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Last Friday, a jury in Wisconsin found Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenager who shot and killed two men at a racial justice protest in Wisconsin last summer, not guilty on all charges. The Arlington Democrats AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Caucus is deeply disturbed by the process and the outcome of this trial. On August 25, 2020, people gathered in Kenosha, WIsconsin to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who is now disabled after being shot seven times in the back. Rittenhouse armed himself with an AR-15-style rifle and crossed state lines to join a group opposing the protesters, in effect becoming a vigilante for White supremacy. During Rittenhouse’s trial, the systemic racism within the criminal legal system was on display as the court forbade prosecutors from referring to the people shot by Rittenhouse as “victims” but allowed the defense to label them as “rioters.” This dehumanization of people protesting police violence against Black and Brown people is just one example of how the current system is biased against communities of color. The Arlington Dems AAPI Caucus continues to work to dismantle systems that uphold White supremacy and to support reforms to end racism. We will do our part to build an equitable system so Black and Brown residents of Arlington County are able to access true justice. We must not live in fear. Now is the time to invest in building a more equal and equitable Arlington County and to speak out against racial injustice throughout our country.

Statement of Steve Baker, Arlington Democrats Chair (5/5/2022): "On May 3rd, one of two candidates withdrew from the School Board Endorsement Vote process. Pursuant to the School Board Caucus rules adopted by the County Committee on April 6th, the School Board Endorsement Vote is canceled because only one candidate remains and the remaining candidate, Bethany Zecher Sutton, is considered as proposed for the County Committee endorsement for School Board.  The County Committee will determine in June whether to officially endorse by voting on whether the proposed candidate effectively represents the principles of the Democratic Party." For more information, visit the School Board Endorsement Vote page

This November, every seat in the Virginia legislature is up for election, and as a result, so is the future of abortion access in Virginia and across the South. Virginia honors abortion rights in most instances, only imposing strict limitations in the third trimester of pregnancy at about 26 weeks. The razor-thin majority Democrats hold in the state Senate has prevented Governor Youngkin and Republican legislators from sharply restricting access to reproductive medical care, as every other state in the South has now done. We must retake the House of Delegates and bolster our majority in the Senate if we are to keep Republicans from eroding Virginia’s abortion rights. You can help take back the House of Delegates and strengthen our Senate majority by donating time and money to Democratic candidates around the state. Volunteer for the Arlington Democrats’ affiliate Beyond Arlington and find out where you can be most effective. During the last legislative session, Governor Youngkin proposed banning abortions after 15 weeks , with very few exceptions. Under his proposal, a physician who performed a banned abortion would have faced 2-10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 . The proposal failed only because Democratic legislators remained united in opposition. Youngkin supported this legislation because it appeared it might pass the legislature as then constituted. He personally favors a much stricter ban and has promised that if Republicans take control of the legislature, he will seek one . He believes life begins at conception and has said “Any bill that comes to my desk I will sign happily and gleefully in order to protect life.” Several Republican candidates for the legislature have avoided the subject of abortion in their speeches and campaign literature but have admitted in more informal settings that they support extreme restrictions or even a total ban. Among them are a candidate in a purple House district that includes parts of Prince WIlliam County and a Senate candidate from a purple Senate district in Fredericksburg. People who seek an abortion typically need support—financial, child care resources, healthcare, or otherwise—despite anti-abortion advocates attempting to shame abortion patients as irresponsible or worse. In fact, sixty percent of abortions are obtained by a parent with at least one child already; many seek an abortion so as not to jeopardize the quality of care they can provide to the children they already have. Seventy-five percent of those obtaining an abortion live below or close to the poverty line. They lack the resources to provide good care and in some cases even provide adequate food for a child. Abortion access remains popular in Virginia by wide margins , with some polls indicating up to 86% support for