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ROLLING THUNDER… Tuesday set a record as the 12th consecutive day with at least eight tornado reports, according to the National Weather Service. More than 500 tornadoes have been reported in 30 days, an unusually high number. MITCH MOVE… Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said if a Supreme Court vacancy occurs during next year's presidential election, he would work to confirm a nominee appointed by Donald Trump -- a complete course reversal from when President Barack Obama named a SCOTUS pick in 2016. DEUCES… Texas Secretary of State David Whitley, who was behind the botched effort to remove more than 90,000 voters from the state's rolls alleging they were noncitizens, resigned Monday. OBAMA’S MESSI SPILL ON WORLD CUP… Former President Barack Obama gave a rare interview at the EXMA Conference in Bogota and offered an insight on one of the planet’s top talents: Argentina has failed to win the World Cup in recent times, despite having the superlative Lionel Messi in their ranks because they do not play as a team, Obama said. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, $110 MILLION EDITION… Sports Illustrated magazine has been sold for $110 million to Authentic Brands Group, a company that specializes in managing marketing rights to Shaquille O’Neal and Muhammad Ali as well as fashion, entertainment, and other sports brands. GOING BAD... Staff at the Cosmopolitan hotel in Las Vegas told rapper Meek Mill that he was not welcome on their premises, offering no explanation. Mill’s attorney will file a lawsuit against the Cosmopolitan this week alleging racial discrimination in violation of state and federal laws. WHAT’S FREE? The Beat! It’s time to get in rhythm. We’re kicking off your Wednesday with this...
- Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) pushes bill for Border Patrol to stop warrantless searches of phones and laptops.
- Former SC Dem party chair launches Senate run.
- Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch joins NY law firm.
- A mayor issues cease-and-desist order on border wall construction funded by MAGA supporters. Read to the bottom!
- General Colin Powell is making money moves. Read on!
- Catch The Beat DC’s Tiffany D. Cross today in the 11A hour on MSNBC with The Today Show’s Craig Melvin.
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ABC News’ Juju Chang and her son, Mason, earlier this month in NYC.
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TV personality Tamron Hall on theset of ABC’s GMA, talking the recent birth of her son, Moses, and her new show airing in September, on Thursday in NYC.
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Cory Booker and Bob Menéndez Aim to Increase Access to Fertility Treatment
Actress Gabrielle Union has been one of the many voices helping to raise awareness about infertility by sharing her story about the road to parenthood with husband NBA player Dwyane Wade. It’s more common than many may think. Out of 100 couples in the U.S., about 12 to 13 of them have trouble becoming pregnant. About ten in 100 (6.1 million) women in the U.S. ages 15–44 have difficulty becoming pregnant or staying pregnant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Bob Menéndez (D-NJ) reintroduced legislation to expand health insurance coverage of infertility treatment and services. The Access to Infertility Treatment and Care Act, which the pair introduced with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), would require more health insurers to provide coverage for infertility treatment, as well as fertility preservation services for individuals who undergo medically necessary procedures that may cause infertility, such as chemotherapy. "For many American families, the pain and frustration of infertility is made worse by a staggering financial burden," Booker said. "This bill will ensure more Americans have the opportunity to start or build a family by requiring more insurance plans cover treatment for infertility and fertility preservation services." Former Real Housewives cast member Gretchen Rossi, who recently turned to IVF to conceive, announced that she teamed up with Booker to raise awareness about the issue in a new episode of the syndicated TV show The Doctors. IVF can cost $15,000-$20,000 per cycle, and few conceive the first time. "Women and families facing a medical crisis should not have to also worry about potential infertility from treatment," said Menéndez, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee that sets national health policy. "Expanding access to affordable health care services is vital in creating strong and healthy families and this bill will improve coverage of infertility treatment and fertility preservation for patients." More here.
