I guess he got an earful from Montana citizens!
In case you are wondering, Mayor Bob Kelly didn’t send a letter to the US State Department in response to the President’s reform effort that we have been writing about almost daily, but had earlier joined a list (apparently still growing) of elected officials across 46 states which were demanding that the President admit 95,000 refugees in FY2020 before he actually set the ceiling at 18,000.
[Don’t forget, Democrat candidates for President are saying they want over 100,000. Biden says 125,000 and Warren says 175,000. Bernie is vague but does say he wants at least 50,000 climate refugees alone in his mix.]
However it seems that the list that I published here last September, which at the time had 361 officials requesting 95,000 refugees, is making the rounds and I saw it again a couple of days ago with 400 listed!
Look around and see what jumps out at you.
There is no contact information to indicate who is behind the effort. I presume it is the nine federal refugee contractors or its lobbying arm—the Refugee Council USA—but no where is there any information that would guide elected officials when making a decision to sign on.
Even before I saw Mayor Kelly’s mea culpa I wondered who would be so irresponsible to sign this letter without any information on who is pushing it?
As I did in September, I am publishing the whole list below as a useful guide (in case it disappears) in helping you decide who to work to remove from office!
By the way, in 2017 there was much talk about China (yes, the country of China!) opening a meatpacking plant in Montana, but I have no idea if that played at all into the mayor’s thinking when he signed onto the letter in support of more refugees (more low-skilled laborers).
Here is the headline from the Great Falls Tribune:
Mayor apologizes after signing letter to Trump in support of refugees
Great Falls Mayor Bob Kelly apologized Wednesday for a letter he signed last year asking President Donald Trump to support an increase in the number of refugees allowed to settle in the United States.
While Kelly said that he remains deeply concerned about displaced people in the world, including 25 million refugees, he apologized for using the mayor’s office to support the cause.
“I realize, however, that as mayor of our community, it may not be a concern you share,” Kelly wrote to residents in a post on his mayor’s Facebook page. “By implying your inclusion in my concern, I misrepresented you. For that, I am sorry. As mayor of our wonderful community, I try very hard to navigate only toward local issues or state issues that affect local communities. The national issues that currently divide us deserve little, if any role in our decision-making process at the local level.”
Here we are, just what I wanted to know. The federal refugee contractors are behind the effort to ‘out’ supporters of more refugees for your towns and cities.
Soft Landing Missoula, which assists refugees in resettling in the western Montana community, asked Kelly to support the national effort.
Soft Landing is a subcontractor of the International Rescue Committee.
Located in Missoula, Soft Landing is 165 miles from Great Falls which means that they have aspirations for expansion beyond their Missoula home base.
See my rather extensive Montana archive for more on what has been happening there on the contentious issue of refugees.
Did your elected officials sign on?
Go here and see that they (whoever they are!) say they plan to continue to update the list and reissue it as one more bit of news presumably with which to bash the President in advance of the 2020 Presidential contest.
LOL! Wait a few days, refresh the list, and see if Mayor Kelly’s name is removed.
You might want to compare lists, see the list I published in September. Is your elected official a newbie to the list?
