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Tax Reform: The budget resolution that would allow for $1.5 trillion in additional deficits faces a key vote in the House this morning. The GOP Caucus will have to convince disaffected moderates to go along with the budget vote, and some House leaders, worried about local implications to their district, are likely to draw a harder line on a final tax bill if their concerns are not addressed. Despite the dissension of Senators Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Bob Corker (R-TN), the rest of the Republican Party appear to be in lock step with the President. “There is zero appetite for the ‘Never Trump’ movement in the Republican Party of today,” an advisor to a fundraising group told the NYT. “This party is now defined by President Trump and his movement.” And 45 offered the world some random thoughts yesterday in an impromptu statement to news cameras. He went to an Ivy League school, he says he was a nice student and is an intelligent person, he has a very good memory, he talked Hillary Clinton and the dossier, he says he did remember Sgt. La David Johnson’s name when speaking to Myesha Johnson because ya know … let’s keep calling a fallen soldier’s widow a liar. Oh, and he said it’s the press that makes him more uncivil than he is. In other news, Barack Obama golfed with actor Bill Murray on Tuesday at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA. #TBT to when 45 used to troll 44 over golf. Finally, find a grassy knoll and get ready to do some reading. After more than 50 years of theories, the JFK files will be released today. Here’s what we’ve got this Thursday...
- Senator Bob Menéndez’s (D-NJ) trial focuses on definition of a bribe.
- Meet the Obama alumna vying to become the first Muslim woman in Congress.
- Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and New Mexico Governor Susana Martínez (R) head to VA.
- Meet the guy who could be Colorado’s first Black member of Congress.
- Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) team up to intro bill to lower drug prices.
- HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson says if you question his qualifications, you’re stupid.
- Massachusetts could make history if this candidate wins a seat in Congress.
- Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Congressmen G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) report back from their tech industry diversity meetings.
- Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) brings VALOR to vets.
- Lawmakers call for immediate aid to schools in PR and the USVI.
- Filipino WWII veterans finally honored with the Congressional Gold Medal.
- A Black prayer on the Senate floor. Check it out below.
- Meet the new comms associate at HUD.
- Vox brings in a new Senior Politics Reporter.
- Nominee to head Customs and Border Protection finally gets his hearing.
- Trump marks the end of a travel ban with another one.
- Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) intros a bill that creates a prize for cleaning the environment.
- Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz question contract to help rebuild PR’s electric grid.
- Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduces a bicameral bill to create a Medicare-type option in the healthcare marketplace.
- Cuba strongly denies it had anything to do with mysterious ailments felling some U.S. diplomats.
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Congressman Joaquín Castro (D-TX) visiting the Latin American Youth Center in DC. | |  |
NM congressional candidate Deb Haaland with fellow Native American supporters. | |
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Is It a Bribe or a Contribution? That’s the Question in the Senator Menéndez Trial
In a show of bipartisanship today, Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) are expected to come to the defense of Senator Bob Menéndez (D-NJ). Both will take the witness stand to defend their colleague facing federal bribery charges. They are specifically expected to vouch for Menéndez’s character and integrity. When is a political contribution just a contribution, or a bribe? That’s the gist of the rest of this week’s testimony in the trial. Prosecutors argued on Wednesday that contributions Menéndez friend and co-defendant Dr. Salomón Melgen made to Menéndez were bribes in exchange for the senator’s assistance in resolving a nearly $9 million billing dispute with Medicare, and for a stalled port security contract in the Dominican Republic. However, Kory Vargas Caro, a former fundraiser for the senator’s 2012 reelection campaign, testified on Tuesday that senators have a hard time making their fundraising goals without out-of-state help like that provided by Melgen, an ophthalmologist who resides in Florida and also has a residence in the Dominican Republic. Spanish Broadcasting System President Raúl Alarcón also testified, and said he was solicited -- and subsequently contributed -- and that no one conditioned the contribution on a bribe. Menéndez’s defense attorneys have argued that Melgen’s contributions are part of a long history of fundraising for the senator and not at all criminal. More here.
