#U.S. Senator Alex Padilla

[minnesotafollower]

Biden Administration Announces Proposed Restrictions on Asylum Applications

On February 21, the Biden Administration announced a proposed rule that would  require rapid deportation of an immigrant at the U.S. border who had failed to request protection from another country while en route to the U.S. or who had not previously notified the U.S. via a mobile app of their plan to seek asylum in the U.S. or who had applied for the new U.S. humanitarian parole programs for…

[kp777]

By Brett Wilkins

Common Dreams

July 1, 2024

"Today's ruling represents an assault on American democracy. It is up to Congress to defend our nation from this authoritarian capture."

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Monday said she will file unspecified articles of impeachment U.S. Supreme Court's right-wing supermajority ruled that former President Donald Trump is entitled to "absolute immunity" for "official acts" performed while he was in office, a decision that prompted dissenting Justice Sonia Sotomayor to declare her "fear for our democracy."

Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said on social media that "the Supreme Court has become consumed by a corruption crisis beyond its control."

"Today's ruling represents an assault on American democracy. It is up to Congress to defend our nation from this authoritarian capture," she added. "I intend on filing articles of impeachment upon our return."

The House of Representatives reconvenes next Monday.

The justices ruled 6-3 along ideological lines Monday in Trump v. United States that "the nature of presidential power entitles a former president to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority" and that "he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts."

Dissenting, Sotomayor asserted: "Never in the history of our republic has a president had reason to believe that he would be immune from criminal prosecution if he used the trappings of his office to violate the criminal law. Moving forward, however, all former presidents will be cloaked in such immunity."

Far-right Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dismissed calls to recuse themselves from the case over alleged conflicts of interest. In addition to them and Chief Justice John Roberts, the court's three Trump appointees sided with the ex-president in the case.

The decision means it is highly unlikely that Trump will face a trial for his alleged role in fomenting the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection before November's election, in which he is the presumptive Republican nominee. In addition to four felony charges in that case, Trump faces one trial in Fulton County, Georgia for his alleged effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election and another in Florida over his alleged mishandling of classified documents.

In May, Trump was convicted on 34 felony charges related to the falsification of business records regarding hush money payments to cover up sex scandals during the 2016 presidential election. The former president was also impeached twice while in office, although the Senate did not convict him either time.

At least one other House lawmaker—Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-Fla.)—said he supports Ocasio-Cortez's move. Other progressive lawmakers expressed alarm over Monday's ruling.

"Presidents are not kings. Trump should absolutely be held criminally liable for inciting a violent mob to overturn the 2020 election," said Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.). "This ruling sets an incredibly dangerous precedent. This extremist court has put our democracy on life support."

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said that "the far-right extremist majority has politicized our highest court, undermined its legitimacy, and has created a dangerous 'absolute' immunity for a president's official acts."

"This is a rogue, untethered, and damaging Supreme Court. MAGA extremist justices also are ignoring the festering corruption in their ranks," he added. "We need justices committed to justice. Stolen seats filled with partisan hacks lead to alarming results. Today's ruling is devastating to our democracy."

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) asked, "If brazenly attempting to overturn a democratic election by claiming the powers of the presidency can be a so-called 'official' act of the president, then where does it end?"

"If a former president who has fomented an insurrection at our Capitol and who now promises to serve as a dictator on day one back in office can avoid accountability in a court of law, then as Justice Sotomayor stated, I too 'fear for our democracy,'" he added.

Some progressive groups and campaigners also called for the impeachment of the six right-wing justices.

"The Supreme Court is a corrupt institution that's more concerned with advancing their ideological agenda than upholding the Constitution," Sunrise Movement said on social media. "Congress must move forward with impeachment."

Erica Payne, founder and director of Patriotic Millionaires, said in a statement that "the Supreme Court's decision effectively legalizes the use of political violence by a president so long as it is an 'official act.'"

"This relieves the presidency—and the sitting president—from the most basic level of accountability while putting our entire constitutional republic in mortal danger," she continued. "Donald Trump incited an insurrection and encouraged his thugs to storm the Capitol. The idea that he should not be held accountable if these actions were 'official' is an egregiously partisan attempt to deny reality."