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Tim Scott Moves to Fix GOP Tax Bill Error that Spiked Taxes on Scholarships and Grants
Due to an oversight in the 2017 Republican tax law, students’ scholarships and grants that cover non-tuition expenses like their room and board are being taxed at incredibly high rates -- as high as 37%. About 1.3 million undergraduate students and 15,000 graduate students currently receive such aid. Now, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) is moving to fix the error. He and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) teamed up to introduce a bipartisan fix that would limit the tax liability of students by treating the portion of scholarship aid devoted to non-tuition expenses as a form of earned income. That would tax them at the student’s individual income tax rate, rather than the so-called “kiddie tax rate,” or even their parent’s rate. The Trump tax law expanded the kiddie tax rate -- a rate first established 33 years ago to prevent wealthy parents from funneling money to their children to lower their tax burdens -- and the oversight is taxing middle- and low-income college students’ financial aid packages like trust-fund babies. “Education is the single most important thing we can leave to the next generation. I am thankful that we have a bicameral, bipartisan coalition seeking to ensure that undergraduate and graduate students are able to save more of their own money to invest into their future,” said Scott. But it isn’t just affecting students -- tribal funds dispensed to Native American children and young adults, and the families of service members who died in combat, are also taxed at higher rates. Scott and Hassan did not specifically address this problem. More here.
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Adriano Espaillat Wants to Help Victims of Natural Disasters with Housing
Eighteen months after hurricanes Irma and Maria hit Puerto Rico, close to 30,000 people are still living under blue tarps. FEMA also denied the claims of 60,000 people with home damages caused by the storm because property titles were lost as a result of the storm. Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) wants to make it easier for victims of natural disasters to access housing after suffering the loss of a home. He and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) recently reintroduced the Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act, legislation that would expand the type of evidence that can be used to establish residency following natural disasters. The bill would also allow disaster assistance to be used for activities to establish ownership of property. The lawmakers also included a provision to provide immediate relief to Puerto Rico -- it would require FEMA to work with HUD to immediately set up the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP) for survivors of Hurricane Maria. DHAP is a partnership between the agencies which provides subsidies to help survivors pay rent, put down a security deposit, or pay for utilities. The program was implemented after previous major disasters, including Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. "What we are witnessing with the delay to rebuild Puerto Rico is unheard of and never would have happened in any other community," said Espaillat. "The treatment of the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico by the Trump administration is a slap in the face and blatant disregard of the lives of thousands of individuals and families in need." Despite the large-scale damage caused by Hurricanes Maria in Puerto Rico, FEMA has refused to utilize DHAP as part of its recovery efforts. More here.
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Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) with Elton John’s songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin, on Capitol Hill last week to promote creators and filmmakers.
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Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló with ultramarathoner Patsy Ramírez Arroyo after participating in the Ultra Challenge: Caribbean Series 2019 over Memorial weekend.
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Ted Lieu Pushes Bill for Border Patrol to Stop Warrantless Searches of Phones and Laptops
Tens of thousands of American travelers crossing the Southern border are subject to invasive, warrantless searches of their electronic devices. Take a moment and think about your text messages, pictures, search history, emails, social media posts, etc. Would you want a Border Patrol agent scrolling through them? Likely not. That’s why Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) introduced the Protecting Data at the Border Act. The bipartisan bill would prevent law enforcement agencies from utilizing a border search “exception” in order to conduct warrantless searches of Americans’ phones and laptops. “We must protect Americans’ privacy—whether it’s on a city sidewalk, at a border checkpoint or anywhere else in the U.S.,” Lieu said. “At the border, American travelers should not be subjected to invasive searches of their electronic devices without a warrant. The Fourth Amendment guarantees this right.” These searches have quadrupled in recent years, and have been used to target journalists and activists who were not suspected of crimes. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Rand Paul (R-KY), Edward Markey (D-MA), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Senate version of this bill. More here.
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Bennie Thompson Pushes Bill to Save Rural Hospitals
There’s an old rule that requires rural hospitals to be at least 35 miles away from another hospital to receive a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation -- hospitals that maintain an average stay of 96 hours or less, have fewer than 25 acute care inpatient beds, and must provide 24-hour emergency care services. But Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) thinks this “35-mile rule” is outdated. He introduced last week the Rural Health Care Access Act with Congressman Mark Green (R-TN) which would essentially repeal the rule. “Rural hospitals are an integral part of the rural health care system. We must make sure rural communities have the same access to health care as urban areas,” said Thompson. The lawmakers say the CAH designation reduces the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals and improves access to healthcare by keeping essential services in rural communities. Tennessee has seen more rural hospitals close than any other state in the country except Texas, and more are expected to close if action is not taken soon. Half of Mississippi rural hospitals, too, are at risk of closing soon. More here.