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If You Questioned Carson’s Capability to Run HUD, Then You’re Stupid (According to Him)
HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson commented on Trump’s call to Myeshia Johnson, the widow of slain Army Sgt. La David Johnson, telling The Hill, “No matter what he says or does, they criticize him." He added that people who question his qualifications to run HUD are “stupid.” Carson also said, “The people in Puerto Rico have suffered just tremendously," as he detailed HUD’s efforts to help newly homeless U.S. citizens on the island rebuild their lives. He added jokingly that rebuilding the U.S. territory could take between "one and 100 years." More here.
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GLAD to Honor Eric Holder
GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) will honor former AG Eric Holder at its annual Spirit of Justice dinner this Friday in Boston. He is being honored for his instrumental role in advancing LGBTQ justice and his leadership on voting rights, criminal justice reform, and examining racial bias in policing. Holder will deliver remarks at the event. GLAD’s Mary Bonauto, who argued the landmark marriage equality case Obergefell v. Hodges, will present the award. More here.
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Lee and Butterfield Report Back from the Valley
In 2015, the Congressional Black Caucus launched CBC TECH 2020 to increase African American inclusion at all levels of the technology industry. After a trip to Silicon Valley, CBC Diversity Task Force Co-Chairs, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Congressman G. K. Butterfield (D-NC), see little progress on African American inclusion. They recently wrote about their experience, saying that the tech industry’s inclusion efforts are sliding back. They visited eight tech companies, met with Black venture capitalists, tech employees, and nonprofit organizations working to build the pipeline. Their assessment was clear: “Recruiting Black tech talent is an item on most tech companies’ to-do list, but certainly not near the top. Even worse, creating an environment where Black employees feel included is even lower on the agenda,” they write. They applaud some of the efforts made by the industry, such as releasing data and acknowledging HBCUs. But they decry the lack of Black senior-level hires, low venture capital investment, and inconsistent promotion and retention. They offer a number of solutions as a to-do list for tech CEOs. See their prescription here.
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Ro Khanna Brings VALOR to Vets
Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) joined Congressmen Jodey Arrington (R-TX) and Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) in introducing a bill that would provide military veterans greater access to apprenticeship training programs following their service. “Apprenticeship programs allow veterans to gain skills needed for 21st century jobs. Something as simple as paperwork should not stop employers from hiring veterans,” said Khanna, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. Currently, private employers who offer apprenticeship programs in more than one state have to register with each state approval agency individually. This trail of paperwork and the burdensome review process often discourages employers from opening up these apprenticeship programs to veterans. The VALOR Act would streamline the registration process for employers, still allow approval agencies to certify programs, and give veterans more opportunities to gain employment through apprenticeship programs. More here.
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Members Call for Immediate Aid to Schools in Puerto Rico and USVI
Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), along with Congresswomen Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) and Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR), led 58 other members in a letter to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and OMB Director Mick Mulvaney, urging them to prioritize providing relief to schools located in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Almost all schools in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands remain without power, and many still have no running water. Their letter states that immediate action is needed to bring stability, including prioritizing relief and recovery efforts to ensure that students, teachers, and families have the resources necessary to live and learn safely in their communities. “It is essential that the Congress and administration provide a sizable and dedicated source of funds to address the immediate and long-term needs of children, school staff and schools in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands,” they wrote. See the letter here.
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Threats Keep Wilson in Florida
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (D-FL) was not in DC this week due to ongoing threats against her after she criticized Donald Trump’s handling of a conversation with the family of Sgt. La David Johnson, who was killed during an October 4th ambush in Niger. Congressional vote tallies show that Wilson last voted on October 12th, before the House adjourned for a week-long break. She’s missed 19 votes between Monday and Wednesday of this week. The Miami Herald reports that a source said nothing else would keep her from voting. Wilson is known for using Wednesdays as a weekly reminder about the Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram. This week, her colleagues gathered on the steps of the Capitol in her absence and kept the tradition going. More here.
