From Jemele Hill to to Ted Lieu, we've got what how POCs are leading.
From Jemele Hill to to Ted Lieu, we've got what how POCs are leading.
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October 10, 2017
CBC Chair Asks NCAA for Diversity Update, Menéndez Case May Be Dismissed, Obama Has New Place to Hit the Links, and Ro Khanna Wants Barbara Lee in the Senate
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Remember when Marshawn Lynch showed up to the Raiders game earlier this month wearing an “Everybody vs Trump” t-shirt? There’s a good chance Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) may rock that same shirt on the Senate floor this week. The beefs are becoming too many to track these days. After watching their Twitter beef escalate, it’s safe to say we don’t think 45 realizes that he will need Corker, who is Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, to push major parts of his legislative agenda. On Sunday, the WH laid out its immigration principles, which undermine the deal Trump struck with Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The WH has called for border wall funding and also said it isn't interested in providing citizenship for DACA recipients. Now for  the Real Housewives of the White House. In a Good Morning America interview, Ivana Trump joked that she was the First Lady.  In an exchange that should be moderated by Andy Cohen, Melania Trump fired back via a sharply worded statement to CNN from her Communications Director, calling the comments “attention-seeking and self-serving noise." Imagine for a moment if Barack Obama had an ex-wife beefing with baby mama number three. You can’t, can you? Maybe that stupid, racist Dove commercial should show the Trump ex-wives morphing into Michelle Obama. Keep it classy, ladies. You don’t dance now. You make money moves. Also in the ridiculous files, after having his life saved by a Black queer woman, Congressman Steve Scalise (R-LA) will speak at the anti-gay Family Research Council’s annual Values Voter Summit on October 13th. We missed 12 news cycles yesterday. But we were hard at work all weekend. Pay no attention to the ugly rumors that we spent all day Sunday binge watching season three of Narcos. Fake news I tell you! Ok, we’re kicking off Tuesday with this...
  • Barack Obama has another place to hit the links.
  • CBC chair joins lawmakers in asking NCAA for diversity update.
  • FBI declares “Black Identity Extremists” as major threat.
  • Black man beaten at white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, VA faces charges.
  • Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) wants colleague Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) to challenge Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) for re-election.
  • Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduce tax plan.
  • Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) questions Trump’s North Korea strategy.
  • Judge’s comment fuels speculation about Senator Robert Menéndez’s (D-NJ) trial.
  • Former congressman goes after ex-AGs Loretta Lynn and Eric Holder.
  • Telemundo names new weekend anchor.
  • ESPN suspends Jemele Hill.
  • California AG Xavier Becerra sues administration over birth control rule.
  • Obama to campaign for VA gubernatorial candidate.
  • Latina legislator throws her hat into the ring in MA congressional race.
  • Q-Tip and Jason Moran inaugurate Kennedy Center hip hop programming.
  • Rev. William Barber says farewell to NC NAACP.
  • Columbia University hosts symposium on Rev. Al Sharpton’s civil rights work.
  • Women’s Media Center honors several prominent women of color.
  • The top lawyer at Fox News calls it quits amidst racial discrimination suit.
  • Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló asks Congress for more aid.
  • Puerto Ricans could play key role in Florida politics.
  • Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) says don’t forget about the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) is focused on the Senate.
  • Congresswoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) intros bill to stop surprise medical billing.
  • Want to meet Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) for breakfast this week? RSVP in FOMO!
CNN's Manu Raju with former Chicago Cubs great David Ross after the Cubbies lost to the Washington Nationals on Saturday. Cubs lead the series 2-1.
Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX) helping out with the coin toss for the Fort Stockton vs. Pecos HS football game under the Friday night lights.
Getty Images
Barack Obama Has Another Place to Hit the Links
Former President Barack Obama has joined the Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, MD, according to a letter the club sent members this week. "We have received official word from Mr. Obama of his acceptance to our invitation," Club President John Williams wrote in the October 4th letter. It’s the second country club Obama has joined since leaving office. In May, he joined the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, VA. POTUS44 is no stranger to Columbia; he’s played there several times over the years with folks such as ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, both of whom are members. On Saturday, Obama golfed in Argentina with President Mauricio Macri. Obama was in the country for the Green Environment Summit, where he delivered a speech on clean energy. The pair hit the links at Golf Club Buenos Aires, owned by Macri’s brother, Gianfranco. Macri said Obama owed him a round of golf since the former president hadn't been in the country for a year and a half. More here.
