January 10, 2020 
WEEK IN REVIEW
This week marked one year since HR 8, a bill to expand gun background checks, was introduced in the House. At that time, former Rep. Gabby Gifford (D-AZ) joined Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to unveil the legislation. That date also marked the anniversary of her horrific shooting eight years earlier in Tucson.

Today Gabby's husband, Mark Kelly, is running for the Senate in Arizona against Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ), one of the top recipients of NRA funds.

The new House majority was quick to act on their promise to end gun violence. HR 8 was one of the first pieces of legislation they introduced. That bill now gathers dust on the desk of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

In the meantime, there were more mass shootings than days in 2019, according to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA). Last year had the highest number of mass shootings in any year since 2014, when the GVA  started tracking. There were nearly 30,000 gun deaths in 2019.

The cost of hospitalizations for gun injuries averaged $911 million during that time. The government ended up footing half of that bill through Medicaid and other public insurance programs.

McConnell has shown that he will not do anything to pass meaningful gun safety legislation. But you can do something - you can help donate to Amy McGrath and help her topple McConnell.

Change will only happen when we defeat the GOP candidates, like Sen. Thom Tillis (R-SC). Tillis has received more than $4 million in NRA contributions. Candidate Cal Cunningham (D-SC) will work to keep our kids safe and to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, criminals, and terrorists by supporting efforts to expand background checks, ban the sale of high-capacity magazines, pass red flag laws, and fund gun violence.

Sens. Doug Jones (D-AL) and Gary Peters (D-MI) are up for re-election this year. They have been fighting in the Senate to end gun violence, but they face tough campaigns and need your support, too.

Turn your frustration of the news of the day and outrage over Trump's constant tweets into action. Do something. Donate to JAC candidates today.

   
Not sure who to donate to? Make a donation to JAC and we will use it to support our candidates.  

ISRAEL
Israel Tries to Stand Aside From U.S.-Iranian Conflict                  
    
Israel sought to stand aside from the conflict between its close ally the United States and Iran, and said it was unclear whether Tehran's abandonment of uranium enrichment limits meant it was on a path toward a nuclear weapon. The unusually muted Israeli comments on Iran, Israel's arch-enemy, emerged after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet met amid concern over Iranian retaliation for the U.S. strike in Baghdad that killed Qassem Soleimani, Iran's most celebrated military commander. 
Continued Reading

ANTI-SEMITISM & BDS
Sen. Tom Cotton Accuses Soros and Koch-Funded Think Tank of Fostering Anti-Semitism

Sen. Tom Cotton accused the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a new think tank funded by the billionaires George Soros and Charles Koch, of fostering anti-Semitism in speech on the Senate floor. Cotton, R-AR, referred to anti-Semitism as an "ancient hatred" and referenced recent attacks against Jews in Brooklyn and Monsey. Soros has long been criticized by right-wing figures, including Viktor Orban, the prime minister of his native Hungary, for supporting and funding a range of liberal initiatives. Some say the frequent and harsh criticism of Soros, a Holocaust survivor, often crosses into anti-Semitism. 
Continued Reading


CHOICE
States Gear up for Abortion Fights With Eye on Supreme Court       
 
State legislators across the country are preparing a new round of measures to crack down on or expand access to abortion services as supporters and opponents plot a growing legal battle that is likely to end at the Supreme Court. In states controlled by Republicans, legislators are promoting new bills to severely limit abortion access. A South Carolina measure would ban abortions six weeks after conception. Iowa legislators are considering a ballot measure to roll back abortion protections in the state constitution. 
Continued Reading


SEPARATION
Trump Trend: LGBTQ Mentions Quietly Axed From Discrimination Guidelines

With just over a year left in President Donald Trump's first term, another late-breaking news item barely made waves: The Interior Department - which manages the majority of the federal government's public lands - deleted "sexual orientation" from its anti-discrimination guidelines, as HuffPost first reported last week. The removal was just the latest in a nearly three-year-long effort to strip mention of LGBTQ people from the executive branch bureaucracy.    
Continued Reading

BEYOND THE CORE
Voting Machines Touted as Secure Option Are Actually Vulnerable to Hacking, Study Finds

New voting machines that hundreds of districts will use for the first time in 2020 don't have enough safeguards against hacking by Russia and other U.S. adversaries, according to a study out this morning from researchers at the University of Michigan.
Continued Reading


POLITICAL BYTE
Mississippi Judicial Pick Grilled Over Record as Lawmaker     
 
Senate Democrats on Wednesday grilled a former Republican Mississippi state lawmaker now up for a federal judgeship on his political past, including his support for overturning the Supreme Court's landmark abortion decision and his record on issues from guns to voting rights. The 49-year-old Wilson is up for a life-time seat on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. He has  faced pressure from Democrats during his nomination hearing about comments he made both during and before his time in office and his record as a state politician on issues like the Affordable Care Act, abortion, guns and gay rights.   
Continued Reading

 
FYI
The Minds Behind Mrs. Maisel on How They Aim to Represent Jews on Screen                  
 
"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" didn't add to its large collection of awards at the Golden Globes this year. But the third season of the celebrated series, now streaming on Amazon Prime, is keeping audiences hooked as it expands the world of Midge Maisel. It also comes at a time of increasing awareness and discussion about how minorities - especially Jews, during this period of rising anti-Semitism across the US - are portrayed on screen. As one of the most Jewish series currently on television, "Mrs. Maisel" is involved in a lot of these discussions.    
Continued Reading


JAC II
Introducing JACII, a JAC group for young professionals, advocates, and those young at heart who are looking to get involved. Groups have started in Detroit, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
 
Events will feature elected officials and speakers in lively settings. JACII is by and for young people. Now is the perfect time to get involved.
_______________

Know someone who would be interested in joining or hosting a meeting? Let us know at info@jacpac.org. We will be happy to help organize a JACII in your city.

The Last Word
"I'm not going to dignify that with a response. I left parts of my body in Iraq fighting terrorists. I don't need to justify myself to anyone."
 
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) on Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), who accused Dems of being in love with terrorists   
Events
 
In support of
Kristine Schanbacher
Candidate for U.S. House (IL-7)
Tuesday, January 21
6 - 8 pm
Offshore Rooftop
Chicago, IL
Call the JAC office for details
___________________________

An Afternoon at the Theater with JACPAC
What the Constitution Means to Me
Sunday, January 26th
Brunch & Political Update: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Showtime: 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Los Angeles, CA
______________________________

SAVE THE DATE
An Evening at the Theater with JACPAC
What the Constitution Means to Me
Wednesday, March 11th
Dinner & Political Update with Jill Wine Banks: 5:30 pm
Showtime: 7:30 pm
Chicago, IL
___________________________

SAVE THE DATE
April 21-23, 2020
JAC's 2020 Annual Meeting
Celebrating 40 years of JAC
Washington, DC
__________________________

Want to host a JAC event? Contact the office and we will help organize it.
info@jacpac.org or 847.433.5999

Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs (JACPAC) is a pro-Israel PAC with a domestic agenda. We support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and advocate for reproductive health and the separation of religion and state and incorporate other issues of importance to the Jewish community, including gun violence prevention and climate change. In addition to providing financial support for U.S. Senate and House campaigns, JACPAC educates our membership with outreach events designed to inform and activate their participation in the political process.
Paid for by Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs. Contributions or gifts are not tax deductible.  Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and name of employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in an election cycle. Corporate contributions and contributions from non-US citizens who are not lawfully admitted for permanent residence are prohibited. All contributions by individuals must be made from personal funds and may not be reimbursed or paid by another person.