The Laconia Daily Sun
Updated
Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) has the experience of running an iconic family business, as well as serving Granite Staters at both the state and federal level in a fairly short time.
With longtime New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) on the verge of retirement, the 45-year-old Manchester native hopes to bring his down-to-Earth mentality and government experience to the U.S. Senate.
Running for Shaheen's seat, while he has sung her praises, he thinks it's time for a fresh face in office.
About Chris Pappas
Pappas graduated with the Manchester Central High School class of 1998, and went on to study at Harvard University, where he earned a bachelor of arts in government in 2002.
After being elected to the Statehouse in 2002, and serving two terms, Pappas was elected treasurer of Hillsborough County, followed by serving three terms as an executive councilor, until 2018. He then threw his hat in the ring for the open seat in the 1st Congressional District, and stormed to a win. He was reelected three times, in 2020, 2022, and 2024.
Pappas was the first openly gay member of Congress from the Granite State, and is co-chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus.
He has been devoted to fighting for the Equality Act, which would stop discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. He feels strongly about the cause, and continuously stands up for everyone's rights by introducing legislation and working with other leaders to ensure equality for the LGBTQ community.
New blood in the Senate
Being in Washington since he was in his mid-30s, Pappas already has federal government experience most don’t achieve in a lifetime. He has served on the Veterans Affairs, Transportation and Infrastructure committees, and plans to use knowledge obtained in the House to continued to properly serve the people of New Hampshire.
In an interview earlier this month, Pappas said he wants to make sure the government is working in the best interest of the Granite State, from supporting small businesses or standing up for veterans, to finding ways to bring investment back to New Hampshire.
“That’s one thing that Jeanne Shaheen has always done well,” Pappas said. “She’s provided top-notch constituent service. She understands the communities. She goes to bat for our cities and towns in Washington. That’s the kind of leadership I want to continue.”
However, Pappas said he thinks it's time for a change.
“It’s going to take someone who understands New Hampshire, who knows New Hampshire values, and has shown the ability to stand up for what’s right,” Pappas said. “That’s my track record as an executive councilor, and in the few terms I’ve serve in Congress, of trying to take on corporate special interests, whether it’s the insurance companies or pharmaceutical companies to lower costs.”
Standing up to Trump
Pappas criticized President Donald Trump for attempting to nationalize elections, leveraging the military as a political tool, and using Immigration and Customs Enforcement to divide America. He said there is legislation that has made it harder for people to get access to healthcare and food assistance, and provides tax breaks for the rich.
“I think we’ve got just a misalignment of priorities in Washington,” Pappas said. “We do need to reestablish some common sense and focus on the needs of the people of New Hampshire, but I’ll always be looking for those opportunities where we can move legislation to work together. We should have a sense of common purpose in this country.”
Pappas said the Senate needs someone who will stand up to Trump, who has been “blowing through all the guardrails right now.” He said Trump has a disregard for the law and Constitution.
“I fail to see how some of my opponents, including former Sen. John Sununu, would be able to provide those checks and balances,” Pappas said. “When he was last in Washington, he fully embraced an unpopular president at the time, George W. Bush.”
Pappas criticized Sununu’s support of “forever wars” and privatizing Social Security, and said he was not only connected to, but worked for special interests for the last 18 years.
“I think we’ve got to turn the page,” Pappas said. “We need someone who is going to prioritize what New Hampshire really needs right now, and that’s a focus on reestablishing checks and balances, and fighting to deliver a fair economy.”
Bipartisan cooperation
Pappas hasn’t been afraid to cross the political aisle when needed, and he said this is “the New Hampshire way,” to make an effort to come to common ground. He said it's important to stand up for what is right, and look for opportunities to “get stuff done and to make peoples’ lives better.”
He's demonstrated this as a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, where he worked on legislation to protect veterans at risk of foreclosure on their homes. He said working across the aisle has helped deliver more resources for mental health and addiction treatment. The bipartisan infrastructure law was also passed by leaders of opposing views working together.
“I think you always have to hold out hope that you can get things done,” Pappas said. “Politics is the art of the possible, but at the same time, you’ve got to stand up for values. I think this is a moment where the very nature of our democracy is under threat.”