CBC Chair Joins Fellow Lawmakers to Request Update on NCAA Diversity Efforts
Members of Congress CBC Chair Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Maxine Waters (D-CA), and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) want an update from NCAA President Mark Emmert on the progress of a 2016 "pledge" to diversify the college coaching and administrative hiring pools. Last year, the NCAA asked college presidents to sign a pledge to address diversity challenges in college athletics. To date, per the NCAA's website, hundreds of Division I presidents, along with all the commissioners of the Power 5 conferences (the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, PAC 12, and the SEC), have signed the pledge. "We respectfully request that you provide us with an update about participation in the pledge and inform us about what further actions the NCAA is considering to improve diversity among coaches and athletic departments at its member institutions. We hope to see clear evidence that the NCAA's pledge is translating quickly to more diverse and inclusive athletic departments," said the letter. We’ll keep you posted on the answer. More here.
Lawmakers Intro CASE Act Aimed at Helping Independent Creators With Copyright Claims
Congressmen Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Tom Marino (R-PA), Doug Collins (R-GA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Lamar Smith (R-TX), and Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) introduced the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act, which is intended to give creators a cost-effective way to enforce their rights. The idea of a copyright small claims court, which has been discussed in DC for several years, would not have a substantial effect on major labels or publishers. But it could make it easier for small companies and independent creators to enforce their rights -- especially where merchandise is concerned. And it could be a game changer for photographers and visual artists. The CASE bill would establish a small claims system within the Copyright Office where creators could represent themselves or seek the pro bono assistance of law students. Damages would be capped at $15,000 for each work infringed, and $30,000 in total. The system would be staffed by “Copyright Claims Officers” appointed by the Copyright Office and would follow federal law. More here from Billboard.
Khanna Calls for Barbara Lee to Challenge Dianne Feinstein
After Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) announced that she would run for re-election, Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) told Politico that it is time for California to move on and elect someone who would better represent the progressive, grassroots movement. Khanna said he had contacted Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich to encourage them to challenge Feinstein in 2018. He criticized Feinstein’s “hawkish” views on foreign policy and her unwillingness to embrace ‘Medicare for All’ and the new innovation economy. “She was totally out of touch when the whole debate happened on encryption,’’ that occurred between the tech and law enforcement community after the San Bernardino shooting, Khanna said. “She didn’t even understand some of those issues." Read the full piece here.
Joy Villa with Omarosa on Friday at the White House commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month. 
Congressman Jimmy Gómez (D-CA) last week meeting with representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Will Menéndez's Trial Make it to a Jury?
A comment by the judge in the Senator Robert Menéndez (D-NJ) trial has some wondering if the case will get thrown out before it reaches a jury. "I am very careful because of you know what and that being McDonnell," Judge William Walls said earlier this week. The "McDonnell" reference that Walls refers to is the 2016 Supreme Court decision where justices unanimously tossed out the bribery conviction of former Virginia GOP Governor Bob McDonnell -- a result that has produced a gold mine of litigation for defense attorneys seeking to upend guilty verdicts in corruption cases. Defense attorneys for Menéndez tried to get the senator's case thrown out using the McDonnell case, but Walls deferred ruling on the motion at that time, saying he needed to see how the evidence at trial played out. CNN breaks down where things stand here.
Former Congressman Blames Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch for Federal Conviction
Remember former Congressman Michael Grimm? In 2014, the Staten Island, NY, Republican angrily threatened to "break" a reporter in half and throw him off a balcony in the Cannon House Office Building rotunda after President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech when the reporter asked him about a federal campaign finance probe. In April of that same year, Grimm was charged by federal authorities with 20 counts of fraud, federal tax evasion, and perjury. “I called on Eric Holder, as a freshman, to resign, and that came back to bite me. Fast forward, out of nowhere, comes this absolutely bogus allegation into my campaign finance, that I didn’t raise the money properly and that I violated the law.” Grimm pled guilty in December of 2014, resigned from Congress, and served several months in prison. He says former AG Loretta Lynch -- who was the Brooklyn federal prosecutor at the time who launched the case -- railroaded him for political gain. “They made a deal with Loretta Lynch, that if she could take me down on anything, didn’t matter what it was, if she could find anything, she would be put to the top of the list for Attorney General,” Grimm said. He presented no evidence for his quid pro quo allegation, which he made on Breitbart News. He’s trying to make his way back to Congress with the help of -- surprise! -- Steve Bannon. Read Grimm’s account here.
