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A gunman left 26 people dead and 20 wounded yesterday when he targeted a church in the middle of its Sunday services. Will this be the incident that brings about meaningful gun control legislation? Not likely. During a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, Donald Trump said, “This was a very deranged individual … We have a lot of mental health problems in our country, as do other countries. This isn’t a guns situation.” When compared to 22 other high-income nations, the United States' gun-related murder rate is 25 times higher. On the Hill, the Ways and Means Committee begins what will be a multi-day markup of the GOP's tax reform bill. And Donald Trump continues his Asia tour, departing Tokyo and heading to the Republic of Korea. Lastly, here’s some Blue Magic to kick off the week. JAY-Z is set to receive the Salute to Industry Icons Award at the 2018 pre-Grammys Gala. The 60th-anniversary show is set to take place at Madison Square Garden on January 28th. There’s a lot to get to. We’re kicking off Monday with this... - Obama Foundation adds new members to its Board of Directors.
- Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) asks for floor vote on DREAM Act.
- Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) intro bill on sex trafficking.
- SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas talks Anita Hill, NMAAHC, and race.
- DNC’s Tom Pérez and Keith Ellison speak out as more details from Donna Brazile’s bombastic book emerge.
- Barack Obama writes to Americans upset about current political climate.
- Meet the new VP for the Campaign For Black Male Achievement.
- Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-OH) names new Comms Director.
- See what Eric Holder has to do with Colin Kaepernick’s NFL grievance.
- Steve Harvey continues to face fallout after meeting with Donald Trump.
- FCC Chairman Aji Pai looking to cut program that helps low-income phone and internet users.
- Sharon Epperson returns to CNBC.
- Oprah honored by Elie Wiesel Foundation.
- Public TV highlights Native American Month.
- Telemundo chief César Conde honored.
- Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA) calls out Emmys on lack of diversity.
- Apple investor pushes company to increase diversity among top ranks.
- TPS for Central Americans and Haitians could disappear.
- Lawmakers push DOJ on transgender rights.
- Racist flyers circulate in NJ mayoral race.
- Former Congresswoman Corrine Brown’s second request for sentencing delay denied.
- Holiday festivities are ramping up! Hit us up at info@thebeatdc.com with details of your gatherings and keep an eye on FOMO.
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|  | John Legend with Sherrilyn Ifill, President & Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and her daughters on Saturday at the Annual National Equal Justice Award Dinner. | |  |
Author and TV host Gaby Natale with TV host and producer Pili Montilla getting ready to speak at the Voto Latino Power Summit. | |
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Meet the New Members of the Obama Foundation Board of Directors
The Obama Foundation has announced four new additions to its Board of Directors, including Common's mom: Dr. Mahalia Hines, Board President of the Common Ground Foundation. Dr. Hines has worked in the education field for more than 35 years as a teacher and principal. She received her doctorate from the University of Illinois, Master's from Northeastern University, and Bachelor's from Central State University. Also on the board is Juan Salgado, Chancellor of City Colleges of Chicago. Through the Instituto del Progreso Latino, which Salgado led from 2001-2017, he worked with members of the low-income, Latino immigrant communities on Chicago’s Southwest side. Salgado received an A.A. from Moraine Valley Community College, a B.A. from Illinois Wesleyan University, and a M.U.P. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Penny Pritzker, former Commerce Secretary and Founder and Chairman of PSP Capital, and Glenn Hutchins, Co-Founder of North Island and Co-Founder of Silver Lake will also serve on the board. All four will join current members John Doerr, Thelma Golden, former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, David Plouffe, J. Kevin Poorman, John Rogers, Michael Sacks, Julianna Smoot, Maya Soetoro-Ng, and Robert Wolf. Marty Nesbitt is the Chairman of the Board. More here.
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Ros-Lehtinen Calls for Floor Vote on DREAM Act
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) took to the House floor late last week to urge her GOP colleagues to bring the DREAM Act -- which she introduced with Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) to provide a pathway to legalization for nearly 800,000 "Dreamers" -- to the floor for a vote. Noting that there are only 21 legislative days left on the House calendar, Ros-Lehtinen said, "Let’s do what’s right for these young immigrants because they are already Americans in their hearts and minds. Let’s bring the DREAM Act for a vote so that these young professionals can make their American dream a reality. The clock is ticking." Watch the clip here.