He said one of his favorite parts of the job is being on the road, meeting his constituents. It's refreshing, he said, since Washington politics are so divisive, and it's noticeable that everyday people usually agree on where they want to go.
“They want safer communities,” Pappas said. “They want their family to be healthy. They want more opportunity for their kids. They want good education. They want a clean environment. There are lots of ways that we’ve got to get past the usual left vs. right, Republican vs. Democrat lense, and focus on what is truly best for communities and families here in New Hampshire.”
The issues
If elected, Pappas said first and foremost, the cost of living crisis needs to be addressed. He said more federal tools are needed to ensure affordable housing for families.
He also wants to protect healthcare access, saying he is deeply concerned about rollbacks of Affordable Care Act tax credits, and cuts to Medicaid. Pappas said this could be devastating, especially to rural New Hampshire, as it will raise premiums.
Energy is another top issue, relating directly to the war in Iran.
“In addition to that, just a top priority to me, is going to be changing the way that Washington works, and try to realize some reform to a broken system.”
Pappas also proposed term limits, saying people in Washington get so far removed from real life, and “need a reality check.”
“We have people run, and serve, and stay far too long in Washington, D.C., so we need some generational change. We need to go after the culture of corruption that has been a hallmark, frankly, of both political parties in Washington.”
Pappas has been serving in Washington since 2019, but before that, he was an executive councilor, state representative, and the owner of Manchester’s Puritan Backroom, a restaurant his family started more than a century ago. The Senate hopeful said his previous experience helps him have a better understanding of what the public really needs.
“You really look to create a feedback loop between peoples’ lived challenges and what government really can do to make their lives better and deliver,” Pappas said. “When you’ve served at the state level here in New Hampshire, you’ve got to roll up your sleeves and work with people of diverse points of view. Washington needs to do a lot more of that, if we’re going to overcome some of the challenges we face.”
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TELL Congress: House Democrats are pressing Paramount CEO David Ellison on his promises to Trump about bringing "sweeping changes" to CNN if Paramount takes over Warner Brothers. This comes after Ellison hosted a dinner honoring Trump. Sign the petition: Take urgent action to stop the Trump-backed Paramount takeover of Warner Bros, CNN!
Trump and David Ellison stand to gain A LOT if the administration allows Paramount to violate antitrust law and buy Warner Brothers for $111 billion.
Ellison will make $150 million.1 Trump will profit too, since he bought Paramount and Warner Brothers stock earlier this year.2
Trump also wants this merger to happen so that his MAGA allies will control even more of the media. Ellison has promised wholesale changes at CNN, a frequent target of Trump's attacks.3 That's one of the reasons House Democrats are pressing Paramount for answers about its close relationship to Trump. Congress must stop Paramount's Trump-backed takeover.
"President Trump has sought to exercise unparalleled control over the independent news media in the United States," said U.S. Representatives Jamie Raskin and Frank Pallone when they pressed Ellison for answers in a recent letter. Trump "expects news outlets to favorably cover his Administration and has made it clear that he views the Warner merger as an opportunity to impose his views on CNN, which is owned by Warner."4
Ellison even hosted a dinner honoring Trump — at the very same time that the Trump administration is supposed to be reviewing the legality of Paramount's merger.5
House Democrats are also asking Paramount to answer questions on potential foreign interference related to the merger, as sovereign wealth funds in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates would own a whopping 38.5% of Paramount after the merger.6
Trump and Ellison are mounting an oligarchic media takeover, which will fuel the White House’sfar-right propaganda machine. Congress must step in as the Trump administration pushes this deal through.
Deadline, "David Ellison Set For Cash, Stock Awards Valued At $150 Million After Close Of Paramount-WBD Deal," May 8, 2026.
Deadline, "Donald Trump's Financial Disclosure Shows Purchases Of Major Media Company Securities Including Paramount, WBD And Netflix," May 15, 2026.
The Wall Street Journal, "Behind Paramount's Relentless Campaign to Woo Warner Discovery and President Trump," December 8, 2025.
