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| Here’s what’s on the legislative agenda: the ACA repeal, tax reform, a budget to avoid a looming late summer government shutdown, multiple investigations into the Trump admin colluding with Russians, Trump’s latest goal of privatizing air traffic control, and the administration's lofty $1 trillion infrastructure plan. Not even Secretary of Everything Jared Kushner (who’s also a focus of the Russian investigation) can handle getting all this done. Meanwhile, the president continues to undercut his team 140 characters at a time. Will there ever be a slow news cycle again? We just don’t think so. Here’s what’s up this Tuesday:
- Former President Barack Obama heads to Montreal.
- Tina Tchen talks life post-White House.
- Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) dines with Trump tonight.
- Kal Penn is all about RUN.
- Baltimore moves to welcome immigrants.
- London Mayor Sadiq Khan tells Trump to stay home.
- Donald Trump has nominated Carlos G. Muñiz of Florida to be General Counsel at the Department of Education.
- Immigration problems? There's an app for that.
- UN Ambassador Nikki Haley makes her case for and against the Human Rights Council.
- The California governor's race gets extra ugly today.
- LA picks a new MoC today.
- Did Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) shove a reporter or nah?
- Don't forget to tune into Keepin' It Real with Rev. Al Sharpton today at 1:20P to catch The Beat DC's Tiffany D. Cross discussing the latest headlines.
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House of Cards creator Beau Willmon with Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) at the March for Truth on Saturday. | |  |
That's Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) surrounded by the "Elite Ladies" from Dunston Primary School in North Charleston, SC on Friday. | |
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Obama Speaks in Montreal
Today, Barack Obama will address the Montreal Board of Trade to mark the city’s 375th birthday. He is coming as part of the organization’s International Leader Series, which in the past has hosted such notable figures as Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, and Mikhail Gorbachev. Obama is a history maker and an inspiration, Michel Leblanc, president of the Montreal Board of Trade said in a statement. “At a time when the world is seeking more certainty and stability, and as globalization is forcing us to rethink our existing economic and democratic models, we are proud to host someone who has devoted his actions to human rights, free trade agreements, diplomacy and economic development,” he said. The big question is -- will Obama be buttoned or unbuttoned? More here.
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Michelle Obama’s Former CoS Tina Tchen Talks About What She’s Been Up to Since Leaving the WH
Michelle Obama’s former Chief of Staff, Tina Tchen, worked in the White House during President Barack Obama's entire administration. Before becoming CoS for FLOTUS44, she was the Director of the WH Office of Public Engagement. Her job before entering the White House was a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom's office in Chicago, where she spent 23 years as a commercial litigator. She tells the National Law Journal that since leaving the WH, she has been spending a lot of time working with an organization to continue some of the work from the White House Council on Women and Girls: The United State of Women. “It involves providing a platform and megaphone for the whole range of women's issues, and for the organizations working on women's issues. The brand The United State of Women was housed outside the government so that if we needed to continue that work, which we do, clearly, it would be a vehicle for doing so.” She also talks about firms losing top female talent and if she'd ever go back to billable-hour life. Read the full interview here.
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Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro joined Tallahasee Mayor and FL gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum at the Broward County Hispanic Bar Association gala on Saturday night. | |  |
LCLAA's Héctor Sanchez joins 15 state presidents for a legislative action conference to protect environmental legislation as well as workers across the country. | |
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Marco Rubio Dines with Trump Tonight
Tonight, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) will dine with Donald Trump. Whatever will these two discuss? Trump’s intention to reverse Obama’s policy on Cuba? The upcoming testimony of ousted FBI Director James Comey? The ACA repeal? Or will they finally decide whose hands are the largest? It’s no secret that Rubio is not excited about having to work with Donald Trump. But they have managed civility over a meal before. In February, Rubio and his wife dined with Trump at the White House, which resulted in Trump calling on Venezuela to release a prominent political prisoner, Leopoldo López. Tonight Rubio will be joined by six other Republican lawmakers. We’ll keep our ears open for any demands for loyalty.
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Did Maxine Waters Shove a Reporter or Nah?
So ... this is a touchy one. We support a free and independent press and we are staunch advocates for the rights of journalists. It’s not a partisan issue by any means. So imagine our dismay when we read a headline that Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) aka Auntie Maxine had shoved a reporter! On Saturday, Young Turks reporter Michael Tracey tweeted that Waters “shoved” him after he asked, “If Russia is not a friend of the United States, was it a mistake then for former President Barack Obama to forge military cooperation with Russia in Syria?” To which she replied, “You and I have a different agenda, young man. I'm out to impeach this president. Get that straight. I'm out to impeach the president. I'm not going to be diverted by people who are Obama haters.” She then “waved” him aside. Tracey called it a shove. We studied the video and our verdict is this: c’mon dude. But you be the judge. Click here to see the video.
