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Mine is bigger than yours. Those may be the words that take us to nuclear war. Donald Trump continues to taunt North Korea’s Kim Jong Un with a tweet on Tuesday boasting about the size and power of his nuclear arsenal. Yeah … that chill you feel down your spine is not just the frigid temperatures. The House is out until next week and the Senate gavels in at noon on the heels of change. Al Franken officially resigned yesterday, and former Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is reportedly eying the seat. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) announced Tuesday that he would be retiring. Will this be an opportunity for Trump foe, Mitt Romney, to make his way to the Senate? And Democrat Doug Jones will officially be sworn in as the junior Senator from Alabama today. BTW, accused pedophile Roy Moore has yet to concede. And remember all those unresolved issues set aside last year to make way for the tax overhaul? Well, they’re baaaaack. The next government funding deadline is just weeks away -- January 19th. Members are already talking about another short-term funding bill that could bridge the gap. At issue? Government spending and immigration reform. This battle will have a deep impact during the midterm election in November. If Dems take one or both chambers of Congress, they will likely derail Trump’s agenda for the remainder of his term. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) meet with WH Legislative Liaison Marc Short and OMB Director Mick Mulvaney today at 3P in Ryan's office. The art of Donald Trump’s deal appears to be a public hardline on Dreamers with a private mission to negotiate. Oh, and while we were away, Trump fired the remaining members of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. We’ve got a lot to get to today! We’re kicking off 2018 with this...
- Julián Castro kicks off 2018 with new PAC to help young, progressive candidates.
- Trump nominates first Japanese American to sit on the federal bench for judgeship.
- Joy Villa accuses Corey Lewandowski of sexual harassment.
- Congressman Darren Soto (D-FL) forms task force to help displaced Puerto Ricans.
- Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) calls for an investigation into how some bonds were sold in Puerto Rico.
- AL Senator-elect Doug Jones names his CoS.
- Meet the new National Director of NCAPA.
- Latino candidate throws his hat into the ring for NM congressional seat.
- Twitter temporarily blocked former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke.
- Convicted Philly judge wants a second chance at a first try for Congress.
- DOJ is pushing for a citizenship question on 2020 Census.
- Heritage Foundation names a new CoS.
- The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund have some new staffers.
- Wells Fargo taps civil rights leaders for stakeholder advisory council.
- FCC slaps Sinclair Broadcasting with fine but Commissioner Mignon Clyburn is unimpressed.
- Longtime ABC News anchor Elizabeth Vargas is leaving the network.
- BuzzFeed fires its WH correspondent.
- Politico Pro has a new reporter focusing on healthcare issues.
- Immigration activist José Antonio Vargas is coming out with a new book.
- NPR builds their political team with two new hires.
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NBC News and MSNBC anchor José Díaz-Balart and his daughter on New Year's Day. | |  | Labor Secretary Alex Acosta visiting Puerto Rico last month to view hurricane recovery efforts. | |
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Julián Castro Readies for 2018 and Maybe 2020
Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro kicked off 2018 by officially launching Opportunity First PAC, which will support young, progressive candidates for federal, state and local offices. His goal is to help flip the House in 2018, take control of key state legislatures, and elect talented young leaders across the country to local office. The move marks an expansion into national politics for the former San Antonio Mayor -- strategic if he’s considering a presidential run. Supporting candidates around the country is a key way any future presidential candidate builds relationships ahead of a national nomination fight. In 2017, the Opportunity First PAC supported Texas congressional candidate Colin Allred and two candidates for Virginia's state legislature, Kathy Tran and Lee Carter, both of whom won their elections. Mr. Secretary, we'll make you a deal. Let The Beat DC be the first to announce your presidential run and we’ll ... well, we have nothing to barter, but we promise the coolest influencers across the country read The Beat DC, and they/we would appreciate being the first to know! That’s all. More here.