abortion being legal in at least some cases. Polls also indicate that it is easier to condemn strangers than acquaintances, showing opposition to abortion as lower among those who know someone who has had an abortion. About two-thirds of Americans believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases; the percentage rises to 78% among people who have a “close friend” who has had an abortion. Republican attempts to limit when it is legal to have an abortion can have cruel consequences. Some serious fetal abnormalities are not, and cannot be, discovered until late in a pregnancy . Bans on late-stage abortions can require a mother to suffer the emotional and physical strain of carrying to term a fetus that cannot survive. Gov. Youngkin opposes abortion even in these tragic situations. After Dobbs , he twice tried to get the Virginia legislature to cease funding abortions for low-income patients who learn that their fetus suffers from an “incapacitating” condition. Some Republicans, including Gov. Youngkin , imply that their anti-abortion legislation is humane because it contains exceptions for cases of rape or incest or a life-threatening pregnancy. In fact, these exceptions often fail to achieve their ostensible purpose . Doctors facing a loss of their medical license or even imprisonment often refuse to provide care when there is any uncertainty about whether an exception applies. For example, the only evidence that incest has occurred may be the statements of a pregnant child, and a doctor may be unwilling to stake his or her freedom on the accuracy of the story. Often the legislation is vague , and few doctors are willing to risk their futures on the hope that a prosecutor will later agree that its terms were met in a particular instance. And despite the existence of exceptions, patients may face delays or even denials of life-saving medical care , such as treatment for cancer or sepsis, that could later be judged to have violated the law. One common problem is that a patient may be desperately ill and getting worse, but not yet on the verge of death within the arguable meaning of a statute that permits an abortion only to preserve the life of the patient. In these cases, many doctors and hospitals wait until the patient is extremely sick before providing care. Anti-abortion legislators also seek to ban medication abortions, which constitute over half of abortions in the first 15 weeks. Medication abortions are induced by a two-pill regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol. Obtaining these medications is inexpensive, convenient, and in Virginia does not require a trip to a doctor or medical facility. Medication abortions have been an escape valve for many since the Dobbs decision, particularly because it is not possible for others to tell the difference between a natural miscarriage and one induced via pill . The future availability of medication abortions is threatened by litigation about the validity of agency actions permitting the procedure. These cases are currently proceeding in the lower courts but will ultimately be decided by the same Court that overruled Roe v. Wade . Even if medication abortions remain available as a matter of federal law, states can ban the procedure within their borders. Currently 14 states do. The then- Democratic Virginia legislature voted to expand access to medication abortions via mail in 2020 , but the procedure could be on the chopping block in Virginia if Republicans take control. By eliminating the procedure used in over half of abortions within the first 15 weeks, the usefulness of a 15-week period would be sharply diminished for many patients. Help protect reproductive rights in Virginia. Volunteer with Beyond Arlington today to secure Democratic control of the Virginia legislature.

Like Republicans across the country, Governor Youngkin has moved to suppress voting in Virginia. One of his particular targets has been former felons. The administration has shrouded its actions in secrecy, so their full extent is unknown. It’s estimated that 6% of the voting-age population in Virginia is prohibited from voting because of a felony record. Some states, particularly in the South, traditionally limited the ability of ex-felons to vote even after they had completed their sentence, but in recent years the trend has been to readmit these people to the voting rolls . A 2018 study found that over 60% of adults favor the restoration of voting rights to former felons who have completed their sentences. Virginia is one of only three states that still automatically disfranchises people convicted of a felony, but it also empowers the governor to restore those rights once the subjects have been released from prison. Democratic Governor Northam, who served immediately before Youngkin, regularized and streamlined the restoration process. Under his administration, any former felon who petitioned to vote after completing his or her sentence automatically qualified for restoration of rights. Governor Youngkin initially continued that policy. Sometime after May 2022 , however, acting