Impact Docket – 8/13/25
Power is consolidating faster than the checks meant to contain it—and our response has to be just as relentless.
From the federal takeover of D.C.’s police to loyalists installed in key positions within the justice system, the pattern is simple: concentrate power, chill dissent, sideline accountability. This week’s Impact Docket gives you five concrete ways to fight back.
🔴 The Moment We’re In: The Playbook Is Clear. So Is Our Role.
The federalization of Washington, D.C.’s police—declared without a real emergency and over local objections—is not a one-off. It’s a test case for turning local public safety into a federal lever, paired with record enforcement funding and open threats to export the model to other cities.
Inside the justice system, the pressure is coordinated. The Senate’s confirmation of Jeanine Pirro as D.C.’s U.S. Attorney locks a loyalist into one of the country’s most sensitive posts, while purges and reassignments at DOJ and the FBI warn career lawyers and agents to stand down or get out. That is the point: shrink independent judgment, reward obedience.
The same blueprint shows up in policy: efforts to gut the EPA’s Endangerment Finding, warp representation through extreme gerrymanders and census games, and squeeze independent public media. Each move weakens checks and narrows lawful dissent—by design.
We don’t stand down. This week, our actions center on deeper engagement and amplifying the signal: building a legally rock-solid record to stop the Endangerment repeal; equipping advocates to defend asylum seekers; and pushing back on the D.C. takeover while organizing with partners to defend the right to vote. Keep reading for fast ways to plug in.
⚖️ L4GG ACTIONS
🛑 Comment Training: Stop the Repeal of the EPA’s Endangerment Finding
📍 L4GG.org/EPAComment
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Endangerment Finding—the legal foundation for regulating greenhouse gas emissions—is under threat. A proposed repeal would gut the EPA’s power to combat climate change, endangering our health, environment, and future.
Join our live comment training on Tuesday, August 19 at 1:00 PM ET to learn how to write and submit a substantive public comment by the September 15 deadline. Our goal is to build a strong legal record the courts can’t ignore.
What you’ll get:
Step-by-step guidance to write a legally grounded comment
Templates, sample language, citations, and talking points
Access to office hours, extra materials, and ongoing support
Who should attend: Pro bono attorneys, law students, advocates—anyone who can commit 5–10 hours over the next few weeks to defend climate protections.
This proposal affects everyone. Your voice is needed to fight back.
Register today and help protect our planet.
📣 Webinar: The Legal Siege on Asylum Seekers—And How to Fight Back
📍 L4GG.org/AsylumWebinar
The administration is escalating legal threats against asylum seekers—including mass DHS motions to reopen closed cases, arrests inside courts, and worsening detention conditions.
Join L4GG and legal experts for a webinar on how strategic litigation can push back and protect migrant rights. You’ll walk away with:
Legal tools to challenge DHS motions
Updates on detention conditions and court arrests
Actionable strategies for attorneys, DOJ-accredited reps, and orgs
CLE credit pending in CA. Register now!
🚨 Sound the Alarm: Trump Seizes Control of D.C.’s Police
📍 L4GG.org/DCTakeover
Earlier this week, the Trump administration unilaterally took control of Washington, D.C.’s police department—without an emergency, without community consent, and in direct violation of democratic self-governance.
This isn’t about public safety. It’s about consolidating power—and setting a dangerous precedent for federal control over local law enforcement nationwide.
L4GG and our partners in the Nation of Laws Coalition are speaking out—and we need your voice. Use and share our DC Federal Takeover Toolkit to spread the word!
🛠️ PARTNER ACTIONS
🌍 Defending the Rule of Law in Our States – Virtual Call
📍 Registration Link
Across the country, state and local leaders are stepping up to defend democracy. Join a national call hosted by the Not Above the Law Coalition on August 20th at 7:30 PM ET to hear from organizers, elected officials, and legal experts mobilizing to protect our communities.
Speakers include FL Rep. Anna Eskamani, MN AG Keith Ellison, MD Comptroller Brooke Lierman, and more.
🗳️ National Day of Action to Defend the Right to Vote
📍 FightTheTrumpTakeover.com
Communities across the country are organizing rallies to fight back against extreme gerrymandering and voter suppression. On August 16, lawyers, law students, and advocates will take to the streets in a national day of action.
This is your chance to stand up for voting rights, support local action, and protect our democracy.
