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Richmond, VA 23219
804.698.1045

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Alexandria, VA 22314
571.234.8481

Happy Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the Jewish New Year.

With this new beginning, I have decided to start beginning to have video intros in my newsletter. Some folks prefer to read. Others prefer to listen and hear. So here's my first video greeting to you. 

My Rosh Hashanah Wake-Up Call

Click above to play video.

Rosh Hashanah is about so much more than marking the passage of time.

It is a celebration of new beginnings, renewal, and family.

I am finding these themes especially potent this year, with elections right around the corner here in Virginia.

400 years after the founding of the Commonwealth, this year's elections offer us an opportunity to start a new chapter in Virginia's history, to re-create a Virginia where all families thrive.

My parents and I want to wish everyone a peaceful, joyful new year
as we work together to wake up our world and change it for the better.

Next Sunday, October 6:

Special Edition Monthly Meetup at 12 NOON

Talking About Impeachment

I want to let you know that I'll be having a *special edition* Monthly Meetup this Sunday, October 6, at Los Tios in Del Ray, from 12-2 pm. Please note the earlier time for this meetup.

The first hour, Noon to 1 pm, will be the regular format, where attendees are free to talk about whatever's on their mind.

The second hour, 1-2 pm, will be focused on the impeachment proceedings. I have already written about the Ukraine strong-arming scandal a fair bit. You may have seen my email a couple days ago on Trump doing his best impersonation of a mob boss while speaking with Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine or my article on why elected Republicans so often support abuse of power.

But I know people have a lot of questions about where we go from here: What are the facts here? What's the process for an impeachment inquiry? How does Congress compel testimony? Is this a smart political strategy? Will we ever stop the lawlessness in the most corrupt White House in American history?

Feel free to drop by for what should be a good conversation. Come late or leave early, at your convenience. This is not a fundraiser. It's just my chance to speak in a small group with you about whatever's on your mind. And that's why I do it every month.

WHY THIS TIME,
TRUMP IS IN TROUBLE

Mark Levine's Inside Scoop on Washington Radio Show

Ever heard my radio show, broadcast in dozens of markets coast to coast?

I now have it regularly recorded on video, with more than a thousand viewers watching every show, in addition to my tens of thousands of radio/podcast listeners.

Want to hear what I say to my fans outside Virginia about Donald Trump?

 
Got 42 minutes? Click above.
On my radio show today, I explained why I think THIS time, Trump is finally in trouble.
The show begins at 14:42. 
Every time you reach a commercial break, just skip four minutes ahead.

MY PLAN TO REMOVE "RACE"
FROM VIRGINIA MARRIAGE LICENSES

Virginians Samuel Sarfo and Ashley Ramkishun don't think 
they should have to list their race on their Virginia marriage application.
I agree.

When I learned that a constituent of mine, Victor M. Glasberg, had filed a lawsuit in federal court in Alexandria on behalf of three Virginian couples who wanted to challenge the constitutionality of a state law requiring people to state their race on marriage applications, I immediately stated I would introduce a bill on the matter. There's no good reason people should have to identify themselves as a certain race in order to get married. 

The Richmond Times Dispatch picked up the news in a front-page story.

When the reporter called me about my proposed legislation, I learned -- to my surprise -- that this very bill had passed into law in 2003, having been introduced by one of my heroes, my honorable predecessor former Delegate Marian Van Landingham, in her final year in office. (See the lovely picture of us together at the bottom of the newsletter.) So why was the law still on the books? Because just after Marian retired, Republican Senator Harry Blevins added the question back to the application form.

Shortly after news broke of the lawsuit and my plan to introduce this bill to change the law, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring ruled that couples applying for marriage licenses would no longer have to list their race on state forms; they would now have the option to decline. And the State Registrar has already amended the application to include the option, “Declined to Answer.”

So, in one sense, we've already won the battle. I really appreciate Attorney General Herring acting quickly to amend the forms. He has partially satisfied my concerns by not requiring race to be stated on a Virginia marriage license. But I still think we can do better. Why should this offensive question be asked at all?

The bill I will introduce in 2020 will simply remove two words (“and race”) from the law requiring age and race to be recorded for marriage licenses in the Commonwealth.

Early Voting Has Begun!

REGISTER TO VOTE

Flipping the Virginia House with
Senator Mark Warner

With Senator Mark Warner and hosts Mike Hughes and Susie Saffelle.
We didn't let a small hedge fire on Friday the 13th damage the festivities in any way!

In September, Virginia's senior Senator and former Governor Mark Warner joined me at the home of our constituents, Susie Safelle and Mike Hughes, in Alexandria, to raise money to Flip the Virginia House. Virginia's 2019 elections offer us the opportunity to send a sharp rebuke to the lawlessness of the Trump White House and the cowardice of those Republicans who enable him. If we win, Democrats across America will have momentum going into 2020. I am grateful to Senator Warner for taking time out of his busy schedule to show his support for Democrats taking the majority in the Virginia House of Delegates this November. We raised thousands of dollars for the effort.

Thank you, Susie and Mike for hosting.

You may be wondering, why am I so focused on fundraising when I don't even have an opponent on the ballot?

Because we have a historic opportunity to put progressives in control of both chambers of the General Assembly for the first time ever. Watch my speech about the importance of November's elections by clicking the image below:

Click image to watch my speech about the 2019 elections

If you agree with Senator Warner, Susie, Mike and me that it's essential Democrats take over in 2019, please donate today. So far, this year, I have contributed more than $50,000 to the House Democratic Caucus and progressives in competitive races. But we can do even better.

Agudas Achim Voters:
You Have a New Polling Location
on Election Day (Tuesday November 5th)

A Pro-Family Agenda

Rosh Hashanah's themes of renewal and family have me thinking about what a Pro-Family Agenda looks like. How do we build a better present and future for all Virginian families?

A Pro-Family Agenda Includes:

• Making healthcare more affordable
• Protecting our families from gun violence
• Increasing the minimum wage, helping workers form unions, and providing paid family medical leave so all workers Virginians can take care of themselves and their families
• Investing in affordable housing
• Investing in transportation infrastructure and our public schools
• Prohibiting employers from firing people because of whom they love
• Giving all Virginians access to driver's licenses and in-state tuition; fighting ICE's plan to tear apart immigrant families
• Combating climate change and cleaning up our environment
• Codifying Roe v. Wade and funding family planning services so that Virginians can start families on their own terms without interference from politicians
• Protecting all Virginians from children to the elderly from domestic violence, sexual violence, and other abuse.

​Do you agree with my Pro-Family agenda? Then make sure to vote!

It is always my honor and privilege to serve you.

Delegate Mark Levine
Serving Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax in Virginia's 45th District