|
|
WE’RE BAAAACK… And so is Congress. What’s on deck? Immigration, government spending, debt ceiling negotiations, the upcoming testimony by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller next week, and so much more with so little time. IF THEY DON’T SPEAK… They don’t #$*@ with you. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) threw shade towards Congresswomen AOC (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) for voting against the border funding bill. Their response? Trust Donald Trump if you want to -- not us. BLACK MIRROR… The FBI and ICE have reportedly been using driver’s license photos for facial recognition searches without license holders' knowledge or consent. States have not passed laws allowing this, and undocumented immigrants don’t know that by applying for driver’s licenses, they’re giving their info to ICE. WHAT’S THE PLAN GUYS? With no clear rationale, the DOJ installed a new team of lawyers to defend Trump’s continuing attempts to add a question about citizenship to the 2020 Census. The Supreme Court already rejected the administration's stated reason for adding the question. ANOTHER ONE?? Billionaire activist Tom Steyer has privately told friends and associates in recent days that he plans to enter the 2020 race for president, according to WaPo. CHASING LIKES… The White House is hosting a social media summit this Thursday, but reports say neither Facebook or Twitter were invited. So ummm … who is invited? MySpace? Black Planet? IN THE KEY OF LIFE… Icon Stevie Wonder announced Saturday that he plans to take a break from performing to prepare for kidney replacement surgery. WHO RUN THE WORLD? The U.S. women's national soccer team defeated the Netherlands Sunday to win the World Cup. So can they get equal pay already? WHO RUN THIS MUTHA? And 15-year-old tennis sensation Coco Gauff has reached today’s fourth round of singles brackets, and she could potentially meet Serena Williams in the final. OUR PERSUASION… Can build a nation. So bounce your shoulders like Bey and catch this Beat! We’re kicking off the week with this...
- Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) unveils immigration plan.
- Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) aims to boost marijuana small businesses.
- Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) accuser drops lawsuit.
- Court orders DC police to collect racial data of police stops. Read to the bottom!
- Mia Love teases a possible return to Congress.
| |
|  | Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) with NBC Late Night’s Seth Meyers in NYC last week.
| |  | The View’s Sunny Hostin, Joy Behar, and Ana Navarro-Cárdenas in the Hamptons last week.
| |
| | |
Nydia Velázquez Aims to Boost Marijuana Small Business
Economic experts predict that the marijuana industry could one day reach $166 billion in annual sales, all while disrupting industries ranging from alcohol and tobacco to health and wellness. But questions around diversity and equality continue to be a top issue for the weed game that continues to disproportionately and negatively impacts people of color in both the private sector and criminal justice. Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) introduced legislation last month to extend several Small Business Administration (SBA) initiatives to small businesses operating in the cannabis sector. The Ensuring Safe Capital Access for All Small Businesses Act would make direct or indirect cannabis businesses eligible for SBA-backed loans. Since some identified-SBA loans are geared towards borrowers who have trouble obtaining credit from conventional loans, Velázquez’s bill would help level the playing field for entrepreneurs from communities of color and other underserved areas that have been disproportionately harmed by the "War on Drugs." "As our society continues to move the needle on this issue, we must recognize that legal cannabis businesses are often small businesses that fuel local economies and create new jobs," said Velázquez, Chair of the House Small Business Committee. "That is why I am pleased to introduce legislation to extend affordable lending options to small businesses that operate in the cannabis space, while simultaneously recognizing the structural disadvantages facing entrepreneurs from communities of color." More here.
