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Former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman is reportedly leading the race to become the next head of the FBI. But Dems are not happy with their former party mate who turned Independent being considered for the agency’s top post. Meanwhile, remember when you were little and your mom would give you a stern warning before you left the house that you better be on your best behavior when going out? Yeah, that’s how most of the country feels as Trump embarks on the first foreign trip of his presidency. It's an ambitious itinerary with stops in Saudi Arabia, Israel, the Vatican, and two meetings with European leaders. The AP reports that when Trump sits down for dinner in Saudi Arabia, caterers have ensured that his favorite meal -- steak with a side of ketchup will be served alongside local cuisine. Sigh. Here's what's on tap for the weekend:
- Barack Obama chooses a golf club.
- The country's first AAPI Solicitor General.
- States sue to shield Obamacare.
- Trump budget targets program that helps Native American students.
- A Florida candidate has a new baby to kiss.
- NEA gets a new head of African American Outreach.
- DHS official says David Clarke unfit for the post.
- ACLU warns Hawaiians about travel to Texas.
- Congresswoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) and CHC members push schools on protecting undocumented students.
- Puerto Rico nationalist Oscar López Rivera is free after decades behind bars.
- NBC Asian America highlights a poll asking, "Who's Asian?"
- Henry Louis Gates chairs a Fusion board with actress Viola Davis and Puerto Rican rapper Residente.
- The Native American Staff Association is hosting a meet and greet. Want to go? Be sure to RSVP in FOMO.
- It's been a long week -- we all deserve some Friday funnies.
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On Thursday, CAP launched their podcast Thinking Cap hosted by Michele Jawando. She is joined by her frst guests Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and CAP colleague Igor Volsky. | |  |
Oscar Ramírez and wife Stephanie Valencia hosted a gathering at their home for VA gubernatorial candidate Tom Periello earlier this month. | |
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CBC Releases Fifth Installment of What Did Trump Do?
Today, the CBC releases their fifth installment of What Did Trump Do?, short messaging documents to inform audiences about the Trump administration policies and programs and how they impact the African American community. This installment focuses on the voter fraud commission Donald Trump created naming VP Mike Pence as the chair and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach as the vice chair. Kobach has a record of supporting policies that suppress African American and other minority voters. The report also examines the charging and sentencing guidance that AG Jeff Sessions issued which brings back mandatory minimums and promotes mass incarceration. See report here.
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Nominee to Be Solictor General Would be First Asian American to Serve in the Role
Noel Francisco, a 47-year-old Republican, was named as the nominee to be the solicitor general for Donald Trump’s administration. It is a key position within the administration -- acting as the attorney for the federal government before the United States Supreme Court. He would be the first Asian American to serve in that role. His father is of Filipino ancestry. In his opening remarks during his Senate confirmation hearing on Monday, Francisco noted, "The Department of Justice's goal is not just to win, but to ensure that justice is served." More here.
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States Intervene to Shield Obamacare
WaPo reports that attorneys general from 15 states and DC filed a motion Thursday to intervene in a long-running lawsuit over a core part of the Affordable Care Act. In their legal filing, the attorneys general say they can't trust the Trump administration to defend their interests because health insurance for millions of Americans has become “little more than political bargaining chips” for the White House. The lawsuit is challenging how billions of dollars of federal payments were made to health insurers. Those payments are critical to the stability of the ACA marketplaces, which are designed to help individuals buy government-subsidized health coverage. The AGs want to step in to defend the payments, saying there is a “sharp divide” between the administration's goals and those of states. More here.
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The new cover of Time Magazine. Posted without comment. | |  |
Yesterday, NCAPA's Chris Kang threw it back to a #MyAsianAmericanFamily photo -- the last photo the family took before Kang's father passed away. | |
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Photos of Former Congresswoman Used to Convict Her
Evidence used to convict former Florida Congresswoman Corrine Brown (D-FL) was released by prosecutors Wednesday. Brown was found guilty last week of 18 charges, including fraud and tax evasion in relation to using a sham charity called One Door for Education as a personal slush fund. Among documents obtained by News4Jax in Jacksonville were photos of Brown and former CoS Ronnie Simmons, who testified against her, depositing money from the charity into her personal bank accounts. In addition, photos were released of events paid for by the charity, including one of a $750 birthday cake for Brown’s daughter Shantrel, and others at ceremonies honoring Brown, including one of former DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz. More here.
