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President Barack H. Obama delivered his heartfelt and thoughtful farewell address to the nation last night. It was a message of hope charged with orders to impact and create change. The president was tearful. So were we. Regardless of where you fall on the political divide, this historic administration changed the face of American politics and shaped policy that benefit the underrepresented. President Obama encouraged the country to unite, he encouraged diversity of thought, and touted a legacy that leaves the country and the globe in a different place. We expect a very different tone from President-elect Donald Trump who will deliver his first press conference today at 11AM. On the heels of questionable reports that Russia had collected compromising and salacious personal information about Mr. Trump, the president-elect has innumerable other questions to answer about conflicts of interest and address concerns surrounding how he plans to govern the country in just nine days. Here’s your midweek read.
The Farewell
McCormick Place was packed to capacity with Obama alumni, past and current. The evening began with the Chicago Children’s Choir. The young man who performed the National Anthem is BJ the Chicago Kid. The crowd went wild when FLOTUS, Malia, and VPOTUS walked in. The stands behind POTUS were filled with all ’08 staffers. The floor in front of the stage was filled with Obama family and friends. Spotted on the floor and on the stage: Chance the Rapper with father Ken Bennett, actor Chris Tucker, Stephanie Young, Valerie Jarrett, Jamal Simmons, Heather Foster, Karole Mason, Albert Sanders, Michael Strautmanis, Joshua and Michelle DuBois, Adora and Nate Jenkins, Ashley Tate Gilmore, Kimonia Alfred, Adrian Cooper, and a host of others. The atmosphere was described as “lit.”
Finding Sasha Fierce
As the nation watched Malia Obama’s emotional response to her father’s farewell speech, many were questioning, “where is Sasha?” Soon enough, the answer arrived. She had an exam at school Wednesday morning, a White House official said. While her family traveled to Chicago, Sasha stayed in Washington. The 15-year-old attends Sidwell Friends. On the school’s website, exam protocols include guidelines that “students must adhere to the published examination schedule. Absence for travel is not an adequate reason to re-schedule an exam.” So there you have it.
Confirmation Updates
Rex Tillerson (Secretary of State), Elaine Chao (Secretary of Transportation) both begin confirmation hearings today while Attorney General nominee Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) continues his hearing. Congressman Mike Pompeo’s (R-KS), Trump’s selection to head the CIA will go before senators on Thursday, as will Trump’s nominees to lead the Departments of Defense (Gen. James Mattis) and Housing and Urban Development (Ben Carson). Tillerson might be called back to Foreign Relations as well. Betsy DeVos was expected to testify on her Education secretary nomination on Wednesday, but she’ll appear next week instead. Andy Puzder, nominated by Trump to be Labor secretary, was initially scheduled to testify on Jan. 17, but he will now go before Congress in February. More here.
Sessions Hearing
Inside the hearing room where Senator Jeff Sessions was testifying yesterday, protests broke out at quiet moments. Several in the audience called Sessions and Trump racists or fascists; one simply laughed loudly when Sessions was praised for his character. Outside the room, Janet Murguia, president of the National Council of La Raza, cheered Senator Cory Booker’s decision to take the unprecedented step of testifying against a fellow senator. More here.
CBC Testifies at Sessions Hearing Today
For the first time in history, a sitting senator will testify against a colleague at a Cabinet confirmation hearing when Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee and says why he believes Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) should not be the next attorney general. Booker will be joined by Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) and the leader of the Congressional Black Caucus Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA). More here.
New Committee Assignments
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi announced today that the House Democratic Steering Committee has recommended that the following tri-caucus Members be appointed to serve on these committees for the 115th Congress: Serving on Agriculture are Congressman Al Lawson (FL) and Congressman Darren Soto (FL); on Armed Services are Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa (HI), Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA), Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA), Congressman Anthony Brown of Maryland, Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (FL), Congressman Ro Khanna (CA); Budget include Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (NY); Education includes Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL); Financial Services includes Congressman Ruben Kihuen (NV); Foreign Affairs includes Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA) and Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY); Homeland Security includes Congressman Lou Correa (CA), Congresswoman Val Demings (FL), and Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA); Judiciary includes Congressman Ted Lieu (CA) and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA); Transportation & Infrastructure incude Congressman Hank Johnson (GA), Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL),Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ), and Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (MI). For a complete list of committee assignments, click here.
Ben Carson Likely to Bring Tough Love to HUD
Dr. Ben Carson has no experience running a large federal bureaucracy, and aside from a failed run for the presidency, has no background in government. But if confirmed by the Senate, he would enter public service with a background like few other cabinet officials in history, shaped profoundly by a childhood when public assistance meant survival and public housing was all around him. NYT’s Yamiche Alcindor has the story.