"This decision is the culmination of a relentlessly executed, multidecade plan to destroy American democracy," Payne contended. "It is the inevitable outcome of rank corruption facilitated by a malignant class of American oligarchs who, over decades, bought and paid for a complicit Supreme Court."

"The frog in the pot is now at a rolling boil," she added. "The president can encourage his thugs to murder members of Congress without fear of legal repercussions. If Democrats do not immediately take bold action, historians will mark today as the moment illiberal authoritarians cemented their rule over the United States of America."

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Rowaida Abdelaziz at HuffPost:

A group of Democratic senators led by Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter Tuesday night to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to shut down four private detention centers. The letter, first reviewed by HuffPost and signed by Sens. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), targets facilities in New Mexico, California, Louisiana and Virginia. All of the facilities have faced serious complaints over treatment of detainees. Contracts for two of those facilities are up for renewal this week.

“We do not support a system that detains people in inhumane conditions that result in long-term medical issues, psychological trauma, and sometimes death. We urge that these facilities be shut down, in a step towards building an immigration system that welcomes and respects migrants,” read the letter. The letter, addressed to Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Patrick Lechleitner, the acting director of ICE, also demands immigration officials to hand over a list of all public and private ICE detention facilities as well as a timeline for ending contracts at those four facilities. “After reports of inhumane conditions, including sleep deprivation, dirty drinking water, and psychological trauma, independent watchdogs and other experts have recommended that the Biden administration close the worst of these facilities,” Warren said. “This would be a meaningful step toward ending the federal government’s reliance on private detention centers.”

10 Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), sent a letter calling for the closing of the inhumane ICE detention centers. It's also why ICE should be abolished.

[partisan-by-default]

A new bill would allow Tribal governments to benefit from the same opportunities for land acquisition as state and local governments currently do.

U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) yesterday introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen Tribal parity for the transfer of surplus federal property. The GSA Disposal Process Tribal Parity Act of 2024 would allow Tribal governments to participate in an existing process that allows the General Services Administration (GSA) to transfer surplus federal property to state and local governments below market value if those properties will be used for specified public purposes.

Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) are cosponsoring the bill.

“As our nation works to strengthen Tribal sovereignty and self-determination, we must ensure parity with Tribal governments in our laws,” Senator Padilla said in a statement. “It’s long past time we fix this stark omission and allow Tribal governments the same opportunities as state and local governments to access surplus federal property, which will help provide additional housing, schools, and recreational opportunities for their citizens. I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact this commonsense bill as quickly as possible.” 

[gillianthecat]

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A post shared by US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (@uscpr)

US Campaign for Palestinian Rights

BREAKING: This morning on Capitol Hill, Capitol Police arrested 52 human rights activists during sit-ins at eight senators' offices. These activists were demanding senators publicly call for an immediate ceasefire for Gaza and an end to U.S. weapons and military funding to Israel.

Human rights activists have been protesting inside these eight senators' offices today: Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA), Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA).

"Today 52 more American activists were arrested after engaging in civil disobedience in defense of the human rights of the Palestinian people," said Ahmad Abuznaid, Executive Director of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights. "The U.S. government is arresting human rights defenders protesting genocide, while arming the war criminals."

Activists are calling out senators for remaining silent during a genocide, arming Israel with plans to send $14.3 billion in additional weapons, and refusing to speak the demand of the streets: "Ceasefire NOW."

As dozens of major cities hold massive protests each day, hundreds of thousands of people of conscience are taking courageous actions to end U.S. complicity in Israel's atrocities. Today's sit-ins at the Senate are only the beginning.

[qqueenofhades]

Might be a bit odd of a question, but would you know much about the Democratic nominees for California's midterms? I'm using ballotpedia and other reliable sources too, but your 'politics for t's' posts have helped me understand so much of today's bullshit that I was curious if there was any info/advice/opinions you had

Alex Padilla will be running for a full six-year term as Senator (Newsom appointed him to fill Kamala Harris' seat when she left to become VP). He is a good and reliable liberal-Democratic vote in the Senate. Vote for him.

I don't know which U.S. House district you are in, but there will be a Republican and a Democrat running. Vote for the Democrat.

There will be sundry state-senate, state-house, and other such offices on the ballot. Vote for the Democrat. All the way down. If there is a D on the ballot at any office, vote for them.

