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The Weekender (7/30/21)

Weekender

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Welcome to the Democratic Governors Association’s Friday newsletter, The Weekender.

Let’s get started.

Virginia: Last Friday, Terry McAuliffe stood side by side with President Biden to energize voters and encourage grassroots support. With thousands in attendance, McAuliffe and Biden outlined their plans for public investments and economic recovery while slamming GOP candidate and Trump acolyte Glenn Youngkin. While McAuliffe is outlining bold plans, Youngkin is proving once again why he’s the wrong choice for Virginia. As Capitol police officers testified on the horrors of the January 6th insurrection, it was revealed that Youngkin had booked an appearance as a featured guest at an ‘election integrity’ rally organized by a regional GOP chairman who was outside the Capitol during the attack. Youngkin’s appearance at this rally underscores his support for Trump’s dangerous lies. For months, Youngkin refused to acknowledge Biden’s legitimate win, fueling the rhetoric that led to this violence. McAuliffe has already called on Youngkin to withdraw from the rally and “disavow this dangerous, deadly conspiracy theory once and for all.”

New Jersey: Once again, Gov. Phil Murphy has demonstrated his commitment to New Jerseyans. With a temporary 25% Medicaid reimbursement rate boost, he is receiving due praise for his continued leadership throughout the pandemic. Gov. Murphy also led New Jersey to rank third among states in distributing grants to small businesses and signed legislation supporting veterans. Meanwhile, GOP candidate Jack Ciattarelli is preaching against vaccinations for common childhood diseases like mumps, putting New Jersey children and schoolteachers at risk. With COVID surges across the nation, Ciattarelli’s rage against vaccinations demonstrates his lack of care for the community, whereas Gov. Murphy is focused on keeping people safe and guiding New Jersey to economic recovery.

As Marylander and Capitol Police Officer Testifies On Jan. 6 Insurrection, Kelly Schulz Stays Silent

On Tuesday, Marylander and Capitol police officer Harry Dunn testified before Congress that insurrectionists said Donald Trump invited them as they stormed the Capitol on January 6th, raising the question for GOP candidate for governor Kelly Schulz: do you think Trump was to blame for the violent mob that stormed the Capitol?This comes as Silent Kelly Schulz recently sent out a solicitation for campaign cash, claiming she supports law enforcement. However, Schulz has repeatedly avoided condemning Trump, even when it comes to the violent attack that led to the death of law enforcement officials and threatened the lives of Marylanders like Officer Dunn.With hardcore Trump loyalist Delegate Daniel Cox jumping into the race and former GOP Chair Michael Steele giving the race a look, Maryland’s MAGA primary is set to be a contest about far-right Republican loyalty tests — and Schulz won’t be able to stay silent much longer.

Yearslong effort to fund Delaware clean water program finally pays off
Delaware Gov. John Carney has addressed the water infrastructure in the state, creating a trust to protect the state’s waterways and rebuild its drinking water infrastructure with a focus on underserved communities. On Wednesday, Gov. Carney announced that $50 million from the yearly state budget funding is being allocated to establish a framework for planning projects that support the quality of the state’s water.“All Delawareans deserve clean water. The Clean Water for Delaware Act and our new Clean Water Trust will help us deliver on that promise,” Carney said. “This legislation and unprecedented investment, which had bipartisan support, will help us protect our waterways for future generations of Delawareans and upgrade our infrastructure to make sure all Delaware families have access to clean drinking water.”The legislation’s approval comes seven years after it was first proposed under previous Delaware Gov. Jack Markell. Thanks to the surplus in state funding via COVID relief dollars, Gov. Carney was able to sign the Clean Water for Delaware Act into law.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on MSNBC with Chris Hayes talking about the wildfire sweeping across her state and what we can do to combat climate change-related disasters.California Gov. Gavin Newsom on MSNBC with Ayman Mohyeldin Reports discussing the importance of vaccination and testing for state employees.


“Together with our partners at the federal level, the EDA and other departments have provided more than three-quarters of a billion dollars to our small business community as we emerge from the pandemic stronger and more resilient.”

  • New Jersey Gov. Murphy on signing legislation providing $135 million in small business relief.

“It’s time for the CDC and the government to get out of the way and to stop trying to tell people how to live their lives.”Who said it? Send your answer to press@dga.net, and we’ll reveal the answer in the next Weekender!If you guessed Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis for last week’s quote, you’re spot on! Gov. DeSantis made weak arguments to claim that recent surges in COVID-19 are due to seasonal sickness. In a state where “Don’t Fauci My Florida” has appeared on t-shirts and koozies, DeSantis is further pushing a COVID denial narrative.