The White House's Jennifer Korn with Daniel Garza of The LIBRE Initiative and Fox News contributor Rachel Campos Duffy celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) presenting the SAALT ChangeMaker Award to Linda Sarsour.
Obama Campaigns for VA Gubernatorial Candidate
Former President Barack Obama will stump for VA gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam later this month. Obama will hold public events with Northam, though the final details are still being worked out. A spokesman for Northam’s campaign said they are in the process of nailing down dates for the upcoming events. Meanwhile, Obama’s buddy, POTUS43 George W. Bush, will hold fundraisers for Republican nominee Ed Gillespie on October 16th in Richmond and Alexandria, VA. The Alexandria event will be held at the home of Joyce and Bruce Gates. Joyce Gates is a former chief of staff to ex-House Speaker John Boehner, and Bruce Gates is a lobbyist who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Republican causes. More here.
Dominican American Aims for Capitol Hill
Massachusetts Democratic freshman state lawmaker Juana Matías is launching a bid to fill the seat currently occupied by retiring Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (D-MA). The first Latina elected to the MA State House, Ma
tías is a native of the Dominican Republic and immigrated to the U.S. when she was five years old. The 29-year-old graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Boston with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice and has a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School. She has worked as a community legal aide with AmeriCorps, and also as a social worker, where she assisted families and children who had suffered abuse and neglect. “I’m Donald Trump’s worst nightmare. I’m an immigrant who’s the product of the American Dream," Maas said in a statement. "I’m running for Congress because working people aren’t getting their fair share, and the American Dream is slipping out of reach for too many American families." Other Dems running or exploring a run include Daniel Koh, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh's former Chief of Staff; state Senator Barbara L'Italien; Cambridge City Councilor Nadeem Mazen; former Lieutenant Governor nominee Steve Kerrigan; and Lori Trahan, who worked for then-Congressman Marty Meehan when he held the seat. Republican Rick Green is seeking his party's nomination. Learn more about Matías' campaign here.
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) at a community gathering remembering the victims of the Las Vegas shooting.
Telemundo anchors María Celeste Arrarás and José Díaz-Balart at Lincoln Center in NY. 
Getty Images
Jemele Hill Suspended
The host of ESPN’s SportsCenter, Jemele Hill, has been suspended by the network they say for violating their social media policy. After the Dallas Cowboys’ owner, Jerry Jones, said Sunday that he would bench any players who “disrespect the flag,” Hill suggested on Twitter that fans who disagreed with Jones’ stance should boycott Cowboys advertisers. “Change happens when advertisers are impacted,” she wrote. “If you feel strongly about JJ’s statement, boycott his advertisers.” Jones, the married millionaire who was caught receiving oral sex in a bathroom from two strippers, didn’t seem to mind those women taking a knee. Last month, Hill called Trump a white supremacist, prompting the White House to call for her firing, and just this morning, Trump attacked her and ESPN on Twitter. She will not appear on television for the next two weeks. A spokesman for the company declined to say which specific guideline she had violated or whether she would be paid during the suspension. More here.
Noticias Telemundo Fin de Semana Names New Anchor
Noticias Telemundo announced the addition of the Mexican journalist Julio Vaqueiro as co-anchor of Noticias Telemundo Fin de Semana. The move brings Vaqueiro to the national stage after five years as news anchor at Telemundo 52 Los Angeles/KVEA where he was an anchor since 2013. During the same period, he was also a contributor on the cable news network MSNBC. In his new role, Vaqueiro will join journalist Felicidad Aveleyra at the helm of Noticias Telemundo Fin de Semana which airs Saturdays and Sundays at 6:30P. His first role with Telemundo was as Mexico City correspondent with contributions to Al Rojo Vivo con María Celeste and Noticias Telemundo. Before moving to the U.S., Vaqueiro was an editor, reporter and news presenter for Efekto TV in Mexico City. He earned a B.A. in communications at Universidad Anáhuac del Norte. ¡
Felicidades Julio! More here.
