|
|
- Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) wants the FEC to allow campaign-related childcare expenses.
- House GOPers intro petition to force “Queen of the Hill” vote on immigration.
- Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) takes on CIA Director nominee Gina Haspel.
- Amazon’s Board rejects a proposal to increase diversity.
- Mitú brings on three Latina execs.
- Ex-Indiana Colt bucks his competition to become GOP nominee in Ohio's 16th Congressional District.
- HBCU names its first woman President. Read to the bottom!
- Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) takes to the House floor to protect minority consumers from predatory car loans, and the mansplaining begins. Read more in Blogs.
- It’s a Scandal! See how we throw it back this Thursday.
| |
|  | NBC’s Tamron Hall this weekend visiting the Gavin Brown Enterprise Gallery in Harlem, NY. | |  |
Rapper Meek Mill and Attorney Joe Tacopina with Rev. Al Sharpton taping a segment for MSNBC's PoliticsNation that will air this Sunday. | |
| | |
Kamala Harris Presses CIA Pick on Torture
Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee -- where Gina Haspel appeared for her confirmation hearing as Donald Trump’s pick to lead the CIA -- had a tense exchange with the nominee on Wednesday. The Senator seized on the CIA's previous interrogation tactics in her grilling of Haspel, pressing the nominee for a yes-or-no answer on the techniques' morality. "One question I've not heard you answer is, do you believe the previous interrogation techniques were immoral?" Harris asked. Haspel began with a response about the tactics' legality and a reference to the CIA chain of command before Harris cut in: "I'm not asking do you believe they were legal, I'm asking do you believe they were immoral." Haspel replied she believed that the CIA "did extraordinary work" to keep the U.S. safe. The answer did not satisfy Harris who pressed on for several more minutes. Later in a CNN interview, Harris stated that she will not be voting to confirm Haspel as the next Director of the CIA. A notable Republican who shares her sentiment is Senator John McCain (R-AZ), who advised the Senate in a statement to reject Haspel's nomination. Harris is one of two people of color who serves on the Committee. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has the distinction of being the only person of color on the GOP side. He has publicly stated his support for Haspel and condemned fellow lawmakers for their opposition. See the full exchange between Haspel and Harris here.
| |
House GOPers Intro Petition to Force “Queen of the Hill” Vote on Immigration
Seven House Republicans -- Carlos Curbelo, Mario Díaz-Balart, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), Will Hurd (TX), David Valadao and Jeff Denham (CA), and Mia Love (UT), -- on Wednesday introduced a discharge petition to force Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) to take up a series of immigration bills, including legislation to protect “Dreamers,” under the “Queen of the Hill” rule. The idea had first been introduced by Denham and Congressman Pete Aguilar (D-CA) in March. The discharge petition allows a bill to reach the floor of the House even if it hasn't been approved by a Committee, or scheduled for a vote by the Speaker, if a majority of House members sign on to the discharge petition, it bypasses the committee process and goes straight to the House floor. The bills that would be considered, as of now, include the bipartisan Dream Act introduced by Ros-Lehtinen and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA); the bipartisan USA Act, offered by Aguilar and Hurd; the conservative bill authored by Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA); and Speaker Ryan’s proposal that would mirror Donald Trump’s immigration plan. The "Queen of the Hill" is a special rule that allows several bills to be brought to the House floor to be voted on. The one that receives the most votes is the only one adopted. The maneuver has been used only seven times since it was first introduced in 1995. Since Wednesday’s press announcement, members Charlie Dent (R-PA), Fred Upton (R-MI), Dave Reichert (R-WA), Mike Coffman (R-CO), Chris Collins (R-NY), John Faso (R-NY), Mark Amodei (R-NV), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Leonard Lance (R-NJ), and Ryan Costello (R-PA) have also signed on. We’ll keep you posted. More here.
| |
Bicameral Push for DOJ Investigation into Hiring Practices for Immigration Judges
Congressmen Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Joaquín Castro (D-TX) helped lead a bicameral letter requesting that the Department of Justice Inspector General investigate whistleblower allegations of politicized hiring practices for immigration judges and Board of Immigration Appeals positions. “Based on these whistleblower accounts, the Department may be improperly withholding or rescinding offers for these positions based on the perception that candidates hold political or ideological views that do not align with those of the Trump Administration,” the lawmakers wrote. “In multiple cases, the Department appears to have withdrawn offers of employment with explanations that suggest a pretext for improper political motives.” Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) signed the letter in the upper chamber, and members Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), and Donald S. Beyer Jr. (D-VA). See the letter here.
| |
|  |
President and CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Domenika Lynch congratulating former Labor Secretary Hilda Solis at her portrait unveiling last month. | |  |
Brig. Gen. Milford H. Beagle Jr. catching up with Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) in DC on Tuesday. | |
| | |
CBC Intros Jobs & Justice Act
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) will introduce today the Jobs & Justice Act, omnibus legislation that would, if passed, increase the upward social mobility of Black families and help ensure equal protection under the law.