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Cortez Masto and Harris Team to Stop Sex Trafficking
Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)and Kamala Harris (D-CA) are supporting legislation to give victims and state officials more power to go after websites that promote or benefit from online sex trafficking. The Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act would reverse the immunity from being sued or prosecuted that Internet companies have had for years when it comes to third-party content on their sites. "These companies knowingly profit off the pain of others and must be held accountable," the Senators said in a statement. "This legislation ensures victims receive their day in court and empowers state attorneys general to seek justice." The bill challenges the long-held position by Internet companies that they shouldn’t be liable for content they host. The Internet Association, a trade group representing a range of web-based companies, testified in September against the bill, arguing the legislation was too broad and could bring unsustainable legal liability. More here.
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Thomas Takes Rare Interview and Talks Anita Hill Controversy, NMAAHC, and Current Racial Climate
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas gave his former law clerk, Fox News personality Laura Ingraham, a rare interview. When asked about his contentious confirmation hearings, which included explosive accusations of sexual assault by Anita Hill, Thomas said, "I don't think anyone would choose to go through unpleasantness, but if it has to be that, to do what is right, then so be it." Ingraham also pressed Thomas about the controversy concerning NFL player protests. While Thomas didn’t directly address it, he expressed concern about the current climate versus growing up in the segregated South. "What binds us? What do we all have in common anymore? I think we have to think about that." When asked if he cared about his delayed feature at NMAAHC, Thomas said, "Not really, people who cared about me obviously did. I grew up in a time when I was just exposed to a wonderful range of ideas in a segregated library... I think we're getting quite comfortable in our society limiting ideas and exposure to ideas." Watch his interview here.
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CNN's Don Lemon enjoying a weekend camping trip with Tim Malone. | |  |
Women's March organizers Linda Sarsour and Carmen Perez wishing Colin Kaepernick a happy birthday in NYC. | |
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Brazile Considered Replacing Clinton and Kaine with Biden and Booker
WaPo got an advanced look at Donna Brazile’s new book, Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-Ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House. She reveals that she secretly considered using her powers to possibly remove Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine from the Dem ticket after Clinton’s collapse at the September 11th memorial ceremony. She considered then-VP Joe Biden and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). "I thought of Hillary, and all the women in the country who were so proud of and excited about her. I could not do this to them," and then killed the idea. Brazile also goes into the disrespect she faced from top Clinton aides, including a conference call with three senior campaign officials -- Charlie Baker, Marlon Marshall, and Dennis Cheng -- where she told them she was being treated like a slave. "I’m not Patsy the slave," Brazile said. "Y’all keep whipping me and whipping me and you never give me any money or any way to do my damn job. I am not going to be your whipping girl!" Sit down, put on a pot of tea, and get ready to sip. Read more from WaPo here.
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DNC’s Pérez and Ellison Respond to Donna Brazile’s Claims
Responding to Donna Brazile's claim in her new book that the 2016 primary was "rigged" in favor of Hillary Clinton, DNC Chairman Tom Pérez said the joint fundraising agreements were the same for both Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). In a note to DNC members, Pérez wrote, "Our understanding was that the DNC offered all of the presidential campaigns the opportunity to set up a JFA and work with the DNC to coordinate on how those funds were used to best prepare for the general election.” He followed it up with another note on Saturday saying, “I will ensure that any and all joint fundraising agreements will be transparent, including the new Democratic Grassroots Victory Fund agreements we’ve developed with all 50 state parties. This is the first time the DNC has signed joint fundraising agreements like this so early and before the mid-term elections.” Nonetheless, DNC Vice Chairman Keith Ellison said Brazile's account cannot simply be dismissed. "We must heed the call for our party to enact real reforms that ensure a fair, open and impartial nominating process in elections to come. I'm committed to working with Chairman Perez to make the DNC more transparent and accountable to the American people, whether that's by ensuring that debates are scheduled far ahead of time or by guaranteeing that the terms of joint fundraising agreements give no candidate undue control or influence over the party." More here.
