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A “moral victory” for Dems in Georgia’s 6th as Jon Ossoff lost in what was the most expensive race for a House seat in history. Many Dems are wondering when they'll, you know, see actual victories. Could victory have come in South Carolina’s 5th, where the Dem candidate Archie Parnell defied expectations? Apparently not. Could victory come in Wisconsin’s 1st where Randy “Iron Stache” Bryce’s campaign video calling out House Speaker Paul Ryan lit up the interwebs (and helped the candidate raise over $100K in just 24 hours)? One thing is clear: Dems have to go back to the drawing board if they want to turn it around in 2018. Back in DC, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has promised to unveil the Senate version of the healthcare bill, which Senator John McCain (R-AZ) half-joked had not been seen by America but had likely been seen by Russia. Too soon, Senator. Speaking of Russia, former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson hits the Hill today to talk about Russian interference in 2016. The same interference which -- after Sean Spicer faced on-camera questions for the first time in 8 days -- Spicer wouldn't say if Trump believes did or did not happen, despite the entire intelligence community asserting it did in some fashion. Sigh. Here's what we've got for you this Wednesday:
- Eric Holder may run for President. True story.
- Jimmy Gómez offers his new colleagues some advice.
- CHC requests urgent meeting with VA Secretary.
- CBC stresses DOJ to focus on hate crimes.
- Obama lawyer, Albert Sanders, talks the Beltway and the Valley.
- Mayor Mitch Landrieu and the one drop rule.
- Asian American journalists announce elections.
- Florida gubernatorial candidate Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum is in town today. Find out where in FOMO.
- Congresswoman Mia Love (R-UT) awarded on climate leadership.
- Kendrick Meek joins DC law firm.
- Jeh Johnson heads to Capitol Hill today.
- Jorge Ramos gets the last word on Trump.
- Ivy League president now presiding over HBCU.
- Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala host tech summit.
- Hall of Shamer Dennis Rodman.
- Mike Brown's story comes to the big screen.
- Say her name: TX Legislature weakens Sandra Bland Act signed into law.
- The dash cam video of Philando Castile leaves us all without words.
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CNN commentator Paris Dennard and Trump appointee Leah Victoria posed with the real Aflac Duck at last week's Congressional Baseball Game. | |  |
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) was like, hug? Ivanka Trump was like, nah. They both poked fun at themselves on the interwebs. | |
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President Eric Holder?!
Former AG Eric Holder has always been an outspoken force in politics, never shying away from the political fray. His present day goal: to lead the legal resistance to Donald Trump’s agenda -- and perhaps even run against the president in 2020. Gasp! Seized by a sense of urgency to oppose Trump and restore what he regards as America’s best self, Holder is mulling a White House bid of his own, according to three sources who have spoken to him and are familiar with his thinking. “Up to now, I have been more behind-the-scenes,” Holder told Yahoo News in an exclusive interview about his plans. “But that’s about to change. I have a certain status as the former Attorney General. A certain familiarity as the first African American Attorney General. There’s a justified perception that I’m close to President Obama. So I want to use whatever skills I have, whatever notoriety I have, to be effective in opposing things that are, at the end of the day, just bad for the country. “Now is the time to be more visible,” Holder added. “Now is the time to be heard.” When you’re ready to announce ... please call us, Mr. Holder. The Beat wants the exclusive! More here.
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Kamala Harris and Cory Booker Both Named in Presidential Poll
The Morning Consult/Politico poll out Monday named Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) as presidential contenders in 2020. Topping the list was former VP Joe Biden with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) coming in second. Senator Al Franken (D-MN) also made the list. The poll surveyed 895 Democratic voters from June 8th to 12th and has a margin of error of 3 percentage points. Both Booker and Harris have been the subject of much speculation about a potential presidential run but neither has directly indicated a desire to run. But does anyone this early? We’re not even 8 months off the last campaign. More here.
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The Beat DC's Jamal Simmons sits down with Obama lawyer Albert Sanders, Jr. The California native discusses his journey from Compton and Morehouse College to the White House and Silicon Valley. Listen here.
