For protester Sandi Weeks, the current Trump-Russia scandal gets more familiar each day.
“It’s deja vu. It really is, except I think this case is worse. I think it, at least, borders on treason,” Weeks said.
She remembers Watergate very well because the first time she voted was against Nixon in 1972 before the scandal broke. Today, she compares it to the accusations plaguing the Trump administration.
Her younger sister, Hannah, who sat beside her on the steps of the 1st Avenue North entrance to the St. Petersburg Judicial Building, said Watergate pales in comparison to what may have been afoot within the Trump campaign, and may still be afoot within his administration.
“It’s worse because there’s the hostile involvement of a foreign government,” Hannah Weeks said.
“That’s treasonous!” Sandi Weeks chimed in after her. “I know we don’t have proof, but I would be willing to pay you money if you could prove to me that Donald Trump is not withholding his taxes because he’s involved with Russian banks.”
The Weeks sisters were not the only ones who are “extremely disturbed” by Trump’s lack of transparency about his Russian connections. They joined more than 250 other protesters Saturday afternoon for St. Petersburg’s leg of the March for Truth. Organized by local progressive groups, marches under the same banner name were held in more than 135 cities across the country and the world.
In St. Petersburg, protesters canvassed the four corners of the intersection at 6th Street and 1st Avenue N outside the St. Petersburg Judicial Building in downtown St. Petersburg. They gathered to demand an independent investigation into President Trump’s possible collusion with Russia to interfere in last year’s general election.
Their sea of signs bore messages like “Country before politics. Investigate now,” "When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty” and “I’m not Putin up with this! Investigate the Trumps!”
To add to earlier suspicion of Russian hacking, recent new revelations about secret meetings and backchannels with Russian officials and bankers have swirling around Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Trump’s son-in-law/adviser, Jared Kushner. This has all lead to renewed interest in digging deeper into the Trump-Russia ties and even calls for impeachment.
“There needs to be an investigation into Trump’s financial ties and into his campaign. I believe that there was outside involvement and we just want to see the evidence. If he thinks it’s all fake, then we want to see the proof,” said protester Valerie Pfiester, the author of the “I’m not Putin up with this” sign. “So we’re out here practicing the 1st Amendment to tell him we’re upset and we think you’re doing something shady. We have every right to know. He can’t be a secret businessman anymore.”
“I served in the military for 24 years. I fought for freedom and democracy and I think the current administration is trying to take all of that away,” said protester Judith (she declined to provide her last name).
Organizers with Floridians against Corruption and Treason (FACT) and the local Pinellas Women’s March chapter, the local progressive groups who organized the rally, briefly spoke to protesters about actions they can take. Among other things, Kofi Hunt, a FACT organizer, told them to encourage others to gather facts about politicians up for election, rather than just telling them who to vote for.
“It’s not just about telling them ‘Hey, vote for this person or that person.’ We should be laying out the facts. If we can lay out the facts next time in 2020, there’s no way this man will be re-elected,” Hunt said. “I will guarantee you if the Democrats take back the House in 2018, Donald Trump will be impeached.”
The organizers also lead the crowd in chants like “2, 4, 6, 8. Make Congress investigate,” “Russian hacking is not funny. Find the truth, follow the money.” and “Hey, hey, ho, ho. Trump’s Russian greed has got to go.”
Organizer Andrea Smith delivered scathing remarks for those who believe events like the March for Truth will only be a one-off. She even put out the possibility of the rallies being a weekly event.
“We’re not going away until there is an independent, public investigation into the interference in our election,” Smith said. “Everyone’s got a stake in figuring out how we make sure we don’t let democracy slip through our fingers, right here, right now in this country.”
Sandi Weeks is not just concerned about Trump and Russia, but also the general effect of his policies will have on the lives of Americans.
“I would demonstrating even if he weren’t involved with Russia, just because I’m so concerned about the number of people in this country who are going to lose,” Weeks said. “Jobs, healthcare, education, you name it. People are losing so much under this presidency, even in the first 5 months.”