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NEA Gets New Head of African American Outreach
The National Education Association just named Tiffany D. Loftin to lead their African American outreach. In this role, Loftin will advise on the organizations organizing and outreach to constituency groups on behalf of NEA and their three million members. Loftin was most recently a Program Coordinator in the Civil, Human, & Women's Rights Department at the AFL-CIO. NEA is the largest professional employee organization in the country, and they happened to be led by three women of color: President Lily Eskelsen García, VP Becky Pringle, and Secretary-Treasurer Princess Moss. Loftin, having led racial justice campaigns and a regular on TV One’s News Now with Roland Martin, is ready to face the challenges and help lead the organization in battle as they face an administration that is not known for being friendly to labor or people of color. More about Tiffany here.
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Obama Hits the Club
Golf club that is. Former President Barack Obama found a new place to hit the links. He's apparently joined the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, about a 45-minute drive from DC. The private club reportedly hosted Obama once while he was in office. The club’s yearly fees total $15,000, but former presidents have often been granted a no-fee, honorary membership. Obama's selection of a private course comes after months of speculation as to where he would take his game, now that he can no longer play his favored local course at Joint Base Andrews. More here.
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|  | Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) participating in a celebration of Israeli culture in Brighton Beach last Sunday. | |  | The Bureau of Indian Affairs Law Enforcement reps lay a memorial wreath at the Interior Department's memorial service on Tuesday for Police Week. | |
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CHC Urges School Boards to Protect Children from Aggressive Immigration Enforcement
After reports that federal immigration agents showed up at a Queens, New York elementary school to inquire about a fourth-grade student, CHC Chair Congresswoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) and CHC members sent a letter to National School Boards Association President Kevin E. Ciak. The letter urges the association to work with their members to develop protocols on how to address inquiries and visits from immigration enforcement agencies. As stated in the letter, “We have a moral obligation to protect children in our communities, particularly in a school environment, where students and parents should feel that they are safe. It is imperative that we take all the steps necessary to ensure that children, regardless of status, are able to attend school and feel protected.” More here.
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Millennials of Color Weigh in On the Political Environment
On Thursday, the GenForward survey, a project of the University of Chicago, released new polling data on millennials’ views of the Trump administration, Congress, and the current political climate. The new research shows a decisive majority of millennials of color -- more than 70% -- disapprove of the president’s job performance, and more than 58% of African American, Asian American, and Latino millennials disapprove of how Congress handles its job. Unlike standard opinion polling, GenForward surveys include significant data on the views of young people of color, who are often under-sampled, leaving their unique and important perspectives out of the conversation about our country’s political landscape. The survey found that millennials of all racial and ethnic groups hold negative views of the economy, with only 13% of African Americans, 28% of Asian Americans, 19% of Latino/as, and 29% of whites reporting that the national economy today is very or somewhat good. See the full survey here.
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Ajit Pai Rolls Back Obama-era Regs at the FCC
The Republican-led FCC voted Thursday to begin undoing a key decision from the Obama era that could relax regulations on Internet providers, WaPo reports. The move highlights the uphill battle for Democrats and consumer advocates, who say that weaker rules could allow Internet service providers to abuse their position as gatekeepers between customers and the rest of the Internet. The current net neutrality rules make it illegal for Internet service providers to block or slow down websites for consumers. By a 2-1 vote led by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, the agency proposed to rollback a 2015 decision that regulated Internet providers more heavily. More here.
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Rockefeller Foundation President Raj Shah, speaking with a colleague at the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center to discuss the intersection of cities and technology. | |  |
Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL) meeting with the Illinois Realtors delegation in her DC office on Wednesday. | |
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Who’s Asian?