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The GOP Readies to Face CBC Chair Cedric Richmond at the Dugout
It’s the last week of practices for the 56th-annual Congressional Baseball Game, and Republican team manager Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX) is eager for a repeat of last year’s game and notch another W for the GOP. When Roll Call asked him about expectations for this year’s game, he had one man in his sights as he reflected on last year’s game. “Their star player, Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA), was just coming off surgery last year and he’s a lot healthier this year. He’s also a lot more motivated this year. He’s still the best player in the game and so there’s nine people on the field but he’s far away the difference maker. How we hit him and how he pitches is probably the biggest factor. They’ll be a good-sized crowd, very energetic crowd.” Organizers invited actor Kevin Spacey to throw out the game’s first pitch, but the House of Cards star can’t make it. So they’re now looking to Veep and Scandal -- specifically, actresses Kerry Washington and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. More here.
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Howard University students ventured to Silicon Valley as the inaugural students enrolled in Google's Howard West. #HU! | |  |
Bipartisan selfie: Conservative commentator Alice Stewart and Democratic commenatator María Cardona snap a selfie on set. | |
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Trump Nominates Carlos G. Muñiz to be GC at the Department of Ed
Donald Trump has nominated Carlos G. Muñiz of Florida to be General Counsel at the Department of Education. Muñiz is an attorney and consultant at McGuireWoods. His prior experience in government includes serving as Deputy AG of Florida and as Deputy General Counsel to Governor Jeb Bush. He earned degrees from the University of Virginia and from Yale Law School. After law school, he served as a law clerk to Judge José A. Cabranes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and to Judge Thomas A. Flannery of the U.S. District Court for DC. Muñiz is perhaps best known for representing Florida State University in a lawsuit brought by a student who accused the former star quarterback Jameis Winston of raping her in 2012. At the Ed Department, Muñiz would advise on a broad range of policies that fall under the purview of the Office for Civil Rights, including sexual harassment and violence complaints, the mistreatment of students with special needs, school discipline disparities, and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and gender. More about him here.
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Obama Alumni and Hollywood Activist Launch AAPI Civic Platform RUN
AAPI leaders from politics and media have come together to launch (RUN) -- Represent Us Now -- a new civic platform for the fastest-growing racial group in the United States: 21 million Asian American and Pacific Islanders. The group’s founders include Obama White House staffers Brad Jenkins and Kal Penn and actress Chloe Bennet of ABC's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Their first East Coast event was last night at Kora Restaurant in Arlington with gubernatorial candidate Tom Perriello. (RUN) is focused on building AAPI citizen power from the ground-up through live events, creative campaigns, and digital storytelling. Learn more at their website here.
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Baltimore Moves to Attract Immigrants to the City
Catalina Rodríguez-Lima runs a Baltimore city office whose mission is to attract new immigrants to the city -- a strategy for reversing decades of population decline. But Donald Trump's plans to ramp up deportations of undocumented immigrants have cast a pall over her efforts. Baltimore sees growing their immigrant populations as a way to revive a shrinking tax base. Six decades of white -- and more recently Black -- flight have driven Baltimore's population to a 100-year low. Meanwhile, the city's Latino population has more than doubled in the last decade, while its Asian population has grown by 60 percent. Immigrants, Rodríguez-Lima says, account for much of that growth, and now make up about eight percent of Baltimore's 615,000 residents. Last month, the city announced a $500,000 private fund to provide lawyers for immigrants facing deportation. Rodríguez-Lima said the fund's creation is as much about protecting families from deportation as it is about protecting a population that officials see as an important and growing economic engine for the city's future. More here.
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Georgia House Minority Leader and gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams with a future voter after church in Sunday. | |  |
Maryland gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous spent time over the weekend with voters in Frederick County. | |
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Trump Crossed a Line So London Mayor Says Don’t Cross the Pond
On Monday, London Mayor Sadiq Khan reiterated that he thought a planned state visit to the UK for Trump should be called off. "I don't think we should roll out the red carpet to the President of the USA in the circumstances where his policies go against everything we stand for," Khan said. "When you have a special relationship it is no different from when you have got a close mate. You stand with them in times of adversity, but you call them out when they are wrong. And there are many things about which Donald Trump is wrong." He said his position on the planned state visit had remained consistent. In January of this year, Khan insisted Trump's state visit to Britain be canceled after Trump attempted to impose a travel ban on Muslim nations -- a policy that Khan labeled "cruel and shameful." More here.
