ICE is no more a law enforcement agency than was Hitler’s Gestapo

We are all Minnesotans now

Mitchell Zimmerman

Do Americans who engage in lawful and peaceful protest enjoy the protection of the United States Constitution? Not anymore, the Trump regime says in authorizing the shameless misconduct and lethal violence ICE agents are perpetrating against citizens in Minnesota.

ICE has invaded the state of Minnesota to show America that nothing can restrain Trump’s army of thugs. Not the Constitution. Not the laws which make it a crime to commit assault and murder. Not public opinion. And not thousands of citizens exercising their rights.

Although far from the first instance of ICE brutality, the slaying of Renee Nicole Good shocked the nation as a clear case of murder in cold blood.

The killing was not in “self-defense” – if a car is really hurtling toward you, you don’t pause to take out your gun, aim and shoot, because you know shooting won’t stop the car. You run. Ms. Good’s autopsy confirms that it was murder: the fatal bullet was the one fired into the victim’s left temple, when the ICE agent shot through the driver’s side window from alongside the car.

In response to the homicide, Trump false asserted the agent had been run over, and charged the victim with the “crime” of having been “very, very disrespectful to law enforcement”; the chief of Homeland Security called Ms. Good a “domestic terrorist,” supposedly “stalking” ICE (meaning she followed them to observe their conduct); and the Department of Justice launched an investigation, not of the killing, but of the victim’s widow.

Meanwhile, the Vice President proclaimed ICE impunity. Speaking of Renee Good’s killer, Vance stated, “That guy’s protected by absolute immunity.”

The claim is legally baseless, but ICE agents got the message they can brutalize and even summarily execute at will, without consequences. And now, within weeks, ICE agents have committed another murder, this time of Alex Pretti, a citizen who was an I.C.U. nurse, with a burst of bullets in the victim’s back while he lay defenseless on the ground.

Pretti on his knees surrounded by ICE agents, one about to shoot him in the back.

Since the Supreme Court approved of ICE stopping individuals based on racial profiling, ICE agents have seized and frequently assaulted individuals simply because they appeared to be Hispanic – or Hmong or Somali. They are freely employing the same tactics in Minnesota.

Do you carry proof of citizenship with you? Neither do I. But in an echo of Nazi Germany, ICE agents demand to “see your papers,” particularly if you are non-white.

Targeting journalists and citizen observers. An official policy of breaking into homes without a judicial warrant. Detaining children. Handcuffing individuals until they come up with proof of identity. Dragging people out of their cars without probable cause to think they committed a crime. Assault on suspected “illegals.” Attacking nonviolent, peaceful demonstrators with pepper balls, tear gas, rubber bullets. Threatening with guns, shooting at cars, and now, actual murders.

These are the abuses of a conquering army, inflicted upon an occupied nation.

ICE, the entity inflicting these wounds on our democracy, is no more a law enforcement agency than was Hitler’s Gestapo. ICE is an unrestrained, racist, violence-craving gang, trying to impose Trump’s will on a state. It should be disbanded.

Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans have taken to the streets to bravely defy ICE’s intimidation and violence, to insist on their rights under law, and to express solidarity with their neighbors who are ICE victims. And across the nation, many thousands came out in support.

In other places where liberty has been challenged, Americans and our leaders identified with a threatened people. “I am a Berliner,” President Kennedy affirmed at the Berlin Wall in 1963. “I am a Greenlander,” some now say in response to President Trump’s threats to invade an ally’s territory.

The threats and the invasion have come home. If our constitutional rights are not to be erased, we must act with the courage displayed by Minnesotans. “I am a Minnesotan.” So are we all.

"In small bills. No cops"

January 31 Charlestown Historical Society features talk by Narragansett wampum artist Allen Hazard

 