House Judiciary Democrats, "Ranking Members Raskin and Pallone Expand Investigation into Paramount Skydance Amid Dangerous Consolidation of Media Conglomerates and Pressure to Relinquish Editorial Control of CNN to President Trump," May 12, 2026.
New York Times, "Paramount Throws Party for Trump as It Awaits Approval of Warner Bros. Deal," April 24, 2026.
Variety, "Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Will Be 38.5% Owned by Middle Eastern Funds Following Close: Filing," April 27, 2026.
Contributions to ActBlue Civics and Demand Progress Action are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Join our online community on Instagram or Twitter.
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LAST TWO WEEKS IN REVIEW
Good morning. I’m your Representative in Congress, and I write to keep you informed. I wish you a meaningful Memorial Day.
FDA commissioner out; RFK Jr. next
Last week, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary resigned under pressure. I’ve been pressing for his ouster for months; the agency responsible for regulating 20% of the U.S. economy was imploding under his tenure. His removal is important progress. But now that he’s gone, the hard work starts. The next commissioner & center directors must improve management & morale, toss out the illegal Commissioner’s National Voucher Program (CNPV) & rebuild the guardrails to political interference, and launch a clinical trials modernization agenda in concert with Congress.
And more of the Cabinet & sub-Cabinet needs to be fired. On CNN’s State of the Union last week, I continued my calls for oversight and investigation of Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. over his covert anti-vax crusade. When I challenged him, my Republican colleague from Georgia – who is a health care professional – had to admit that under RFK Jr.’s leadership, measles is not under control in the United States.
You can read an excerpt of my exchange with Rep. Buddy Carter below:
Rep. Auchincloss: RFK Jr. is now launching an anti-vax crusade, quietly now that the White House has told him to muzzle it, but still effectively. And we have measles and whooping cough outbreaks throughout this country. Buddy, you and I are on the Health Subcommittee in Congress. We have to do oversight and investigations before more kids get these preventable infectious diseases.
Rep. Carter: I agree, we do need to do more investigations, and certainly we don't want any. I've got grandchildren. I've got children.
Rep. Auchincloss: You agree that—RFK Jr. should resign?
Rep. Carter: No, I do not agree. Absolutely not. RFK Jr. is doing his job, and I applaud him for doing his—
Rep. Auchincloss: Measles is spreading throughout the country.
Rep. Carter: No, no. Measles is not spreading through the country right now. We are getting—he's going to get it under control. This is something that we've got—
Rep. Auchincloss: We had it under control in the year 2000, and then this guy came back with his pro-measles campaign for public health. You're a pharmacist, Buddy. You know better than this. Let's bring him to Congress, put the facts on the table, and tell him to prevent more children from dying
Rep. Carter: He is doing his job. Listen, let’s let him do his job.
Rep. Auchincloss: That’s what the last 18 months have looked like. We have kids with whooping cough.
Foreign policy update: Iran, China, Ukraine & Israel
Last week, I joined C-SPAN’s “Ceasefire” with Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw to debate the president’s failed war in Iran. Even one of the sharpest Republicans on national security couldn’t defend this war. You can read our exchange on Iran below, and watch the full debate here.
Rep. Auchincloss: How have we achieved the objective to not have [Iran] have a nuclear weapon?
Rep. Crenshaw: Well, they're buried under a lot of dirt and rubble, and if anyone gets near it, we can hit them. So–
Rep. Auchincloss: That was true during the 12-Day War, though, we already had that.
Rep. Crenshaw: The other strategic objective is asserting our escalation dominance, which we have never asserted before. In 47 years, we finally asserted it.
Rep. Auchincloss: They asserted it over us.
Rep. Crenshaw: I don't think so. I think—
Rep. Auchincloss: No, they did.
Rep. Crenshaw: I think destroying… their conventional military is a pretty good assertion of escalation dominance.
Rep. Auchincloss: First of all, probably two-thirds of their missile sites are still accessible by the Iranians. Second of all… they demonstrated dominance over us because we went and we established our air dominance and executed against it. And they said, all right, well, you played the card of air dominance, we'll play the card of sea denial in the Strait of Hormuz, and that was a trump card. That worked. They have dominance.
