Federal control over the District of Columbia intensifies with new Congressional legislation; Pepco wants DC residents to pay a $360k bill after stealing over $800k from solar customers, meanwhile gas bills to jump up by double digits; New to socialism? Get the basics this Saturday in Cleveland Park at Socialism 101
This is the weekly newsletter of the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America (MDC DSA), which is
produced by local members of the chapter's Publications Working Group. The Weekly Update publishes every
Friday at 9am. Want to fight fascism from the heart of empire? Join DSA and fight to build socialism!
Paid for by Metro DC DSA (mdcdsa.org). Not authorized by any candidate or committee.
UP FRONT
Federal control over the District of Columbia intensifies with new Congressional legislation
It has been three months since Donald Trump announced his war on the working people in the District of Columbia. Federal agents were mobilized to swarm into Washington in order to intimidate and shock the people of Washington, DC into accepting an authoritarian conception of public safety. These forces have been injected into the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), transforming Washington’s local police force into ushers of Trump’s imperial regime. The puppet-Mayor Muriel Bowser offered little resistance to Trump, repeating the common Democratic mistake of hoping preemptive compliance to Trump and his Republican sycophants in Congress would restrain their worst instincts.
But the assault on the District continues. On Wednesday, Congress passed two bills that further restrict DC law. The first reinstituted cash bail — which DC hasn’t had in three decades — for all defendants charged with a crime involving “public safety,” and requires pretrial detention for all defendants charged with a violent crime. The second bill repeals reforms passed following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, rescinding public access to police disciplinary records, rescinding the ban on chokeholds, and ending the prohibition on MPD’s fake “union” from bargaining on disciplinary matters. The bills passed with near unanimous Republican support — although a number of turncoat Democrats joined in the Republican’s sacking of Washington.
Both bills were passed with the intent to unleash Trump’s imperial forces. Operating under the “Safe and Beautiful Task Force,” federal law enforcement officers have been deputized to enforce “law and order” on the people of Washington, enmeshing themselves in the MPD. Beyond targeted harassment and roundups of immigrants from ICE, the task force appears to be escalating their violence against the populace, with local police now drunk on the fascist stupor invoked by Trump’s nakedly corrupt administration. Just last week, a federal agent travelling with MPD fired at a local during a traffic stop, as a second man was shot and killed by imperial-backed MPD officers a few days later in the Deanwood neighborhood. The Deanwood murder brings the total number of people killed by MPD since August up to five. Locals are planning a rally and vigil at MPD headquarters (441 4th St NW) on Friday, November 21, at 5pm to call for an end to this police terror.
On December 4, the DC Council is holding a hearing on public safety in the District. Locals are encouraged to register by December 2 to testify and join the Families Not Feds Coalition in demanding the end of MPD collaboration with federal agents.
Pepco wants DC residents to pay a $360k bill after stealing over $800k from solar customers; meanwhile gas bills set to jump by double digits
Fraud, meddling, and a lack of consequences have been the name of the game for Pepco when it comes to solar. Just two years ago, Pepco was caught undercrediting Solar For All customers to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. From a complaint filed by the DC Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the People’s Counsel, the utility regulators at the Public Service Commission (PSC) found Pepco was in violation of DC law, illegally installing incorrect meters and robbing residents of savings on their bills.
Pepco was ordered to pay for an audit to show how much money it owed scammed customers. But the audit was near useless: Pepco failed to comply with simple data and file sharing requests, running out the time on the contract. The cost? Over $360,000 — and now Pepco wants to stick DC residents with the bill.
It’s a classic corporate move; fleece customers, get caught, and try to get the public to bail you out. We Power DC, which is organizing to municipalize DC’s energy provider, has released a call to action for the PSC: keep the $360k bill with Pepco, change solar rules to benefit DC customers and climate law, and promote straightforward, renewable benefits. Locals are encouraged to sign the letter to the Public Service Commission to deny Pepco’s scam tactics and support DC residents.
And rest assured the PSC needs to hear from the public. On Wednesday, they handed Washington Gas a 13% rate increase. The average gas bill for residential customers will now be over $100 for the first time in recent history. This comes even as one in seven DC gas users are already behind on their bills and in debt to the monopoly gas utility, operated by a multinational conglomerate notorious for raising rates on customers. Read more from the Chesapeake Climate Action Network here.
