Taipei, July 31 (CNA) The Taiwan People's Party (TPP) on Monday decided to remove a controversial "Vote White, Vote Right" slogan from its website after the wording was accused of being similar to that used by an American white supremacist group.

TPP spokeswoman Lin Tzu-yu () told a press event that the slogan had referred to the color white that the TPP brands itself with.

"It was supposed to mean that vote for the 'power of white' is the right choice," she said, refuting that it was associated with white supremacy.

Lin said Taiwanese people are not familiar with the concept of "white supremacy."

However, the slogan has since drawn "different opinions" from netizens and "friends from the West," Lin said, adding that is why the party decided to remove it.

Taipei-based freelance journalist Erin Hale, one of the first who pointed out the controversy, said the slogan could be uncomfortable for Americans because it sounds like white supremacist or Ku Klux Klan language.

Hale also noted that the slogan is the same as that of a now long-defunct U.S. white supremacist party.

She appeared to be referring to the National States' Rights Party.

Founded in 1958 by Edward Reed Fields in Knoxville, Tennessee, the party was built on antisemitism, racism and opposition to integration, and was known for its "Vote Right - Vote White" slogan before its dissolution in 1987.

As of time of publishing, the controversial slogan can no longer be found on the TPP's official website and has been replaced with "Do the right thing, Do things right."

The TPP was formally established on Aug. 6, 2019 by former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (), who serves as its first and current chairman.

Ko is polling second in Taiwan's 2024 presidential election, behind the sitting Vice President Lai Ching-te () of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and ahead of the Kuomintang's (KMT) Hou Yu-ih ().

The TPP is also the third most popular political party in Taiwan, behind the DPP and KMT, according to recent polls.

(By Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/kb

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Taiwan opposition party removes controversial 'Vote White, Vote ... - Focus Taiwan

LOS ANGELES The lead defendant in an indictment that charges three Southern California men linked to a white supremacy extremist group with planning and engaging in riots at political rallies across California has been extradited to the United States from Romania, the Justice Department announced today.

Robert Paul Rundo, 33, of Huntington Beach, allegedly a founding member of the Rise Above Movement (RAM), was transported by special agents with the FBI from Romania to Hollywood Burbank Airport, where he arrived Tuesday evening. Rundo is in federal custody and is expected to make his initial appearance and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.

Rundo, along with two other defendants, is charged with conspiracy to violate the Anti-Riot Act for his activities in connection with RAM, a white supremacist organization that represented itself publiclyas a combat-ready, militant group of a new nationalist white supremacy and identity movement, according to a federal grand jury indictment.

In addition to the conspiracy charge, Rundo also is charged with one count of rioting.

The other defendants charged in this case are:

Boman and Laube are charged with conspiracy to violate the Anti-Riot Act. Boman also is charged with one count of rioting.

The trial date in this matter is scheduled for December 12.

According to the indictment, the defendants participated in the conspiracy in varying ways, including by engaging in recruitment of RAM members, coordinating and participating in hand-to-hand and other combat training, traveling to political rallies to attack protesters and other persons, and publishing photographs and videos of violent acts to recruit other members for future events.

The indictment alleges that various members of the conspiracy directly participated in attacks at political rallies in Huntington Beach on March 25, 2017; in Berkeley on April 15, 2017; and in San Bernardino on June 10, 2017. In the months following these events, the defendants allegedly trained for future events and celebrated their assaults, which included online posts with photos of RAM members assaulting people.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

In June 2019, a federal district court dismissed the indictment against Rundo and the other defendants, finding that the federal Anti-Riot Act violated the First Amendment. In March 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed the district courts dismissal and the criminal charges were reinstated.

Both the conspiracy and rioting charges carry statutory maximum sentences of five years in federal prison.

The FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this case.

The Justice Departments Office of International Affairs and the FBIs Legal Attach Office in Bucharest provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Rundo.

The Romanian National Police, Directorate of Combatting Organized Crime and Terrorism (DCCO), Fugitive Unit; the Romanian General Prosecutor's Office and Border Police; the U.S. Embassy Bucharest Regional Security Office and Consular Section/American Citizen Services, in coordination with Interpol Romania, provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Rundo.

Assistant United States Attorneys Solomon Kim and Kathrynne N. Seiden, both of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, are prosecuting this case.

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Lead Defendant in Federal Case Charging White Supremacist ... - Department of Justice

In the grand tradition of broken clocks, Scott is occasionally right. Representative Byron Donalds of Florida joined Scott and other Black Republicans to criticize that ahistorical benchmark made possible by Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, who also wants to be president.

Get Mira! by Marcela Garca

A bilingual view into politics, policy, people, pop culture framed through the immigrant experience and maybe a pooch or two.

But after Donalds, who otherwise praised the new standard, said teaching the personal benefits of slavery is wrong and needs to be adjusted, Team DeSantis pounced. Manny Diaz Jr., Floridas education commissioner, tweeted, We will not back down from teaching our nations true history at the behest of a woke White House, nor at the behest of a supposedly conservative congressman.

And there it is the blunt reminder to Black Republicans that their loyalties to the party and their conservatism will always be considered suspect.

Now dont give Scott, Donalds, or other Black Republicans too much credit for challenging DeSantis this one time. Its largely self-serving. With the Florida governors campaign not just on the ropes but in danger of tumbling out of the ring altogether, Scott may see an opportunity to rise as DeSantis falls. Like most other Black Republicans, Scott has stayed silent through Republican-led efforts in Florida and other states to ban dozens of books by Black authors and contour history for white comfort.

Also take note of the hypocrisy. Despite Donald Trumps years of racism and promotion of white supremacy, high-profile Black Republicans continue to support him. Or, in Scotts case, even defend the former presidents most odious actions, though hes competing against him for the Republican nomination.

To protect their political necks, Black Republicans stay in lockstep with the increasingly alarming rhetoric of their partys twice-impeached, thrice-indicted standard bearer. They know that those who dont are summarily dissed and dismissed.

Thats what happened to Will Hurd, a Black former congressman from Texas. At last weekends Lincoln Dinner, a gathering for GOP presidential candidates in Iowa, he was vigorously booed for criticizing the former president.

Donald Trump is not running for president to make America great again, Hurd said. Donald Trump is running to stay out of prison. Like an opening act no one wanted to see singing a song no one wanted to hear, he struggled to be heard over the jeers.

Polling so low that hes unlikely to qualify for the first Republican presidential debate on Aug. 23, Hurd has already said he will not pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee already presumed to be Trump. That will also keep him off of the debate stage.

For the past seven years, being a Republican has meant total public fidelity to Trump. That edict has persisted through a Trump-incited insurrection, his attempts to overturn a presidential election he soundly lost, and an ongoing series of legal problems resulting in dozens of charges and at least two upcoming trials. Any Republican expecting to hold onto their own voters isnt going to risk bucking Trump now especially with him trouncing his rivals in recent polls.

In a tweet, Jeremy Redfern, DeSantiss press secretary, accused Donalds of swinging for liberal media fences by criticizing the Florida governor. Both he and other members of DeSantiss team have compared Donalds to Vice President Kamala Harris, whos been lambasting that states school curriculum. Evoking liberalism and the nations most prominent Black Democrat is just another way of marking Donalds as standing apart from white Republicans.

It reminds me of an old expression: Even a tick thinks that he is royal when he drinks the emperors blood. No, I am not calling Black Republicans bloodsuckers. But they know that soft-pedaling slavery is an old racist tactic and have still chosen adjacency to white supremacy for, at best, very conditional power.

Now theyre learning just how conditional it is and how quickly their allegiance is attacked because acceptance from todays GOP demands nothing less than total capitulation to an extremist and fascist ideology.

Rene Graham is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at renee.graham@globe.com. Follow her @reneeygraham.

Original post:

Black Republicans slam slavery revamp, but mum on white supremacy - The Boston Globe

This week President Biden signed a proclamation establishing the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Mississippi and Illinois. The new national monument will help tell the story of the events surrounding Emmett Tills murder, their significance in the civil rights movement and American history, and the broader story of Black oppression, survival, and bravery in America. The new monument will be managed by the National Park Service.