According to a spokesperson, the CBC hopes the legislation will serve as a guiding light for any White House, major legislative caucus, or member of Congress who “claims to care about the African American community, other communities of color, and rural communities.” In addition to including bills introduced by almost every member of the CBC, the legislation includes the National Urban League’s (NUL) Main Street Marshall Plan -- which suggests a commitment of a trillion dollars over five years to begin to address some of the inequities in the Black community -- to address economic and social inequities and injustices. CBC Chair Cedric Richmond (D-LA) will join NUL President Marc Morial this morning at 11:30A to introduce and discuss the legislation. Watch live on the CBC Twitter feed.
| |
Terri Sewell Urges FEC to Allow Campaign-Related Childcare Expenses
Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) led a letter -- signed by 23 colleagues -- to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) which urges the FEC to allow candidates to use campaign funds to pay for campaign-related child care expenses. “If we want a Congress that reflects the diversity of the American people, then we have to break down barriers for women and working parents who want to run for elected office,” said Sewell. “Affording childcare is a major barrier keeping working parents from getting out on the campaign trail. Today’s letter urging the FEC to allow candidates to use their privately-raised campaign funds for campaign-related childcare is a sensible step forward. In a world where candidates spend campaign funds on private jet travel and steak dinners for donors, there is no reason why a working mother should not be able to pay for a babysitter while they make their case to voters. As the FEC makes its decision on campaign childcare expenses this week, women candidates across the country and many of us here in Congress will be watching.” The FEC’s decision on campaign-related child care expenses is expected today. More here.
| |
Cummings and Oversight Democrats Keep Pushing Trump Admin on Comey
Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD), the top Dem on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Congressman Stephen F. Lynch (D-VA) want the DOJ to look into the misfiled, handwritten notes taken by a top DOJ official. The Congressmen sent a letter to Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy requesting that he issue a subpoena to compel the Justice Department to produce documents it is withholding relating to the improper classification of handwritten notes taken by top Justice official Dana Boente memorializing his conversation with then-FBI Director James Comey about Donald Trump. “It is unclear who at the Department of Justice tried to improperly classify these notes, but it is an abuse of the classification system to try to classify information merely to conceal information from the American people for political reasons, and the Department of Justice is obstructing our investigation into this abuse by withholding these documents from Congress,” they wrote. “Our Committee has jurisdiction over federal records and has previously investigated abuses of the classification system to improperly conceal information from the American people,” the Ranking Members added. “As you once stated on national television during the Benghazi investigation: ‘[T]here is an over classification to protect people’s reputations and careers. And that is not a legitimate reason to classify a document, just because you are worried that it may hurt feelings or impact your career’.” See the full letter here.
| |
|  |
NM congressional candidate Deb Haaland (D) wearing red on Saturday to advocate for missing and murdered indigenous women. | |  |
CNN commentator Marc Lamont Hill and author Michael Eric Dyson on Monday at a Philadelphia 76ers game. | |
| | |
Emmy-Nominated Editor Returns to TIME
Mia Tramz has returned to the TIME newsroom as the new Editorial Director for Enterprise and Immersive Experiences at TIME Magazine. In her new role, she’ll manage enterprise projects across all platforms. Tramz has been with Time Inc. since 2013, serving as Assistant Photo Editor for Time.com and later on Senior Multimedia Editor for TIME Magazine. She most recently served as the Managing Editor of LIFE VR where she oversaw Time Inc’s company-wide virtual reality initiative, developing and producing original experiences across the media company’s 30+ titles, including TIME, Sports Illustrated, People, InStyle, Essence, and more. The Columbia University grad has two Emmy nominations and was responsible for creating TIME’s first AR-activated issue as well as its first VR hologram. While transitioning into her new role, Tramz will continue to oversee LIFE VR in the near term, working with other brands on 360 videos, VR, and AR. More here.
