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Good morning! We have officially sprung forward readying ourselves for the spring. But not so fast. Consistent with the political climate, the weather has also opted to throw out the rule book. While we enjoyed nearly 80 degree days in February, we’re bracing for a monster snowstorm that's set to hit the DMV tonight. Farewell cherry blossom seedlings. But on the bright side -- a potential snow day in mid March? We'll take it. Welcome to the new DC. Here’s your Monday morning read…
WH Budget
The WH is expected to release its budget on Thursday. With some of the proposed budget cuts, communities of color will no doubt be impacted. More here.
Dems Send Letter to Carson Over Proposed HUD Budget Cuts
Several Dem senators denounced a HUD proposal that would eliminate billions of dollars from public-housing maintenance funds — used to fix vital equipment such as toilets, water pumps and heating equipment — and eliminate community development grants entirely. In a sharply worded letter to Secretary Ben Carson, Dems called the budget reductions “unconscionable” warning that they could pose health risks. More here.
Acosta Hearings Begin This Week
Hearings for Trump’s new Labor Secretary nominee begin on Wednesday. Alexander Acosta, the only Latino Cabinet nominee in this administration, served as Assistant Attorney General in the DOJ’s civil rights division under President George W. Bush, and is a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Although some Dems have raised concerns about Acosta’s ability to stand up to political pressure, he is expected to face a smooth nomination process. More here.
Obama Meets with Tech Giants in the Valley
According to reports, Barack Obama visited Silicon Valley to meet with tech bosses at the Fairmont Hotel in downtown San Jose. Prior to arriving in San Jose from DC, Obama stopped in Omaha briefly on Sunday to have lunch with Warren Buffett. More here. Obama’s Legacy
IL State Representative Andrew Thapedi, a Democrat, was bombarded with a stream of death threats after proposing a holiday to honor former President Obama. But honoring Obama’s legacy continues despite the challenges. In CA, a state senator recently proposed naming a portion of the Ventura Freeway “President Barack H. Obama Freeway.” In NJ, the Jersey City school board agreed last fall to name a public school after Obama. New Albany, IN, renamed in January one of its streets “Barack Obama Way," and the mayor credited Obama’s stimulus plan with helping to create jobs in the town. More here.
Holder Heads West to Raise Funds
Former AG Eric Holder -- who’s chairing the National Democratic Redistricting Committee -- heads to San Francisco on Saturday and Los Angeles on Sunday to ask California’s biggest donors to help Dems redraw maps for state legislatures and the House of Representatives. Holder will be joined by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and VA Governor Terry McAuliffe. More here.
CBC Asks and Answers: What Did Trump Do This Week
On Friday, the CBC released the first installment of “What Did Trump Do This Week?” which are short, one-pagers that offer information about the Trump administration's policies and programs, and how they impact the African American community. This first installment focused on the ill-received ACA replacement bill.
CHC’s Weekend of Action
Over the weekend, CHC members hosted a series of events that highlight the impact of immigration policy on the lives of everyday people. Chairwoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) said, “These events highlight our commitment to immigration policies that prioritize the economic and social contributions of immigrants. We support law enforcement efforts to address violent crime, but we will resist efforts by the Trump Administration to scapegoat and criminalize productive members of our communities.” More here.
Recommended By Michelle Obama
The Black-ish actress Yara Shahidi recently went through the arduous process of applying to colleges, and she was lucky enough to land the endorsement of the former First Lady Michelle Obama who penned her recommendation letter. More here.
Balling with MoC
The 30th annual Home Court Charity Game is coming up later this month. On the roster so far is Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), Congressmen Ryan A. Costello (R-PA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), James R. Comer (R-KY), Alma Adams (D-NC), Mark Meadows (R-NC), Joseph P. Kennedy III (D-MA), Jeff Denham (R-CA), and Del. Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS). The lawmakers will take on a team of Georgetown Law faculty on March 22nd at Gonzaga High School. Proceeds from the game go to the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. More here.
Latino State of the Union
Today, MALDEF presents the Latino State of the Union at the Time Warner Center in NYC. The keynote speaker is CA Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Panelists include MALDEF’s Thomas Sáenz, NCLR’s Janet Murguía, Latino Justice PRLDEF's Juan Cartagena, and LCCHR’s Wade Henderson. More here.
Hidden Figures: Etienne, The New Face of the Resistance
From confirmation hearings to pending investigations into the Trump administration, Dems have their hands full playing defense. That's why they brought in battle-tested Democratic operative Ashley Etienne. Most recently, she served as Special Assistant to President Obama and Cabinet Communications Director. She is now returning to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s office, where she will serve as Director of Communications and Senior Policy Advisor. There she will lead and increase coordination among Dems to more aggressively respond to investigations into the Trump presidency, including on Russia, conflicts of interest, and other issues. More about Ashley here.