Asian Americans are now the fastest growing racial group in the country, with immigrants from South Asia fueling much of that growth. A new poll by NBC Asian America says many respondents see a division between East and South Asians. Perceiving only some Asians as "real" Asians often means that South Asians -- Indians, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis and others -- are much more likely to be profiled, while East Asians (Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans, among others) are seen as far less threatening and suspicious. Blacks and Latinos were more likely to see Indians as Asian (35 percent) and they were just as likely as whites to see Pakistanis as not Asian. Most jarring is that other Asian Americans were just as likely to perceive Indians and Pakistanis as not Asian, despite the fact that Indians and Pakistanis see themselves as Asian. Perceptions about Filipinos fall in between, and they, too, see themselves as Asian. More here.
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Trump Sends Notice to Congress on NAFTA
The Trump administration on Thursday sent a letter to Congress saying it intends to renegotiate NAFTA, which Trump had called during the campaign “the worst trade deal ever.” In a letter to lawmakers, Robert Lighthizer, the newly confirmed U.S. Trade Representative, said the WH’s aim is to support better-paying jobs and economic growth through improvements to NAFTA. Lighthizer’s letter was not specific on what the “improvements” would be. Trump had threatened to withdraw completely from the agreement but backed down when the leaders of Canada and Mexico called him and asked him instead to renegotiate it. More here from the NYT.
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Puerto Rico Nationalist Leader Oscar López Rivera Freed After 36 Years
Puerto Rico nationalist Oscar López Rivera emerged from house arrest on Wednesday after years of legal back and forth. President Obama commuted his 36-year sentence in January shortly before leaving office, and per his commutation agreement, had been under house arrest since January in Puerto Rico until this week. López was considered a top leader of the Armed Forces of National Liberation, or FALN in Spanish, an ultra-nationalist Puerto Rican group that claimed responsibility for more than 100 bombings of government buildings, department stores, banks and restaurants in New York, Chicago, Washington, and Puerto Rico during the 1970s and early 1980s, although López maintained he never participated in any illegal activities. López wasn't convicted of any role in the bombings over eight years that killed six people and injured dozens. But those who lost loved ones hold him and his group responsible, while some Puerto Ricans support López as a patriot and political prisoner unduly incarcerated and serving an onerous sentence longer than convicted murderers and rapists. A campaign to free López over the years drew support from Pope Francis, former President Jimmy Carter, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the musical "Hamilton." More on López's journey here.
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Congressman Mark Takano (D-CA) participating in a food drive in his district last week. | |
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Native American Liberty Better Received Than Black Lady Liberty
A few months ago we told you that the U.S. Mint released a new gold piece with a new Lady Liberty who is African American. Many people were not happy about it and the release was met with media controversy and slow sales. This week’s United States Gold Bureau release of the American Buffalo coin -- an iconic depiction of a Native American -- was met with brisk sales and enthusiasm. “The history of race on the depiction of these iconic coins and our current state of race relations in the U.S. could be a factor in reception from the general public and the media,” says Joshua Hinsdale, Communications Director of the United States Gold Bureau. Lady Liberty has always been depicted as Caucasian or Native American, and they say people are hypersensitive these days about the subject. More here.
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ACLU Warns Hawaiians About Traveling in Texas
NBC Asian America reports that the ACLU in Hawaii has issued a travel advisory warning residents they could become targets of racial profiling if they venture into Texas. The civil rights group fears that the state's new law banning "sanctuary cities" will lead to "widespread racial profiling, baseless scrutiny, and illegal arrests of citizens and noncitizens alike presumed to be 'foreign' based on how they look and sound." On May 7th, the governor of Texas signed into law SB4 which authorizes law enforcement officers to ask about the immigration status of anyone they detain. It also requires local law enforcement to obey federal demands to hold suspects for possible deportation and prohibits local governments from adopting, enforcing, or endorsing policies that hinder the enforcement of immigration laws. More here.