Charlestown Historical Society Winter 2026 Happy New Year, may it be a healthy and productive one for you and your family! As we rang out 2025 in December, we shared a wonderful evening at the CHS Museum with visitors from around South County during Charlestown's Holiday Ramble. As we ring in the new year, please join us for an unforgettable presentation followed by some light refreshment and a brief annual meeting for all who wish to join in afterwards. Narragansett Allen Hazard Shares the Art of Keeping a 4,500 Year Old Tradition Alive January 31, 2026 - 1:00 PM Cross Mills Public Library  Most of you may have heard of the Purple Shell located at the Fantastic Umbrella Factory in Charlestown where owner Allen Hazard can be found crafting beautiful wampum jewelry. But how many of us know the true history and meaning of this ancient art? The Narragansett, along with many Indigenous people living along the New England coast, had robust wampum traditions. "The Narragansett were the best" says Allen. Featured in a recent RI PBS documentary, Allen is widely regarded as an expert in this ancient craft. Please join us for this remarkable presentation on January 31st.  An Ancestral Visitor Comes Back to Charlestown Imagine coming back to a land where your 8th great grandfather was born here 285 years ago, only three years after the founding of Charlesown. He built his home, farmed his land, became active in the local government and then became a captain of the local militia and fought alongside his men in state-wide battles during the Revolutionary War. Then imagine standing inside that home and feeling the presence of your ancestor, his family and their daily lives. That's exactly what Alan Greene and his wife Jeanie did this past September here in Charlestown. The Greenes traveled from their home in Roseville, California to seek out Alan's roots. CHS was grateful to share their experience as well as records of Capt. Amos Greene's life and history. Coming in March 2026, there will be more about the Captain in the CHS annual newsletter and his contribution to our country's infancy. Below, Alan stands beneath the Amos Greene plaque on the corner of his original family homestead. The home and property are owned by the Ricci family, members of the CHS. This historic property is now protected under a conservation easement with the Charlestown Land Trust. Charlestown's 250th Committee has a host of special events planned for the 2026 year ahead. Included in the festivities is a special appearance by General George Washington on Flag Day, June 14th, at the Gen. Stanton Inn with Revolutionary War demonstrations, children's activities and an inspiring fife and drum corps presentation. There will be Memorial Day Parade festivities, a time capsule dedication, Fourth of July fireworks, a local historical bike tour, children's theater presentations, a town-wide historical scavenger hunt and a sunset cemetery tour in the Cross Mills Common Burying Ground planned for all to participate in. Stay tuned to the Charlestown town website and local announcements so you don't miss out on the celebrations! We hope to see you there!  Visit our website Email Us

Charlestown Historical Society | P.O. Box 100 | Charlestown, RI 02813 US

State legislation introduced to protect your Constitutional rights

Blue states must act on Trump attacks now more than ever

"This bill creates protection where it does not now exist, and is critical to keep our constitutional rights meaningful and alive for people in Rhode Island," said Attorney Miriam Weizenbaum. 

From a press release:

State Representative Brandon Potter (Democrat, District 16, Cranston) has introduced legislation to protect the constitutional rights of Rhode Islanders from federal officials by creating a right to sue in state court.

“Under the Trump Administration, federal officials have invaded our states and blatantly disregarded the constitutional rights of the citizens whose communities they have occupied,” said Representative Potter. 

“These abuses are only growing more brazen. This federal government will not police itself, so individual Rhode Islanders need a defense in state courts to protect their constitutional rights, which is exactly what this legislation provides. For too long, federal officials have enjoyed broad immunity against lawsuits in federal court, a deficiency in our legal system that this lawless administration has made heartbreakingly clear. It’s time for states to step up to their residents’ defense, starting with Rhode Island.”

The Rhode Island Federal Constitution Defense Act (2026-H 7202) would create a state law cause of action against federal officials who, through actions in Rhode Island, violate a person’s rights under the United States Constitution.

Rhode Island currently has no state cause of action to sue a federal official in a Rhode Island state court for violating the federal Constitution, meaning that Rhode Islanders whose constitutional rights have been violated have to sue federal officials in federal courts, where judges have ruled that officials have broad immunity from these lawsuits.

Charlestown issues official fraud warning about scam e-mails

Fraud Alert: Scam Emails Impersonating Town Boards and Officials

Town of Charlestown

The Town of Charlestown has been made aware of fraudulent emails currently being sent to residents that falsely appear to come from Town boards, officials, or departments — including the Zoning Board of Review. These messages are part of a widespread scam affecting municipalities across Rhode Island.

These scam emails are designed to look official and may reference zoning applications, permits, invoices, or approvals. 

In many cases, they attempt to pressure recipients into sending payment, providing sensitive information, or replying urgently in order to “complete” a Town process.

These messages are not legitimate and are not sent by the Town of Charlestown.

How to recognize these scams

Scam messages often include:

• Requests for payment by wire transfer, or electronic invoice
• A request to reply directly to the email for payment instructions
• Language that creates urgency or pressure to act quickly

The Town does not request payments, banking information, or signatures through unsolicited emails.

Trump's long-awaited healthcare "plan" is a joke

He can barely bring himself to pretend he cares.

Paul Waldman

“In two weeks” finally arrived.

That’s the usual time period in which Donald Trump has, for the last 10 years, promised the arrival of a spectacular plan to reform the healthcare system, one that would solve every problem anyone could identify, whether individual or systemic. 

Just you wait, he’d say — the plan is coming in two weeks, and you’re gonna love it.

Well now the White House has indeed released what it calls “The Great Healthcare Plan.” Is it great? No. Is it a plan? Not really. It is, however, in its combination of stupidity, ideological derangement, and unseriousness, a near-perfect expression of everything Trump and his party believe about a policy challenge that has bedeviled the United States for decades.

If the White House wanted to enact some kind of healthcare reform, it would put out a document explaining a series of changes it would like to make to the system, then work with Republicans on Capitol Hill to turn those ideas into legislation. That is not happening. There are a few Republican bills rolling around Congress, but no one takes them seriously.

What we have, then, is a bunch of vague statements of principle, some outright nonsense, and a few absolutely terrible ideas.

Donald Trump Hates America

Trump's contempt for Americans includes even his most MAGA supporters.