Painting Returned, Then Taken Down Again
Congressman Lacy Clay (D-MO) returned a painting depicting a confrontation between black protesters and police officers to its original place in the Capitol complex on Tuesday three times after Republican Congressmen Brian Babin (TX), Dana Rohrabacher (CA), Duncan Hunter (CA) each removed it. "We may just have to kick somebody's ass and stop them," said Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. Clay said there are statues of Confederate leaders like Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee in the Capitol complex that he finds "deeply offensive," but he hasn't tried to remove them highlighting the perceived sense of entitlement from the republican congressmen. More here.
Diversity in NC GOP Office
Senator Tom Tillis (R-NC) has promoted Courtney Temple to legislative director. She previously worked as Tillis' legislative assistant with a focus on immigration policy. Temple replaces Katy Talento, who was recently appointed to the White House Domestic Policy Council for the Trump administration, overseeing healthcare policy. More here.
Gutiérrez Skipping Inauguration
Congressman Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL) will not be attending President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration next week, but will be participating in the Women’s March on Washington the next day, he announced on the House floor Tuesday. “I could not look at my wife, my daughters or my grandson in the eye if I sat there and attended as if everything that the candidate said about the women, about the Latinos, or the blacks, the Muslims, or any of the other things he said in those speeches and tweets — and that all of that is OK or erased from our collective memory,” he said.
CBC Meets with CR Groups
On Tuesday, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) executive committee held a meeting with civil rights groups to discuss coordinated approach to what they call a potentially harmful Trump Agenda. The outcome- there will be no daylight between the CR groups and the CBC. “The CBC will continue to work hand in hand with the civil rights community to ensure that people of color are heard in the legislative process. These organizations have been on the front lines of progress for decades and will continue to be as we move forward. My colleagues and I look forward to continuing to fight alongside them,” said Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Chair of the CBC. Other meeting attendees included: Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ); Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA), Second Vice Chair of the CBC; Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Secretary; Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), Ranking Member, Judiciary Committee; Marc Morial, President & CEO, National Urban League; Melanie L. Campbell, President & CEO, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation; Sherrilyn Ifill, President & Director Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; Kristen Clarke, President & Executive Director, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; and Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President, National Action Network. Trump Transition Team Meets with Latino Activists
Nearly 60 Hispanic leaders from the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO), and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), among others, met with Trump transition officials yesterday in DC. The groups -- some of which had endorsed Hillary Clinton during the campaign -- joined members of Trump’s Hispanic advisory council for a wide-ranging conversation on how the incoming administration can better serve the Hispanic community, Buzzfeed reports. More here.
First Trump Interview
Omarosa Manigault, recently named director of communications in the Office of Public Liaison for the Trump White House, has promised the first press interview with Trump to Benjamin Chavis, president/CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, according to sources who attended a private meeting with the Trump transition team last week. More here.
Immigration Rights Rally
Immigration rights activists will hold a rally January 14th at the Metropolitan AME Church in downtown DC. “We are here to protect immigrants and immigrant communities that contribute so much to this country,” said CASA’s Executive Director Gustavo Torres. “We are not going to let fear, racism and intimidation win.” Speakers will include Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Congressman Luis Gutiérrez, (D-IL), Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards. With a little over a week to go to Trump’s inauguration, the rally is part of a series of actions planned by immigrant rights activists.
NHLA Calls on DHS to End Private Immigration Detention Facilities
The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 40 of the nation’s leading Latino advocacy organizations, adopted a resolution calling on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson to end -- as soon as possible -- the use of privately operated immigration detention facilities. The resolution includes a call to end all new contracts with private prison companies and immediately close those facilities with the gravest conditions. More here.
Uber Taps HRC Alum to Aid with Diversity Efforts
Uber has tapped Bernard C. Coleman, III, chief diversity officer for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, to take charge of its diversity efforts. Coleman was the first chief diversity officer for any presidential campaign. As Uber's Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion, he is one of a growing number of prominent figures to aid the tech industry in building a more diverse staff and more inclusive workplaces. Coleman will be tasked with helping Uber build a workforce that reflects the consumers it wants to win over. For more on Bernard’s professional background, click here.
NaFFAA Names New ED
Jason Tengco has been named the new executive director the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA). Tengco previously worked for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI). Tengco will be responsible for co-managing NaFFAA’s National Chairman’s Council with a strong emphasis on National Programs, Strategic Partnerships, Legislation, Government Affairs and National Development. More here.
NAAAP Names New ED
The National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) named Cyndy Yu-Robinson as their Interim Executive Director. “Since its founding 35 years ago, NAAAP has been entirely managed by volunteers. I’m delighted that we selected one of our own valued volunteers to serve as Executive Director,” said Ron Chang, chairman of the NAAAP board of directors and president of UPS Capital. Existing NAAAP programs include the National Leadership Academy, Leadership Convention, the online Career Center, NAAAP100 awards, and Women in NAAAP. Yu-Robinson is committed to diversifying fundraising efforts and membership benefits, as well as growing NAAAP’s Employee Resource Group program. More here.
Indigenous Women Rise
LaDonna Harris, an enrolled citizen of the Comanche Nation and founder and president of Americans for Indian Opportunity, has been named honorary co-chair for the Women’s March taking place on Saturday, January 21st. More here.
