Tweet this to your networks and share this with five friends
Tweet this to your networks and share this with five friends
Washington's Inclusive Political Pulse
Send your schedule, pics, blogs, social post to info@thebeatdc.com
Share on Social
March 17, 2017 | SUBSCRIBE
When the Irish migrated to America, they faced ubiquitous prejudice and discrimination because they were considered poor, uneducated, less skilled, and were Catholics in a land of Protestant dominance. Many didn’t want the new immigrants “stealing jobs” so “No Irish Need Apply” signs were common. Of course, that was long before border walls and executive orders. Nonetheless, Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Here’s what's happening -- fallout continues from the WH’s proposed budget. The CBC meets with Trump next week. The USHCC spent Thursday meeting with senior officials at the WH. And today, the president will hold a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. If yesterday’s WH press briefing is any indication, you’ll want to be sure and tune in. But first, the CHC has a press conference of their own. Here’s your Friday read…
CHC Chair Talks to Press Following Meeting with DHS
Today at 11:30A, CHC Chair
Congresswoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM), Dem Caucus Vice Chair Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (D-CA), and Dem Caucus Chair Congressman Joe Crowley (D-NY) will hold a media avail following their meeting with Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. You can watch the live stream here

CBC to Meet with Trump Next Week
During a contentious WH press briefing on Thursday, Sean Spicer announced that the president will be meeting with the CBC on Wednesday. In addition to wondering what CBC Chair Cedric Richmond (D-LA) will discuss, the other question on everyone’s mind is … will Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) be there? #Awkward
Scott Pens Op-Ed on CBC and Trump Budget
One member has already made his position clear. Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA) penned an op-ed for Black Press USA where he wrote, “If the President is serious about improving the lives of African Americans, he need only look to the Conscience of the Congress: The Congressional Black Caucus. The CBC has been fighting for neglected and underrepresented Americans since its inception in 1971.” Read the entire piece here.
What Do You Have to Lose?
The White House budget requests a $6 billion cut to HUD, which MSNBC reporter Peter Alexander said went against Trump’s promise to urban Black voters that he would rebuild the nation’s inner cities. WH Budget Director Mick Mulvaney argued that the cuts to HUD were for money allocated for building new houses, which could be reinserted in a later infrastructure spending bill. More here.
Sean Hannity Once Pulled a Gun on Juan Williams
Last year, after ending one of his many spirited on-air arguments with liberal contributor Juan Williams, Fox News’ Sean Hannity pulled out a gun and pointed it directly at Williams, according to three sources with knowledge of the incident. He even turned on the laser sight, causing a red dot to bob around on Williams' body. More here
.
DNC Transition Advisory Committee Announced
DNC Chair Tom Pérez announced the party’s Transition Advisory Committee, which will be co-chaired by Reverend Leah D. Daughtry and former Deputy Secretary of Labor Chris Lu. This team is charged with providing concrete suggestions and advice on building a party that reaches into and represents every corner of the country. Other members include: Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Astrid Silva, LaToia Jones, Rick Wade, Jehmu Green, Bel Leong-Hong, Zerlina Maxwell, Deray McKesson, Ademola Oyefeso, Ai-Jen Poo, among others. For a full list, click here.
Obama Needs Some Me Time
Former President Barack Obama kicked off a month-long vacation on Wednesday -- completely solo. Obama arrived in French Polynesia on Wednesday, where he will reportedly spend a month at the luxury Tetiaroa atoll retreat -- a high-end escape once owned by the late actor Marlon Brando. Obama will reportedly spend his time on the island of Tahiti without political meetings or any of his family members. More here.
But First: Brackets
But before the former president left, Obama did make time to fill out his March Madness bracket. The current president declined to continue the tradition. So POTUS44 carried on the ritual himself, with the Obama Foundation tweeting, "In the spirit of good sportsmanship & good citizenship, here are @barackobama's picks for #MarchMadness 2017." See his picks here.
CHC’s New Policy Director
Congressman Joaquín Castro (D-TX) is losing his Legislative Assistant Sandra Alcalá
. But it’s for a good reason. She will spearhead the newly created CHC policy portfolio as the new Policy Director beginning March 27th. Her last day with Castro is March 24th. Congrats! More about Sandra here.