in secret, he ended the automatic award of eligibility and began to consider each case individually . The administration did not disclose that it had changed rights restoration until confronted with a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Virginia NAACP . The NAACP and the ACLU, among others , are now pursuing litigation about the Youngkin administration’s policy. The administration has not publicly revealed what standards it now applies when deciding whose rights to restore. When it denies a petition, it does not state a reason but simply invites applicants to reapply in a year . The Virginia NAACP has asserted that the information the administration seeks from petitioners is “likely to include voting history .” Nor has the administration stated why it made the change to state policy. It may be relevant that in one study, ex-felons were more likely to be Democrats or Independents than Republicans, although Republican ex-felons were more likely than others to vote. The administration has also been secretive about over 1,000 petitions for voting rights restoration that it currently considers “ incomplete .” The administration has not informed those petitioners what is missing from their petitions. Robert Barnette, President of the Virginia NAACP, says that this issue disproportionately affects voters of color and “ cannot be allowed to continue .” An additional problem is a software error installed by the administration that has improperly purged from the voting rolls some ex-felons who served their time, then petitioned for and were granted the restoration of their rights. According to the administration, the software program misread reports of parole violations as a commission of additional felonies that deprived subjects of their rights a second time. The program then improperly purged those alleged parole violators from the rolls. In an official report released this September, the administration said it removed 17,368 voters from the rolls in this process. The administration did not reveal that any removals were improper until late September 2023, when reporting by a public radio station confirmed the existence of a disfranchised Arlington voter. As recently as October 2023, the administration admitted only to improper removal of fewer than 300 voters. Then, a week before the Nov. 7 election, the administration suddenly admitted that the Department of Elections had improperly purged over ten times as many voters -- almost 3,400 eligible, registered voters . The administration claimed that all but about 100 of the voters were re-added to the rolls before Election Day. The entire episode is shrouded in secrecy. The gap between the administration’s initial disclosure and its most recent admission and the large number of voters purged by the flawed software supports skepticism of the administration’s story. Both of Virginia’s senators and its six Democratic Congressional Representatives have called for an investigation by the Department of Justice. Voting rights are at the heart of our democracy. The Youngkin administration’s reprehensible efforts to restrict those rights should be fully exposed and stopped.

Tell your representatives to protect USAID against Elon Musk's attacks. Donald Trump and fellow-billionaire  Elon Musk, the richest person in the world , are closing USAID,  an agency that provides food, clean water, and shelter to people who have lost everything in the wake of natural catastrophe or warfare. A now-deleted page on the agency’s website said, “USAID provides life-saving emergency food assistance to the most vulnerable during times of crisis . . .” People in war-torn areas are already beginning to starve  because Elon Musk and Donald Trump cut off USAID programs last week . USAID has been one of our most effective international instruments of soft power . In addition to providing disaster aid, USAID monitors, protects against, and treats diseases  abroad so that they do not spread to the United States. Our government fosters stability through USAID’s social programs  in under-developed places, which combats the growth of terrorism and generates enormous goodwill toward our country. Trump’s destruction of USAID began on Inauguration Day. In a series of illegal actions, he issued an executive order ending civil service protection  for thousands of senior career government employees. He froze foreign assistance . Trump then issued a stop-work order  at USAID. Musk and his young, inexperienced, and unvetted assistants   seized control of USAID computers , accessed sensitive personal data  and classified data,  and then locked many USAID employees out of their computers  and offices . After gutting the agency, they took down web pages  through which the agency communicated with its contractors in dangerous regions abroad. Musk crowed on X , “We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper. Could gone [sic] to some great parties. Did that instead.”  