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|  | American Urban Radio Network White House Correspondent April Ryan earlier this month receiving the Journalist of the Year award from the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters. | |  | Congressman Cedric RIchmond (D-LA) speaking at the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters
41st Annual Fall Broadcast Conference and 17th Power of Urban Radio Forum. | |
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Hirono, Gabbard Present Filipino World War II Veterans with Congressional Gold Medal
Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), and congressional leaders presented the Congressional Gold Medal to Filipino World War II veterans. The presentation ceremony was the culmination of Hirono and Gabbard’s years-long effort to recognize Filipino World War II veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress’ highest civilian honor. More than 250,000 Filipino soldiers served alongside U.S. soldiers in World War II and more than 57,000 died fighting for the U.S. After the war ended, President Harry S. Truman signed laws that stripped away promises of benefits and citizenship for Filipino veterans. “After bravely serving our country, it is frankly shameful that these veterans had to fight so hard for what they were promised,” Hirono said. “Today, these brave soldiers are finally receiving the recognition they earned and deserve, and join the ranks of heroic units like the Tuskegee Airmen and Hawaii’s own 442nd/100th Infantry Battalion as we honor them with the Congressional Gold Medal—our nation’s highest civilian honor", said Gabbard. Today, only 18,000 Filipino veterans are still alive. Maraming salamat po sa inyong paglilingkod or serbisyo. More here.
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And Now ... A Black Prayer
In his daily prayer on Wednesday morning, Senate Chaplain Barry Black called for more lawmakers who will stand up for what is right, regardless of the consequences. “Give us more senators who are true to duty as the needle to the pole,” he said. Black is the first African American and the first Seventh-Day Adventist to hold this nonpartisan position. The retired Navy Rear Admiral went on to say, “Give us more legislators who are not afraid to call sin by its right name. Lord, provide us with more patriots who will stand for right, regardless of the consequences.” Black has offered pointed prayers in the aftermath of events such as the government shutdown in 2013, when the Baltimore native said during the opening prayer, "Save us from the madness. Deliver us from the hypocrisy of attempting to sound reasonable while being unreasonable. Remove the burdens of those who are the collateral damage of this government shutdown, transforming negatives into positives." Let the church say... More here.
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|  | Congressman Rubén Kihuen (D-NV) with Temple University student Tyler Lum talking about DACA and DREAM Act legislation. | |  | Puerto Rico First Lady Beatriz Rosselló on Tuesday handing out hot meals in San Juan. | |
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New Hire at HUD
Leah LeVell is the latest hired at HUD. She will be working in communications for HUD’s Chief Information officer, Johnson Joy. LeVell was most recently at the White House as a Communications Associate. She is the 22-year-old daughter of Bruce LeVell, who serves as the Executive Director of the National Diversity Coalition for Trump. Until last year, she was pursuing her undergraduate studies at Georgia State University, but recently completed her degree at the University of Maryland. Before joining the WH team she worked at the RNC helping with African American initiatives and as an “Urban Media Staffer.” She has previously worked in the office of former Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss and Congressman Rob Woodall (R-GA), as well as on a few statewide campaigns. More about her here.
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Meet the Nominee to Oversee CBP
Meet the guy Trump wants to oversee the border wall: Kevin McAleenan. He is the nominee to be Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency. His confirmation hearing began on Tuesday after a three-month delay reportedly over allegations that were eventually dismissed. Sources told NBC News that the hearing was delayed because anonymous accusers said McAleenan had an affair with a subordinate and had also not gone through the proper channels to fund an immigration detention center. The Inspector General at the Homeland Security Department -- which oversees the CPB -- investigated the allegations and cleared McAleenan earlier this month. McAleenan currently serves as the agency’s Acting Commissioner, and also served as a Deputy Commissioner in the Obama administration. If confirmed, he will be responsible for overseeing many of Trump’s immigration policies, including the proposed construction of the border wall and identifying locations and designs. More here.
