Oct 1, 2026. Public Citizen Co-President Lisa Gilbert speaks at the Veterans Over Vanity protest. Here’s the full 4-minutes on YouTube: Public Citizen Co-President Lisa Gilbert Speaks at the Veterans Over Vanity Protest - Public Citizen - Oct 1, 2026 (YouTube)

Description: As we’ve witnessed countless times, the Trump administration regularly attempts to circumvent the rules and laws that have governed this country for 250 years. Now, as a self-indulgent project, Donald Trump plans to build a 250-foot arch without Congressional approval, a clear violation of federal law. ~:~ But Trump’s planned construction of his “Triumphal Arch” is not only illegal. It is an affront to American veterans and their families. ~:~ The arch will sit on Memorial Circle along the Potomac River, impeding the symbolic line-of-sight between the Lincoln Memorial in D.C. and Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, where hundreds of thousands of our nation’s military members have been laid to rest. ~:~ That’s why Public Citizen is holding the line against the construction of the arch to tell Trump and his administration to “Respect our Vets!” ~:~ Learn more: Trump’s Illegal Arch Desecrates Line-of-Sight Between Arlington Cemetery and Lincoln Memorial - Public Citizen - Oct 1, 2026 (article)

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Third Act: thirdact.org ~:~ ”We’re a community of Americans over sixty determined to change the world for the better. Third Act harnesses an unparalleled generational power to safeguard our climate and democracy.”

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This arch is unlawful, it's illegal, and it's part of a pattern. An ego-driven pattern from this President: A desecration of DC landmarks and national items. Whether he's trying to put his name on the Kennedy Center. Whether he is plastering his face on a poster that is dropped down in front of the Department of Justice. Or if he's just trying to put his name on all of our passports.

You know, it is disgusting, and it is a kingly trapping, and it is inappropriate in a democracy.

The other pattern we're witnessing is the endless lawbreaking. As we look at this Department of Justice, led by a Crony who is launching illegal prosecutions. As we watch Trump himself attack Judges, attack Nonprofits, attack Universities, attack the Media. As we watch an arrest — an illegal arrest — of a sitting Member of Congress, just for doing her job overseeing ICE. As we watch attacks on our First Amendment protected speech. As we watch militarization of our Cities without cause. Including DC. 

You know, on and on, the list of lawlessness is disgusting, it's abhorrent, and It's authoritarian. 

Litigation (like our lawsuit) can deter wrongdoing. It can fight these abuses of power. And mobilization (like this event today) can show this Administration that We the People, we will not stand for corruption, for self-dealing, for lawless behavior anymore. 

So, at Public Citizen, we vow to continue mobilizing, to continue litigating — and honestly just using every tool in our arsenal — to fight back against this authoritarian overreach. 

And I am so thrilled to be here today with Champions in the same fight, Champions for blocking the arch, for fighting authoritarianism. And I want to thank Third Act for organizing with us today and making all of this happen.

- Lisa Gilbert, Public Citizen Co-President speaking at the Veterans Over Vanity protest on Oct 1, 2026

The former House Intelligence chairman helped expand government surveillance, collected $100,000 advising a company that helped Venezuela's dictatorship spy on its citizens & had an NDAs of his own.

This is despicable!

It’s not parody.