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Nydia Velázquez Tries to Remove Dangerous Pesticide from Wildlife Refuges
America’s national wildlife refuges are being doused with hundreds of thousands of pounds of dangerous agricultural pesticides every year, according to an analysis by the Center for Biological Diversity. Researchers found that an estimated 490,000 pounds of pesticides were dumped on commodity crops like corn, soybeans, and sorghum grown in national wildlife refuges in 2016, the most recent year for which data are available. Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) is hoping to stop this and last week introduced legislation to prevent the use of a class of toxic pesticides in National Wildlife Refuges. The Obama administration had instituted a 2014 ban on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides. However, the Trump administration’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revoked the ban in August of last year, even as mounting evidence suggests the chemical has damaging environmental effects on bees and other pollinators, undermining the national wildlife system. “These pollutants upset the delicate ecosystems of our Wildlife Refuges and they have no place in our public lands,” said Velázquez. “It is important we reinstate the Obama-era ban on employing these chemicals in Wildlife Refuges.” Farming does not occur on all National Wildlife Refuges, but instead, farmers and ranchers can apply to raise cattle or cultivate crops in a refuge, as long as doing ÷so comports with the refuge’s mission. While many of these farmers engage in sustainable agriculture, some farm in a less environmentally friendly manner. More here.
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Planned Parenthood's Dr. Leana Wen with congressional leaders calling for the protection of women’s health last week in DC.
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Congressman Steven Horsford (D-NV) commemorating Memorial Day in NV with a veteran and constituent.
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Former South Carolina Dem Party Chair Launches Senate Campaign
Jaime Harrison, the former chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party and first African American to hold the position, is officially launching his Senate bid. We first told you in February that the 43-year-old Orangeburg, SC native had formed an exploratory committee, but Harrison announced Tuesday night on MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow that he will formally announce his challenge against Republican Senator Lindsey Graham today. Should Harrison unseat Graham, South Carolina would have two African American Senators -- albeit from different parties. Harrison would join Republican Tim Scott, the GOP’s sole African American in the upper chamber. No Democrat has won a statewide election in South Carolina since 2006, but Harrison argues that there are signs of political changes in historically conservative southern states. “We’re on the verge of a renaissance in the South, a new South,” Harrison said. His chances depend largely on how much money he can raise. He said he believes a successful candidate may need $10 million to win next year's race. Graham, who chairs the influential Senate Judiciary Committee, has more than $3 million in cash on hand. “I believe South Carolina needs a Senator who is focused on creating opportunity for all the people of this state,” Harrison said in a statement. “When your healthcare is threatened or you’re crushed under the weight of student loans, politics doesn’t matter — and character counts.” The Yale graduate, who earned his law degree from Georgetown, is the author of the recent book, Climbing the Hill, along with Republican staffer Amos Snead. In 2017, Harrison ran unsuccessfully for national chair of the DNC. He eventually ended his campaign and endorsed current Chair Tom Pérez, accepting a position as associate chairman and councilor of the DNC. Harrison became involved in politics working for Congressman Jim Clyburn (D-SC) as his floor director of operations while Clyburn was the majority whip. He also previously worked as a lobbyist for the Podesta Group. More here.