This probably needs no telling, but do not, for the love of God, vote for a Republican or a libertarian. Do not vote for an independent unless a) there is no Democrat running and b) "independent" doesn't actually mean "kooky right wing gun nut Freedom Front theocrat." If there is a Democrat, vote for the Democrat.

So yeah. This election (and all elections to come until we somehow get out of this mess) the rule is pretty simple and easy to remember. There you have it.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey on Thursday introduced legislation to outlaw the marketing of firearms to children amid growing outrage from federal lawmakers, gun violence prevention advocates, and parents over a weapon for kids inspired by the AR-15.

The Massachusetts Democrat's Protecting Kids From Gun Marketing Act would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create rules to "prohibit any manufacturer, dealer, or importer, or agent thereof, from marketing or advertising a firearm or any firearm-related product to a minor in a manner that is designed, intended, or reasonably appears to be attractive to a minor."

The bill would also empower state attorneys general and private individuals to take legal action for violations of the rules.

The proposal follows recently renewed criticism of Illinois-based WEE1 Tactical for its JR-15. After coming under fire last year for branding that featured pacifier-sucking baby skulls with gun sights for eye sockets, the gunmaker scrapped the images and now says the firearm represents "a great American tradition," a "small piece of American freedom," and "American family values."

Markey led a May 2022 letter calling on the FTC to investigate WEE1 Tactical for unfair or deceptive marketing tactics and last week, in the wake of a series of mass shootings, he joined a press conference during which Senators repeated that demand.

"I am once again calling on the FTC to step up and use its authority to crack down on gunmakers who market their deadly weapons to America's youth," he said last week. "The deceptive and deadly marketing behind the 'JR-15' is grotesque and reflects the depth of the gun industry's moral depravity."

Markey also took aim at WEE1 Tactical's gun on Thursday, declaring that "a junior version of the AR-15 has no place in a kid's toy box."

"America's gun violence epidemic is claiming tens of thousands of lives each year as gunmakers, dealers, and vendors alike continue to put sales over safety by targeting kids with advertising of a deadly weapon," he said. "It's shameful, irresponsible, and dangerous. The FTC must act immediately to prohibit the marketing of these weapons to children, a step that could save lives."

The legislation is co-sponsored by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

The bill is also supported by the organizations Brady, Everytown, Giffords, March For Our Lives, and the Violence Policy Center—whose executive director, Josh Sugarmann, said that "few Americans are aware that there is an ongoing, coordinated effort by the gun lobby and firearms industry targeting America's children and teens. Imagine the public outcry if the alcohol or tobacco industries introduced child-friendly versions of their adult products."

Giffords federal affairs director Adzi Vokhiwa stressed that "the gun industry's deceptive and reckless marketing practices have real consequences: Our nation's gun violence epidemic is worsening while the gun industry's profits soar. Promoting weapons to young people is especially heinous considering that guns are now the number one cause of death for children."

Just over a month into 2023, at least 154 children across the United States have been killed by gun violence and another 364 have been injured so far, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Last year, the totals were 1,675 and 4,479, respectively.

"There's no world in which deadly firearms manufacturers should advertise guns to children," said Zeenat Yahya, policy director for March for Our Lives, which was formed by students after the 2018 high school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

"Unsecured access to guns has killed far too many children and young people over the years," Yahya continued. "The very idea that gun manufacturers want to take advantage of young people by targeting young people who aren't even old enough to drive with ads that sell deadly weapons is sickening."

"It's time for Congress to take a stand and defend young peoples' lives against an immoral industry practice," she added, "and we're pleased to stand with Sen. Markey and our congressional partners in the introduction of this bill."

[beardedmrbean]

Republican Sen. J.D. Vance received support from 10 Democrats as part of a successful amendment prohibiting the Department of Transportation from using any federal funds to enforce future mask mandates.

The amendment to the Senate minibus appropriations bill passed Wednesday by a 59-38 margin and prevents federal mask mandates on passenger airlines, commuter rail, rapid transit buses, and any other transportation program funded through the 2024 fiscal year.

These are the 10 Democrats who voted for the amendment: Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin); Michael Bennet (Colorado); Sherrod Brown (Ohio); Tim Kaine (Virginia); Mark Kelly (Arizona); Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota); Joe Manchin (West Virginia); Jacky Rosen (Nevada); Jean Shaheen (New Hampshire); and Jon Tester (Montana).