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East Coast/West Coast Music Ministry
Congressmen Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) introduced the Music Modernization Act, which updates the music licensing system with reforms for the first time in almost two decades. “Ensuring that the law keeps up with music and its changing forms is important and necessary. With the support of music publishers, songwriters, and streaming services, this critical bill will provide an opportunity to truly propel the music industry into the 21st century and beyond. Fortifying copyright law ensures that change makers in the music industry can protect their work,” the legislators wrote. “By creating a new body – the Music Licensing Collective – to match songwriters and publishers with recordings, and by creating a blanket license for streaming services, we can help ensure accurate payments to those who deserve to be compensated for their creative work.” Lieu and Jeffries are joined by colleagues Doug Collins (R-GA), Joe Crowley (D-NY), Diane Black (R-TN), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Steve Cohen (D-TN), and Pete Sessions (R-TX). More here.
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|  | ABC News' Deborah Roberts speaking with Omarosa about her White House departure for a December 14th Nightline report. | |  | Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) posing with some of his DC staff for a holiday pic before the congressional recess. | |
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Velázquez Calls for UBS Hearing
Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, is calling for a congressional hearing following a CNBC investigation that found UBS was not forthcoming about the risks associated with its proprietary bond funds sold to residents in Puerto Rico. The Congresswoman wrote a letter in December to Committee Chair Congressman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) urging him to convene a hearing to investigate the marketing and sales practices of investment companies operating in Puerto Rico. "The reported claims of deception, mismanagement, and coercion highlighted in the CNBC article, if true, are egregious, unethical, and potentially illegal," wrote Velázquez. "All Americans deserve honesty, integrity, and trust when it comes to investing in our capital markets -- they are the fundamental truths that our free-enterprise system is based upon." More here.
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DOJ Wants Citizenship Question on 2020 Census
The DOJ is pushing for a question on citizenship to be added to the 2020 Census. This move will likely depress participation by immigrants who fear that the government could use the information against them. That, in turn, could have potentially large ripple effects for everything the once-a-decade Census determines -- from how congressional seats are distributed around the country to where hundreds of billions of federal dollars are spent. The DOJ made the request in a previously unreported letter, dated December 12th and obtained by ProPublica. The letter argues that the DOJ needs better citizenship data to better enforce the Voting Rights Act “and its important protections against racial discrimination in voting.” More here.
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Soto Forms Florida/PR Task Force
After touring Puerto Rico over the holidays, Congressman Darren Soto (D-FL) announced the formation of a regional task force to address the needs of displaced Puerto Rican evacuees who have arrived in Central Florida since the island was devastated by Hurricane Maria. The task force includes Congresswoman Val Demings (D-FL), state Senator Vic Torres and Democratic state Representatives Amy Mercado, John Cortés, and Carlos Guillermo Smith. In a statement, Soto’s office said the group will seek “effective ways to tackle the housing, educational, employment and healthcare challenges facing new Puerto Ricans in the area.” More than 280,000 people have arrived in Florida from Puerto Rico since October 3rd, according to state figures. More here.
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|  | Fox News' Harris Faulkner and daughters vacationing last week in Barbados. | |  | Former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke at the
America First Action PAC this week gearing up for the midterms. | |
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Trump Nominates First Japanese American Appointed to a Federal Bench for Judgeship
Donald Trump announced the nomination of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Otake of Honolulu to be a Judge in the Federal District Court of Hawaii. Otake is the first Japanese American appointed to the federal bench. She is the Acting Chief of the Special Crime Section of the local U.S. Attorney’s Office, where she has worked for three years. The Georgetown University graduate earned her law degree from the University of Washington. She served as a law clerk for former Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Simeon Acoba. Otake spent most of her prosecutorial career in Washington state, where she worked for several years as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney before moving to the U.S. Attorney’s Office -- where she was employed for nine years. Her appointment is still subject to Senate confirmation. More here.
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Dana Gresham Named CoS to Senator-Elect Doug Jones
Alabama Senator-elect Doug Jones has named Dana Gresham as his Chief of Staff. Gresham will be the only Black CoS for a Democrat on the Senate side; two others -- Republican Senators Tim Scott (SC) and Jerry Moran (KS) -- have Black Chiefs of Staff. The former Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs at the Department of Transportation spent more than ten years on Capitol Hill, including serving as CoS for former Alabama Congressman Artur Davis, as Legislative Director for former Alabama Congressman Bud Cramer, and as a staffer for former NC Congresswoman Eva Clayton. The Georgetown University grad and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity member will lead an office that includes Sonceria Ann Bishop-Berry, whom Jones has hired as Transitional Advisor. Bishop-Berry, a graduate of the University of North Alabama, worked in the Senate for Daniel Patrick Moynihan, John Edwards, and Tom Carper, and as Deputy Chief of Staff to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). Katie Campbell will be the Deputy Legislative Director, and Mark Libell will serve as Jones’ Legislative Director. More about them all here.
