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Center for American Progress Action

Pay (Trump) to play.

Pay (Trump) to play.

It’s another day in Trump’s America—and another day to stand up for what’s right. Get the facts to fight back.

New reports suggest that President Trump will sign the government funding bill—a humiliating defeat for the president. Reports also say he’ll sign a national emergency declaration to build the wall.

Watch and share this quick explainer video on why that would be illegal.

PAY (TRUMP) TO PLAY.

Trump repeatedly promised on the campaign trail that his campaign would be entirely self-funded: “I’m using my own money. I’m not using the lobbyists. I’m not using donors.” Needless to say, he lied. It was another false promise to the American people, and Trump isn’t even trying to hide the corruption.

Take Murray Energy, for example.

  • Robert Murray is a “prolific GOP donor,” and through Murray Energy contributed $1 million to America First Action, a pro-Trump super PAC, plus another $500K to Trump’s inaugural fund.
  • Trump pressured the Tennessee Valley Authority to save an old, unprofitable coal plant that buys its coal from—who else?—Murray Energy. Despite the president’s efforts, the TVA voted today to close the plant in 2020.

Then there’s Sheldon Adelson.

  • Adelson is a GOP megadonor and casino magnate. He and his wife have donated hundreds of millions of dollars to keep the GOP in power and recently gave $500,000 to a fund covering the legal fees of Trump campaign aides involved in the Russia probe.
  • As President, Trump also lobbied Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to allow construction of a casino owned by one of Adelson’s companies.

Finally, take a look at pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.

  • Then, two things happened. Pfizer raked in billions from the #GOPTaxScam, and Trump dropped his promise to negotiate drug prices.

This is exactly the kind of corruption that House Democrats are trying to eliminate. House Dems’ H.R. 1 would tackle the gross influence of money in U.S. politics—and throw a much-needed wrench in Trump’s and the GOP’s corrupt tactics. Learn more about the bill here.

THINKING CAP: JON LOVETT AND THE ‘DUMBEST CRIMINALS’ IN THE TRUMP ORBIT

When Jon Lovett left his gig as speechwriter to former President Barack Obama to write for television in Hollywood, he wasn’t entirely sure a career in politics was in his immediate professional future. Clearly, Lovett found his way right back into politics: Crooked, the media company he co-founded with a few White House colleagues, has taken off beyond any of its founders’ expectations. Does he regret it? Hardly. Lovett joined the Thinking Cap team to meditate on the malevolence (or is it incompetence?) of the Trump administration, Jeff Bezos’ stand against blackmail, and the ongoing political crisis in Virginia. Listen to the episode here.

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