The Greene County Democrat

Category: Newswire

  • Newswire :Los Angeles’s historic Black community devastated by Eaton Canyon Fires

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    As flames tore through the picturesque foothills of Altadena and Pasadena on January 7, 2025, the Eaton Canyon fires left a historic Black community—rooted in the Civil Rights Movement—nearly wiped out. Among the hardest-hit areas in Los Angeles County, Altadena has seen its many Black-owned homes, churches, businesses, and landmarks reduced to ashes.

    The unincorporated community in the San Gabriel Valley, home to 42,000 residents, has long stood as a beacon of Black homeownership and middle-class stability. With 18% of its population identifying as Black, Altadena also hosts a diverse community that includes Latino and Asian American residents. Tragically, the Eaton Fire alone destroyed over 1,000 structures, killed at least five residents in Altadena and displaced thousands.
    
“Obviously it’s been a tough couple of days, but our family is making it through,” Los Angeles Sentinel Publisher Danny Bakewell Jr. said in a text to NNPA. “Both my girlfriend & my son lost their homes and the devastation is unreal for so many families -a lot of Black folks.”

    Jamal-Dominique Hopkins, a native of Altadena, lost his beloved childhood home on Loma Alta Drive to the blaze. His mother, Ruthie Hopkins, 81, and his son, Joshua, narrowly escaped thanks to the swift actions of Hopkins’ older brother, who evacuated them to safety.

    Hopkins described the devastation in a GoFundMe post, writing, “This isn’t just a loss for our family; it’s a loss for a community that has thrived despite challenges.” Ruthie Hopkins, the former editor and co-owner of The Pasadena Journal, a Black-owned newspaper, has been a cornerstone of the community for decades. The newspaper is a member of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents the Black Press of America and is celebrating its 198th anniversary in March.

    The fire also destroyed the family’s SUV, which was vital for Ruthie’s medical appointments. Now, she and Joshua are left with only the clothes they wore when escaping.

    A Legacy Reduced to Ashes

    Altadena’s Black community flourished during the Civil Rights Movement, growing from 4% of the population in 1960 to 27% by 1970, following the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968. It became a haven for Black families seeking to escape discrimination elsewhere, offering homeownership opportunities unavailable in most parts of the country.
    Before the fire, Altadena boasted a Black homeownership rate of 81.5%, nearly double the national average for African Americans. Families like Kenneth Snowden’s embodied this legacy. Snowden’s family purchased their first Altadena home in 1962, and nearly 20 years ago, Snowden bought his own home in the area. Both properties were destroyed in the fire.
    “Your $40 million home is no different than my $2 million home,” Snowden told reporters. “Give us the ability to rebuild, restart our lives. If you can spend billions of dollars fighting a war, you can spend a billion dollars to help us get back where we were at.”

    Shawn Brown, founder of Pasadena Rosebud Academy, lost her home and the public charter school she built to serve the community’s children. Brown is working to raise funds to rebuild the school while seeking temporary locations in local churches—though some churches, like Altadena Baptist Church, have also burned.

    Only the bell tower remains at Altadena Baptist. The Rev. George Van Alstine is helping church members navigate the challenges of insurance claims and federal aid. He fears the destruction will lead to gentrification, pushing out long-standing Black residents.
    “We’re seeing families who may have to leave because rebuilding here will be too expensive,” he said.

    Brown urged her fellow Black homeowners to hold onto their properties despite developers’ offers. “Stand strong, rebuild, and continue the generational progress of African Americans,” she said.

    Widespread Loss and Displacement

    The destruction in Altadena mirrors the broader devastation caused by the wildfires sweeping Los Angeles County. Across the region, more than 12,300 structures have been destroyed, and at least 24 lives have been lost. Economic losses are estimated between $250 billion and $275 billion, making this disaster one of the costliest in U.S. history.

    Much of the media coverage has focused on celebrity mansions and wealthy neighborhoods, but Altadena’s plight highlights the profound impact on middle-class communities of color. Residents returned to find homes passed down through generations reduced to rubble.

    Even the Mountain View Cemetery, where pioneering Black science fiction novelist Octavia E. Butler is buried, caught fire. Butler’s novel Parable of the Sower chillingly predicted wildfires caused by climate change, starting on February 1, 2025. Her legacy and connection to the community remain a stark reminder of the fragility of Altadena’s history.

    NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. has maintained close contact with NNPA-member newspapers and media companies in Southern California, including David Miller of Our Weekly, Kenneth Miller of Inglewood Today and Pluria Marshall of the Los Angeles Wave. Both Miller and Marshall confirmed their staff are safe but noted the community’s urgent need for support.

    A Historic Challenge

    The road to recovery remains daunting as the Eaton Fire continues to burn, with containment still at 0%. Fierce Santa Ana winds and dry conditions threaten to worsen the situation, while evacuation orders remain in effect for over 105,000 residents.
    “This fire has changed our lives forever,” Hopkins wrote. “Your support means the world to us as we work to restore some sense of normalcy after this unimaginable loss.”
    Chavis added: “The NNPA stands in solidarity with our member publishers in Los Angeles County and beyond. The devastating wildfires must be met with resolve, compassion and resiliency.”

    How to Help

    As Los Angeles faces this catastrophic crisis, several organizations are mobilizing to assist evacuees and first responders.

    California Fire Foundation: This organization works with local fire agencies and community-based groups to support communities affected by wildfires. They are currently aiding victims of the Palisades Fire.
    World Central Kitchen: Founded by celebrity chef José Andrés, the nonprofit provides meals and water to first responders and evacuees on the ground.
    California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund: This fund targets underserved communities and aims to provide long-term recovery relief for those most in need.
    CAL FIRE Benevolent Foundation: This group offers financial aid to firefighters and their families, supports burn victims, and promotes firefighter health and safety.
    American Red Cross: Hundreds of volunteers have been deployed to Los Angeles to operate shelters and provide meals, medical care, and emergency supplies to displaced families.
    Airbnb.org and 211 LA: These organizations are collaborating to offer temporary housing for evacuees in Los Angeles County.

  • Newswire : Special Counsel’s Report details systematic efforts by Trump to overturn 2020 election

    Special Counsel Jack Smith

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

     Special Counsel Jack Smith, in a comprehensive 174-page report submitted to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, concluded a thorough investigation into former President Donald J. Trump’s actions aimed at overturning the 2020 presidential election results, and the report concluded that there was sufficient evidence to not only convict Trump but withstand any higher court challenges to such a conviction.

    The damning report meticulously documents attempts by the now-incoming president to disrupt the lawful transfer of power and manipulate the electoral outcome.
    The investigations delineated two principal areas: the direct manipulation of election results through pressure on state officials and the unlawful retention of classified documents post-presidency. Despite significant public and personal attacks, Smith’s team strictly adhered to fairness and non-partisanship, the report said.

    Smith details specific incidents and revealed that Trump applied intense pressure on several state officials, leveraging baseless claims of electoral fraud to alter the outcomes. Notably, on January 2, 2021, Trump explicitly requested Georgia’s Secretary of State to “find 11,780 votes,” precisely the number required to overturn Biden’s victory.

    The report also exposed a coordinated scheme to submit fraudulent electoral certificates from seven states where Trump lost. This was part of a broader strategy to obstruct the January 6, 2021, Congressional certification. Smith said Trump and his associates orchestrated this plan, despite clear indications from numerous officials, including Republicans, who affirmed the election’s integrity and resisted these subversive efforts.
    Following a rigorous investigation, the Special Counsel’s office found “substantial federal interests in prosecuting Mr. Trump, citing the paramount importance of protecting electoral integrity and the peaceful transfer of power.”

    “Our work rested upon the fundamental value of our democracy that we exist as a government of laws and not of men,” Smith concluded.
     

  • Newswire : DOJ provides update on January 6 investigation as MAGA Republicans spew false claims, as a preview to Trump pardons

    U. S. Capitol under attack by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021

    By Stacy M. Brown
    NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    On Monday, January 6, 2025, the Department of Justice released a detailed update on its ongoing investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The attack disrupted a joint session of Congress certifying the 2020 presidential election results and caused extensive injuries and damages. The DOJ report comes as Georgia GOP Rep. Mike Collins, and other MAGA Republicans faces criticism for false claims about the events of that day.

