We have updated our guide of resources for Texans who are without power, water or food.
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) February 18, 2021
If you are able to donate money, resources or time, you can check out these links for organizations across the state that are helping people. https://t.co/CTkJDnex6i
Check out @365ThingsAustin . They have been doing a great job at staying up-to-date with the winter storm and resources for those in need!#WinterStorm #AustinTX #brohnhomes pic.twitter.com/Ckbn9RvlxJ
— Brohn Homes (@BrohnHomes) February 18, 2021
Encouraged to see power coming back to much of Texas. However, many still without electricity and millions still struggling to get drinking water and food. @TexasTribune has put together a helpful guide on where to get help and how to help across Texas: https://t.co/eUWudHaZQI
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) February 18, 2021
Texas needs our help 🙏🏾❤️. There are organizations on the ground that need our assistance in helping Texans stay warm and safe. Donate, call, share, volunteer, pray. Whatever you can do to help! I’ll continue to share info and resources. Stay tuned and stay safe ❤️ pic.twitter.com/yABLWHNEh4
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) February 18, 2021
If you are able, please consider making a donation to help these families in Texas. Information on how to donate below. ❤️🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/u7L0M5Dg6z
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) February 18, 2021
¿Estas buscando noticias en español en Austin? Envíanos un mensaje de texto al (512) 877-7308 con el mensaje “hola.” pic.twitter.com/57Q1OcJ1pP
— Jennifer Hefty (@jenniferhefty) February 19, 2021
A list of places giving away free, potable water to those who need it https://t.co/KS7xhDfnj1
— Austin 360 (@austin360) February 18, 2021
Here are the North Texas cities that have boil water notices and where you can get water for free https://t.co/5p6FRNfEz0
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) February 19, 2021
Mass water distribution begins today at Houston's Delmar Stadium https://t.co/a9pHIYj7cL
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) February 19, 2021
The Obama Diary 
🕊🕯🙏🏼💙🙏🏼🕯🕊
Outstanding post of vital information, Nerdy. Thank you for this. Fellow TODers, please retweet or share if you can. This disaster will not be over in a few days. Texans will be suffering the devastating effects of this for a long time.
They seek him ‘ere, they seek him there…the Scarlet Pimpernel.
(w/ French accent)
Please share:
What Texas GOP has been working on instead of preparing for a power crisis:
-Passing “bathroom bills”
-Attacking Planned Parenthood
-Considering the death penalty for women who get abortions.
-Removing discrimination protections to allow social workers to turn away LGBTQ, disabled clients
-Protect Chick-fil-A
-Removing voting drop boxes
-Trying to make Texas a “Secondary Amendment Sanctuary State Fighting with sports teams over playing the national anthem
(Chris Hayes)
Soon – President Biden departs DC for Kalamazoo, Michigan
https://abcnews.go.com/live/video/special-live-3
We’re Back!
“Manhattan D.A. Recruits Top Prosecutor for Trump Inquiry”
(https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/18/nyregion/trump-investigation-manhattan.html)
“Maddow reports on the distinguished background of attorney Mark Pomerantz,
whose work as a mob lawyer helped define RICO prosecutions,
and who has been made a special assistant district attorney by Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance,
dedicated to the investigation of Donald Trump’s business dealings.”
(https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/nyc-prosecutor-hires-on-heavy-hitting-attorney-to-trump-case-101269573802)
—O ho!! Say what? feels good.
Andrew Weissman, fmr chief, criminal fraud section of the D.O.J.
“If we don’t deal with our past it’s going to be our future.”
https://twitter.com/WhipClyburn/status/136281653833256960
How do we ensure vaccine equity
Speaker Pelosi: Weekly Press Conference.
“But a big day. Three bills, Gold Medal – Congressional Gold Medal honoring our Capitol Police and others;
the Equality Act, anti discrimination against the LGBTQ community;
the [U.S.] Citizenship Act of President Biden, very important; and then continuing our work on COVID.”
(https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/21821-0)
Joaquin Castro (TX 20th district):
Blames the power out on “people who are married to fossil fuels. Some of whom are climate deniers.
And that’s made it very tough to modernize our systems.” (ReidOut)
ERCOT officials: “Texas’ power grid was “seconds and minutes” away from a catastrophic failure
that could have left Texans In the dark for months…”
(https://www.texastribune.org/2021/02/18/texas-power-outages-ercot/)
Judge Lina Hidalgo, Harris County Texas, speaks with Maddow.