New to socialism? Get the basics this Saturday in Cleveland Park at Socialism 101
Metro DC DSA’s long-running Socialist Night School series will be holding its next public education event this Saturday, November 22, at 3:30pm at Cleveland Park Library. In this session, Socialism 101, attendees will find answers on the big questions of socialism: What is capitalism? What is democracy? How does the work of DSA help us get there? And importantly, how can you get involved? While everyone is welcome, this session is especially designed for newer members and those who are relatively new to socialism. Register to attend in person or virtually to receive updates and reminders. Questions? Email [email protected].
BRIEFS
Metro DC DSA Local Convention updates — debate and voting set for December 6 and 7
As the year comes to a close, democratic socialists in the DMV are preparing to converge in DC for a two-day convention, intent on clarifying the chapter’s electoral endorsements, adopt resolutions, identify priority campaigns for 2026, and consider changes to the chapter’s bylaws. The huge membership spike experienced this year (Metro DC DSA is now the biggest it’s ever been) has many long-time members expecting this to be the largest convention yet. The convention is being organized by the Steering-appointed Local Convention Commission.
Metro DC DSA’s Local Convention is set to take place on December 6 and 7. All members in good standing as of November 6 will be able to vote and participate as delegates, and members who have been in good standing within a year of the Local Convention (December 7, 2024) will be eligible to renew dues to participate in this year’s convention. Members are encouraged to pre-register for the convention using this link. Members interested in Slack access should review the INFO ACCESS section of this newsletter.
Chapter members are directed to the #2025-local-convention channel on the chapter Slack to share updates, proposals, or ask questions. For recordings of candidate Q&As, members can visit the #electoral or #pec channels. And a request to all members for ore volunteer help with A/V or OpenSlides at the Local Convention: announce your availability in #2025-local-convention if interested.
Upcoming deadlines:
Resolutions and Bylaw changes due TOMORROW, November 22, by 11:59pm — All proposals for chapter resolutions or bylaw amendments are due tomorrow night. Amendments to proposed resolutions or bylaw changes will be due by December 1. Members can find the submission form pinned in the #2025-local-convention channel on the chapter Slack.
Steering Committee nominations due TOMORROW, November 22, by 11:00pm — Nominations to serve on the chapter’s elected Steering Committee are due tomorrow night. In order to be considered for the election, a member in good standing must be nominated by five other members in good standing. Anyone with questions, concerns, or comments are invited to email [email protected]. Chapter members can find the Steering nomination form pinned in the #2025-local-convention channel on the chapter Slack.
Priority Campaign resolutions due November 30 — proposals for priority campaigns must be submitted to the chapter’s elected Campaigns Coordinator by reaching out in #2025-local-convention no later than November 30 at 11:59pm.
By December 3, a convention packet which includes all proposed by-law amendments, resolutions, and priority campaign proposals will be sent to convention delegates.
PG County abolitionists joining two-day meal packing event this weekend
Socialists in Prince George’s County are joining a large meal packing event taking place next weekend. The two-day event aims to pack over 150,000 meals to support families in need during the holiday season. The DC-area economy — ransacked by Trump’s ongoing assault on the US government — has exposed many to economic hardship and unemployment.
Metro DC DSA is planning to organize two volunteer groups to bolster the event: One on Friday, November 21, from 8:30am to 6:30pm, and another on Saturday, November 22, from 8:30am to 6:00pm. Multiple shift times for each volunteer group are available. Sign up to participate in next week’s meal packing event here.
Metro DC DSA to continue support operations in Starbucks workers’ nationwide strike
The Labor Working Group gathered for its monthly general meeting last Tuesday to review upcoming solidarity actions being organized by DSA to support local workers and their unions. The Labor Working Group is currently focused on supporting Starbucks workers, who announced their strike last week following a breakdown in negotiations with Starbucks Corporate. Starbucks workers have called for the people to sign and promote the No Contract, No Coffee pledge, as well as, of course, to NOT CROSS THE PICKET LINE DURING THE STRIKE.
Metro DC DSA will be organizing three flyering events at non-union Starbucks in DC, MD, and VA this weekend:
Socialists and labor allies looking to join the local front in the workers’ war can fill out this intake form to be onboarded into the Starbucks Workers United and Labor Working Group’s activities. There is a need for drivers and comrades with kitchen experience to provide warm meals to picketers.
At Tuesday’s meeting, The Labor Working Group also received the Caucus of Rank-and-File Electric Workers (CREW), who provided a talk on how the insurgent caucus formed to address a missing need in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to fight for better contracts. This new caucus, having launched in September 2025, has already grown to 300 members across 40 IBEW locals across the country. A September article in Labor Notes documented their journey — see more in ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVES below.
