Dianna E. Anderson

Moral Mondays heads to Washington: Faith leaders from around the US march on Senate to protest Jeff Sessions

In a historic march on Washington, faith leaders from all over the United States gathered at the Capitol Monday to hold an unprecedented protest ahead of Senator Jeff Sessions’ (R-AL) confirmation hearing as Attorney General. #MoralRevival March to #StopSessions pic.twitter.com/saWmKaa1g1 — Repairers of the Breach (@BRepairers) January 9, 2017 The march was led by an interfaith coalition […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - January 09, 2017

Hillary Clinton’s appearance at the inauguration is encouragement for the resistance

Here's your popular vote winner of the 2016 presidential election pic.twitter.com/2xU27x3uR2 — HuffPost (@HuffPost) January 20, 2017 Working for the Clinton campaign was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I worked seven days a week, fourteen hours a day, organizing volunteers and running canvasses and phone banks and surrogate events in rural […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - January 20, 2017

Trump cannot dissolve his foundation while it is under criminal investigation

Amid Donald Trump’s many conflicts of interest is his eponymous foundation, which, while defending it, he has nevertheless now pledged to dissolve. It is the only portion of his conflicts that he has made plans to divest from completely — the others he has promised to place in a “half-blind trust” (spoiler: there is no such […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 28, 2016

Paul Ryan threatens to defund Planned Parenthood, sends guards after petitioners

.@SpeakerRyan's office sent 6 security guards to block delivery of 87K #IStandWithPP petitions telling Ryan not to defund Planned Parenthood pic.twitter.com/56QHwhjR2q — Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) January 6, 2017 In the first week of the 115th Congress, House Speaker Paul Ryan is already pursuing a long-time conservative goal: Defunding Planned Parenthood. As part of the […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - January 06, 2017

Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder joins California in the fight against Trump

In another step toward resistance of President-elect Donald Trump’s impending anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, anti-woman administration, California Democrats have retained Obama administration alum, former Attorney General Eric Holder to assist them in their work. Senate Leader Kevin de León and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, both Democrats, said Wednesday that Holder will serve as outside counsel to the […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - January 05, 2017

Trump picks foreign policy hawk Thomas Bossert for homeland security advisor

In a quick move over the holiday weekend, Donald Trump’s transition team announced the appointment of Thomas Bossert to the position of homeland security advisor. Bossert served as deputy homeland security advisor under President Bush, and for the past eight years has run a private security consulting firm and held a senior fellowship on cybersecurity […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 28, 2016

Conway, Trump face bipartisan backlash for suggesting Russian sanctions could be lifted

In a conversation on Fox and Friends, host Brian Kilmeade asked White House counselor Kellyanne Conway whether the sanctions placed on Russia by President Obama in response to that country’s interference in our election would be a topic of conversation during Donald Trump’s first official phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Conway’s answer was […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - January 27, 2017

Florida AG Pam Bondi in talks with Trump for White House job after pay-to-play scandal

NEW: Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will be named to a post in the Trump White House, sources tell me. Trump aides finalizing her role. — Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 5, 2017 The Trump transition team had no comment on reports that Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is being considered for a White House appointment, […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - January 06, 2017

Women’s March on Washington set to be largest inauguration demonstration ever

Over 150,000 people from across the country have registered to join the Women’s March on Washington in protest of President-elect Donald Trump’s attitude and behavior toward women and other marginalized people. Begun by Theresa Shook, a retired attorney in Hawaii, the march now stands to be one of the largest demonstrations to take place in protest […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - January 04, 2017

State legislatures brashly moving forward on anti-LGBT agenda under Trump

With Congress back in session for the new year, and while America’s eyes are largely fixed on the White House and its impending occupants, numerous state legislators across the country are making good on their threats to curtail civil rights protections and to implement state-sanctioned bigotry toward LGBT Americans, and particularly transgender citizens. Texas Republican Lieutenant […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - January 05, 2017

North Carolina moves toward repeal of anti-transgender legislation

Controversy is heating up in the Tar Heel state as the city of Charlotte, N.C., and the lame-duck Republican governor, Pat McCrory, are once again at odds. Throughout 2016, the municipal government in Charlotte has been sparring with the governor, refusing to rescue him from an economic and public relations disaster of his own making. […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 21, 2016

McCain joins Schumer in calling for independent investigation into Russian hacks

Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has joined Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Jack Reed (D-RI) in requesting, via a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), a select, independent investigation into the nature and extent of Russian hacking during the presidential election. Following news of the CIA assessment which concluded Russia intervened […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 19, 2016