Luján Introduces Two Measures Designed to Increase Transparency in Political Advertising
Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced two pieces of legislation to increase transparency and openness in the political system by making it easier to determine exactly who is sponsoring and paying for political ads. Luján’s bills make it easier to determine who is funding anonymous political ads and require that information filed with the FCC about those ads be more available and accessible to the public. More here.
Shakir Moves ACLU Into Grassroots Reistsance
The ACLU is spending millions of dollars on a plunge into grassroots politics -- a “People Power” campaign. It’s the brain child of Faiz Shakir, the ACLU’s new political director, and the newest and largest development from a sprawling “resistance” movement. Six of its key organizers, hired by Shakir, are veterans of the 2016 Democratic presidential campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Learn more about People Power here.
Stay, Don’t Stay
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara is among the 46 federal prosecutors who were shown the door by Trump on Friday without warning. Bharara met with Trump shortly after the November election and was asked to stay on. Apparently not anymore. More here.
DAPL Protestors Descend on DC
The Dakota Access Pipeline begins churning out oil this week, but that didn’t stop hundreds of protestors from hitting the streets in DC, including two who came to town with a special message. More here.
Judge Blocks New Trump Travel Ban
The ink on Trump’s revised travel ban is barely dry, but already there’s a judge in Madison, WI that said stop right there. Click here for more details.
Darren Sands Profiles Omarosa
Buzzfeed’s Darren Sands profiles Omarosa in his latest piece, “The Gate Keeper.” He interviews friendly associates and foes who have strong feelings about the ex-Democrat and former reality TV star turned GOP government official. It appears, according to Sands, that she has yet to win over established Black Republicans. Read the entire story here.
Say What Rep. King??
Congressman Steve King (R-IA) on Sunday tweeted about nationalist Dutch politician Geert Wilders and stated, “Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can’t restore our civilization with somebody else’s babies.” King’s tweet echoes comments he made during the 2016 presidential election when, as a supporter of Donald Trump, he suggested that white people had contributed more to civilization than any other “subgroup.” More here.
Castro Takes Shot at Cruz
Congressman Joaquín Castro (D-TX) held a weekend rally in El Paso and took a shot at Sentor Ted Cruz (R-TX). "We need a senator that works for Texas. Ted Cruz works for Ted Cruz," Castro said, adding that he will announce at the end of April whether he will run for senator. More here.
Beefing Up ICE Cause Concern for Many
Trump has vowed to bring a hiring surge of 10,000 immigration and customs officers to accelerate the deportation of undocumented immigrants. However, some DHS officials said they worried that in an effort to speed up hiring, the agency would be tempted to lower its standards. Leaked documents outlining plans to beef up the Border Patrol show that Customs and Border Protection officials are considering waiving polygraph tests for some applicants and applying less stringent background checks to rush the hiring of 5,000 agents. More here.
SAALT Vigil on the Hill
On Friday, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) held a vigil with MoCs on the steps of the Capitol to honor the victims of hate violence in South Asian, Muslim, Sikh, and Arab American communities nationwide. Spotted: Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA), Congressman Joe Crowley (D-NY), and Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA).
Let’s Mess with TX
Federal judges found more problems in Texas’ voting rights laws, ruling that Republicans racially gerrymandered some congressional districts to weaken the growing electoral power of people of color. The GOP-controlled Texas legislature approved the maps in 2011, the same year then-Gov. Rick Perry signed a voter ID law that ranks among the toughest in the U.S. Several courts have since weakened that law, too. More here.
Some Law Enforcement Groups Oppose CA Being Sanctuary State
A proposal introduced by CA Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies from using resources to investigate, detain, report, or arrest people for immigration enforcement. However, some law enforcement officials are concerned that the limits on collaboration with federal immigration officials would negatively affect county jail budgets, hurt investigations involving policing departments at different levels of government, and limit deputies from alerting federal authorities about the release dates of inmates who could be a danger to the public. More here.
Blue Lives Matter Bill Passes in KY
A bill that would make attacks against first responders a hate crime passed the Kentucky Senate last week. The bill states that if anyone commits an offense against a police officer, a member of a fire department, or emergency medical services personnel, it could be seen as a hate crime if the offense happened because of the person's job as a first responder. More here.
Thompson Battles ICE in MS
Last week, Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) wrote a letter to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, asking him to release from federal custody Daniela Vargas, the 22-year-old undocumented immigrant who grew up in Mississippi and was detained after speaking out at a press conference in Jackson. And, after mounting pressure, he did. Get the story here.
Fox News Working with AAJA
In the aftermath of a racially charged Fox News segment that negatively portrayed the AAPI community, the Asian American Journalists Association met with the network in an attempt to air their concerns. “I think they heard what the community’s reactions are,” said former AAJA President Paul Cheung. In February, AAJA announced in a statement, “Fox News is open and agreeable to consider story pitches and guests that accurately reflect and impact the Asian-American community.” They even offer the contact of Fox executives to ensure it lands in the right inbox. For their info, click here.
