In Defense of Security – JDCA Weekly Roundup
Friends,
In the face of ongoing domestic and international security threats, the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) has been busy advocating for policies to ensure our collective security, as well as that of our allies. On Monday, JDCA strongly condemned President Trump’s reckless offer to meet with Iran — the world’s largest state sponsor of terror — with no preconditions. On Wednesday, JDCA launched a letter-writing campaignagainst downloadable guns – deadly and undetectable weapons that can be produced with a 3D printer. On Thursday, JDCA hosted a conference call on Iran with New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, the leading Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. We have also initiated an advocacy campaign demanding that Congress take action to improve election security and defend against foreign intervention in our democracy. With less than 100 days before the midterms, we are appalled that Republicans in Congress have not done more to protect the integrity of our elections. Join JDCA in TAKING ACTION on these and other issues, and read on and learn more…
Jewish Dems Condemn Trump’s Reckless Engagement With Iran
President Trump continued to demonstrate the recklessness of his foreign policy this week. After recently insulting our NATO allies and aligning himself with Russian President Putin, he extended an offer to Iranian President Rouhani to meet, absent any preconditions. Iran, the world’s largest state sponsor of terror, continues to pose a grave threat to U.S. security interests, as well as those of our allies, such as Israel. Following his offer, which Iran squarely rejected, Trump’s own Secretary of State walked him back, indicating there would have to be preconditions for such talks. JDCA spoke out against Trump’s egregious misstep, which demonstrated yet again that the president cannot be trusted to conduct high-stakes foreign policy. Read our statement here. 
Jewish Dems Reject Downloadable Guns Every time there is a tragic mass shooting, we are all painfully reminded that it remains far too easy for anyone to purchase a gun in America. This week, the Trump administration made it even easier to obtain a deadly weapon, by clearing the way for posting downloadable gun blueprints online. This dangerous step would allow anyone with a 3D printer and the right materials to produce an untraceable and undetectable gun, with no background checks or other precautions to keep Americans safe. Join JDCA in writing to Secretary of State Pompeo, imploring him to block the State Department’s legal settlement that has facilitated the downloading of blueprints for 3D printed guns.
Senator Menendez Briefs JDCA Members on Iran On Thursday, Sen. Menendez (NJ) briefed JDCA members on developments related to Iran following President Trump’s withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or Iran nuclear deal. Sen. Menendez, whom JDCA has endorsed for reelection this fall, previously led the effort in the Senate to impose crippling sanctions on Iran, which forced the Iranian government to the negotiating table during the Obama administration. On the call, Sen. Menendez discussed the fact that the Trump administration has not submitted a congressionally-mandated strategy for Iran, and Republicans have been silent in the face of the president’s negligence and inaction. Sen. Menendez was followed on the call by former CIA analyst and National Security Council spokesperson Ned Price, who discussed the strained relationship between President Trump and the U.S. intelligence community, and its implications for our national security.
Republicans Refuse to Protect Our Elections
This week, Republicans in the Senate blocked $250 million in funding for election security amid ongoing reports of Russian interference in our democratic institutions. This follows the House Republicans refusal to fund a similar measure last month. The U.S. intelligence community has been unequivocal in asserting Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, and we know this interference has continued to this day. Three months before the midterms, the White House and Republicans in Congress have done nothing to confront this threat, and the Republican-controlled Congress is blocking Democratic-led efforts to boost cybersecurity measures in advance of the election. Join JDCA today in writing to your members of Congress, imploring them to protect the integrity of our elections. This is not a partisan issue – the future of our democracy is at stake.
REMINDER: JDCA continues to look for midterm election volunteers and fall interns. Check out the full intern posting here, and fill out the volunteer form here, and sign up today.
Shabbat Shalom,
Ron Klein
Chair, Jewish Democratic Council of America