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Obama Writes Letter to Americans
Millions of people feel frustrated with the current political environment, and to cope, some write former President Barack Obama. He receives so many letters from worried Americans that he has responded. In an open letter, 44 writes: “Our country’s progress has never followed a straight line — for every two steps forward, it often feels like we take one step back. But I hope you’ll remember that the long sweep of America is defined by forward motion, and the course we chart from here depends on no one person alone." Obama currently accepts correspondence on his website and at his office via regular mail. Yahoo News received the letter from Obama after sending him a series of interview questions. “Our destiny will be decided the same way it always has been: by all of us; by we, the people: by selfless and engaged citizens who step forward and speak out to guard the values that make us who we are — not just when there’s an election, but every day,” Obama wrote. More here.
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|  | Dr. Aaron Stills, Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, and Dr. Ivory Toldson at Howard University on Friday. | |  | Symone Sanders with VA Lieutenant Governor candidate Justin Fairfax. | |
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Campaign for Black Male Achievement Names New VP
The Campaign For Black Male Achievement (CBMA) announced Felecia Webb as its new VP of Development. She will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies for growing CBMA’s annual budget, and also leading the organization’s fundraising and communications efforts. Prior to CBMA, the NY native served as VP of Development in the field of HIV/AIDS and community health. Before that, Webb worked with Ralph Lauren for twelve years as a Senior Director, serving in diverse roles in development. She holds a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from Parsons -- The New School for Design, and a Master's of Public Policy and Administration from New York University. More here.
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Fudge Names New Comms Director
Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-OH) has named Ajashu Thomas as her new Communications Director. Prior to joining Fudge’s office, the UNC-Chapel Hill graduate served in the Obama administration at the Department of Transportation as Director of Digital Strategy. Prior to her DOT appointment in 2015, Ajashu worked on congressional races in Virginia, South Carolina, and New Jersey, including then-Mayor Cory Booker’s successful 2013 campaign for Senate. She also has previous Capitol Hill experience as Press Secretary for former North Carolina Congressman Brad Miller. More here.
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|  | Congressman Al Green (D-TX) singing the National Anthem at the Alief International Parade in Houston. | |  | Peace Corps' Ashley Bell with commentator Katrina Pierson, Omarosa, and HUD's Lynne Patton enjoying a night on the town in DC. | |
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Kaepernick’s NFL Grievance Loops Eric Holder, Donald Trump, and Papa John's
The NFL is preparing to fight Colin Kaepernick’s grievance. An NFL source familiar with discovery requests made this week told Yahoo Sports that “agitation” over the Kaepernick grievance is already building within the league’s legal department, which is building a defense hand-in-hand with heavy-hitting international law firm Covington & Burling -- home to former AG Eric Holder. Holder tweeted a photo in September of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on a knee with the caption: “Taking a knee is not without precedent Mr. President. Those who dared to protest have helped bring positive change.” Hence, it’s safe to say Holder's not working on this case. The source also said league lawyers fielded a slew of discovery requests this week, including depositions or records requests involving NFL owners, teams or coaches. Among them: deposition and records requests for Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Houston Texans owner Bob McNair, San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York, and Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. The source said that communications with or about Donald Trump could become a bigger focus, and that it is possible that communications between Jones and Papa John’s CEO John Schnatter could become a part of the grievance discovery. More here.
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Steve Harvey Still Paying for Trump Meeting
Comedian Steve Harvey said meeting with Donald Trump was the worst mistake of his life. Back in January, the TV personality said that after their meeting, Trump got then-HUD Secretary nominee Dr. Ben Carson on the phone to “begin dialog in looking for programs and housing to help our inner cities." You know -- because Steve Harvey is a housing policy expert (he’s not). He added that the then-president-elect "seems very open to my mentoring efforts across the country." But here’s the kicker: "I walked away feeling like I had just talked with a man who genuinely wants to make a difference in this area. I feel that something really great could come out of this," Harvey said. "I would sit with him anytime." His one-time faithful audience has not forgotten these words. Since then, the ratings for Harvey's game show Family Feud took a dip, and the audience for his variety show Little Big Shots dropped almost by half. The ratings and reviews for his new show Steve have been less than stellar after the show premiered on September 5th. A report claims the poor numbers reflect backlash from Harvey’s Black audience after his Donald Trump meeting. More here.