This designation builds on the President and Vice Presidents commitment to advancing civil rights and telling a more complete American story.

Leaders from across the country praised the new national monument. Heres what theyre saying:

Civil Rights and Community Leaders

Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr., cousin of Emmett Till and last living witness of his abduction: Its been my lifes work to tell the truth of what happened to Emmett. This national monument designation makes certain that Emmett Tills life and legacy, along with his mother Mamie Till Mobleys social action and impact, will live on and be used to inspire others to create a more just and equitable society. We thank President Biden for codifying the national monument and are heartened to know these places will foster empathy, understanding and healing for years to come. [Statement, 7/25/2023]

Dr. Marvel Parker, Executive Director, The Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley Institute, Summit, IL: As Director of the Preserve Roberts Temple Initiative, I want to thank President Biden, Elder Cleven Wardlow, Bishop Edwin Walker, the Roberts Family and our partners. This Designation is the culmination of our extensive collaborative work to make this historical landmark a part of The Emmett Till and Mamie Till Mobley Legacy. [Statement, 7/25/2023]

Christopher Benson, President, Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley Institute: This is an amazing, teachable moment to talk about the importance of this story as an American story that everybody can share in now, particularly at a time when people are trying to rewrite history. We have a memorial now that is not erasable. It cant be banned and it cant be censored, and we think thats a very important thing. [Statement, 7/25/2023]

Patrick Weems, Executive Director, Emmett Till Interpretive Center, Sumner, MS: After 15 years of hard work, we have finally achieved a designation that we believe is pivotal to our nations story. The lynching of Emmett Till and the courage of Mamie Till Mobley served as a springboard to the modern Civil Rights Movement, and preserving this history in perpetuity will serve as a continual act of restorative justice. We extend our deepest gratitude to the Tallahatchie County Board of Supervisors, and Congressman Bennie Thompson for championing this vision of reconciliation, which has now become a national monument. [Statement, 7/25/2023]

Elizabeth Alexander, President, Mellon Foundation: As younger generations of Americans learn them for the first time, Emmett Tills and Mamie Till Mobleys stories remain central to our effort to make a more racially just United States. We at Mellon are steadfast in our support of this national monument and the opportunities it provides for reparative learning, public engagement, and the crucial collective work we must undertake to end race-based hatred and violence in our country. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Brent Leggs, Executive Director, African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and Senior Vice President, National Trust for Historic Preservation: Imbued in these now permanently protected buildings and landscapes are the unspeakable crimes of racial violence, and the tireless strength of Mamie Till Mobley who harnessed her grief in pursuit of social justice. Through historic preservation, this multiracial coalition will continue its work to uplift this new national monument and secure the resources and investment needed to ensure the sites future. [Statement, 7/25/2023]

Maya Wiley, President and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights: In 1955, Mamie Till-Mobley, at the funeral of her 14-year-old son Emmett Till, bravely demanded that the world look at what brutal, adult murderers had done to her child. It was a cry for justice and a demand that this nation face its demons. Today, while we are in a battle for the freedom to learn and teach this very history, and at a time when Black people remain the highest number of hate crime victims, the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument will represent a strong statement of commitment to remembering the past and a call to reckon with the present. It is fitting that this monument calls us to the enduring presence of Emmett Louis Till in our collective memories. It is important that it acknowledges the lifelong fight for justice that Mamie Till-Mobley led not only for her son, but also for all of us. Mamie Till-Mobley was fighting to shine a light on the dark shadows of violent racism. Today, on what would have been Emmett Tills 82nd birthday, we are reminded of the ever present threat of violence against Black people and of the devastation and intergenerational trauma it creates.[Statement, 7/25/23]

Vangela M. Wade, President, Mississippi Center For Justice: Addressing the deep-rooted issues of inequity in Mississippi and beyond can only be achieved by confronting the darkest moments of our past. The tragedy of Emmett Till and the bravery of Mamie Till-Mobley are integral parts of our history as Americans and todays announcement only further cements this fact. This new national monument will be a ray of hope and a symbol of progress in the face of a national movement to whitewash history. Justice is a constant struggle, and this significant step marks a critical milestone. [Statement, 7/25/2023]

Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO, Martin Luther King, Jr. Center For Nonviolent Social Change: The monument will protect places that are central to the story of #EmmettTills life, his brutal death from white supremacists torturing and murdering him at age 14, and his mother, #MamieTillMobleys activism, which helped spark the civil rights movement. [Tweet, 7/25/23]

Historic Preservation and Parks Leaders

Jay Clemens, CEO, National Trust for Historic Preservation: The National Trust for Historic Preservation congratulates the many preservationists, advocates, volunteers, and community members who have worked to achieve this historic designation of three sites associated with the tragic death of Emmett Till and the sparking of the civil rights movement by Mamie Till Mobley. The achievement of this protection and recognition symbolized in the Emmett Till and Mamie Till Mobley National Monument proves the power of historic preservation, accomplished with passion, patience, and partnership. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Theresa Pierno, President and CEO, National Parks Conservation Association: Throughout American history, there are few stories as heart wrenching as the murder of Emmett Till. It is a story that lays bare the brutality of systemic racism and injustice for the world to see. But it is also a story of determination. This is a story of a brave young mother who experienced a parents worst nightmare, but found the strength and power to rise up and shine a light on injustice as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Mamie Till-Mobley galvanized a movement and inspired a nationWe commend the Biden administration on todays national park designation and are grateful to Emmett Tills family members for their tireless work to make this national park site a reality. As Americas greatest storyteller, the Park Service will help protect and interpret the history at the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, so no one ever forgets their names. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Will Shafroth, President and CEO, National Park Foundation: The new park site holds the power to inspire a deeper and more complete understanding of Americas ever-evolving story. Thanks to the partnership and support of the Mellon Foundation and Fund II Foundation, the new Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument will make a seminal event in our nations civil rights era history accessible to all. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Gene Karpinski, President, League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and Jen Walling, Executive Director, Illinois Environmental Council (IEC): The brutal murder of Emmett Till in 1955, and the courage and strength of Mamie Till-Mobley to share her loss with the world, helped expose the racism in America and inspire movements for justice. Their legacy, and President Bidens preservation of the sites that tell their stories, stand in stark contrast with the current politicians who attempt to erase the countrys history of racism instead of learning from it. We appreciate the Biden-Harris administrations work to preserve sites and landscapes with ecological, cultural, and historic resources, including places of devastating tragedies like this monument. The continued murder and loss of life, disproportionately young Black men, at the hands of institutions in our society further demonstrates the importance of these lessons as well as the work still in front of us. Today, we are celebrating President Bidens move to preserve historically significant sites tied to the memory of Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, whose strength during a moment of profound darkness shed light on the horrific dangers of white supremacy in our country. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Mike Murray, Chair, Coalition to Protect Americas National Parks: We thank President Biden for using his authority under the Antiquities Act to designate this new national monument honoring the life and legacy of Emmett Till and his mother, civil rights icon Mamie Till-Mobley. This national monument designation will protect the spaces that help tell the story of a difficult and critical piece of Americas civil rights history. We are thankful the story of Emmett Till and his mother will be conserved and remembered. We thank President Biden and his administration for designating another new national monument, and we encourage the administration to continue to strengthen their conservation legacy and push hard towards the goals laid out in the 30 x 30 initiative by using the Antiquities Act to establish protections for other culturally and naturally significant spaces. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Janessa Goldbeck, CEO, Vet Voice Foundation: We applaud President Bidens decision to designate the Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument today. In an era in which we see elected officials banning books and attempting to alter history, its beyond refreshing to have a president who understands the importance of preserving our history the good and bad for future generations to learn from. Moreover, todays announcement serves as another reminder of this administrations commitment to safeguarding important places and making them open and available to all. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Manish Bapna, President and CEO, Natural Resources Defense Council: These monuments speak in the voice of conscience to the cries for justice that grew from a heinous act committed in the name of white supremacy. They recall the nations hypocrisy and legacy of racial violence and the work yet to be done to live out its ideals. We move forward when we look at the past with clear eyes, examine the roots of our flaws, and memorialize those with the courage to stand up and demand that we do better. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Monumental SHIFT: We thank the Biden-Harris Administration for designating the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument as a step forward to not only acknowledge the importance of telling the full history of America, but also to prioritize the cultures and stories by which this country was built. This national monument spans across three sites in Illinois and Mississippi and protects the places that are central to the story of Tills life, death, and the acquittal of his white killers, and honors his mothers relentless activism for justice. We created Monumental SHIFT to shift the traditional designation and maintenance of national monuments to center ethnically and racially diverse communities in the creation, conception, funding, and stewardship to honor the lands and places that are sacred to the members of our community. The Monumental SHIFT coalition applauds the leadership of the community, the Biden-Harris Administration and affirms the tenacity of Tills mother for this monumental and momentous designation. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Dr. Jocelyn Imani, Director, Trust for Public Lands Black History and Culture: Trust for Public Land commends President Biden for designating the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument. This national monument preserves a painful but powerful chapter in our history in which in the wake of a horrific racist murder of an innocent child, where the fundamental values of human life and justice were violated Mamie Till-Mobley transformed her deep pain into action that would galvanize the civil rights movement. The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument will be a place where the stories of Emmett Till and his courageous mother, Mamie Till-Mobley are preserved as part of our National Park System to inform our understanding of our shared history and compel us to work together for continued atonement, restoration, and progress. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Faith Leaders