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Tom Pérez Ups the Stakes to Appear in DNC Debates
The DNC is raising the bar for candidates wishing to appear in Democratic Party debates after September, and the new rules could significantly narrow the field. DNC Chair Tom Pérez announced today that candidates would have to meet a new threshold: they must receive 2% or more support in at least four national polls, or polls conducted in the early-voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and/or Nevada. Each poll must be made public between June 28th and August 28th and must be sponsored by one or more of the following organizations approved by the DNC: The Associated Press, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, the Des Moines Register, Fox News, Monmouth University, NBC News, The New York Times, National Public Radio, Quinnipiac University, University of New Hampshire, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Washington Post, and Winthrop University. And that’s not all. Candidates wishing to appear on the debate stage must also meet a new donations mark. To meet the grassroots fundraising threshold, candidates must have received donations from at least 130,000 unique donors -- with a minimum of 400 unique donors per state in at least 20 states, by August 28th. The new rules will first affect the third debate, which will air on ABC News, in partnership with Univisión, and will be held on September 12th and 13th. It will be capped at 20 candidates, but it’s likely that the new rules may make the cap unnecessary. Currently, only about eight candidates consistently reach 2% in the polls. But if too many people qualify, Pérez said he could continue raising the stakes. More here.
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Don’t Ignore the Nevada Caucus
Despite the mainstream media touting Iowa and New Hampshire -- the first states to hold presidential primaries -- as “the” states to watch leading up to 2020, the states don’t really reflect the rising majority of the American electorate. To a lesser degree, politicos have been focused on South Carolina, whose primary is seen as a litmus test with reaching Black voters -- though Black voters are not a monolith and have varying political priorities just like everyone else. But a state that hasn’t commanded the same amount of attention from the chatter class is Nevada -- third in line to vote in the 2020 nominating process on February 22nd. Nevada's population is 28% Hispanic, the fifth largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally. The racial diversity in the state also includes 8.6% African Americans, 4.5% two or more races, and 1.7% Native North Americans. A big issue for the tribal community in the state is the Trump administration’s effort to move forward on building the Yucca Mountain facility that would store the nation’s radioactive nuclear waste. Nevada has the fastest growing AAPI population in the country -- the community makes up 7.8% of the population, and the state party has added Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines, to the voter preference ballots, alongside English and Spanish. After Nevada comes California and Texas -- home to more than 13 million eligible Hispanic voters, nearly half of all such voters nationwide, according to the Pew Research Center -- vote on Super Tuesday. So keep this in mind when watching the cable news echo chambers that sometimes miss this nuance. The Hill takes a look at inroads candidates are making in Nevada here.
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Ilhan Omar Aims to Stop Companies that Break the Law from Buying Influence
Nearly 10 years after the Supreme Court issued the Citizens United decision -- which allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections -- some companies who break the law continue to contribute to political candidates. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) wants to bar corporations from political spending for ten years after being convicted of a crime. She introduced the Protect Democracy from Criminal Corporations Act last week. “Companies that conspire to defraud the federal government or commit other felonies involving dishonesty or a breach of trust should not have influence over our political system,” Omar said. “This is just common sense. Companies that break the law shouldn’t be allowed to poison our democracy with dirty money.” One such corporation, BP, was found by a federal judge in 2014 to have acted on “profit-driven decisions” that amounted to “gross negligence” resulting in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Even as BP was arguing in court over the billions of fines it owed in Clean Water Act violations, it found a way to spend nearly $5 million on lobbying and campaign corporations that year. Supporters of Omar’s bill say it would help end the corrupt system. More here.
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The NYT's Helene Cooper with her Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, presented to her for her coverage of Yemen, earlier this month in DC.
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Define American founder and immigration activist Jose Antonio Vargas over the weekend on Pismo Beach in CA.
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Elaine Chao Fails to Fulfill Promise to Sell Stock with Potential Conflict
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao promised to divest from a construction company upon taking office during her confirmation hearing, but The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that federal disclosure forms showed Chao still owned about $400,000 worth of stock in Vulcan Materials Co. The company is a major supplier of materials for road pavement and other construction projects. Chao had told the Office of Government Ethics that she would resign her position with Vulcan and anticipated receiving a cash payout for her "vested deferred stock units" in 2018, the year after she would separate from the company. The cash payout has yet to occur, according to the Journal. The DOT is now blaming the ethics agreement Chao signed in 2017 as being unclear, and it is now “being clarified to avoid confusion” following an ethics official’s determination that the shares do not present a conflict of interest, the spokesman continued, because Chao has recused herself from all issues related to the company. However, this means the head of Department of Transportation will continue to have a financial interest in an asphalt company, and some worry that Chao’s continued holding of the shares signals that she is not making ethics a priority. WSJ reports that 45% to 55% of Vulcans shipments have been used in projects that are funded by the government. Chao served on Vulcan's Board of Directors for two years, and the shares in question were paid to her as part of the company's standard policy for former board members. More here.