After gutting the agency, Trump-appointed Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, was given control over USAID, although legally, it is an independent agency . Rubio has delegated daily leadership of the agency to a State Department official, Peter Marocco, who is continuing to dismantle the agency . Congressional Democrats are loudly opposing the shutdown: Congressman Don Beyer led a demonstration  in front of the USAID building on Feb. 3. Meanwhile Congressional Republicans continue to while Trump strips them of their constitutional power of the purse.  USAID was established by Congress during the Kennedy administration  to better organize and focus  the nation’s foreign assistance programs—an essential part of our effort to counter the Soviet Union during the Cold War. In the years since, Democrats have consistently funded USAID and fostered its independence . Until now, Republicans have funded it as well . USAID funds are less than 1%  of the federal budget, yet it is a giant among international aid programs and represents   over 40%  of the humanitarian programs tracked by the United Nations. The destruction of USAID hurts poor and sick people worldwide and weakens the U.S. in the international arena.   What can you do ? Refuse to just watch this happen. Let your Congressional representatives know that you want them to fight for USAID. Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08)  https://beyer.house.gov/contact/    (202) 225-4376 Sen. Mark Warner  https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact    202-224-2023 Sen. Tim Kaine https://www.kaine.senate.gov/contact/share-your-opinion    202-224-4024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 8, 2023 Press Contact: Paul Ruiz, Communications Chair, communications@arlingtondemocrats.org Arlington Democrats Call for Elected Leadership at 2024 Reorganization Meeting From Loudoun and Prince William to Henrico, Arlington Democrats Mobilized Voters to Deliver Democratic Victories in the Virginia House of Delegates & Senate Arlington, VA  – The Arlington Democrats will hold a precinct captain caucus and leadership election (“reorganization meeting”) on January 3, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School, 3500 S. 23rd Street, Arlington, VA. The Democratic Party of Virginia requires local committees like the Arlington Democrats to reorganize every two years. This means that the Arlington Democrats must hold a “Reorganization Meeting” where the officers of the Arlington Democrats will be elected to two-year terms. Immediately before the commencement of the meeting, the Arlington Democrats will hold a caucus at which precinct captains for all 54 voting precincts in Arlington will be elected to two-year terms. All registered voters in Arlington who are Democrats are eligible to vote in the leadership election. Voters must sign up by Monday, December 18, 2023. To sign up, please visit the Arlington Democrats website at www.arldemsold.local/reorganization . Individuals interested in running for an elected officer or precinct captain position must file a filing form with the Arlington Democrats by 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 1, 2023. Filing forms can be found on the Arlington Democrats website. The following elected positions are up for election: Chair, Deputy Chair, Precinct Operations Chair, Voter Support Chair, Finance Chair, Communications Chair, Volunteer Coordinator, Secretary, Treasurer, Press and Public Relations Chair, Outreach and Visibility Chair, Sergeant-at-Arms, Parliamentarian, Inclusion & Equity Chair. The responsibilities for each elected position can be found in the Arlington Democrats bylaws . The public may watch the meeting proceedings remotely via the Arlington Dems YouTube channel . A copy of the reorganization rules can be found here . ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 7, 2023 Press Contact: Paul Ruiz, Communications Chair, communications@arlingtondemocrats.org Arlington Democrats Sweep Local Elections, Help Win Democratic Victories in General Assembly  From Loudoun and Prince William to Henrico, Arlington Democrats Mobilized Voters to Deliver Democratic Victories in the Virginia House of Delegates & Senate ARLINGTON, VA  – The Arlington County Democratic Committee (“Arlington Democrats”) mobilized over a thousand volunteers to deliver key election victories in Arlington and throughout the Commonwealth. Arlington Democrats celebrated a complete sweep of all 13 races in Arlington County. Below is a full list of all Arlington elections won by Democrats: State Senator Barbara Favola,  District 40 State Senator Adam Ebbin,  District 39 Delegate Patrick Hope,  District 1 Delegate-Elect Adele McClure,  District 2 Delegate Alfonso Lopez,  District 3 County Board Member-Elect Maureen Coffey   County Board Member-Elect Susan Cunnigham   School Board Member-Elect Miranda Turner   Commonwealth Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti   Sheriff-Elect Jose Quiroz   Clerk of Court Paul Ferguson   Commissioner of Revenue-Elect Kim Klingler   Treasurer Carla de la Pava   “I love Arlington so much and, as a member of the County Board, I’ll fight for progressive policies that lift everyone up and contribute to the smart growth of our community,” said Arlington County Board Member-Elect Maureen Coffey . “I’m grateful to all of the Arlington voters who placed their trust in me, and I look forward to getting to work on their behalf to ensure Arlington continues to be the best place to live and raise a family.” “I am so grateful to neighbors across Arlington who shared their stories, hopes, and concerns during the campaign,” said Arlington County Board Member-Elect Susan Cunningham.  “I am ready to hit the ground running, putting my executive experience and common-sense leadership to work for all of Arlington. Together we will get housing and planning right, reconnect our community, and ensure a responsive and efficient government.” Locally, Arlington Democrats delivered 70,000 mailers and mobilized 675 volunteers on Election Day in polling locations across the county. Beyond Arlington  Helps Secure Statewide Democratic Wins “Volunteers from Arlington Democrats traveled across the Commonwealth to safeguard Virginia’s abortion protections,” said Arlington Democrats Chair Steve Baker.  “Governor Youngkin has been working to pass an abortion ban. If Republicans had won a trifecta, he would have succeeded. Arlington Democrats are proud to stand with the majority of Virginians in opposing restrictions on reproductive rights.” Arlington Democrats engaged in over 40 days of canvassing, made thousands of phone calls, and sent over 18,000 postcards to voters across the Commonwealth to ensure victories in the House of Delegates and keep the State Senate. Below is a list of all Virginia legislative elections that Beyond Arlington volunteers helped win or remain competitive for Democrats:   State Senator Monty Mason,  District 24 State Senator-Elect Joel Griffin,  District 27 State Senator-Elect Danica Roem,  District 30 State Senator-Elect Russet Perry,  District 31 Delegate-Elect Josh Thomas,  District 21 Delegate-Elect Marty Martinez, District 29 Delegate-Elect Josh Cole, District 65 “Grassroots organizing works,” Beyond Arlington Chair Kip Malinosky said . “Democrats win when we’re talking about issues that matter: abortion rights, voting rights, and gun safety. I’m proud that we played a role in helping Democrats win across the state.” ###

If you haven’t had the time or energy to keep up with the dizzying array of executive orders, agency closures, and chaotic policy decisions coming out of the Trump administration, here’s what you need to know. Trump’s cruel, reckless and illegal policies are making us poorer, less healthy, and less safe. If any of this concerns you, call or email your representatives in Congress , your state legislators, and local officials. Demand that they hold the Trump administration accountable for actions and policies that hurt everyday Americans. We Pay Higher Prices For Everyday Goods T rump has imposed a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports (Canada is the largest supplier of steel and aluminum to the U.S.), a   10% tariff on all goods from China, a 25% tariff on all other imports from Canada and Mexico (temporarily paused), and more tariffs are looming on European imports.  Despite his claims, foreign governments do not pay these tariffs—American importers pay them. These costs are passed down to consumers in the form of higher prices on everyday goods, from groceries to household items.   Meanwhile,  egg prices have skyrocketed  due to avian flu (dead chickens don’t lay eggs). Instead of trying to prevent the spread and mutation of bird flu, Trump has been busy making bizarre foreign policy moves like attempting to "buy Greenland" and taking an “ownership position” in the Gaza Strip. High Interest Rates Hurt Families   The Federal Reserve is keeping interest rates high  to combat inflationary pressure caused partly by Trump’s tariffs. As a result, mortgages, car loans, and credit card debt have all become more expensive, putting homeownership out of reach for many Americans . At the same time, Trump and his allies are pushing for another round of massive tax cuts for corporations and the ultra-wealthy—adding trillions to the federal deficit and fueling more economic instability.   Healthcare for the Poor and Most Vulnerable   is Slashed   Medicaid provides healthcare to 79 million mostly low-income and disabled Americans but Trump and his Republican allies are trying to slash funding, imposing illegal work requirements and lowering federal contributions—triggering Medicaid cuts in multiple states. Millions could lose healthcare while Trump shifts the savings into tax breaks for the wealthy. We’re Weaker Against Pandemics   Trump has allowed Musk to shut down USAID, an agency created by President Kennedy that plays a critical role in stopping global disease outbreaks before they reach the U.S. USAID has historically been effective in helping poorer countries, particularly in Africa, help treat and prevent the spread of deadly diseases like AIDS, COVID, Tuberculosis, Monkeypox, and Ebola. There is currently a severe outbreak of Ebola in Uganda. With the shuttering of USAID, those diseases will have the opportunity to spread and mutate exponentially and ultimately reach the United States. Trump also withdrew from the World Health Organization, cutting off early access to warnings about pandemics and the spread of disease.   