Judge Hidalgo:
“I just actually recently got updated numbers on the hypothermia deaths, just the tip of the iceberg.
But seven very sad stories just here in the county as the the fog of war settles a little bit and we get details.
We’ve seen cascading impacts, water, carbon monoxide poisoning, pipes bursting, roofs caving in, hospitals with low water pressure, all kinds of issues. And so we take care of ourselves as best we can locally. We’ve got committed and creative emergency response professionals. But part of my discussion with the Governor is how we can together advocate for an emergency disaster declaration from the federal government. And that’s a discussion I had today with the White House as well as FEMA. Is this is far beyond the ability of local governments, for example, to adequately recover from.”
Maddow:
“Houston is one of the places where as you mentioned, hospitals have been hit. I’ve read reports today about pipes bursting in multiple Houston hospitals as they struggle without heat, without water.
Obviously the idea of having no water pressure, no ability to flush toilets or run water to clean anything in a hospital, is a nightmare scenario. What can you tell us about that status in Harris County and the circumstances of your hospitals right now?”
Judge Hidalgo:
“So we lost power very early Monday morning, about one in the morning.
And that meant that many of the generators that keep that water pressure going were down. That then allows bacteria to seep into the water, causing boil-water notices. Right now as of about an hour ago that I got my briefing, we have two hundred and twenty two cities and municipal utility districts within Harris County, that are under boil-water notices. That’s about three point three million people who cannot drink their water as the roads become less impassable. At least they can try and go out and purchase it.
But again, you know we’ve got a lot of grocery stores that are not operating. Many folks of course have missed a whole week’s work, even amidst the pandemic. And they’re facing all of these same cascading effects. Right now the main concern is the water situation.”
Maddow:
“In terms of Harris County’s power supply, obviously we did see big progress with the electricity coming back. But you were among the most prominent voices in the state warning that even in a big well-resourced county like Harris County, that is not getting the county out of the dark. That there may be additional power cuts. That the long term turnaround in this water crisis that you’re describing may take quite a bit of time – even as the power is back on. For people who have friends and loved ones in Harris County right now in and around Houston and that part of Texas: What should they expect in terms of ongoing hardship these next few days? It’s going to be another hard freeze tonight.”
Judge Hidalgo:
“We have to acknowledge the good news and being down to twenty two thousand homes without power is great. But I also am not in the business of raising false hope. And the challenge was that the state agency, this ERCOT did not have enough power generation to sustain the crisis.
Their power plants came offline with the cold. We’re about to see that extreme level of cold again.
And so they make buckle again under that weather. We’re about to see high demand again.
They may buckle under that high demand.”
“On Trump, Michigan Republicans Lean One Way: ‘Fealty at All Costs’”
“Even after his defeat, Donald Trump is causing fierce infighting among Republicans in a crucial battleground state. Loyalists are rewarded. Dissenters face punishment.”
(https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/16/us/politics/michigan-republicans-trump.html)
President Biden in Kalamazoo: https://wwmt.com/watch
SMH
That is called a CRIME! They need to do volunteer work in nursing homes for several months.
I have been reading bits and pieces of the seemingly self destruction of the Lincoln Project….All i can say is that when you come for folks …your house has to be in order…because the “Powers That Be” will find the weak link in your chain..
Well said, Sheila. Though I’ll say it is regrettable as they went for Trump with great conviction.
OMG….
These fringe forces have always been there.. they are now is the Southern Strategy on steroids
LOL.
Interview with Barry Berke,
Chief Impeachment Counsel to the House Managers.
“He helped craft those gut punch legal arguments that you heard them all make. You might remember he played a similar role during Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial with the House Judiciary Committee.” (Maddow)
Maddow:
“I think the American takeaway of this. He (Trump) got let off on a technicality. But he did it.
Is that how you saw it from inside the process?”
Berke:
“I saw it very differently Rachel. I understand why you say it that way.
But remember, the issue of jurisdiction had been resolved. So that for the jurors to say they’re relying on jurisdiction was for them to violate their Oath. I was in that Senate chamber every single day, and our goal was to try a case like we were prosecuting a violent crime. And I felt with our extraordinary House Managers, our incredible Lead Manager Jamie Raskin, we proved that case. We proved with overwhelming evidence that former President Trump inflamed his base over time, by telling the lie that the election was stolen and rigged.