Rep. Crenshaw: Yeah. But for the reason I said earlier, our response to that is the blockade, which has proven effective, which I think will bring them to the table and stop this.
Rep. Auchincloss: We're blocking their blockade.
We also discussed the president’s recent trip to Beijing, where arguably for the first time since World War II, it was unclear who the most powerful person in the room was. You can read a portion of our conversation on China below:
Rep. Auchincloss: China's our pacing adversary for the 21st century. I think the president has taken his eye off the ball with it and has gotten bogged down in a third forever war in the Middle East instead of focusing on the Indo-Pacific. There's so much that we can discuss here. Given time, I'll just focus on one thing, which is TikTok. Might seem minor, like, wait a minute, China's doing so many things — TikTok? TikTok is what Xi Jinping calls the smokeless battlefield. It is—
Rep. Crenshaw: That's why we passed that, right?
Rep. Auchincloss: It's why we passed it. But it's why it's so regrettable that the deal that the president has pushed does not actually execute the bill that Congress passed. What it does is it moves some of the social graph data to be domiciled in the United States, but allows the Chinese Communist Party to retain control of the algorithm. That's the whole darn point. We don't want them being able to amplify anti-American values and norms and suppress pro-American values and norms. That's exactly what the CCP is doing. TikTok is the single greatest ideological weapon this world has ever seen, and the Chinese Communist Party is in control of it.
Supporting Ukrainians in America: Ukraine is winning the war against Russia, grinding down the Kremlin’s war economy. Our ally’s fight for self-determination is one front line of the global contest for freedom. In addition to economic & materiel support, Americans can help Ukrainians by providing legal certainty to those who have immigrated here. I have co-sponsored the Ukrainian Adjustment Act (H.R. 3104) to ensure a streamlined path to permanent residency for eligible Ukrainians paroled into our country since 2014.
Drawing attention to the sexual torture of October 7th: This week, the Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children released the most comprehensive report yet detailing the horrific sexual violence and gender-based crimes committed on October 7th and in captivity. Over the last two years, the Civil Commission analyzed over 1,800 hours of visual material and 10,000 photographs, along with more than 430 testimonies and interviews with survivors, eyewitnesses, released abductees and experts.
According to the report, “Hamas and its collaborators used sexual torture to maximize pain and suffering. Victims endured brutal acts, including burning, mutilation, rape, restraining, forced insertion of objects into the genitalia, shootings to the faces and genital area, killings and abuses in front of family members, and executions. Many victims were found handcuffed, bound, or otherwise physically restrained. Extreme forms of SGBV continued against hostages in captivity for prolonged periods, inflicted on both women and men.”
This unbounded depravity was both torture of the human person and an assault on human dignity, meant to spread terror and make Jews everywhere feel afraid. I remain steadfast in my commitment to defeating antisemitic terrorism both abroad and at home. From this abyss, we must draw inspiration from the grace and fortitude of the survivors and bereaved.
Who wins when the president appoints his personal attorney as Attorney General? Friends, family, and felons. This week, it was revealed that the president is trying to use a $1.8 billion taxpayer-funded slush fund to enrich his courtiers and reward Jan 6 insurrectionists. This is brazen corruption. To restore trust, Democrats must lead on an Article II agenda to roll back the imperial presidency and reassert the rule of law.
Rep. Auchincloss: Corruption is the name of the game for the Trump administration. His crypto coin raised millions from Chinese billionaires. His son-in-law's private equity firm is raising millions from Middle Eastern billionaires. And now, the president is seeking to raise millions directly from the United States taxpayer.
And that matters to Americans, one, because blatant corruption undermines respect for the rule of law. It makes criminals like those January 6 rioters think they can get away with it and continue to do harm, as they are currently doing in American cities and streets.
And two, because the money matters. I mean, the Environmental Protection Agency just cut a couple billion dollars from clean water funds meant to take PFAS—forever chemicals—out of municipal water utilities. That’s $1.8 billion that could be funding clean water for schools and for cities, but right now it’s funding Donald Trump’s vengeance campaign.
