Just like the Republicans filed anti-trans bills on the first day so did Trump with a slew of Executive Orders (This afternoon I write about the legality the EOs) but just as fast as Trump was signing them lawyers for advocacy groups filed lawsuits.
USA TodayBy Bart JansenJanuary 20, 2025Advocacy groups filed at least four lawsuits Monday to prevent President Donald Trump and his Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency from holding secret meetings or withholding documents about its recommendations.In one case, the groups Public Citizen, the State Democracy Defenders Fund and the American Federation of Government Employees filed a lawsuit to ensure DOGE, which isn’t a department of the federal government, conducts public meetings and produces records as required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act.DOGE is the Musk-led commission that will aim to cut trillions in spending and regulations from the federal government
I am kind of a state employee, I say that because I am on a council to advise the governor on hate crimes, the council was created by statue, even though it is a voluntary position I still had to sign all the documents other state employees have to sign. And all our meeting are open to the public and so are the meeting minutes. Musk and company should have to do the same.
A similar lawsuit was filed by groups including the American Public Health Association, the American Federation of Teachers, Minority Veterans of America, VoteVets Action Fund and Center for Auto Safety, represented by Democracy Forward and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. The Center Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit. And the group National Security Counselors, which advocates for transparency in national security issues, made a similar argument in another lawsuit.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington this press release on their website,
The so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is operating in violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, according to a lawsuit filed by the American Public Health Association, American Federation of Teachers, Minority Veterans of America, VoteVets Action Fund, Center for Auto Safety, Inc., and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), represented by Democracy Forward and CREW. The lawsuit seeks a ruling that the establishment of DOGE is unlawful, and for the court to force DOGE to comply with the transparency, ethics, records retention and equal representation required under FACA.Currently, DOGE is operating unchecked, without authorization or funding from Congress and is led by unelected billionaires who are not representative of ordinary Americans. DOGE representatives have reportedly already been speaking with agency officials throughout the federal government, and communication is allegedly taking place on Signal, a messaging app known for its auto-delete features.The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that advisory committees follow a specific authorization process, include a balanced membership, have a clear charter including the scope of the committee’s activities, have meetings open to the public and disclose records to the public. DOGE is currently in violation of these requirements, and the lawsuit seeks to pull DOGE into the light, so the public has the ability to hold it accountable for the sweeping changes its unelected and unaccountable leaders plan to make.
A law created the governor’s advisory council, all the meetings are taped, I am also on the LGBTQ+ Justice & Opportunity Network which was also created by state statue and given a small budget.
AP News reported that Trump...
He signed orders for increasing border security, designating drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, limiting birthright citizenship, freezing new regulations and establishing a task force for reducing the size of the federal government. He also rescinded dozens of directives issued by Biden, including those relating to climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Um... it is written in the Constitution... the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Specifically, it states that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside." But the Constitution means nothing to Lord Trump.
His first action after arriving at the White House was pardoning about 1,500 people charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, even if they had been convicted of assaulting police officers. Trump commuted the sentences of another 14 people, including leaders of the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys.
He freed his "White Shirts!" so much for supporting the police! Just another lie.
Updated 10:30AM
Right now I am on a video conference of the Governor's Advisory Council on Hate Crimes... it is open to the public and allows comments on the meeting. Per the law, the meeting and the agenda was posted two weeks before the meeting. We have two non-members attending the meeting. Then the minutes of the meeting is posted on the internet.
Musk and company should have to obey all laws and especial for their meetings and Federal Advisory Committee Act law.
Update 2:30PM
The New York Times...
Attorneys general from 18 states sued President Trump on Tuesday to block an executive order that refuses to recognize the U.S.-born children of unauthorized immigrants as citizens, the opening salvo in what promises to be a long legal battle over the Trump administration’s immigration policies.The complaint, filed in Federal District Court in Massachusetts was joined by the cities of San Francisco and Washington, D.C.The states view Mr. Trump’s attempt to limit birthright citizenship as “extraordinary and extreme,” said New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, who led the legal effort along with the attorneys general from California and Massachusetts. “Presidents are powerful, but he is not a king. He cannot rewrite the Constitution with a stroke of the pen.”
And so it begins!
I had a "Team" meeting this morning on legislation we are going to submit to the legislature on behalf of the governor's advisory council. Then in the afternoon I spoke to two legislators about legislation for LGBTQ+ elders
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