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Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Congresswoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) and her family over the holidays. | |  |
Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) on the last Friday of 2017 taking the Miami Dade Transit Metrorail. | |
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NCAPA Names New National Director
The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) has announced Gregg Orton as their new National Director. The coalition of 34 national Asian Pacific American organizations around the U.S. is based out of DC. Before Orton joined NCAPA, the California native worked for Congressman Al Green (D-TX) for nine years, including as his Chief of Staff. The Vassar grad also held leadership positions in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association. “Having spent the last 9 years working with NCAPA groups, while on Capitol Hill, I have seen both the power and unrealized potential of our community’s advocacy and presence at the national level. To be able to lend my own energy and passion towards advancing the AAPI community, especially at this moment in history, is truly a privilege," Orton said. More here.
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Heritage Foundation Names Chief of Staff
Just before the holiday break, we told you about Kay Cole James, the first African American to lead the Heritage Foundation. In her first hiring decision, she named Angela Sailor as her Chief of Staff. Until recently, Sailor was a Partner, Senior Advisor, and National Project Manager for The Alamni Group, LLC where she advised on bipartisan advocacy and corporate diversity. But she became a national name back in 1999, when she was Director of African American Affairs for the RNC in charge of reaching out to Black voters during George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign. When Bush entered the WH, Sailor joined, serving as the Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. In 2002, she became Deputy Chief of Staff to Education Secretary Rod Paige. In 2009, Sailor joined Michael Steele, who recruited her as the RNC Coalitions Director. The 1990 Central State College graduate went on to earn her Master’s from American University before completing law school at the University of Memphis. Congrats, Angela! More about her here.
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NACo Names New Comms Director
The National Association of Counties named Obama alum Fred Wong as their Communications Director. The NYU graduate previously served as Public Engagement Advisor at the USAID, where he served a key role in communicating the government’s response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Prior to that, he worked at the White House in the Presidential Personnel Office, managing Obama administration appointments at federal agencies, boards, and commissions focused on domestic issues. Earlier, he served as a speechwriter for the Secretary of Health and Human Services and in the Public Affairs Office of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Congrats, Fred! More here.
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Email our team at info@TheBeatDC.com!
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Michelle Obama's Former CoS Tina Tchen Joins Time’s Up
Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Chief of Staff Tina Tchen has joined 300 prominent actresses and female agents, writers, directors, producers, and entertainment executives in forming an ambitious, sprawling initiative to fight systemic sexual harassment in Hollywood and in blue-collar workplaces nationwide. The initiative, called Time’s Up, includes a legal defense fund -- backed by $13 million in donations -- to help less privileged women protect themselves from sexual misconduct and the fallout from reporting it. This is will be the body Tchen leads, along with attorney Nina Shaw; legislation to penalize companies that tolerate persistent harassment, and to discourage the use of nondisclosure agreements to silence victims; a drive to reach gender parity at studios and talent agencies that has already begun making headway; and a request that women walking the red carpet at the Golden Globes speak out and raise awareness by wearing black. Other members include Eva Longoria, América Ferrera, Rashida Jones, Kerry Washington, Shonda Rhimes, and Ava DuVernay. More here.
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Wells Fargo Taps Janet Murguía and Marc Morial
Wells Fargo has launched a stakeholder advisory council to enhance its understanding of issues relevant to stakeholders and the company. The company has tapped National Urban League's Marc H. Morial and UnidosUS' Janet Murguía to help lead the effort. The council, which comes a year after the company settled claims that it set up deposit and credit card accounts for clients without their permission, is expected to meet several times in any given year and will provide feedback to Wells Fargo's board of directors and senior management. Other members of the council include: Mindy S. Lubber, CEO and President of Ceres, a sustainability non-profit organization that works with investors; Michael Calhoun, President of the Center for Responsible Lending; Nora Nash, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia; and John Taylor, President and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. Tim Sloan, Wells Fargo's President and CEO, is also expected to participate in the council. More here.