Cassandra Carmichael, Executive Director, National Religious Partnership for the Environment: On behalf of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment, an alliance of 5 major national Christian and Jewish faith institutions united in our commitment to protecting Gods creation and doing so through the lens of justice, I applaud the designation of the Emmett Till and Mamie-Till National Monument. On this day of his birth, it is particularly poignant that we honor his life and mark his tragic, untimely death. In addition to documenting Emmett Tills abduction, torture and killing, the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument proclaims the resiliency of Mamie Till-Mobley, who bravely proclaimed the horrific events of her sons death and insisted that the nation and the world bear witness. Her persistence challenges us to address racial injustice. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Bishop Lawrence Reddick III, Senior Bishop, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Dallas, TX: The telling of the story of Emmett Tills tragic death is imperative for the whole country to recognize the harm and hate done to the Black community throughout US history, which is why I praise the designation of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument. The story of Emmett Tills pain and his mothers endurance to preserve his story is important to protect. By preserving this critical story that highlights our countrys unjust and horrific lynching history by conserving the land which holds the story, we ensure that the narrative will remain. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Dr. Jerry Young, President, National Baptist Convention USA: Too often African American history is relegated to, at best side notes or footnotes. Or is deleted altogether in the hopes that it will be forgotten. Designating a national monument that highlights the tragedy and trauma that Emmett Till, his family and community endured is an important part of preserving history, reckoning with our past as a nation, and moving forward in healing.[Statement, 7/25/23]

Bishop J. Drew Sheard, Presiding Bishop/Chief Apostle, Church of God in Christ, Memphis, TN: I commend the Biden/Harris Administration for its work in designating the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument. The value and necessity of preserving places that shine a light on Black history cannot be overstated. The United States of America has many historic sites that have seen racial atrocities. The three sites of the Till-Mobley National Monument contain an important traumatic narrative, which this country would be wise to learn from. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Jr., Senior Bishop, African Methodist Episcopal Church, Dallas, TX: I am grateful for President Bidens leadership, knowing that by proclaiming this part of history as worthy of national attention and focus it will offer much hope and healing. Our responsibility to care for Creation is coupled with our duty to preserve and honor the story of us all, and ensure all of our children have equitable access to healthy recreation and the opportunity to find their own story in our park system. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Bishop Kenneth Monroe, Senior Bishop, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Raleigh, NC: I celebrate President Bidens leadership in designating the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument through the use of the Antiquities Act. Our National Monuments help tell the story of our historical, cultural and national heritage. I can think of no better way to honor our nations history than by lifting up stories of Black tragedy and resilience. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Dr. Sam Tolbert, President, National Baptist Convention of American International, Inc: It is critical that we preserve the stories of all Americans. Preservation of stories through National Monument designation is a critical mechanism to preserve Black history. The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument tells an important part of Black history and paves the way for additional National Monuments that tell the full story of Black history. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Dr. David Peoples, President, Progressive National Baptist Convention: Our shared history, culture, and natural treasures should be protected through conservation protections such as National Monuments. In the face of adversity, Emmett Tills mother demonstrated Black resiliency and agency in her efforts to ensure that Emmett Tills plight and tragedy was not forgotten. Her efforts helped compel the Civil Rights Movement and rightfully her sons life should not only be honored, but never forgotten. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Dr. W. Franklin Richardson, Conference of National Black Churches: The designation of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley as a National Monument is a step towards justice. Such a National Monument will enumerate Emmett Tills kidnapping, torture and death as well as document the injustice of acquitting his killers. The site will also, rightfully, emphasize Mamie Till-Mobleys relentless journey to ensure that Emmett Tills life, with the designation of this National Monument, can be honored. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Bishop James Walker, 7th Episcopal District Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington, D.C.: Its designation is a long overdue overture to aid in the telling the traumatic story of lynching against Black Americans in the United States. The National Monument will help document the impact lynching had on Black communities across America. As we celebrate Emmett Tills birthday and reflect on the lessons contained in this newly designated National Monument, I hope that we will remember that the path to healing and hope is paved with justice.[Statement, 7/25/23]

Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, 6th District, African Methodist Episcopal Church, Atlanta, GA: I commend the Biden-Harris Administration and President Bidens leadership in declaring the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley our newest National Monument. This monument, which tells the honest history and impacts of lynching, is long overdue. The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument holds the underheard story of Black tragedy and Black resilience. It showcases a horrific and tragic child lynching and highlights the fortitude and resilience of a mothers devotion. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Bishop Jerry W. Macklin, Pastor, Glad Tiding Church of God in Christ, Hayward, CA: I am grateful for President Bidens leadership in designating a National Monument at the sites that give the account of Emmett Tills tragic death. This important part of Americas history provides a testament that recognizes that attending to racial inequity and injustice is paramount. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Bishop Silvester Scott Beaman, 15th District, African Methodist Episcopal Church, Cape Town, South Africa: The designation of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument preserves a piece of history that is critical for us all to acknowledge. Its designation gives us hope that we can work more fully towards racial reconciliation. Emmett Tills life and tragic death was not in vain. For in his mothers steadfast advocacy to have his abduction, torture and killing told, his life helped propel the Civil Rights Movement. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton, 5th Episcopal District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Birmingham, AL: This new National Monument is a testament to your leadership that has sought to reconcile and make us whole as a nation. Emmett Tills life, tragically cut short by racial hatred, is rightfully honored by the designation of this new National Monument. It highlights not only his story, but the courageous story of his mother, who despite her grief fought to have Emmett Tills full story told to the world. By putting focused attention on stories of Black historythe pain and the triumphthrough this designation and additional future National Monument designations my hope is that we, as a nation, can reconcile and come together as one nation under God. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Bishop Franklin White, 4th District, African Methodist Episcopal Church, Chicago, IL: As Black communities across the nation face significant opposition to honoring Black history, I thank President Biden for challenging the organized effort to erase Black history by designating the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument. I join with faith leaders here in Chicago and across the nation in celebrating this designation. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Bishop Michael A. Frencher, Sr., Mid-West District, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Chicago, IL: I applaud President Bidens leadership in the use of the Antiquities Act to create the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, which lifts up the story of the unjust killing of Emmett Till and the courage of his mother to reveal the brutal details. The nation needed to hear his story then and, as we continue to grapple with the horrors of racism, the world needs to continue to hear his story. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Rev. Dr. Roosevelt C. Walker, Jr., President, United Baptist State Convention of Illinois: I am heartened to hear that the story of Till Mobley, in all of its horrors and tragedy, will be told through the naming of a National Monument in his honor. This designation counters the many voices and efforts that are attempting to erase painful parts of American history. The discomfiture and denial to tell stories of Black pain and trauma only serves to bury the wound, never allowing us to reconcile. The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument is a long overdue recognition of how devasting lynching is to Black communities. This National Monument can serve as a heralder of truth in the hopes that we never again revisit the sins of racially motivated violence. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Rev. Dr. Mark A. McConnell, President, Baptist General State Convention of Illinois: Our shared history, culture, and natural treasures should be protected through conservation protections such as National Monuments. In the face of adversity, Emmett Tills mother demonstrated Black resiliency and agency in her efforts to ensure that Emmett Tills plight and tragedy was not forgotten. Her efforts helped compel the Civil Rights Movement and rightfully her sons life should not only be honored, but never forgotten. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Elected Officials