NAACP LDF Releases Report on Gorsuch
With confirmation hearings for SCOTUS nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch set to begin next week, the NAACP LDF has released an in-depth report analyzing his civil rights record. The report claims that across different issues, including when race is directly and indirectly implicated, Judge Gorsuch has regularly favored the interests of the privileged and powerful, at the expense of equality and inclusion. Read the report here.
Trump Meets with Flint, MI Mayor
Flint, MI Mayor Karen Weaver met with Donald Trump for a total of two minutes on Wednesday and urged continued support for her city during the ongoing water contamination crisis. The Democratic mayor said the meeting was much shorter than she had anticipated. But she did manage to tell the president that the city still needs more funding to replace underground service lines that leached lead into the municipal water supply, and she suggested the city could use additional help with public safety funding for police. More here.
Billion Dollar Wall
The White House is asking Congress --- not Mexico -- for $4.1 billion to begin constructing Donald Trump’s promised massive wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. But the request threatens to shutter the entire federal government. More here.
Group of Dems Want to Rescind EO on Border Wall
Not if one group has anything to say about it. Dem Senators Cory Booker (NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (NV), Tammy Duckworth (IL), Kamala Harris (CA), Mazie Hirono (HI), and Bob Menéndez (NJ) are among a group of 24 Dems who are introducing legislation that would rescind Trump's executive order on border security and "immigration enforcement improvements." More here.
GOP Latinos Troubled by ACA Replacement
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) says she'll vote against the Obamacare replacement legislation that her party has crafted, at least as it is now written. Ros-Lehtinen's main reasons: "too many of my constituents will lose insurance and there will be less funds to help the poor and elderly with their healthcare." More here.
“Words Have Consequences” -- Sen. Cortez Masto
“Words have consequences and anybody in a position, and has a platform, and abuses that position is concerning,” Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) told a group of Hispanic reporters on Tuesday in reference to the divisive rhetoric by Congressman Steve King (R-IA). She said a Mexican consulate in her home state was recently vandalized -- a swastika spray-painted on it. And similar incidents happened to synagogues and elementary schools in Nevada. More here.
CHC Calls on Ryan to Remove King from Committee
Will King be dethroned? The CHC is calling on Speaker Paul Ryan and Republican leaders to remove Congressman Steve King from his position as Chair of the Constitution and Civil Justice Judiciary Subcommittee. In a statement, CHC Chair
Congresswoman Michelle Luján Grisham says, "We call on Speaker Ryan to condemn Mr. King's statements by immediately removing him as Chairman of the Constitution and Civil Justice Judiciary Subcommittee. This will send a strong message that America's strength is built on its diversity and that members of Congress will stand united against bigotry in any form." Meanwhile, the Congressman says he has received nothing but praise from his GOP colleagues. More here
Trump’s Beef with Snoop
Trump clapped back at rapper Snoop Dogg over a video of the rapper shooting a clown dressed up as the president. Trump tweeted, “Can you imagine what the outcry would be if @SnoopDogg, failing career and all, had aimed and fired the gun at President Obama? Jail time!” Snoop appeared on an episode of The Apprentice and participated in Comedy Central’s roast of Donald Trump. But it’s safe to say the beef just got real. More here.
And the Beef Grew From There
Rapper Bow Wow is the latest to step into the ring in the ongoing feud between Donald Trump and Snoop Dogg, coming to the defense of his friend and mentor. Bow Wow made derogatory comments about the first lady that were not well received by social media. T.I. and others also jumped in the fight to defend Snoop with language that is too hot for The Beat. But read it for yourself here.
Candidate Hopes to be First Openly Gay Latinx MoC
Raymond Meza could get a shot at becoming the nation's first-ever openly gay Latinx member of Congress. He's running in the primary election for California's 34th congressional district, the seat formerly held by Xavier Becerra. The primary on April 4th will decide which two of the 23 candidates will be on the ballot for the general election to take place June 6th. Meza talks to Teen Vogue here.
HBCUs Stiffed in Budget
After meetings with the Trump administration last month, leaders of HBCUs expressed cautious optimism that the increased funding they requested might actually make it into the White House budget. It did not. There is no mention in the budget of any federal investment in scholarships, technology or campus infrastructure that leaders requested. And instead of expanding Pell grants for low-income students to cover summer courses as they had asked, the budget raids nearly $4 billion from the program’s reserves. More here.