Top Fox News Lawyer Steps Down Amid Racial Discrimination and Other Lawsuits
Dianne Brandi, Fox News Channel’s EVP of Legal and Business Affairs, has taken an abrupt and voluntary leave. In a class-action racial discrimination suit against Fox News, anchor Kelly Wright (pictured) and other employees said complaints to Brandi about racist behavior had not been addressed. In the spring, 11 current and former Fox News employees filed a class-action lawsuit in NY against the network, accusing it of “abhorrent, intolerable, unlawful and hostile racial discrimination.” The suit contends that Judith Slater, the company’s longtime comptroller, engaged in racist behavior and made racist remarks, and that senior executives ignored her actions. Fox News fired Slater in February. Brandi’s departure is the latest shake-up in the upper ranks of a cable news channel that remains embroiled in controversy more than a year after accusations of sexual harassment burst into public view. More here.
Women’s Media Center Honors María Hinojosa, April Ryan, María Elena Salinas, and Hidden Figures
The Women’s Media Center (WMC), a progressive, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to raise the visibility, viability and decision-making power of women and girls in media, announced that it would recognize María Hinojosa, April Ryan, María Elena Salinas, and Gail Tifford, along with the film Hidden Figures. The Women's Media Awards 2017 will be held on Thursday, October 26th in NYC. MSNBC analyst Maya L. Harris, a Senior Policy Advisor to the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign and former board co-chair of the WMC, will host this event. She’s also the sister of Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA). More here.
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) presents Vietnam veteran Sgt. Willie Norwood with ten medals that had been lost in the mail or delayed for 47 years because of incomplete paperwork. 
Native American journalist Mark Trahant on Saturday being inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
Q-Tip and Jason Moran Merge Jazz and Hip Hop at the Kennedy Center
On Friday, the Kennedy Center celebrated its first night of hip hop programming with two of its newest artistic directors, jazz pianist Jason Moran and hip hop artist Q-Tip of the group A Tribe Called Quest. The duo performed in the newly renovated Terrace Theater on Friday. “Y’all can clap your hands. This ain’t a science project,” Q-Tip shouted as he kicked off the evening. He performed a tribute to hip hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc. Moran joined in, playing his famous cover of Afrikaa Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock.” His rendition of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” was at the forefront of Q-Tip on his drum machine, while he briefly rapped freestyle over the piano. Together they segued into Tribe’s first hit, 1990s “Bonita Applebaum.” Two full, improvised rhymes from Q-Tip summed up the evening’s significance. “Kennedy Center,” he sang, riffing off the Tribe song "The Space Program,” “thanks for finally allowing hip-hop to enter.” Then, as the 90-minute performance ended, he said, “I’m gonna be in D.C. a whole lot more now. Somebody take me out and find me some good chow.” Call us Tip. We got you. More here.
Booker Helps NAACP’s Rev. William Barber Say Farewell
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) joined outgoing NC NAACP State President Rev. William Barber II on Saturday to say farewell. Barber spoke, and sang, to a packed house at the Raleigh Convention Center. Earlier in the day, Barber had given his final speech as president, as he is stepping down after serving 12 years. Barber is joining a national poverty initiative, which he said has already taken him across the country to meet with a diverse range of people, from Alaska to inner cities. Booker, whose father was born in NC and graduated from NC Central University, was the keynote speaker at the organization’s annual convention. He spoke energetically for an hour without a script, telling his life story through a series of anecdotes with a backdrop of the struggle for civil rights. See video of the respective remarks here.
Columbia University Hosts Journalism Symposium on Rev. Al Sharpton
Rev. Al Sharpton
, President and Founder of the National Action Network, will be the subject of a day-long Columbia University School of Journalism symposium on Wednesday that examines the impact he has had on civil rights. Intergenerational civil rights leaders, scholars, and media analysts will be among those examining Rev. Sharpton’s leadership and the historic impact he has had, how he has further developed the movement of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and how he has set a tone on fighting racial injustice for all communities of color. Rev. Jesse Jackson, Marc Morial, former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, Joy-Ann Reid, Angela Rye, Symone Sanders, former Congressman Charles Rangel, and others will reflect on Sharpton’s 50 years as a key figure in the civil rights movement. More here.
Artist Lin-Manuel Miranda with composer Stephen Sondheim showing support for Puerto Rico. 
Labor Secretary Alex Acosta in Baltimore on Friday for National Manufacturing Day. 