    In a post on X, Collins described the insurrection as a peaceful gathering, alleging that “thousands of peaceful grandmothers” had toured the Capitol. He claimed individuals “peacefully explored the building before leaving” and that “hundreds of peaceful protestors” had been unfairly prosecuted.

    Collins’ description of the attack conflicts with DOJ findings. The department reported that more than 140 police officers were assaulted during the riot, including over 80 from the U.S. Capitol Police and over 60 from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. Property damage exceeded $2.8 million, and stolen government property added to the losses.

    DOJ Investigation Milestones

    As of January 3, 2025, the DOJ has charged approximately 1,583 individuals in connection with the Capitol attack:

    608 defendants face charges for assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement, including 174 accused of using dangerous weapons.
    18 individuals have been charged with seditious conspiracy. 91 have been charged with destruction of government property, and 68 with theft of government property.
    All defendants face charges related to trespassing or disorderly conduct.
    In addition, over 1,000 defendants have pleaded guilty, including 327 to felony charges, and 667 have been sentenced to incarceration.

    The DOJ said it continues to pursue suspects, including those captured on video assaulting law enforcement officers, and is asking for public assistance in identifying fugitives.

    During the Presidential campaign, Donald Trump said he wanted to pardon all participants in the January 6th attack on the Capitol on his first day in office. Since winning the 2024 election, Trump said he was evaluating pardons on a “case by case” basis.

    Law Enforcement Responds to False Narratives

    Former U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, who was injured in the attack, rejected Collins’ claims and criticized efforts to minimize the events of January 6. Gonell, who has testified about his experiences, said Trump’s promises to pardon rioters dishonor the sacrifices made by officers.

    “Releasing those who assaulted us from blame would be a desecration of justice,” Gonell said in a statement. “Trump and the rioters broke laws and committed crimes. They should not be rewarded.” Gonell added that such actions could endanger officers like himself who continue to testify in court.

    Former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn echoed those concerns. Referring to Trump’s recent election win, Dunn described it as a “gut punch.” He added, “The voters sent a message that what happened on January 6 wasn’t a big enough deal to disqualify him.”

    Leaders Reflect on January 6

    President Joe Biden called for accountability and defended the need for a peaceful transfer of power. “We’ve got to get back to basic, normal transfer of power,” he said.

    Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also weighed in, questioning the rationale behind pardoning individuals involved in the attack. “It’s really a strange person who’s going to be president of the United States who thinks that it’s OK to pardon people who are engaged in an attack,” she said.

    Gonell, in his remarks, urged Americans not to forget the sacrifices made by law enforcement that day. “These dishonorable elected officials are alive because of what officers like myself did, not because of the mob’s lack of trying,” he said. “Remember the names of the officers who died and the families they left behind.”
     

  • Newswire : Surgeon General warns alcohol consumption increases cancer risk, urges new warning labels

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has issued an advisory linking alcohol consumption to an increased risk of cancer, calling for updated warning labels on alcoholic beverages to inform consumers better. Alcohol is listed as one of the leading preventable causes of cancer in the United States, contributing to 100,000 cases and 20,000 deaths each year.

    Current warning labels on alcoholic beverages focus on general health risks, impaired driving, and pregnancy-related concerns but omit the established connection to cancer. Dr. Murthy urged Congress to mandate updated labels that address the cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption—a move like requirements for cigarette packaging.

    Research Confirms Alcohol-Cancer Connection

    Decades of research confirm that alcohol is causally linked to at least seven types of cancer, including breast, liver, colorectal, and throat cancers. For example, studies show that consuming even one drink daily raises the risk of breast cancer by 10 percent compared to non-drinkers, while the risk of mouth cancer increases by 40 percent for the same level of consumption.

    The advisory explains that the lifetime risk of breast cancer for women rises from 11.3 percent for those drinking less than one drink per week to 13.1 percent for those consuming one daily and 15.3 percent for two daily beverages. Among men, the risk of developing alcohol-related cancers increases from 10 percent with less than one drink per week to 11.4 percent for one drink daily and 13 percent for two daily beverages.

    The Surgeon General noted that cancer risk increases with higher alcohol consumption but added that even low levels of drinking are not without risk. Health officials have noted that there is no safe limit for alcohol consumption, which aligns with the World Health Organization’s findings.