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Meet the Admin’s Pick for FTC Commissioner
In a surprise move, Donald Trump selected Rohit Chopra to serve as a member of the Federal Trade Commission. Chopra is a close ally of Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a former member of Hillary Clinton’s transition team, a former Barack Obama administration official, and a former Assistant Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. But due to FTC rules, some bipartisanship is necessary among the FTC Commissioners. FTC Commissioners serve a seven-year term, and no more than three Commissioners can come from the same political party. Chopra, who after graduating from Harvard went on to earn his MBA from Wharton, is currently a Senior Fellow at the Consumer Federation of America, where he focuses on consumer protection issues facing young people and military families. Prior to his public service, he was an associate at McKinsey & Company, where he served clients in the financial services and consumer technology sectors. More here.
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Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) on Tuesday meeting with members of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of New York to talk about small business opportunities. | |  | Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) with singer/songwriter Larry Gatlin at Texas A&M University on Saturday for the hurricane relief concert. | |
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Jane Coaston Joins Vox as Senior Politics Reporter
Vox Media has hired Jane Coaston as their new Senior Politics Reporter. Coaston has previously written for the NYT, WaPo, ESPN, and The Ringer. The Cincinnati, OH native attended the University of Michigan before moving to St. Louis to work for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In February 2016, Coaston joined the team at MTV News, where she covered the 2016 election by examining the Republican Party and the American right-wing in depth. She has also written about college football for Every Day Should Be Saturday, and covered the NFL for SBNation. More about her here.
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This Guy Breaks News But ... Who Is He?
News media newcomer Yashar Ali has made quite a name for himself reporting on everything from the Russian investigation to the Fox News sexual harassment scandal to the Harvey Weinstein saga. The 37-year-old Chicago native previously worked as a major fundraiser for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign (thanks to an intro from his mentor VA Governor Terry McAuliffe) and as an aide to former San Francisco mayor and California’s Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom. Yashar, a gay Iranian American, also once operated his own political consulting side business and was a registered lobbyist on behalf of a government debt collector. Now, he tells BuzzFeed, he’s focusing on reporting. He’s the person who reported that George W. Bush remarked that Trump’s inaugural address was “some weird shit.” He also worked with HuffPost Editor-in-Chief Lydia Polgreen and dove into how NBC executives spiked Ronan Farrow’s Harvey Weinstein story. And he broke news on his Twitter feed, being the first to report that James Comey learned of his firing by seeing it on TV (an NYT reporter tweeted the same tidbit 14 minutes later). BuzzFeed profiles his journey from a Production Assistant on the movie Never Been Kissed to making headlines of his own. Check it out here.
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FCC Loosens Media Ownership Rules That Some Say Will Hurt Diversity
On Wednesday, the FCC announced plans to eliminate decades-old media ownership rules meant to protect local coverage and diversity in media voices. Chair Ajit Pai said in a congressional hearing that the agency would vote in November to roll back rules that prevent ownership of a newspaper and broadcast station in the same market. The rules were created to prevent an individual or organization from having outsize influence over public opinion. Pai says the rules are outdated. The proposal would also make it possible for the agency to allow a company to own more than one of the top-four television stations in a market, which is prohibited under current rules. The move would be a win for newspaper companies and broadcasters that have pushed for the change. Democrats say it could usher in a new era of media outlet consolidation that erodes diversity. A draft of the proposal will be released today. More here.
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|  | Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) meeting with 7th graders at a Minneapolis middle school. | |  | HUD CIO Johnson Joy on Tuesday talking about modernization of HUD data center infrastructure and other IT issues. | |
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Rubio and Martínez Stump For Gillespie
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and New Mexico Governor Susana Martínez (R) are heading to Virginia to stump for Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie. Their assistance comes at a time when Gillespie is fending off criticism from Latino and immigrant groups, who blast his ads about MS-13 gang violence as fear-mongering and racist. On Tuesday, Latino groups announced they would air Spanish-language radio ads in Virginia urging voters to support the Democratic ticket. “It is important for the Latino community to understand the major differences between the candidates,” Julio Laínez, State Director for America’s Voice Virginia, told WaPo. “The hateful campaign being run by Gillespie and the Virginia Republican Party aims to divide Virginians.” Meanwhile, Dem candidate Rob Northam had support from former President Barack Obama, and on Monday Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) met with a group of Latino students at George Mason University to plug Northam’s candidacy. Northam has been running ads in English and Spanish criticizing the Gillespie MS-13 ads. More here.