Northern Virginia Mutual Aid preparing for a busy December
The Northern Virginia Mutual Aid Working Group (NoVA MAWG) is planning to hold their next working group meeting on December 4, at 7pm. Among the tentative agenda items are a debrief of the November distribution, planning for the December distribution, and the potential adoption of their bylaws. Then, come out to Bull Run Regional Library on December 6, at 11am for their next fiber arts meeting, which will also be streaming the first day of Metro DC DSA’s Local Convention.
Finally, their next planned monthly distribution is set for December 14, at 11am at Crystal City, and (at least) every second Sunday for the near future. The November distribution was a huge success and the working group was able to hand out an increased amount of free food and hygienic supplies to the at-need community in Crystal City. Unfortunately, this means that the majority of NoVA MAWG’s donations have been dispersed and so now is the time to double down and restock. NoVA MAWG has assembled a wish list to help meet specific community needs, and one time donations will go towards the purchase of bulk wholesale goods. Meanwhile, recurring donations help properly scale (and hopefully increase the frequency of) these distributions. Volunteers are also appreciated; specific needs include people to pick up donations from area food banks, store donations between distributions, transport donations to/from the distribution, and table at the distribution itself (especially Spanish speakers).
NEW in the Washington Socialist: International solidarity in action across the pond
An internationalist dispatch: Metro DC DSA comrade Nell G. reports from The World Transformed, a socialist conference that took place recently in Manchester, England. “My biggest takeaway from TWT was a sense of commonality in how our socialist organizations are relearning to build mass people’s movements through unions, international alliances, and cultural production... I learned that British socialists have been successfully drowning out the abusive chants of right-wing racists outside hotels housing refugees using speakers with loud pop music. These types of exchanges of basic organizing practice are invaluable.”
Informational picket at El Presidente — Saturday, November 22, at 11:30am
UNITE HERE Local 25 is holding informational pickets outside of STARR's El Presidente to let the public know that workers there do not have a union contract. Metro DC DSA's Labor Working Group is mobilizing the community and its members to come out for ongoing pickets in support of the restaurant workers organizing to join UNITE HERE Local 25. RSVP to join fellow members for this informational picket at El Presidente on Saturday, November 22, at 11:30am.
DC Spanish Club for Socialists holding weekly meetup in Adams Morgan — Monday, November 24, at 7pm
Spanish Club for Socialists, a project of multiple area socialist and mutual aid organizations including Metro DC DSA, is a free weekly event where organizers meet up to practice their Spanish. The event is about 90 minutes long and is split into beginner, intermediate, and advanced groups, so learners of all levels should feel welcome. The next session is scheduled for Monday, November 24, from 7 – 8:30pm at Potter's House (1658 Columbia Rd NW). Sign up here for calendar updates and conversation guides.
INFO ACCESS
The DMV continues to be under siege by militarism-fueled authoritarians. Want to fight fascism from the heart of the empire? Join DSA and fight to build socialism! We’re the alternative that works for people, not profiteers and their captive politicians. MDC DSA’s chapter spans NoVA, DC and the big Maryland suburbs — yep, the “heart of empire.” Further info: start with the upcoming hybrid session of our Socialist Night School’s “Socialism 101” this Saturday, or an in-person session of “Why You Should Join DSA/New Member Orientation” December 10. Members are encouraged to join our Slack for real-time info on working group and campaign events, strategy/tactic exchange, and inspiration. Email [email protected] with your most recent DSA dues receipt to get access.
Staying current with MDC DSA — Weekly Updates, like the one you are reading, are sent every Friday; current and past Updates are available anytime on our website. The MDC Dispatch is the chapter’s new video news series, published on the first and third Sunday of each month. Submit your Update or Dispatch suggestions (or DMV scandal tips) to our tip line. The Washington Socialist, published since the 1970s, offers in-depth analytical/opinion articles on a quarterly schedule; part one of the Fall 2025 issue is available now. Anyone, MDC DSA member or not, interested in contributing to the Washington Socialist can email submissions or questions to [email protected]. Members, look in on us or join at #publications on Slack.
DMV LEFT COMMUNITY BULLETIN
DC Punk Rock Flea Market on November 22
The DC Punk Rock Flea Market returns to St. Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church (1525 Newton St NW) on November 22, from 12 – 5pm. The event is free, but canned food donations for We Are Family DC are requested. Come see a selection of vintage clothes, records, books and zines, and network with area organizers including the Metro DC DSA Street Team.