Three senators—Democrats John Fetterman (Pennsylvania) and Alex Padilla (California), and Republican Tim Scott (South Carolina—did not vote. Of the three independent senators, Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona) was the only one to vote in favor.

"This is a massive victory for personal freedom in this country," Vance said in a post-vote statement. "We saw countless abuses of authority throughout the COVID pandemic, and the American people were justifiably enraged by unscientific mask mandates.

"Today, the United States Senate took an emphatic step toward common sense and individual liberty. I'm proud of what we've accomplished here and look forward to continuing the fight."

In September, Vance, who represents Ohio, introduced the Freedom to Breathe Act—a bill intended to prevent the reimposition of federal mask mandates across the entire United States, in response to some businesses and colleges and universities reimposing mask mandates in the summer due to upticks in COVID-19 cases.

In September, the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio announced that all staff will be required to wear masks on the premises beginning September 25.

"This decision was made to promote the safety of our patients, families, visitors, and employees, based on evidence that masks are effective in reducing the spread of respiratory illness," the hospital said in a statement.

A recent map published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that, from October 8 to October 14, COVID-19 deaths increased just 2.5 percent nationally when compared to the previous week. Some states, including Ohio's neighbor Michigan, with a 33.3 percent rise, reported much larger increases.

Vance said prior to the vote on the Senate floor that while COVID will unfortunately be with Americans for likely the rest of their lives, its presence should not constitute "public health panic" for a respiratory virus which is mostly unable to be stopped or controlled on a widespread level.

He alluded to altercations on flights between passengers and flight attendants during the height of the pandemic due to mask enforcement. Vance also mentioned the developmental delays to schoolchildren and division that resulted among American families. "If people want to wear masks, of course they should be able to," he said. "But if people don't want to wear masks on airplanes, on transit, they should have that option as well, and that's all that my amendment does.

"It is narrowly scoped. It applies for the next 11 months and applies to transportation cases. And I think it is reasonable to not ask the American people to reenter the era of mask mandates."

Brown, who along with Vance represents Ohio, told Cleveland.com that he supported the amendment because "the pandemic's over."

"I've got no problems with it," Brown said. "I don't think there should be mask mandates."

A spokesperson for Brown told Newsweek the senator had no additional comment.

Newsweek reached out via email to Vance, the other nine Democrats who voted for the amendment, and the CDC for comment.

[lakeconews]

Senate passes bipartisan legislation to help find missing persons on federal land

The U.S. Senate has passed bipartisan legislation introduced by senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) that would require the Department of Justice to add a new category to the existing National Missing and Unidentified Persons Systems database, which would allow the public and law enforcement to mark cases where a person went missing or was identified on federal land, including specific location details.

[speedyposts]

Snap CEO says 20 million U.S. teens use Snapchat, but only 200,000 parents use its Family Center controls

During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on kids’ online safety, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel shared that 20 million teenagers use Snapchat in the United States and that around 200,000 parents use its Family Center supervision controls. He also shared that approximately 400,000 teen accounts have been linked to a parent’s account through Family Center. Spiegel’s testimony marks the first time that Snap has shared real-world metrics regarding the usage of Snapchat’s parental controls.

Snapchat’s Family Center, which allows parents to see who their teens are friends with on the app and who they have been communicating with, first launched in 2022.

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Dabiri-Erewa warns Nigerians against irregular migration, Especially to Canada

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has urged Nigerians travelling abroad to go legitimately and with proper documentation

Read Article

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Spiegel shared the numbers after Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif) asked the CEO’s of Snap, Meta, TikTok, X and Discord to disclose how many minors were using their platforms and how many parents were using parental supervision controls offered by the services.

“We create a banner for Family Center on the user’s profiles,” Spiegel said after being asked what Snapchat was doing to ensure parents and guardians are aware of the tools. “So the accounts we believe may be the age that they can be parents can see the entry point into Family Center easily.”

Snap introduced the parental controls in response to increased pressure on social networks to better protect minor users from harm. Snapchat’s roll out of Family Center followed the the launches of similar parental control features across other apps, including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Spiegel was the only CEO to share numbers in response to Senator Padilla’s question.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he was unable to provide specific numbers, but said that the company runs “extensive ad campaigns” both on its platform and outside to raise awareness of its parental supervision tools.