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GOP Congressman Writes Letter to Woman’s Employer Complaining About her Activism
Saily Avelenda, who worked as an attorney for Lakeland Bank, said Monday that a handwritten note had been sent to a bank board member by Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (D-NJ). In it, the congressman wrote that the "ringleader" of a protest group worked there. Avelenda, the daughter of Cuban immigrants, is part of NJ 11th For Change, which refers to Frelinghuysen's district number. The group has criticized Frelinghuysen for not holding in-person town halls to discuss key issues, including the GOP healthcare plan. She said she wasn't asked to resign but being confronted about her outside activities made her uncomfortable and was a factor in her resignation. More here.
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Congressman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) with constituent Lulah Dualeh, a writer and activist. | |  |
Congressmen Hank Johnson (D-GA) and Andre Carson (D-IN) at an Air Traffic Control hearing on Wednesday. | |
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Henry Louis Gates Chairs Fusion TV’s Creative Board
This week, Fusion TV announced that it is bringing together a cross-section of marquee talent -- actors, filmmakers, academics, and musicians -- to form the FUSION TV Creative Board, which will work to identify the next generation of creators and build a pipeline of diverse talent and help with the content development process, helping to curate some of the best untold stories that connect with the passions and values of the country’s diverse youth. The newly named creative board members include actresses Viola Davis, Meryl Streep, and Jodie Foster, Oscar-winning documentary producer Ezra Edelman, Puerto Rican rapper Residente (a.k.a. René Pérez Joglar), and chairing the board is Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, journalist, cultural critic, and institution builder Henry Louis Gates, Jr. More here.
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Former DHS Official Says Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Unfit for the Post
If controversial Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke is, in fact, being tapped for a senior role at the Department of Homeland Security, he would reportedly serve as Assistant Secretary in the Office of Partnership and Engagement. His predecessor, Juliette Kayyem, says he is unfit. “I’ve never met Clarke, but based on his inflammatory rhetoric, along with the cloud hanging over his tenure in Milwaukee, I’ll just come right out and say it: He’s not fit to serve at the agency tasked with domestic security for all Americans,” she writes in an op-ed for the WaPo. She runs through a litany of criticism including the four deaths at jails Clarke oversees, Clarke’s hostile exchange with a fellow passenger on a commercial flight, and the bad trait he shares with his future boss -- Twitter fingers. Via tweets, he once likened President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler and he conflated the Black Lives Matter movement with the Islamic State. Read her full piece here.
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Roger Ailes and the Ad that Transformed Campaigns
It’s hard to understate the influence that Fox News Channel founder, Roger Ailes, had on American politics and the landscape of our media. But his influence began long before there was a Fox News. Ailes used to be a Republican operative for presidents Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush. But it was his work for Bush 41 that sparked the most public controversy. When then-Vice President Bush was running for president in 1988 and badly trailing Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, it was Ailes, his media advisor, who helped create and produce the infamous and controversial “Willie Horton ad” which many credit with helping Bush 41 secure the presidency. Click the image to play. Willie Horton, who was Black, was a convicted felon who broke into a home and beat and raped a woman, who was white. More here.
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BET CEO Debra Lee with her children on Mother's Day last Sunday. | |  | Congressman Juan Vargas (D-CA) spoke at a Rare Disease Caucus briefing about legislation that can help solve financing problems to find cures for rare diseases. | |
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Obama Alumna Welcomes Baby Girl
Alaina Beverly has held many roles. The Stanford undergrad/Michigan Law School graduate was appointed by President Barack Obama to be Associate Director of Urban Affairs in 2009. She was also a Principal at The Raben Group, and currently serves as the DIrector of Urban Affairs for the University of Chicago. However, she just assumed her most challenging and rewarding role yet -- mommy. The civil rights lawyer just welcomed Zora Rose Beverly. She arrived on Tuesday at 6:01P weighing in at 7 lbs. Mommy is in love and baby girl is beautiful. Congrats, Alaina!