Illinois Senator and Majority Whip Dick Durbin: Emmett Tills murder is emblematic of one of the darkest chapters in our nations history. Im glad @POTUS is moving to establish Roberts Temple Church in Chicago as a national monument to preserve Emmetts story & ensure the cruel legacy of racism in the U.S. is not forgotten. [Tweet, 7/24/23]

Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth: The Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ is of both extraordinary and incredibly heartbreaking historical importance to Chicago, our state and to this country. At a time when some on the far right are trying to whitewash our nations history and erase the devastating legacies of slavery and lynchings on Black Americans, Im proud that President Biden is taking action to help ensure that generations of Americans have more opportunity to reflect on Mamie and Emmetts stories. Its past time we recognize how national monuments can not only teach us about our historybut provoke us to build a more just future. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Illinois Representative Jonathan Jackson: Today, we remember #EmmettTill on what would have been his birthday. A life extinguished far too soon, but a legacy that forever changed the course of history. The brutal nature of Tills murder and the brave decision by his mother for an open-casket funeral exposed the harsh racial violence of the South to the world. His story became a rallying cry for the Civil Rights Movement, compelling many, including leaders like Rosa Parks, into action. [Tweet, 7/25/23]

Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson: The tragedy that took place when Emmett Till was murdered is an enduring reminder of the racism that fueled injustice for far too long in our country. I would like to thank President Biden for honoring the memory of young Till and reminding us all of our common humanity. We have worked hard to ensure the proper recognition of this atrocity. [Statement, 7/25/23]

Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker: Emmett Tills murder and the courage of Mamie Till-Mobley roused people of goodwill to action, leading to one of the most significant movements in American history. This commemoration will help preserve the Till familys legacy for future generations. [Tweet, 7/25/23]

Mississippi Senator Cindy-Hyde Smith: An Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument honors the familys contributions to Civil Rights & complements efforts undertaken in MS to highlight civil rights achievements. The atrocities done to Emmitt Till & the heartbreak inflicted on his family mustnt be forgotten. [Tweet, 7/25/2023]

House Democratic Leader and New York Representative Hakeem Jefferies: Todays proclamation establishes the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, which honors the story of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley in three sites across Illinois and Mississippi that mark the journey Mamie took as a young girl with her family to flee the danger and oppression of the Jim Crow South. Though she would escape, that same hate and violence claimed the life of her son. Emmetts brutal murder and Mamies courage to show the world the cruel violence inflicted on her son helped galvanize the Civil Rights Movement in America. The creation of this national monument places the life and legacy of Emmett Till among our nations most treasured memorials. Last year, the Biden-Harris administration signed the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act into law, making lynching a federal crime for the first time in American history. In the face of efforts to erase and rewrite Black history, including in Florida, it is essential to make sure that stories like Emmett Tills are told and not forgotten. Black history is American history. I am thankful to President Biden for his inclusive and decisive leadership. [Statement, 7/25/23]

South Carolina Representative James E. Clyburn: Honored to join @POTUS as he signed a proclamation to establish the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument. Just as Mamie Till-Mobley refused to let the world shy away from the truth of what happened to her son, we must fight efforts to erase this countrys history. [Tweet, 7/25/23]

Arizona Representative Ral Grijalva, Ranking Member, House Natural Resources Committee: The brutal murder of Emmett Till and the acquittal of his murderers was an injustice of the most unthinkable kind. But even worse, it was no anomaly. The long and ongoing history of oppression and violence against Black people is an inescapable part of the American story, but it is also one we must recognize and understand if we want to repair. While efforts to censor our nations truth seem to be increasing by the day, Im grateful that this administration not only acknowledges that truth but is following the lead of Emmett Tills mother and countless champions to ensure it is memorialized and learned from for good. [Statement, 7/25/2023]

Indiana Representative Andr Carson: Thank you, @POTUS, for honoring Emmett Till on what would be his 82nd birthday. Learning & commemorating our history is not always easy, but its vital for our countrys future. This national monument will honor Emmett Tills memory, his legacy, and the work we have left to do. [Tweet, 7/25/23]

Georgia Representative Hank Johnson: I am honored to have been present for this historic moment. Thank you @POTUS, for honoring the legacy of Emmett and Mamie Till-Mobley. [Tweet, 7/25/23]

New York Representative Ritchie Torres: At 14 years old, Emmett Till was abducted and brutally murdered because of the color of his skin. His mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, bravely forced America to confront the horrors of racism. Thank you @POTUS for honoring their legacy on his 82nd birthday. [Tweet, 7/25/23]

Continued here:

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: President Biden Designates Emmett Till ... - The White House

Good Friday morning!

There was so much stuff crammed into the Elections Transparency Act that the massive increases in campaign contribution limits felt like more of an afterthought as it was being rammed through the Legislature. And so far, it hasnt had such a massive effect.

Previously, individuals and companies used to be allowed to give a maximum of $25,000 to state and county political parties and legislative leadership committees. Now, they can give $75,000 to each and, in the case of the political parties, an additional $112,500 to legislative leadership accounts.

ELEC yesterday released an analysis of the last quarters fundraising for the Big Six committees the first quarter under the new law and found that the Big Six the state party committees and legislative leadership PACS raised $3,610,199, or about 12 percent above the average for the last 10 years. But if you compare it to 2011, which was the last year with a similar election in which the Senate and Assembly topped the ballot together, youll find that at this point in that cycle those committees had raised $3,684,467, or $4,980,303.39 adjusted for inflation.

Of course, 2011 was just a year after Citizens United, and super PACs flooded New Jersey politics with millions of dollars, much of which likely would have gone to the Big Six. Thats why ELEC actually supported higher contribution limits. And were just seeing the implementation of the new limits this year, so its just getting started. Well see whether it actually reduces the amount of dark money and super PAC spending in New Jersey politics.

One interesting thing ELECs analysis brought to light: A handful of people and organizations mostly labor unions gave the maximum donations to the committees. But just one person gave a state political party both the maximum $75,000 donation as well as the $37,500 for its housekeeping account. You may not be surprised to learn that was Bob Hugin, the chair of the Republican State Committee who made a fortune as a pharmaceutical executive. There were a handful of $75,000 donations, mostly from labor unions to Democrats. All in all, the committees have gotten $671,200 in contributions over the previous limits.

Read ELECs analysis here.

TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at [emailprotected]

QUOTE OF THE DAY: With knowledge of such easy money in the pipeline, the project has become a circus of excess and waste. A Senate Republican report on the Pompidou Center project in Jersey City, which so far has gotten $58 million in taxpayer funds.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Rob Andrews. Saturday for Tammy Murphy, Richard Lawton, Gary Chiusano, Amy Kuperinsky, Stephanie Doherty.

WHERES MURPHY? Joining a prayer call with Black clergy in the morning in remembrance of Sheila Oliver, then meeting with DCA employees. Holding a 1:30pm press conference in Trenton to talk about Olivers life.