He incited them by telling them to “Stop the steal” which is something he said they made up. He made it up. He did encourage violence leading up to the day of January 6th. So he knew when he used those words of violence he would be setting them on a violent path, which they did. And when they started to attack the Capitol, our elected officials, the brave officers – he further incited them by repeating the lie, further attacking his Vice President who was subject of their ire. And he did it repeatedly.
I looked at those jurors all hundred of them, and I saw that they were fixated on the evidence.
And I believe in my heart that if those jurors had the courage to be true to their Oath and voted their conscience, we would have convicted by a large margin.”
Maddow:
“The issue of the president’s culpability is still banging around like a live wire right now.
Looks like there’s going to be a 9/11 style truth-finding commission in Congress to try to get to the core foundation of the factual evidence here. There’s also the question as you just described. You said you prosecuted this essentially as a violent crime. There is still a live question as to whether or not there’s enough evidence to look at this as a potential criminal act by the president, that should be handled in a court of criminal law. That was raised in fact by the Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell.
How do you feel about that?”
Berke:
“I feel there is certainly evidence that should be the basis for an investigation of the president’s conduct.
He had knowledge throughout. And you know most crimes at the heart have lies. When you talk about the New York investigation, bank fraud, insurance fraud, tax fraud – those are all lies. We saw at this trial that the president was prepared to lie in order to interrupt our democracy, to try to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. He was prepared to lie in order to further incite an insurrection. So I think all that conduct will be fair game. And I’ll say this Rachel. I do think that in our country, we generally give the benefit of the doubt to a former president. That maybe if they engaged in wrongdoing we should not prosecute them after they leave office.
And I think given that the president’s extraordinary conduct,
his unconscionable behavior in causing over 140 police officers to be injured. People killed, our elected officials en masse so close to being in harm’s way, that he has lost that benefit of the doubt. So I think you will see the commission look more deeply into some of the evidence that we had gathered but did not present at trial, because we didn’t need to. I think you will see the criminal investigations go on and look into his conduct on January 6th.
And I think the other criminal investigations related to his seeking to intimidate and threaten Georgia election officials to find votes that didn’t exist. The lies that would be the basis for a crime for anyone else if they did it in connection with bank loans or other financial transactions. I do think that this trial opens that whole Pandora’s box for President Trump because he engaged in conduct where he misused his power in such a forceful way. And the harm was SO great.
And I walked the halls of the Capitol every day to the Senate floor. I passed the victims of his attack!
People who suffered, people who are still suffering. There are folks who committed suicide because they were so traumatized by trying to defend the Capitol!
This is all because of one man.
So I feel that I was part of something that was a great success. I’m very proud to have worked with our House Managers and Lead Manager to prove beyond any doubt that President Trump instigated this insurrection. He did it for his own personal benefit to try to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.
And he did it despite the great harm he was causing and with knowledge he was causing it.
So I think this changes everything so well. We did not have all the senators who voted I think the way that they knew they should have voted. I still think that this will have a huge effect on the future of Donald Trump and the future of the Republican Party. And again I was humbled to have been part of it.”
Barry Berke: “I do think that this trial opens that whole Pandora’s box”.
Congresswoman Deb Haaland, (D-NM).
“In her remarks,
Haaland focused on recently enacted laws that will enhance economic opportunity in Indian Country.
They include the Native American Business Incubators Program Act and the PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act.
The law creates three-year grants to business incubators with ties to tribal communities education institutions and other organizations to expand assistance to a broad range of business sectors and incubation methods,” Haaland said of S.294, the Native American Business Incubators Program Act.
She introduced H.R.1900, the U.S. House of Representatives version of the bill.
Haaland also introduced H.R.2031, the House version of the PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act.
PROGRESS stands for “Practical Reforms and Other Goals To Reinforce the Effectiveness of Self-Governance and Self-Determination.”
Haaland said the new law, which was enacted as S.209 in the 116th Congress, ensures that “tribes have the ability to exercise their inherent right to self-governance by giving them the responsibility to administer programs, services, functions and activities that were traditionally managed by federal agencies.”
