Some Bright Spots in a Time of Darkness
Plus, Trump escalates political retribution for J6, Senate Dems confirm more Trump loyalists, Michigan up for grabs in 2026, and more.
Some Bright Spots in a Time of Darkness
I know I’m stating the obvious right now when I say the news right now is dark. We’re only beginning week 3 of the second Trump regime and U.S. democracy is breaking fast. And, apparently, so is the American perception about flying being the safest mode of transportation.
After a week of Trump’s hard-lined attack on equal opportunity hiring practices, immigrants, and the trans community, including scrubbing all references to both on U.S. government websites and notifying federal employees of terminations and orders to inform on their colleagues, things got much more stark on Friday.
Elon Musk, the unelected billionaire who’s been serving as a shadow president, escalated the oligarchic take-over of the U.S. by breaching multiple government systems and terminating federal workers who attempted to thwart his coup via cyberattack. As of now, the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID), U.S. Treasury, Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and General Services Administration (GSA) are fully compromised and under the control of Musk and his Paypal Mafia broligarch Peter Thiel.
I shouldn’t have to write down that no one should be okay with the richest man in the world using his own private company staffers to forcibly take over government systems. Nor should anyone be okay with an unelected citizen ordering private employees from their own private business—not government employees—to block access to federal workers.
If we were watching this happen in any other country, we would call it what it is: a hostile coup. But since it’s the U.S., it’s just another day. Nothing to see here…
The good news is that there is good news. There may be a much higher volume of bad (and, arguably stupid) news in the U.S. right now, but it doesn’t mean that’s all there is.
While what garners headlines and prime news feed algorithm placements may seem scary, the positive things happening statewide and in the courts do pierce through the collective nihilism. There are still individuals within the broken system that are fighting for we the people.
In short, there is always hope! The bright spots in the news is what I wanted to focus on to start the week. There are some roadblocks that I highlight below, but all of them showcase that there is still work to be done and that it’s worth uniting in opposition against a movement led by bad actors.
That’s all for now!
-Stephanie
Headlines
Special Elections
Democrats flip Iowa state Senate seat in safe red district
Last week on Tuesday, Democratic candidate Mike Zimmer won the special election for Iowa’s vacant state Senate District 35 seat. The educator and Central DeWitt School Board President defeated GOP candidate Kate Whittington 52% - 48% to serve out the remainder of GOP state Rep. Chris Cournoyer’s term. Cournoyer resigned in September 2024 when Gov. Kim Reynolds tapped him to serve as Lieutenant Governor. The GOP still holds a 34-16 majority in the state Senate, but a flipped seat in a GOP stronghold is a sign that the Democratic message is beginning to resonate.
Democrats regain control of Minnesota Senate after winning special election
Also on Tuesday, Democratic candidate Doron Clark won the special election for the late Minnesota state Sen. Kari Dziedzic’s safe blue seat. The good news is that the GOP can’t challenge the results because Clark won by over 90% and Democrats will regain their one-seat majority in the 34-33 state Senate. He is expected to be sworn in during the next floor session, which begins on Thursday.
Trump-endorsed MAGA candidates win Florida Special Primary Election
Last week, two Trump-endorsed GOP candidates won the special Republican primaries for Florida Congressional Districts left vacant by former Reps. Matt Gaetz and Michael Waltz. Gaetz resigned from Florida’s 1st Congressional District last month to preempt a Congressional report on his misconduct from going public while Waltz resigned from the state’s 6th Congressional District after Trump appointed him to serve as White House national security advisor.
State Chief Financial Officer and former state House Rep. Jimmy Patronis—a Federalist Society member—will face Democratic candidate Gay Valimont, a gun control activist who lost to incumbent Rep. Gaetz in 2024, in the April 1st special election for CD1. State Senator and former gambling industry executive/lobbyist Randy Fine will face Democratic candidate Josh Weil, an educator, in the April 1st special election for CD6. Both districts are GOP strongholds, especially with persistent low Democratic voter turnout.
Democratic Party elects new leadership as it struggles to oppose MAGA trifecta
Over the weekend, the Democratic National Committee elected new party leadership as Democrats navigate its opposition to the MAGA-GOP broligarchy. DNC voting members—mostly state and U.S. territory party leaders—elected Minnesota state party chairman and Harris-Walz Campaign vice chair Ken Martin as chairman, an early party favorite who vowed that Democrats are “taking the gloves off.” Party leaders also elected 3 vice chairs to underscore the party’s DNA as a civil and labor rights big tent party. The vice co-chairs include Parkland school shooting survivor and political operative David Hogg, Pennsylvania state Rep. and elector Malcolm Kenyatta, and DNC member and AFL-CIO National Campaign Director Artie Blanco. Political news outlets claim these choices are a rebuke to Democratic megadonors and the establishment, but it appears that the party is only willing to elevate younger insiders who are willing to operate within the establishment’s old-guard order.
Michigan Up For Grabs in 2026
Michigan Senator Gary Peters announces he won’t seek re-election
Last week, Democratic Senator Gary Peters unexpectedly announced he won’t seek another term next year. The top-ranking Michigan Senator’s term ends in January 2027, obligating Democrats to defend a Senate seat in addition to Governor, Lt. Gov., and attorney general seats in the battleground state during the 2026 midterms. Peters currently serves as the dean of Michigan’s congressional delegation, Democratic chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and co-chair of the Senate Auto Caucus. He also formerly chaired the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Trump’s political retribution against federal prosecutors
Acting U.S. Attorney for D.C. opens investigation into Jan 6 prosecutions
Last week, Trump’s interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Edward R. Martin Jr.—an RNC official, former Missouri GOP chair, and far-right operative affiliated with crazy pants Phyllis Schlafly’s network—officially followed Trump’s order to investigate the office’s Capitol breach prosecution unit, which pursued cases against more than 250 January 6 insurrectionists. He also fired the unit’s chief, Greg Rosen, eliminated the team, and scrubbed information about the prosecutions from DOJ websites. He then emailed the office, ordering all 800-plus staffers to not speak to the press.