SHEILA OLIVER Oliver to lie in state next week in three-day celebration of life, by POLITICOs Mia McCarthy: County Court House next week to honor the late lieutenant governor. It is part of a three-day Celebration of Life for Oliver, who died Tuesday at age 71, according to Gov. Phil Murphys office. Its an extreme rarity for a person to lie in state in New Jersey, and an honor that no recent former governor or state lawmakers has received after their death. Sheila was not only a distinguished public servant, but also our cherished daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and hero, the Oliver family said in a statement through Murphys office. She leaves behind a legacy of dedication, service, and inspiration. We will remember her commitment to the people of New Jersey and her tireless efforts to uplift the community. May her memory be a source of comfort and strength to all who knew her.

Murphy orders flags lowered for a month to honor Oliver

SEXUALLY ACTIVE RESIDENTS URGED TO TAKE CHILL PILL INSTEAD Murphy wanted to allow birth control pills without a prescription. Its running behind schedule, by POLITICOs Daniel Han: A New Jersey law to allow pharmacists to dispense self-administered hormonal birth control without a prescription is running months behind its statutory start date. Gov. Phil Murphy in January signed a bill into law allowing women to get such birth control including the pill, vaginal rings and diaphragms from pharmacists without a prescription, which he framed as the latest accomplishment for an administration which has been strongly supportive of reproductive rights. That is a shift from the normal practice of women needing a prescription from a health care provider. At the time, Murphy acknowledged that the law was not effective immediately but suggested it would be a priority.

State DOH is 5 years late setting up drug donation program: Its sorely needed

ANTISOCIAL MEDIA NJ plan to study social media impact on teens too slow to address crisis, advocates say, by The Records Mary Ann Koruth: While the states main stakeholders in public education have praised the creation of a new commission to assess and report in a year on the effects of social media usage on adolescents, some say a year is too long a wait to address an issue that has already claimed lives in New Jerseys schools. Ample research literature, government advisories and whistleblower testimonies already point to social medias negative impacts on youth, they note The state needs to create curriculum without delay to teach children how to protect themselves on social media, and one year is too long to wait, said Kara Alaimo, a Fairleigh Dickinson University expert on social media impacts on children and youth. It is wonderful that the state is looking into this, she said, but what I would also like to see happen is for the governor not to wait a year to implement social media curricula in schools.

GARDEN STATE EQUITY Gender-neutral equity code approved by State Board of Education draws attacks, by NJ Spotlight News Hanna Gross: The New Jersey State Board of Education narrowly voted to approve its equity code, as is required every seven years. The readoption vote passed 6-5, with board members agreeing Wednesday to several language changes, including using more gender-neutral terms, such as changing minority, female and male to all students. Many parents rights advocates packed into the meeting to express their discontent with the changes, urging board members to vote no on the readoption and threatening lawsuits after a majority ruled in favor. Board meeting minutes from March 2016, when the code, N.J.A.C. 6A:7, Managing for Equality and Equity in Education, last came up for readoption, did not list any votes in opposition. The governors office said in a statement that the changes are largely technical and are intended to clarify and streamline language.

Still a mystery: Why did Attorney Generals Office allow Matt ODonnell to continue practicing law?

Snowflack Back to school in August

I SHOULDNT HAVE PLACED THAT BET ON HIM PLEADING GUILTY Trump pleads not guilty to charges that he conspired to overturn 2020 election, by POLITICOs Kyle Cheney and Betsy Woodruff Swan: Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal charges accusing him of orchestrating a criminal conspiracy to try to derail the transfer of power after the 2020 election. A significant point of tension immediately emerged: How soon will he stand trial? Thomas Windom, the prosecutor helming the trial team for special counsel Jack Smith, said the case should move quickly. This case will benefit from normal order, including a speedy trial, Windom told the magistrate judge overseeing Trumps arraignment. But John Lauro, an attorney for the former president, said Trumps legal team might need a long time to go through the evidence that prosecutors are required to hand over to the defense.

JERSEY CITY SETTLEMENT 2 Jersey City MUA workers receiving $585k, 1 gets $10k raise, to settle racism claims, by Hudson County Views John Heinis: A Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) worker is receiving a $585,000 payout and one receiving a $10,000 raise to settle racism claims that included allegations of white supremacy. The Carters filed a lawsuit against the MUA, Executive Director Jose Cunha and mechanic Charles Schaadt with Tim Carter, who is Black, alleging that the latter displayed white supremacist ideology in his office Mr. Schaadt was so brazen in the JCMUA workplace concerning his white supremacist ideology that he screwed a photo of a white supremacist with a Nazi War Eagle tattoo and a tattoo of the Schutzstaffel Armanen rune (commonly referred to as the S.S. lightning bolt) under plastic in the window of the door between the West Side Plants garage and its cafeteria, the lawsuit alleged.

WESTWOODS NAME DEEMED CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE OF ITS LATTER HALF Ten candidates will vie for four seats in Westwood school board race, by The Records Stephanie Noda: Ten people will be running for four seats this November on the board of the Westwood Regional School District, where disputes over sex, gender and the curriculum have sparked tense debates for months. The contenders apparently will not include current board President Michael Pontillo, whose name was not included on an unofficial list of candidates In recent months, critics have also turned out to protest the boards perceived slights against same-sex couples and a new district policy allowing only the American and state flags to fly on school grounds. That new policy led to the removal of an LGBTQ pride sign outside the district middle school, though such flags and banners are still allowed inside schools.

Westwoods controversial issues policy goes too far. Why hurt students?

INZELBUCKS Lakewood school board faces first major challenge since 2014, by The Asbury Park Press Joe Strupp: For the first time in nearly a decade, the current Lakewood Board of Education is being challenged at the ballot box. Seven candidates filed Monday to run for the three seats up for grabs in the November election, including four challengers. The board has not seen such a contested race since 2014 The increased election interest is occurring as the school district faces its most serious fiscal issues in years, with more than $125 million in state loan debt, a long-running lawsuit over state funding and the ongoing impact of the pandemic and so-called lost learning. It seems to me like a potentially hopeful sign, said Paul Tractenberg, founder of the Rutgers University Education Law Center and co-counsel for a 2014 lawsuit against the state seeking improved state funding for the district. I think anything that shakes it up, that brings greater openness and transparency and public input is for the public good. The salary of Board of Education Attorney Michael Inzelbuch has also been a concern An Asbury Park Press 2021 investigation found that he had earned more than $1 million in both the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years. More recently that was reduced to $992,000 in calendar year 2021.

AND YET WE STILL HAVE TO HEAR ABOUT KARI LAKE N.J. county wants to drain 203-year-old lake amid ownership questions, pricey fixes, by NJ Bill Duhart for NJ.com: A 203-year-old lake is in danger of being drained because of a dispute over who owns, and is responsible for, the dam that formed it. The Ewan Lake Dam sits on the border between Harrison and Elk townships in Gloucester County. The ownership and responsibility for maintaining the dam to the specifications of the state Department of Environmental Protection is in question. The DEP has started to bring legal action to all parties to bring the dams up to code, Chad Bruner, the Gloucester County administrator, told NJ Advance Media this week in an email. The county is only one party to this action via the road near the dams. We have been on record that we do not own these dams or lakes and we are of the opinion that the best course of action on behalf of the county taxpayers is to decommission these dams/lakes as we cannot spend county taxpayer funds on privately owned lakes.

EXMART Last New Jersey Kmart to close as Westwood store will shut down in fall, by The Records Katie Sobko and Nancy Pascarella: Soon, Kmart will be just a memory in New Jersey, as the last location in the Garden State is expected to close this fall. The chains Westwood location, at 700 Broadway, will close in September or October and already has signs in the windows noting that everything must go. A location in Middlesex County closed last year, leaving the Bergen County store as the lone survivor in a chain that at one time had more than 2,000 locations around the country. In 2019, stores in Wayne, Trenton, Wall and Somers Point closed. Kearny and Belleville stores followed suit in 2021

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THE NEWS TERMINATOR AI-generated news has arrived in New Jersey, by The Center for Cooperative Medias Joe Adomitis: Which makes me wonder what LocalLens might look like in the near future once theyve expanded to cover whats happening in every community in America. Do the founders of LocalLens see themselves as something akin to a bot-driven version of Documenters that supplies much-needed notetaking and documentation of public meetings and records? Or will this eventually just become yet another good enough source of local news and information for residents in communities that have either lost or abandoned their own local news organizations? Im sure for most local journalists and publishers in New Jersey and elsewhere, the answers are obvious and probably somewhat troubling.

