News Alerts
Trump’s Federalizing DC Is a Dangerous March Toward Military State
August 11, 2025
WASHINGTON – The League of Women Voters and the League of Women Voters of the District of Columbia issued the following joint statement in response to President Trump deploying the National Guard to Washington, DC, and taking over the DC Metropolitan Police Department:
“Today President Trump fabricated yet another emergency as the basis to abuse his power and target his perceived political enemies. He painted an inaccurate picture of the District of Columbia, scapegoating people experiencing homelessness and targeting trans persons, some of the most vulnerable among us.
“The reality is that Washington, DC, is experiencing a 30-year low in violent crime — a stark contrast to the grim and misleading picture painted by the President. Like every community in our nation, our capital and its residents deserve safety and security — but we also deserve leaders who respect facts, uphold democratic principles, and protect the civil liberties of us all. Public policy must be driven by evidence, not fearmongering. The President must work with mayors, not against them.
“The Home Rule Act gave DC residents a voice in their own governance, despite the District’s lack of full voting representation in Congress. This takeover undermines that principle, silencing the voices of more than 700,000 people — most of them Black and brown residents — who already face the injustice of taxation without representation.
“The League calls on Congress to fully investigate the legality of this action, ensure transparency, and guard against any misuse of federal authority. We call on individuals to contact their members of Congress to demand immediate oversight hearing and oppose actions that undermine peaceful assembly or criminalize urban cities.
“The League of Women Voters will continue to defend the right of all communities to self-determination and to hold those in power accountable to the people they serve.”
Texas Voters to State Supreme Court: Governor Abbott’s Attempt to Silence Voters, Remove An Elected Representative From Office Should Be Rejected
August 9, 2025
AUSTIN, TX — A coalition of organizations that represent Texans and are committed to voting interests in the state have united to file a “friend of the court” brief with the Texas Supreme Court, explaining that Governor Greg Abbott’s attempt to expel State Representative Gene Wu, a sitting legislator in Texas elected by a majority of voters in his district, is unconstitutional and could set a dangerous precedent that is antithetical to our democracy. The organizations are represented by Democracy Forward and Susman Godfrey LLP.
In a friend of the court brief filed with the Texas Supreme Court today, the League of Women Voters of Texas, Asian Texans for Justice, OCA-Greater Houston, the League of United Latin American Citizens, Texas State Conference of the NAACP, and Unidos US explain that Governor Abbott’s request to remove a duly elected member of the Texas House of Representatives based on the member’s participation in the quorum break to protect voting rights — a legislative option that is recognized by the Texas Constitution and has been exercised by state lawmakers at various times over the course of more than 150 years — is not only unprecedented Texas history, but also unconstitutional.
The Governor “is requesting that this Court deprive citizens of the State of representation by their elected representative,” reads the brief. “He is also seeking to wield power neither the Constitution of Texas nor the Constitution of the United States provides him. Because both the spirit and the letter of the law of this State and of the United States prohibit this Court from granting the Governor’s request, it should be denied.”
The Texas-based organizations represent members of the voting public in Texas, including those represented by State Representative Wu.
“The League was already concerned by the legislature’s attempt to thwart the will of the voters through corrupt and discriminatory mid-cycle redistricting,” said Joyce LeBombard, president of the League of Women Voters of Texas. “Now, the governor is attempting to circumvent our state's constitution and system of checks and balances. For the sake of voters and our democracy, the League is here to fight this nefarious power grab.”
“Governor Abbott’s lawsuit against Representative Wu is a blatant abuse of power and not just an attack on one lawmaker, but part of a broader pattern of anti-Asian hostility and political retaliation against those who dare to speak truth to power. We stand firmly with Rep. Wu, whose tireless advocacy has been critical in challenging racist gerrymanders and defending the democratic process,” said Nabila Mansoor, Co-Executive Director, Asian Texans for Justice.
“Not for the first or the last time, the Texas State Conference of the NAACP is standing in the breach to protect the rights of Texans,” said Gary Bledsoe, President of the Texas State Conference of the NAACP. “We are duty-bound to oppose both the Governor's baseless attempt to remove members through the use of expanded executive authority, as well as the racial gerrymander he is pushing through the legislature. With our partners and the good people of our State and nation, we will fight this at every step.”
“The Governor is denying AAPI voters their core constitutional rights by this underhanded and unconstitutional scheme,” said Deborah Chen of OCA-Greater Houston. “Our volunteer-run organization is dedicated to improving civic engagement, and nothing could be more destructive to our mission — and truly our democracy — than the Governor’s attempt to disenfranchise voters in Texas.”
“Latino voters of both parties in Texas deserve the representatives in the state legislature that they voted for. The history of Texas state politics is filled with times when lawmakers have left the state to make sure that they have a voice on matters important to their constituents — and this time is no different. No Governor should have the power to deprive the people of their elected representative over a policy disagreement,” said Eric Holguín, Texas State Director, UnidosUS.
“These are dangerous times for our democracy if the Texas Supreme Court allows Governor Abbott to act like an out-of-control dictator to purge a duly-elected member of the state legislature because they are using a legislative strategy he doesn’t like,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “The Governor is not a King. Democracy Forward is honored to work with such an impressive group of organizations that do the hard work to protect our democracy and people’s right to vote. We are committed to stopping Governor Abbott’s alarming and unconstitutional overreach.”
The legal team at Democracy Forward on this case includes Perryman and Legal Director Victoria Nugent.
Read the full brief here.
LWV Statement on Mid-Cycle Redistricting
August 6, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, League of Women Voters of the United States CEO Celina Stewart, Esq., issued the following statement in response to states considering mid-cycle redistricting:
"The League of Women Voters does not support a tit-for-tat approach to redistricting. State legislatures redrawing their maps mid-cycle reflects political gamesmanship that erodes public trust in our democracy. Redistricting must be fair, transparent, and rooted in the voices of voters — not partisan retaliation.