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Jimmy Gómez Offers Tough Love to New Colleagues
Voters are not interested in a Bernie-or-Hillary litmus test and Democrats need to get past the 2016 primary. That tough advice comes from newly elected CHC member Jimmy Gómez (D-CA), who introduced himself to DC with an op-ed in the WaPo. “If, after two years, all we can say to voters is that we’re the anti-Trump party, there’s no reason to think we’ll win enough congressional seats to change the calculus in Congress. Resisting isn’t enough,” Gómez writes. He goes on to say that Dems must throw out the old playbook, get out from behind the podium and hit the streets, and communicate in a way present-day voters understand. None of this is bad advice. But the rest of country doesn’t mirror California politics. And maneuvering in the federal space can look a lot different once you’re actually navigating the halls of Congress. But the day after devastating losses for the party, Dems may want to listen. Either way, we’re cheering on Gómez’s energy to shake up Congress. We’ll be watching. Read his full piece here.
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Conyers Explains Lawsuit Against Trump
House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), along with several other legislators including Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), held a press conference Tuesday at the Capitol to discuss the unprecedented lawsuit nearly 200 Democrats filed last week in U.S. District Court against the president for violating the Constitution’s anti-corruption provision, the Foreign Emoluments Clause that prohibits a president from profiting from business dealings with foreign governments. The members contend that the president has completely ignored that constitutional clause. In the week since the lawsuit was filed, Trump has received additional foreign benefits -- including new trademarks in China. Conyers said he and other Democratic colleagues have written to Trump on multiple occasions, seeking information about the foreign payments. They have not received a response. “Look, it boils down to this: he either doesn't know or doesn't care.” Conyers is leading the charge against the president, along with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Watch the press conference here.
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Maurita Coley of MMT, Ron Busby of USBC and Michael Mandel of PPI spoke in the Achieving Equity in the Internet Age Forum on Monday. | |  |
HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson chatted on Tuesday with Mike Bellaman about ABC national firms and the employment of low-income people. | |
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CHC Requests “Urgent” Meeting with VA Secretary
Following a recent trip to the southern border city of Tijuana, Mexico where they met with deported U.S. veterans, CHC Chair Congresswoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) sent a letter on behalf of the CHC to Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, urgently requesting a meeting to discuss ways that the Veterans Administration can provide these veterans with resources and other services, and prevent future deportations of U.S. veterans. “One prominent issue they continue to face is access to health care. Though many of these former service members qualify for VA health benefits, they are currently unable to obtain these vital, lifesaving services they need to address injuries and disabilities sustained while serving our country,” reads the letter. “In order to prevent future veteran deportations, it is critical that we also discuss steps the VA can presently take to improve information and outreach to veterans regarding citizenship eligibility and to facilitate the citizenship application process for active duty and recently separated LPR (legal permanent resident) service members.” See the entire letter here.
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Congressional Black Caucus calls on Trump Admin to Invest In Prosecuting Hate Crimes
On Tuesday, CBC Chair Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA) urged the Trump administration to direct more resources toward investigating hate crimes against minorities. In a letter to the heads of the DOJ, FBI, and DHS, Richmond cited recent reports in DC of nooses hung at NMAAHC, the Hirshhorn Museum and on the American University campus. Congressman Al Green (D-TX), has also faced lynching threats after he called for Trump’s impeachment. “Surely there is no greater cause of a government than to protect the lives of its citizens, particularly those uniquely vulnerable to hate, intolerance, and violence,” Richmond wrote. “That is why I implore you to dedicate additional resources within your respective agencies to address the increasing frequency of these deplorable acts. Your leadership is required to not only bring justice to the victims of hate crimes, but also to send a clear message that these acts of domestic terrorism will never be tolerated in this country.” If they accept Trump’s invite to the WH, maybe Omarosa will add this issue to the agenda. More here.
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Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) on Tuesday at the Urban Action Academy on the Canarsie HS campus. | |  |
Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) posed with Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) Tuesday in Golden State colors after losing a NBA Finals bet. | |
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Jeh Johnson Heading to Capitol Hill Today
Today at 11A, former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson is slated to testify before the House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russian meddling in the election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign. Johnson says the Russian government at President Vladimir Putin's direction clearly conducted cyber attacks on the U.S. to influence the presidential election, but the assault did not change ballots, the final count or the reporting of election results. ABC News reports that in prepared testimony, Johnson described the steps he took once he learned of the hacking of the DNC, his fears about a cyber attack on the election itself and his rationale for designating U.S. election systems, including polling places and voter registration databases, as critical infrastructure in early January -- two weeks before Donald Trump's inauguration. More here.