MANVILLE Hunterdon man charged in multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme, by MyCentralJerseys Mike Deak: A Hunterdon County man has been charged by the federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in connection with his role in a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme that partially operated out of Manville. Christopher Anderson, of Readington, is one of six people charged with fraud in a civil action filed by the SEC in federal court in July. Anderson, however, was not included in criminal charges filed by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger against the other people involved in the more than $35 million scheme. Among those facing criminal charges is Eliyahu Eli Weinstein.

I THOUGHT THE BAR ASSOCIATIONS ATLANTIC CITY CONVENTION WAS IN MAY Shark activity is up at the Jersey Shore this summer, by NJ 101.5s Jen Ursilio: There has been an uptick in near-shore shark sightings in New Jersey this year, and in the past few years, as well, said Rich Weddle, curator at SEA LIFE Aquarium at the American Dream in East Rutherford. Is the uptick in shark sightings related to the recent whale and dolphin deaths? Not necessarily. Weddle, who also has a degree in marine biology, said it is probably related to increasing ocean temperatures inshore and some of the protection that has been given to bunker, which is the bait fish that these sharks eat, he said.

Celebrity trainer from Teaneck dies by suicide amid child sex investigation

COVID comeback: hospitalizations increase in New Jersey

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Woman escapes cinder block cell. Accused kidnapper previously lived in N.J., feds say

See the original post here:

Opening the campaign finance floodgates? - POLITICO - POLITICO

Lexington police are asking the public for help in identifying any individuals responsible for leaving Aryan Freedom Network flyers in one neighborhood.

Some residents of the Kenwick neighborhood woke up to find baggies on their sidewalk that had white supremacy propaganda flyers inside with rice.

The flyer reads: You know who else was condemned for hate speech? Jesus Christ The flyer also advertises the Aryan Freedom Network and a website.

A post was shared on the Kenwick Neighborhood Association Facebook page asking for anyone to report the baggies to police, and check home security footage to identify possible suspects.

What we are interested in is who possibly left those flyers that is what we are very interested in identifying, said Lt. Dan Truex with the Lexington Police Department.

Truex confirmed the department had received multiple reports of Kenwick residents finding the baggies outside of their homes and some baggies were booked into evidence. He said no other neighborhood residents had reported finding the baggies.

He asked for anyone with surveillance footage that could identify a suspect to call police.

Truex told members of the neighborhood that extra patrol will be out for all three shifts for the next two weeks to increase police presence.

Hopefully this helps deter it from happening in the future, Truex wrote on social media.

Truex was not able to share what charges a suspect could face for the flyers, citing an open investigation.

Read the rest here:

Lexington neighborhood wakes up to white supremacy flyers; police investigating. - Yahoo News

With help from Ella Creamer, Rishika Dugyala, Jesse Naranjo, Jessica Piper and Teresa Wiltz

People wait in line to vote on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022, in Atlanta. | POLITICO illustration/Photo by AP

What up, Recast fam! Campaign finance reports reveal Donald Trump and affiliated super PACs are fundraising juggernauts, but theyre also burning through cash and fast. House Democrats effectively sideline their top lawmaker on the Agriculture Committee and the U.S. womens national soccer team squeaked into the knockout round with a 0-0 tie with Portugal in the group stage. First, a look at a progressive play for white voters.

A group of progressive organizations is banding together with hopes that not even a seven nation army could hold them back from electoral victory in 2024.

The initiative dubbed the White Stripe Project aims to woo white voters in greater numbers to liberal causes and supply empirical data to challenge the conventional ways Democrats traditionally engage with this crucial voting bloc.

Without white voters, organizers admit, taking back the House and defending control of the White House and Senate will likely be an impossible mission.

We know that white communities organized by the right get in the way of winning on just about every issue that we care about, said Erin Heaney, executive director of Showing Up for Racial Justice, one of the principal groups spearheading the project.

White voters have disproportionate political power, she told organizers in remarks during the Monday afternoon launch of the project, shared exclusively with The Recast. We need a strategy for engaging and organizing them alongside communities of color.

There is growing frustration, particularly among Democratic activists, that the partys efforts trying to win back white voters, particularly those without college degrees, is ineffective. This voting bloc has broken for Republicans for the last four election cycles.

Was The Recast forwarded to you by a friend? Dont forget to subscribe to the newsletter here.

Youll get a twice-weekly breakdown of how race and identity are the DNA of American politics and policy.

While Joe Biden performed better among this group in 2020 than Hillary Clinton did four years earlier, Republicans still dominated. According to the Pew Research Center, Biden carried 33 percent of this bloc, while then-President Donald Trump carried 65 percent. The caveat, according to Pew, was that the vote total Trump carried with non-college educated whites was nearly identical to what he pulled in 2016.

To put it another way, the group believes these voters are gettable with the right message and a targeted, not blanket approach.

We need to have a public, non-defensive, data-driven conversation about what do we really know about white voters? said Steve Phillips, a longtime Democratic thought leader who is president of the Sandler Phillips Center.

Far too often, he said, Democrats and deep-pocketed donors settle on narratives about past elections that then inform future contests with little empirical data to back up those entrenched beliefs.

One of those narratives, he and other activists say, is the notion among the donor class that a focus on racial issues should be abandoned, in favor of a more race-neutral message centered around the economy.

Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, left, and Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams face off in a televised debate, Oct. 30, 2022, in Atlanta. | Ben Gray/AP Photo

Some Democrats grumble that Stacey Abrams loss in Georgias gubernatorial contest last cycle to incumbent GOP Gov. Brian Kemp is proof that a candidate that highlights race and equity issues does not fare well in close elections, according to Phillips, the author of How We Win the Civil War: Securing a Multiracial Democracy and Ending White Supremacy for Good.

But Phillips is quick to counter with another example: the race between Ohio Senate candidate Tim Ryan a Democrat who ran his campaign almost exclusively focused on winning back working-class white voters. He still lost by 264,000 votes to Republican J.D. Vance.

Ryan really did manifest this playbook about downplaying race and leaning into economic issues, Phillips said. And he lost badly.

So what do we make of that?

Race as a wedge issue cant be ignored, say the White Stripe organizers, as they point to Republicans embrace of culture issues like critical race theory and the so-called anti-woke agenda animating the GOP base.

We know that race is an incredibly powerful tool to keep people, white people, silent and separated from the multiracial coalitions we need to win, Haney added.

As Biden begins to form the contours of his reelection campaign, it is clear economic issues will be at the forefront. Hes running on Bidenomics, a term coined by his political opponents to describe a once-flagging economy, but one hes flipped to showcase how its rebounded during the post-pandemic months.

To drive home this point, during the last month hes traveled to South Carolina a state with little chance of flipping to the Democrats in 2024 to tout his message of innovation and investment, and how those are paying dividends in red-leaning districts.

Biden also signaled hes planning to visit the north Georgia district of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene one of his biggest Republican detractors to attend the groundbreaking of a solar facility. He released a campaign ad using video of her own speech talking about Bidenomics and comparing him to Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson. It was clearly meant as a dig at Biden, but he embraced it, tweeting, I approve this message.

Joe Biden is going to go into areas that may not have been available to us before, says Simon Rosenberg, a longtime Democratic strategist not involved in the White Stripe Project.

Politically, that is very smart and I think will be successful for him in 2024. Whats successful mean? If its 1 or 2 percentage points nationally, we know that can be the difference in winning and losing the election, he adds.

Its not just the president whos looking to play this up. The House Majority PAC, the super PAC raising millions to support congressional Democrats, is encouraging them to brag more about the economy when theyre home in their districts during the August recess.

