POGO WEEKLY, DEC 6 2025

 

December 6, 2025

EXECUTIVE POWER GRAB

Fuel on the fire

(Photo by Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

In response to a shooting that killed a National Guard member and left another one in critical condition, President Trump has committed to sending 500 additional troops into Washington, DC. We forcefully condemn this shooting. But we also stand firm in our belief that sending additional guard members into the city will only worsen tensions, jeopardize the safety of both our soldiers and the public, and further erode the norms of our democracy. The administration also announced its plans to send the National Guard and federal agents to New Orleans as part of an immigration crackdown it’s calling “Swamp Sweep.” The administration seems intent on barreling forward, even with the active court cases challenging deployments across the country. It’s vital that we keep speaking out and standing with our neighbors. Our collective insistence that the administration follow the Constitution and respect due process rights makes a difference.  OP-ED Domestic deployment has been shrouded in secrecy. The Senate must demand answers: “Americans across the country are in mourning following the tragic shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. For those who have served, we know this is the type of tragedy that demands care — not escalation. It also demands answers.” (Stars and Stripes) TAKE ACTION Whether you’re in Louisiana or elsewhere, you can push back on the administration’s domestic deployments by writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Come to our last training of 2025 and learn how from POGO’s Civic Advocacy team. Spots are limited, so be sure to RSVP soon.

Did the Pentagon order a second missile launch on shipwrecked survivors?

Since September, there have been at least 22 lethal strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific alleged by the U.S. government to be carrying drugs. But the very first strike is now receiving heightened scrutiny after the Washington Post reported that the military fired a follow-up missile after the initial attack left two survivors. If true, this would be a clear violation of both U.S. and international law. The news seems to have served as a wakeup call for Congress, prompting bipartisan scrutiny in both the House and the Senate. We are glad to see Congress taking these allegations seriously, but it must do more to stop these unauthorized uses of force, especially with President Trump suggesting that he could order land campaigns in Venezuela soon. The Pentagon is investigating retired naval officer and current Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) over his statements asserting (accurately) that service members have the right to refuse illegal orders. This isn’t just a weaponization of the law akin to the retaliatory cases we saw at the Department of Justice earlier this year — it’s a clear attempt to undercut Congress’s crucial role of holding the executive branch accountable.  More Pentagon news: POGO’s Greg Williams talks through our recommendations for improving the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act before it’s finalized. Listen now on The Federal Drive.

FOLLOW THE MONEY

It’s always the right time to ban stock trading

(Illustration: Ren Velez / POGO)

A stock trading ban for members of Congress and their families could very soon be coming to the House floor for a vote.  This is an issue we have aggressively advocated for and advanced for years, and with trust in government at a palpable low, your representatives know that they must see this ban through. We need to be able to know for sure that Congress members are making decisions with the public’s best interests in mind and not their personal finances. POGO joined CREW, Public Citizen, and several other good government organizations in urging the passage of the bipartisan Restore Trust in Congress Act. Read the letter we sent to the Committee on House Administration.  TAKE ACTION Congress has an unprecedented opportunity to ban congressional stock trading. Email your representatives and urge them to see this through.

DOGE by any other name...

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is no longer operating as a centralized entity. But its work aggressively reshaping the government still continues, with many of its functions now living under the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), according to administration officials. And with OPM finalizing its Schedule Policy/Career regulations, federal workers could soon be dealing with a fresh wave of chaos. Many questions still remain about DOGE. What did it do with all the data it seized? What about the many agencies it forcibly shuttered? We need answers. Congress must perform its oversight duties to get them, and to ensure that future presidents cannot use the protection of loopholes and legal gray areas to make massive changes to the federal government.   A refresher: Schedule F attempted to replace nonpartisan federal workers with partisan lapdogs. Schedule Policy/Career is even worse.

REPORT BACK

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Thanks to your incredible commitment, we have the resources we need to keep holding the line against authoritarianism, protecting democracy and constitutional rights, and fighting to achieve the accountable and effective federal government you deserve. You are the reason we do this work, and you make every victory possible. Thank you to each and every one of the 234 people who donated. We are honored to have your trust. https://prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/PGO/PGO/1/78922/KsKGIo3khO8spxxR0Lg6UNiAlxAHDj92J0pnGG_cKHP_archive?emci=2bbce0f1-fdd1-f011-8195-000d3a1d58aa&emdi=c9eff2dd-abd2-f011-8195-000d3a1d58aa&ceid=29200