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Ajit Pai Aims to Cut Lifeline
FCC Chair Ajit Pai is aiming to impose new caps on funding for Lifeline, a program to assist lower-income people to afford phone, cellular, and internet access. The Lifeline program imposes small fees on phone bills to pay for $9.25/month subsidies of low-income Americans’ telecoms bills. The payments are made to approved service providers, not the individual customers. Last year, Pai’s predecessor Tom Wheeler expanded Lifeline, which previously only subsidized phones, to allow the payments to apply towards broadband charges. In a proposal filed last week, Pai seeks to implement a “self-enforcing budget cap” on Lifeline. The proposal does not specify what the limit on spending through Lifeline would be, but Pai wrote that, “We intend for the program to automatically make adjustments in order to maintain the cap in the event the budget is exceeded.” More here.
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Sharon Epperson Returns to CNBC
CNBC Senior Personal Finance Correspondent Sharon Epperson is back on the air after a 13-month absence from television news. On September 21, 2016, Epperson was exercising before work when she began suffering a severe headache. She was rushed to the hospital and was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. She underwent emergency surgery, spent two weeks in the ICU, and endured months of exhaustive rehabilitation, including learning to walk again. “My experience only emphasizes what I’ve been reporting all along. We not only need a Plan A for our financial goals, but also a real Plan B for life’s curve balls so we don’t have to experience financial ruin. A traumatic event – whether it is a disability, divorce, accident or loss of life – can and will be a financial disaster if you’re not prepared,” she said. Epperson has covered personal finance in a column for USA Weekend magazine, and her writing has also appeared in Essence magazine, The Boston Globe, WaPo, WSJ, and Self magazine. More here.
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|  | Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA) with former First Lady Laura Bush and Afghan First Lady Rula Ghani. | |  | Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA) on Saturday in his district meeting with veterans. | |
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Oprah Honored by Elie Wiesel Foundation
The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity presented its inaugural Legacy Award to Oprah Winfrey at the Foundation's annual dinner last week in NYC. The award recognized Winfrey's efforts to carry on the work, message, and legacy of Elie Wiesel through her commitment to humanitarian service. Founded by Elie Wiesel, the Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize recipient who died in 2016, and his wife Marion, the Foundation seeks to combat intolerance through international dialogue and youth-focused programs. "Elie Wiesel was a hero to me, a mentor, and a friend; and that's not a word I use lightly, 'friend.' He was truly a friend. So to have my name and my legacy linked to his in this way carries weight," Oprah said.
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Public Television Honors Native American Heritage Month
Documentary films presenting rich and varied stories of the Native American experience are premiering on public television to honor Native American Heritage Month. Two documentaries focusing on Native American youth, supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting through Vision Maker Media, are making their public television debuts on WORLD Channel, a 24/7 multicast public television channel airing in more than 60% of the U.S. More here.
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Telemundo Chief Honored
César Conde, chairman of NBCUniversal International Group and NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, was given the Frank Stanton Award by the Center for Communication at its annual lunch last Friday. The lunch followed a roast format. Noticiero Telemundo anchor Jose Díaz-Balart, actor/singer Carlos Ponce, and CAA agent Christy Haubegger took part in the roasting. Conde oversees a lively slate at Telemundo, which will feature more than 850 hours of original multi-platform content in 2017-2018, including a virtual reality experience for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the first-ever Hispanic Snapchat show, and content collaborations with BuzzFeed. More here.
