1. United States
2. Ill.
3. Letter

Rep Quigley: I am getting in touch to thank you for your NAY vote to censure Rep Al Green of Texas. I attended your virtual town hall last night and you mentioned as the minority party you have two powers, your voice and your vote. I believe you exercised your power well with this vote. I have tried to get in touch with the ten people that voted YEA and it's proven difficult. I would like to know their reasoning for voting YEA so if you have spoken to them I would like to know why they voted how they voted if you can pass that information on: Ami Bera Ed Case  Jim Costa Laura Gillen James A. Himes Chrissy Houlahan Marcy Kaptur Jared Moskowitz Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Thomas R. Suozzi Sen Duckworth: I am including you on this message as I believe you should know these types of votes, backing up your party members is very important. I understand that you are not always going to agree on issues. However, this wasn't disagreeing about if an issue should go forward or not, this was standing up to the radical cuts, racism and facism looming with this administration. Voting against your own party member for speaking truth to power is very alarming. Especially in the time we find ourselves in. What rep Al Green did took courage. Not speaking up on his behalf is equally alarming. Whether it applies or not the optics of non-support for a Black person fighting in the state of Texas, fighting for dismantling systemic racism, which includes taking away benefits from those that need it most, is shameful and an unnecessary own goal. Rep Quigley and Sen Duckworth: Please stick together as a party when it comes to standing up and voicing your support for your members and the American people. Let the egos go and let people lead and follow their lead, come up with a comprehensive and cohesive plan. A recent example that did not work: Wearing colors at the State of the Union, not effective. Holding up paddles, not effective. Getting up and walking out is effective. Offering comments in interviews, effective. Your time is precious so use it well. Using the powers you have like motion to adjourn, adding these hours to the day (reps did it to dems every single day in the past) to throw sand in the gears is helpful. Be big, be loud, and be in solidarity.