Local Restaurants Help Women’s March
For the Women’s March on Washington, the South American steakhouse Del Campo will serve as a lounge for marchers, who will be offered free hot chocolate, coffee, cider, hand warmers, and caramel corn. Also for marchers, the Italian restaurant Centrolina will have free hot chocolate in its market area. More here.
DC Restaurants Serve Up Politics with a Side of Inclusion
In a political environment where every action generates an equal and opposite reaction, restaurants that want to signal their discomfort with the policies of the incoming Trump administration have to orchestrate their moves carefully during inauguration weekend. Anything labeled, or just perceived, as a protest could meet with significant backlash. More here.
CAPAW Names New Director
The Center for Asian Pacific American Women (CAPAW) announced that Courtney Chappell will serve as the organization's new director. Courtney was most recently deputy director at WHIAAPI. Courtney served on the boards of the Third Wave Foundation, the Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project, and the DC Chapter of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum. She is a recipient of a New Voices Fellowship and a Georgetown Women’s Law and Public Policy Fellowship. More about Courtney here.
Valerie Jarrett Talks LGBTQ Rights
Historic gains were made for LGBTQ rights, including a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," an executive order barring anti-LGBT discrimination in the workforce, and the U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of same-sex marriage -- just to name a few. Overseeing those achievements from the very beginning of the Obama administration -- and in many cases coordinating the behind-the-scenes efforts for those initiatives -- was Senior Adviser to the President Valerie Jarrett. She discusses the past eight years with The Washington Blade.
ICYMI: Penn Donates $25K to UNRWA
"MasterChef Celebrity Showdown" victor Kal Penn picked the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to be the recipient of his wins. "(Penn's) win will help us provide life-changing services to many Palestinian refugee families in need," said Abby Smardon, executive director of UNRWA. Penn, who worked for the Obama administration as an associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement between 2009 and 2011, said on Twitter that he chose UNRWA because it is an "organization that directly helps those facing impossible hardships, especially refugees." More here.
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Videos of the Day
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President Obama was emotional as he recognized his wife, Michelle Obama, during his farewell address in Chicago. | |
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“For all our outward differences, we in fact all share the same proud title…Citizen.” - President Barack Obama | |
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Actor Chris Tucker shares his thoughts on POTUS' farewell speech. | |
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Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) tells CNN that President Obama should help determine the nation’s future after leaving the White House. | |
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Doua Thor of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders presents progress made by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders during President Obama's administration. | |
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Pic of the Day
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 | Obama alumni fill McCormick Place to watch the president deliver his farewell address last night. | |
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 | Joshua and Michelle DuBois, both former appointees, snap a selfie as they prepare to hear POTUS' farewell address. | |
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Barack Obama, graduate of Harvard Law School '91, is shown here on campus after he was named head of the Harvard Law Review in 1990. Click the image to hear his first interview with NPR in 1990. | |
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Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) meets the interns. | |
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 | Danny Martí, whom Latino Leaders magazine named one of the 25 Most Influential Hispanic Attorneys in the Country, was toasted by friends and colleagues on Monday night at MXDC as he wraps up his time as Coordinator of the Office of the Intellectual Property Enforcement. He posed for a pic with Karen Marangi of The Raben Group.
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National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives meet with members of the Trump transition team. | |
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Top Five Here are the top five headlines following the Jeff Sessions hearing
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Congressman Lacy Clay (D-MO)
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Today at 6:30P: BET hosts a screening of New Edition at the Landmark E Street Theater. Invite only.
Thursday, Jan. 12th: The Beat hosts a reception to celebrate April Ryan’s national book release of "At Mama’s Knee." RSVP at info@TheBeatDC.com
Monday, Jan. 16th, 2P: The Washington Cathedral hosts A Tribute to Dr. King: Sanctuary, Witness, Covenant. More info here. Tuesday, Jan. 17th: The Beat and The Raben Group presents Rising Tide: Celebrating What Makes America Great. Invite only.
Wednesday, January 18th, 7:30: A Salute to African American Leaders: Celebrating the 58th Presidential Inauguration will honor African Americans who have been appointed to Trump’s administration, the presidential transition team and the presidential Inaugural staff. The event will take place Wednesday, January 18th, from 7:30P to 11:30P at The Watergate Hotel. RSVP here.
Thursday, Jan. 19th-22nd: The American Indian Society of Washington, DC is hosting the 13th American Indian Inaugural Celebration. RSVP here.
Thursday, January 19th, 6P: PETA hosts an Inaugural celebration with actress Pamela Anderson. Space is limited, so RSVP by January 6th to Melanie Wise at 323-210-2245 or MelanieW@petaf.org.
Friday, January 20th, 7P: The United States of Women along with Sara and Derek Lemke-von Ammon, Michele and Zoë Taylor, for the Empowerment Party host an evening of drinks, dancing and empowering women at Malmaison, 3401 Water St NW. Click here for ticket information.
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