Alabama
Neil Rafferty, State Representative, Birmingham
Alaska
Andrew Josephson, State Representative, Anchorage
Arizona
Ylenia Aguilar, School Board Member, Phoenix
Lela Alston, State Senator, Phoenix
Richard Andrade, State Representative, Phoenix
Isela Blanc, State Representative, Tempe
Andres Cano, State Representative, Tucson
Steven Chapman, School Governing Board Member, Phoenix
Cesar Chavez, State Representative, Phoenix
Andrea Dalessandro, State Senator, Green Valley
Devin Del Palacio, Tolleson Union School District Governing Board Member, Tolleson
Elora Diaz, School Governing Board Member, Phoenix
Kirsten Engel, State Representative, Tucson
Diego Espinoza, State Representative, Phoenix
Charlene Fernandez, State Representative, Yuma
Rosanna Gabaldon, State Representative, Phoenix
Kate Gallego, Mayor, Phoenix
Carlos Garcia, District 8 Councilmember, Phoenix
Betty Guardado, District 5 City Councilwoman, Phoenix
Berdetta Hodge, Tempe Union Governing Board President, Tempe
Lauren Kuby, Vice Mayor, Tempe
Jennifer Longdon, State Representative, Phoenix
Juan Mendez, State Senator, Tempe
Otoniel “Tony” Navarrete, State Senator, Phoenix
Katie Paetz, Osborn School Board Member, Phoenix
Channel Powe, Balsz School District Governing Board President, Phoenix
Pamela Powers Hannley, State Representative, Phoenix
Stanford Prescott, Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board Member, Phoenix
Martín Quezada, State Senator, Phoenix
Rebecca Rios, State Senator, Phoenix
Tony Rivero, State Representative, Phoenix
Diego Rodriguez, State Representative, Laveen
Jonathan Rothschild, Mayor, Tucson
Athena Salman, House Minority Whip, Tempe
Victoria Steele, State Senator, Phoenix
Monica Trejo, School Board Member, Tempe
Raquel Teran, State Representative, Phoenix
Arkansas
Lioneld Jordan, Mayor, Fayetteville
Sarah Marsh, Vice Mayor and City Council Member, Fayetteville
Teresa Turk, City Council Member, Fayetteville
California
Eric Garcetti, Mayor, Los Angeles
Ben Allen, State Senator, Santa Monica
Tom Butt, Mayor, Richmond
Bob Blumenfield, City Councilmember, Los Angeles
Laura Friedman, Assemblymember, Glendale
Paul Koretz, City Councilmember, Los Angeles
Sheila Kuehl, County Supervisor, Los Angeles
Marc Levine, Assemblymember, San Rafael
Don Saylor, County Supervisor, Yolo County
Scott Wiener, State Senator, San Francisco
Colorado
Michael Hancock, Mayor, Denver
KC Becker, State Representative, Boulder
Kendra Black, City Councilwoman, Denver
Candie CdeBaca, City Councilmember, Denver
Jolon Clark, City Councilmember, Denver
Monica Duran, State Representative, Denver
Stephen Fenberg, State Senator, Boulder
Kevin Flynn, City Council Member, Denver
Stacie Gilmore, City Councilmember, Denver
Julie Gonzalez, State Senator, Denver
Leslie Herod, State Representative, Denver
Nicole Johnston, City Council Member, Aurora
Paul Kashmann, City Councilmember, Denver
Robin Kniech, City Councilwoman-at-Large, Denver
Dominick Moreno, State Senator, Commerce City
Deborah Ortega, City Councilmember-at-Large, Denver
Adam Paul, Mayor, Lakewood
Jamie Torres, City Councilwoman, Denver
Amanda Sandoval, City Councilmember, Denver
Amanda Sawyer, City Councilwoman, Denver
Dave Young, Colorado State Treasurer, Greeley
Connecticut
Matt Blumenthal, State Representative, Stamford
Raghib Allie-Brennan, State Representative, Bethel
Robin E. Comey, State Representative, Branford
Hacibey Catalbasoglu, Alderman, New Haven
Patricia Dillon, State Representative, New Haven
Josh Elliott, State Representative, Hamden
Roland Lemar, State Representative, New Haven
Matthew Lesser, State Senator, Middletown
Robyn Porter, State Representative, New Haven
District of Columbia
Muriel Bowser, Mayor
Brianne Nadeau, Councilmember
Elissa Silverman, At-Large Councilmember
Delaware