America's Top High School Science Students Are The Children Of Immigrants
What would we lose if immigrants could no longer come to the United States? Surprisingly, one of the most important things the U.S. would lose is the contributions made by its children. A new study from the National Foundation for American Policy found a remarkable 83% (33 of 40) of the finalists from the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search are the children of immigrants. More here.
SXSW
SXSW continues today and through the week in Austin. Spotted: Senator Corey Booker, MoC Nanette Barragan (D-CA), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), TX State Rep. Cesar Blanco, Estuardo Rodriguez, Laura Rodriguez, Norberto Salinas, Cris Turner, Cindy Jimenez Turner, Moses Mercado, Chanelle Hardy and many others. We’ll bring you more in Wednesday’s Beat.
NQAPIA Brings Out Obama Alumni
On Saturday night, NQAPIA presented Gautam Raghavan, VP of Policy at the Gill Foundation, with the Community Catalyst Award. Raghavan previously served as the WH Liaison to the LGBT and AAPI communities. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) presented the award via a video link. Also honored on Saturday was Miriam Yeung (who accepted the award with her two amazing young daughters in tow), who most recently served as Executive Director of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum. The emcee for the evening was Parag Mehta, former CoS for U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Obama administration alums were out in full force and took up two full tables. Spotted: Shin Inouye, Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, and Praveen Fernandes.
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Videos of the Day
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| This actually happened. This morning on CNN, Congressman Steve King (R-IA) promotes the homoginization of America. See for yourself.
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| Standing Rock activists just released their very first, brutally effective #NoDAPL TV commercial.
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| Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) used a speech at SXSW in Austin to take some shots at Donald Trump, saying he’d “never in his lifetime” seen such a climate of fear as nowadays with Trump in office.
Booker even hinted at making a run himself for the nation’s highest office.
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| During an interview on ABC's This Week, Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) said there could be a connection between the firing of former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and investigations into Trump.
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| Senator Robert Menéndez (D-NJ) stands in support of Catalino Guerrero, an undocumented immigrant and grandfather with no criminal record who has lived in the U.S. for 25 years while working and paying taxes. Guerrero faces deportation under Trump's executive order.
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| Hawaii's AG Doug Chin shared some of the concerns he's heard about Trump's revised travel ban. On Tuesday, Hawaii became the first state to sue over that ban.
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| Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA) spoke on Friday as the week’s Voice of the CHC.
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| Last week, at a Republican Party Lincoln Day dinner, Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA) said that not only is there a widespread government effort to undermine Trump, but that it's being led by none other than former president Barack Obama -- who Kelly claims is running a “shadow government.”
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| Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) at the White House after meeting with Trump on Wednesday.
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| SNL presents Scarlett Johansson as Ivanka Trump in the perfume "ad" Complicit.
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Pics of the Day
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| Barack and Michelle Obama had lunch with U2 frontman and activist Bono in New York City on Friday. The trio sat in a private dining room at Upland in Manhattan.
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| The Washington Performing Arts Society honored Booz Allen Hamilton's Reggie Van Lee on Saturday night. The honoree posed with Marva Smalls, Joyce Brayboy, Reem Sadik, and Alix Dijean.
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| On Saturday night, NQAPIA presented Gautam Raghavan, VP of Policy at the Gill Foundation, with the Community Catalyst Award.
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| April Ryan and NBC's Ken Strickland toast each other at a MSNBC networking event at Ris in Georgetown on Saturday.
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| NBC Universal's Director of Multicultural Initiatives Ryan Williams chatting with CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper Producer Charlita Rodriguez on Saturday evening at Ris in Georgetown.
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| The WaPo released never-before-seen photos of what was happening behind the scenes during the Women's March. Here: Janaye Ingram, Vanessa Wruble, and Michael Skolnic have a conversation with National Park Service representative Leonard D. Lee about possibly adjusting the march permit because there were too many people to march on the predetermined route. (Kisha Bari)
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| Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) posed for a pic with actors James Earl Jones and Bill Heck. The senator had just seen the pair perform in "Night of the Iguana" at the American Repertory Theater in her home state of Massachusetts this weekend.
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| Jamal Simmons in a behind-the-scenes moment on ABC's This Week on Sunday.
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Tuesday, March 14th, 6P: The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation hosts a reception in honor of the inaugural Kakehashi Japan study abroad delegation at the American Trucking Association (430 First St. SE). Invite only. Tuesday, March 21st, 6P: George Washington University Presents "Cornell Belcher A Black Man in the White House" with Cornell Belcher. RSVP here.
Friday, March 24th, 12P: The Congressional Staff Association Fair takes place in the Rayburn Foyer. The event is open to all current Senate and House staff.
Wednesday, March 29th, 1PM: The Latina Maternal and Child Health Project will be hosting a Congressional Staff Briefing in Cannon Room 122. It will be held in cooperation with the Congressional Caucus on Maternity Care.
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