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|  | Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) with husband Dexter and family and friends on their way to ring in the new year at a Billy Joel concert. | |  | WaPo's Eugene Scott trying to stay up past midnight to ring in the new year. | |
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First Generation American Launches Congressional Bid
Angel Peña, a first-generation American, is throwing his hat in the ring for the open seat congressional race in southern New Mexico, as the incumbent Congressman Steve Pearce (R-NM) is leaving and running for governor. Peña said running for Congress wasn’t on his radar at the start of last year, but Donald Trump’s inauguration changed his mind. “I was looking around at the field of candidates and I simply didn’t see anyone who looked like me or the thousands of southern New Mexican families, nor did I see anyone there who represented our values,“ Peña said. The 29-year-old New Mexico State University graduate currently works as a National Monument Campaign Associate at the Conservation Lands Foundation. Five other Democrats have said they are running for the seat: Indivisible Las Cruces founder Tony Martínez, Attorney David Baake, Coast Guard veteran Madeleine Hildebrandt, activist Ronald Fitzherbert, and David Alcon. More here.
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Convicted Judge Running for Congress
Former Judge Willie Singletary resigned from local office amid a sexual harassment scandal and went to prison for lying to the FBI. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that his office was seen as so corrupt that voters abolished it. Now he wants a fresh start -- in Congress. Elected to the bench in 2008 at age 26, Singletary was one of several judges charged in 2013 in a ticket-fixing scheme that prosecutors said benefited the “politically and socially connected,” and cost the state and city hundreds of thousands of dollars in unrealized fines. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison and released in November 2016. Singletary, now 36, turned out to owe five-figure sums for tickets, fines, and child support. During the election, he was caught on YouTube suggesting that campaign contributions would result in benefits to those who appeared before him while he served on the bench. He was relieved of his duties because he showed pictures of his penis to a co-worker. “Even though I made some mistakes, I’m not a mistake,” the former Philadelphia Traffic Court judge says in a video announcing his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in Philly’s 1st Congressional District. “And just like many in our community, we all could use a fresh start.” He’s challenging Congressman Bob Brady (D-PA). More here.
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|  | Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) on New Year's Day ready to cheer on the University of Central Florida in the Peach Bowl. | |  | The Obamas lit up the internets over the holidays with their Christmas family photo with elf friends. | |
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Hoda Kotb Hosts the Today Show
Hoda Kotb has been officially named co-anchor of NBC's Today show. Kotb joins Savannah Guthrie at the anchor desk -- making this Today's first-ever all-female anchor team. In addition to co-anchoring the first two hours of Today, Kotb will also continue to co-host the fourth hour of the show with Kathie Lee Gifford. Kotb has been filling in for Matt Lauer since he was fired in late November for sexual misconduct. The 1986 Virginia Tech grad grew up in Alexandria, VA. Her parents are from Egypt. Congrats, Hoda! More here.
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April Reign Joins Fractured Atlas
Fractured Atlas has announced April Reign as their new Senior Director of Marketing. The organization works with artists, arts organizations, and other cultural sector stakeholders by eliminating practical barriers to artistic expression. Reign, a University of Texas undergrad and law school alumna, will lead the marketing and branding of Fractured Atlas’ products and services while partnering with the engineering team on product development. Reign is the creator of the viral hashtag #OscarsSoWhite and the co-creator of #NoConfederate. She has written for Vanity Fair, Essence, WaPo, the Guardian, and others. Congrats, April! More here.
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Elizabeth Vargas Leaves ABC
Elizabeth Vargas, the longtime co-host of ABC’s 20/20, is leaving the network. A statement announcing her exit said that she is pursuing “new ventures.” Vargas also circulated a memo of her own, saying she’d hoped to make the announcement after January 1st. “I am sorry only to have to share this news with you as we celebrate the holidays,” she wrote. “It has been a profound privilege to be the anchor of ’20/20' for 14 years, and a true honor to work with each and every one of you.” There’s no word yet from ABC News about a successor. Vargas, whose father is Puerto Rican, has been with 20/20 for 14 years. She’s worked alongside World News Tonight anchor David Muir on the newsmagazine show since 2013. More here.