    Mechanisms Behind Alcohol-Related Cancers

    The Surgeon General’s advisory notes several ways in which alcohol contributes to cancer development. Dr. Murthy noted that alcohol breaks down in the body into acetaldehyde, a toxic compound that damages DNA and interferes with cellular repair processes. He said it generates reactive oxygen species, leading to inflammation and further DNA damage. Additionally, alcohol alters hormone levels, including estrogen, which plays a role in breast cancer development.

    Alcohol’s interaction with tobacco also increases the absorption of carcinogens, compounding the risk for cancers of the mouth and throat. These biological pathways are consistent across different types of alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, and spirits.

    Global Perspective and Recommendations

    Globally, alcohol was linked to over 740,000 cancer cases in 2020. While countries such as South Korea and Ireland have begun implementing cancer-specific warnings on alcohol labels, the United States lags. Ireland, for instance, reportedly plans to introduce labels by 2026 stating a direct connection between alcohol and fatal cancers.

    Dr. Murthy recommended strengthening public education campaigns to increase awareness of the risks associated with alcohol. He also encouraged healthcare providers to inform patients about these risks and incorporate alcohol screening into routine care.
    “Many people assume that drinking within current guidelines of one drink daily for women and two for men is safe, but the evidence does not support that assumption,” Dr. Murthy said. “Less is better when it comes to reducing cancer risk.”

  • Newswire : Rep. Sewell celebrates passage of her legislation to rename the Marion Post Office in Perry Co. Alabama, after Civil Rights Legend Albert Turner, Sr.


    Rep. Sewell celebrates passage of her legislation to rename the Marion Post Office in Perry Co. Alabama, after Civil Rights Legend Albert Turner, Sr. 


    Washington, D.C. —U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) celebrated the passage of her legislation to rename the Marion Post Office after the late civil rights leader Albert Turner, Sr. H.R. 7893 passed the Senate unanimously on December 19th. The bill previously passed the House of Representatives in the summer. It was signed into law by President Biden on January 4, 2025..
     
    The bill was supported by every member of Alabama’s congressional delegation.
     
    “Albert Turner Sr. was a civil rights legend whose enormous contributions to Perry County, the State of Alabama, and our nation should never be forgotten,” said Rep. Sewell. “I am thrilled that Congress has passed my bill to honor his legacy by officially renaming the Marion Post Office after him. I thank my colleagues of the Alabama Delegation for their help getting this important legislation across the finish line.”
     
    “I and my family are deeply honored that the United States Congress saw fit to recognize my father and the significant contributions he made to the civil rights of Americans,” said Perry County Commissioner Albert Turner, Jr. “I personally want to thank the entire Alabama delegation, both Democratic and Republicans, who made this idea into law. More specifically, I want to thank the sponsor, my Congresswoman, Terri Sewell, for leading the charge of honoring my hero, my father, Albert Turner, Sr.”    
     
    Albert Turner, Sr. was born in Perry County, Alabama in 1936. He devoted his life to the Civil Rights Movement, fighting to ensure equal access to the ballot box for African Americans. Turner worked closely with prominent leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., served as the Alabama Field Secretary for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and founded the Perry County Civic League to organize protests and boycotts for the racial integration of public facilities and schools.

    Turner also served as Manager of the Southwest Alabama Farmers Cooperative (SWAFCA), a ten county association of farmers in the Alabama Black Belt, to market cucumbers, okra and other vegetable products. Turner also worked to involve the cooperative in producing alcohol fuel from agricultural waste – which was a forward-looking plan to produce renewable fuel to combat climate change.

    In 1985, Turner, his wife Evelyn and Spencer Hoage were indicted on over 200 counts of “voter fraud” by then U. S. Attorney Jeff Sessions, for their work to help people in Perry County to use the absentee ballot. A Federal jury acquitted the three of all charges at a trial that was designed to intimate Back voters but failed.

    Turner passed away on April 13, 2000, at the age of 64.

    Plans for an official ceremony for the post office re-naming are pending. H.R. 7893 will officially rename the Marion Post Office, located at 306 Pickens Street, as the “Albert Turner, Sr. Post Office Building.”
     
    Bill text is available  from Congresswoman Sewell’s office and website.