President Joe Biden speaks at Auburn Manufacturing Inc. on Friday, July 28, in Auburn, Maine. | Susan Walsh/AP Photo

Officials with the Democratic National Committee tell POLITICO despite recent campaign stops to majority-white districts, there is no plan for Biden to abandon his championing of racial equity.

They point to the contrast in the last week when Republicans were having intraparty strife over whether there was a personal benefit to being enslaved the same week Biden signed a bill creating a national monument to Emmett Till and his mother Mamie Till-Mobley.

The Democratic Party is a party that fights for diversity, fights for equality, said Lis Smith, a Democratic strategist who is not associated with the White Stripe Project. She adds that the party needs to do more than just focus on white working-class voters.

Democrats have been underperforming generally with working-class voters, whether theyre white, Latino or Black. And thats an issue that we need to work on, Smith says. But the solutions that wont be found in turning our back on some of our most devoted voters.

Organizers with the White Stripe Project say they are spending the summer ramping up talks with different partners to determine which strategy and spending targets will be the most useful to help mobilize white voters. This includes testing some of those turnout operations in the upcoming Kentucky gubernatorial race, where Democrat Andy Beshear is running for reelection in a state Biden lost by nearly 26 percentage points.

They expect to compile a report with recommendations on ways to win with a multicultural coalition by the end of the year.

It goes without saying you know were going to keep tabs on this one.

All the best, The Recast Team

SUPER PAC TAKEAWAYS

Yard signs promoting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2024 line the street leading up to a GOP congressional fundraiser on May 13. 2023, in Sioux Center, Iowa. | Tom Beaumont/AP Photo

The filing deadline for super PACs backing presidential candidates revealed the extent to what wealthy donors are paying to keep their preferred White House hopeful financially viable. Of course, the typical disclaimer applies: Super PACs cant directly coordinate with a presidential campaign, but can raise unlimited sums of cash and spend it to help boost their candidates.

The most eye-popping figure of Monday nights deadline: Never Back Down, the primary PAC supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, is sitting on nearly $97 million after raking in a mind-boggling $130 million since the beginning of the year.

As my POLITICO colleagues Jessica Piper and Sally Goldenberg point out, $82.5 million of that was shifted from a PAC set up for DeSantis gubernatorial campaign last year. Its still an impressive total that should keep him afloat for the long haul.

Then theres Sen. Tim Scott, who has seen his profile elevate amid reports of DeSantis campaign stumbles. His aligned super PAC, Trust In The Mission PAC, or TIM PAC, notched a respectable $19 million through July 31. This comes on the heels of the PAC announcing in mid-July that itll drop $40 million in advertising for Scott in the fall.

And the SFA Fund, the primary PAC for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, pulled in similar totals as Scott, Haleys fellow South Carolinian with $18.7 million. It has, to this point, spent very little of that, and still has more than $17 million in cash on hand.

Over in Trump world, the former presidents joint fundraising committee, which raises money directly for his campaign as well as a leadership PAC that has been picking up some of his legal expenses, reported raising $53.8 million in the first half of the year. However, as Jessica and Zach Montellaro report, Save America PAC [has] collectively spent $57 million over the same period. It is fueling serious questions about whether the PACs burn rate is sustainable through a general election campaign, should Trump win the GOP nomination.

ICYMI @ POLITICO

Rep. David Scotts colleagues raised concerns with House leadership about his ability to steer the committee minority through a critical period. | Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via AP

Ag Leader Sidelined As the discussions intensify over the countys food stamp program, Democrats have formed a task force that circumvents their top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.), whose health issues have raised concerns among some of his colleagues. POLITICOs Garrett Downs and Meredith Lee Hill report Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) has taken the lead of an assembled talk force, with the backing of House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Two Looming Indictments POLITICOs Kyle Cheney highlights the winding down of the separate election interference probes led by special counsel Jack Smith and Fulton County DA Fani Willis and the cast of characters central to these probes.

Oh No. Not Again. Covid Cases Are Climbing Hospitalizations due to a spike in Covid infections are on the rise for the first time this year. As POLITICOs David Lim notes, the uptick comes as the Biden administration is trying to portray a victory over the virus.

THE RECAST RECOMMENDS

Jamel Brinkley brings us Witness: 10 stories set in modern-day New York City featuring characters florists, UPS workers, ghosts (yup) burdened with perceiving and choosing whether to act.

Manga-turned-anime film The First Slam Dunk centers on the Shohoku High School basketball team as it battles for the national championship. Its in theaters now.

Travis Scotts new album, Utopia, is propulsive, cinematic and star-studded: Drake, Beyonc and Bad Bunny are just a few of the many collabs. And its popular, too, already becoming the most-streamed album in a single day this year.

If you live in New York or are heading there later this month check out famed poet/playwright/novelist/essayist/composer (and POLITICO magazine contributor) Ishmael Reeds play, The Conductor, a send-up of the racially charged recall of members of the San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education in 2021-2022. Its playing at the Theater for the New City, starting on Aug. 24.

The third and final season of Reservation Dogs, the hit comedy following four Indigenous teenagers from rural Oklahoma, streams tomorrow on Hulu.

In Talk To Me, a grieving Mia (Sophie Wilde) shakes the hand of a sinister entity. Its in cinemas now.

Iniko is lightyears ahead of the rest in the video for Jericho, dripping with futuristic glam.

TikTok of the Day: Power trio

Read more from the original source:

Progressives want to grow the 'White Stripe' of a multiracial coalition - POLITICO

An abrupt firing

In August 2022, Scott said his relationship with his supervisor turned sour. According to Scott, his supervisor began yelling at him for being late to a meeting, and told him he was unfit for his job and was underperforming in his work.

I knew that that wasn't true because I had never had a negative performance evaluation, Scott said. He maintains he was on time for the meeting.

After the incident, Scott filed a report with the conference and he requested an apology.

But in November 2022, a meeting with his bosss supervisor was scheduled where he was fired.

There was no forewarning, there was no performance review process initiated. It was just a swift, abrupt, We're terminating you today, Scott said. They offered an agreement of separation, which contained a severance amount. But that was contingent on a non-disclosure agreement.

He didnt sign: I could not, in good conscience, accept that.

CPR News contacted The Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Church of Christ about these allegations. Interim Conference Minister for the conference Rev. Douglas Wooten said in an emailed statement, We do not take these matters lightly. We are concerned about legal ramifications but, as a community of faith, our overriding concern is for healing and for allowing justice and equity to prevail.

In the case of Rev. Dr. Scott, remedies have been and are being offered in hopes of finding a path toward wholeness, both for Dr. Scott and for the Conference, the statement continued.

Scott has since filed a charge of discrimination with the Colorado Division of Civil Rights and an investigation is underway.

The Rocky Mountain Conference responded to CPR News request for comment, but did not address specific questions CPR News asked about Scotts relationship with his supervisor or his firing.

Any time we hear about cases involving racial discrimination, we become concerned. We take such matters very seriously, said Charles Jefferson, director of Marketing and Communications for the United Church of Christ nationally. We are a church that has shown itself to be both capable of great harm to people of color and capable of being a critical agent of racial equity. We repent of the former and seek with passion and intent to increase the latter.

He added that the United Church of Christs rules prohibit national church leaders from interfering with local church issues.

Speaking on this or any disciplinary matter involving employees in another setting of the church, would be a violation of our polity and ethics, Jefferson said.

In June, the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Church of Christ held its annual meeting, during which members discussed a resolution for Scott. According to a document Scott shared with CPR News that church leaders confirmed was accurate, representatives laid out two proposed resolutions: They recommended that Scott be offered his old job with full back pay and benefits." But if he declined to be reinstated, he would receive back pay and benefits from the date of his termination to present.

Whichever option Scott chose, he would receive an apology and pay in the amount of $68,000 by July 1, 2023, according to the amended version of the document that CPR News obtained from the church. At the time of publication of this story, he had yet to receive anything from the conference.

According to Rev. Wooten with the Rocky Mountain Conference, these were not the terms a majority of conference members agreed on and the conferences board has yet to complete a resolution on the matter.