X CEO Linda Yaccarino shared that less than 1% of the platform’s 90 million U.S. users are between the ages of 13 and 17, and that the company is discussing parental controls.

“Being a 14 month old company we have reprioritized child protection and safety measures,” Yaccarino said. “We have just begun to talk about and discuss how we can enhance those with parental controls.”

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said he was unable to share specifics, but that TikTok was “one of the first platforms” to give parents supervision controls. Discord CEO Jason Citron said that Discord raises awareness of its parental controls through promotional videos and in-app prompts.

Mark Zuckerberg says Apple and Google should manage parental consent for apps, not Meta

Mark Zuckerberg defends teenage creators’ right to public Instagram accounts

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Dabiri-Erewa warns Nigerians against irregular migration, Especially to Canada

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has urged Nigerians travelling abroad to go legitimately and with proper documentation

Read Article

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[awarenessinhomelessness01]

Who should I get support from?

U.S. Senator for California, Alex Padilla, believes in giving everyone a fair shot at the "American dream". He is dedicated to finding solutions to challenges California faces and communities that are left out.

One of many issues that he is working on is homelessness.

"Alex believes that housing is a human right and recognizes the need to increase affordable housing and address the homelessness crisis facing California."

Find out more about Senator Alex Padilla's recent success into moving foward with this issue.

Check out different office locations and and contact numbers from the website!

[plethoraworldatlas]

As the White House and U.S. Senate negotiate a deal to harden the southern border in exchange for aid to U.S. allies, Texas Democrats are pushing back against Republican efforts to revive Trump-era border policies.

The Senate is hashing out the terms of an aid package to Ukraine, Israel and U.S. allies in East Asia. The White House requested the aid package earlier this fall as Ukraine’s government says it is facing a critical point in its war against Russia. The package includes provisions for shoring up border security operations to attract Republican support. But Republicans are demanding more on the border than the White House initially offered, and many Latino Democrats are concerned that the White House is entertaining stricter measures.

“We should be able to pass that funding without sacrificing the lives of desperate asylum seekers,” U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said at a news conference with other Hispanic lawmakers Wednesday. “They will still say the Democrats are for open borders. They will continue to lie. And yet you will have sacrificed the safety and the future of millions.”

...

“Imagine if what was being proposed today was a Trump-style abortion ban in exchange for Ukraine money. We would say no. Imagine if what was being proposed today was a Trump-style repeal of Obamacare. We would say no,” U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin, said at the news conference. “And if Biden and Senate Democrats are being told that they need to pass a Trump-style, anti-immigrant policy, we need to say no.”

The news conference was organized by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, a body of Hispanic Democrats in Congress. U.S. Reps. Sylvia Garcia of Houston, Veronica Escobar of El Paso, Castro and Casar attended from the Texas delegation. Other high-ranking Democrats outside of the caucus attended. Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal and a handful of U.S. senators including Sens. Alex Padilla of California and Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, also attended.

[dnaamericaapp]

Laphonza Butler Is Sworn In, Filling Dianne Feinstein’s Senate Seat

While former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy was being voted out of his speakership, Laphonza Butler was being sworn in Tuesday to fill the seat of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who died last week at age 90.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been a longtime ally of and adviser to Butler, administered the oath of office, prompting boisterous applause from the Senate floor and gallery.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom moved quickly to select Butler, who was the president of EMILY’s List, on Sunday. She is the third Black woman to serve as a senator, following Harris until she became vice president and Carol Moseley Braun, D-Ill., in the 1990s.

Butler, the first openly LGBTQ person to represent California in the chamber, will serve alongside fellow California Democrat Alex Padilla.

After her swearing-in ceremony, President Joe Biden called Butler to congratulate her, the White House said.

Butler had led EMILY’s List, a group focused on electing Democratic women who support abortion rights, since 2021, when she became the first Black woman to lead the organization.

“I am honored to accept Gov. Newsom’s nomination to be a U.S. Senator for a state I have long called home,” Butler said in a statement Monday. “I am humbled by the Governor’s trust. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s leadership and legacy are immeasurable. I will do my best to honor her by devoting my time and energy to serving the people of California and the people of this great nation.” -(source: nbc news/DNA America)

DNA America

“It’s what we know, not what you want us to believe.”

