Mobilizing Online and In the Streets, Sane Voices Demand Senate #StopPompeo

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As concerns grow that President Donald Trump is assembling a dangerous war cabinet, a broad range of groups are rallying on Wednesday in a last ditch effort to stop CIA head Mike Pompeo from becoming secretary of state.

Ahead of his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, scores groups—including Indivisible, Win Without War, MoveOn.org, and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights—are staging a rally in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday evening to call on senators to block his confirmation, citing his troubling record on a number of issues.

“Pompeo is a linchpin of Trump’s emerging war cabinet,” a call-to-action for the event declares. “His confirmation would be one more step towards needless war. Moreover, Pompeo has endorsed the use of torture, has pushed anti-Muslim policies and rhetoric, opposes the nuclear deal with Iran, and is hawkish on North Korea. He opposes LGBTQ rights, opposes reproductive freedom, and denies the existence of climate change. He’s too extreme to represent America.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders, (I-Vt.), who said this week he’d oppose Pompeo’s nomination, is slated to be among the speakers at the rally. 

“Yes, there’s a lot going on. But one fight needs you NOW,” tweeted MoveOn.org’s political director Ben Wikler. “If Dems stand united, we’ll have the votes to stop extreme Pompeo from becoming Trump’s #WarCabinet Sec of State.”

Hundreds of organizations have already expressed their opposition to Pompeo. Many of the groups are mobilizing online Wednesday to highlight Pompeo’s record to show why he is “a terrible choice for secretary of state—especially given the international challenges the United States is now facing,” and to urge their supporters to call their senators to vote no.

According to a tally by Win Without War, only Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have joined Sanders in publicly saying they will oppose his nomination. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) indicated on Wednesday that she too would join that list.

The need to stop Pompeo from becoming secretary of state is particularly acute given the White House addition this week of “fanatic war supporter” John Bolton as national security adviser, argues Win Without War director Stephen Miles.

Speaking to The Intercept, he said, “When Donald Trump hired John Bolton, the fight over Mike Pompeo went from being about just another terrible Trump nominee to potentially the difference between going to war or not.”


Via Common Dreams. This piece was reprinted by RINF Alternative News with permission or license.