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Loretta Lynch Joins Law Firm’s NY Office
Loretta Lynch, the first Black woman to serve as U.S. attorney general, is joining law firm Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison as a litigation partner in its New York office, where she will work on complex lawsuits and defend companies in criminal prosecutions. Before President Barack Obama nominated her in 2014 to serve as attorney general, Lynch was the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, a post she had also held under President Bill Clinton. She also helped NY Attorney General Letitia James, the first Black woman to hold that post, set up her office earlier this year. Lynch has served on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and was the special counsel to the international tribunal that prosecuted those responsible for human rights violations and genocide in Rwanda in the early 1990s. Between her stints as U.S. attorney the 60-year-old Greensboro, NC native was a partner with the law firm Hogan & Hartson. The Harvard Law School graduate brings some much-needed diversity to the law firm. When Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison posted a photo on LinkedIn earlier this year of a dozen new partners -- all but one of them white men. For some reason, the firm didn’t notice the lack of diversity. But social media did. “I am delighted to be joining forces with Paul, Weiss and its world-class litigation and white-collar defense team,” said Lynch. “Whether conducting internal investigations, counseling chief executives and general counsel or advising corporate boards, I look forward to helping Paul, Weiss’s clients navigate their most important matters.” More here.
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Clarence Thomas Forewarns Court will Revisit Roe V. Wade
Justice Clarence Thomas predicted on Tuesday that the Supreme Court will have to take up abortion law after the court refused to consider reinstating Indiana’s 2016 law that bans women from aborting a fetus based on its race, gender, or disability and requires burial rites for aborted fetuses. Even though the court is not taking up the issues now, Thomas wrote, “We cannot avoid them forever. Having created the constitutional right to an abortion, this Court is duty bound to address its scope.” In a 7-2 opinion -- with Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor dissenting -- SCOTUS overturned a lower court deciding that clinics must treat aborted fetuses as human remains. The ruling comes as several Republican-led states have approved extreme restrictions on abortion rights, setting up a possible faceoff over the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision affirming a woman’s right to an abortion. Thomas, the only African American member of the court, made an unusual correlation between abortion and the racial discrimination involved in the history of eugenics -- the science of improving a human population by controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics. "Given the potential for abortion to become a tool of eugenic manipulation. The court will soon need to confront the constitutionality of laws like Indiana's" he wrote in a 20-page concurring opinion. He tried to conflate the issue with old remarks made by Planned Parenthood Founder Margaret Sanger in the 1920s -- nearly 100 years ago. For the record, Planned Parenthood does not, in any way, support eugenics. More here.
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Congresswomen Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL) and Kathy Castor (D-FL) at the annual Congressional Soccer Match last week at Audi Field stadium in DC.
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Congressional candidate, veteran and Hawai’i state Sen. Kai Kahele with his wife, Maria, at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific for Memorial Day on Monday in Honolulu.