Duke Margolis conference: At the Duke Margolis health policy conference, I released draft legislation to modernize clinical trials. This draft bill, which is bipartisan and bicameral, seeks to:
1) embed clinical-trial participation in routine U.S. health delivery 2) update standards & processes for preclinical & early-stage clinical trials 3) make the FDA more transparent, responsive and consistent
I'll be taking feedback from stakeholders through July 1st and then working with my co-sponsors to release legislation for a hearing & mark-up this term. Modernizing clinical trials speeds up cures, lowers costs, and helps the U.S. compete against China on biotech. The solution set is complicated – the bill is long – but the reward will be more & better medicines, faster & cheaper.
BIOTech roundtable: Asked mid-season about the Yankees, former Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein once said that he had looked at their roster at the start of the season, realized that they'd win 100 games, and now ignored their weekly standings in order to focus on his own roster's ability to compete.
I raised this anecdote at a recent roundtable of experts discussing China's rise in biotechnology. China is uplifting scientists, investing hundreds of billions in R&D, and accelerating clinical trials. It's going to win 100 games. The center of biomedical gravity is moving to China from America, just like it moved from Europe to America at the close of last century.
Unless America decides to win 110 games.
And it is a decision; we can do it if we want to: - stop attacks on the NIH, point it towards riskier research, and double its funding - recruit & promote scientific talent, native-born & immigrant - drive towards autonomous R&D, particularly the feedback loop between ideas & medical chemistry - improve throughput of early-stage American clinical trials with aligned reforms to FDA, NIH, CMS & IRBs - install competent FDA leadership & make it more responsive & consistent - ensure public & private payers reimburse new medicines at their true value to patients
Congress should focus on these fronts, and I have bipartisan legislation & initiatives to run faster in them. What is less helpful is trying to play 'keep away' from China through protectionist measures. Those attempts rely upon a false analogy between semiconductors, where the United States has chokepoint control of critical inputs like chips & lithography machines, to biotechnology, where no such leverage exists.
China is going to win 100 games. America can win 110. But only by improving our own team.
Speaking with independent pharmacists on Capitol Hill in March
Reintroducing legislation that supports independent pharmacists: I recently re-introduced the Patients Before Monopolies (PBM) Act alongside Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), and Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Josh Hawley (R-MO). We are reining in drug pricing middlemen, known as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), from enriching themselves and crushing competition at the expense of patients and independent pharmacies.
Like so many small business owners in America, independent pharmacists are working hard and playing by the rules but getting ripped off by monopolies. The pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry is rife with self-dealing and price gouging. Congress made modest but meaningful reforms earlier this year, and now the next step is banning PBMs from owning pharmacies. It's an unacceptable conflict of interest and yet another example of healthcare consolidation raising costs.
Down Syndrome fly-in: Wonderful to see again several constituents from the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress. We discussed increasing research funding for Alzheimer's Disease, which disproportionately affects the Down Syndrome community, as well as raising the SSI resource limit, so that individuals with disabilities are not taxed for working or getting married. I strongly support both measures.
Q&A sessions for those serving in uniform
Service Academy Night: Joining the Marine Corps was the second-best decision I ever made. (Proposing to my wife is #1). Service Academy Night is an opportunity for high-schoolers in the MA-4 to hear from my staff and representatives of the Service Academies about the process to get nominated and appointed to West Point, Annapolis, Kings Point, Colorado Springs, or the Coast Guard Academy at New London.
I spoke briefly to encourage these talented students. Every year, I am so impressed by the academic, athletic, leadership, volunteer, and civic achievements of the students appointed.
Massachusetts National Guard: The Massachusetts National Guard has critical capabilities & missions in air defense, military police, drug interdiction at the border, civil defense here in the Bay State, and more. I met with the adjutant general to discuss his federal policy & funding priorities and preparations for the World Cup. I also reinforced my support for the law & principle of posse comitatus – that the military must not be used for domestic law enforcement. I will oppose on all fronts any effort or implication by the president to federalize the National Guard for actions in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Coalition of Police: I met with the leadership of the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (MassCOP) to discuss law enforcement priorities. Most concerning to me is how challenging recruitment has become: applications have declined steeply, which is bad for morale and makes maintaining standards harder. Cops on the beat are the frontlines of public safety; it’s a career young people should respect and work hard to attain.