#dna #dnaamerica #news #politics

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Allison Janowski at DNC:

5:30 PM Call to Order Minyon Moore Chair of the 2024 Democratic National Convention Committee Gavel In The Honorable Veronica Escobar Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Texas Invocation Everett Kelly National President of the American Federation of Government Employees Imam Muhammad Abdul-Aleem Masjidullah Mosque, West Oak Lane, PA Presentation of Colors Illinois State Police Honor Guard Pledge of Allegiance Luna Maring 6th Grader from Oakland, California Welcome Remarks The Honorable Veronica Escobar Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Texas Joint Remarks Becky Pringle President of the National Education Association Randi Weingarten President of the American Federation of Teachers Remarks The Honorable Alex Padilla United States Senator, California

6:00 PM

Remarks The Honorable Marcia L. Fudge Former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Remarks The Honorable Ted W. Lieu Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, California Remarks The Honorable Tammy Baldwin United States Senator, Wisconsin Remarks The Honorable Katherine Clark U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Whip Remarks The Honorable Joe Neguse U.S. House of Representatives Assistant Democratic Leader Remarks The Honorable Leonardo Williams Mayor of Durham, North Carolina Remarks The Honorable Raja Krishnamoorthi Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Illinois Remarks The Honorable Bob Casey United States Senator, Pennsylvania Remarks The Honorable Elizabeth Warren United States Senator, Massachusetts Remarks: “Project 2025—Chapter Four: Making America Weaker and Less Secure” The Honorable Jason Crow Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Colorado Remarks The Honorable Elissa Slotkin Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Michigan Remarks The Honorable Pat Ryan Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, New York Remarks Reverend Al Sharpton Civil rights leader Joint Remarks from representatives of “the Central Park Five” The Honorable Dr. Yusef Salaam Member of the New York City Council Korey Wise Activist Raymond Santana Activist Kevin Richardson Activist

7:00 PM

Joint Remarks Amy Resner Former prosecutor and friend of Vice President Harris Karrie Delaney Director of Federal Affairs at the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network Lisa Madigan Former Attorney General of Illinois Marc H. Morial President of the National Urban League Nathan Hornes Former student at Corinthian Colleges Tristan Snell Former New York State Assistant Attorney General Remarks The Honorable Maura Healey Governor of Massachusetts Remarks Courtney Baldwin Youth organizer and human trafficking survivor Remarks The Honorable Deb Haaland Remarks John Russell Content creator Remarks The Honorable Maxwell Alejandro Frost Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Florida Remarks The Honorable Colin Allred Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Texas Joint Remarks on “A New American Chapter” Anya Cook, Florida Craig Sicknick, New Jersey Gail DeVore, Colorado Juanny Romero, Nevada Eric, Christian, and Carter Fitts, North Carolina

8:00 PM

National Anthem The Chicks Host Introduction Kerry Washington Joint Remarks Meena Harris Ella Emhoff Helena Hudlin Remarks D.L. Hughley Remarks The Honorable Chris Swanson Sheriff of Genesee County, Michigan A Conversation on Gun Violence The Honorable Lucy McBath Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Georgia Joined by Abbey Clements of Newton, Connecticut, Kim Rubio of Uvalde, Texas, Melody McFadden of Charleston, South Carolina, and Edgar Vilchez of Chicago, Illinois. Remarks The Honorable Gabrielle Giffords Former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Arizona Performance P!NK Remarks The Honorable Mark Kelly United States Senator, Arizona Remarks The Honorable Leon E. Panetta Former United States Secretary of Defense Remarks The Honorable Ruben Gallego Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Arizona Remarks The Honorable Gretchen Whitmer Governor of Michigan

9:00 PM

Remarks Eva Longoria American actress and film producer Remarks The Honorable Adam Kinzinger Former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Illinois Remarks Maya Harris Remarks The Honorable Roy Cooper Governor of North Carolina Remarks The Honorable Kamala Harris Vice President of the United States

The speakers list for the 4th and final night of the DNC is here. The main speaker is Vice President and Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

There could be a surprise guest or two.

Other notable speakers: Elizabeth Warren, Gretchen Whitmer, Ted Lieu, Tammy Baldwin, Al Sharpton, Roy Cooper, Gabby Giffords, Mark Kelly, and Maxwell Alejandro Frost

Performers: The Chicks, P!nk.

