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The inevitable Senate showdown kicks into high gear as the GOP readies to do away with the 60 vote threshold, forever changing Senate rules. The certainty appears to be this -- Judge Neil Gorsuch will be confirmed to SCOTUS, and his place on the high court will definitely impact communities of color.
Donald Trump will meet with HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson today at 4:30P. Russia continues to be a looming dark cloud that has stretched from the White House to Obama’s National Security Advisor Susan Rice. More on that below. The House has its first votes around 2:15P today and last votes around 5P. The Senate got started at 10A with a planned noon vote on Elaine Duke, DHS Deputy Secretary nominee. Here's what we have for your Tuesday morning read:- Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) plugs free college for all. We've got the video.
- Michelle Obama goes natural!
- NYT's editorial board loses only woman of color to ACLU
- Mary J. Blige was honored by Silicon Valley in DC last night
- Actress Sharon Stone records a rap to pay homage to Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA). Do we have it? You know we got you! Read on...
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|  | Congresswomen Yvette Clark (D-NY) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) attend the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls Conference. | |  |
On Saturday, Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) joined the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, which hosted a Young African American Women's Conference to inspire and motivate middle and high school girls. | |  |
Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (D-CA) meets with a constituent in Compton, CA on Sunday. | |
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DOJ Haults Police Overhaul
On Monday, the DOJ asked a federal judge for more time to "review and assess" a proposed agreement to overhaul the Baltimore police department, saying it needed to determine how it might conflict with the crime-fighting agenda of new AG Jeff Sessions. Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh found the move surprising. The government's request came just hours after Sessions announced he had ordered a sweeping review of the Justice Department's interactions with local law enforcement, including such court-enforceable improvement plans with troubled police agencies. Sessions says it was necessary to ensure that these pacts do not work against the Trump administration’s goals of promoting officer safety and morale while fighting violent crime. More here.
DNC Names Woman of Color Comms Director
DNC Chair Tom Pérez has named Xochitl Hinojosa as Communications Director. She previously served as Managing Director at the Department of Labor when Pérez was Secretary. Most recently, she was Director of Coalitions Media in Brooklyn, overseeing Hispanic, Black and women’s media for the Hillary for America campaign. She graduated from the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, TX. Fun fact -- she is married to Hill veteran Eloy Martínez who is now the Senior Director of Government Relations at the American Gaming Association. More about Hinojosa here.
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CBC Tours HBCUs
On Monday, CBC Chairman Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA) announced that the CBC has launched a tour of HBCUs. Get ready to follow along on Twitter at #CBCOnTheYard. The goal of the tour is to listen, involve, and mobilize students to effect change in their communities and to get their thoughts on the direction of the country and issues that affect their lives. The CBC has already hosted tour events at Morehouse College, Xavier University, and, Howard University, with MoCs Bobby Scott (D-VA), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Hank Johnson (D-GA). More here.
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CHC Chair Makes Plea to 16 Governors
Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairwoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) sent letters to 16 Democratic governors urging them to provide immigrant communities with resources and information to better understand and cope with Trump’s hardline immigration enforcement actions. “I urge you to use every legal tool within your power to protect these families and to provide guidance and resources for immigrants as they prepare for possible separation from their families.” More here.
CHC Meets with DHS
In addition to their outreach to governors, the CHC will also meet with DHS Secretary John Kelly today on the Hill. Last week, Kelly told Senate Democrats his department's policy would not be to separate children from their mothers crossing the U.S.-Mexico border as previously understood. More here.
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Hirono Talks Gorsuch and Support of Filibuster Today
Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted against sending Neil Gorsuch's SCOTUS nomination to the full Senate. She says she'll support a filibuster of the confirmation vote that will likely trigger a historic rules change. She holds a press conference today at 4PM. More here.
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Black Republican Congressional Staff Association Doubles Numbers -- But They’re Just Getting Started
The Black Republican Congressional Staff Association is hoping to see more people in Congress who look like them, and they are starting at the staff level. “Black Republicans are few and far between here,” said Ayshia Connors, 24, who is going into her third year as the association’s president. Membership has doubled from about 25 in the last Congress, and more senior staffers are joining the group’s ranks, like chiefs of staff and communications directors, Connors said. More here.
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 | CBC Members Bobby Scott (D-VA), Greg Meeks (D-NY), Barbara Lee (D-NY), and Hank Johnson (D-GA) at a student town hall yesterday on the campus of Howard University. #CBCOnTheYard | |  |
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) welcomes a student to her DC office who will be addressing MoCs today. | |
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Tang Leaving NY Times Editorial Board for ACLU
Terry Tang, who as a Deputy Editorial Page Editor and an Asian American is the only woman of color on the New York Times masthead, is leaving April 30th to become Director of Publications at the American Civil Liberties Union. She is a graduate of Harvard, Yale, and NYU. More about Tang here.
Omarosa Postpones Wedding
Speaking of Black Republicans, Omarosa may be new to the tribe, but she is the most prominent as of late. The Trump appointee was supposed to get married on March 25th, but she has had to postpone the ceremony after she and her husband-to-be received death threats, in addition to the backlash from the church he oversees, The Sanctuary @ Mt. Calvary in Jacksonville, FL. More here.