| |
Mitú Names Three Latina Execs
Mitú, a leading digital media brand for Latino millennials, yesterday announced three new Latina leaders for development, production, and marketing. Joining Mitú as Vice President, Digital Studio for Premium Content is Zadi Díaz. The Fashion Institute of Technology grad -- a Producer, Director, and creative executive based out of Los Angeles -- was previously the VP of Programming and Development at ipsy and Founder of Major Digital Studios. Prior to that, she was the VP of Programming and Development for Awestruck at AwesomenessTV, the Executive Producer and Editor-In-Chief of YouTube Nation, and the Head of Content Development at Disney Interactive. Prior to joining Disney, Zadi was the Co-Founder of Smashface and was the co-creator and host of Epic Fu, an award-winning independent web series about Internet culture. Her work has been highlighted on CBS Evening News, Wired, NYT, WaPo, Ad Age, Ad Week, The Guardian, Poynter, among other national publications. She is a member of the Producers Guild Association and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Gina Reyes is Mitú’s new Vice President of Scripted Development for Television and Film. The Columbia College Chicago grad was previously with Story House Entertainment at Univisión, where she served as Director of Content Development for English and Spanish-language scripted series. Before that, she spent five years at Fox as Director for the Fox Writers Lab, Fox TV Directors Lab and the Fox/AFI Filmmakers Lab for Fox Broadcasting Company, and 20th Century Fox Television. Mitú’s new Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy is Rachel García. The Texas State University grad was most recently the Vice President, Marketing, and Social Media for BBC America. Prior to that, Rachel headed Advertising Solutions at Next New Networks where she managed the company’s brand campaigns for advertisers including Lionsgate, Starbust, Procter & Gamble, and American Express. She has held executive positions in marketing and investor relations with the AFL-CIO, Emergistics, Inc., and InforMax, Inc. She began her career as a congressional staffer on Capitol Hill and worked as an Executive Assistant and Legislative Correspondent for former Congressman Ciro Rodríguez. ¡Felicidades! Más aquí.
| |
Filmmaker Stanley Nelson Receives PBS Beacon Award
PBS has named documentary filmmaker Stanley Nelson the recipient of the company’s Beacon Award, which “recognizes individuals whose leadership, service and work inspire Americans and enrich our nation.” Nelson has produced more than 15 films for PBS audiences that illuminate the struggle for civil rights and the African American experience. Nelson has produced more than 15 PBS films, including Freedom Riders, Freedom Summer, Listening to America and What Can We Do About Violence?, and presented on Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution. His most recent film, co-produced with Marco Williams, Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities, looks at the African American schools that have shaped Americans leaders and icons. Many of his films highlight the civil rights struggle and the African American experience, and a focus on diversity extends to his mentorship and education. PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger said that “Stanley Nelson’s films uncover historical events and reveal personal stories that deserve to be told. ... His body of work is crucial to understanding the diverse nation we are today.” More here.
| |
|  |
Can you guess who this Dartmouth ‘91 grad is? That’s media mogul (and Thursday night TV queen) Shonda Rhimes. | |  |
Patsy Mink, the first woman of color and Asian American Congresswoman, hanging up her homemade sign on her office door after being elected to Congress in 1964. | |
| | |
Amazon Rejects Diversity Proposal
Amazon’s all white Board has been lobbying to vote down a proposal from CtW Investment Group, which would require that the company implement the Rooney Rule requiring that the initial list of nominees to join the company’s Board of Directors should include (but need not be limited to) qualified women and people of color. In a proxy statement, Amazon’s board said that the way it vets new board members is good enough. The process, the board says, involves “complex considerations that are designed to advance the long-term interests of shareholders.” Employees chimed in with concerns including one who asked, why the current selection process was considered successful when “we aren’t diverse at all, and notably last amongst top tech companies?” As of late last year, 17 of the top 18 executives at Amazon were men, and not one was a person of color. More here.
| |
Mastercard Names New City Partnerships Lead
Miguel Gamiño has been named Executive Vice President for Global Cities at Mastercard, where he will focus on finding the urban problems the company can address. The University of Texas at El Paso grad joins Mastercard nearly two months after stepping down as New York City's Chief Technology Officer. Prior to working for NYC, Gamiño served as the Chief Information Officer of San Francisco as the Chief Information and Innovation Officer in El Paso, Texas. He says: “I think it’s about finding ways to use the experience that I possess, and that Mastercard possesses, and then use it to make tech work for people — my mantra,” he said. More here.
