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And here we thought recess would give us a break. Silly Beat. As we hit send, numerous sources say that Trump is pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord, signed by 192 nations, further isolating America from the rest of the world. The earth weeps tears of sorrow while others shed tears from laughter. Yeah, it feels like everyone is laughing -- whether it is European leaders trolling the president's "orb" photo or ex-ambassadors to Russia saying that the collective Russian state is laughing at us -- and we're the ones not in on the joke. Also, someone should tell the president that this isn't Hotline Bling; he can't just ask people to call him on his cell phone. Other problems continue to mount for 45 as the WH Communications Director is officially gone, his personal lawyer and comms shop have been pulled into the Russia investigation, and investigators looking into Ivanka Trump's factories in China (America first, are we right?) have either been arrested or are missing. Seems like we just can't avoid the ubiquitous scandals. Hey, at least we aren't hiding from our constituents on rooftops (we're looking at you, Darrell Issa). We've got your hump day #covfefe:- Tri-Caucus wants to sit down with outgoing Census director.
- Melissa Harris-Perry offers advice to NAACP.
- The shaky seat of Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-FL).
- Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) centers Trump-Russia investigation.
- There are some new staffers on the Hill.
- Congresswoman Mia Love (R-UT) presses Trump admin on Haiti.
- SCOTUS to hear another voting rights case.
- Word is Ben Jealous will announce today he's in for the MD Gov race.
- NPR scores with Black and Latino listeners.
- Dems ready for fight with Ajit Pai.
- Chicago losing Black and Latino population.
- A blast rocks Kabul with 80 dead and hundreds injured. Will Trump acknowledge the attack?
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|  | Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA) joined Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and a group of people at a groundbreaking ceremony of Lankenau Medical Center’s Emergency Department. | |  |
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) in a Memorial Day Parade. | |
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Tri-Caucus Wants to Get the Lowdown from Outgoing Director of the U.S. Census Bureau
The chairs of the Congressional Tri-Caucus sent a letter to John Thompson, the outgoing Director of the U.S. Census Bureau, inviting him to a meeting to discuss concerns and determine how Tri-Caucus members can better support the U.S. Census Bureau as it prepares for the 2020 Census. The letter says, “(The Chairs) were troubled to learn that (Director Thompson) will be stepping down as U.S. Census Director much sooner than expected, particularly at such a critical time when important field tests and other preparations are being planned and scheduled in the coming year.” This comes at a time when the budget for Census 2020 is under scrutiny and questions abound about the decision to collect fewer data about the LGBT community. Read the full letter.
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Dems Eye Curbelo Seat
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) says one of the party’s biggest goals for next year’s congressional election is to defeat Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-FL). Several Democrats have already announced that they’re running for the seat being vacated by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), but no one has yet challenged two-term Curbelo. “We feel very confident about where we are today -- when we won in ’05-’06 at this point President Bush was at 58 percent in the polls. President Trump is at 38 percent in the polls,” she said. “So we have real opportunity -- people see the urgency, they want to do everything they can to win,” Pelosi said at an event in South Florida on Friday. Curbelo dismissed Pelosi’s comments. The Miami Herald has more.
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Empire Consulting Group's Chaka Burgess spent time in Barbados over the holiday to watch his brother, Olu, get married. | |  |
Congressman Henry Cuéllar (D-TX) helped present some district-area students with a check to help them go to college. | |
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Marco Rubio at Center of Trump-Russia Investigation
After a failed presidential bid, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) almost didn’t return to the Senate, but a change of heart has thrust him into the middle of the Senate’s Trump-Russia investigation. In a recent appearance on CBS’s Face the Nation, Rubio suggested that committee work would not just lay out for the public what the Russians did, “but how they did it and what it means for the future and what we should be doing about it.” A proponent of a hard line with Russia, Rubio dismissed Trump’s complaint that he was the victim of a witch hunt. “We are a nation of laws and we are going to follow those laws,” he said. “The president is entitled to his opinion.” Meet the other senators leading the investigation here.