| |
Bennie Thompson Calls on DHS to Investigate CBP Leadership After Facebook Groups Uncovered
ProPublica last week reported on a Facebook group for current and former Border Patrol agents where they made jokes about migrant deaths, discussed throwing burritos at Latinx members of Congress visiting a detention facility, and posted a vulgar illustration depicting Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) engaged in oral sex with a detained migrant. CNN later reported on the existence of at least one other such group called "The Real CBP Nation," which had images mocking the separations of migrant families as well as posts that derided Asians and African Americans. This prompted Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials to announce they were launching an investigation into "disturbing social media activity." However, Homeland Security Chair Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) says that’s not enough. He called on the Homeland Security inspector general to launch an investigation into whether acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan, and Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost knew about or addressed allegations that CBP agents had "posted violent, racist, misogynistic comments and pictures" in the groups. "It is clear these Federal law enforcement officials seem empowered by President Trump and seem all too willing to take his anti-immigrant rhetoric to the next level when they think no one is watching," Thompson said in a statement. "It is also clear that DHS, CBP, and the Border Patrol have serious and systemic problems that must be addressed immediately. The chaos within DHS needs to end and proper leadership needs to be put in place." Thompson also pointed to media reports that Morgan knew about at least one of the groups since 2016, when he was Border Patrol chief, which "[i]f accurate, this report calls into question Mr. Morgan's fitness to hold any office in the United States Government." More here.
| |
Ted Lieu Aims to Ban Gay Conversion Therapy
There are still misguided people who employ the widely debunked practice of gay conversion therapy. But not for long if Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) has anything to say about it. He recently introduced the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, which would ban LGBTQ conversion therapy. “It inflicts immeasurable harm on those subjected to it, and turns a profit for scammers posing as mental health professionals,” said Lieu, who first introduced similar legislation when he was a state Senator in the Golden State. “Now 17 other states join California in having laws on the books banning the practice. It is a credit to the survivors and advocacy groups who have worked tirelessly to change minds and legislation. Thanks to their work, 10,000 LGBTQ children have been spared from experiencing the harms of conversion therapy. Now it’s time to end this scam in all states and pass a federal ban.” According to a study last year from The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law in California, nearly 700,000 LGBT+ adults have undergone conversion therapy in the United States. According to a survey out this month by the suicide-prevention group The Trevor Project, 42% of LGBT+ youth who underwent conversion therapy reported a suicide attempt in the last year. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Senate companion last month. More here.
| |
|  | WaPo’s Gene Park and Michelle Ye Hee Lee at the office on Friday.
| |  | 2020 Democratic presidential contender Julián Castro celebrating Independence Day in Texas with his kids.
| |
| | |
Tony Cárdenas Accuser Drops Lawsuit
Regular Beat readers will recall that a 28-year-old woman filed a lawsuit accusing Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) of sexually assaulting her as a teen. Angela Chávez abruptly dropped her case last week in exchange for an agreement from Cárdenas that he would not sue her for anything related to the lawsuit she brought, according to the WaPo. “I’m still a victim, and I just wish I would have chose [sic] better representation than I did,” she said in a phone interview. She alleges that when she was 16-years-old, she “collapsed to the ground” during the golf game after Cárdenas gave her a cup of ice water that tasted off. She accused Cárdenas of fondling her breasts and genitals while driving her to an emergency room after the two played golf at Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles. Cárdenas has denied all allegations. Chávez’s father worked for Cárdenas both on the Los Angeles City Council and Capitol Hill. “Once in a while with one of these ‘#MeToo’ cases, the defendant is vindicated,” Cárdenas’ attorney told the Post. “And this is one of the few that this happened. Tony gets points for saying, ‘I’m not paying on this one, I didn’t do anything wrong.’ ” More here.
