REMOVE Thune's shockingly CORRUPT payout scheme from the CR.

The budget the Senate sent out is not just a betrayal. It is also corrupt. Consider this: The senate voted to approve a budget that snatches away access to health care from those who entrusted their elected representatives to serve them--even while it builds in mega payouts to a few senators whose phone logs were properly, legally, suboenaed in connection with the January 6th seditious insurrectionist attack on Congress. I do not need to reminded you that the attack took lives and threatened to overturn our election. This budget resolution also has a provision to restrict access to abortion care still further. What kind of corruption-enabling oligarchic hacks drafted and approved this? Have you asked John Thune? WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH. YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR. Let's dig into what Heather Cox Richardson and Robert Hubbell have reported: Hubbell quotes HCR: "'Tucked within that last appropriation is a measure that allows the eight Republican senators whose phone logs were seized during former special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation of the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, to sue the government for up to $500,000 apiece.' And then explains: "If that provision is included in the final continuing resolution approved in the House and signed by Trump, here is what will happen: Eight Republican senators will sue the US for $500,000 each. Attorney General Pam Bondi will settle the lawsuits by agreeing to pay each of the senators $500,000 in damages. American taxpayers will pay eight Republicans a total of $4 million because phone logs were obtained by the government in response to a valid subpoena. And, not for nothing, those eight Senators voted on a bill in which they have a direct, substantial pecuniary interest" So 8 GOP senators vote to give themselves half a million. For what? For being subject to a valid legal subpoena. So those 8 think they are above the law and deserve COMPENSATORY payments. Can you explain me why these 8 deserve half a million bucks each?! They are just putting their hands in the till. What if we did this for any and everyone subject to a legal subpoena? To a traffic stop? NEVER HAS THE SENATE SENT SUCH A CLEAR MESSAGE that its MEMBERS REGARD THEMSELVES AS ABOVE THE LAW. Take this provision out. You should be collectively ashamed. It has now emerged that it was Senator Susan Collins of Maine who introduced this shockingly corrupt provision at John Thune's behest. Please make my vehement disapproval known to Thune and Collins. We have a right to expect our electeds to honor the principle of equality before the law and not to engineer handouts for their colleagues while SNAP is held up and health insurance premiums skyrocket. Do not approve any form of this CR. Mike Johnson has already said he won't hold the promised vote on the ACA subsidies. The senate betrayed us and is betraying the rule of law, even while further enabling Trump's assault on the constitution. Until you say NO you are complicit. Refuse Thune's payout scheme and if you have to, shut down the government again.

First sent on November 12 by Mary