Running Start Honors MoC and The Beat
Running Start -- a nonpartisan, organization that provides young women (ages 14-25) with the skills and inspiration to lead in politics, will host its 11th annual Young Women to Watch Awards on Monday, March 20th at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.  The event will honor the 2017 congressional co-chairs, Congresswomen Yvette Clarke (D-NY) and Barbara Comstock (R-VA), and Congressmen Will Hurd (R-TX) and Tim Ryan (D-OH), along with The Beat’s Tiffany D. Cross. For more info, or to attend, click here.
Google Announces Public Policy Fellowship
Google’s Stephanie Valencia is leading an effort to offer students the opportunity to work with a diverse group of organizations and think tanks at the forefront of addressing some of today’s most challenging policy questions. Whether working on data security standards at a leading consumer group or innovation economy issues at a preeminent think tank, students gain hands-on experience tackling critical technology policy issues. More here.
USHCC Met with WH Officials on Thursday
On Thursday, US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Javier Palomarez led Hispanic business leaders to meetings at the WH, as the organization held its annual legislative summit. There were meetings with senior administration officials in two groups, one focused specifically on women and Latina business leaders, and the other with a wider group of major Hispanic businesses. More here.
Golden Arches Tumbles the Golden Tower
Speaking of beef, add McDonald’s to that list. The fast food chain said its corporate Twitter account had been hacked, after a tweet went out mocking Trump on Thursday.  "@realDonaldTrump You are actually a disgusting excuse of a President and we would love to have @BarackObama back, also you have tiny hands," the tweet read. More here.
Mexican Presidential Candidate Has Words for Trump
Mexican presidential candidate
Andrés Manuel López Obrador was in town to present a complaint against Trump's executive orders on immigration at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). The former mayor of Mexico City told reporters at the National Press Club that poor distribution of income and bad tax policies, not immigrants, are the cause of economic distress. "Trump's approach of blaming migrants for the problems of the United States has been excessive. We will not allow that, you can't implement a campaign of hate against Mexicans because that is neofascism," he said. More here.
Duckworth & Franken Close the Skills Gap
On Wednesday, Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and AL Franken (D-MN) announced the reintroduction of their legislation to close the “skills gap,” which makes it difficult for small businesses and other employers to find qualified candidates for unfilled jobs, by supporting innovative partnerships between community colleges, technical colleges, and businesses to train students to fill high-demand jobs. Read a summary of the bill here.
Valerie Jarrett Offers Suggestions to Address the Prison Population
The United States has approximately five percent of the world’s population and 25 percent of its incarcerated. Valerie Jarrett says this is unsustainable and we all have a collective and individual responsibility to reverse this trend. She penned a piece for Medium where she delves into some solutions. Click here to read.
CBCF Avoice Heritage Event
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation will host its 8th annual AVOICE Heritage Celebration on March 29th. The award ceremony will recognize Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA); the Eddie and C. Sylvia Brown Family Foundation; and Beverly Bond, Founder and CEO of Black Girls Rock. CNN Political Commentator Symone Sanders will serve as the evening’s Mistress of Ceremonies. More here.
Killer Mike Honored by GA State Senate
This week, Killer Mike was recognized by the Georgia state legislature for his role in shoring up Atlanta’s infrastructure, and last year there was a new water drill named after him with the never-to-be-forgotten moniker Driller Mike. That led to him becoming more involved in the fight for clean water. More here.
International African American Museum
The International African American Museum (IAAM) is being built in Charleston, SC and will open in 2019. Joining a growing list of African American history museums across the country, the $75 million project is being led by Michael Boulware Moore, a former advertising executive. He sat down with The Grio for an interview on the endeavor. Click here to read.
Mock Slave Auction at Howard University
On March 9th, a white Howard University professor opened Frederick Douglass’ slave narrative with the intention of teaching the class about the hardships of slavery and turned his classroom into a mock slave auction. It was not well received. Read about it here.
Michelle Obama’s Healthy Initiative Being Challenged
One of Michelle Obama’s accomplishments as first lady was her successful championing of healthier school lunch programs as part of a larger push to combat obesity. However, that may be reversed, thanks to the efforts of a nonprofit organization called the School Nutrition Association. The group is calling for “practical flexibility under federal nutrition standards to prepare healthy, appealing meals,” meaning it is asking the Department of Agriculture not only to allow saltier foods but also to halve whole grain requirements. More here.