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Mia Love Presses Trump Admin on Displaced Haitians
The Trump administration has granted a six-month extension to about 58,000 Haitian immigrants who fled their country, or remained in the United States, after a 2010 earthquake devastated parts of the already depressed nation. But Congresswoman Mia Love (R-UT), the first Haitian American to serve in Congress and the only Black female Republican in the House, says the government should tack on another year to the deportation delay for those refugees because Haiti is still struggling to recover. "While I am pleased that the administration granted an extension of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, I am not convinced six months is sufficient," Love said in a statement. "The administration claims that conditions in Haiti have measurably improved. But ... evidence indicates that the country still faces significant challenges." Love says a cholera outbreak, a food crisis and slow recovery from the earthquake, as well as the impact of Hurricane Matthew in 2016, shows the refugees deserve a longer break before being sent back to their home country. More here.
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Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) addressing the crowd in LA on Memorial Day. | |  |
Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA) thanking a vet for his service. | |
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Senators Introduce Legislation to Fully End Cuban Embargo While Trump Weighs Reversing Obama's Policy
Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) introduced a bill on Thursday that would eliminate all prohibitions on travel to Cuba as the Trump administration weighs reversing former President Barack Obama's historic opening with the island nation — an effort that has been widely popular with the U.S. business community and a growing number of GOP lawmakers. The Senate legislation has 55 co-sponsors, compared to just eight when it was first introduced two years ago. It would remove all restrictions on travel to the island from the United States and would authorize banking transactions made by travelers. The senators also introduced another bill on Friday, the Freedom to Export to Cuba Act of 2017, which would end the decades-old U.S. embargo against Cuba. ¡Vamos todos a la Habana! But not so fast. "The President has said, the current Cuba policy is a bad deal. It does not do enough to support human rights in Cuba,” a spokesperson for the White House said in a statement. And according to reports, Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) -- two lawmakers staunchly opposed to normalizing Cuba relations -- have sought assurances from the administration on Cuba. More here.
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| If You See These Staffers Around the Hill, Congrats are in Order!
The Congressional Hispanic Staff Association announced that several Hispanic staffers have recently been promoted or welcomed to a few Hill offices. Dominique Espinosa is the new Deputy Scheduler for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Chris García is the new Staff Assistant for Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Paola Márquez is the newest Legislative Correspondent for Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR). Mazel tov, y’all!
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SCOTUS to Hear Another Voting Rights Case
Yet another voting rights case is heading to the Supreme Court next term. At issue this time? Reinstating Ohio’s method for purging from registration rolls the names of those who do not regularly vote. WaPo reports that civil rights groups, which have successfully challenged the state’s process, told the Supreme Court that there was no reason to disturb a decision of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, striking down the rules as a violation of federal voting law. Dems and advocates for the poor say the state’s efforts are disproportionately felt in neighborhoods that tend to vote Democratic. The procedure has prompted years of litigation between the advocates and the Republican-led legislature. But Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, a Republican who is running for governor, said it is a way to clear the voter rolls of those who have died or moved away, and increases public confidence. More here.
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|  | Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye and VP Jonathan Nez join families to honor Memorial Day on Monday. | |  |
Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) held a briefing in his district over the weekend. | |
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| Ben Jealous to Announce He's Officially IN for MD Gov Race
The Baltimore Sun reports that Ben Jealous, the former president of the NAACP, will announce his candidacy for Maryland governor today outside a cousin's West Baltimore flower shop. Jealous, 44, will seek the Democratic nomination in his first bid for political office. He will join a growing field of potential challengers to Gov. Larry Hogan, who is expected to attempt to become the state's first two-term Republican governor since the 1950s. In an interview Tuesday, Jealous took aim at Hogan's record on education, the economy, and the environment. And he faulted Hogan for failing to take on the Trump administration, comparing the incumbent to the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz. Wearing our ruby red slippers as we wait for the official announcement. More here.
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Activist José Antonio Vargas spent Memorial Day with family paying homage to family members who were vetarans. | |  | Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) joined Seattle Indivisible for their activist fair on Tuesday. | |
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Stand Off Between Dems and Pai
Now that federal regulators have released their official proposal to repeal the government's net neutrality rules, Dems are ready for a standoff with FCC’s Ajit Pai. They are ready to fight the measure in the federal courts and in the court of public opinion. As WaPo reports, Dems argue that conservatives want to strip consumers of key online protections and hand more power back to large Internet providers, and liken the issue to another hot-button topic: Former President Obama's healthcare law. Many grassroots activist groups are involved in the effort, including Fight for the Future, Free Press, and the National Hispanic Media Coalition. And there’s little room left for negotiation in Congress. Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA), whose district is home to companies such as Facebook, Google, and Yahoo, has already said she doesn’t see what’s left to negotiate, readying for a public confrontation with the GOP. More here.
