In a letter sent today to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, twenty-four groups and individuals with expertise in government integrity and accountability expressed deep concern about President Trump’s inappropriate firing of FBI Director James Comey yesterday.
The letter called on Rosenstein “to promptly appoint an independent Special Counsel, as authorized by Justice Department regulations, to now oversee and conduct the Russia investigation that Director Comey was leading for the FBI when he was fired yesterday.”
Legal Action taken due to State’s Failure to Comply with "Motor Voter" Law
SACRAMENTO, CA —Voting rights groups filed a federal lawsuit today against California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for its failure to offer federally mandated voter registration opportunities to millions of Californians.
May 5, 2017 (New York, NY) – Amidst multiple ongoing investigations into the shooting death of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards at the hands of a Texas police officer, Heather McGhee, President of the New York-based public policy think tank Demos, issued the following statement:
“Jordan Edwards was a 15-year-old freshman at Mesquite High School, in a suburb of Dallas, Texas. He was loved by his parents, his siblings, and his friends, who will now have to miss him every day for the rest of their lives.
May 4, 2017 (New York, NY) – Following the passage of Trumpcare in the House of Representatives, Tamara Draut, Vice President of Policy and Research at Demos, a New York based public policy think tank, issued the following statement:
Baltimore, MD – Today, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh issued guidance to Maryland state and local governments regarding the rights and obligations of law enforcement officials in immigration enforcement. The Attorney General’s guidance makes clear that the U.S. and Maryland Constitution govern and limit state and local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, and that the Trump administration’s recent policy initiatives are constitutionally questionable.
April 28, 2017 (New York, NY) – As President Donald Trump’s first one hundred days come to a close, Heather McGhee, President of Demos, a New York based public policy think tank, issued the following statement:
April 26, 2017 (New York, NY) – In response to Donald Trump’s proposed tax plan, Tamara Draut, Vice President of Policy & Research at Demos, a NY based public policy think tank, issued the following statement:
“This tax proposal shows once again that Donald Trump is no populist, but rather is hewing to traditional conservative and Republican philosophies, including doubling down on the failed experiment of trickle-down economics.
April 9, 2017 (New York, NY) -- Tamara Draut, Vice President of Policy and Research at Demos, released the following statement after New York became the first state in the country to pass tuition-free college:
April 6, 2017 (New York, NY) –Heather McGhee, President of Demos, released the following statement after the Senate refused to invoke cloture on Judge Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court:
“The next Supreme Court justice will have a pivotal role in ensuring our Constitution protects the rights and voices of all Americans. Judge Gorsuch has the potential to be the deciding vote to destroy the few remaining safeguards against big money dominating our politics completely.
April 6, 2017 (New York, NY) –Heather McGhee, President of Demos, released the following statement after the Senate changed the rules in order to confirm Judge Gorsuch to a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court:
“After their unprecedented refusal to even hold a hearing on Judge Garland’s nomination, today, Senate Republicans led by Leader McConnell blew up the rules of the Senate in order to jam through President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court.
April 3, 2017 (New York, NY) – Heather McGhee, President of Demos, released the following statement after today’s Senator Judiciary Committee vote on Judge Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court:
Tuesday, March 28 (NEW YORK, NY) – Heather McGhee, President of Demos, a New York-based public policy organization and think tank, issued the following statement after Donald Trump signed the repeal of the Fair Pay and Safe Workplace Executive Order:
March 23, 2017 (New York, NY) – Ahead of the House of Representatives vote on President Trump’s American Health Care Act, Tamara Draut, Vice President of Policy and Research at Demos, released the following statement:
“It is unconscionable that on the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act – which enabled millions of people to finally get affordable, quality health insurance and care – that Congress would vote to jeopardize their health and newly found peace of mind.
March 23, 2017 (New York, NY) – At the conclusion of the four day Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court, Heather McGhee, President of Demos, released the following statement:
“Today, I had the opportunity to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about Demos’ deep concerns over the nomination of Judge Gorsuch for a lifetime appointment on the highest court.
Thursday, March 16 (NEW YORK, NY) – Tamara Draut, Vice President of Research and Policy at Demos, a New York-based public policy organization and think tank, issued this statement following the unveiling of President Trump’s budget outline to Congress:
New York, NY (March 14, 2017) – Today, Demos released a new report entitled Court Cash: 2016 Election Money Resulting Directly from Supreme Court Rulings. The report quantifies for the first time the direct impact of four of the Supreme Court’s most significant money in politics cases on 2016 election spending.
Supreme Court cases clearly demonstrate that under the Tenth Amendment, the federal government may not coerce state and local governments to enforce federal law through threats to withdraw federal funding.