Cardin, Cornyn Lead Bipartisan Group to Affirm Strategic Benefit of U.S.-Mexico Partnership
You may have missed it with the Senate in a Gorsuch frenzy, but late last week Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) introduced a resolution to reaffirm the obvious (because these days, it’s necessary) -- the importance of the strategic partnership between the United States and Mexico and recognize the bilateral cooperation necessary to advance both countries’ shared interests in national security, defense, and trade. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), John McCain (R-AZ), Robert Menéndez (D-NJ), and Richard Durbin (D-IL) also co-sponsored the resolution. More here.
Mexico Takes Steps to Pivot Economy Away from U.S. and Donald Trump
The senators had better move quickly. Mexican officials kick off talks with their counterparts in the European Union on Monday to update their own free trade agreement initially signed in 2000. Both sides had expressed a desire for a new agreement for years but only announced "accelerated" trade talks shortly after Trump took office. Mexican officials head to Argentina later this week for the World Economic Forum's Latin America Summit where they will likely reiterate their interest in buying more goods -- particularly corn and soy -- from Brazil and Argentina instead of the United States. More here.
Black Woman At Work: Susan Rice and National Security
The president’s unproven claim that Barack Obama wiretapped him coincided with a string of reports in conservative news media outlets that Susan E. Rice, President Obama’s national security adviser, requested the identities of Americans who were cited in intelligence reports about surveillance of foreign officials, and who were connected with Mr. Trump’s campaign or transition. Former national security officials described the requests as normal and said they were justified by the need for the president’s top security adviser to understand the context of reports sent to her by the nation’s intelligence agencies. More here.
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Michelle Obama Goes Natural
Fried, dyed, pressed, and curled. All the things women do to their hair. Not Michelle Obama. FLOTUS44 stepped out on Sunday rocking a natural and the Internet lost it. So did The Beat. In January, the Army grappled with the issue of Black women's hair as some argued that regulations put an undue burden on them. The Army's compromise is now to let women wear dreadlocks along the same guidelines already allowed for braids, cornrows, and twists. That is, they must be of uniform size and shape, evenly spaced, and up to 1/2 inch in width. No word on how the former FLOTUS' DC hair stylist Johnny Wright is caring for her tresses. But the Internet loves it. More here.
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Actress Sharon Stone Pays Homage to Aunt Maxine with a Rap Video
Actress Sharon Stone on Monday afternoon released a two-minute rap video homage to Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA). Over a reel of Waters’ greatest political hits (which Stone said she created herself), the actress intones: Say it loud, she’s black and we’re proud. / Disrespect will not be allowed. / Since ’91 she’s fought our battles with humor, grace and skill. / She’s proved a woman’s definitive place is that house on Capitol Hill. WaPo’s Helena Andrews says, “Because why not?” Do we have the video? Well, of course we do! Click the image to play. To read more from Helena, click here.
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Univision's Jorge Ramos and John Legend at Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles interviewing immigrants for a special that will air later this month. | |  |
Congresswoman Mia Love (R-UT) with the United Mine Workers Assocation on Capitol Hill last week. | |
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DCCC Hold Recruitment Meeting Today
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee leaders have already met with 255 potential candidates across 64 districts, convinced that the shifting political environment has opened new opportunities that they’ll chase in next year’s midterms. Politico reports that DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan will hold a recruitment meeting this morning. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and MoC Seth Moulton (D-MA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Anthony Brown (D-MD), and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) are expected to attend. More here.
Race to Replace Becerra Underway in CA Today
Now that former Congressman Xavier Becerra has moved on from the congressional seat he won after the retirement of CHC co-founder Edward Roybal to become California’s Attorney General, no fewer than 15 Latinos are trying to take his place, along with several other candidates. Voters in the Los Angeles area today will be faced with 24 candidates. More here.
Justice Sotomayor Out on the Town in NY
SCOTUS Justice Sonia Sotomayor visited NY State’s Court of Appeals on Monday, attending a ceremony where a portrait of retired Chief Justice Jonathan Lippman was unveiled. She went on to Albany Law School Monday evening where she received an award. Today, Sotomayor is slated to receive an honorary doctorate from the Sage Colleges. This evening, she’s scheduled to have an interactive discussion of her memoir, My Beloved World. More here.
Facebook Pushes Law Firms to Become More Diverse
Facebook is requiring that women and ethnic minorities account for at least 33 percent of law firm teams working on its matters. Numbers alone, however, are not enough, under a policy that went into effect on Saturday. Law firms must also show that they “actively identify and create clear and measurable leadership opportunities for women and minorities” when they represent the company in litigation and other legal matters. More here.
Pick Up! It’s Oprah Calling
President Barack Obama’s former Executive Director of Faith-Based and Neighborhood partnerships, Joshua Dubois, is hosting a conference call with Oprah Winfrey. His company, Values Partnerships, will join Oprah and other national community and faith leaders to discuss the upcoming HBO film The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Space is limited. RSVP here.
