Tag: Democracy under threat

People’s March to be held Saturday, Jan. 18 @ 1 p.m., to bring together people who fear second Trump administration

The Womens’ March held around the time of Trump’s first inauguration in 2017 is coming back in 2025, but this time it has been rebranded as “The People’s March,” to be even more inclusive.

The 2025 Grand Junction People’s March will start at the Old Courthouse on 6th and Rood Ave. on Saturday, January 18 at 1:00 p.m. in Grand Junction, just prior to Trump’s inauguration on January 20. The event will coincide with a national People’s March will in Washington, D.C. scheduled to start 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

The purpose of the 2025 People’s March is to create a mass protest to show Americans will not bow to fascism. It will also kick off a new social movement that will rise to confront Trumpism and bring together all those who fear a second Trump administration. It also is meant to include people who feel targeted by the current political climate: womenLGBTQ+ people, and immigrants, and to push against the feelings of hopelessness and helplessness that swept over a large part of the American populace after the 2024 general election, that is leading to demobilization and demoralization.

The march’s Managing Director, Tamika Middleton, said “We’re also trying to make visible a resistance. Looking at the election results, there is this narrative around a broad mandate within the electorate in favor of Trump’s policies. We want to demonstrate that there are people who will continue to stand up and fight against that.”

National sponsors of The People’s March, 2025

The cover of Mother Jones magazine’s January-February, 2025 issue reflecting the fear many Americans have about the anticipated lawlessness, corruption, surge in Christian nationalism and attacks on multiculturalism that will likely result from an unconstrained second Trump administration.

Trump threatens to seize Greenland and the Panama canal, and use economic pressure to make Canada the 51st state

Trump said he wouldn’t rule out the use of military force to seize Greenland from Denmark and seize the Panama Canal from Panama. He also says he wants to erase Canada’s borders and make Canada America’s 51st state

In an hour long news conference on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, convicted felon, sexual abuser and president-elect Trump insisted Denmark should “give up” Greenland to the United States and refused to rule out use of military force to seize the island. Trump also repeated his desire that the U.S. should seize the Panama Canal from Panama. The canal, which was built by the U.S. over a century ago and returned to Panama by the Panama Canal treaty, signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Trump also suggested using “economic force” instead of military force to make Canada into America’s 51st state. Trump has threatened Canada with a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods coming into the U.S., and told reporters that if Canada voluntarily merges with the U.S., there “would be no tariffs.” Trump mused, “Canada and the United States. That would really be something.”

Trump also said he wants to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”

Arrest affidavit: Trump’s racist, anti-immigrant rhetoric motivated strangulation attack on local TV reporter

Patrick Thomas Egan, 39, who attacked and attempted to strangle KKCO TV reporter Ja’Ronn Alex

KKCO TV News reporter Ja’Ronn Alex was followed and physically attacked December 18 by a Trump supporter who yelled “Are you even a U.S. citizen! This is Trump’s America now! I took an oath to protect this country from people like you!”

Trump publicly states he intends to erode the Constitution rather than preserve, protect & defend it as his oath requires, thus should not be sworn in

Swearing in Trump after he promised on national television to degrade the U.S. Constitution would be assisting him in undermining the Constitution

In a recent interview with Kristin Welker broadcast on national television on December 8, convicted felon and president-elect Trump promised to “absolutely” end birthright citizenship “on day one” of his presidency:

KRISTEN WELKER: You promised to end birthright citizenship on day one.

PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP: Correct.

KRISTEN WELKER: Is that still your plan?

PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP: Yeah. Absolutely.

KRISTEN WELKER: The 14th Amendment, though, says that, quote, “All persons born in the United States are citizens.” 

PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP: Yeah.

KRISTEN WELKER: Can you get around the 14th Amendment with an executive action?

PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP: Well, we’re going to have to get it changed. We’ll maybe have to go back to the people. But we have to end it.

 

The threat posed by the Christian nationalist bent of Trump’s nominees

Republished with permission from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. AnneLandmanblog included some additional information, references and videos:

Trump

President-elect Trump’s nominees for cabinet and other powerful positions read like a “Who’s Who” of Christian nationalists (pdf) and Project 2025 creators. His choices for key federal positions in federal government constitute a direct threat to the secular foundations of the U.S. government and signal the implementation of Project 2025, the extremist blueprint aimed at reshaping the federal government to align with a narrow sectarian ideology. Project 2025’s agenda includes dismantling the wall between state and church, curbing religious freedoms for non-Christians, and pushing policies that marginalize religious minorities and LGBTQ-plus individuals. By nominating individuals deeply entrenched in Christian nationalist movements to key positions, Trump can fast-track the implementation of this radical agenda.