     

     

  • Newswire : Vice-President Harris presides over joint session of Congress which certifies Donald Trump’s electoral college victory to be next President

     

    Vice President Kamala Harris, next to House Speaker Mike Johnson, announces that the votes are certified in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025 Saul Loeb / AFP – Getty Images

    By Natasha Korecki  and Brennan Leach, NBC News

     

    Upon entering the Senate chamber on Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris issued a simple declaration when NBC News asked her about presiding over the certification of the 2024 election: “Democracy prevails.
    ” Minutes later, Harris carried through, steering Congress’ collective endorsement of the electoral vote that she lost and affirming Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

    Hands clasped before her, Harris looked ahead plainly and intently as four senators took turns reading off the electoral totals from each state. 
    She broke into a wide smile both when the vote total reached a threshold to declare Trump the next president and when she got a standing ovation from her party when her vote total was read. 

    Harris’ message of this Jan. 6  was one that both she and her predecessor on the campaign trail, President Joe Biden, conveyed time and again to voters. They advocated for “freedom” and democracy and shunned the events of the violent riot by Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, which led to an unprecedented attack on the nation’s Capitol. 

    Missing on this day compared to four years earlier were gallows and a noose constructed outside the Capitol grounds. Or chants in support of hanging the vice president for failing to reject the will of the people and the true outcome of the election. Instead, the event transpired in the way it was meant to unfold, pro forma, taking only 30 minutes.

    Ultimately, the American electorate rejected Harris, ushering in Trump and his vows to blow up the status quo. Trump claimed 312 electoral votes to Harris’ 226, won the popular vote and swept across battleground states, including toppling Democrats’ so-called blue wall of states typically necessary for their party’s victory. 

    Unlike Trump’s refusal to accept the outcome of the 2020 vote, Harris conceded her loss and tried to offer her supporters comforting words a day after the election. “The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when I say … the light of America’s promise will always burn bright,” she said.

  • Newswire : Traffic stops, racial disparities, and the call for Systemic reform

    Police officer making a traffic stop

    by Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire

    Traffic stops remain the most common reason for police-initiated contact across all racial groups, according to a new report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). The report, part of a series examining police interactions with U.S. residents since 1996, reveals that racial disparities in these encounters persist. The Prison Policy Initiative responded to the report by noting a need to address inequities and rethink public safety strategies.

    The BJS data show that Black drivers are more than twice as likely as drivers of other racial groups to be searched or arrested during a traffic stop. Black individuals are also over three times as likely as White individuals to experience the use of force in their most recent encounter with law enforcement. Although Black people accounted for only 12% of those whose most recent contact was initiated by police or related to a traffic accident, they represented one-third of those who reported being threatened or experiencing nonfatal use of force.

    Alarming Trends for Older Adults and Women

    The report also laid bare troubling trends regarding the use of force against older adults and women. In 2022, people aged 65 or older made up 5% of those who experienced the threat or use of force. While the figure may seem small, it represents a more than tenfold increase since 2015. The rise suggests that even older populations are not spared from escalating police aggression.

    Women also face an increasing risk of police force. In 1999, women comprised only 13% of those subjected to police force. By 2022, that figure had doubled to 28%. Among those who experienced force, women were more likely than men to perceive it as excessive, with 51% of women reporting excessive force compared to 44% of men.

    Persistent Disparities Across Age Groups

    Young adults aged 18-24 were the most likely age group to experience police contact, with 25% reporting interactions in 2022. They were also the most likely to experience police-initiated contact (15%) and traffic accident-related contact (4%). Alarmingly, more than 1 in 5 individuals who reported the threat or use of force in their most recent police encounter were between 16 and 24 years old. The Prison Policy Initiative noted that these kinds of interactions can have life-threatening consequences, as over 70% of police killings in 2023 began with non-violent incidents or situations where no crime had been reported.

    Systemic Issues and Data Gaps

    Officials at the Prison Policy Initiative published a “wish list” of 22 critical gaps in criminal legal system data. The list includes data on arrests for technical violations, the quality of healthcare in correctional facilities, and the outcomes of pretrial supervision. Officials said the absence of such data hampers efforts to understand and address the criminal legal system’s impact fully.

