💧As we approach the weekend, really encourage folks to check out these articles.

THREE really big California water stories you need to know about ...

THREAD⬇️ WASHINGTON POST: "Army Corps knew Trump order would waste California water, memo shows"

"The Army Corps of Engineers colonel responsible for releasing water from two California reservoirs at President Donald Trump’s direction in January knew that it was unlikely to reach the southern part of the state as Trump had promised, according to a memo obtained by The Washington Post."

"A memo written four days after the release, obtained by The Post through a public records request, shows how federal officials rushed ahead with the plan to release irrigation water despite objections from the state’s elected officials and some local farmers."

"Col. Chad W. Caldwell, commander of the Army Corps’ Sacramento district, wrote that the water that poured out of Lake Kaweah and Success Lake 'could not be delivered to Southern California directly.'"

"the episode, a week and a half into Trump’s second term, drew criticism from farmers and officials from both parties in the Central Valley."

"Many were alarmed when they found out."

"For the farmers in the Central Valley, it was not irrigation season, and this was their precious summer supply."

"Caldwell soon heard from elected officials and others in the Central Valley, including Republican Reps. Vince Fong and David G. Valadao, 'to ask why the water was being released as it was typical to reserve as much water as possible for the summer growing season.'"

"The Army Corps turned off the spigot Feb. 2 after letting out 2.511 billion gallons, according to Caldwell."

"It was less than half of what Trump promised."

🔗washingtonpost.com/climate-enviro…

A few eye popping headlines a whole bunch of people, all across the country, should care about ...

Encourage folks to take a look on this Saturday to see the widespread impacts and the potential consequences later this year.

THREAD⬇️ SF CHRONICLE: Trump’s spending freeze halts key California wildfire work: ‘We can’t even buy the rakes’

"The Bureau of Land Management confirmed it had stopped all plans to clear hazardous overgrowth on public lands across the country if the projects were to be paid for through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law was slated to fund $113 million worth of fuels reduction work on 770,000 acres nationwide this year, a bureau spokesperson said."

“We can’t even buy the rakes, if we wanted to rake the forest,” said Steven Gutierrez with the National Federation of Federal Employees, the union representing federal workers.

"Gutierrez, a former U.S. Forest Service firefighter, said that the cuts involved key support roles for firefighting, if not permanent staff firefighter positions."

"'The workforce is deeply concerned the government doesn’t have their back,' he said."

🔗 sfchronicle.com/california-wil…

As we end the week, I wanted to share some really good local reporting on how President Trump's water actions in California are being received by locals...

THREAD ⬇️ via @SJVwater ...

"Tulare County water managers were perplexed and frustrated, noting both physical and legal barriers that make it virtually impossible for Tulare County river water to be used for southern California fires.”

“A decision to take summer water from local farmers and dump it out of these reservoirs shows a complete lack of understanding of how the system works and sets a very dangerous precedent,” said Dan Vink, a longtime Tulare County water manager and principal partner at Six-33 Solutions, a water and natural resource firm in Visalia.”

“This decision was clearly made by someone with no understanding of the system or the impacts that come from knee-jerk political actions.”

“I have no idea if this is the new norm for operations or not. I certainly hope not.”

🔗 sjvwater.org/trumps-emergen…

Here are just *SOME* of the efforts taken this week by @CAGovernor Newsom to protect and support Californians from the ongoing firestorms worsened by hurricane-force winds.

Take a look⬇️ ON MONDAY:
Prepositioned assets ahead of this crisis:
gov.ca.gov/2025/01/06/cal…

Including @TheCalGuard:
x.com/GovPressOffice…

HISTORIC DAY IN CALIFORNIA!!

12 bills were just signed by @CAGovernor @GavinNewsom--for a total of 15 this year.

That effort is supported by >$200 million in new state funding.

What the CA Future of Abortion Council & @PPActionCA has accomplished in a 1 year is incredible!

https://twitter.com/PPActionCA/status/1574864225465311232

Here's what was done this year in California...

Legislative THREAD👇🏼

#BREAKING >> Alabama AG Steve Marshall -- who is the Chair of the Rule of Law Defense Fund, the RAGA org that sponsored & promoted the Jan 6 rally turned deadly riot -- is seeking re-election.

He should be asked about this every day.

A quick thread👇
montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/202… Jan 8 AG Marshall said, he "was unaware of unauthorized decisions," that "it is unacceptable that I was neither consulted about nor informed of those decisions" & that, "those who chose to engage in violence and anarchy should and will be held accountable"
alreporter.com/2021/01/08/ala…

This is gonna be a painful & expensive primary for the Republican Attorneys General Association.

It’s certainly possible this turns into a RAGA v MAGA primary if GPB gets Trump’s endorsement—which, I have to believe, would be incredibly embarrassing for indicted TX AG Ken Paxton

https://twitter.com/rickklein/status/1400050869786267648

Why embarrassing? There are few who attached themselves closer to Trump.

Paxton, along with other Republican AGs, essentially acted as Trump’s personal lawyer…and in the final days even sued to try to overturn the election & spoke at the Jan 6 rally turned deadly riot.

Throughout #Pride month I'll highlight DAGA Co-Chair MA AG @maura_healey & MI AG @dananessel.