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Univisión's Jorge Ramos Says Americans Too Complacent About Trump
Two years ago, many Americans thought it wasn’t possible that someone like Trump would ever be elected president, but we were wrong, writes Univisión anchor Jorge Ramos, adding that a lot of people largely sat on the sidelines. “For two years now we’ve been listening to Trump’s continued racist commentary and our reaction as Americans has been lukewarm, late, ineffective -- and almost complicit.” Ramos adds that it was “a big mistake” not to challenge Trump’s “racist rhetoric” more vigorously in 2015 when he first announced he was making a run for the White House. Ramos has personal experience with the president. In August 2015, then-candidate Trump had him thrown out of a press conference after he asked a question without being called on (ya know -- that thing reporters do) and yelled to Ramos to “go back to Univisión.” Read Ramos’ entire piece here.
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Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) presents a Congressional Record to Barbara Grijalva on Monday for her retirement after 34 years at KOLD-TV Tucson News Now. | |  |
Congressman Rubén Kihuen (D-NV) posed and toured with members of the Centennial Hills YMCA facility on Monday. | |
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Big Easy Mayor Says He’d Be Honored to Have Black Blood
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who led his city in removing several Confederate monuments, said that it is possible given the history of race relations in the South, that he could have some African American blood and that if it’s true it would be “an honor.” Critics of his stance on the monuments say he removed them because he has Black blood. Landrieu told an AFRO-American newspaper reporter that it’s “sad” having African American blood would be considered to be negative and that he was willing to take a DNA test. Landrieu added that the monuments were erected under the “false premise” that the Confederacy should be celebrated. Landrieu spoke on Friday at the Center for American Progress, urging more interracial cooperation. See his entire speech here.
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AZ Congressman Calls Trump’s Immigration Policies “Cruel”
In an Arizona Republic op-ed, Congressman Rubén Gallego (D-AZ) decries what he says is the “nationalization” of a hardline approach to immigration enforcement made famous by former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who is accused of violating a judge’s order to stop immigration raids in Latino neighborhoods. “Despite the loss of his office and the erosion of his reputation, Arpaio’s tactics have been embraced by the most profoundly anti-immigrant administration in modern American history,” writes Gallego, adding that Trump espouses “cruel” immigration policies and that the president is taking Arpaio’s ideas nationwide. What is urgently needed, says Gallego, is comprehensive immigration reform. Read his remarks in their entirety here.
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Trump appointees Jennifer Korn and Helen Aguirre Ferré posed last week with Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL) in front of Air Force One in Miami. | |  |
Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX) on Tuesday attended CS Firehose, an event hosted by ISTE to teach the next generation about computer science. | |
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Asian American Journalists Announce Elections
The Asian American Journalists Association on Monday announced candidates for senior vice president, vice president of journalism programs and vice president of communications/secretary. All are running unopposed. They are, respectively, incumbent Michelle Ye Hee Lee, a reporter at the WaPo who writes for its Fact Checker feature; incumbent Ramy Inocencio, a New York-based anchor and correspondent for Bloomberg Television, Radio and Podcast; and Nicole Dungca, an investigative reporter at the Boston Globe. More here.
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Kendrick Meek Joins King & Spalding
Former Congressman Kendrick Meek, a Miami Democrat who left Congress in 2010 after a failed Senate bid, joins King & Spalding as a Senior Advisor in its DC government advocacy and public policy practice. The Florida A&M University graduate and member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. will primarily advise clients on healthcare, homeland security, agriculture and financial services. In Congress, he was a member of the House Ways and Means, Armed Services, and Homeland Security committees. Meek has been commuting between Florida and DC since founding KBM Solutions LLC and serving on company advisory boards. He was the youngest member of Congress to chair the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. In 2011, President Barack Obama appointed Meek as U.N. special representative. Who defeated the congressman in that Senate race? Then-Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio who benefited from the three-way split between Meek and former Governor Charlie Crist. More here.
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Ivy Leaguer Presides Over HBCU
By a unanimous vote of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on Monday, Ruth Simmons, who became first Black president of an Ivy League university when she took over Brown in 2001, will be interim president until a permanent replacement for current President George Wright can be found. Simmons presided over Brown for 11 years and was once named by Time Magazine as the best university president in the nation. The Houston native has been retired since 2012 and said she never expected to take a job like this. In an interview, she said she did it because the university has a mission that she believes in. More here.
