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POTUS is set to deliver his farewell address to the nation from Chicago tomorrow evening. Meanwhile on the same day, confirmation hearings will begin for John Kelly -- Trump’s pick to lead Homeland Security, and Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), who is hoping to become the next attorney general. On Wednesday, confirmation hearings continue. However, cable news will have to decide on split screens to cover that and the president-elect’s long-awaited press conference where Trump will have the opportunity to address a litany of challenges facing his incoming administration, including the now confirmed Russian hacks, his businesses and the many conflicts of interests, the GOP’s plan to replace Obamacare, and questions concerning his ability to start governing the country in just ten days when he will officially become the 45th president of the United States. He's already preparing for the highest office in the land by sending insulting tweets to Meryl Streep after her speech at last night's Golden Globes. It’s going to be a busy week and, undoubtedly, an eventful four years. Here’s your Monday read…
The Hearings Begin: Six on the Same Day
The Senate is set to hold confirmation hearings this week for six of President-elect Trump’s Cabinet picks. The nominees preparing to go in front of the Senate on Wednesday are: Congressman Mike Pompeo (R-KS) for CIA director, Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education, Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State, and Elaine Chao for Secretary of Transportation. On Thursday, HUD nominee Dr. Ben Carson is at the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee while Commerce nominee Wilbur Ross is at Senate Commerce. Next week, it will be Labor nominee Andy Puzder at Senate Commerce. Democrats are hoping to slow-walk the confirmation process and give the incoming president’s nominees a thorough public vetting. Republicans are using two unconventional weapons -- time and attention span -- to rebuff them. Up first tomorrow: John Kelly for Secretary of Homeland Security and, arguably, the most controversial: Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) for attorney general. More here.
Sessions on Immigration
Sessions will face no shortage of questions at his confirmation hearing, particularly about his alleged past racist comments, his prosecution of civil rights activists, and his views on voting rights and same-sex marriage. But civil liberties advocates say his views on immigration worry them just as much because of the role the Justice Department plays in dealing with those who come to the U.S. from other countries, and because of the constitutionally questionable policies Trump has suggested that his Justice Department would likely implement. More here.
Trump’s Long Awaited Press Conference
President-elect Trump has not held a full news conference since late July and canceled one in mid-December where he was supposed to address the issue of his business interests. Now he is scheduled to hold one on Wednesday, the same day six of his nominees will be going through confirmation hearings in the Senate.
So…Who’s Paying for the Wall?
Trump is expected to ask Congress to provide the initial funding for the massive border wall project, estimated to cost between $12 billion and $38 billion. Once construction gets underway, Trump has said he will demand reimbursement from the Mexican government, even though Mexican officials have said they will refuse to cooperate. More here.
Trump Appoints Indian American to Key White House Position
President-elect Trump appointed Raj Shah, who played a leading role in the Republican Party’s anti-Clinton effort during the campaign, to a key White House position. Shah, whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from India, has been appointed as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Communications Director and Research Director. Shah, who is in his early 30s, is currently head of opposition research at the Republican National Committee. More here.
Short Inaugural Parade
The Presidential Inaugural Committee has signaled that this year’s parade could be significantly shorter. Alex Stroman, deputy director of communications for the committee, told Breitbart News that attendees can expect a 60- to 90-minute parade. Obama’s first parade stretched for over two hours. More here.
An Inauguration Salute to African American Leaders
A Salute to African American Leaders will honor African Americans who have been appointed to Trump’s administration, the presidential Transition team, and the presidential Inaugural staff. The event will take place Wednesday, January 18th, from 7:30P to 11:30P at the Watergate Hotel. For RSVP information, click here.
Trump Dumps Inaugural Parade Announcer of Past 60 Years
Trump is choosing not to use Charles Brotman, 89, to announce his inaugural parade -- breaking with decades of tradition that began with Brotman's first inaugural gig for Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957. Brotman says he was “heartbroken” to learn he wouldn't be announcing what would have been his 12th inaugural parade. More here.
Alternative Inaugural Events
The Beat and The Raben Group present Diversity: Celebrating What Makes America Great, taking place on Tuesday, January 17th, at the Blind Whino. This is an invite-only event.
The Busboys and Poets Peace Ball will take place on January 19th at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and is organized by Busboys and Poets featuring Solange, Angela Davis, Danny Glover, Alice Walker, Van Jones, Eve Ensler, Esperanza Spalding, Ben Jealous, Melissa Harris-Perry, and Ashley Judd, among others.