First Hmong Judge in WI
Kashoua "Kristy" Yang, an attorney in Wisconsin, recently declared her candidacy to be a Milwaukee County circuit court judge, which would make her the first female Hmong judge in the country, and only the second judge of Hmong descent after Judge Paul Lo in Merced County, California. Yang is currently campaigning throughout the district ahead of the April 4th election. More about her here.
              Videos of the Day
                    (click images to play)
Former interim DNC Chair Donna Brazile on The Daily Show Thursday night.
Trump to Black voters: "What do you have to lose?" MSNBC reporter Peter Alexander follows up on that question during yesterday's press conference when WH Budget Directer Mick Mulvaney attempts to defend the president's proposed budget. 
ABC’s Jonathan Karl asked Sean Spicer about the Senate Intelligence Committee’s conclusion they have seen “no indications” that President Obama wiretapped Trump Tower last year.
After losing the court battle in Hawaii, a Maryland judge delivered the second blow to Trump's new travel ban. CNN's Laura Jarrett explains why. 
Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) offers her take on what constituents should be asking about the GOP's replacement for the ACA. 
After an East Coast snowstorm led to widespread flight cancellations, Texas Congressmen Will Hurd (R) and Beto O’Rourke (D) went on a bipartisan road trip from San Antonio to DC that took two days to get them to the U.S. Capitol in time for Wednesday evening votes. Roll Call presents their adventures. 
A mariachi band performed the national anthem outside the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City at a demonstration to extol the virtues of migration.
After keeping reporters waiting for nearly an hour, WH Press Secretary Sean Spicer finally emerged. But not before BuzzFeed's Adrian Carrasquillo had some fun by posting this video which he called "Sad Reporters."
Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA) spoke at a hearing hosted by House Dems on the Republican's healthcare bill which would repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Pics of the Day
(click image for more info)
WaPo's Abby Phillip aboard Air Force One on Wednesday.
First Daughter Ivanka Trump joined Latina business leaders at the WH on Thursday for USHCC's roundtable during their annual legislative conference.
NPC President Jeff Ballou hosting Mexican presidential candidate Manuel López Obrador for a newsmaker event with consultant John Mill Ackerman at the National Press Club.
Congressman Darren Soto (D-FL) poses with Capitol Hill visitors and promotes common sense immigration reform. 
Steve Harvey and Armstrong Williams pose with HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson after meeting to discuss the secretary's listening tour on youth mentoring and jobs for low-income residents.
Voto Latino's María Teresa Kumar giving an interview at SXSW.
WH CoS Reince Priebus joins USHCC President Javier Palomarez at the WH for a business roundtable. 
Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (D-CA) poses for a pic after being named co-chair of the Croatian Caucus.
Rapper Killer Mike was honored last week by the Georgia state legislature.
Selfie time. NCLR's Janet Murguía poses with LatinoJustice PRLDEF's Juan Cartagena, LCCHR's Wade Henderson, and MALDEF's Tom Sáenz during Monday's Latino State of the Union in NYC. 
BP's Ray Dempsey presents the "Latinas Will Run" panel during the USHCC's annual legislative conference on Wednesday. 
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) poses with constituents. 
Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX) wrapping up an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Thursday afternoon. 
The Other Twitterverse
FOMO Alert!
LOOK AHEAD

Monday, March 20th, 9AM: A panel discussion on "The State of Skills Development in Latin America" hosted by the Inter-American Dialogue (1155 15th St NW Suite 800). RSVP here.
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.
Friday, March 25th, 7P: CHSA hosts Dominoes night at Los Hermanos, 1428 Park Rd., NW. RSVP here.
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. RSVP here.
March 31st, 6:30P: A Celebration of Women with Johnnetta B. Cole as she prepares to retire from the National Museum of African Art. DJ Sabine Blaizin, Afro-fusion band Eme and Heteru, and vocalist Loide Jorge turn up the volume for an evening of African music, dance, and art. Click here for more info.
Friday, April 21st - Monday, April 24th: National South Asian Summit 2017. D.C. Click here for more info.
Powered by The Raben Group
SUBSCRIBE. Got this as a forward? Sign up here to receive our future emails.
View this email online
Subscribe to our email list.