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African American Mayors Say Withdrawal from Paris Climate Accord Hurts Racial Justice
On Monday, President and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus Rev. Lennox Yearwood and Stephanie Mash Sykes, Executive Director of the African American Mayors Association (AAMA), joined local officials and partners to watch DC Mayor Muriel Bowser sign a mayor’s order pledging to uphold the Paris Climate Accord (pictured). AAMA President and New Haven, CT Mayor Toni Harp criticized Donald Trump’s withdrawal, calling it a dark day for America's global leadership and the fight against climate change. “The Paris Accords were not just a win for environmental protection -- they were also a victory in the fight for racial justice. This decision is especially detrimental to communities of color, who are disproportionately affected by climate change. Research shows that people of color have greater exposure to air pollution and are more likely to live near landfills and toxic waste sites. As evidenced by the crisis in Flint, children of color are at the highest risk for lead poisoning and water contamination. And, communities of color are more likely to have their livelihoods destroyed by extreme weather.” More here.
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Immigration Problems? There’s an App for That
A Korean American group in Los Angeles and volunteer developers have created a multilingual smartphone app for immigrants who are worried about deportation and are stopped by authorities. The app, Know Your Rights, provides immigrants with a list of their basic legal rights in five languages: Korean, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, and English. Immigrants can refer to the list to assert their rights when detained by immigration agents or stopped by police.
Speed-dial buttons also connect users with live help in Korean, English or Spanish. For non-English speakers, there is a recorded message to play for authorities that starts with: “I plead the Fifth Amendment and choose to remain in silence.” More here.
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|  | National Medical Association CEO Martin Hamlette with Jarvis Stewart at the Four Seasons in May. | |  |
Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) visited with the Secret Service Field Office in Birmingham. She's pictured here with Agent in Charge Mike Williams. | |
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Obamas and Kushners Create Parking Nightmare for Kalorama
One of the many great things about living and working in DC is the easy and plentiful parking. That is -- if you live in the land of alternative facts. Come on DC! Between the rent being too damn high and the non-existent parking, the only people balling are the meter maids and the Park Mobile app. But for residents of Kalorama in Northwest DC, it can be an unending nightmare. The parking challenges worsened when former President Barack Obama and his family moved into the neighborhood, followed by first daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, disrupting its peace with security details, street and sidewalk closures, and new “No Parking” signs. The new neighbors -- and their security installments -- took over numerous parking spots in a community that was already struggling to balance supply and demand. The Obamas moved in on Belmont Road, and the Secret Service put up barricades to block off traffic access to their eight-bedroom, 9½ -bath rental home -- which the family purchased last week for $8.1 million. This is why whenever the Obamas invite us over (that invite is coming any day now -- we can feel it!), we’re going to take Uber. Or Lyft. Or a cab. Or whatever politically correct mode of transportation is acceptable at the time. More here.
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DC Smacks Down Fake ICE Flyers
Several fake Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) flyers that called for residents to report "illegal aliens" showed up in a few Southwest DC streets, including in the neighborhoods close to the U.S. Capitol building and congressional offices. The fake flyers read “Sanctuary City Neighborhood Public Notice,” and city officials immediately condemned them. “DC is a sanctuary city. Clearly the flyer is meant to scare and divide our residents. We won't stand for it. #DCValues,” said DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on Twitter. “Not in our neighborhoods. It will take more than fake ICE signs to intimidate DC, a proud Sanctuary City,” Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) tweeted. More here from The Hill.
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Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) with his mom over recess. | |  | Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC) nominated Manley James, who will attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in the falll. | |
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Villaraigosa Ally Backs Rival John Chiang for California Governor
Today, California gubernatorial candidate State Treasurer John Chiang will unveil a notable endorsement at the birthplace of his rival, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Chiang will be endorsed by LA Councilman José Huizar, the man Villaraigosa recruited to run for his council seat when he was elected mayor in 2005. “John Chiang is a powerful voice for efficiency and transparency in state and local government who has saved taxpayers billions as Controller and Treasurer,” Huizar said in a statement. “John Chiang is the candidate for Governor with the experience and proven track record to fight for a better future for all Californians.” Chiang, who entered the gubernatorial race months before Villaraigosa, has raised more money but is lesser known among the state's voters. More here.