Trump crony Lewandowski sets up lobbying shop near the White House

Trump, who pledged to drain the swamp of lobbyists, is getting, by all appearances, his own private lobbying arm steps from the White House pic.twitter.com/gGFVq5Yf2n — Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) December 21, 2016 Despite campaign promises to “drain the swamp,” which became a rallying cry of his supporters, President-elect Donald Trump and members of his sphere […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 21, 2016

Chuck Schumer calls for “accountability Congress,” warns against a “Twitter presidency”

.@SenSchumer: "America cannot afford a Twitter presidency" https://t.co/BxSfjCh6LK pic.twitter.com/Jh4h8717dF — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 3, 2017 …challenges too entrenched for mere tweeting. Making America great again requires more than 140 characters per issue. With all due respect, America cannot afford a Twitter presidency. We have real challenges and we have real needs to get […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - January 03, 2017

Congressional Black Caucus resolves to fight Trump: “The stakes are incredibly high.”

Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) threw down the gauntlet against President-elect Donald Trump recently, declaring in an appearance on MSNBC that she has “no intention in pretending everything is alright, that we’re going to work together,” and promising, particularly in her role as a ranking member of the Financial Services Committee, that she is “going to […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - January 03, 2017

Trump taps Islamophobic Fox alum Monica Crowley for National Security Council

President-elect Donald Trump has named Fox News correspondent and host Monica Crowley to be the senior director of Strategic Communications for the National Security Council. This is another in a string of appointments from Fox, indicating that Trump’s once frosty relationship with the network is over. Crowley, who was a research assistant and editorial advisor to Richard […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 16, 2016

Former congressional staff publish guide to resistance under Trump

A group of former congressional staffers — Ezra Levin, Angel Padilla, and Jeremy Haile — has published a crucial guide to the coming resistance against a Donald Trump administration, providing action steps and advice for Democrats seeking ways to fight back against an authoritarian and dangerous Republican government. The hope, they write in the introduction, is for “stiffening […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 16, 2016

Coalition of faith and community leaders urge Congress to reject Trump’s “cabinet of bigotry”

Concerned about Donald Trump’s divisive Cabinet nominees, a coalition of faith, family, and community leaders is fervently calling for progressive action against his “cabinet of bigotry.” 2,500 religious leaders across the United States have signed the petition from Faith in Public Life calling on members of congress to reject the cabinet. In a press conference […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 16, 2016

Kasich vetoes heartbeat bill, signs dangerous 20-week abortion ban

Governor John Kasich delivered a fake-out punch to reproductive rights in Ohio on Tuesday when he vetoed a ban on abortions at six weeks, only to turn around and sign a ban on abortion after 20 weeks. Both of these prohibitions are unconstitutional under Roe v. Wade, which sets the point of viability for a […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 14, 2016

Obama signs landmark health reform bill, further cementing his legacy

In a bipartisan effort to increase access to mental health care across the United States, President Barack Obama signed important legislation that would expand states’ ability to integrate mental and physical care and identify gaps in coverage. The 21st Century Cures Act, which contains broad funding for cancer research and substance abuse treatment, also includes a mental […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 13, 2016

Kellyanne Conway wrong once again on how the government works

KellyAnne Conway just claimed @CNN that @AdamSchiffCA "definitely doesn't have a security clearance." Really? Might want to check that. — Joe Cirincione (@Cirincione) December 13, 2016 .@kellyannepolls thinks as Ranking Member of Intel Committee, I'm not read into nation's intel programs. Suggest she google Gang of 8. https://t.co/NzT53Yeglz — Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 13, 2016 […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 13, 2016

Elizabeth Warren calls for the GAO to audit Trump, pushes for investigation

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has called for the Government Accountability Office to review President-elect Donald Trump’s finances as they relate to his White House transition. In a letter cosigned by Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD), they ask the GAO to address: conflicts of interest related to business holdings of Mr. Trump and his family; potential violations of […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 12, 2016

Trump selects yet another Goldman Sachs executive for key post

President-elect Donald Trump has offered Gary Cohn, the current president and Chief Operating Officer at Goldman Sachs, the position of director of the National Economic Council. Cohn joins Steven Mnuchin and Steve Bannon to become the third Goldman Sachs alumnus offered a position in the Trump administration. During the campaign, Trump repeatedly accused Hillary Clinton […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 09, 2016

Robert Reich does not hold back: Trump is “mean, petty, thin-skinned, vindictive”

Robert Reich, Professor of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and former Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton, took to the airwaves to lambaste President-elect Donald Trump for misusing his social media platform to go after people who criticize him. Trump used two tweets to crudely insult Chuck Jones, a union boss in Indiana, […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 08, 2016