Two other agencies that help protect public health are also under assault from Trump.  The National Institutes of Health have been prohibited from communicating with the outside world.  The Centers for Disease Control have been forced to stop releasing crucial data to the public, keeping state and local health officials in the dark about where to devote their disease prevention resources.   Public health experts warn that these actions increase the chances deadly diseases will spread unchecked—and America will be less prepared than ever.  And China and Russia are only more than glad to fill the void created by withdrawal of U.S. foreign aid and demonstrate that democracies cannot be relied upon. Our Nation’s Security is Compromised   Trump is gutting our intelligence and law enforcement agencies and firing top officials at the FBI, CIA, and NSA while preparing to fire thousands more. The administration has received the names of at least 6,000 FBI agents who worked on the January 6th rioters and Mar-a-Lago classified documents investigations. In addition, Trump and Musk have offered “deferred resignation” to most CIA and NSA employees, encouraging them to quit  in exchange for being paid through the end of September.   These reckless cuts weaken our defenses against terrorism, cyber threats, crime, drug trafficking, and malign actors, leaving the U.S. more vulnerable.  Meanwhile, our foreign adversaries—Russia, Iran, and North Korea—are celebrating. But the damage does not stop there. Trump’s indiscriminate firings and forced resignations have decimated institutional knowledge, crushed morale, and sent a chilling message to career national security professionals. His erratic, retribution-driven purge of intelligence officials makes the country much less safe. Expect more security threats in the months ahead. Trump does not care. He’s too busy exacting revenge on the “deep state.” Union Rights Are Under Attack   Trump has crippled the independent National Labor Relations Board, illegally firing its only Democratic member and blocking it from functioning.  The Board now has only two members, and it needs three to act. If Trump wants the Board to function, he will appoint only pro-management members. Trump also fired the NLRB’s General Counsel, who sets the Board’s agenda, and appointed a new pro-management General Counsel. If your employer violates your union contract, you have nowhere to turn.   For federal employees, Trump has ordered the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to instruct all agencies to ignore collective bargaining agreements on telework —setting a dangerous precedent for rolling back union rights across the Board. This may be a precursor to disregarding other provisions in government union contracts. While violating telework agreements would typically result in a claim before the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), the FLRA currently has no general counsel to prosecute cases, leaving federal employees with no real recourse. A Crisis in Aviation Safety   Since Trump was inaugurated, aviation safety has deteriorated with multiple deadly crashes.  Sixty-seven people died in the crash of a Blackhawk helicopter and an American Eagle jet near National Airport, and in Philadelphia, a Medivac jet crashed, killing 7 people and injuring many more. In Alaska, a commuter plane crashed, killing all 10 on board. Across the nation, numerous aircraft have collided on the ground with each other and with equipment. Meanwhile, 90% of airports lack sufficient air traffic controllers and yet Trump is encouraging mass retirements. Instead of fixing the problem, his administration has also ended diversity hiring programs, further shrinking the pool of qualified candidates for traffic controllers. No Protection for Consumers from Big Banks Trump and his lackey, Russell Vought—Project 2025 architect and new OMB Director— have shuttered the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau and told its roughly 1,600 employees not to show up for work. The CFPB was formed as an independent federal agency to “promote fairness and transparency for mortgages, credit cards, and other consumer financial products and services.” It has investigated hundreds of thousands of complaints from financial institution customers over the years and obtained $19 billion in refunds and canceled debts for consumers. Because the Trump administration has no interest in protecting consumers from predatory lending, excessive bank fees, bank fraud and other financial institution misconduct, it has summarily and illegally terminated the only federal agency that helped consumers level the playing field with banks. What You Can Do   Arlington Democrats are mobilizing, and we need you.   Get involved. Stay informed. Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient Democratic Party. Join us today.