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Lonnie Bunch Named Smithsonian Secretary
The Smithsonian Institution on Tuesday named Lonnie Bunch as its 14th secretary, where he’ll lead the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex -- 19 museums and the National Zoological Park. Bunch becomes the first African American to lead the Smithsonian. “I am humbled and honored to become the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution,” Bunch said. “I am excited to work with the Board of Regents and my colleagues throughout the Institution to build upon its legacy and to ensure that the Smithsonian will be even more relevant and more meaningful and reach more people in the future.” The New Jersey native is currently the director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Before that appointment, Bunch served as the president of the Chicago Historical Society. The double American University graduate has held a number of positions at the Smithsonian, including as the National Museum of American History’s associate director for curatorial affairs; assistant director for curatorial affairs; and supervising curator for the museum. Bunch served as the curator of history and program manager for the California African American Museum in Los Angeles. He also produced several historical documentaries for public television and is a widely published author; Bunch has written on topics ranging from the black military experience, the American presidency and all-black towns in the American West to diversity in museum management and the impact of funding and politics on American museums. He has also held numerous teaching positions at universities across the country, including at American University, the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth, and George Washington University. He was appointed by President George W. Bush to the Committee for the Preservation of the White House in 2002 and reappointed by President Barack Obama in 2010. In April, we told you that the chairs of the Congressional Tri-Caucus -- Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Judy Chu (D-CA), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (D-CA), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Joaquín Castro (D-TX) -- had called on the Smithsonian Board of Regents to prioritize consideration of a person of color or a woman as the Smithsonian Institution’s next secretary in order to ensure that the organization’s leadership reflects the diversity of the American people. Bunch begins his new position on June 16th. More here.
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Colin Powell Has Been Making Money Moves
Guess who’s ballin’? Apparently, General Colin Powell. The former secretary of state was elected to Salesforce’s board in March 2014 and had already owned 25,275 shares in the company at that time. Now, after five years on the board, Barron’s reports that the 82-year-old political icon has received and purchased stock that has grown in value to $9 million. Salesforce’s nonemployee directors receive quarterly grants of fully vested shares valued at about $125,000. Over the years, according to Barron’s, the company’s stock’s surge has meant that directors receive fewer shares. Powell has mostly stayed out of politics since retiring in 2005. He did, however, refer to Donald Trump as a "national disgrace", with "no sense of shame." He wrote of Trump's role in the birther movement, which he referred to as "racist." And he suggested that the media ignore Trump, saying, "To go on and call him an idiot just emboldens him." Powell endorsed Clinton on October 25, 2016, stating it was "because I think she's qualified, and the other gentleman is not qualified." Powell, along with former secretaries of state Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright made a cameo appearance on the CBS show Madam Secretary last year. More here.
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Hawai'i Governor David Ige advising residents to prepare for hurricane season courtesy of the Honolulu chapter of the National Weather Service last week in Honolulu.
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Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM) with a recent graduate of the Zuni High School Class of 2019 on Friday in Zuni Pueblo, NM.
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Native American Tribe Stands Their Ground in the Hamptons
Regular Beat readers will recall that there’s beef in the Hamptons -- the area that the Shinnecock Indian Nation tribe occupied for many centuries before the area was colonized by Europeans in the 1600s and is now home to some of the priciest real estate in the world and occupied by mostly 1-percenters. The Southampton, NY leaders are perturbed over the tribe’s effort to erect two 61-foot-high signs that will loom over Route 27, the main road into the exclusive community, bearing the Shinnecock seal and bright video screens. The NYT reports that the tribe is partnering with an outdoor advertising company to run local ads on billboards, as well as national campaigns for high-end brands like Rolex, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Essentially, they’re targeting the wealthy summer crowd driving slowly in congested Hamptons traffic. Its members are determined to use the revenue as an economic engine to revitalize the tribe’s modest reservation and its residents. On Friday, after state officials initiated legal action against the tribe to halt construction, a state Supreme Court judge issued a temporary restraining order against further work. The Shinnecock basically responded “unsubscribe” insisting that their sovereign status exempts them from any government rules. Their sign on the eastbound side of the highway was already completed and remained in operation through the weekend. And tribal members are welcoming drivers not to the Hamptons, but to the Shinnecock Nation. The possibility of a standoff exists should authorities try to halt construction. As promised, we will continue to keep you posted. More here.