    The Case for Alternatives to Policing

    Further, the available data suggest that many police encounters could be handled more effectively by alternative community resources. In 2022, nearly 30 million people initiated contact with police, but only half of those interactions involved reporting possible crimes. Many sought help for non-crime emergencies, such as medical issues, car accidents, or quality-of-life concerns. A 2022 analysis of 911 calls in major cities found that only 4% involved violent crimes. Officials said this indicates a need for investments in community-based services to reduce the risks associated with police intervention.

    The Path Forward

    Some officials noted that the decline in police contact does reduce opportunities for abuse. However, they said, the deep-seated racial disparities in policing remain unresolved.

    “Just because the sheer number of police interactions was lower than it has been in decades does not mean the problems with our nation’s fraught system of policing are solved,” the Prison Policy Initiative stated in its release. “Racial disparities in police interactions, misconduct, and use of force remain pervasive and demand immediate attention.”
     

  • Newswire : Biden has appointed more Black federal judges than any other president

    President Biden with Associate Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

    By Char Adams, NBC News

    President Joe Biden has appointed more federal judges of color than any president before him, and overtaking Donald Trump’s record for overall federal judge appointments in the process.

    On Friday the Senate confirmed Biden’s judicial nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California Benjamin Cheeks. With Cheeks’ confirmation, Biden has appointed 63 Black federal judges, the most of a presidency of any length, according to the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. 

    Earlier this month, the Senate confirmed Tiffany Johnson, Biden’s judicial nominee for the Northern District of Georgia, making her the 40th Black woman he has appointed to lifetime federal judgeships — more than any president in a single term. Overall, about 60% of Biden’s 235 appointees are people of color, according to figures the White House shared with NBC News. The Senate confirmed Cheeks and Serena Raquel Murillo last week. 

    Trump appointed 234 federal judges during his first term. White House communications director Ben LaBolt said in an emailed statement that Biden is “proud to have strengthened the judiciary by making it more representative of the country as a whole and that legacy will have an impact for decades to come.”

    “Even before taking office, President Biden signaled to the Senate that he wanted to make sure that people who had been historically excluded from our judiciary” are included, said Lena Zwarensteyn, senior director of the fair courts program and an adviser at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. 

    “The research shows that when you have more judges that have different perspectives because they’ve worked on different types of issues or they come from different communities, it improves the decision-making and it certainly improves the trust that communities might have in these institutions. So making sure we have fair-minded judges at all levels is really important.”

    Barack Obama appointed 26 Black women lifetime judges during his two terms, and Trump appointed two Black women judges to the federal bench in his first term.  Jimmy Carter appointed 37 Black lifetime judges in his one term. Both Obama and Bill Clinton each appointed 62 Black judges over the course of their two terms. Biden has beaten their record by one, according to the Leadership Conference. These numbers include multiracial judges and account for those appointed to multiple courts under the same president. 

    Senate Democrats vowed to confirm as many Biden nominees as possible before Trump takes office in January and Republicans take control of the Senate. They’ve confirmed dozens since Election Day, but these circuit nominees are in limbo amid some opposition from Democrats as well as GOP senators.

    In November, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote in a post on X that, “This Senate will keep working to confirm more of President Biden’s excellent judicial nominees.” 

    In an interview, Marge Baker, executive vice president at People For the American Way, a national progressive organization focused on combating far-right extremism, said it was crucial that the remaining nominees be confirmed. 

    “As pleased as we are with the quality and quantity of nominees that have been confirmed so far, these circuit court nominees are also really, really important,” Baker said. The four circuit judges in limbo are Adeel Abdullah Mangi of New Jersey, nominated for the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals; Julia M. Lipez of Maine, 1st Circuit; Karla M. Campbell of Tennessee, 6th Circuit; and Ryan Young Park of North Carolina, 4th Circuit.

    “These courts make decisions that affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people,” Baker added. “They decide questions about voting rights, about consumer rights, about workers’ rights, about antitrust laws, about climate change, about abortion. There’s just a whole range of issues where these courts of appeals are often the final deciders on.”

    Biden has long made it his goal while in office to reshape the overwhelmingly white and male federal judiciary by appointing judges from various professional and demographic backgrounds. He’s managed to do that, confirming record numbers of former public defenders, civil rights lawyers or lawyers representing workers. More than half his appointees have been women, according to the White House, and his appointments include several LGBTQ judges and judges from several racial and ethnic minority groups.