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|  | Political commentator Amy Holmes leaving Fox News on Tuesday night. | |  | TX congressional candidate Colin Allred and wife Alexandra hitting the ground running in the new year going door-to-door. | |
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José Antonio Vargas Pens a Book
José Antonio Vargas will publish his debut memoir, Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen. The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and activist, who in 2011 revealed that as a child he unknowingly entered the U.S. with false documents, is the founder of Define American, a nonprofit immigration advocacy group. A member of the team that earned a Pulitzer for reporting on the Virginia Tech shooting for the WaPo in 2008, Vargas was born in the Philippines, where he lived until he was 12. In 1993, he moved to the U.S. to live with his American grandparents, initially unaware that he was living in the country illegally. He disclosed his immigration status in 2011, writing in an essay for the NYT Magazine. The publication date for Dear America has not yet been announced. More here.
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NPR Builds Political Team
NPR has hired Tim Mak as their political reporter. He was most recently with The Daily Beast as their Senior Congressional Correspondent. Prior to that, he reported for The Washington Examiner, Politico, and Frum Forum. The McGill University grad just finished training with the U.S. Army Reserve. At NPR, he'll focus on movement conservatism, as he has at previous outlets. He’ll be joined by Asma Khalid, who is returning to NPR Politics after a year covering tech and economic issues for member station WBUR. She'll continue her reporting on the political impact of America's changing demographics, with a sharpened focus on work and family finances. The 2006 Indiana University grad went on to earn her Master’s from The University of Cambridge in 2007. Congrats Tim and Asma!
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Ravindranath Joins Politico Pro
Politico Pro has a new health reporter: Mohana Ravindranath, focusing on healthcare regulation and policy and the healthcare industry. She joins Politico after covering tech for Atlantic Media’s Nextgov, where she was a Staff Correspondent. Before that, the UPenn grad was with the WaPo as a business and IT reporter, and she also previously reported for the Philadelphia Inquirer, The Daily Pennsylvanian, and Business Insider. More about her here.
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BuzzFeed Fires WH Reporter
BuzzFeed White House Correspondent Adrian Carrasquillo was fired for what the outlet described as an “inappropriate message” he sent to a colleague. Business Insider reports that BuzzFeed had been conducting an internal investigation after Carrasquillo’s name appeared on “Shitty Media Men,” an anonymous Google spreadsheet of unverified allegations of sexual harassment and assault against 74 men in the media industry. Carrasquillo had reportedly been warned earlier about his conduct and about sending inappropriate messages, and the firing came after new allegations surfaced. “I deeply regret the crass & sexist attempt at a joke that led to my firing from BuzzFeed,” Carrasquillo posted on Twitter two days after the December 27th firing. “I privately apologized to my colleagues & also want to apologize publicly to friends & colleagues this incident affected. I loved my time at BuzzFeed & wish everyone there continued success.” Carrasquillo had been with BuzzFeed since 2013. He was previously with NBC Latino. He was one of several Hispanic reporters covering the White House and just one of a handful working that beat for non-minority U.S. media outlets. More here.
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Immigration activist José Antonio Vargas ringing in the new year. | |  | HUD Secretary Ben Carson outside HUD headquarters on December 20th handing out candy canes and holiday cheer. | |
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New Faces at The Leadership Conference
The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund has named Allyn Brooks-LaSure as their VP for Communications. He most recently served in domestic and overseas assignments as a State Department Foreign Service Officer. Before that, he served as the Climate Communications Advisor in the State Department’s Bureau of Public Affairs, where he led efforts to showcase U.S. leadership on climate change leading up to, during, and following the 2015 Paris climate talks. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Allyn served as Deputy Associate Administrator for External Affairs at the EPA under Administrator Lisa Jackson. Brooks-LaSure also served as spokesman for former Senator Jon Corzine and Senator Robert Menéndez (D-NJ). Brooks-LaSure is a graduate of The Citadel.
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Bethany Criss-June has joined as the Managing Director of Development. She most recently served as National Director of Membership for the NAACP. Prior to the NAACP, the Northwestern University grad served as Development Director for a DC regional theater, Executive Director for a DC-based nonprofit advocacy organization, and Director of Programs and Development for (the now digital) America’s Black Holocaust Museum.