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Colorado May Get Their First Black Congressman
Democrat Joe Neguse just might be Colorado’s first Black member of Congress. After resigning from his job as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, the 33-year-old 2005 graduate of the University of Colorado set his sites on DC when Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) announced he’d be running for Governor. Neguse has earned the overwhelming support of the state Democratic Party and has raised more than $75,000 in the second quarter. “If there were ever a time to join the fight ... now is the time,” he says. If elected, he says he wants to see Congress put more of an emphasis on encouraging renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power. His parents came to the U.S. in 1980 as refugees from the African country of Eritrea, and says that the current administration’s drive to close the door to other immigrants is “an attack on the freedoms that we hold dear, and that includes a freedom to emigrate to this country.” More here.
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First Muslim Woman in Congress?
Will Congress ever have a Muslim woman? If Fayrouz Saad has anything to say about it, the answer is yes. She is running to fill the seat left open by Congressman Dave Trott (R-MI), who decided against a run next year. Born and raised in Dearborn, MI, Saad is the daughter of Lebanese immigrants. The 2004 University of Michigan grad worked on the John Kerry presidential campaign and then as a staffer for the late Democratic state Representative Gino Polidori. In 2009, Saad accepted an appointment by then-President Barack Obama to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. She left DHS to attend Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, where she received her Master’s in 2015. Saad recently left her post as Detroit's first Director of Immigrant Affairs in the Mayor Mike Duggan administration to prepare to face Michigan State Representative Tim Greimel, businessman Dan Haberman, and digital manufacturing executive Haley Stevens in the August 7, 2018 primary. More here.
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Koh Announces Congressional Run
Daniel Arrigg Koh formally launched his campaign Wednesday to succeed retiring Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (D-MA). Koh is one of the first names to emerge in the race and has made early waves with lightning-quick fundraising, securing an impressive $805,000 in September alone. The Harvard Business School graduate served as Chief of Staff to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh until August. Koh is of Korean and Lebanese descent, and his grandfather, Kwang Lim Koh, was acting Ambassador to the U.S. for South Korea. The younger Koh will face six Democrats in the primary, including Nadeem Mazen, Abhijit "Beej" Das, Juana Matías, Lori Trahan, Terence "Terry" Ryan, and Steve Kerrigan. More here.
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Telemundo and NBC News anchor José Díaz-Balart reporting from Chile in 1986. He still looks the same! | |  |
Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to travel in space, on her out-of-this-world journey in 1992. | |
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PR Governor and San Juan Mayor Speak Out Against Fishy Electrical Contract
Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló is requesting an audit into how Whitefish Energy, a small energy company from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s Montana hometown, won a multimillion-dollar contract to restore power to Puerto Rico. Rosselló sent a letter Wednesday to the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General’s office requesting that the office audit how the company earned the contract. In an interview with Yahoo News on Tuesday, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz said the contract was “alarming” and that the no-bid contract process raised ethical and legal questions. “The contract should be voided right away and a proper process which is clear, transparent, legal, moral, and ethical should take place,” Yulín said. The Hill reports that Whitefish later threatened to stop its work restoring power to the island over Cruz’s criticism. More here.