    Biden made history by appointing Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. Dozens of his appointments account for various “firsts.”
    “Biden has been a leader in terms of appointing Black judges,” said Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington-based think tank. “The great thing about this is that these appointments will have long-term impacts, at least in terms of representation. This is showing the public that the inclusion of Black judges should be natural, regular.”

    Now, experts say the stakes are high as these appointments can affect court decisions during Trump’s second term. Elliot Mincberg, a Supreme Court expert and counsel for the People For the American Way, said Biden-appointed judges have “had an enormous impact on improving justice for Americans all across the country.”

    Zwarensteyn called it “a tremendous and often not-discussed part” of Biden’s legacy.
    “He’s really taken it to what I would say is the next level in terms of administrations who have done this.”

  • Newswire : There’s ‘no basis’ for Letitia James to drop multi-million dollar Civil Fraud Judgment against Trump, NY AG’s Office says

    NY AG Letitia James

    BY Bruce C.T. Wright, NewsOne

    Donald Trump was dealt a sobering dose of reality recently when the New York Attorney General’s office said there was “no basis” to drop a mammoth civil fraud judgment against the president-elect.

    The firm rejection of Trump’s repeated requests to drop the nearly half-billion-dollar judgment came as he has been trying to assert his immunity in other legal cases against him, seemingly emerging victorious in those instances.

    But not when it comes to New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose civil fraud suit against Trump led to a jury in February finding that he exaggerated the worth of his business and assets to secure loans and other financial benefits without revealing that he’s not as wealthy as he claims. The punitive damages owed by Trump were initially $464 million, but that figure has since inflated to $497 million because of the interest accrued while he tries to legally maneuver out of paying it.

    And, according to the letter from New York Deputy Solicitor General Judith N. Vale responding to a letter from D. John Sauer, an attorney nominated by Trump to be solicitor general, the president-elect is still very much on the hook to pay the bill.
    “Your letter presents no basis for this Office to seek to vacate the final judgment or to
    dismiss this action,” Vale wrote in no uncertain terms to Sauer in the latter dated Monday.

    Vale explained the reason for keeping the judgment as-is was twofold.
    Citing legal precedent, Vale shot down claims that the judgment would adversely affect Trump’s presidency, saying they had “no merit” and noting that the “ordinary burdens of civil litigation do not impede the President’s official duties in a way that violates the U.S. Constitution.”

    In addition, Vale reminded Sauer that “the overwhelming evidence supports [New York] Supreme Court’s conclusion that Mr. Trump and the other defendants engaged in repeated and persistent fraud and illegality” – a non-negotiable fact that prompted “awarding disgorgement and other equitable relief.” Trump’s lawyers previously said that the purported billionaire couldn’t afford to pay the judgment.

    Vale’s defiant response contrasts with the actions of federal special counsel Jack Smith, who was prosecuting Trump in a 2020 election interference case before moving last month to dismiss all the charges. Those dropped charges came after the U.S. Supreme Court decided in July to grant immunity for crimes that a president may commit.

    Now’s a good time to be reminded that Trump has relentlessly taunted James, and he even  doxxed her while he was under a gag order. He repeatedly called her and other Black prosecutors who brought cases against him “racist” without bothering to give a single example of their racism — which would have been rich anyway coming from a man who provides endless examples of his own racism.

    Given those above facts, Sauer still brazenly appealed to James to drop the judgment under the purported guise that it would help Trump – a man who the U.S. Department of Justice claimed“ pursued unlawful means of discounting legitimate votes and subverting election results” – end “our Nation’s partisan strife” and be “for the greater good of the country.”
    This is America.

     

     

  • Newswire : Kerry Washington’s ‘Six Triple Eight’ shows the important role Black women played in WWII

    By Ronda Racha Penrice, NBC News

    The job was considered impossible: Clear 17 million pieces of backlogged mail. In a war zone. 