On March 24, 2025, the Atlantic Magazine posted a story  about how its Editor-in-Chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was accidentally added to a group chat involving 17 high-ranking United States defense, national security, and other officials on the Signal messaging app. During the chat, they discussed then-upcoming U.S. airstrikes on Houthi bases in Yemen. The Houthis, an Iran-backed faction in the Yemeni civil war, has been attacking international shipping in the Red Sea. The goal of the U.S. strikes was to restore the security of international shipping lanes there. The Atlantic Magazine has since posted the message chain online  and it shows that the participants on the chat received very detailed information about the then-forthcoming air strikes a couple of hours before they occurred. The discussion covered the timing of the strikes and the munitions and aircraft that were to be involved.  The chat was marred by two substantial security breaches. First, the Atlantic reporter was added to the chat in error. No other participant noticed. At first the reporter thought the chat was some sort of trick intended to discredit him in some way. When he realized it was genuine, he hung up. No other participant had questioned his presence or cut off his access. Apparently no one noticed when he left the chat, and no one ever followed up to determine who he was and what he had heard.  The second serious breach of security was the use of the Signal app for a chat involving highly confidential and likely classified information. The Signal app utilizes some security protections, but it is subject to hacking, and therefore, government officials are prohibited from using it for discussion of sensitive information. One of the participants was at the time of the chat in Russia, which is known to have the capacity to hack into Signal communications. Officials in Russia almost certainly had advance warning of the U.S. airstrikes to come. Senator Mark Kelly, a combat veteran, said , “This is the kind of thing that gets people killed.”  Use of the Signal app for discussions among government officials is also improper because the app can be set to delete messages sent over its system after a short waiting period. Thus, these messages are not preserved as is required by government records law. Indeed, evasion of records-preservation requirements is the only apparent reason why the chat participants used Signal rather than a more secure system.  There is nothing to indicate that this was the only use of Signal by these individuals, raising concerns both for the possible hacking of other such conversations and for the preservation of records of those communications. No one on the chat raised a question about the use of Signal, and they all appeared to be comfortable using it.   Another striking aspect of the chat is the shallowness of the policy discussion among the participants. No one appeared to know or care about the consequences of the attack or the relative effectiveness of alternative methods of protecting shipping in the Red Sea. The only policy discussions were about the appropriateness of using U.S. resources to protect shipping lanes more important to European shippers than to American ones, getting some compensation from the Europeans for America’s efforts, and the timing of the attacks.    Thousands of public servants, both civilian and in military uniforms, handle classified or secret information every day. The vast majority of them meticulously maintain the highest precautions and care to protect this nation’s secrets. If they fail to do so, they face repercussions, up to and including the loss of their jobs. There have been numerous reports of punishment for even minor infractions, such as wearing a FitBit into a room that is supposed to be free of outgoing communications devices.   While this federal workforce consistently brings the highest levels of professionalism and competence to their jobs, the members of the Signal group chat, including Vice President J.D. Vance; Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth; National Security Advisor Michael Waltz; Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard; and Director of Central Intelligence John Ratcilffe, all failed to demonstrate professionalism or competence when they conducted their group chat with a journalist on a chat system that was not secure enough to safely handle classified or sensitive information.   Now, as evidenced in a public hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on March 25, 2025, including questioning by Senator Mark Warner, the members of the group chat are trying to cover up and flatly deny the nature and extent of their violations. None of the participants have made any promise to be more careful in the future.  Tell our elected representatives that everyone who participated in these breaches of security, and especially those most directly responsible – Peter Hegseth, Secretary of Defense; and Michael Waltz, National Security Advisor – should resign immediately or be fired. Rep. Don Beyer   https://beyer.house.gov/contact/    (202) 225-4376 Sen. Mark Warner  https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact    202-224-2023 Sen. Tim Kaine   https://www.kaine.senate.gov/contact/share-your-opinion    202-224-4024