FBI Declares “Black Identity Extremists” a Growing Threat
According to Foreign Policy magazine, the FBI’s counterterrorism division has declared that Black identity extremists pose a growing threat of premeditated violence against law enforcement. “The FBI assesses it is very likely Black Identity Extremist (BIE) perceptions of police brutality against African Americans spurred an increase in premeditated, retaliatory lethal violence against law enforcement and will very likely serve as justification for such violence,” reads the report. The August 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, was the catalyst for widespread anger and violence, the FBI report further states, concluding that continued “alleged” police abuses have fueled more violence. “The FBI assesses it is very likely incidents of alleged police abuse against African Americans since then have continued to feed the resurgence in ideologically motivated, violent criminal activity within the BIE movement,” reads the report. The report is dated August 3rd -- just nine days before the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, VA that turned deadly. It appears to be the first known reference to “Black identity extremists” as a movement. By the way, white supremacist Richard Spencer was a featured speaker at a rally this past Saturday in Charlottesville, where demonstrators reprised their chant of “You will not replace us!” But more about the “Black Identity Extremists” here.
Black Man Attacked at Charlottesville Facing Felony Charge
A Black man brutally beaten at the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville is now facing a felony charge related to the August attack. No, not the white nationalist rally from this past Saturday but the one held in August. According to WaPo, a local magistrate on Monday issued an arrest warrant for DeAndre Harris on an unlawful wounding charge after an accuser, whom police did not identify, claimed to have been injured by the 20-year-old during the brawl.
Videos from the scene showed a white supremacist thrusting a Confederate flag pole at a counterprotester and Harris swinging a flashlight at the man. Six white supremacists then descended on Harris, kicking him and striking him with wooden sticks as he lay curled up on the pavement (click the image to play). S. Lee Merritt, a civil attorney for Harris, told the Post the charge was “clearly retaliatory” and described the accuser as a member of a white supremacist group. He maintained that Harris did not instigate the fight. Merritt added that it was “highly unusual” for the warrant to come from a magistrate rather than police, and suggested that the accuser had previously tried to implicate Harris in the violence without success. He said his client would turn himself into police in the coming days. More here.
MSNBC's Joy-Ann Reid over the weekend at NY ComicCon with actor Rufus Sewell.
Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) last week with former intern Rubén, a "DREAMer," at a rally to save DACA.
Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló Asks Congress for More Aid
Citing an unprecedented catastrophe with Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló sent a letter to Congress urging them to provide more than $4 billion from various agencies and loan programs in order to meet the immediate needs of the island. “We are grateful for the federal emergency assistance that has been provided so far ... However, absent extraordinary measures to address the halt in economic activity in Puerto Rico, the humanitarian crisis will deepen, and the unmet basic needs of the American citizens of Puerto Rico will become even greater,” Rosselló wrote. CNN has more here.
Puerto Ricans Influence Florida Politics
By one estimate, at least 100,000 Puerto Ricans could relocate to Florida in the aftermath of the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. That could bring political ramifications in the nation’s largest swing state, where more than one million residents of Puerto Rican descent have become a powerful and coveted voting bloc. Congressman Darren Soto (D-FL), who represents a heavily Puerto Rican district in central Florida, said last week, “We Puerto Ricans are going to remember where leaders were during the last few weeks.” Last year, a report from the Hispanic Federation predicted that Puerto Ricans would surpass Cuban Americans in Florida by 2020 as the state’s largest group of Hispanics. This could have massive political implications because Cuban Americans have been reliable Republican voters, while Puerto Ricans are less predictable. Puerto Rican voters in Florida strongly supported Barack Obama in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections. But they also helped Republican Charlie Crist win the Florida governorship. Trump won about 35% of the Latino vote in the state in 2016, with 54% of that share coming from Cuban Americans. Hillary Clinton won about 70% of the non-Cuban Latino vote and had an almost three-to-one edge among Puerto Ricans. 
More here.