The Board is working diligently to act as quickly as possible to satisfy all parties involved, Wooten said in mid-July.

Scotts experience is far from uncommon for people hired into DEI roles in 2020. Many people who took on DEI work are no longer in those roles three years later, NBC News reported.

Since the summer of 2022, the number of layoffs for DEI roles has outpaced layoffs in other jobs in the U.S. More than 300 DEI professionals, mainly in the tech industry, have quit their positions in the same time period, according to data from Revelio Labs that it produced in collaboration with The Washington Post and Reuters. DEI roles also had more employee turnover than in other jobs across all American companies, the data shows.

In the nonprofit world, including religious or faith-based organizations, there is a sense of fatigue when it comes to DEI, said Yolanda Johnson, president and founder of YFJ Consulting, which provides expertise in fundraising, inclusion, equity and diversity to nonprofit organizations.

What people have to understand is that this work is a lifestyle change. It's work of the heart, and it changes at the rate of people, Johnson said.

Many organizations took pledges, made statements and even created task forces or committees dedicated to anti-racism and social justice work in 2020. But today, those efforts have faded. The initiatives were great, Johnson said, but the lack of accountability didnt foster sustained change.

Rev. Dr. Nancy Niero agreed. Ordained in the Rocky Mountain Conference, she recently completed a Ph.D. where she researched white silence in the conference. She found the culture within the church gives preference to whiteness and is resistant to change.

It appears that clergy were more protective of maintaining systems, rather than dismantling systems to make [a church constructed for the] 21st Century, Niero said. Based on what I am hearing from a lot of other clergy colleagues around the country, this is not an isolated situation of white churches not wanting to do the work of dismantling white silence or decentering whiteness in sanctuaries.

Twomey, the former reverend at Vista Grande Community Church in Colorado Springs, encountered this resistance in her own work.

A frequent participant in social justice rallies, Twomey joined a racial justice task force for the conference in 2020. She said her congregation was committed to learning about how to be anti-racist and wanted to do the work to dismantle white supremacy. Working with Scott and others, the task force developed guidelines for how to make the conference more diverse and requirements that clergy members would need to follow.

However, Twomey said pushback from conference leadership was tremendous, and they didnt see a need to prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion work.

Across the board, progressive churches can be highly problematic because we think that if we think the right way, we can't be held accountable to our complicity in any -ism, Twomey said.

Niero questions whether people of color are supported within the conference. She noted that at the United Church of Christs annual meeting earlier this summer, no Black clergy were sent to represent the Rocky Mountain Conference.

Are we doing everything to create safe spaces for Black people who are congregants? Are we lifting up the one Black church we have in our conference? Niero asked, referring to the United Church of Montbello. I hear pastors or lay leaders say, Whoever you are, you are welcome here. And I say to that, Show me; Show me how people of color are welcome here.

By summer 2022, Twomey resigned from her post with Vista Grande Community Church after her partner accepted a job in Pennsylvania. Once there, she decided not to work with a church, instead taking a job with the states Human Relations Commission.

I did not seek another church because I did not feel welcome in the larger church anymore, she said. She added that she was not pushed out of Vista Grande, but it was very clear that what I was bringing to the table with regard to my call and this work was not welcome.

Months after Scott was terminated from his role, he moved back East. He now leads Reformation Lutheran Church, a historically Black congregation, in Philadelphia. After telling his new congregation leaders about what happened in the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Church of Christ, he said they were understanding. They also asked him if he would lead DEI work within their organization.

There are definitely some reservations I have, Scott said. Before taking on another DEI-focused role, I definitely want to do perhaps a more thorough job of assessing the environment or the atmosphere.

If congregations want to make progress, people like Scott, who were hired into leadership positions, need to stay in those roles, said Johnson, the diversity consultant. And they need to be listened to by higher-ups so the congregations can evolve.

Its not as easy as watching a video and coming up with a list of recommendations, Johnson said. Her theory on DEI is to put inclusion at the forefront because, without it, every other effort fails. That means looking beyond race and ethnicity and into other forms of diversity like gender, ability, age and more.

Within the faith communities, I think it's just a matter of staying the course, Johnson said, adding that she has seen some progress. From theology, small group bible studies, fellowship activities, honoring and recognizing different cultural heritage months, learning about each other, sparking dialogue. I've seen leadership evolve and change and become more diverse. I've seen people change.

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Colorado's United Church of Christ committed to DEI. Three years ... - Colorado Public Radio

Much like the exemplary work of the US House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol, Smiths indictment doesnt focus on the central role race played in Trumps attempted coup. In fact, it doesnt mention race at all.

But its all there, between the lines of Count Four, charging Trump with violating Title 18, Section 214 of the US Code by denying Americans the right to vote, and to have ones vote counted.

Get Mira! by Marcela Garca

A bilingual view into politics, policy, people, pop culture framed through the immigrant experience and maybe a pooch or two.

That statute dates back to the Reconstruction Era and was designed to criminalize the reign of violent terror that the Ku Klux Klan and others unleashed on Black Americans after the Civil War. The terror campaign was an effort to keep them from voting, working, being educated, or simply living in a way that represented the freedom that emancipation promised.

And when it comes to the antidemocratic scheme Trump stands accused of leading, this law, and all the history that comes with it, fits the facts to a tee even if Smith didnt spell it out.

I fear that the convenient, easiest, most straightforward legal argument is also somewhat of a whitewash, Georgia State College of Law professor Anthony Michael Kreis told me. I see what Donald Trump was doing, which was a pattern of seeing Black voting power as inherently fraudulent and tying that to the identity of the country and the future of the country.

Indeed, it wasnt just hooded hate groups that rebelled against the postbellum freedoms granted to Black Americans. The so-called Redeemers of the South, comprised of wealthy businessmen, farmers, and landowners, formed a political movement to protect white supremacy in America and all the political power it afforded them. They, too, thought they were making America great again.

Fast-forward to Trumps 21th century, where he openly campaigned on a hateful platform of banning Muslims from the country and labeling Mexican immigrants as criminals, drug dealers, rapists. As president, he defended those who tried to start a race war in Charlottesville, Va., as very fine people.

The long list of Trumps racist dog whistles or bullhorns, really goes on. But he clearly knew who made up a key part of his base of support. And Trump knew just who he could count on when the time came for him to turn his call to stand back and stand by into Be there, will be wild! Smith may not have charged Trump as part of the seditious conspiracy that resulted in prison sentences for leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, militia groups whose foundations date back to the 19th-century Klan, but their plot could not have happened without Trumps command.

Its no accident that many in the mob that descended on Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, and violently stormed the Capitol carried Confederate flags or donned white nationalist insignia and slogans along with their red MAGA hats. The hand gestures of some rioters certainly meant something other than OK.

Its no mere coincidence that the places Trump falsely and baselessly claimed to be bastions of voter fraud included Philadelphia, Milwaukee, and Atlanta cities with large Black voting blocs in swing states. The images of the crowd of white Trump supporters surrounding a vote-counting center on Election Day in my hometown of Detroit, then the Blackest city in America, shouting Stop the count! nearly stopped my heart. It was Jim Crows modern resurrection, everything my grandparents sought to escape when they left the South for Michigan generations ago.

And it was just what Congress sought to stop during the Reconstruction Era.

Unfortunately, lawmakers didnt go far enough. Originally the statute Trump was charged with included a disqualification clause that would have prohibited anyone convicted from holding office, but that provision was scrapped in the amendment stage as overly punitive. That means Trump, despite it all, will be on primary ballots.

So its not just the jurors who will be seated at his trials who have an important role to play. Its also each and every voting American who will render their judgment on Trump at their polling places next year. Every voter should read every word of that indictment and cast their ballots in judgment of Trump with open eyes not just on the future but on the history we must never forget.

Kimberly Atkins Stohr is a columnist for the Globe. She may be reached at kimberly.atkinsstohr@globe.com. Follow her @KimberlyEAtkins.

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Trump indictment doesn't mention race, but it's all there - The Boston Globe