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Ferguson Mayoral Race
Two and a half years after the shooting death of Michael Brown catapulted Ferguson, Missouri, into the national spotlight, residents are heading into voter booths to decide whether it's time for a new leader. On Tuesday, voters in the town of about 20,000 will choose their next mayor. Mayor James Knowles III, who became the public face of the town in the weeks after Brown's death, is seeking a third three-year term. His challenger is African American Councilwoman Ella Jones. More here.
DCCC Head Says No Questions Dems Will Pick Up Seats
“It’s too early to know what’s going to happen in November of 2018, but I can tell you Democrats in the House are on offensive, and there’s no question that we will pick up seats in 2018,” said Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), who heads the DCCC. He declined to specify how many seats the party could win, acknowledging that Democrats face a “tough map” complicated by gerrymandering. More here.
Redistricting in TX
A group of plaintiffs is asking a federal court to force Texas to redraw the state's current congressional district boundaries ahead of the November 2018 elections. The three-judge panel ruled March 10th that Republicans had drawn three of the state's congressional districts with the intent to discriminate against Latino and African American voters. In its ruling, the court did not discuss any remedies to correct the problems. The plaintiffs' motion seeks to order the legislature to redraw the state's current districts in time for the 2018 midterm elections. More here.
Youngest Black State Lawmaker in America
When he's not studying for exams at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, 21-year-old Jewell Jones is representing more than 60,000 constituents in the 11th District of the Michigan House of Representatives. Jones made history last November by becoming the youngest politician ever to be elected in the state of Michigan, in a landslide victory by winning 64 percent of the vote against Republican Robert Pope. More here.
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|  | Former BET personality Rachel Baker with her husband, Paxton Baker, minority owner of the Washington Nationals, on Opening Day. The Nats went on to win 4-2. | |  |
CAP's Michele Jawando snapping a selfie this morning before talking Senate showdown on TV One's News Now. | |
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George Takei to Produce Graphic Novel on His Life
The life of George Takei has been the source material for a Broadway musical and museum exhibit, but next year, the actor and activist will take his story to a new frontier: graphic novels. Takei, known for his social media following and role in the original Star Trek television series, will publish his first graphic novel with IDW Publishing, the company announced Friday. More here.
Animal Activist Says Border Wall Environmental Catastrophe
Donald Trump’s proposed border wall has been hotly debated as a political, economic and human rights issue ever since it emerged as a signature part of his campaign platform. But it’s also a major conservation issue, Animal Planet’s wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin argues. “The impact will be huge. It will be an environmental catastrophe.” More here.
African American Billionaire and NCMAAC Donor Offers Advice
Robert F. Smith, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, is one of just a few Black billionaires in the United States. He is No. 274 on the Forbes 400 List of Richest Americans and his $20 million gift to the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) came only second to Oprah Winfrey. Recently, he spoke at the Columbia Black Business Student Association’s 35th annual conference and offered advice. Click here to get schooled (and maybe rich).
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Silicon Valley Honors Mary J. Blige in DC
On Monday night, CRM company and Intelligent Customer Success Platform celebrated recipients of its first-ever Equality Awards at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Honorees included Academy Award winner and activist Patricia Arquette, multi-Grammy Award winner Mary J. Blige, sports icon and humanitarian Billie Jean King and equal pay for equal work activist Lilly Ledbetter. Spotted -- Brandon Hall- DCPS, Head of Gov't Affairs for Silicon Valley Based Lend Up's Jotaka Eaddy, Congresswomen Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and Maxine Waters (D-CA). See pictures of the event below. More here.
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 | Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH)
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Parker Harria, Co-Founder of Tech Giant Salesforce, with Lend Up's Jotaka Eaddy | |
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NCAA Winner Says She Will Go to the White House
South Carolina’s Gamecocks win on Sunday night made NCAA women’s basketball champion head coach Dawn Staley the second African American female coach to win the championship. She said she would accept an invitation to the White House if it came up. "It’s what national champions do. We’ll go to the White House.” More here.
The Beast of the East Back at Georgetown
Patrick Ewing will take over the head coaching responsibilities at Georgetown University, where he played in the ’80s. He assumes the position that was left vacant after John Thompson III, son of Ewing’s former coach John Thompson Jr., was fired. Is there a political angle here? No. But that’s all you DC politicos were talking about yesterday. So here ya go. More here.
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Musician and activist John Legend joined Roland Martin on NewsOne Now to discuss his criminal justice reform campaign, #FreeAmerica. | |  |
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) on Monday unveiled a legislative plan for tuition-free public colleges to lift the burden of "crushing debt." | |
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FOMO
(Fear of Missing Out) Have any receptions, fundraisers, policy roundtables happening? Send us the deets. We'll include. If it's invite only, we'll give just enough to inspire a few hundred cases of FOMO. Hit us at info@TheBeatDC. Wednesday, April 5th, 12P: The 2044 Leadership Council hosts Lunch with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). Email Rochelle@DSCC.org for details.
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