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Christine Soyong Harley joined as the Census Campaign Director. She most recently served as Deputy Director for the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA). Prior to joining NCAPA, Harley was the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, where she led policy and program initiatives supporting AAPI engagement with, and increased access to, federal programs. She has previously held leadership and policy roles at the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, and at the Illinois Department of Human Services. After graduating from Oberlin College, she went on to earn her Master’s from the University of Chicago. More here.
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|  | Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX) on CNN last week discussing the GOP congressional agenda for 2018. | |  | Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) last week meeting with law enforcement officials and community leaders to discuss neighborhood policing and other issues. | |
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Potential Congressional Candidate Accuses Corey Lewandowski of Sexual Harassment
Joy Villa, the singer and potential congressional candidate who infamously wore a “Make America Great Again” dress to the 2017 GRAMMYS, has filed a sexual assault complaint against Corey Lewandowski -- Donald Trump’s former campaign manager. Villa alleges that while at a party with Lewandowski at the Trump International Hotel in DC the day after Thanksgiving, Lewandowski “struck” her on the behind, including once after she asked him not to do so. Villa said she was reluctant to come forward fearing backlash, but reached out to DC Police on Christmas Eve after a friend who witnessed the events spoke about it publicly. “I realized if he’s not going to respond or apologize to me, I think it’s the right thing to do,” Villa said about Lewandowski. “I only knew him by reputation. He broke my trust.” More here.
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David Clarke’s Twitter Fingers Blocked
Former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke was temporarily blocked from Twitter after complaints from users alerted the company that three of his messages violated the terms of service. Clarke was placed in read-only mode until he deleted three tweets that seemed to call for violence against members of the media. In one of them which has since been deleted, Clarke told his followers, "When LYING LIB MEDIA makes up FAKE NEWS to smear me, the ANTIDOTE is to go right at them. Punch them in the nose & MAKE THEM TASTE THEIR OWN BLOOD. Nothing gets a bully like LYING LIB MEDIA"S attention better than to give them a taste of their own blood #neverbackdown." The tweet featured a graphic of Trump's face superimposed on that of a wrestler holding another wrestler labeled "CNN," while Clarke's face was superimposed on a wrestler who is kicking "CNN" in the face. More here from CNN.
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FCC Hits Sinclair, Mignon Clyburn Calls it a Slap on the Wrist
Last month, the FCC hit Sinclair Broadcast Group with a $13.4 million fine for running news stories on a cancer foundation but failing to disclose that the foundation was paying for them to air. The FCC said that the programming was broadcast more than 1,700 times, “either as stories resembling independently generated news coverage that aired during the local news, or as longer-form stories aired as 30-minute television programs.” The agency said that it was the largest fine ever imposed for a violation of its sponsorship identification rules. However, Democratic Commissioner Mignon Clyburn says the punishment is not enough, and along with fellow Dem Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, called the fine meager. “Contrary to what the FCC majority would have you believe, the nearly $13.4 million fine levied against Sinclair Broadcast Group represents a mere slap on the wrist,” Clyburn said. “Simply put, the ‘punishment does not fit the crime’ against a company that grossed more than $2.7 billion in revenue last year.” More here.
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| FOMO
Today, 2P: Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) hosts an Open House to meet the newest member of the U.S. Senate, Doug Jones (D-AL). 2201 Rayburn HOB.
Today, 7P: The “Thank You, Alabama!” reception to welcome Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) to the U.S. Senate. Hyatt Capitol Hill, Regency Ballroom C & D. 400 New Jersey Avenue, N.W
Monday, January 8th, 5:30P: A reception to support Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, candidate for Governor of Maryland. 413 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. RSVP to: halle@hmconsultingdc.com or 202.543.8555.
January 15, 8:30A: The National Action Network sponsors the Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast. Mayflower Hotel, DC. Click here to RSVP. February 21 - 23: The NFL, Morehouse College, and the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) host a program in Atlanta to educate athletes on how to develop and implement effective advocacy platforms that positively impact society. Click here for more information.
April 18 - 21: The National Action Network hosts its annual conference, this year commemorating the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Sheraton Times Square, NYC. Click here for more information. April 19: The University of North Dakota sponsors a conference on the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Standing Rock protests. Click here for more information.
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