A picture is worth a thousand words. Adelita Grijalva being sworn in by an unhappy Mike Johnson—picture by Jack Gruber of USA Today
Hi, all, and happy Thursday.
I’ve missed you! I took Tuesday off for Veterans Day and yesterday was, as usual, a no-newsletter Wednesday, but it feels like it’s been longer than two days. To say that it’s been an eventful 48 hours is an understatement. I’m grateful that I don’t feel obligated to summarize all of the news here, because right now there’s simply too much of it to cover.
Three big tranches worth mentioning briefly, however, would be:
The Epstein emails drop (!!), Trump’s unprecedented pressure campaign against Boebert and MTG, Adelita Grijalva’s swearing in, her signing the discharge petition, and the announcement by scores and scores of Republican House members that they will vote yes on the actual bill when it comes up for a vote next week.
The reopening of the government with no progress on healthcare, many Americans STILL not receiving SNAP benefits, and the scandalous payout to 8 Senators included in the final version of the bill that reopened the government.
Trump sending the US’s largest aircraft carrier to Venezuela and continuing to illegally bomb boats in the area.
Any one of these would be an entire newsletter in and of itself, but instead of pontificating on news you can read about elsewhere I’ll do what I usually do and just get you to work doing something about it.
Before I do, though, I did want to clarify something about the Epstein files, as there seems to be a great deal of confusion on the subject.
The emails released yesterday were not part of the “Epstein files” as we understand them. They were released to the House Oversight Committee by the Epstein estate. The timing of their release is interesting, and surely isn’t coincidental, but it was not directly related to Grijalva’s swearing in or the final signature being obtained on the discharge petition.
The “Epstein files” that victims, advocates, and all of us are demanding to see are an enormous cache of evidence in the possession of the FBI and DOJ. It likely contains the same emails the Epstein estate just released, but there is much, much more as well—including photographs and videos, depositions, legal testimony, and victim statements. Those files are the ones in which the truly damning evidence lies, and it it those the Trump administration is feverishly trying to suppress.
So, you may ask, now that Adelita Grijalva has put the 218th signature on that document will we see them?
Not immediately. Because remember, the discharge petition simply enables the bill’s authors to go around Mike Johnson and force a House vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. That vote will now happen next week, and the bill will pass by a wide margin. But it then needs to go to the Senate, where Majority Leader Thune will have to agree to bring it to a vote. If he does, and that’s a huge if, it will need to pass there. Then Trump would need to sign it. He won’t, obviously, so then the House and Senate will need to vote to override his veto.
That’s a lot of steps, and we could get held up at any one of them. But every time a Republican blocks a step there will be absolute hell to pay, politically. We may learn that Republicans’ will to keep obstructing this investigation is evaporating as the political cost becomes prohibitive, and—and this is important—as Trump continues to hemorrhage support.
It is our job, then, to make sure that they keep feeling the pressure.
So yes, we have our work cut out for us, but my sense is that the damn is breaking on Trump, the Epstein coverup, and all the rest of it as well.
So have courage, my friends. We’re in the thick of the fight, but we have the bigger army, the more advantageous ground, and the greater determination to win.
Which is why, eventually, we will.
Let’s get to work.
P.S. — I’m doing an Instagram Live with Tennessee Congressional candidate Aftyn Behn at noon PT /3PM ET today. You can watch on my Instagram channel at @jesscraven101. (More on Aftyn below!)
Practivist Pod 🎤
This week on the Practivist Pod Steve and I discuss the Epstein news, the deal that reopened the government, and what happens next with healthcare. Then Steve talked about how safe our voting systems actually are with the President and CEO of Verified Voting, Pamela Smith. It’s a super interesting and informative interview! Watch here or listen here.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
First, I am furious that the bill to reopen the government included a provision to allow eight Republican Senators to sue for potentially millions of dollars because their phones got searched by the DOJ in 2021. How dare they? Hungry people are still waiting for their SNAP payments. People are losing their healthcare. And we’re giving super wealthy Senators millions of dollars for no reason? This is corrupt and unacceptable. Congress needs to pass a bill revoking this provision immediately.
Also, when the Esptein files Transparency Act comes to the Senate I expect the Senator to vote yes. And I expect him/her to put pressure on Majority Leader Thune to bring it for a vote immediately. Trump is a protector of pedophiles. Americans need the full truth about what else he may have done. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
First, I am furious that the bill to reopen the government included a provision to allow eight Republican Senators to sue for potentially millions of dollars because their phones got searched by the DOJ. How dare they? Hungry people are still waiting for their SNAP payments. People are losing their healthcare. And we’re giving super wealthy Senators millions of dollars for no reason?This is corrupt and unacceptable. I understand Mike Johnson has said he will introduce a bill to revoke this provision. I want the Congressmember to support it.
Also, when the Esptein files Transparency Act comes to the floor I expect the Congressmember to vote yes. Trump is a protector of pedophiles. Americans need the full truth about what else he may have done. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
On November 5th, management at Conde Nast illegally fired four members of The News Guild union, and suspended five others, for participating in federally protected union activity. Union organizers asked company execs to explain the downsizing of Teen Vogue and continued layoffs resulting from that plan.
Not only is this consolidation a move that seems designed to blunt the award-winning magazine’s insightful journalism at a time when it’s most needed, but the firing of the union leaders who approached the head of Human Resources to seek answers breaks federal labor law and violates the “just cause” provisions in the union’s contracts governing how represented workers are disciplined and terminated.
Please sign this petition to tell Conde Nast bosses to reinstate the Fired Four, reverse the suspensions, and end the union-busting.
Get Smart! 📚
LEARN HOW TO HELP PROTECT FUTURE ELECTIONS! November 13, at 5pm PT/8pm ET.
It’s well-known that Donald Trump is gearing up to disrupt, subvert or corrupt the 2026 elections. There are robust, coordinated efforts underway to counter some of his most likely and destructive tactics, but less attention has been focused on the possibility that Trump might try to meddle with the vote count.
That’s why Indivisible Action Coalition is organizing a series of webinars to empower Indivisible members to organize, prepare, and protect their local communities’ votes in 2026.
The program will share practical solutions that can be accomplished by working with local election officials. It will feature election experts including Marilyn Marks, executive director of Coalition for Good Governance, and Susan Greenhalgh, senior advisor for election security at Free Speech For People, as well as other leading subject matter experts.
When you register you will receive the Zoom link via email within a day or so. And please share with your friends especially those in other states. All are welcome.
Grab Your Wallet!
As of today, Starbucks Workers United is officially on strike. STARBUCKS IS NOW BEHIND A PICKET LINE, Y’ALL! Please do not buy Starbucks anywhere until the company, which is wildly profitable, (and whose CEO made 96 millions dollars last year), negotiates an agreement with this union.
Be sure to sign the #nocontractnocoffee pledge here.
Win Races! 🗳
Indivisible is having an ALL IN FOR AFTYN BEHN event tonight! Ezra Levin will be speaking. It’s going to be great! Please come and find out how you can support her run for TN-07! It’s tonight from 8-9 ET.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all 3 reps] [H/T Win Without War] [Text SIGN PCHUWS to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]
What began as a series of unauthorized lethal strikes in the Caribbean now has us at the brink of all-out war in Venezuela.
Continued military action without congressional authorization – especially when crucial questions about who has even been targeted and the actual threat they posed to the United States remain unanswered – amounts to alarming executive overreach. Congress must reassert its constitutional war powers and keep us from launching another decades-long, endless war.
I urge you to pass a War Powers Resolution to prevent war with Venezuela. I will continue to follow this issue closely.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
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