Rysheema Dixon, City Council Member-at-Large, Wilmington
Linda Gray, 1st District Councilwoman, Wilmington
Debra Heffernan, State Representative, Wilmington
Hanifa Shabazz, City Council President, Wilmington
Florida
Buddy Dyer, Mayor, Orlando
Trish Becker, County Commissioner, St. Augustine
Erica Connor, Supervisor, Ponte Vedra Beach
Nicholas Duran, State Representative, Miami
Anna Eskamani, State Representative, Orlando
Kristin Jacobs, State Representative, Coconut Creek
Al Jacquet, State Representative, Mangonia
Evan Jenne, State Representative, Hollywood
Shevrin Jones, State Representative, West Park
Dotie Joseph, State Representative, Miami
Amy Mercado, State Representative, Orlando
Cindy Polo, State Representative, Hialeah
Carlos Guillermo Smith, State Representative, Orlando
Victor Torres, State Senator, Kissimmee
Georgia
Yterenickia Bell, City Council Member, Clarkston
Anthony S. Ford, Mayor, Stockbridge
Patti Garrett, Mayor, Decatur
Deana Holiday Ingraham, Mayor, East Point
Ted Terry, Mayor, Clarkston
Idaho
David Bieter, Mayor, Boise
Cherie Buckner-Webb, State Senator, Boise
Mathew Erpelding, State Representative, Boise
Maryanne Jordan, State Senator, Boise
Mark Nye, State Senator, Pocatello
Illinois
Lori Lightfoot, Mayor, Chicago
Alma Anaya, County Commissioner, Cook County
Luis Arroyo Jr., County Commissioner, Cook County
Scott Britton, County Commissioner, Cook County
James Cappleman, Alderman, Chicago
Kelly Cassidy, State Representative, Chicago
Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Treasurer, Chicago
John Cullerton, Illinois Senate President, Chicago
John P. Daley, County Commissioner, Cook County
Bridget Degnen, County Commissioner, Cook County
Sara Feigenholtz, State Representative, Chicago
Laura Fine, State Senator, Glenview
Robyn Gabel, State Representative, Evanston
Will Guzzardi, State Representative, Chicago
Maria Hadden, Alderwoman, Chicago
Brandon Johnson, County Commissioner, Cook County
Matt Martin, Alderman, Chicago
Donna Miller, County Commissioner, Cook County
Kevin B. Morrison, County Commissioner, Cook County
Harry Osterman, Alderman, Chicago
Toni Preckwinkle, President, Cook County
Debra Silverstein, Alderman, Chicago
Peter N. Silvestri, County Commissioner, Cook County
Deborah Sims, County Commissioner, Cook County
Michele Smith, Alderman, Chicago
Larry Suffredin, County Commissioner, Cook County
Anna Valencia, City Clerk, Chicago
George Van Dusen, Mayor, Skokie
Daniel Diedech, State Representative, Buffalo Grove
Indiana
John Hamilton, Mayor, Bloomington
Zach Adamson, City County Councilor, Indianapolis
Brian Wagner, Lafayette School Corporation Board of Trustees, Lafeyette
Iowa
Marti Anderson, State Representative, Des Moines
Art Staed, State Representative, Cedar Rapids
Stacey Walker, County Commissioner, Linn County
Kansas
Brandon Johnson, City Council Member, Wichita
Mary Ware, State Senator, Wichita
Kentucky
Logan Nance, City Council Member, Midway
Kathy Plomin, City Council Member, Lexington
Susan Westrom, State Representative, Lexington
Louisiana
Erika L. Green, City Councilwoman, Baton Rouge
Maine
Pious Ali, Council Member At-Large, Portland
Kristen S. Cloutier, Mayor, Lewiston
Maryland
Malcolm Augustine, State Senator, Hyattsville
Brian Feldman, State Senator, Annapolis
Jessica Feldmark, State Delegate, Columbia
Dannielle Glaros, County Council Member, Prince George’s County
Ana Sol Gutierrez, State Delegate, Chevy Chase
Edouard Haba, City Councilman, Hyattsville
Julian Ivey, State Delegate, Cheverly
David Moon, State Delegate, Silver Spring
Joseline Peña-Melnyk, State Delegate, College Park
Paul Pinsky, State Senator, Hyattsville
Jeffrey Slavin, Mayor, Somerset
Kate Stewart, Mayor, Takoma Park
Deni Taveras, County Council Member, Prince George’s County
Rocio Treminio-Lopez, Mayor, Brentwood