(https://www.indianz.com/News/2021/02/18/rep-deb-haaland-d-new-mexico-native-american-contractors-association/)
Congresswoman Deb Haaland (D-NM) addresses the Native American Contractors Association.
February 17, 2021.
May everyone be fed, watered, protected, unafraid to ask for help, and be heard.
May this be the last friday families endure power outages.
May COVID-19 vaccinations get back on track fast.
—End fossil fuels, its unconsciousness, avarice, death toll.
Good Afternoon, Good Evening, TODville Community.
Good evening, Nena.
Time for Manchin to receive some phone calls. He gets on my nerves. Why is he objecting to Neera.
Honor Our Caregivers, by paying them.
Finally got a vaccine appointment for Mom! She gets Pfizer next Friday. Hallelujah!
Outstanding!
💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾
Excellent ☺
Hahahahaha!
Newsmax…
President Biden delivered remarks after he toured a Pfizer manufacturing facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he met with workers who are producing the COVID-19 vaccine.
–so good.
Spacecraft named after “Hidden Figures” NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson launches today!
Great Black History Moment today!
🚀🛰✨
https://twitter.com/nasa/status/1363189614077489154?s=21
“Dr. Anthony Fauci joins The ReidOut to talk about the latest in the vaccine distribution
and the racial disparities in vaccination rates.”
“Fundraisers For Texas—
From AOC, Beyoncé, Reese Witherspoon And More—Net Millions”
“In addition to President Biden declaring a state of emergency in Texas and vowing to send aid following deadly winter storms this week, several prominent public figures, ranging from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to Beyoncé, have launched fundraising efforts to gather food and funds for individuals in need.”
(https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2021/02/19/fundraisers-for-texas-from-aoc-beyonce-reese-witherspoon-more-net-millions/)
-thank you.
This Friday:
Joy Reid is joined by Dr. Fauci and members of the Congressional Black Caucus
to discuss the COVID crisis and its impact on communities of color.
“The ReidOut: Race and America’s COVID Crisis” (7PM ET)
“Biden signals US return to world stage as it rejoins climate deal”
“US president says he is ‘determined to re-engage with Europe’,
in reversal of Donald Trump’s isolationist foreign policy.”
“America is back…
Our partnerships have endured and grown through the years because they are rooted in the richness of our shared democratic values. They’re not transactional. They’re not extractive. They’re built on a vision of the future where every voice matters…” (President Biden)
“‘America is back’ was the main theme of the speech, a theme of global cooperation,
and also of the US standing by Europe’s side” (James Bays, Al Jazeera)
“He was clear when he spoke about China and Russia that this new Biden administration was going to stand up to them – but also on key issues like COVID-19 and the climate crisis, work together with them, too”.
(https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/19/biden-tells-munich-security-conference-america-is-back)
—thanks Joe!
Beto: “We need to connect Texas to the national grid.”
“Beto O’Rourke joins The ReidOut to talk about the latest in the Texas power outages, calling for Texas to be connected to the national grid.”
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/beto-o-rourke-we-need-to-connect-the-texas-grid-to-the-national-grid-101315653503
“I think what you have is people who are in government who don’t believe in government,
at a time when we all need government to work. And in Ted Cruz you actually have someone who tried to overthrow the government. And overturn a lawfully, legitimately, democratically decided election.
There’s got to be consequence and accountability for that as well.” (Beto O’Rourke)
Joy Reid:
“You have a state government that has just been in a mania of deregulation going all the way back to the 1990s. El Paso got through this better because it was part of the western grid.”
El Paso Times: “Not being connected to Texas Power grid helped El Paso”
(article currently not available)
😢
😍😍😍
TOD family- does any one here remember what the piece of legislation that was being voted on in the Senate during President Obama’s year in which Senator Dole was on the floor , in a wheelchair, during the vote (with his wife I believe). Dole was there in support of passing this, but his Republican senators walked right by him…and still voted against it? During the “NO” to all things President Obama.
Bob Dole Historic Appearance on Senate Floor Not Enough To Get Disabilities Treaty Passed
https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2012/12/04/bob-dole-historic-appearance-on-senate-floor-not-enough-to-get-disabilities-treaty-passed
New post.
https://obamadiary.wordpress.com/2021/02/20/healthcare-gov-is-open/