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Ammar Campa-Najjar, the first Latino-Arab American to run for Congress, attended a town hall in Julian, CA last week in California’s 50th district and enjoyed some pies! | |  |
HACR's Cid Wilson and New Jersey Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter posing in the NMAAHC on Monday. | |
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Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala Host Tech Summit in the Valley
Golden State point guard Steph Curry and forward Andre Iguodala will host The Players Technology Summit Aug. 14th-16th in San Francisco. The event, sponsored by Bloomberg, will be a great place to exchange ideas with top leaders in business, venture capitalists, and athletes. “Playing in Silicon Valley’s backyard has exposed me to information and resources that I’m excited to share through the Summit,” Curry said in a statement. “Whether you’re thinking about your first move into entrepreneurship or investing, or perhaps already a veteran in the space, it’s about surrounding yourself with the right team and putting in the work to always be improving as a professional.” More here.
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Dennis Rodman -- Hall of Shamer
The LA Times reports that Dennis Rodman’s coziness with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has rankled at least one human rights group, which has launched a campaign to get him removed from pro basketball's Hall of Fame in the wake of Otto Warmbier's death. DC-based nonprofit Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation started a petition on change.org demanding the NBA seek to revoke the former Bulls star's membership in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame "following his praise and defense of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, who now has American blood on his hands. ... Otto Warmbier was murdered by the North Korean regime." More here.
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Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA) was a guest speaker at the CRSA Georgia World Refugee Day Celebration on Monday. | |  |
The Joint Center's Spencer Overton spoke on a panel to Black businesses last week about re-innovation, politics and policy with Brandon Cooper and Will Jawando. | |
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Civil Rights Commission Concerned About Budget Cuts
In a statement issued this week, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is expressing concern with the Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts and staff losses in many programs and civil rights offices across the federal government which enforce civil rights laws. “These proposed cuts would result in a dangerous reduction of civil rights enforcement across the country, leaving communities of color, LGBT people, older people, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups exposed to greater risk of discrimination,” says the USCCR, adding that it is particularly concerned with cuts to the departments of Education, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, and Justice. The Commission also announced that it will look at several key issues in fiscal year 2018 and 2019, including an assessment of voting rights obstacles in the U.S., best practices for responding to hate crimes at the federal, state, and local levels, the intersection of school discipline policies for students of color and those with disabilities, and a look at women in prison. More here.
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Scott and Meng Introduce Legislation for Greater College Completion
Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) are among the co-sponsors of two bills to boost college completion and help ensure that students finish their higher education in a timely manner without breaking the bank. The Remedial Education Improvement Act and the Community College Student Success Act are part of House Democrats’ Aim Higher initiative, which proposes policy solution to make higher education attainable for more students. Among other things, the bills seek to increase funding for remedial education classes and technical programs. “(The bills) will help us identify and fund effective remediation strategies and provide comprehensive student support. These two bills will be particularly helpful for the most under-resourced institutions where many of our low-income students and students of color enroll,” said Scott in a statement. More here.
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Mia Love Receives Climate Leadership Award
Congresswoman Mia Love (R-UT) has received the Climate Leadership Award from the Citizens’ Climate Lobby due to her “extraordinary leadership and bold commitment to environmental stewardship.” Love is a part of the bipartisan House Climate Solutions Caucus, which seeks to craft and advance policies that promote effective environmental stewardship. In response to the award Love said, “I believe we can find ways to balance the interests of energy needs, our economy, and our children’s future.” Republicans are known for being more skeptical of climate change compared to their Democratic counterparts, which is why this is an encouraging sight. Love sets an example for the rest of her party that would be wise to agree that global warming is real and affecting everyone. Citizens’ Climate Lobby Executive Director Mark Reynolds explained the effect that Love has had on the issue of climate change, “It’s now just a matter of time before bipartisan solutions will start making their way through the House.” For the Earth’s sake, let's hope. More here.
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CAP's Neera Tanden with Michigan congressional candidate Haley Stevens at Tuesday night's fundraiser. | |  |
Congressman Raúl Labrador (R-ID) with exchange students who are in Idaho visiting his DC office on Tuesday. | |
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Story of Mike Brown Comes to the Big Screen
Blavity reports that Warners Bros is currently developing a drama that will be based on Mike Brown's mother, Lezley McSpadden’s 2016 memoir, Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil: The Life, Legacy, and Love of My Son Michael Brown. It has been nearly three years since unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot by Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson. In the years following the shooting, McSpadden has dedicated her life to activism. She founded The Michael O. D. Brown We Love Our Sons & Daughters Foundation, that aims to help families advocate for justice, and through her other organization, Rainbow of Mothers, she will help parents who have lost children. At this time, the project is in the early stages but the studio wants to hire a screenwriter of color to tackle the delicate subject matter. On Tuesday, a federal judge approved a settlement in the wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Brown’s parents. Details of the settlement were not disclosed. Anthony Gray, the attorney for Brown's parents, declined comment, as did Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III. More here.