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| ACLU Takes It to the Streets to Fight Trump Admin
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is canvassing door-to-door and venturing into district attorney races across the country to turn up the heat on candidates to take a stand on ACLU priorities, including mass incarceration. Politico reports that the ACLU is focusing on district attorney races nationwide -- including in Philadelphia -- to push against Trump policies and AG Jeff Sessions and help elect progressive district attorneys. “If we’re ever going to genuinely transform our nation’s criminal justice system, then we have to overhaul prosecutorial practices,” says the ACLU’s Udi Ofer. “If there’s one person in the system that can end mass incarceration tomorrow if they wanted to, it’s prosecutors.” Their new national strategy has been bolstered by exploding membership numbers and a new spirit of activism since the election. More here.
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Cory Booker Not Ready to Yank Kushner’s Clearance
The Grio reports that Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) isn’t joining the other Democrats who are calling for Jared Kushner’s security credentials to be revoked, among reports that Kushner had talked about opening back channels of communication with Russians. During an interview with CNN Sunday, Booker said that he wanted to know more before taking away Kushner’s security clearance: “I think we need to first get to the bottom of it. He needs to answer for what was happening at the time. It raises very serious concerns for me. And that could be a potential outcome that I seek, but I want to understand, at least hear from Jared Kushner, as well as the administration, about what was exactly going on there.” More here.
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Congressman Joaquín Castro (D-TX) joined Voto Latino on Monday in TX to protest SB4, a "sanctuary city" bill the TX governor signed into law. Later, a fight ensued in the state legislature. | |  |
Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) at the Alabama National Cemetery on Memorial Day. | |
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WAMU’s Diverse Talent Pays Off with Black and Latino Listeners Ratings Boost
Last year, 87 percent of NPR’s audience identified as white. The public media network has committed to “sounding like America,” but its audience has not. But at public radio station WAMU in DC, the number of African American and Latino listeners is going up. Average weekly listeners are nearing a million a week, and the gain in Black and Latino listeners has outpaced those numbers. In 2014, about 45,000 weekly listeners were African American and 49,000 Latino. By early this year, those audiences had leapt to about 106,000 apiece, almost a quarter of listeners. That’s far from reflecting the region as a whole, where Blacks and Latinos account for about 40 percent of the population, but for a public radio station it’s of note. One reason could be the diverse talent. Joshua Jackson replaced Diane Rehm’s 10A-noon slot this year. Veteran journalist Armando Trull is WAMU's senior reporter, covering immigration and other issues of interest to communities of color. Veteran host Kojo Nnamdi has been given more airtime. Alicia Montgomery left Code Switch, NPR’s team that covers race and identity, to become WAMU’s editorial director in October. And the voice that announces NPR’s underwriting is Heather Taylor, another African American woman. More here.
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NPC Says Trump Admin “Foot Dragging” in Mexican Journalist Case
The National Press Club is accusing the Trump administration of “foot dragging” in the case of a Mexican journalist who had sought asylum in the U.S. after receiving death threats in his home country for reporting on government corruption. Martín Méndez Piñeda, 27, had been at a detention center near El Paso, TX that he described as “harrowing conditions.” Despite finding that he had “credible fear” of returning to Mexico, ICE had refused to parole the journalist while his case was being heard, and he recently returned to Mexico rather than stay in the detention center. The NPC calls it a “setback for press freedom that seems all too typical of the times.” More here.
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Soledad O'Brien riding Aspen on Monday. | |  |
Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA) spent the weekend in Ocean View with Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander and Councilman Tommy Smigiel. | |
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How the NAACP Can Lead the Resistance: Return to Its Social Justice Roots
In an op-ed for the NYT, Melissa Harris-Perry writes that the NAACP can use its latest effort to revitalize itself to embrace the values that successful ground movements like Black Youth Project 100, the Dream Defenders, and the Black Lives Matter Network, and follow the example set by the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II. Under his leadership, North Carolinians have called for voting rights, higher wages, L.G.B.T.Q. equality, and gun control at the Moral Mondays protests, and where it -- along with its legal partners -- successfully challenged the state’s monster voter-suppression law. To return to the NAACP of lore, she writes that “(t)his will happen only if the organization commits itself to making substantive change that disrupts the balance of power for the most vulnerable.” The piece is a must read that is sure to stir the pot. Judge for yourself.