Ohio state legislature is first to move on emboldened anti-choice agenda

Encouraged by an incoming Donald Trump presidency, Ohio has become the first state to pass draconian anti-choice measures in a renewed effort to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. As a last-minute, lame duck salvo, Ohio legislators tacked a fetal heartbeat abortion ban onto a child abuse prevention bill. This amendment would ban abortion once […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 07, 2016

The success of Moral Mondays in North Carolina is a template for national resistance

Reverend William Barber II was a familiar face in North Carolina before he got a prime speaking spot at the Democratic National Convention this past June. His fiery introduction to the rest of the nation made it immediately clear why sustained protests in North Carolina worked so well: Barber spoke not just to the need for democratic […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 06, 2016

Nazis were “stylish,” too: The dangerous hipsterization of white supremacy

The New York Times referred to them as “young, suit-and-tie white supremacists.” The Hollywood Reporter said one of their leaders was dressed like a “graduate student, in his t-shirt, open button down, and tatty blue blazer.” Mother Jones Magazine called one of them “dapper.” And The Los Angeles Times wrote that these “buttoned down millennials, in their dark […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - November 23, 2016

Anti-abortion legislators emboldened by prospect of Trump-stacked SCOTUS

Looking ahead to Donald Trump’s presidency, and the looming potential of a Trump-appointed conservative justice on the Supreme Court, legislators in a number of state governments are feeling empowered to put forth ignorant and harmful anti-choice laws. Just months after the Supreme Court struck down key parts of a Texas anti-abortion law, lawmakers in that […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - December 01, 2016

Trump’s pledge to leave his “great business” is just smoke and mirrors

In the early morning hours, President-elect Donald Trump took to Twitter to address the conflict of interest concerns which have cropped up in the weeks since the election: I will be holding a major news conference in New York City with my children on December 15 to discuss the fact that I will be leaving […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - November 30, 2016

Trump to embark on “thank you” tour and keep avoiding the hard work of governing

Days after the election, aides to Donald Trump told The New York Times that he wants to continue holding rallies as president, because he “likes the instant gratification and adulation that the cheering crowds provide.” The article notes that his aides are working out ways to “accommodate his demand.” To that end, the Trump organization has announced plans […]

By Dianna E. Anderson - November 30, 2016

Dianna E. Anderson

Senior Writer

Moral Mondays heads to Washington: Faith leaders from around the US march on Senate to protest Jeff Sessions

Hillary Clinton’s appearance at the inauguration is encouragement for the resistance

Trump cannot dissolve his foundation while it is under criminal investigation

Paul Ryan threatens to defund Planned Parenthood, sends guards after petitioners

Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder joins California in the fight against Trump

Trump picks foreign policy hawk Thomas Bossert for homeland security advisor

Conway, Trump face bipartisan backlash for suggesting Russian sanctions could be lifted

Florida AG Pam Bondi in talks with Trump for White House job after pay-to-play scandal

Women’s March on Washington set to be largest inauguration demonstration ever

State legislatures brashly moving forward on anti-LGBT agenda under Trump

North Carolina moves toward repeal of anti-transgender legislation

McCain joins Schumer in calling for independent investigation into Russian hacks

Trump crony Lewandowski sets up lobbying shop near the White House

Chuck Schumer calls for “accountability Congress,” warns against a “Twitter presidency”

Congressional Black Caucus resolves to fight Trump: “The stakes are incredibly high.”

Trump taps Islamophobic Fox alum Monica Crowley for National Security Council

Former congressional staff publish guide to resistance under Trump

Coalition of faith and community leaders urge Congress to reject Trump’s “cabinet of bigotry”

Kasich vetoes heartbeat bill, signs dangerous 20-week abortion ban

Obama signs landmark health reform bill, further cementing his legacy

Kellyanne Conway wrong once again on how the government works

Elizabeth Warren calls for the GAO to audit Trump, pushes for investigation

Trump selects yet another Goldman Sachs executive for key post

Robert Reich does not hold back: Trump is “mean, petty, thin-skinned, vindictive”

Ohio state legislature is first to move on emboldened anti-choice agenda

The success of Moral Mondays in North Carolina is a template for national resistance

Nazis were “stylish,” too: The dangerous hipsterization of white supremacy

Anti-abortion legislators emboldened by prospect of Trump-stacked SCOTUS

Trump’s pledge to leave his “great business” is just smoke and mirrors

Trump to embark on “thank you” tour and keep avoiding the hard work of governing