Supporting success in local schools
Speaking with elementary school students during lunchtime in Norfolk earlier this year.
Calling for universal school meals: Feeding our children is a prerequisite for education and a cornerstone of public health. That’s why I have cosponsored H.R. 8798, the Universal School Meals Program Act, which amends federal law to provide free school breakfasts and lunches to every child. This is a high-return investment in our nation’s future that will lower costs for families and helps every student succeed in the classroom.
Solar investments in Brookline: Brookline’s $3.2 million solar investment at Brookline High School, the Brookline Village Library, the Hayes School & a local fire station could save taxpayers up to $15.7 million over the next 25 years. We are in a race to harness federal tax credits before the Trump administration’s phase-out begins next summer. By beating these deadlines, Brookline is lowering the cost of living for future rate payers.
Guardrails in AI & prediction markets
Discussing AI guardrails with The Washington Post’s Megan McArdle in February
Standards for AI model documentation: I have co-sponsored the READ AI Models Act (H.R. 6461) to direct the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) to develop technical guidance and best practices for AI documentation that increases transparency & auditability.
Preventing congressional participation in prediction markets: Americans deserve to know that their elected officials are making decisions based on what’s right for the country, not what’s profitable for their portfolios. To prevent the appearance or actuality of conflicts of interest, I have cosponsored H.Res. 1248 to prohibit Members and staff from participating in prediction markets. This is a necessary extension of my work to ban congressional stock trading and root out the self-dealing that violates public trust.
Do you support a ban on members of Congress using prediction markets?
ADL Jewish American Heritage Night
I addressed Anti-Defamation League (ADL) allies at an event honoring Jewish American Heritage Month. The ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world, founded in 1913 to protect the Jewish people and promote fair treatment for all. From Jewish Insider:
"[Auchincloss] said that it is 'unacceptably scary to be a Jew in the United States' and that the country is 'violating the core promise that George Washington made' to the Jewish community in Rhode Island in 1790 that the country would be one of religious freedom and pluralism.
Auchincloss highlighted his efforts in Congress to combat antisemitism on social media, describing platforms as having become 'failed societies online. It’s become so toxic, it’s become so rotten on these platforms that antisemitism is mushrooming as a symptom of something that is deeply rotten underneath.'"
Remembering Barney Frank
Barney Frank was a larger-than-life character. As a mentor and a friend, he made me a better lawmaker – and he made me laugh. My staff and I, representing the district he faithfully served for three decades, will always treasure his stories, his encouragement, and his advice.
He put his wit and wisdom to work over a remarkable political career. Barney pioneered policies to ensure equality for gay Americans at a time when it wasn’t popular or safe to be an Out lawmaker; he enacted landmark regulation to prevent financial meltdowns; and he championed affordable housing. His legislation and leadership made America more fair and more just.
The people of the Massachusetts Fourth, who elected him 16 times, have always held great affection and esteem for Barney. We will miss him. On behalf of all his former constituents, I extend to his family and friends condolences for his death and gratitude for his life of service.
Ask Your Congressman
Question:Since the Iran war has resulted in significant shortages in gas & oil and an increase in energy costs, would it not be prudent to promote alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, etc. now due to the growing need for energy in many sectors?
- Rich from Chestnut Hill
Answer: Yes. For this reason, I am a strong supporter of offshore wind, industrial and residential geothermal, nuclear fusion & fission, battery placements & virtual power plants to reduce peak demand, and more transmission with Maine and Canada. I am working on legislation and initiatives on many of these fronts. Massachusetts is too isolated on the energy grid, and needs to control its own energy future.
You can submit a question for a future newsletter here. Please note that casework inquiries for federal agencies must be submitted to my website here. My casework team will respond to these in a timely manner.
Onwards,
Jake
WASHINGTON 15 Independence Avenue SE 1524 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5931
NEWTON 29 Crafts Street Suite 375 Newton, MA 02458 Phone: (617) 332-3333
ATTLEBORO 8 North Main Street Suite 200 Attleboro, MA 02703 Phone: (508) 431-1110
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