POTUS Farewell Speech
President Obama will give his farewell speech tomorrow at Chicago's McCormick Place, followed by a reunion and celebration for past and current staffers. The speech will be livestreamed and available to view online and on White House social media channels. The WH asks that you share your own reflections on the last eight years and what you hope to see in the future by using the hashtag #YesWeCan. More here.
The After Party
After POTUS delivers his farewell speech, the cool kids will head to Chicago's Velvet Lounge to attend an invite-only after party hosted by Heather Foster, Michael Blake, Josh and Michelle Dubois, Quentin and Stefanie James, Michael Strautmanis, Tamia Booker, Rick Wade, Kurt Summers, and Jillian Semaan.
What Will We See from FLOTUS Post WH
First Lady Michelle Obama will have a choice to make: Once she leaves the WH, should she start -- or rather, resume -- speaking in public with her fuller voice? WaPo takes a deeper look at the wife, mother, and woman she is and who she may become in the next few years. Read here.
Traveling May Become Cheaper- #ThanksObama
In the final report before the end of his term in office, President Obama’s National Economic Council lashed out against “hidden fees” charged by airlines, hotels and other businesses. The council, comprised of various department and agency heads within Obama’s administration, said fees that are not readily disclosed make it hard for consumers to pick the lowest price in air fares, hotel rates and other services. More here.
Sewell Recommended for Ways & Means
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi announced the House Democratic Steering Committee has recommended to the Democratic Caucus that Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL), Congressman Brian Higgins (NY), and Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA) be appointed to the House Ways & Means Committee. The Caucus is expected to consider these picks this week.
Bill Targeting H-1B Visas Reintroduced in Congress
A bill backing key changes in the H-1B program that allows skilled workers from other countries to fill high-tech jobs in the U.S. has been re-introduced in Congress by two lawmakers who claim that it will help crack down on work visa abuse. The "Protect and Grow American Jobs Act" was re-introduced on Jan. 4th by Congressmen Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Scott Peters (D-CA).
Congressman Lacy Clay and the Controversial Painting
A controversial painting that depicts police officers as animals was removed Friday from a Capitol Hill wall by Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) following complaints that it was offensive. Joe Kasper, chief of staff for the congressman, said Hunter personally took down the painting and delivered it to the Washington office of Congressman William Lacy Clay (D-MO), who had sponsored the student competition won by the painting’s creator. More here.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in the U.S.
Against the objections of Chinese officials, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Sunday during her much-scrutinized trip to the U.S. and Central America. President Ing-wen, who rattled mainland China by phoning the president-elect last month, will be in San Francisco next weekend, at the end of the nine-day trip. More here.
DNC Debates
The dates and moderators for the DNC events related to the upcoming election of DNC officers that will be live streamed, are: January 14th in Phoenix moderated by Jon Ralston of the Nevada Independent; Jan. 28th in Houston moderated by Evan Smith of the Texas Tribune; Feb. 4th in Detroit moderated by Ron Fournier, editor of Crain's Detroit Business; On Feb. 11th in Baltimore moderated by April Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks. More here.
Sam’s Club CEO to Leave Wal-Mart Next Month
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Friday that the chief executive of Sam’s Club will leave the company next month. After five years in the role, Rosalind Brewer is the longest-serving CEO of Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart’s wholesale chain. She is the first female African American chief executive at the company, and her departure leaves no women or people of color with a CEO title at Wal-Mart. More here.
Rockefeller Foundation Picks Rajiv J. Shah, a Trustee, as President
Rajiv J. Shah, who until recently had been the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, is the new president of the Rockefeller Foundation, one of the country’s largest and most influential philanthropies. The appointment will make Shah one of the most powerful forces in charitable giving, overseeing a foundation that donates roughly $200 million each year and corrals governments, companies and organizations to contribute money and resources in tandem Congrats, Rajiv! More here.
Univision Will Not Back Down
Daniel Coronell, the president of news at Univision, and news anchors Enrique Acevedo and Jorge Ramos walked to a quiet corner on election night to talk about what would come next. They agreed that in times of uncertainty, the answer is journalism. But challenges await. The tumult in the face of zero access from the Trump team comes as Univision lost more than 45% of its prime-time audience since 2013, with rival Telemundo making gains among younger viewers. More here.