Stacey Plaskett Won’t Let USVI Be Overlooked
The U.S. Virgin Islands were hit twice; first by Hurricane Irma and then by Hurricane Maria. But they have been overlooked in the national disaster relief conversation, says Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D-USVI). “Unfortunately, some of us are beginning to think that maybe it's because the U.S. Virgin Islands is a primarily Black territory that we're not hearing anything in the news,” Plaskett added. “There's no discussion about us.” She’s not alone. Others feel like the latest response by Washington is part of a longer pattern of disinterest in the citizens of the USVI, a predominantly Black community of 103,000 U.S. citizens who can't vote in presidential elections and are also represented in Congress by a legislator who cannot vote. VP Mike Pence recently visited the Virgin Islands, and when he left, Plaskett took to social media to remind Americans that while some have moved on to other, newsier stories, she's calling on them to be mindful of the many Americans in the Caribbean still desperately in need of assistance even after the country's leaders return to the nation's capital. More here.
Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA) with The Hill's Bob Cusack last week at The Hill's Improving Patient Health forum.
Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) last week at a FWD.us event in support of DREAM Act legislation.
Lieu Says Trump Has No Strategy On North Korea
In an interview with Newsweek, Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) said that a war with North Korea would be "unbelievably bloody" and the Trump administration has no clear strategy on North Korea. Lieu served in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Guam, where he routinely took part in training exercises aimed at preparing for a conflict with North Korea, giving him unique insight into the issue. Lieu called into question Trump's leadership and the administration’s lack of a plan on North Korea. “You want leaders to be clear and not miscalculate. Who would’ve wanted John F. Kennedy to be unpredictable during the Cuban missile crisis?" The Congressman also believes that most Americans are not paying close enough attention to the issue, saying, "Everyone has 100 things going on in their lives and foreign policy is generally not the top issue people think about on a daily basis ... But when it comes to a scenario like a nuclear war, I think people should pay attention." Read the full piece here.
Booker and Baldwin Unveil Tax Plan
Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced a tax plan on Friday as Republicans push to get their tax overhaul passed this year. The two senators said their Stronger Way Act, which was first introduced last year, would raise incomes for low- and middle-income families by expanding earned income tax credits and strengthening child tax credits. It would also boost transitional jobs programs. But the plan has little chance of advancing in a Republican-controlled Congress. "Everything is getting more expensive, but we do not see wages in this country keeping up with those expenses," Booker said. "We have got to begin to say enough is enough." More here.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) with David Damian Figueroa and James R. Foster at the Equality Awards on Saturday in Los Angeles. 
Congressman Rubén Kihuen (D-NV) over the weekend at a prayer meeting remembering the victims of the Las Vegas shooting.
Becerra Sues Trump Over Birth Control Rollback
California AG Xavier Becerra on Friday sued the Trump administration over its rule that allows employers and colleges and universities to drop birth control coverage from their health plans, joining lawsuits by other states and birth control advocacy groups. Becerra filed suit in a federal court in San Francisco, alleging that the new rule violates the Constitution because it lets employers use their religious beliefs as justification to deny women equal protection under the law. The suit says the administration also violated federal law by acting without allowing for public comment and without providing a proper legal or factual basis for the change. “We’re not interested in going backwards,” Becerra said. “We’re prepared in California to take all action, including legal action, to defend a woman’s rights against these unacceptable attacks.” More here.
Luján Grisham Intros Legislation to Ban Hospitals from Surprise Billing
Congresswoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM)
introduced healthcare legislation that will prohibit so-called surprise billing. The Fair Billing Act is designed to protect patients from being charged expensive out-of-network rates for services they get at in-network hospitals. Additionally, providers will be permitted to charge higher rates only if they obtain written consent from the patient at least 72 hours in advance. “Medical billing is extremely complicated, even in the best of circumstances,” Luján Grisham said. “Consumers who have done their homework, choosing an in-network provider covered by their insurance and doing their best to plan for the expense of a particular procedure, treatment, or service should not be held responsible for these unexpected costs.” More here.
Marco Rubio Rededicated to the Senate
The old saying is that Democrats fall in love, Republicans fall in line. Such appears to be the case with Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). In an NYT profile, the Senator seems to have moved past the 2016 election. He has worked with Ivanka Trump on a proposal to expand the child tax credit that could become an important element of the coming tax debate. He has helped push for passage of a bill to help the Department of Veterans Affairs hold employees more accountable. He was part of a bipartisan group behind a new law directing drug companies to pursue more pediatric cancer treatments. And he is an important party voice on immigration. He acknowledges policy differences with the President and expresses concerns about Iraq and Syria, but said they are in agreement on multiple other fronts. The 46-year-old has not ruled out another presidential run, but for now is committed to the Senate. More here.