"Manipulating maps for political gain is a disservice to the people. The League stands for maps that reflect communities, not political calculations. Voters deserve stable, fair representation — not to be used as pawns in a power grab. When politicians rewrite the rules mid-game to protect their control, democracy loses.
"The League of Women Voters is ready to fight to ensure fairness for voters, no matter what politicians do for their own gain. We stand ready to protect the voices of all voters because that is what our democracy is built on."
LWV Supports Senate Introduction of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
July 29, 2025
WASHINGTON — Today, the US Senate introduced the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA) to protect and strengthen our democracy. The League of Women Voters proudly supports this critical legislation. Celina Stewart, Esq., CEO of the League of Women Voters, issued the following statement:
“Named in honor of the late civil rights icon and voting rights champion Congressman John Lewis, this bill is not just a tribute, it’s a necessity. The Voting Rights Advancement Act is a direct response to the relentless attacks on our democracy, including recent attempts by states to disturb current representation through mid-cycle redistricting. After a decade of US Supreme Court decisions that gutted key provisions, this bill would restore the Voting Rights Act’s full power and finally put guardrails back in place to stop racial discrimination at the ballot box. Without it, the right to vote remains vulnerable to manipulation and abuse.
Unnecessary and Disastrous: LWV Responds to Signing of Budget Reconciliation Package
July 4, 2025
Washington, DC — Today, President Trump signed into law a budget reconciliation package, officially titled the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” that will drastically cut health care for millions of Americans. In response, the League of Women Voters of the United States issued the following statement:
“On the day we should be celebrating America, instead, President Trump and his allies are attempting to systematically dismantle the very reason for this holiday and put our country in harm's way by ripping away health care from millions of Americans.
“The budget reconciliation bill signed today will kick millions of people off Medicaid — the single largest source of health coverage in our country — a completely unnecessary and disastrous choice that does nothing to improve Americans’ lives.
“Congress faced a choice: health care for millions of Americans, or tax cuts for the rich. It chose the latter. Now, all Americans — particularly seniors, Americans with disabilities, low-wage workers, pregnant people, veterans, and children — will suffer.
“The American people deserve better. Join us in calling on Congress to restore funding to Medicaid and rolling back the draconian policies enacted in this terrible law.”
Shameful & Dangerous: LWV Responds to Supreme Court Allowing Trump Deportations Without Due Process
June 23, 2025
Washington, DC — Today, the Supreme Court paused a lower court order that prevented the Trump administration from deporting migrants to countries other than their country of origin without affording them due process. Today’s decision — issued without any hearing on the Court’s “shadow docket” — allows the Trump administration to continue to deport non-citizens to countries they have never visited without an opportunity to challenge the deportation.
In response, Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters of the United States, issued the following statement:
“This shameful and dangerous decision is a direct attack on the right to due process and will cause irreparable harm to the most vulnerable among us. To allow the administration to deport residents to any third country without due process puts every American resident and citizen at risk and is a disgrace to the principles this country claims to stand for. It is particularly disturbing that this was done without an opinion explaining the court’s decision. The Court owes Americans insight into this inhumane and egregious decision.
“Let’s be clear — this has nothing to do with safety or justice. This is about the highest Court in the land being a co-creator of stripping human beings of their dignity and human rights for political gain.
“As a pro-democracy organization, the League of Women Voters rejects this ruling. We remain steadfast in our demand for a country where all people are treated with humanity, fairness, and receive due legal process.”
“The League stands strong in its belief that all people deserve fair treatment under the law. A true democracy runs on justice and equality, not xenophobia, fear, and false divisions created to sow mistrust among the people. The Court should be ashamed.”
Are You a Target of Fake News? Learn how to be a DIGITAL DETECTIVE
In the past few years, internet browsers have been bombarded with so many articles spewing out disinformation that it has become increasingly difficult and time-consuming to discern the truth. The web has become the lawless Wild West of fake news - false claims, outright lies and half-truths. How do we navigate through all the claims on the internet? Educators around the world have stepped up and are training their students to be skeptical of what they read on the internet. Here are some helpful tips on how to approach any news article:
Determine first: Who has written this? Are they a reputable or reliable source?
Is this written by a real person with a long history commenting on diverse topics or a fictitious-person created by an internet troll who targets conspiracy theories - over and over and over?
Where has the article been published? Can I find the same information from another source, a more reliable one?
Examine claims found in YouTube videos and social media posts. Are they “clickbait” articles that spew out disinformation meant to prey on your emotions?
Think twice before you like or share an article on social media.
Don’t buy into hate, educate!
Avoid cynicism but be skeptical.
Be Web Literate - Fact check everything.
SIFT: Stop, Investigate, Find, Trace:
SIFT is an evaluation strategy developed by digital literacy expert Michael Caulfield (Washington State University Vancouver) to help you judge whether or online content can be trusted for credible and reliable information. The SIFT strategy is quick, simple, and can be applied to various kinds of online content: social media posts, memes, statistics, videos, images, news articles, scholarly articles, etc. What is SIFT? Read more Here: https://guides.lib.wayne.edu/sift
Some Reputable Fact-Checking Organizations:
The following organizations are generally regarded as reputable fact-checking organizations focused on U.S. national news:
Respected specialty sites cover niche areas such as climate or celebrities. Here are a few examples:
How to use your phone to spot fake images:
Contact Us
League of Women Voters ® of Torrance Area
Email: League@LWVTorranceArea.org
Phone: (310) 223-6897
Mailing address: P.O. Box 964
Torrance, CA 90508
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