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FL Gubernatorial Candidate Has One More Baby to Kiss
Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum has his hands full. Not only is he running for Governor of Florida, he is also the father of twins Jackson and Caroline. Now, as a politician and public servant, he has one more baby to kiss. He and his wife R. Jai have welcomed another member to their family. On Monday, baby Davis Allen Gillum was born weighing in at 8lbs, 3 ounces. Gillum’s candidacy has achieved national attention since he announced in March. The 37-year-old FAMU graduate has raised more than $1 million and he has an impressive list of endorsements. Undoubtedly, Baby Davis will make an appearance on the campaign trail soon enough. More here.
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Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (D-CA) greeting a K9 employee on Capitol Hill. | |  |
Charles Koch with Trump surrogate Paris Dennard on Thursday at the Black Enterprise Summit. | |
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Trump Budget Hits Education Hard and Targets Programs Helping Native American Students
WaPo reports that an Education Department budget outlines cuts of nearly $11 billion, including a proposal to eliminate a popular student loan forgiveness program for public sector and nonprofit employees, and increases the time students will have to spend repaying their debts on income-based plans if they borrowed to get a graduate degree. The current program places a cap on monthly payments as a percentage of their income and is popular with lower-income students. That program would be changed, and the Trump budget proposes to completely eliminate the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, under which borrowers have their student loan debts erased if they spend at least ten years working for a government or non-profit group. Other cuts include completely eliminating funding for anti-bullying initiatives, doing away with a $15 million program that provides child care for low-income parents in college, also eliminating two programs targeting Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students totaling $65 million, and doing away with funding for international education and foreign language programs, among other cuts. More here.
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Disabled and a Person of Color
Today, segregation and limiting the movement of disabled persons in public spaces is commonplace and accepted, writes disability rights activist Luticha Doucette. She says she has to use the back entrance at the National Gallery of Art and other places. “As a Black woman I am keenly aware of the irony of being ushered through back ways, sketchy hallways, side entrances and kitchens to enter restaurants, bars and other establishments ... Navigating the world as a Black woman is difficult, but I refuse to give up the fight to dismantle structural racism and structural ableism.” She goes on to write, “At the core of the civil rights movement, Black Lives Matter and the disability-rights movement is the idea of autonomy and agency over one’s life. We are fighting for the right to not be judged based on external sets of unrealistic expectations.” Read more of her testimony in the NYT here.
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| FOMO Today, 5P: Birthday toast to Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC) CoS Yebbie Watkins. Invite only. Wednesday, May 24th, 9A: The Raben group hosts a policy breakfast with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). 1341 G St, NW. Click here to RSVP.
Wednesday, May 24th, 6:45P: CAMBA sponsors an Asian Pacific American Heritage Month event at the Washington office of Hogan Lovells, featuring Khizr Khan, noted speaker at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. The event will also feature a panel discussion focusing on the challenges facing the Asian American community. Click here to register. Thursday, May 25th: Vote It Loud sponsors the second-annual Multicultural Media Correspondents Dinner at the National Press Club. By invitation only. Thursday, May 25th, 6:30P: The Native American Staff Association hosts a meet-and-greet. Romeo & Juliet Garden Cafe, 301 Mass. Ave NE. For questions contact: nativesonthehill@gmail.com
Friday, May 26th - Sunday, May 28th: The Raben Group and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation host Latino Legacy Weekend. 1341 G Street, NW. Click here for more details.
Wednesday, June 7th, 6P: Fearless for the People PAC hold a reception and fundraiser with Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA). Click here to RSVP.
Thursday, June 8th, 6P: The Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation and the school's Washington Alumni Council sponsor a panel, "Black America in the Era of Trump." 1725 I Street, NW, Suite 100. Click here to purchase tickets.
Tuesday, June 12th, 7:15P: A reception honoring Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) to benefit Booker Senate Victory. Click here to RSVP.
Thursday, June 15th, 8A: The Hill sponsors a Latina Leaders Summit. Participants include Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL). Click here to RSVP.
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