I sent the following message to the Ward 3 Democratic leadership this morning:

Ward 3 Democrats,

Thank you!

I was honored to receive the endorsement of the Ward 3 Democrats last night, and I thank you all for your continued support. I enjoyed the comments and conversations I shared with many of you last night, and I’m always looking to hear from others about ways we can achieve full voting representation in Congress and statehood for the District.

Please take a look at my web site at http://www.mikepanetta.com or become my “friend” on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mikepanetta and share any thoughts or concerns with with me. Or just email me at mike@mikepanetta.com.

Thanks again for your endorsement, it really means a lot to me and the work I do in the “shadows”

I ask that you spread the word about my re-election efforts, and help me continue the work I’m doing. See you at the polls on September 14th.

Sincerely,
Mike Panetta

Mike Panetta won the “Shadow” U.S. House poll with 41% of the votes in a 6-way race.

“Thanks to all the Democrats who came out on a hot, sweaty Saturday to support my efforts. I truly appreciate the vote of confidence in what I’m doing for congressional representation and statehood,” said Panetta.

You can read more about the results here: http://www.dcdsc.org/events/stawpoll2010.htm

Are you frustrated with how pro-gun special interests have hijacked the issue of DC voting rights? What are you going to do about it?

Are you ready for more direct action and aggressive tactics? So is DC Vote!

This is your last chance to join us on Capitol Hill tomorrow, June 2 from 12:00 – 1:00 PM. We will engage in a direct action targeting one of Washington, DC’s opponents in Congress.

Will you help us send a strong message to Congress to stop interfering with DC’s affairs? Although this will not be a civil disobedience action, we do want to apply direct pressure on our opponents. To RSVP, e-mail rsvp@dcvote.org by 5:00 PM TODAY. We will provide you with more information regarding a specific meeting location and other next steps.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow at 12:00 PM.

According to the article:

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the city’s non-voting House member, said she is still negotiating to try to weaken the gun amendment, but that she is unwilling to sacrifice the opportunity to win a long-sought voting seat for the District by insisting on a stand-alone bill.

“This is the best chance we’ve had to get a House vote for D.C. in my lifetime,” Norton said. “Nobody would leave it on the table because it’s not at all clear when there will be another chance.”

I’ll post more details as they become available…the situation is very fluid.

In any case, it’s a great time to come to the DC Vote Lobby Day on Friday April 16th. We’re meeting at 8:00am in the new Capitol Visitors Center. I’m leading a team and I hope to see you there.

Since many people indicated a desire to serve on more than one subcommittee, the committee has decided to hold the inaugural meetings of the subcommittees in succession on TUESDAY, January 19, 2010 in ROOM 120 of the John A. Wilson Building:

4 – 5 PM Subcommittee on NATIONAL STATEHOOD DAY AND STATE OUTREACH

5 – 6 PM Subcommittee on STATE HALL MEETING

6 – 7 PM Subcommittee on PROMOTIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

These meetings are open and all interested people are welcome to participate.  So there is some idea of the number of people planning to attend, please RSVP by to Amy Bellanca at  abellanca<at>dccouncil.us

Thanks –  I hope I’ll see some of you on the 19^th.

As you may recall, last week I wrote about a hearing that was taking place on Capitol Hill about the the issue of Congressional oversight “in  all cases whatsoever” in local matters within the District of Columbia. A number of prominent DC officials including Mayor Fenty and Council Chair Gray testified.

At the hearing, a local statehood activist, Nikolas Schiller, donned his traditional colonial-era outfit to highlight the status of residents of the District when it comes to our relations with Congress. I have a ton of respect for Nikolas as he is one of our most ardent and creative activists in our fight for full autonomy and statehood.  In a city that is full of dry talking points and wonky position papers, he truly takes the issue to another level!

Last week during the hearing in the House Federal Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia Subcommittee, he was asked to remove his hat. Not a big deal, but it was an important part of his message to the members of the committee and the media covering the event.

