ACTION ITEM: REJECT TOM BRUNELL FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU


The Constitution requires the United States to conduct a census every decade. And so, in 2020, we'll do our 24th national headcount. The United States Census Bureau, an office under the Department of Commerce, oversees the project.

The census is much more than a headcount. It is the most influential data the government gathers. The numbers determine how many members of the U.S. House of Representatives each state is allotted and how congressional districts are drawn within states. It's used to allocate government funding, conduct crucial research and set public policy. And the 2020 census will be used for all of this until the next census is taken in 2030.

Making sure the census is conducted fairly and impartially, therefore, is crucial for good governance and for fair elections.

Tom Brunell is set to become a deputy director of the census bureau—and he would be a disaster. As just one example of the philosophy he would bring to the job, Brunell, a political scientist, wrote a book titled Redistricting and Representation: Why Competitive Elections are Bad for America.

Because he would be a deputy director, Brunell isn't subject to Senate confirmation or public hearings. By putting him in a deputy position, Republicans are betting that they can install him in without public outrage. We have to prove them wrong.

Call your senators at (202) 224-3121 and say: "I'm [name], a constituent from [city]. I'm concerned about reports that Tom Brunell, a partisan who has testified in favor of gerrymandering, might be appointed to oversee the census count. I'm calling to urge [your senator's name] to call on Commerce Secretary Ross to reject Tom Brunell, and to speak out on the issue."

(Hat tip to Ben Wikler from MoveOn for the script, slightly amended.)
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