Lower Rio Grande Valley Madeleine Sandefur 956-943-4585
(Cameron County)
The Rio Grande Valley group met with Trey Lewis, Deputy Chief of staff for Congressman Filemon Vela of district TX-34 to discuss Citizens United and McCutcheon rulings by the US Supreme Court. Vela has NOT taken a position. We pressed Lewis and one of our members basically said that "not taking a position on campaign finance reform IS taking a position".
We handed him two folders:
1) Documents available from the MoveOn / MoneyOut-VotersIn
2) Print-out from Public Citizen with the on-line signers of two petitions asking for Constitutional Amendment, and the other for Public Financing/HR20 which also included about 300 signatures which we collected at various venues for the local TUTA resolution.
We emphasized the difference between public funding and a Constitutional Amendment. We stated our strong preference for the amendment, since any new law would simply be challenged again (another McCutcheon could sue) and end up at the Supreme Court. He asked us how the process for an amendment would work, and we answered that.
We handed him two folders:
1) Documents available from the MoveOn / MoneyOut-VotersIn
2) Print-out from Public Citizen with the on-line signers of two petitions asking for Constitutional Amendment, and the other for Public Financing/HR20 which also included about 300 signatures which we collected at various venues for the local TUTA resolution.
We emphasized the difference between public funding and a Constitutional Amendment. We stated our strong preference for the amendment, since any new law would simply be challenged again (another McCutcheon could sue) and end up at the Supreme Court. He asked us how the process for an amendment would work, and we answered that.
The Lower Rio Grande Valley contingent
discussed the issue of unlimited spending in politics and
collected signatures on local petitions
at the PEACE & JUSTICE conference in Weslaco, TX
Feb 1, 2014
9th Annual Peace and Justice Gathering
Corporations are NOT people
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"I guess I initially got involved with TUTA via my membership in LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. I was contacted by Liz Wally who brought organizers around the state together into the TUTA network. The League supports this issue, albeit unofficially at that time, since they wanted to see the eventual language of the proposed amendment. We then started the group here in the lower Rio Grande Valley and did petition drives, as well as organized a local January action. I feel like an "accidental activist",but the more I learn about corporate contributions and the power that "Citizens United" conferred upon Corporations, the scarier it gets! So I'll keep on working on this issue, and hope we can get a local resolution passed soon!"
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Save our Democracy
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Father Armand Mathew (1922 - 2013)
"Members of our group are saddened by the passing at age 90 of Father Armand Mathew of Brownsville. As one of the founders of UTB's Center for Civic Engagement, he was a beloved local activist priest. He took part in and spoke most eloquently at our January rally. His warmth, love of people and passion for social justice will be sorely missed!"
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Cameron County
Cities Towns
Unincorporated areas Census-designated places
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Brownsville
City government
Brownsville has a council–manager style of government. The mayor and six city commissioners, two at-large and four district, serve staggered four-year terms. Elections are held for one at-large and two district seats every two years. Municipal elections are held on the first Saturday of May in odd numbered years CODE OF ORDINANCES CITY OF BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS Newspapers
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