| |
Elijah Cummings Demands Admin Comply with Puerto Rico-Related Requests or Face Subpoenas
Despite requests made by members of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform for White House documents relating to the administration’s response to the 2017 hurricanes that devastated Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the White House has failed to turn over a single document in response. House Committee on Oversight and Reform Chair Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) on Tuesday sent a letter informing Acting WH Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney that Cummings will have no choice but to issue subpoenas if the administration fails to comply in the Committee’s investigation of the preparations for and response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. “It is unacceptable for the White House to completely ignore valid requests from this Committee, particularly when they are based on strong, clear, and bipartisan precedents, and especially when they relate to the death of thousands of American citizens,” Cummings and Congressman Harley Rouda (D-CA), Chair of the Subcommittee on the Environment, wrote. The lawmakers noted that the lack of response is hindering the Committee’s consideration of legislative action to improve the laws governing the pre-planning of emergency contracts, clarify the timing and transparency of chain of command decision-making, and provide additional mechanisms for sharing information on the ground in a timely manner, and more. “The President’s public defiance of all congressional oversight not only obstructs us from fulfilling our responsibility under the Constitution to conduct credible oversight, but it also insults the memory of the Americans who lost their lives as a result of this disaster.” Cummings and Rouda demanded compliance by July 10th or else warned that they would move forward with subpoenas. More here.
| |
Bob Menéndez Wants Answers on International Transfer of U.S. Arms in Violation of U.S. Law
The United Arab Emirates allegedly transferred U.S.-origin Javelin missiles to the insurgent Libyan militia led by Khalifa Haftar, the NYT recently reported. The alleged transfer is a violation of U.S. law and a UN embargo. Senator Bob Menéndez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanding that the State Department’s inspector general immediately conduct a full investigation and stated that the State Department may be obligated to terminate all arms sales to the UAE if the allegations prove true. “[T]his is particularly alarming given that you recently tried to bypass Congressional authorization for these specific weapons to the UAE in May through a dubious ‘emergency’ action to counter a supposed Iranian threat.” Menéndez also wrote in the letter to Pompeo that this “is not the first time even this year that the UAE is alleged to have transferred US-origin arms in violation of U.S. law.” In February, a CNN exposé found U.S.-sold Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles were illicitly transferred by the UAE to its proxy forces in Yemen. More here.
| |
|  | Congresswomen Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Deb Haaland (D-NM) taking part in a photo shoot to celebrate Pride last week.
| |  | Filmmaker Spike Lee with his daughter on Martha’s Vineyard last week.
| |
| | |
Kamala Harris Unveils Black Homeownership Plan
Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) last week unveiled a $100 billion plan to invest in Black homeownership -- a proposal that she said would set in motion her broader plan to tackle the U.S. racial wealth gap. The White House hopeful unveiled the plan at the Essence Music Fest in New Orleans on Saturday. “A typical Black family has just $10 of wealth for every $100 held by a white family,” she said. “So we must right that wrong and, after generations of discrimination, give Black families a real shot at homeownership -- historically one of the most powerful drivers of wealth in our country." Under her proposal, homebuyers who rent or live in historically redlined communities could apply for a federal grant of up to $25,000 to assist with down payments or closing costs. The lawmaker estimated that this would help up to four million families. Harris’ proposal also aims to prevent discrimination in home sales, rentals, and loans by promising to strengthen and strictly enforce anti-discrimination laws. She pledged to work to expand HUD’s fair housing program, strengthen anti-discrimination lending laws, and amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to require that credit scores include rent, phone and utility payments. "By taking these steps we can shrink the wealth gap between black and white households by at least one third," Harris said. More here.