| |
FTC Names Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Workplace Inclusion
Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons has named his senior team, which includes Kevin D. Williams as Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Workplace Inclusion (EEOWI). The Morehouse College and Howard University School of Law grad will continue to serve as the Director of the office, which ensures that the Commission maintains a work environment that is free from all forms of illegal discrimination, including reprisal and harassment. He joined the agency as an Attorney Advisor in the Office of EEOWI in 2007, having worked at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the Office of the General Counsel and the Office of Federal Operations. The Chairman also announced Cathy MacFarlane as Director of the Office of Public Affairs; Tara Isa Koslov as Interim Chief of Staff to the Chairman; Randolph Tritell as Director of the Office of International Affairs; Jeanne Bumpus as Director of the Office of Congressional Relations; David Robbins as Executive Director of the agency; and Donald Clark as the Secretary of the FTC. More here.
| |
Obama Alumna Joins Pandora as Head of Public Affairs
Parita Shah recently joined Pandora, the online music streaming company, as Director, Head of Public Affairs. The University of Southern California grad, who also has a Master’s from Columbia University, previously served as Chief of Staff at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an independent bilateral U.S. foreign aid agency. Before that, Parita was VP of Corporate Communications and Issues Management at APCO Worldwide. Prior to APCO, Shah was a Senior Advisor and Interim Chief of Staff to former U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke, Deputy Director of Public Affairs and Press Secretary at Commerce during the Obama administration, and Press Secretary for former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. She served as New Mexico Communications Director at Obama for America and as a member of the John Kerry for President advance team. The English, Gujarati, and Spanish speaker continues to serve as an adjunct professor at George Washington University. Congrats, Parita! More about her here.
| |
|  |
Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA) on Monday speaking at the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Conference in DC. | |  |
Dave Chappelle, Rosario Dawson, Fred Yonet, Carla Sims, Steve Stoute, Deon Jones, Troy Carter, Jotaka Eaddy, and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) gathering in LA to support MD gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous last week. | |
| | |
Ex-Colts WR Wins Ohio GOP Primary
Former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez clenched the Republican nomination in Ohio's 16th Congressional District on Tuesday claiming 53% of the vote. He is hoping to replace Congressman Jim Renacci (R-OH), who is pursuing a seat in the Senate. The descendant of Cuban refugees graduated from Ohio State University graduate and went on to be a first-round draft who pick played just 40 games over five seasons with the Colts, often sidelined by injuries. He was last seen in the NFL as an offseason member of the New England Patriots. From there, the 33-year-old Cleveland native went on to earn his MBA from Stanford after leaving the NFL. Politically, Gonzalez aligns himself with Donald Trump on issues such as building a border wall, and he said that he approved of Trump's economic policies. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) endorsed his candidacy in December. He’ll face Democratic candidate Susan Moran Palmer in November. More here.
| |
NY’s Next Attorney General
With the resignation of NY’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman amid allegations of sexual assault, many are eying Alphonso David as a potential replacement. David is the Chief Counsel to NY Governor Andrew Cuomo (D), and his appointment would be a particularly pointed statement by the state legislature, which will name Schneiderman’s successor. In addition to being a gay Black man, David is also the son of immigrants. Born in the U.S., David was raised in Liberia, where his father was an elected official. When David was 10, his father was jailed in a military coup. The family sought asylum in the U.S., which was granted because David was a U.S. citizen. The 1992 University of Maryland graduate, who earned his law degree from Temple University in 2000, works as an Adjunct Professor at Fordham University’s School of Law. Prior to his appointment as the Governor’s Chief Counsel, David served for four years in the Governor’s cabinet as the Deputy Secretary and Counsel for Civil Rights, the first position of its kind in New York State. Prior to working in the public sector, he served as a Staff Attorney at the Lambda Legal Defense and Educational Fund where he litigated precedent-setting civil rights cases across the nation affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals as well as those living with HIV. The other name being floated as the next possible NY AG is Preet Bharara, whom Trump fired as a U.S. Attorney last year. The Harvard graduate, who earned his law degree from Columbia, joined the NYU School of Law faculty last year as a Distinguished Scholar in Residence and started a weekly podcast called Stay Tuned with Preet, which features long-form interviews with prominent guests. Stay tuned we shall. More here.