As the Trump Administration pushes its illegal firing agenda, Arlington Democrats are standing up for the dedicated federal employees who keep our country running. Show your support by purchasing a "We Support Our Federal Employees" yard sign! This dark blue, union-made 26" x 16" poly-coated cardboard sign features bold white lettering for high visibility and contrast—ensuring we get the word out. This is more than just a sign—it's a statement of our community values. Let's push back against efforts to weaken our government and stand with those who serve. 📍 Pickup Details: Yard signs are available for pickup at a designated location in Arlington. Please support our efforts to fight the dangerous, illegal policies of this administration. The form on this page is the registration form. Request a sign

Susan Swecker is stepping down as Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia after a decade of accomplishments in that office. In announcing her retirement, Swecker said she had first run for state party chair in 2015 because she “wanted to help our party grow and maintain a strong infrastructure that would be sustainable regardless of any one election cycle . . .” Her leadership helped us achieve that goal. During her tenure, the Democratic Party of Virginia grew and thrived.  --------- Whereas , Susan Swecker began her work with the Democratic Party at the age of 22, when she became chairwoman of the Highland County Democratic Committee; and Whereas , Susan Swecker then went to work for the 1980 Jimmy Carter re-election campaign in Virginia; and Whereas , Susan Swecker quickly rose through the ranks to several state and national leadership roles in the Democratic Party; and Whereas , Susan Swecker served as Chairwoman of the DNC Southern Caucus; and Whereas , Susan Swecker has served as Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia since 2015; and Whereas , Susan Swecker has served as a member of the Democratic National Committee, where she is currently a member of the Executive and of the Rules and Bylaws Committees; and Whereas , throughout her tenure, she has played a pivotal role in building the Democratic Party of Virginia and advancing its core ideals; and Whereas , under her leadership, the Democratic Party of Virginia has grown into a highly effective campaign organization, substantially increasing its influence across the Commonwealth; and Whereas , elected Democratic officials throughout Virginia have praised her leadership, including: Senator Mark Warner, who said, “Susan has done important, difficult, and often thankless work shepherding the Virginia Democratic Party through some pretty eventful years, and she’ll leave behind an organization that is stronger and more effective thanks to her service.” Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas, who commended her for “standing by us in every fight, supporting us on every critical issue, and helping us win tough elections.” House Speaker Don Scott, who described her as the “heart and soul” of the state party. Senator Tim Kaine, who stated, “Not long ago, Virginia was a ruby-red state. But Virginians across the Commonwealth have worked hard to change that. Over the last decade, Susan Swecker has been instrumental in that effort—helping Democrats win over 300 races in Virginia. I’m deeply grateful for her leadership’; and Whereas , Susan Swecker has made major contributions to building the Democratic Party and furthering its goals; now  THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Arlington County Democratic Committee honors and expresses deep appreciation for Susan Swecker’s lifetime of service as a leader of both the Democratic Party of Virginia and national Democratic Party. Passed and Approved on this 5 day of March, 2025.

Recent news coverage of Arlington Democrats' Town Hall for Federal Workers and Contractors Arlington Community Shows Support for Federal Workers in Town Hall Source: NBC4 Washington Hundreds of Federal Workers Flood Arlington Informational Town Hall Source: WUSA9 🔗 Federal Workers Pack Arlington Town Hall as County Braces for Impacts of DOGE - ARLnow 🔗 N. Va. Reeling from Massive Fed Job Firings - Falls Church News-Press 🔗 200+ People Pack Federal Job Event by Arlington Dems - Black Virginia News Dozens of Federal Workers Gather in Arlington, Va. for Legal Tips as Mass Layoffs Continue Source: ABC 7 News - WJLA Arlington Dems Host Town Hall to Provide Guidance to Fired Federal Workers Source: DC News Now