Trump Friendly Media Group Ousts Two Black Anchors
Maureen Bunyan, co-founder of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), is being forced out of WJLA-TV, an ABC affiliate in DC that the conservative-leaning Sinclair Broadcasting Group acquired in 2013. The move by Sinclair comes just three months after the station announced the sudden departure of Leon Harris, a fellow African American anchor who spent 13 years at the station. Sinclair is the nation’s largest owner of TV stations and reportedly aided the Trump presidential campaign in the Republican’s battle with Democrat Hillary Clinton. More from Richard Prince here.
NAACP: Politically Savvy and Street Smart
“We are in the midst of a Twitter-age civil rights movement,” said NAACP President Cornell William Brooks, “which includes environmental racism, the battle against the corrupting power of money in politics, the ongoing struggle for voting rights and all that we traditionally associate with the civil rights struggle. This is an age which demands an NAACP that is policy savvy but street smart.” More here.
Jackson Calls Out Uber on Diversity
Uber finally released vast transportation data on Sunday that it said local officials could use to help cut down on commute times and improve traffic flow. However, some other data has yet to be released, including about communities of color. Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson has called on Uber to become more proactive about hiring more women and minorities, starting by releasing a workforce diversity report. Although the tech industry has been slow to ramp up its hiring of people from underrepresented groups, dozens of tech companies have made public commitments to increasing diversity. Google, Apple, Facebook and others, have released annual workforce reports since 2014. Uber, along with Snap Inc. and Square, is among the largest remaining tech companies yet to commit to such transparency. More here.
Rev. Sharpton Hosts MLK Breakfast
On Monday, January 16th, National Action Network’s Rev. Al Sharpton will host a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day breakfast honoring leaders in civil rights, labor, public policy, clergy, and the arts. The focus of the breakfast will be on Donald Trump’s forthcoming inauguration. Expected attendees include: Debbie Allen, award-winning director and choreographer; Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ); Janice Bryant Howroyd, Founder and CEO, ACT•1 Group; Cathy Hughes, Chairperson and Founder, Radio One; Dorothy James, National Vice President, District 7, AFGE; and Governor Terry McAuliffe (VA). More information here.
Voter ID in Iowa
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate (R) will submit a proposal to overhaul his state’s election rules by requiring voters to show identification at the polls, among other changes. At the moment, Iowa is one of 18 states and the District of Columbia that do not require voters to show any identification when they vote. Ten states with strict ID laws allow voters without ID to cast a provisional ballot, and 22 states allow voters who don’t have an ID to cast ballots after signing an affidavit swearing to their identity. More here.
Asian American Wealth Gap
The Center for American Progress (CAP), released a report revealing that the wealth inequality among Asian Americans has exceeded that of white Americans. And while Asian Americans are often seen as financially well-off, that’s not always true. In fact, such a stereotype can be harmful to the community, the report notes. Asian Americans constitute nearly six percent of the population, making data on the minority group difficult to collect -- and these findings more suggestive than conclusive. But ultimately, the report does show that it does much more harm than good to examine Asian Americans as a monolithic average. And those who do so are ignoring the groups most in need. Read the entire report here.
Spotted
With only two weeks left until the Obamas leave the White House for good, the first family hosted a farewell party fit for a Hollywood red carpet. Spotted: Solange, Common, Usher Raymond, Meryl Streep, George and Amal Clooney, Robert De Niro, Nick Jonas, Jordin Sparks, LaLa Anthony, Terrence J, Jill Scott, David Letterman, Paul McCartney, Kelly Rowland, Wale, Olivia Wilde, Jason Sudeikis, Samuel L. Jackson and Latanya Richardson, Magic and Cookie Johnson, Tom Hanks, Rev. Al Sharpton, Jerry Seinfeld, Stevie Wonder, Charles Barkley, Will Packer, Steven Spielberg, Marc Anthony, Sarah Jessica Parker, Chris Rock, George Lucas, Tyler Perry, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, Raben Group’s Samara Foxx, Chance the Rapper, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Steve Harvey.
The Color Purple ended its long and successful run on Broadway on Sunday. Spotted: Hillary Clinton, who received three standing ovations from the sold-out audience. Clinton attended the Sunday afternoon performance of the Tony-winning show with former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea.
Robert Raben hosted a Three Kings Day celebration at his home on Saturday. Spotted: co-hosts Judge Kenia Seone and Alejandra Castillo, AT&T’s Susie Santana, Bert Gómez, HLA’s Larry González, Judge José López, Mari Carmen Aponte, Adrian Snead, Judge Laura Cordero, and Policarpio Marmolejos. There were pounds of pernil, rice and beans, and flan.