It’s worth noting that Trump appointed Martin to this position because he served as a “Stop the Steal” organizer and is a board member of the Patriot Freedom Project, a far-right fundraising organization for J6 defendants and domestic terrorist groups. Martin represented 3 of them, including a Kansas City Proud Boys leader.
Trump fires DOJ lawyers in retribution for working on criminal cases against him
Also last week, acting attorney general James McHenry unlawfully fired more than a dozen members of special counsel Jack Smith’s team. Many were career public corruption and national security prosecutors within the DOJ, including Jay Bratt and former chief of the public corruption division, Corey Amundson, who both resigned before being ousted. McHenry sent a letter to the targeted DOJ personnel at the start of the week, stating that they were terminated because they were involved in investigating and prosecuting Trump. Very legal, very cool.
In State and Federal Courts
4th Circuit considers North Carolina Supreme Court race
Last week, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals held oral arguments as it weighs whether the challenge by the Republican North Carolina Supreme Court candidate, Jefferson Griffin, to overturn the election results should proceed in state or federal court. It should surprise no one that Leonard Leo’s dark money network is behind Griffin’s effort to steal a state Supreme Court seat. The court did not indicate when it will decide on the matter, but justices did express skepticism about intervening in the case before the state courts weigh in.
Last Wednesday, the North Carolina Supreme Court unanimously dismissed Griffin’s request to order the state elections board to invalidate 60K ballots and sent it back down to a Wake County Superior Court to weigh in on the matter first. The 5-2 GOP-controlled court also left a hold on certifying Democratic candidate Allison Riggs’ win until the appeals process runs its course. In short, the court is holding the election results hostage, enabling the GOP and their dark money backers to abuse the courts. Over the weekend, Wake County Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway scheduled a hearing for Feb. 7 and ordered Griffin to file a brief by Wednesday and the state elections board, Riggs, and interveners by Feb. 3.
4th Circuit upholds Virginia law restricting remote court access
On Jan. 22, a 3 judge panel on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s decision that upheld a Virginia state law that gives State Bar members exclusive online access to judicial records. Courthouse News, a civil litigation outlet, sued the state to be able to have equal remote access to non-confidential court filings, arguing that the law restricting access to non-attorneys was discriminatory and infringed on free speech.
In a 2-1 ruling, the court ruled that Virginia’s remote access restriction does not violate the First Amendment or the Equal Protection Clause. It wrote, “the Access Restriction does not reflect a preference about what records non-attorneys may access,” but it does regulate when, where, and how non-attorneys may access those records. In addition, the court found that because the law is content-neutral the outlet’s Dissemination Restriction argument lacks standing and vacated the lower court’s ruling and sent it back to dismiss the claim without prejudice.
The majority opinion was written by a Trump-appointed, Federalist Society Judge Allison Jones Rushing, and joined by a Clinton and Bush-appointed judge Roger Gregory (the Senate failed to take up Clinton’s nomination and he placed Gregory on the Circuit in recess until Bush renominated him). Judge James A. Wynn, an Obama appointee, wrote the dissent.
Minnesota Supreme Court rules GOP Legislative power grab unconstitutional
On January 24, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that state House Republicans’ attempted power grab by electing a speaker and assigning committees without a quorum was unconstitutional. Despite not winning a 68-seat majority in the state House, Republicans are acting like they have one anyway so the Democrats sued. The high court upheld the state Constitution requiring a party majority and made it clear that the GOP does not have one and that “vacancies do not reduce the number required for a majority of each house to constitute a quorum.” But, in true GOP form, the party refuses to comply with court orders to share powers.
On Thursday, the GOP sued Secretary of State Steve Simon to compel their Democratic colleagues to return to the session. Their dubious claim is that Simon lacks legal authority to lead state legislative sessions and violates the separation of powers by adjourning the House without allowing individual members to make motions. They also accuse Simon of blocking their constitutional right to seek financial penalties against their boycotting colleagues. Democrats remain united in boycotting the current legislative session to prevent the GOP from usurping control. It’s also worth noting that weeks after a judge declared that state Rep. Brad Tabke won his race, Republicans continue to refuse to swear him in. This defiance by the GOP may come up in oral arguments, which the state Supreme Court court scheduled for February 6.
Senate Confirmation Watch
On Jan. 27, the Senate confirmed broligarch Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary in a 68-29 vote. 15 Democrats and 1 Independent voted in favor, including Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Corey Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Mark Warner (D-VA). Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) did not vote.
On Jan. 28, the Senate confirmed reality TV contestant and FOX Business co-host Sean Duffy as Transportation Secretary in a 77-22 vote. 23 Democrats and Independent Senator from Maine Angus King voted in favor, including all listed above.
On Jan. 29, the Senate confirmed former GOP Congressman from New York Lee Zeldin as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in a 56-42 vote. 3 Democrats voted in favor, including Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ). Sens. Corey Booker (D-NJ) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) did not vote.
On Jan. 30, the Senate confirmed former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum as Secretary of the Interior in a 79-18 vote. 26 Democrats voted in favor, including most listed for Scott Bessent. Sens. Corey Booker (D-NJ), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) did not vote.