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|  | Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) in her district on Saturday at the unveiling of a new playground. | |  | Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH) early voting on Saturday. | |
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Johnson Calls Out Emmys on Lack of Latinos
Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA), Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus for Advancement of Studio, Talent and Film Diversity, said September's Emmy awards highlighted a glaring issue of Latino marginalization. "I understand that the Emmys occur after all the casting choices have been made, but because the Emmys represent the best in television, we need to join together and address the front end problem," Johnson wrote late last month to Maury McIntyre, President and COO of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Johnson said that McIntyre phoned him immediately after receiving the letter. “I appreciate our call and look forward to continued, open dialogue to achieve diversity for everyone, no matter their sex, race or national origin,” Johnson said in a statement released on Friday. Co-Chairs Johnson, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Raul Ruíz (D-CA) founded the Caucus in June with an aim "to focus on increasing further opportunities for representation of minorities in the film and television industries." Last year, Johnson and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI) asked the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to follow through on a pledge to diversify membership after the 2016 Oscars featured all-white nominees in the acting categories. More here.
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Apple Asks SEC to Block Diversity Effort
For the second year in a row, Apple investor Tony Maldonado submitted a shareholder proposal asking that the company "adopt an accelerated recruitment policy ... to increase the diversity of senior management and its board of directors." Apple replied by asking the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to authorize its exclusion. The SEC is expected to rule on the request before Apple’s shareholder meeting next February. If approved, Apple would have to prioritize diversity at the top levels of its organization. Maldonado says that could include tying executive pay to diversity goals, as Intel and Microsoft have done, or adopting a board refreshment policy, requiring the company to regularly explore potential new board members from diverse backgrounds. "Some of the excuses given by Apple and others — there's not sufficient people in the pipeline, this and that," says Maldonado. "Excuse my language, it's bullshit." At Apple’s top executive level, only five of 107 employees are Hispanic or Black, while 73 are white men. More here.
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Big Oil’s Diversity Problem
People of color are grossly underrepresented across much of the oil industry, compared with the U.S. workforce as a whole. One example is the category "oil and gas extraction," where Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers show that African Americans make up only 6.2% in the oil industry. NPR reports that few people at the top of the oil business want to make diversity a priority. Big oil companies like Chevron and ExxonMobil spend millions promoting science and math to children around the world -- in part hoping that it will lead to a more diverse workforce. At colleges, those companies recruit women and minorities and then offer them mentors. Ray Dempsey (pictured), Chief Diversity Officer at BP America, says "There's data that you can find from many, many sources that talk about how much difference a more diverse and a more inclusive workforce can make on your fundamental business outcomes." Dempsey says executives already embrace diversity. The focus these days is on middle managers, where the hiring and firing happens. He says there are other things about the oil industry that are difficult to change, like where the oil or gas is located. Dempsey says it's often in remote places, "versus the urban centers where minorities — communities of color — tend to be and, frankly, where people from those communities tend to want to live and to work." Dempsey adds that the industry needs to do more to make rural places welcoming to people of color. More here.
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|  | Southeast Asia Resource Action Center's Quyen Dinh, journo and activist Helen Zia, and APALA National President Monica Thammarath after receiving awards at the 2017 National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum annual fundraiser. | |  | NYT's Helene Calista enjoying her time in Paris. | |
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Tillerson Moves to Send Haitians, Central Americans Back to Dangerous Conditions
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week sent a letter to Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke to inform her that conditions in Central America and Haiti that had been used to justify protection from deportation for more than 300,000 immigrants in the United States no longer warrant a reprieve for them, some of whom have been allowed to live and work in the United States for 20 years under a program known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Under the program, TPS recipients are exempt from deportation when fleeing natural disasters, wars, and other conditions that prevent their safe return. Immigrants from several Central American countries were granted TPS after Hurricane Mitch devastated the region in 1998. Haiti was granted TPS in 2010 after a deadly earthquake. Last Friday, Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) introduced legislation to protect from deportation those individuals who currently receive TPS and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED). Velázquez’s bill would ensure that individuals who have resided in the U.S. under these programs for a period of at least three years can remain in the country and pursue a path to naturalization. “Those in the TPS program are some of our most vulnerable neighbors who have fled natural disasters and political conflict at great personal risk,” said Velázquez. “It would be inhumane to force these families and individuals who have built lives in the U.S. to abruptly leave.” DHS must announce by today what it plans to do with 57,000 Hondurans and 2,500 Nicaraguans whose TPS expires in January. The deadline for an announcement on 60,000 Haitians is Nov. 23rd, and DHS has until January to issue a ruling about an additional 200,000 TPS holders from El Salvador. More here.