Meanwhile on Saturday night, many DC politicos traveled south to Sheila Johnson’s Salamander Hotel & Resort for a surprise birthday party for political consultant ABConsulting’s Randy Broz. Spotted: Mariko Broz (party host and wife of the guest of honor), Congressman James Clyburn's (D-SC) CoS Yebbie Watkins, William Clyburn, CBCF’s Tasha Cole, Goldman Sach’s Joyce Brayboy, ADA’s Jennifer Fisher, DCPS’ Leroy Clay, Otsuka’s Molly Ryan with husband Thomas, Walgreen’s Alethia Jackson, the Raben Group's Cleve Mesidor, Senator Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) Legislative Director Phil Olaya, CBCF’s Derek Simms with wife Denise, who is with the NMAAHC, DOJ’s D'Yvonne Key, Ayris Scales, President of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc. DC Chapter, and Lucia Riddle.
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| The Beat Presents Literature and Libations:
A Cocktail Reception and Conversation with Author and White House Correspondent April Ryan Thursday, January 12th, at 6PM
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Videos of the Day
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Journalist María Hinojosa explains why no human being is illegal. | |
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Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) is introducing legislation that would block Trump and subsequent administrations from infringing on religious liberty by creating an immigration-related religious registry. | |
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Hillary Clinton received three standing ovations on Sunday from the sold-out audience at the final show of the Broadway success The Color Purple. | |
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Pic of the Day
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 | The WaPo takes a look at the Obama girls growing up in the WH the past eight years. In this photo, the First Family heads to Air Force One as they leave Chicago for Washington the day after the president was elected to a second term.
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Congressmen Ami Bera (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Ro Khanna (D-CA), and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) were sworn-in to the House of Representatives, marking the first time in history more than one Indian American has served in Congress simultaneously. | |
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A painting that was on display with other Congressional Art Competition winners in the Capitol was taken down by a Republican congressman and returned to Congressman Lacy Clay (D-MO). | |
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Raben Group Principal and HLA President Larry González dancing bachata with girlfriend Laura Rubalcava at the Three Kings Day celebration at the home of Robert Raben. | |
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CNN's Manu Raj graces the cover of this month's India Abroad. | |
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Top Five On Friday, the First Family hosted a final bash celebrating the past eight historic years at the White House. Here are some pictures from the exclusive and star-studded affair.
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Singer Solange doing a sound check:
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Magic and Cookie Johnson with Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson.
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Comedian Jay Pharoah, Kelly Rowland, Wale, Usher, and LaLa Anthony.
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Will Packer, Terrence J, Steven Spielberg, and Taraji P. Henson.
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John Legend, Monica Podell, DJ Cassidy, Chrissy Teigen, and Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld.
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| Digital Download
Rajiv Shah
Newly named President of the
Rockefeller Foundation
Twitter: @RajShah
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Tuesday, Jan. 10th, 5:30P: End Citizens United's Welcome Reception for the 115th Congress to honor newly elected House and Senate members, at Sonoma. RSVP to Sela Brown at Sela@endcitizensunited.org.
Wednesday, January 11th, 6:30P: Confirmation hearing for Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), nominee for attorney general.
Wednesday, January 11th, 6:30P: BET hosts a screening of New Edition at the Landmark E Street Theater. Invite only.
Thursday, Jan. 12th: The Beat hosts a reception to celebrate April Ryan’s national book release of "At Mama’s Knee." RSVP at info@TheBeatDC.com
Monday, Jan. 16th, 2P: The Washington Cathedral hosts A Tribute to Dr. King: Sanctuary, Witness, Covenant. More info here.
Monday, Jan. 16th: Robert Raben hosts a card party at his house. Shhh. It’s invite only but we’ll leak to you the details and maybe even some pics. Tuesday, Jan. 17th: The Beat and The Raben Group presents Rising Tide: Celebrating What Makes America Great. Invite only.
Wednesday, January 18th, 7:30: A Salute to African American Leaders: Celebrating the 58th Presidential Inauguration will honor African Americans who have been appointed to Trump’s administration, the presidential transition team and the presidential Inaugural staff. The event will take place Wednesday, January 18th, from 7:30P to 11:30P at The Watergate Hotel. RSVP here.
Thursday, Jan. 19th-22nd: The American Indian Society of Washington, DC is hosting the 13th American Indian Inaugural Celebration. RSVP here.
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