According to the article in the Washington Post:

On Wednesday, for a meeting of the congressional subcommittee that oversees the city, Schiller donned his usual purple overcoat, ruffled shirt and hat (but jeans instead of breeches: “It wasn’t as significant a hearing. … I didn’t want to go through the full lederhosen routine”). He said he was sitting in the room before it started when a staffer approached and told him to lose the hat, chairman’s rules. When Schiller protested that he’d worn the same hat in the same room for years, she called the police.

Outside the room, police asked for his ID and ran his name through the FBI database. He said they also asked for his Social Security number, but he refused. He was allowed back into the hearing, bareheaded.

A spokeswoman for the subcommittee disputed some of Schiller’s account, saying it “was all the Capitol Police’s doing.” Police did not get back to us by deadline with their side of the story. So Schiller wonders: Is this because the more raucous anti-tax “Tea Party” folks have adopted his Colonial look, too? “Are tricorn hats now illegal in hearing rooms? Are all hats illegal?”

My “hat’s off” to Nikolas for keeping his hat on and getting some much needed attention for the issue!

While the lack of full representation in Congress for District citizens is the most visible injustice, we also need to shine light on DC’s lack of local budgetary and legislative autonomy. This hearing will address some of those underlying issues.

Witnesses will include:

Live streaming of the hearing can be seen here:

DATE: Thursday, December 10, 2009

TIME: 5 – 6:30 PM

LOCATION: Room 412, John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss several upcoming planned statehood events and to solicit Stakeholders’ input and assistance in the planning and implementation of these events.

If you would like to go, please RSVP by the close of business Monday, December 7th by calling (202) 724-8194 or emailing abellanca(at)dccouncil.us.

There’s going to be a screening on December 2nd at the Avalon on Connecticut Avenue. Please come if you can!

Here’s the email from DC Vote:

Join DC Vote and former Representative Tom Davis (R-VA) at the historic Avalon Theatre for an exclusive screening and lively discussion of Un-Natural State, a new documentary exploring the struggle for DC voting rights. Delegate Norton, local elected officials, DC Vote staff and supporters feature prominently in this film directed by Kirk Mangels and produced by Brad Mendelsohn.

On Wednesday, December 2 at 8:00 PM, Tom Davis, in discussion with DC Vote Board member Trish Vradenburg, will provide context and war stories from the movement. A Q&A session with the filmmakers will immediately follow the screening.

Tickets are $25 and available online. Proceeds benefit DC Vote. Save the date for this highly entertaining, behind-the-scenes look at the movement for DC democracy!

Plus, not yet a member of DC Vote? All movie attendees who join for the low $10 rate—available only on December 2nd—will receive a free I Am DC t-shirt!

HOME RULE FOR THE DISTRICT

GRAND MASS-MEETING OF CITIZENS AT ODD-FELLOWS’ HALL

“No taxation without representation.”
“All governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed” – Declaration of Independence
“No man is good enough to govern another without his consent” – President Hayes
A GRAND MASS MEETING OF CITIZENS, IRRESPECTIVE OF PARTY
Will be held at
ODD-FELLOWS’ HALL
Seventh street, between D and E, on
Friday Evening, Jan.23, 1880, at 7:30 o’clock.

Addresses in favor of SUFFRAGE will be made by ROBERT G. INGERSOLL, THOMAS J. DURANT, J.F. KLINGLE and others.

All invited. Reserved seats for ladies. Members of Congress, you who have established this despotic appointive government over us, are respectfully invited to be present.

LOOK ON THIS PICTURE:
Debt of the District of Columbia in 1871, after 70 years under an elected government…….. $3,000,000 THEN ON THIS:
Debt of the District of Columbia in 1880, after 9 years under an appointive government……… $24,000,000

FIVE HUNDRED of our best citizens are houseless and homeless to-day in consequence of excessive taxation imposed upon them by this anti-American government.

This advertisement was obtained from the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America collection and was originally published on January 20th, 1880 in Washington, DC. It is being republished here in order to continue my advocacy for full representation for the American citizens of the District of Columbia.

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