FOMO
Today, 2P: Congresswomen Yvette Clarke (D-NY) and Judy Chu (D-CA), along with Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) and the Entertainment Consortium Collaborative Outreach Program are hosting a briefing to talk about multiculturalism in the entertainment industry. The event will focus on the inner workings of the entertainment business from a multicultural perspective. Free. 2322 Rayburn HOB. Click here to RSVP.
Today, 7P: A reception in support of Justin Fairfax, candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. Hosted by Judith Batty with special guest Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN), Deputy Chair, Democratic National Committee. Click here for more information.
Today, 7P: NMAAHC presents, "A Conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates: We Were Eight Years in Power." Free. Sold out. Click here to be added to the waitlist for available slots.
Wednesday, October 11th, 6P: NPR and the DC Chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists sponsor a reception to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and discuss diversity issues in the media. A panel discussion will feature CNN’s Daniella Díaz, WaPo's Ed O'Keefe, NBC Washington's Erika González, and Univisión's Fernando Pizarro. Sold out.
Thursday, October 12th, 9A: The Raben Group hosts a breakfast with Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. Congress. 1341 G Street, N.W. Free. Click here to RSVP.
Thursday, October 12th - 14th: Moving Mountains, A Southeast Asian American Equity Summit. Renaissance Washington Hotel, 999 Ninth Street, N.W. Click here to register.
Friday, October 13th - 15th: The Black44 Annual Retreat and Professional Development Weekend. Confirmed special guests: Valerie Jarrett, Former Senior Advisor and Assistant to President Obama for Intergovernmental Affairs and Michael Strautmanis, Vice President, Civic Engagement, The Obama Foundation. George Washington University, 805 21st Street, N.W. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Wednesday, October 18th, 6P: We Act for Environmental Justice 2017 Awards & Gala honors changemakers New York City Councilmember Costa Constantinides, Native American activist Dallas Goodtooth, The Raben Group's Robert Raben, Hip Hop Caucus Senior Vice President Mustafa Santiago Ali, NYC Council legislative attorney Samara Swanston, and 1199 SEIU Executive Vice President Estela Vázquez. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Sunday, October 22nd - Wednesday, October 25th: The National Minority Supplier Development Council annual conference in Detroit, MI. Click here for more information and to register.
Wednesday, October 25th, 11A: A presentation ceremony in the U.S. Capitol to honor Filipino World War II veterans. The event will be livestreamed on speaker.gov/live. More here.
Thursday, October 26th, 6P: The Women's Media Awards 2017 honors María Hinojosa, April Ryan, María Elena Salinas, and Gail Tifford, and also recognizes the film Hidden Figures. Capitale, 130 Bowery St., NYC. Click here to purchase tickets.
Friday, October 27th - 29th: The Women's Convention, Reclaiming Our Time. Cobo Center, Detroit. Click here for more information and to register.
Saturday, October 28th - Monday, October 30th: The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities 31st Annual Conference in San Diego. Click here for more information and to register.
Monday, October 30th, 5:30P: The 23rd annual ADL In Concert Against Hate. This year's honorees are Gavin Grimm, Tolu Olubunmi, Ann Jaffe, and Chief Louis M. Dekmar. Kennedy Center. Click here to purchase tickets.
Tuesday, October 31st, 9A: "The New Abolitionism: Symposium on Money Mechanics & A Moral Economy." Mt. Ennon Baptist Church, 9832 Piscataway Road, Clinton, MD. Free. Click here for more information and to RSVP.
Thursday, November 2nd, 6P: Join the Film, Gun Violence Prevention, and Hillary for America alumni communities for a reception in support of Lucy McBath for Georgia House District 37. NYC. Click here for more information and to register. Address provided upon RSVP.

Thursday, November 9th: Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund's Los Angeles Awards Gala. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Sunday, November 19th: The National Portrait Gallery Second biennial American Portrait Gala, honoring former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, HIV/AIDs researcher Dr. David D. Ho; artistic director, choreographer, and dancer Bill T. Jones; film director, producer, writer, and actor Spike Lee; and multi-award-winning actress Rita Moreno. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, November 29th, 8P: Join Congressman André Carson (D-IN) for JAY-Z's 4:44 Tour. Capital One Arena, 601 F Street, N.W. For more information or to RSVP, contact Courtney Hodges or Randy Broz at: 202.403.0606 or email: Courtney@ABConsultingDC.com
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