Jeff Waldstreicher, State Senator, Annapolis
Jheanelle Wilkins, State Delegate, Silver Spring
Patrick L. Wojahn, Mayor and Council, College Park
Massachusetts
Harriette Chandler, State Senator, Worcester
Annie Gilbert, Selectwoman, Andover
Laura Gregory, Selectwoman, Andover
Daniel Koh, Select Board Member, Andover
Alex Morse, Mayor, Holyoke
David J. Narkewicz, Mayor, Northampton
Tram Nguyen, State Representative, Andover
Denise Provost, State Representative, Somerville
William Reichelt, Mayor, West Springfield
Shannon Scully, School Committee Member, Andover
Jeffrey Thielman, School Committee Member, Arlington
Holly Vietzke-Lynch, School Committee Member, North Andover
Michigan
Christopher Taylor, Mayor, Ann Arbor
Rosalynn Bliss, Mayor, Grand Rapids
Raquel Castañeda-López, City Council Member, Detroit
Stephanie Chang, State Senator, Detroit
Abdullah Hammoud, State Representative, Dearborn
Brandon Haskell, County Commissioner, Eaton County
Kara Hope, State Representative, Holt
Ruth Kelly, City Commissioner, Grand Rapids
David LaGrand, State Representative, Grand Rapids
Steven Maas, Mayor, Grandville
Karen Majewski, Mayor, Hamtramck
Kurt Metzger, Mayor, Pleasant Ridge
Kurt Reppart, City Commissioner, Grand Rapids
Robert Wittenberg, State Representative, Huntington Woods
Jack Eaton, City Council Member, Ann Arbor
Minnesota
Tim Walz, Governor, Minnesota
Melvin Carter, Mayor, St. Paul
Jacob Frey, Mayor, Minneapolis
Andrew Johnson, City Council Member, Minneapolis
Jennifer Julsrud, City Councilmember, Duluth
Fue Lee, State Representative, St. Paul
John Lesch, State Representative, St. Paul
Sandra Pappas, State Senator, St. Paul
Dave Pinto, State Representative, St. Paul
Mitra Nelson, City Councilmember, St. Paul
John Marty, State Senator, Roseville
Kaohly Her, State Representative, St. Paul
Missouri
Daniel Guenther, 9th Ward Alderman, St. Louis
Lyda Krewson, Mayor, St. Louis
Kip Kendrick, State Representative, Columbia
Annie Rice, Alderwoman, St. Louis
Martha Stevens, State Representative, Columbia
Brian Williams, State Senator, St. Louis
Montana
Kim Abbott, State Representative, Helena
Dick Barrett, State Senator, Missoula
Emma Kerr-Carpenter, State Representative, Billings
Mary Ann Dunwell, State Representative, Helena
John Engen, Mayor, Missoula
Jessica Karjala, State Representative, Billings
Bob Kelly, Mayor, Great Falls
Connie Keogh, State Representative, Missoula
Jasmine Krotkov, State Representative, Neihart
Margaret MacDonald, State Senator, Billings
Mary McNally, State Senator, Billings
Andrea Olsen, State Representative, Missoula
David Strohmaier, County Commissioner, Missoula
Katie Sullivan, State Representative, Missoula
Nebraska
Tony Vargas, State Senator, Omaha
New Hampshire
Safiya Wazir, State Representative, Concord
Karen Zook, City Councilor, Lebanon
New Jersey
Joshua Fine, Borough Council Member, Highland Park
Catherine Gural, Deputy Mayor, Montgomery
Sadaf Jaffer, Mayor, Montgomery
Gayle Brill Mittler, Mayor, Highland Park
Marvin Schuldiner, Township Committee Member, Montgomery=
New Mexico
Timothy Keller, Mayor, Albuquerque
Gerald Ortiz y Pino, State Senator, Albuquerque
Renee Villareal, Councilwoman, Santa Fe
New York
Noam Bramson, Mayor, New Rochelle
Byron W. Brown, Mayor, Buffalo
Kathy Sheehan, Mayor, Albany
Lovely Warren, Mayor, Rochester
Patricia Fahy, Assemblymember, Albany
Liz Krueger, State Senator, New York
Amy Paulin, Assemblymember, Scarsdale
Linda B. Rosenthal, Assemblymember, New York
Al Stirpe, Assemblymember, North Syracuse
Steven Weinberg, Mayor, Village of Thomaston
David Weprin, Assemblymember, Fresh Meadows
Gregory Young, Supervisor, Gloversville
Rachel May, State Senator, Syracuse
North Carolina
Pam Hemminger, Mayor, Chapel Hill
Steve Schewel, Mayor, Durham
Marikay Abuzuaiter, City Council Member-At-Large, Greensboro