| |
|  |
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and youth last week working to protect public lands at the #Next100Summit in Las Vegas, NV. | |  |
Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) at West Virginia University last week to discuss college students’ concerns about the job market and economy. | |
| | |
Tuskegee Names First Woman President
Tuskegee University’s Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to name Dr. Lily D. McNair as its next President making her the first woman to hold the position in the HBCUs 136-year history. The New Jersey native is currently Provost and SVP for Academic Affairs at Wagner College in NYC. The Princeton University graduate earned her Master’s and Doctoral degrees from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. A clinical psychologist by training, Dr. McNair’s higher education career includes other academic, research and executive appointments at Spelman College, University of Georgia, the State University of New York at New Paltz, and Vassar College. She assumes her new role at Tuskegee on July 1st. More here.
| |
| FOMO Today: The Wall Street Journal's The Future of Everything Festival. Speakers include Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund Leader Tina Tchen, WSJ Editors, and more. Spring Studios, 50 Varick St, NYC. Click here for more information.
Today, 6P: Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC hosts Cherry Blossoms for Choice with special guest Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, an American transgender rights activist and the first openly transgender person to work as a White House staffer under then-President Barack Obama. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Friday, May 11th, 9A: The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights holds a public briefing on hate crimes and bias-related incidents. The Commission will examine best practices for local law enforcement on collecting and reporting data, and the role of the Education and Justice Departments in prevention and prosecution. USCCR, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 1150. RSVP to publicaffairs@usccr.gov. Click here to watch a livestream of the briefing.
Monday, May 14th - Thursday, May 17th: Federal Asian Pacific America Council's 33rd National Leadership Training Program. Keynote address by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. Sheraton Pentagon City, 900 South Orme Street, Arlington, VA. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, May 15th, 6:30P: MD gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous (D) will host a fundraising reception. La Vie. 88 District Square S.W., DC. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, May 16th, 12P: The 2018 CAPAC congressional ceremony for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Kennedy Caucus Room, 325 Russell Senate Office Building. Click here to RSVP.
Wednesday, May 16th, 5P: The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights hosts the 42nd annual Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award Dinner. This year’s honorees include Tarana Burke, Founder of the #MeToo movement; “Dreamers,” the brave immigrant youth who are inspiring a country; and Cecile Richards, outgoing President of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Click here to learn more and buy tickets.
Wednesday, May 16th, 5:30P: 2018 Mission Forward Spring Reception: “Building Equity and Breaking Bias,” a powerful conversation on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Speakers include Ed Yong, science writer for The Atlantic, and Liz Neeley, Executive Director of The Story Collider. Mission Partners, 7201 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 780, Bethesda, MD. RSVP here.
Wednesday, May 16th: Hadassah hosts the National Women's Health Empowerment Summit. Congressman Raúl Ruíz (D-CA) and Fatima Goss Graves, CEO and President of the National Women's Law Center, serve as keynote speakers. Click here for more info.
Thursday, May 17th, 9A: In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders hosts a Community Leaders Forum, an opportunity to engage with senior level federal officials to discuss issues impacting the AAPI community. U.S. Department of Education, Barnard Auditorium. 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.Click here to learn more and RSVP.
Monday, May 21st - Tuesday, May 22nd: Common Cause Pennsylvania will host their Democracy Works Summit. The Beat DC's Tiffany D. Cross will be a panelist. Sheraton Downtown Hotel on 201 N. 17th Street in Philadelphia, PA. Click here for more information.
Thursday, May 24th 6P: Third Annual Multicultural Media Correspondents’ Dinner. The National Press Club. 529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC. Invite only.
Sunday, June 10th - Tuesday, June 12th: The ACLU Membership Conference. Speakers include Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), and founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, AL Bryan Stevenson. Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place NW) and Marriott Marquis Washington D.C. (901 Massachusetts Avenue NW). Click here for more information.
Thursday, June 21st - Sunday, June 24th: The Black Millennial Political Convention, which aims to increase engagement of Black millennials in the political sphere and shed a light on policy issues impacting black communities. This year’s theme is The Advocacy of Policy, Pipeline and Power for the People. Hyatt Regency, Crystal City, VA. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Friday, July 20 - Sunday, July 22nd: The 2nd Annual Black Campaign School, hosted by The Collective. Atlanta, GA. Click here for information.
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