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Mayor Issues Cease-and-Desist Order on Border Wall Construction as Local Communities Struggle to Deal with Humanitarian Crisis at the Border
Javier Perea, the mayor of Sunland Park, New Mexico, said Tuesday that a cease-and-desist order has been filed after a private group began building a portion of the wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. Organizers with the private group We Build the Wall -- which lists Republicans former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and former Trump advisor Stephen Bannon as members of its leadership team on its website -- started building an 18-foot steel bollard wall to fill in gaps in existing barriers. The group began raising money to build the wall through a GoFundMe campaign earlier this year and have raised more than $20 million so far. Air Force veteran Brian Kolfage started the organization. “The city has not provided any permits, it has not approved of the construction that has gone up already,” Peter Ibardo, a city spokesman told The Texas Tribune. “They built the structure without authority or any building permits from the city.” The influx of immigrants at the Southern border is adding pressure to local elected leaders and their budgets. New Mexico Governor Michelle Luján Grisham is advocating for federal reimbursements to communities as they provide humanitarian relief to migrant families. The former Congresswoman previously challenged the president’s description of a security crisis on the border as she withdrew all but a dozen national guardsmen who continue to address humanitarian needs in a remote corridor along the border. Instead, her administration has deployed State Police to an abandoned immigration checkpoint and a remote stretch of the border where local police are stretched thin while marshaling state emergency management personnel to provide logistical support. The Trump administration is flying migrants to San Diego and Del Rio, TX and busing them to El Centro, CA and Laredo, TX, Politico reports. The government is required by law to process border-crossers within 72 hours. This marks the first time in history the U.S. has transported immigrants to other localities because federal officials can't process them in time at their original point of entry. “The system is full. We've been very clear about that,” acting Homeland Security Security Kevin McAleenan said last weekend on CBS News. “So what we're trying to do is plan to be able to manage that capacity safely, to bring people where we can process them efficiently. And as a planning factor we're looking at all options for being able to detain people.” Migrants say they are coming to the U.S. because they have no other choice -- droughts are frying Central American harvests, they can’t pay their bills, and gangs are recruiting children. More here.
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Today, 12P: The Senate Black Legislative Staff Caucus, Congressional Black Associates, and AAMH host a "Black Men's Symposium: Navigating Complex Challenges and Overcoming Adversity." 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Capitol Hill, DC. Click here for more information.
Thursday, May 30th, 11A: The Atlantic hosts "Athletes + Activism," an event looking at times when social change and athletics intersect, featuring conversations with six preeminent athlete-activists and others influencing the conversation. Leading the program is The Atlantic’sJemele Hill. Entertainment and Sports Arena, home of the Washington Mystics and Capital City Go-Go. 1100 Oak Drive S.E., DC. Click here for more information.
Thursday, June 6th: African American Leadership Summit and IWillVote Gala hosted by DNC Chair Tom Pérez and DNC Black Caucus Virgie M. Rollins. Featuring several 2020 Democratic candidates for president, Stacey Abrams, Representatives Hank Johnson, John Lewis, and Lucy McBath; the Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson; Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and more. Atlanta, GA. Click here for more information.
Thursday, June 6th - Saturday, June 8th: The American Constitution Society hosts its 2019 National Convention, including a conversation with freshman Representatives Colin Allred (D-TX), Sharice Davids (D-KS), and Katie Porter (D-CA), moderated by Kimberly Atkins. The ACS National Convention is attended by progressive lawyers, judges, legislators, law students, and academics to address the most challenging issues confronting the nation. Capital Hilton, 1001 16th Street N.W., DC. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, June 11th, 6:30P: LatinoJustice PRLDEF hosts their fourth annual Southeast Regional Awards Reception in recognition of individuals working toward resolving human and civil rights issues in the Southeast region of the U.S. Bass Museum, 2100 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, June 19th, 8A: LatinoJustice PRLDEF hosts their 10th annual Latina Trailblazers Breakfast to honor the achievements of Latina women who have paved the way for future Latina leaders. Tribeca Rooftop, 2 Desbrosses St, NY. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, June 26th - Sunday, June 30th: The National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women's Annual Legislative Conference, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders for thought-provoking conversation around real issues that directly affect Black women and their families. Chicago, IL. Click here for more information.
Thursday, June 27th, 7P: Management Leadership for Tomorrow’s 15th Anniversary Awards Gala Dinner, celebrating underrepresented minorities who are advancing to senior leadership roles in their organizations and communities. The evening honors those working to advance African American, Latinx, and Native American women and men. Grand Hyatt, 109 E 42nd Street, NYC. Click here for more information.
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