Steven Beschloss

Some moments are so on-the-nose they make you stop, smacked by the insanity of our political reality. Donald Trump giving the middle finger to an American expressing his First Amendment right is one of those moments.

Several days ago, Trump was visiting a Ford plant in Dearborn, Michigan that makes Ford F-150 trucks. As he walked past the factory floor, a worker yelled up to him: “Pedophile protector.” 

Trump heard the comment and responded with the elegance and grace we’ve come to expect from him. Twice he mouthed “f**k you,” then gave the guy the finger. (You can watch the episode here.)

Let’s break it down for a second. This man, occupying the highest office in our land, could not control himself when an auto worker said something he didn’t like. 

He was incapable of grasping anything beyond the insult, such as the right of an American to say what he or she thinks, nor did he feel in any way constrained by decorum.

He heard something he didn’t like, which—as we watch the Justice Department’s contemptuous refusal to comply with the law and release the Epstein files in full— suggests that he remains threatened by any assertion that he was involved with Jeffrey Epstein’s monstrous pedophilia and sex trafficking. Would an innocent man be so quick to flaunt his hostilities, his hatred, his violence?

But he could count on his enabling team to defend his fragile psyche. One of his particularly nasty rapid-response handlers, Steven Cheung, had a quick counterpunch. Trump “gave an appropriate and unambiguous response,” he said in a statement, because a “lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage.”

You get the idea. If Trump does it, it’s just fine, indeed evidence of his impressive authenticity. If he’s in any way criticized, that person must be a rage-filled lunatic and slapped down.

This is no way to run a country, surely not one based on encouraging a diversity of viewpoints—so necessary for creativity and innovation, so fundamental for a society dedicated to personal freedom. But then, we are being held hostage by a deeply broken man whose increasing need to silence dissent is a feature of his malignant narcissism and his cognitive decline.

Lots of job openings

Boycott Estee Lauder

Charlestown Democrats host 2026 candidates' meetings on Jan. 29 and February 4

 

C-Town Dems News

January 2026

Meet your 2026 candidates!

Thursday, January 29, 5:30 PM Town Hall with Sam Wilcox

“I’m running for State Senate to represent District 34: Richmond, Exeter, Hopkinton, Charlestown and West Greenwich.” —SAM WILCOX

Discover why Sam is the ideal candidate to be our state senator and engage in the conversation to help create a stronger, more positive future for our community. Thursday, January 29 5:30 PM Clark Memorial Library, 7 Pinehurst Drive, Carolina, RI

Wednesday, February 4, 6:00 PM CDTC Meeting with AG candidate Jason Knight LG candidate Cindy Coyne   Join the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee for conversation with Jason Knight and Cindy Coyne   Meeting will be held at the Charlestown Police station 6 PM   We'll be hosting other candidates for statewide races on future dates, so subscribe and follow our socials below.

About Jason: Jason was born in Providence, and he and his wife Nicole live in Barrington where they raised their two kids.   A commitment to public service is in Jason’s blood. Jason joined the Navy when he was 18 as a nuclear power operator on a submarine. He went on to get his law degree, and was a prosecutor and special assistant attorney general in the RI Attorney General’s office, and now runs his own criminal defense practice. Jason has 20 years of experience and knows what it takes to get justice.   For the past nine years, Jason has been a Rhode Island State Representative, where he has built an outstanding track record of legislative success and delivering results. Jason led the fight to ban assault weapons, protected reproductive rights and passed laws to make our communities safer and to reform our criminal justice system.   delete   About Cindy: A proud lifelong Rhode Islander, Cindy was born and raised in Pawtucket and attended URI on an athletic scholarship. She served as an RI State Trooper for 20 years where she rose to the rank of Lieutenant.   Cindy won a state Senate seat that Republicans had held for more than 100 years. While in the State Senate, she served as the Chair of the Judiciary Committee, and successfully championed legislation to ban dangerous ghost guns. Cindy also championed legislation to help aging adults.    Prior to the State Senate, Cindy served on the Barrington Town Council, where she served as liaison to the Senior Services Advisory Board, United Veterans Council, School Committee, Bristol County Water Authority and the Juvenile Hearing Board. Cindy is married to Jerry Coyne and they have four children.   Button

Call for Volunteers Your Charlestown Democratic Town Committee needs you! We are looking for active participants who want to help support Democratic candidates and causes. If interested, send a note to info@charlestowndemocrats.org. Please consider joining us!

**In America, we don’t do kings.**  For those looking to keep abreast of local and state resistance efforts, we recommend South County Resistance and Indivisible RI to find out what’s going on and to join some like-minded neighbors.​

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The Charlestown Democratic Town Committee manages the affairs of the Democratic Party in the town of Charlestown, RI subject to RI Election Law, State Party rules and its own bylaws. We meet the first Wednesday of every month at 6:00 PM at the Charlestown Police Station. Any Charlestown registered Democrat is welcome to attend.

P.O. Box 1088, Charlestown RI 02813 Visit our social accounts charlestowndemocrats.org