I am a 20-year resident of Menlo Park and love my city. I also love my state and my country. I am appalled at the destruction that the Trump organization, aided and abetted by all those who have enabled and supported the Trump agenda, are wreaking on the values that have made our towns, states and country so great. Where to start? Today’s news is filled with the Trump tax plan, which would punish states and towns like ours, where we have democratically chosen to contribute to the common weal by taxing ourselves to provide civic improvements. Now we cannot deduct those taxes from our federal returns. Yesterday’s news was filled with the President’s calling another institution of our democracy – our criminal justice system, which is a part of Menlo Park as well – a “laughingstock.” We hear that the child tax deduction will be denied in the case of children who are American citizens by birth, if their parents are undocumented. How many of these children are in our great town? In Menlo Park, will it be a subject of pride to boast of grabbing women’s genitals? Do we want the graduates of Menlo-Atherton High School to die in a needless war on the Korean Peninsula? Bryan Lanza has demonstrated a deep and abiding contempt for all the things that make us the town that we are, and that make us proud to be Americans. To engage his consulting firm would be to sign on to the Trump sycophancy, to say that we care nothing for the family values that knit us together here and that we try to pass to our children, to announce that nothing really matters to us other than expediency. If this is the price of “looking out for our interests” in Washington, I say it is too high. I am proud, and I think most of my neighbors are, to reject the culture of disdain, racism and authoritarianism that Bryan Lanza, Mercury Public Affairs, and Donald Trump stand for—and, if you engage Mercury Public Affairs, you will stand for as well. We can argue about this pothole or that streetlight. But this issue is non-negotiable. If the City Council takes this step, I will for the first time actively contribute, raise money, and campaign to defeat every City Council member who votes for this. Tom Shoesmith, 105 Hanna Way, Menlo Park Please note that Tuesday's City Council meeting includes Agenda Item I3 ( https://www.menlopark.org/DocumentCenter ... https://www.menlopark.org/DocumentCenter/View/15917 >). If approved, Menlo Park will be hiring Mercury Public Affairs, a Washington lobbyist to look out for our City's interests. Our consultant in the firm will be Bryan Lanza, the former Communications Director for both the Trump Campaign and Citizens United. If you are concerned, please email City Council at city.council_at_(domainremoved) I just send the email below. Thomas M. Shoesmith | Partner Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP 2550 Hanover Street | Palo Alto, CA 94304-1115 t 650.233.4553 | m 650.888.2611 thomas.shoesmith_at_(domainremoved)lto:thomas.shoesmith_at_(domainremoved) [cid:image4bb4f0.PNG_at_(domainremoved) [cid:imagebfb0c1.PNG_at_(domainremoved) The contents of this message, together with any attachments, are intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which they are addressed and may contain information that is legally privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message, or any attachment, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the original sender or the Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman Help Desk at Tel: 800-477-0770, Option 1, immediately by telephone or by return E-mail and delete this message, along with any attachments, from your computer. Thank you. (image/png attachment: image4bb4f0.PNG ) (image/png attachment: imagebfb0c1.PNG )