Here’s a rundown of cabinet and high-level picks that are prominently connected to Christian nationalism, Project 2025 or the America First Policy Institute, founded to advance Trump’s Christian nationalist-influenced agenda:

A “weird” watch party for Jeff Hurd and the media

Charles Ashby

The following opinion column by longtime political reporter for the Daily Sentinel, Charles Ashby, is reprinted here in full with permission from the Sentinel’s publisher. The original article is here, on the Sentinel’s website. It is a rare opinion column by Ashby, who has been a news reporter for 45 years, and who has covered politics for about half that time. It describes the unprecedented way District 3 Republican U.S. House Representative-elect Jeff Hurd treated journalists attending his watch party on election night, Nov. 5, 2024. 

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In all my nearly 50 years in journalism, about half of which was in covering politics in Colorado, I’ve never heard of what happened during U.S. Rep.-elect Jeff Hurd’s election night watch party occurring anywhere else.

While it’s not uncommon to corral the media at political events, or even bar them from entry, what Hurd’s campaign did to the print, radio and television press at The Warehouse 25Sixty-five Kitchen & Bar on Tuesday night was unprecedented.

Elect a criminal, expect crimes

There will be no one to blame but American voters for what is going to happen next.

After a decade in politics, we all knew Donald Trump was a criminal.

He was found guilty last May of 34 felony counts of fraud and was slapped with a $355 million fine after he and his company were found guilty of engaging in a decade-long scheme to defraud banks and lenders by falsifying the values of his properties. In writing the verdict in the case, Judge Arthur Engoron wrote “The frauds found here leap off the page and shock the conscience.” In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation.

Trump mimes giving a blow job to his microphone at rally in Milwaukee, WI

[Warning: This post about the Republican nominee for U.S. President is unsuitable for children.]

Upset about a problematic microphone at his Friday, Nov. 1 rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Trump went on an extended rant about microphones that included his miming of giving oral sex to another male while standing behind a podium that bore a sign saying “Trump will fix it.” [The BJ part starts at 3:00 into the 4:05 video]

Trump admits he lost the 2020 election, causing supporters to turn on him

Mesa County’s die-hard, Trump-loving Republicans probably won’t want to hear this, but Donald Trump admitted in a September 3, 2024 interview with Lex Fridman that he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden “by a whisker.” The full interview of Trump is 1 hour and 4 minutes long. The admission that he lost the 2020 election starts at 10:41 in the interview.

And this is not the only time Trump has admitted this, either.

During a visit to the southern border in Arizona last August, he acknowledged that he lost the election, saying he “came up a little short.”

Trump’s admissions come after years in which he relentlessly lied to his supporters by claiming he was robbed of victory in the 2020 election due to widespread voter fraud, a claim that he’s never proven. Despite this, millions of Americans believed him.

Peters says she’ll appeal her conviction, says the prosecution “excluded exculpatory evidence”

Tina on Bannon’s War Room the morning after a Mesa County jury convicted her of 4 felonies and 3 misdemeanor counts related to her election tampering case.

In a 15-minute video posted on Bannon’s War Room on Rumble.com at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 13, 2024 — the day after a jury found her guilty on four felony and three misdemeanor counts in her criminal election machine tampering case in Mesa County Court — Tina Peters is claiming the prosecution in her case “excluded exculpatory evidence” and says her lawyers are filing an appeal of her conviction. She says “Withholding exculpatory evidence is a crime.”

Tina says that “Dominion, the Secretary of State, AG Merrick Garland, 71 countries have been influenced by faulty election machines” and “that’s why they they have to come after an almost 70 year-old clerk in a small town called Mesa County.” She says “I was prevented from a defense” and “there is info that will exonerate me,” although she says at 14:19 in the video that the information she cites that she says will exonerate her is in Patrick Byrne’s federal case in Washington, D.C., and she adds that “I haven’t seen any of it, but I’m assured that it’s there.”

Take-aways from Tina’s trial

Tina on Bannon’s War Room the morning after a Mesa County jury convicted her of 4 felonies and 3 misdemeanor counts related to her election tampering case.

Tina Peters’ criminal trial finally played out this past week, three years after she was accused of engaging in multiple felonies as Mesa County Clerk. The trial is being live-streamed by KREX, and you can watch it whenever Court is in session. The link to watch it is here, but if you haven’t tuned in yet, you’ve missed most of it. The prosecution and defense rested their cases Friday, August 9. Monday will bring closing arguments and jury instructions before the jury is sent to deliberate Tina’s fate. The judge said he thought the remaining phases of trial would likely be completed by noon on Monday, August 12.

Lots of information was presented at the trial, much of which the public hasn’t known about before, and most of it quite damning to Tina. Here are some of the biggest take-aways from the trial this week:

How to watch Tina Peters’ criminal election tampering trial online


KREX TV will be streaming the entire criminal trial of former Mesa County Clerk-turned-election denier Tina Peters whenever  court is in session. You can view it on their website at this link, or live on YouTube at this link. Both links have a Chromecast icon, allowing you to cast live video to your TV if you have a Chromecast device.