| |
Elizabeth Warren’s Plan to Close Wealth Gap Among Women of Color
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) unveiled last week her plan for closing the wealth gap among women of color. The 2020 presidential candidate detailed her proposal in Essence Magazine. “For decades, the government has helped perpetuate the systemic discrimination that has denied women of color equal opportunities,” Warren wrote in an accompanying Medium post. “It’s time for the government to try to right those wrongs.” As it stands, Black women earn $0.61 for every dollar earned by their white male counterparts. Native American women earn $0.58 to every dollar, and Latina women earn $0.53. Asian American women earn $0.85. Warren said that as president, she would require federal contractors to disclose pay data broken down by race and direct federal agencies not to do business with contractors that have a bad track record on pay for women of color. She would also bar federal contractors from using forced arbitration agreements, which are disproportionately harmful to women of color. She would also call for the diversifying of senior ranks of the federal workforce through increased recruitment and paid fellowships. Warren noted that Black women are overrepresented in federal government jobs, but underrepresented in leadership. Additionally, she said she would direct the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to more aggressively monitor sectors of the economy that disproportionately employ women of color, like the low-wage service industry. She would also direct the EEOC to “issue first-of-its-kind guidance on enforcing claims involving the intersectional discrimination that women of color face from the interlocking biases of racism and sexism,” she writes. According to the National Women’s Law Center, women of color account for 17% of the overall workforce, but make up 33% of some of the fastest-growing low-wage jobs like retail, fast food, personal care aides, and home health aides. “There is much more work to be done to understand the barriers people with different identities face in the workplace,” Warren wrote. More here.
| |
Cory Booker Unveils Executive Order-Based Immigration Plan
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) last week released an immigration proposal that would use executive orders that would “virtually eliminate” the detention of migrants, shut down inhumane facilities, require all facilities to meet high standards, and phase out contracting with private prison facilities and county or local prisons. "Although there are limits on what we can do to reverse the damage that has already been done to the lives of thousands and to communities across our country, we can put an end to the horror, and turn the page to a new chapter of our history," Booker said in a statement. "Our country must have an immigration system that reflects our values, not one that strips dignity away from people fleeing danger, threats, and violence." His plan also calls for the expansion of access to legal counsel for immigrants, restoring and expanding protections for "Dreamers," and foreign aid to address the root cause of migration. "When kids are being stripped away from their parents and held in cages, I will not wait for Congress to solve this crisis," Booker added. "On day one of my presidency, I will take immediate steps to end this administration’s moral vandalism.” More here.
| |
|  | CBS News’ Gayle King with former First Lady Michelle Obama at the Essence Music Fest in New Orleans on Saturday.
| |  | Hawai’i congressional candidate state Sen. Kai Kahele with his family last week in Kailua-Kona, HI.
| |
| | |
Former Foster Child Runs for Congress
Democrat Morgan Harper is launching a primary challenge against Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH). The 36-year-old Ohio native spent the first nine months of her life in foster care before being adopted by a Columbus-area school teacher. She went on to graduate from Tufts University, earn a Master's from Princeton, and complete law school at Stanford. Harper’s platform supports Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, and tuition-free public college. “We need a new generation of leadership that’s ready to fight for bold policies that will actually have an impact on working peoples’ lives,” Harper said at her campaign launch. “Policies that will ensure my story is every child’s story.” She began her career at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in DC and also spent two years working at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, a nonprofit focused on community development and affordable housing based in NYC. The Ohio Democratic primary is March 10th. More here.
| |
Mia Love Teases Return to Congress
Is Mia Love planning a return to Congress? She was once the only Black woman in the entire GOP Caucus until she was defeated by 700 votes by now-Congressman Ben McAdams (D-UT) last year. Love is now saying she will run again if a Republican candidate who she believes can beat McAdams doesn’t surface. "I still have some time. I still have all of my fundraising mechanisms in place. I still am close friends with the people who can make it happen in Washington and here," Love said. "When I need to turn on that faucet, I'll turn it on." Currently a CNN commentator, Love said she anticipates opposition from the White House should she decide to run. "They'll throw whoever they want under the bus.” The president said in November that Love lost because she showed him “no love.” Still, she stopped short of telling The Deseret News that she wouldn’t vote for a second term for Trump. "I'm not committed to doing anything. I still have hopes. I want the president to succeed. I really do," Love said. More here.
| |
|  | Rapper Common, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and political commentator Angela Rye at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans on Friday.
| |  | Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) appearing on ABC’s This Week from Detroit on Sunday -- sans shoes.