AG Healey is the 1st openly LGBTQ+ person elected to state AG in US history

AG Nessel is the 1st openly LGBTQ+ person elected statewide in MI & 2nd to state AG in US history

THREAD👇 First up, DAGA Co-Chair MA AG @maura_healey making history as the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to state AG in US history

Read more in this @Cosmopolitan article from Election Day 2014
cosmopolitan.com/politics/news/…

Since folks are talking about the January 6th commission...

Reminder: "Republican AGs group sent robocalls urging march to the Capitol"
nbcnews.com/news/us-news/r… "Missouri Attorney General’s Office Communicated On ‘War Games’ With GOP Group Via Government Email"

news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-…

"You would think that a committee made up of some of America’s top law enforcement officials would blanche at being party to an attempt to end the rule of law. But in fact, it’s just the opposite"

@Timodc writes on Republican AGs/RAGA in @BulwarkOnline👇
thebulwark.com/this-week-in-r… "In April, RAGA’s board promoted Peter Bisbee—who oversaw a paid campaign to encourage grassroots supporters to “march on the Capitol to stop the steal”—to the group’s executive director."

🚨NEW RAGA CHAIRMAN: South Carolina AG Alan Wilson

I'll note AG Wilson tried to overturn the 2020 election (2x)

And a reminder: Republican AGs promoted the RAGA staffer who oversaw its involvement in Jan 6 (GA AG Chris Carr resigned as chair b/c of it)
postandcourier.com/politics/scs-a… More on the Republican Attorneys General Association’s (RAGA) new chair…

Here he is prominently featured on this petition page (promoted by SD Gov Noem) attacking trans women’s rights: defendtitleixnow.com

The West Virginia Attorney General (& former Chair of the Republican Attorneys General Association) has used the phrase “Defend America” at least 12x when talking about stopping action by a fairly elected President, Senate, & House.

This type of language is dangerous & divisive. These are the same Republican AGs who attacked our democratic institutions repeatedly over the last 6 months, including promoting, sponsoring, and participating in the Jan 6th rally turned deadly riot at the US Capitol.

More —> link.medium.com/I4SWR8klSeb

#NEW: Republican AGs Attack on Democracy: A Timeline

There's been a lot of separate reporting, but here's a detailed timeline illustrating the un-American campaign waged by Republican AGs & the Republican Attorneys General Association these last 6 months.
democraticags.medium.com/republican-att… AHEAD OF THE ELECTION:

August: Republican AGs attack access to mail-in ballots.

September: Republican AGs & RAGA fail to combat significant election disinformation.

October: Republican AGs attack voting rights & refuse to protect democratic norms.
democraticags.medium.com/republican-att…

.@NASAPersevere PARACHUTE has been deployed !! .@NASAPersevere TOUCHDOWN CONFIRMED !!

🚨🚨🚨

#BREAKING: Trump appointee says Tuberville, RAGA director met with Trump family, top advisers on eve of Capitol attack

via @BurkhalterEddie
alreporter.com/2021/01/26/tru… “The night before the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol, Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville and the then-director of the Republican Attorneys General Association met with then-President Donald Trump’s sons and close advisers, according to a social media post”

QUICK THREAD

We’re only *1 week* into 2021 and I already have to do a short thread catching folks up on what’s happening with Republican AGs & the Republican AG Association these last few day👇🏻 THURSDAY: @JamieMCorey from @ItsDocumented published *new* investigative reporting:

REPUBLICAN ATTORNEYS GENERAL DARK MONEY GROUP ORGANIZED PROTEST PRECEDING CAPITOL MOB ATTACK

documented.net/2021/01/republ…

🚨🚨🚨

THREAD: @DemocraticAGs Co-Chairs MA AG @maura_healey & NV AG @AaronDFordNV statement on Republican Attorneys General Association & Republican AGs **Involvement** in the “Stop the Steal” Rally👇🏻

https://twitter.com/JamieMCorey/status/1347239811808161796

“The continued peddling of conspiracy theories and pandering to President Trump’s dangerous lies by the Republican Attorneys General Association, the Rule of Law Defense Fund, and some current and former Republican Attorneys General has gone unchecked for too long."

FRONT PAGES I never thought I would see leading the biggest papers in the country ...

Absolutely surreal. And it’s not just national papers, but local papers from CALIFORNIA ..

NEW: Statement from @DemocraticAGs Co-Chairs MA AG @Maura_Healey & NV AG @AaronDFordNV on the attack on the U.S. Capitol:

“Our deepest condolences go out to the family of the woman who was shot and killed today during the violent events at the U.S. Capitol.” “We are watching an active assault on our democracy – our literal walls of government – play out in real time on national television."

.@DemocraticAGs statements and reactions to today's events in Washington DC

THREAD (in progress): DAGA Co-Chair NV AG @AaronDFordNV

https://twitter.com/AaronDFordNV/status/1346915835831480320?s=20

#BREAKING: District of Columbia AG (and current @NatlAssnAttysGn President) @KarlRacineDC statement:

https://twitter.com/AGKarlRacine/status/1346911882901413889

"We call on President Trump to immediately tell his supporters, who are trampling on the District of Columbia and have breached the U.S. Capitol, to cease and desist and return from whence they came in a peaceful manner."