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Another Travel Ban
Tuesday marked the end of the 120-day ban on refugees to the U.S. Donald Trump celebrated by issuing an Executive Order that calls for a 90-day review of the program for 11 unspecified countries that the administration says are high risk. The Presidential Executive Order on Resuming the United States Refugee Admissions Program with Enhanced Vetting Capabilities additionally requires AG Jeff Sessions to provide a report on the impact refugee resettlement has “on the national security, public safety and general welfare of the United States.” It also suspends a program that permits some refugees to bring over their family members. The NYT reports that WH Chief of Staff said if it were up to him the number of refugees allowed in the country would be between zero and one. More here.
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Judge Refuses to Block Trump's Order to End Obamacare Subsidies
Judge Vince Chhabria, an Indian American and Barack Obama appointee, in California on Wednesday denied a request from 19 attorneys general across the country to force the Trump administration to resume funding of cost-sharing payments under the Affordable Care Act. The ruling leaves intact Trump’s decision earlier this month to immediately end the payments that reimburse insurers for discounts the law requires them to give lower-income customers with health plans through ACA marketplaces. The attorneys general, from 18 states and the District, were seeking a temporary order that would have maintained the funding while the rest of the case is decided. Although the case is at an early stage, and although it's a close question, it appears initially that the Trump Administration has the stronger legal argument,” Chhabria wrote. More here.
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Paris Dennard and HUD's Leah LeVell at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund's 30th Anniversary Gala on Monday night. | |  | Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (D-CA) on Tuesday speaking at the Brides March against Domestic Violence. | |
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Cleaning the Atmosphere May Soon Come with a Prize
Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) introduced legislation to create a prize competition to incentivize the development of technology that can successfully -- and more rapidly -- remove carbon from the atmosphere. “Presence of carbon in the atmosphere contributes to rising sea levels and heat waves around the globe, and we are already seeing the devastating consequences,” said Meng. The Carbon Capture Prize Act directs the Department of Energy to conduct a prize competition to incentivize the development, research, or commercialization of technology that reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. More here.
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Luján and Schatz Want a Medicaid-Based Option on the Insurance Marketplace
Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) on Wednesday introduced the State Public Option Act, bicameral legislation to create a Medicaid-based public healthcare option on the insurance marketplace. The State Public Option Act would allow states to create a Medicaid buy-in program for all state residents regardless of income, giving everyone the option to buy into a state-driven, high-quality Medicaid health insurance plan. “Our goal with this bill is simple – to expand the availability of low-cost, high-quality health plans to all Americans by establishing a state public option through Medicaid,” said Luján. “Our bill builds on a system that already works – a system that is already in place in every county in every state in the country; and a system that has built-in efficiencies. We think our approach will positively impact Americans at all income levels in all parts of the country – especially middle-class and working class families, so it is targeted at those who face some of the greatest challenges in finding affordable care.” More here.
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Cummings Teams with Bernie Sanders to Intro Bill to Lower Drug Prices
Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, along with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Congressmen Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and Peter Welch (D-VT), introduced The Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2017 to direct the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs under Medicare Part D . The members say that this is a proposal that Donald Trump backs and that 92% of the American people support. “Before and after the election, President Trump said over and over again that drug companies were ‘getting away with murder’ and that he wanted to give the government authority to negotiate lower drug prices. That’s what our bill does. I know there have been a lot of distractions with the President — a LOT of distractions. But this is what the American people want us to be working on. They are sick of the tweeting, the insults, the infighting, and all the rest of it. They want us to work together to lower drug prices, and they want action now. We are doing our part. We hope President Trump will do his,” Cummings said. More here.
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|  | Melissa Harris-Perry with husband James Perry and friends at a Winston-Salem Urban League gathering. | |  | Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (D-CA) out campaigning with CA gubernatorial candidate and State Treasurer John Chiang. | |
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Cuba Strongly Rejects Claim They’re Behind Mystery Ailments Affecting Some U.S. Diplomats
Cuban officials are flatly denying that their government has been to blame for the mysterious ailments that have felled more than two dozen U.S. diplomats in Havana, including hearing loss, nausea, and brain injury, reportedly from audio of strange, high-pitched sounds that some of the diplomats say they heard. “I can guarantee you that this is completely false,” Col. Ramiro Ramírez, the Chief of Diplomatic Security for the Cuban Interior Ministry, told NBC News in an exclusive interview. U.S. officials believe that some kind of sonic weapon was used to attack two dozen embassy staffers and relatives between last fall and this August, but Cuban officials say they don’t have that kind of technology. Trump has blamed the Havana government and has expelled nearly two-thirds of the Cuban embassy staff in DC -- and recalled 60 workers from the U.S. embassy. In a recent interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley said, “We're not saying that the Cuban government is responsible for these attacks. What we are saying is that they are able to get down to the bottom of it.” More here.