| |
| | |
Rickey Smiley to Replace Tom Joyner
Comedian and reality TV star Rickey Smiley will replace Tom Joyner when the legendary “Fly Jock” and Radio Hall of Famer retires from his syndicated morning show at the end of this year. Joyner introduced his successor Friday, saying he was confident Smiley will “pick up where we left off.” The 50-year-old Birmingham native is a 1992 graduate of Alabama State University and a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. “It’s an honor to continue the legacy of my boss and frat brother Tom Joyner,” Smiley said. “Not only has he been a friend to my family and me over the years, but we consider him family. Tom’s mentorship has instilled in me valuable wisdom that I will carry with me through this new morning show.” Joyner hosted his popular morning show for over the course of 25 years. More here.
| |
LA Times Adds to Op-Ed Team
Terry Tang has joined the Los Angeles Times’ op-ed team as an editor. She most recently served as the director of publications and editorial at the American Civil Liberties Union in New York. Prior to the ACLU, Tang was at The New York Times, where she held many different roles, including as op-ed editor; deputy editorial page editor; an editorial writer covering law, health care, and national issues; deputy technology editor; major beats editor for Metro news; and an editor at "Room for Debate." The Gardena, CA-raised Tang worked as an editorial writer and columnist at the Seattle Times and, before that, as a reporter at the Seattle Weekly. The Yale University graduate has a law degree from the NYU School of Law. LAT also announced that Valerie J. Nelson had also joined the op-ed team. More here.
| |
|  | New Mexico congressional candidate Valerie Plame with Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM) last week in the Land of Enchantment.
| |  | Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) with Cook County Commissioner Bill Lowry in Chicago last week.
| |
| | |
Court Orders DC Police to Collect Racial Data of Police Stops
A court has ruled that DC police must begin tracking the race of every person officers stop in a vehicle or as a pedestrian within the next 28 days -- whether or not they result in an arrest or search. The District’s City Council mandated the collection of racial data three years ago but the department has yet to comply with the law, saying its current technology can’t collect the data. A Superior Court judge dismissed the argument, saying police could have come up with a temporary solution like a one-page form the judge has now ordered police to start using. The ACLU, Black Lives Matter, and the Stop Police Terror Project sued last year after filing a public record request for the data and getting nothing. DC made public raw data on several years’ worth of arrests that showed a disproportionate number of Black people are arrested for minor violations that include smoking marijuana in public, driving without a license and gambling, according to The Washington Post. The data showed, for example, that of more than 10,000 people arrested for driving without a license in the District, 80% were Black. More here.
| |
| FOMO
Tuesday, July 9th, 6P: Slate's Dahlia Lithwick, Above the Law's Elie Mystal, and the National Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law's Kristen Clarke discuss what's working — and what's not — in the Left's approach to courts. The Raben Group, 1341 G Street, NW, Fifth Floor, DC. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, July 9th, 6:30P: The Multicultural Media Correspondents Dinner. Honorees include Congresswoman Val Demings (D-FL). National Press Club, 529 14th St N.W., DC. Click here for more information.
Saturday, July 20th - Wednesday, July 24th: The 110th NAACP Annual Convention, convening policymakers, activists, and organizers to strategize about the work NAACP has to do to ensure that the integrity of our democracy and shape the wellbeing of our communities. Cobo Center, 1 Washington Blvd, Detroit, MI. Click here for more information.Wednesday, July 24th - Saturday, July 27th: The National Urban League hosts its 2019 Annual Conference, Getting 2 Equal: United Not Divided. NUL will host the nation's leading political, business, and community leaders to convene, share ideas, and discover solutions to issues that have historically plagued underserved urban communities across the country. Indianapolis, IN. Click here for more information.
Thursday, July 25th: APAICS hosts the 2019 Women’s Collective Summit, bringing powerful AAPI women together to share, to inspire, and to take bold action towards creating a more representative democracy. Pavilion, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., DC. Click here for more information.
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