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Harris, Murray, and Franken Push DOJ on Transgender Rights
Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Al Franken (D-MN) led 44 of their colleagues on Thursday and urged the DOJ to reinstate its interpretation of existing civil rights law to prohibit anti-transgender discrimination. In a letter dated Nov. 2nd, the Senate Democrats insist Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace, also applies to discrimination against transgender workers. The letter urges the reversal of an October 4th memo signed by AG Jeff Sessions asserting Title VII “does not prohibit discrimination based on gender identity per se.” As the letter points out, the Sessions memo reverses an earlier memo former AG Eric Holder issued in 2014 under the Obama administration affirming Title VII “encompasses discrimination based on gender identity, including transgender status.” More here.
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Matsui Bill Aims to Restructure HHS
Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced a bipartisan bill with Congressman Billy Long (R-MO) that would reorganize cybersecurity leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services. The HHS Cybersecurity Modernization Act would give the department’s chief the authority to designate a person primarily responsible for information security. That person would report directly to the Secretary. Under the current HHS leadership structure, the Chief Information Security Officer reports to the Chief Information Officer. If passed, the bill would encourage HHS “to implement the appropriate internal infrastructure that will ensure the agency is prepared to lead the healthcare industry in cybersecurity,” Matsui said in a statement. In addition to restructuring HHS leadership, the bill would require the agency to submit a report detailing its internal response to cybersecurity threats. More here.
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Serrano and González-Colón Want Disaster Areas to Rebuild Smart Energy Systems
Congressman José Serrano (D-NY) and Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR) on Friday introduced the Rebuilding Resilient Energy Systems Act of 2017 which would allow disaster funding, authorized by the Stafford Act, to be used to rebuild more resilient and efficient energy systems for major disaster or emergency-designated areas during 2017. The bill would help states and territories affected by this year’s hurricane season, including Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to rebuild energy systems in a sustainable, smart way. “This timely bill will help disaster-affected areas to rebuild a key infrastructure system looking towards the future, rather than being forced to rebuild to the past,” said Serrano. González-Colón stated, “It helps the states and territories—including Puerto Rico—rebuild their energy systems in a smarter and more efficient manner, thereby preventing total power blackouts the next time a hurricane hits any of these areas, and ends up saving taxpayers’ money.” Read more here.
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|  | Congressman Joaquín Castro (D-TX) and Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) enjoying some downtime watching the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs. | |  | CA congressional candidate Sam Jammal and actress Diane Guerrero on Saturday at a Latino Victory reception. | |
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Racist Flyers Surface in Hoboken Mayoral Race
In Hoboken, NJ, racist flyers began to circulate on Friday night falsely linking a mayoral candidate with terrorism. Ravi Bhalla posted a photo of the flyer on Facebook. It has a picture of Bhalla, a Sikh, with the words “Don’t let TERRORISM take over our Town!” directly above him. “Of course, this is troubling, but I want to be clear: We won’t let hate win in Hoboken,” Bhalla wrote on Facebook. “I want people to know that Hoboken is a welcoming community where my wife and I are proud to raise our two young children.” Bhalla is the first Sikh elected to the Hoboken City Council. After serving for eight years, the 44-year-old NJ native launched a bid for mayor, saying, “it’s also an opportunity as an Asian American to uplift our community in a collective sense as well.” We first told you about Bhalla in July. He attended UC Berkeley for his undergraduate education, pursued his Master's at the London School of Economics, and earned a law degree from Tulane Law School. He credits Barack Obama’s candidacy as the inspiration that led him to run for office. More here.