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FOMO
Today, 12:30P: Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), José Serrano (D-NY), and Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL) are among lawmakers participating in a press conference with healthcare workers to ask for more aid for Puerto Rico. HVC-215 (U.S. House Visitors Center). Today, 4P: Lobbyists and Friends Happy Hour, one last outdoor get together before the cold sets in. Dirty Habit, 555 8th Street, N.W. Today, 5:30p: A happy hour to benefit the DCCC. 777 6th Street, N.W. RSVP to: Teresa Skala at 202.741.1851 or email: skala@dccc.org Today, 5:30p: Artist Amy Sherald will give a free talk at Room 101 of the F. Ross Jones Building, Mattin Center, on the Homewood campus of Johns Hopkins University. Today, 6P: The Women's Media Awards 2017 honors María Hinojosa, April Ryan, María Elena Salinas, and Gail Tifford, and also recognizes the film Hidden Figures. Capitale, 130 Bowery St., NYC. Click here to purchase tickets Monday, October 30th (NYC) & Wednesday, November 1st (DC): The Pop-Up Magazine performances where writers, radio producers, photographers, filmmakers, and illustrators perform new, mostly reported stories in all kinds of media mixes together. Topics include politics, social issues, music, and crime, among others. Contributors include LeVar Burton, Aparna Nancherla, and Daniel Alarcón. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets. Monday, October 30th, 5:30P: The 23rd annual ADL In Concert Against Hate. This year's honorees are Gavin Grimm, Tolu Olubunmi, Ann Jaffe, and Chief Louis M. Dekmar. Kennedy Center. Click here to purchase tickets. Wednesday, November 1st, 6P: Join the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund for the launch of Staff UP Congress, a National Initiative for a Representative Congressional Workforce. Majority Group Townhouse, 19 D Street, S.E. RSVP to:bmoz@naleo.org Thursday, November 2nd, 10A: The National Action Network Legislative and Policy Conference Hill Day. Congressional Auditorium, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, First Street, NE. Thursday, November 2nd, 6P: Join the Film, Gun Violence Prevention, and Hillary for America alumni communities for a reception in support of Lucy McBath for Georgia House District 37. NYC. Click here for more information and to register. Address provided upon RSVP. Wednesday, November 15th, 8:30A: The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce sponsors a Chairman Conversation with former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, moderated by Manhattan Chamber of Commerce Chairman Ken Biberaj. New York Law School, 185 West Broadway, NYC. RSVP to: events@manhattancc.org Friday, November 17th: The 24th Annual Caribbean American Heritage Awards to honor visionaries from across the Caribbean. J.W. Marriott Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. To learn more about the Caribbean American Heritage Awards, visit: www.caribbeanheritageawards.org Sunday, November 19th: The National Portrait Gallery Second biennial American Portrait Gala, honoring former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, HIV/AIDs researcher Dr. David D. Ho; artistic director, choreographer, and dancer Bill T. Jones; film director, producer, writer, and actor Spike Lee; and multi-award-winning actress Rita Moreno. Click here for more information. Wednesday, November 29th, 8P: Join Congressman André Carson (D-IN) for JAY-Z's 4:44 Tour. Capital One Arena, 601 F Street, N.W. For more information or to RSVP, contact Courtney Hodges or Randy Broz at: 202.403.0606 or email: Courtney@ABConsultingDC.com
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