The right wing’s Project 2025, to be implemented in a 2nd Trump presidency, will impose Christian nationalism, restrict reproductive & LGBTQ+ rights, dismantle the FBI & DOJ and move America towards a more authoritarian regime

The stakes couldn’t be higher for the entire country, as Trump supporters have created comprehensive plan to curtail American freedoms, impose Christian ideals on all citizens and end human and civil rights as we’ve known them in America if Trump re-takes the presidency in the November general election.

Tina Peters is working to pack the courtroom during her trial, urging her supporters to bring kids into the courtroom & organizing marches around town in support of herself

Banner from Tina’s new web page, “Free Tina Peters”

Tina Peters has a new website, FreeTina.com, that she’s not just using to continue to solicit donations for her legal defense, but also to organize what she hopes will be a massive show of support before and during her criminal trial, scheduled for July 29 – August 12 at the Mesa County Justice Center.

Tina faces a mix of 10 felony and misdemeanor charges, including three counts of attempting to influence a public servant, conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, identity theft, first degree official misconduct, violation of duty and failure to comply with requirements of the Secretary of State. She could be sentenced to prison if convicted.

Tina is using the website to recruit people around the country to lead “Virtual Daily Prayer” sessions for her and she is organizing “in-person Jericho walks” around Grand Junction. She posts a call-in phone number where people can “dial in to listen or add a prayer.”

New billboard coming June 1

Thanks to a collaboration between MadDogPAC.com and Mesa County citizens who understand the danger that Republicans and Trump pose to freedom and American democracy in the November general election, as of June 1 the above billboard will be up on Highway 340 in Grand Junction, visible to people driving west onto the Redlands over the Broadway bridge, and it will be lit up all night. It will be there for two months and could  appear elsewhere around the valley after the initial two months if enough people donate to make it happen.

Restore the Balance is bringing Cassidy Hutchinson to Grand Junction

The promotional poster for Cassidy Hutchinson’s appearance in Grand Junction. RTB will have more details on this event as the time draws closer.

Cassidy Hutchinson is a former White House aide who served as assistant to Chief of Staff Mark Meadows during the Trump administration.

Hutchinson testified at the June 28, 2022 public hearings of the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, providing testimony on President Donald Trump’s conduct and that of his senior aides and political allies before and during the January 6 United States Capitol attack. As a Trump administration member and direct eye witness to the events that unfolded that day, Hutchinson’s testimony received significant national attention, with several media outlets calling it “compelling” and “explosive.”

Mesa County GOP official decries her party’s continued support of Tina Peters and Donald Trump

Mesa County Republican Party Secretary Terry Porter stood up to Colorado Republican Party Chair Dave Williams, saying his support of Tina Peters and Donald Trump is making  “too many of us ashamed of being a Republican in Colorado right now.”

Mesa County Republicans may be starting to see the harm they are doing to their party and America by continuing to support Tina Peters, Donald Trump and others like them.

On February 2, shortly before Tina Peters’ criminal trial was about to start, Colorado Republican Party Chair Dave Williams sent a mass email out to Colorado Republicans telling them to “Keep Tina Peters in your prayers while she fights the establishment and our corrupt judicial system in her upcoming trial which will begin on February 9th in Mesa County.” He called the criminal charges against Peters “retaliation, persecution, and prosecution for preserving our election records and exposing the fraud inside the machines.”

That email drew quick pushback from Republicans across the state, including former Secretaries of State and current and former Republican county clerks. It also drew a sharp rebuke from Mesa County Republican Party Secretary Terry Porter.

Porter quickly emailed Williams back and included Colorado GOP Vice Chair Hope Scheppelman and Secretary Anna Ferguson in the thread, saying:

Tina Peters’ final effort to delay her criminal trial fails; trial to be livestreamed on WesternSlopeNow.com

Tina Peters in her final show on Rumble.com on January 29, 2024 (Screenshot: Rumble.com)

In a three page order issued Monday, February 5, (pdf) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit denied Tina Peters’ motion for an injunction to halt her upcoming criminal trial, set to start at 9:00 a.m. this Friday, February 9 in the Mesa County Justice Center, Courtroom 9. 

Tina’s trial will be live-streamed by KREX-TV on their website, WesternSlopeNow.com.

In the most recent episode of her internet TV show, The Tina Peters Show, on Rumble.com, Tina continues to say she won her 2022 Republican primary election against Pam Anderson for Secretary of State, but “lost” the race due to election tampering. Anderson got 43.1% of the vote and Tina got 28.9%. A recount, paid for by donations to Tina, confirmed her loss by over 14%.

Tina also tells her followers that the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel “has run over 700 front page, above-the-fold articles lying about me” adding, “Whatever happened to good media, where you could write them and get a retraction, get an apology?” She continues to say without proof that “there’s illegal software in voting machines and they are connected to the internet.,” and  the candidates who won the April 6, 2021 G.J. city election “couldn’t possibly have won.”