    Maj. Charity Adams knew it was a mission that could not fail, not just for the sake of morale of World War II troops, but also for the reputation of Black people in the eyes of the country’s top military brass. The real-life efforts of the 855 women of the Women Army Corps’ 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion are captured in Tyler Perry’s latest film, “Six Triple Eight,” streaming now on Netflix. 
    To Kerry Washington, who portrays Adams, the battalion’s ability to resolve an ongoing problem in the face of discrimination while also being underestimated by others around them felt like both a herculean task and an all-too-familiar scenario. 

    “When these women were asked to solve this problem, it was a problem that lots of people had tried to fix, and nobody could,” Washington said in an interview with NBC News. “They came in and, as Black women do, they figured out how to fix a situation that seemed impossible to fix, and by doing so, they returned hope and purpose and belonging and love to the soldiers to help end the war.”

    Mary McLeod Bethune, head of the National Council of Negro Women and a member of what was known as President Franklin Roosevelt’s “Negro Cabinet,” whom Oprah Winfrey plays in the film, advocated for Black women to serve in the war. But while Black women were admitted to the military, they were segregated from white women and given very little to do. Because top military brass deemed Black people generally inferior, many doubted a successful outcome to clearing endless piles of mail.

    “Back then, mail was how you stayed connected to the people you love,” Washington said. “There was no WhatsApp, no texting, no emailing, no FaceTiming. Rarely could you get to a landline phone. People didn’t have cellphones, so mail was it,” she said. “So when soldiers weren’t getting mail, they no longer had hope. They had lost their sense of purpose.”

    The unit’s work had been forgotten by most — even Perry, the director, did not know about the 6888th’s work until producer Nicole Avant contacted him about taking it on. 
    During a Q&A last month after a screening of the film on his home turf, Atlanta, Perry told the crowd, filled with members of the National Association of Black Military Women, how meeting Lena Derriecott Bell King, then 99, a member of the 6888th, showed him that he could apply her life experiences to help tell the remarkable story. Perry was also fortunate to screen an early version of the film for King before she died on Jan.18, nine days shy of her 101st birthday. 

    To play 17-year-old Lena Derriecott, Perry tapped Ebony Obsidian, who stars in his long-running series “Sistas” on BET. The role came as a surprise to Obsidian. When he asked her to read the script, she did not realize it was a true story or that he wanted her in his film. 
    “I hadn’t even thought about me playing Lena when I read the script,” she said with

    “Meeting with Lena was the biggest gift,” Obsidian added. “She obviously was 100 years old when I met her, but at 17, I feel like there are certain elements about her that had to be the same, that had to just be noble.”

    Washington did not get to meet the real Adams, who died in 2002 at age 83, but she still felt guided by her.  “She passed, but she wrote a really beautiful memoir called ‘One Woman’s Army’ that I read a couple times,” Washington said. “I devoured it, and I used to have portions of the memoir hanging up in my dressing room. I surrounded myself with pictures of her and watched archival footage and interviewed people who knew her and worked with her and listened to old interviews. I just really tried to submerge myself in as much of her soul and essence as I could.” 

    Washington said finding the commander’s actual trunk from World War II, containing her clothes and handwritten notes, outside her dressing room after having rehearsed one of Adams’ monologues with Perry felt like an approval. 

    But how Washington speaks in the film has generated the most interest, including from her own kids, who asked, “Whose voice is that?” after she played them the trailer. To achieve that distinctive voice, which sounds like a sharp Southern twang punctuated by precise Midwestern enunciation, perhaps reflecting Adams’ South Carolina upbringing and schooling at Wilberforce University in Ohio, Washington worked hard with both an accent coach and her acting coach. 

    “They didn’t have amplification back then. It wasn’t like she was standing there with a karaoke machine,” she said. “So if I had the kind of responsibility and command and calling that she had, where would that live in my body? How would that impact my posture? How would it impact my voice? How would it impact my resonance and my need to be heard by these women so that they felt seen and heard by me? Those are some of the questions that I asked to help me figure out where that vocal performance came from.”

    Washington and Obsidian said they are grateful to be at the center of a film celebrating Black women’s strength, excellence and sisterhood, which Obsidian said also shows that “you can overcome anything you need to overcome with the right support and the right people by your side.”

    Washington said: “It’s really exciting to be part of, in some ways, corrective history. We are telling a story that has been pushed into the margins about some true heroes, not just American heroes, but heroes of democracy all over the world.”