Thankstaking on November 29 | 411 Collective
The 411 Collective presents a potluck, anti-imperialist panel, wheatpaste wall, and direct action film montage. Join them on Saturday, November 29, from 5 – 9pm at Treehouse in DC. Bring a dish, stay for the information and good times. Find more info on Instagram.
ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVES
ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVES are articles and opinion pieces of
interest to DMV leftists but not, generally, appearing in local media.
They should have links without paywalls. Readers are invited to submit
candidates at our tip line.
Dark forces are preventing us fighting the climate crisis – by taking knowledge hostage
“If this were just a climate crisis, we would fix it. The technology, money and strategies have all been at hand for years. What stifles effective action is a deadly conjunction: the climate crisis running headlong into the epistemic crisis… It’s about what we know and how we know it, what we agree to be true and what we identify as false. We face, alongside a global threat to our life-support systems, a global threat to our knowledge-support systems… The fundamental problem is this: that most of the means of communication are owned or influenced by the very rich. If democracy is the problem capital is always trying to solve, propaganda is part of the solution.” George Monbiot in The Guardian
Drop in US Religiosity Among Largest in World—About half of Americans, according to Gallup’s latest poll, now say religion is not an important part of their daily life, a 17 point drop over the last decade. Such large declines in religiosity are rarely seen.
[A]ttitudes in the US are drawing closer to those in other advanced economies. Across the 38 OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries in 2024, a median of 36% of adults said religion is important to their daily lives. The gap between the US and the median for these countries is now narrower than at any point in Gallup’s trend. Gallup Poll via Portside
The making of Gene Debs, who in turn created an American socialism
Eugene Debs was forged in leadership of the Locomotive Firemen’s union and “became a magnificent popular speaker, eventually making socialism as American as the Liberty Bell. He praised the fighting spirit of the workers and heaped scorn on the mining companies and “cockroach” small shop capitalists who exploited them. Even those who had heard it all before couldn’t resist his spell. When he rehearsed his speeches at home his neighbors came out onto their porches to eavesdrop. By the time he ran for president in 1904 (the second of his five attempts, the last one from a prison cell), socialism had elbowed its way onto the national political scene.” Counterpunch via Portside And note: the DSA Fund produced a nifty graphic biography of Debs (Penguin/Random House)
Coalition Socialism:The intertwined relationship between liberalism and socialism offers important lessons for today’s fractious intra-left fights. A review of two books that examine how the socialist movement has often been enriched and renewed through engagement with other political traditions and movements. “In the present moment, traditions like republicanism and liberalism, which are rooted in opposition to arbitrary and despotic modes of rule, seem particularly worthy of engagement.” Our comrade Chris Maisano writes in Dissent via Portside
Excellence over mediocrity, from Mamdani to Marx — on the socialist tradition of perfectionism: “In this age of enshittification, where capitalism delivers only crap and more crap, we should look to Zohran’s mayoralty not only as an instrument of equality and dignity but also as setting a higher standard for our society, insisting upon excellence in all things. Not as a code for elitism but as the daemon of democracy.” Good luck to our comrade in the Big Apple. From Corey Rubin.
New Caucus Powers Up in the Electrical Workers
On paper, the 700,000-member International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers has power like few other unions in the country. Most of them have held onto pensions, family health plans, and some of the best pay in construction. While millions of other workers face threats of layoff by automation, Electrical Workers are booking overtime building data centers. Yet a growing movement of members feel the union leaves too much power on paper when it comes to challenging their bosses. To build an IBEW that lives up to its potential, a new member caucus was publicly launched in September. With two years of patient organizing under its belt, the Caucus of Rank-and-File Electrical Workers (CREW) already has 300 members across 40 IBEW locals, in every corner of the country. Labor Notes — also see our Labor WG report in BRIEFS.
This is the weekly newsletter of the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America (MDC DSA), which is produced by
local members of the chapter's Publications working group. The Weekly Update publishes every Friday at
9am.
Paid for by Metro DC DSA (mdcdsa.org). Not authorized by any candidate or committee.
Thinking about it, but want to get this email Update every Friday? SIGN UP
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The flame of thought, the magnificence of art, the wonder of discovery, and the audacity of invention
all belong to revolutionary periods when humanity, tired of its chains, shatters them and stops inebriated to
breathe the breeze of a vast and free horizon. - Virgilia D'Andrea
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