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Black and Latino Populations Plummet in Chicago
Chicago has gone through its third consecutive year of population loss, losing 8,638 residents between 2015 and 2016, to 2,704,958. The year before, it declined by 4,934. Black residents have been among those leaving in search of safe neighborhoods and prosperity, with many heading to the suburbs and warm weather states. Chicago lost 181,000 Black residents between 2000 and 2010, according to Census data. Also, more than any other city, Chicago has depended on Mexican immigrants to balance the slow growth of its native-born population. After 2007, when Mexican-born populations began to fall across the nation's major metropolitan areas, most cities managed to make up for the loss with the growth of their native populations. Chicago hasn't. More here.
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Joy-Ann Reid hosted George Takei on her show on Sunday. | |  | Congressman Rubén Kihuen (D-NV) with the winners of the NV 4th District Congressional Art Competition. | |
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Jesuits Return Land to Native Americans
The history between the Jesuits and Native Americans is marred with colonial onslaughts on indigenous lands, cultures and ways of life. On May 2nd, the Jesuit-run St. Francis Mission announced it will return more than 500 acres to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. The land is within the boundaries of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, and has been held by the St. Francis mission since the 1880s. “It’s now time to give back to the tribe all of those pieces of land that were given to the church (by the federal government) for church purposes,” said Rev. John Hatcher, president of St. Francis Mission, in a YouTube video. “We will never again put churches on those little parcels of land.” More here.
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Texas Teacher Wins Most Likely to Be Fired Award
The Lone Star State scores a one-star review for this one. A Texas school district is apologizing for the “insensitive and offensive” mock “awards” that a *teacher* gave out to students, which included “most likely to become a terrorist.” A seventh-grader at an advanced learning class at Anthony Aguirre Junior High School in Houston said her name was called out as “most likely to be a terrorist.” Several other classmates received “awards” for “most likely to be homeless” and “most likely to cry over anything.” One of the parents told the WaPo, “I was upset and very mad when I saw the award. I was surprised because my daughter has been doing very well in the honors program.” More from BuzzFeed.
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| FOMO
Today, 6P: A reception in support of Marilyn Mosby for Baltimore City State's Attorney. City Center, 875 10th Street, NW. RSVP to: mariko@marilynmosby.com
Today, 7P: The National Urban League sponsors a State of Black America Town Hall Watch Party. United Negro College Fund, 1805 7th Street, NW. Click here to RSVP.
Thursday, June 8th, 7P: STARZ sponsors the DC premiere of Season 4 of the series Power. Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. By invitation only.
Friday, June 9th, 6P: BET Farewell DC party. 1235 W Street, NE. By invitation only.
Monday, June 12th, 6:30P: Author Sheryll Cashin reads from her new book, Loving: Interracial Intimacy in America and the Threat to White Supremacy. Busboys & Poets, 14th & V Streets, NW. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, June 14th, 9A: The Raben Group sponsors a policy breakfast with Vanita Gupta, incoming President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Click here to RSVP.
Wednesday, June 14th, 5:30P: Celebrate the release of Season Five of Orange is the New Black, and support Lesley López, candidate for the Maryland General Assembly, at Orange is the New Black Trivia Night with host Jillian Rubino. Penn Social, 801 E Street, NW. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Thursday, June 15th, 8A: The Hill sponsors a Latina Leaders Summit. Participants include Congresswomen Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and Jennifer Korn, Sarita Brown, Alejandra Castillo, Nina Vaca, Geisha Williams, and Mónica Gil. Click here to RSVP.
Wednesday, June 21st, 6P: Reception and fundraiser for Kia Hamadanchy for Congress. 408 East Capitol Street, NE, RSVP at: info@KiaForOrangeCounty.com
Wednesday, June 21st, 6:30P: Reception and fundraiser for David Min for Congress. Rooftop at Steptoe and Johnson, 1330 Connecticut Avenue, NW. Click here to RSVP.
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