Vickie Adamson, County Commissioner, Wake County
Jessica Anderson, Mayor Pro Tem, Chapel Hill
John Autry, State Representative, Charlotte
James Barrett, School Board Member, Chapel Hill
Natalie Beyer, Board of Education Member, Durham
Javiera Caballero, City Council Member, Durham
Heidi Carter, Durham County Commissioner, Durham
Jay Chaudhuri, State Senator, Raleigh
Christy Clark, State Representative, Huntersville
Susan Fisher, State Representative, Asheville
Brenda Howerton, County Commissioner, Durham
Mark Jackson, Town Councilman, Archer Lodge
Wendy Jacobs, Chair of the Durham County Board of Commissioners, Durham
Jillian Johnson, Mayor Pro Tempore, Durham
Michelle Kennedy, City Council Member, Greensboro
Audra Killingsworth, Town Council Member, Apex
Lydia Lavelle, Mayor, Carborro
Nasif Majeed, State Representative, Raleigh
Stef Mendell, City Council Member, Raleigh
Graig Meyer, State Representative, Chapel Hill
Wiley Nickel, State Senator, Raleigh
Renée Price, County Commissioner, Orange County
Damon Seils, Alderman, Carrboro
Kandie Smith, State Representative, Greenville
Karen Stegman, Town Council Member, Chapel Hill
Nicole Stewart, City Council Member-At-Large, Raleigh
Jennifer Weaver, Mayor Pro Tempore, Hillsborough
Mike Woodard, State Senator, Durham
Nancy Vaughan, Mayor, Greensboro
North Dakota
Tim Mahoney, Mayor, Fargo
John Strand, City Commissioner, Fargo
Ohio
Nan Whaley, Mayor, Dayton
Elizabeth Brown, City Council President Pro Tempore, Columbus
David Donofrio, South-Western City Schools Board of Education Member, Columbus
Emmanuel Remy, Councilmember, Columbus
Peter Ujvagi, City Councilman, Toledo
Rob Dorans, City Councilman, Columbus
Oklahoma
Carrie Blumert, County Commissioner, Oklahoma County
James Cooper, City Councilmember, Oklahoma City
JoBeth Hamon, Ward 6 City Councilmember, Oklahoma City
Carri Hicks, State Senator, Oklahoma City
Cyndi Munson, State Representative, Oklahoma City
Collin Walke, State Representative, Oklahoma City
Oregon
Denny Doyle, Mayor, Beaverton
Chloe Eudaly, Commissioner, Portland
Alissa Keny-Guyer, State Representative, Portland
Rita Moore, PhD, Portland Public Schools Board of Education Director, Portland
Janeen Sollman, State Representative, Hillsboro
Lori Stegmann, County Commissioner, Portland
Stephanie Stephens, David Douglas School District School Board Member, Portland
Pennsylvania
James F. Kenney, Mayor, Philadelphia
William Peduto, Mayor, Pittsburgh
Danene Sorace, Mayor, Lancaster
Danilo Burgos, State Representative, Philadelphia
Faith Craig, City Councilmember, Lancaster
Jason Dawkins, State Representative, Philadelphia
Janet Diaz, City Councilwoman, Lancaster
Elizabeth Fiedler, State Representative, Philadelphia
Isabella Fitzgerald, State Representative, Philadelphia
John Graupera, City Councilmember, Lancaster
Jordan A. Harris, State Representative, Philadelphia
Art Haywood, State Senator, Philadelphia
Malcolm Kenyatta, State Representative, Philadelphia
Joanna McClinton, State Representative, Philadelphia
Dan Miller, State Representative, Pittsburgh
Eric Papenfuse, Mayor, Harrisburg
Maria D. Quinones Sanchez, City Councilmember, Philadelphia
Joseph Schember, Mayor, Erie
Michael Schlossberg, State Representative, Allentown
Erika Strassburger, City Councilmember, Pittsburgh
Chris Rabb, State Representative, Philadelphia
James Reichenbach, City Council President, Lancaster
Rosita C. Youngblood, State Representative, Philadelphia
Rhode Island
Jorge Elorza, Mayor, Providence
Gayle Goldin, State Senator, Providence
South Carolina
Stephen Benjamin, Mayor, Columbia
Carol Jackson, City Council Member, Charleston
South Dakota
Reynold Nesiba, State Senator, Sioux Falls
Ray Ring, State Representative, Vermillion
Linda Duba, State Representative, Sioux Falls
Tennessee
David Briley, Mayor, Nashville