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The Path to Mayor of NYC Had to Pass Through Hakeem Jeffries
A NYT article details how NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s path to a second term as mayor had to get the blessing of Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). The two met the night before Thanksgiving last year for a private dinner at a restaurant in Brooklyn. It was a chance for di Blasio to size up Jeffries -- the most threatening challenger to his re-election. They never spoke explicitly about the potential for a head-on collision. “It was beneath the surface,” Jeffries recalled in an interview, “but was never put on the table.”Within weeks, Jeffries would be elevated to the House Democratic leadership by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and forgo running for mayor in order to stay in DC for the national fight. “It became clear to me that New York City was strong enough to survive another four years of Bill de Blasio, whether you like him or not,” Jeffries said. “It is not clear to me that the country can survive four years of Donald Trump.” More here.
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Janet Murguía from UnidosUS with Renata Soto and Juan Salgado at a UnidosUS regional meeting in Chicago. | |  |
Voto Latino’s María Teresa Kumar with Oscar Silva of Battleground Texas, and Austin, TX Mayor Steve Adler at the Voto Latino Power Summit. | |
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New FBI Files on MLK
A newly released 20-page FBI analysis from 1968 of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was included in the latest government files about President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, which the National Archives released Friday. Historians say much of the explosive allegations in the document are neither new nor true. The FBI, armed with informant reports about King’s alleged communist ties, had used invasive surveillance operations throughout the 1960s to collect troves of information on King. The efforts to pin King as a communist came at a time when the country was still reeling from fears of communist subversion. The documents says more about then FBI-Director J. Edgar Hoover’s personal hostility against King, whom he had sought to publicly discredit. The animosity between King and Hoover intensified in April 1964, after King said the FBI was “completely ineffectual in resolving the continued mayhem and brutality inflicted upon the Negro in the deep South.” Months later, Hoover said at a news conference that King was the “most notorious liar in the country.” These revelations come at a time when the FBI’s counterterrorism division declared that Black identity extremists pose a growing threat of premeditated violence against law enforcement. Government officials and legal experts said no such movement exists, and some expressed concern that the term is part of a politically motivated effort to find an equivalent threat to white supremacists. More here from WaPo.
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Judge Denies Corrine Brown’s Second Sentencing Delay Request
A federal judge on Friday denied former Congresswoman Corrine Brown's second request to delay her sentencing, saying all the concerns she raised were solvable. Her attorney James Smith had asked to move the hearing to February. “While Ms. Brown’s latest motion raises additional issues that she contends warrant a continuance, they are all matters that can be readily addressed at the sentencing hearing,” U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan wrote. The ruling means Brown’s sentencing hearing for her 18 felony convictions remains scheduled for November 16th. More here.
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| FOMO
Tuesday, November 7th, 6P: A reception in support of MA congressional candidate State Representative Juana Matías. 306 3rd Street, S.E. Click here to RSVP.
Thursday, November 9th, 4P: Elevating Our Voices in Advancing Racial Equity, co-hosted by Gates Asians in Philanthropy and the Metro DC chapter of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, to hear insights from AAPI leaders with varying experiences and perspectives. Gates Foundation, 1300 I Street, N.W., Suite 200. Click here to register.
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. NY Law School, 385 West Broadway, NYC. RSVP to: events@manhattancc.org
Wednesday, November 15th, 8:30A: The 8th Virginia Immigrant Summit. Immigrant rights advocates, partners, supporters, and allies serving the immigrant population gather to discuss and strategize on issues impacting the VA immigrant community. Faith Lutheran Church, 3313 Arlington Blvd, Arlington. Click here to register. 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
Saturday, November 18th, 9A: Puerto Rican Diaspora Summit - Washington, DC, a conference to discuss policy issues and responses to Puerto Rico's economic and humanitarian crises from the perspective of Puerto Ricans and other stakeholders in the DC area. UDC Student Center, 4200 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Click here to register.
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
Wednesday, December 6th, 6P: The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute holiday reception in honor of retiring Hispanic members of Congress. Library of Congress, Madison Hall, 101 Independence Avenue, S.E.
Saturday, December 16th, 8P: The National Black MBA DC Chapter Annual Holiday Party. Hard Rock Cafe, 999 E Street, N.W. Click here to purchase tickets.
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