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Texas Slightly Changes Voter ID Law but Will Still Face Court Challenge
Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed legislation on Friday that makes some slight changes to the state’s voter ID law. The new measure will now allow for non-photo IDs to be used, including utility bills. The original law allowed for several non-traditional forms of ID to be used at the polls, including a gun permit, but not a student ID even with a date of birth. The Obama administration had twice blocked that legislation and the new law still faces a court hearing next week. Band-aids don't fix bullet holes, Gov. Abbott. Read more.
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Today LA Voters Will Choose New MoC
Voters in Los Angeles head to the polls today to pick California’s newest member of Congress in a rare open seat. The runoff between Assemblyman Jimmy Gómez and attorney Robert Lee Ahn, both Democrats, will either continue a decades-old tradition of Latino representation or hand a political milestone to the district’s Korean American minority. If elected, Ahn would become the first Korean American Democrat elected to Congress and only the second ever. The election will also decide who will represent one of the poorest, most immigrant-heavy districts in the state, where the effects of President Trump’s policies on immigration and healthcare will be acutely felt. Get the breakdown from the LA Times here.
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CHLI's Mary Ann Gómez Orta spent her birthday on Saturday at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA with her husband Carlos F. Orta. | |  |
Solidarity Strategies' Chuck Rocha preparing doorhangers for his client Jimmy Gómez, who is facing Robert Ahn in today's special election in CA's 34th. | |
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Dems to Resist All Summer Long
Summertime and the living’s not easy. So Dems in all 50 states have kicked off Resistance Summer with more than 100 events across the country, including town halls, rallies, phone banking, and other events to help candidates running for a variety of elected positions. From DNC Chair Tom Pérez and Associate Chair Jaime Harrison holding a rally and canvassing door-to-door with Democratic congressional candidate Archie Parnell, to DNC Vice Chair Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) holding a town hall in Minneapolis, to Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) holding a rally in the Bay Area, Dems are mobilizing. Party officials plan more events throughout the summer as part of their grassroots and GOTV efforts nationwide. More here about Resistance Summer.
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Student Who Refused to Be Photographed with Paul Ryan Speaks Out
“I will not tolerate my peers and I being shamed for voicing our opinions. My generation is the future. I will be working and living in a society created by today’s decisions. So why shouldn’t I be able to speak my truth?” Those are the words of Jordan McCray-Robinson, who was one of the 8th grade students who refused to be photographed with House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) during a recent class trip to DC. The student penned an op-ed published Monday in The Village Green, a local New Jersey newspaper, defending his decision. “I am here to tell the nation that although we’re only in the 8th grade, we have our own thoughts and opinions. My teachers did not influence my decision not to take a picture with Mr. Ryan. I decided I didn’t want to take a picture with someone who doesn’t have my best interests in mind. Mr. Ryan and the administration want to cut health care for 23 million people. Am I one of those U.S citizens that will be affected?” Read his entire thoughtful and well-written piece here.
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NEA President Lily Eskelsen García with a message during Immigrant Heritage Month. | |  |
HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson on CBS Radio, where he doubled down on his statement about poverty being a "state of mind." | |
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Four Reasons Why Puerto Rico’s ‘Bankruptcy’ Process Matters to America
How Puerto Rico grapples with its staggering debt is in the hands of a federal judge who will oversee a form of bankruptcy proceeding for the U.S. territory. Puerto Rico owes more than $74 billion to both island and U.S.-based creditors, and over $40 billion in pension liabilities. But Puerto Rico's financial straits are far from limited to those living on the island. The process will have far-reaching impacts across the continental U.S. NBC Latino examines four reasons why: Retirees across the United States are at risk of being drastically affected; A default would have far-reaching impacts on the U.S. bond markets; A large number of Puerto Rican residents have been moving to the U.S.; and a court process sets a precedent for other U.S. jurisdictions in financial turmoil. Click here to read the breakdown.
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Black Leaders in AZ Push for Removal of Confederate Symbols
African American leaders in Arizona are the next to call for the swift removal of the state’s Confederate monuments, joining an overall cry across the nation by those who know that the monuments celebrate slavery and racism. On Monday, Black leaders and officials made their formal request that the state’s six Confederate monuments be removed. The most public memorial is actually located across from the state Capitol. There is also the matter of a small highway southeast of Apache Junction that is named after Jefferson Davis, who was the first and only president of the Confederacy, a monument State Rep. Reginald Bolding (pictured) unsuccessfully attempted to rename. “We will discuss the meaning of Confederate monuments, how they impact the community and why Gov. Doug Ducey should immediately begin the process of removal,” the leaders said in a statement. More here.