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Dash Cam Video of the Killing of Philando Castile
Because there simply are no words, we're posting this without comment.
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Texas Governor Signs Weakened Version of the Sandra Bland Act
On Thursday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a measure that seeks to address the circumstances that led to the death of Sandra Bland, a Black woman found dead in a county jail days after being arrested during a routine traffic stop. But The Sandra Bland Act faced some serious “gut-wrenching” revisions that weakened it, said Bland’s sister Sharon Cooper. The state Senate stripped the bill of provisions that would require additional proof for stopping and searching vehicles and would prohibit arrests over offenses punishable by a fine. It ultimately removed language related to police encounters and mainly focused on mental health. The bill mandates county jails divert people with mental health and substance abuse issues toward treatment, makes it easier for defendants to receive a personal bond if they have a mental illness or intellectual disability, and requires that independent law enforcement agencies investigate jail deaths. The law takes effect September 1st. More here.
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Congressman G. K. Butterfield (D-NC) was recognized for his work in Congress by NAMC last night during the 48th National Convention. | |  |
Following the terrorist incident this past week in London, political commentator Armstong Williams shared a pic from when he interviewed Mohammad Kozbar, chair of the Finsbury Park Mosque. | |
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Flint City Council May Be Fined
Early this month, the Flint City Council delayed the approval of a short-term water contract that would ensure the residents of Flint have continued access to clean water. This has led the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to take matters into their own hands. MDEQ Director Heidi Grether stated that if the city fails to either approve or deny a 30-year contract for the delivery of safe water, MDEQ will be forced to go to the courts seeking financial damages on behalf of Flint's residents. The city of Flint has until June 30th to figure out whether or not it will be accepting the contract. MDEQ says that if there is no plan by then, it will be marching straight to the state attorney general's office to get him to take legal action. More here from Blavity.
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¿¿Por Qué No Puedo Hablar Español??
A Spanish-speaking Uber driver was fined $250 at the Miami International Airport Sunday morning for violating a county requirement that drivers be able to communicate in English. The alleged violation left the driver, Carmen Hechevarría, complaining of unfair treatment in a county where Census figures show 73 percent of the population speaks a language other than English at home at least some of the time. Uber said it has never required drivers to be able to speak English, saying the English-language app drivers use to communicate with passengers complies with Miami-Dade’s language rule. More here.
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| FOMO Today, 4P: A meet and greet with Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, running for Governor of Florida. The Madison Group, 1030 15th Street NW, Suite 1080 West. RSVP: akilah@invictusstrategygroup.com
Today, 6P: Reception and fundraiser for Kia Hamadanchy for Congress. 408 East Capitol Street, NE, RSVP at: info@KiaForOrangeCounty.com
Today, 6:30P: Reception and fundraiser for David Min for Congress. Rooftop at Steptoe and Johnson, 1330 Connecticut Avenue, NW. Click here to RSVP.
Thursday, June 22nd, 6P: MALDEF hosts its 2017 Chicago Awards Gala honoring Carlos Tortolero, President and Founder of the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, and Mary Meg McCarthy, Executive Director of the National Immigrant Justice Center.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Thursday, June 22nd - Saturday, June 24th: NALEO holds its 34th-annual conference in Dallas. Click here to register.
Saturday, June 24th, 4P: The DC chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) hosts its annual BBQ and fundraiser. Click here to purchase tickets.
Wednesday, June 28th, 8A: The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center sponsors a rally in front of the White House in support of immigrants and refugees and their families. Click here for more information.
Thursday, June 29th - July 4th: Amnesty International holds a fast and vigil in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in support of abolishing the death penalty. Click here for more information.
Thursday, July 6th - 9th: The Japanese American Citizens League holds its 48th-annual national convention. Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street, NW. Click here for more information and to register.
Wednesday, July 26th - Friday, July 28th: ColorComm, Women of Color in Communications, holds its 2017 conference in Miami, FL, featuring keynote speaker Whoopi Goldberg. Click here to register.
Friday, August 18th: The deadline to apply for the Poynter Institute and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) 2017 Leadership Academy for Diversity in Digital Media, to be held Dec. 3rd - 8th in St. Petersburg, FL. The tuition-free program trains journalists of color to work in digital media. Click here for more information and to apply.
Thursday, September 7th - 9th: The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), the Native American Journalists Association, and the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) sponsor the Excellence in Journalism 2017 conference in Anaheim, CA. Click here for more details and to register.
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