Madeline Rogero, Mayor, Knoxville
Fabian Bedne, Metro Council Member, Nashville
John Ray Clemmons, State Representative, Nashville
Jason Powell, State Representative, Nashville
Texas
Steve Adler, Mayor, Austin
Eric Johnson, Mayor, Dallas
Ron Nirenberg, Mayor, San Antonio
Sylvester Turner, Mayor, Houston
Clay Jenkins, County Judge, Dallas
Lina Hidalgo, Harris County Judge, Houston
Utah
Jacqueline Biskupski, Mayor, Salt Lake City
Jani Iwamoto, State Senator, Salt Lake City
Mark A. Wheatley, State Representative, Salt Lake City
Vermont
Anne Watson, Mayor, Montpelier
Miro Weinberger, Mayor, Burlington
Tim Briglin, State Representative, Thetford
Thomas I. Chittenden, City Councilor, South Burlington
Ali Dieng, City Councilor, Burlington
Meaghan Emery, City Council Vice Chair, South Burlington
Maxine Grad, State Representative, Moretown
Jack Hanson, City Councilor, Burlington
Debbie Ingram, State Senator, Williston
Kristine Lott, Mayor, Winooski
Karen Paul, City Councilor, Burlington
Franklin Paulino, City Councilor, Burlington
Ann Pugh, State Representative, Montpelier
Helen Riehle, City Council Chair, South Burlington
Lisa Ryan, Alderwoman, Rutland
Robin Scheu, State Representative, Middlebury
Joan Shannon, City Councilor, Burlington
Michael Sirotkin, State Senator, South Burlington
Michael Yantachka, State Representative, Charlotte
Maida F. Townsend, State Representative, South Burlington
Theresa Wood, State Representative, Waterbury
Michael Yantachka, State Representative, Charlotte
David Zuckerman, Lt. Governor, Montpelier
Virginia
Justin Wilson, Mayor, Alexandria
Creigh Deeds, State Senator, Charlottesville
Kaye Kory, State Delegate, Falls Church
Mark Levine, State Delegate, Alexandria
Alfonso Lopez, Delegate, Arlington
Dave Marsden, State Senator, Burke
Scott Surovell, State Senator, Mt. Vernon
Washington
Jay Inslee, Governor, Olympia
April Barker, City Council Member, Bellingham
Breean Beggs, City Councilmember, Spokane
Reuven Carlyle, State Senator, Seattle
Jeannie Darneille, State Senator, Tacoma
Mona Das, State Senator, Auburn
Todd Donovan, County Councilmember, Bellingham
Jake Fey, State Representative, Tacoma
Joe Fitzgibbon, State Representative, West Seattle
David Frockt, State Senator, Seattle
M. Lorena González, City Councilmember, Seattle
Mia Gregerson, State Representative, SeaTac
Bob Hasegawa, State Senator, Seattle
Sam Hunt, State Senator, Olympia
Monica Jurado Stonier, State Representative, Vancouver
Karen Keiser, State Senator, Des Moines
Jeanne Kohl-Welles, King County Councilmember, Seattle
Patty Kuderer, State Senator, Olympia
Mary Leavitt, State Representative, University Place
Debra Lekanoff, State Representative, Bellingham
Michael Lilliquist, City Council Member, Bellingham
Kelli Linville, Mayor, Bellingham
Liz Lovelett, State Senator, Anacortes
John McCoy, State Senator, Tulalip
Gerry Pollet, State Representative, Seattle
Chris Roberts, City Councilmember, Shoreline
Christine Rolfes, State Senator, Bainbridge Island
Cindy Ryu, State Representative, Seattle
Rebecca Saldana, State Senator, Seattle
Sharon Tomiko Santos, State Representative, Seattle
Lillian Ortiz-Self, State Representative, Mukilteo
Tana Senn, State Representative, Mercer Island
Derek Stanford, State Senator, Bothell
Hannah Stone, City Council Member/At-Large Representative, Bellingham
Gael Tarleton, State Representative, Seattle
Javier Valdez, State Representative, Seattle
Pinky Vargas, City Council Member, Bellingham
Amy Walen, State Representative, Kirkland
Wisconsin
Carousel Andrea Bayrd, County Commissioner, Dane County
Wyoming
Charles Pelkey, State Representative, Laramie
You can add Mayor Betsy Price, Mayor of Ft. Worth and ALL Tarrant County Commissioners to this list.
The Commissioners actually stated they wanted the federal dollars coming in with the trash.