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Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) met with Action Corps NYC to discuss hunger, foreign aid, and climate change. | |  | The Raben Group's Zuraya Tapia-Hadley shown around the Mexico Congress by Congressman Braulio Guerra of Querétaro. | |
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68 Months After the White Jobless Rate Peaked, the Black Rate Finally Dropped to That Level
The peak of white unemployment in the most recent recession came in October 2009, when the rate hit 9.2 percent. The recession was over by July of that year. A WaPo reporter asks, were white Americans more likely to be employed when the economy was in the doldrums than were Black Americans when it was robust? His answer? Yes. Of the 91 months since white unemployment hit that peak of 9.2 percent, Black unemployment has been over 9.2 percent in 70 of them. It took more than five-and-a-half years after November 2009 for Black unemployment to finally fall to a point where it was lower than white unemployment was at its peak. Catch the breakdown of the numbers here.
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Haley Challenges Human Rights Council
Last month, a Senate subcommittee met to consider whether the United States should remain a part of the Human Rights Council. At issue is whether the Human Rights Council actually supports human rights or is merely a showcase for dictatorships that use their membership to “whitewash brutality.” Next week, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley will travel to Geneva to address the Human Rights Council about the United States’ concerns. In an op-ed, Haley says the presence of multiple human rights-violating countries on the Human Rights Council has damaged both the reputation of the council and the cause of human rights. “All too often, however, the victims of the world’s most egregious human rights violations are ignored by the very organization that is supposed to protect them.” One of the changes Haley plans to introduce is asking that membership on the Council be determined through competitive voting. She also plans to admonish the council for what she considers to be unfair criticism of Israel. Read the entire op-ed here.
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| FOMOWednesday, June 7th, 12P: The Center for American Progress Action Fund hosts a panel discussion, "The Pulse Nightclub Shooting One Year Later: Community Impacts and Policy Proposals to End Violence Against LGBTQ Communities." Click here to RSVP.
Wednesday, June 7th, 5:30P: Latino Magazine sponsors the 2017 Latino 100 Networking Reception. Capitol Hilton. RSVP at: ajestrada@latinomagazine.com
Thursday, June 8th, 7P: STARZ sponsors the DC premiere of Season 4 of the series Power. Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. By invitation only.
Friday, June 9th, 6P: BET Farewell DC party. 1235 W Street, NE. By invitation only.
Saturday, June 10th, 1P: Socialmovements.org invites you to join LGBT44, Funny or Die, and Tumblr for "NOT the White House Pride Party," a gathering of LGBTQ and allied community leaders, activists, public servants, and anyone who cares about the cause of equality. Special guests include former Obama senior advisor Valerie Jarrett. The Brixton, 901 U Street, NW. Click here to purchase tickets.
Monday, June 12th, 6:30P: Author Sheryll Cashin reads from her new book, Loving: Interracial Intimacy in America and the Threat to White Supremacy. Busboys & Poets, 14th & V streets, NW. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, June 13th, 11:30A: The Raben Group and The Black Church Center sponsor "Wade in the Water," a panel discussion on faith communities and the progressive movement. 1341 G Street, NW. Click here to RSVP.
Wednesday, June 14th, 9A: The Raben Group sponsors a policy breakfast with Vanita Gupta, incoming President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Click here to RSVP.
Wednesday, June 14th, 5:30P: Celebrate the release of Season Five of Orange is the New Black, and support Lesley López, candidate for the Maryland General Assembly, at Orange is the New Black Trivia Night with host Jillian Rubino. Penn Social, 801 E Street, NW. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Thursday, June 15th, 8A: The Hill sponsors a Latina Leaders Summit. Participants include Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and Jennifer Korn, Sarita Brown, Alejandra Castillo, Nina Vaca, Geisha Williams, and Mónica Gil. Click here to RSVP.
Wednesday, June 21st, 6P: Reception and fundraiser for Kia Hamadanchy for Congress. 408 East Capitol Street, NE, RSVP at: info@KiaForOrangeCounty.com
Wednesday, June 21st, 6:30P: Reception and fundraiser for David Min for Congress. Rooftop at Steptoe and Johnson, 1330 Connecticut Avenue, NW. Click here to RSVP.
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, 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.
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