Illinois: Lisa Madigan, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Adam Kinzinger

[top10withme]

Laphonza Butler: California Gov. Newsom appoints Laphonza Butler to fill Feinstein's Senate seat

CNN — California Gov. Gavin Newsom will appoint Laphonza Butler, the president of EMILY’s List, to fill the late Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat, his office confirmed Sunday evening. Butler will become the first out Black lesbian to join Congress, according to Newsom. She will also be the sole Black female senator serving in Congress and only the third in US history. Feinstein, the longest-serving female US senator in history, died last week at 90. “I am honored to accept Gov. Newsom’s nomination to be a U.S. Senator for a state I have long called home,” Butler said in a statement Monday, adding that she is “humbled by the Governor’s trust.” “For women and girls, for workers and unions, for struggling parents waiting for our leaders to bring opportunity back to their homes, for all of California, I’m ready to serve,” she said. The selection of Butler, first reported by Politicocomes as Democrats hold a narrow Senate majority and uncertainty looms over New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez’s political future amid outcry from his Democratic colleagues over his federal indictment. Butler has been the president of EMILY’s List, which works to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights, since the group’s board of directors appointed her in 2021, when she became the first woman of color to lead the organization. She previously worked at Airbnb as a director of public policy and campaigns and has a long history working in California politics, including as an adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign. But much of her background is in the labor movement, serving as a union president in California. Several high-profile Democratic candidates launched campaigns earlier this year to succeed Feinstein, who announced in February that she would not run for reelection. They include a trio of House Democrats: Reps. Adam Schiff, a former House Intelligence chairman who is backed by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Katie Porter, a former deputy chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus; and Barbara Lee, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and a member of House Democratic leadership. Also in the race are Democrat Lexi Reese, a tech executive, and Republican lawyer Eric Early, who ran unsuccessfully for state attorney general in 2022.

A look back on Sen. Dianne Feinstein's legacy Newsom previously pledged to appoint a Black woman to Feinstein’s seat should the senator resign before her term’s end. Many had urged Newsom to appoint Lee, a longtime representative from Oakland and the only Black woman running for the seat, including the Congressional Black Caucuswhich sent a letter to Newsom asking him to choose Lee just hours before his announcement. But the governor said last month that he would not appoint any of the candidates currently seeking the office, though Newsom’s office said Monday that there were no conditions placed on Butler and that any decision to run for a full term would be her own. Butler moved to Maryland in 2021 around the time she was chosen to lead EMILY’s List, public records show. She was registered to vote in Maryland in 2022, according to public records, but Newsom’s office said Monday, in response to questions about Butler’s residency, that she has re-registered to vote in California. “As we mourn the enormous loss of Sen. Feinstein, the very freedoms she fought for – reproductive freedom, equal protection, and safety from gun violence – have never been under greater assault. Laphonza has spent her entire career fighting for women and girls and has been a fierce advocate for working people,” Newsom said in a statement on X. This is Newsom’s second Senate appointment. After the 2020 election, the governor appointed Alex Padilla, then California’s secretary of state, to succeed Kamala Harris following her election to the vice presidency. Padilla became the first Latino senator from California, but Newsom was criticized for not choosing a Black woman, leaving the chamber without a Black female senator. He later appointed Shirley Weber, a Black woman, to succeed Padilla as secretary of state. Padilla said in a statement he was “honored to welcome” Butler to the Senate and said she “has been a strong voice for working families, LGBTQ rights, and a champion for increasing women’s representation in politics.” California will hold two Senate elections next November: a special election for the remaining months of Feinstein’s term until January 2025 and another for a full six-year term. Lee, who is running for Feinstein’s seat in next year’s election, said she is “singularly focused on winning my campaign for Senate,” in a post on X. Primaries for both races will be held in March, and, under the California system, all candidates will run on the same ballot, with the top two, regardless of party, advancing to the general election. California also held two Senate elections for the same seat in 2022, following Padilla’s appointment. He won both races by similar margins. This story has been updated with additional information. Source link Read the full article

[massispost]

New Post has been published on https://massispost.com/2023/09/senators-padilla-rubio-condemn-azerbaijans-unwarranted-military-escalation/

Senators Padilla, Rubio Condemn Azerbaijan’s Unwarranted Military Escalation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Marco Rubio…