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Zoe Barnes Returns to Talk Animal Policy

Kate Mara joins Reps. Blumenauer and McSally for USDA transparency

From left to right: Rep. Martha McSally, actress Kate Mara, Rep. Earl Blumenauer. Behind Mara is Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society. (Alex Gangitano/ CQ Roll Call)
From left to right: Rep. Martha McSally, actress Kate Mara, Rep. Earl Blumenauer. Behind Mara is Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society. (Alex Gangitano/ CQ Roll Call)

So the president didn’t kill Zoe Barnes and she’s now advocating for animal welfare?

Sorry, wrong alternate universe.

Kate Mara, the actress who played Zoe Barnes in the first season of Netflix’s “House of Cards,” came to Washington on Wednesday to discuss a topic very far removed from the corruption of the fictional President Francis Underwood.

“I need to catch up, I’m a little behind” on the series, she admitted.

When a reporter asked her to comment on the comparisons between Underwood and President Donald Trump, the actress said she would rather not.

Mara appeared outside the Department of Agriculture in an unassuming manner after dropping off a petition with just under 200,000 signatures urging the agency to restore the online records of inspections and violations of the Animal Welfare and House Protection acts.

The records were removed from the website in February. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue was confirmed at the end of April.

Mara first greeted Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer and Republican Rep. Martha McSally, who are fighting for the same cause, and told them how humbled she was to work beside them.

The news conference was in the form of a protest outside the USDA, which was led by a couple dozen millennials holding up signs and included a few minutes of speeches from Mara, Blumenauer, McSally, Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle, and Care2 founder Randy Paynter.

Mara’s new movie, “Megan Leavey,” which comes out on Friday, is about a military woman finding friendship in a support dog.

“It was heaven, having a co-star who’s an animal,” Mara said.

She continued showing her love of animals when she said she “won’t stand silent” until the USDA releases the documents.

“I’m just one of millions across the country who demand transparency, demand decency from the USDA,” she said.

“It’s for accountability and transparency,” McSally said. “We’re calling on Secretary Perdue to today put [these documents] back up.”

Blumenauer touted Mara’s attendance at the news conference.

“People wouldn’t show up just to listen to members of Congress,” he said.

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