President Biden Raising Minimum Wage to 15-dollars an hour for Federal Contractors

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Apr. 27, 2021

CONTACT: Aryele Bradford, (202) 226-5181

Chairwoman Maloney Issues Statement on President Biden Raising Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors

Washington, D.C. (Apr. 27, 2020)—Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, issued the following statement in support of President Biden’s Executive Order requiring that "federal contractors are paid a $15 minimum wage":

“In one of the wealthiest countries on earth, it is unconscionable that the minimum wage falls far short of a living wage. Americans believe people should be paid fairly for a hard day’s work, and that families relying on minimum wage salaries should be able to afford a roof over their heads and food on their tables.

“By signing today’s executive order requiring federal contractors to pay a minimum wage of "$15 an hour" and "phase out the use of a tipped minimum wage", President Biden affirmed his commitment to this fundamental value. The executive order ensures taxpayer dollars will uphold the dignity of work and will provide a living wage to essential workers like cleaning, maintenance, nursing, and food service staff whose efforts are critical to serving the American people.

“Today’s executive order marks an important milestone in the Fight for Fifteen to set a $15 minimum wage for all. Policies like this are essential in promoting pay equity and economic justice, building a more prosperous America for all. I thank the President for taking this important step and look forward to partnering on other measures to ensure our federal workers have the resources and support they need to succeed.”

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Jury reaches Guilty Verdicts on all 3 counts (second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter) against Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd

 GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY!

Derek Chauvin found guilty of murder, manslaughter in the death of George Floyd

Crystal Hill

·Yahoo News Reporter

Tue, April 20, 2021, 5:09 PM·

Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of all counts against him in the killing of George Floyd, nearly one year after kneeling on Floyd’s neck in an incident that sparked global protests against police brutality.

After less than 24 hours of deliberations, the jury returned guilty verdicts against Chauvin, finding him guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Floyd on May 25, 2020. Under Minnesota law, Chauvin can appeal his conviction after the court enters the judgement and Chauvin receives his sentence.

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Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/derek-chauvin-found-guilty-of-murder-manslaughter-in-the-death-of-george-floyd-210928923.html?.tsrc=notification-brknews 

Jury reaches verdict in Chauvin trial

 

Live: Jury reaches verdict in Chauvin trial

Dylan Stableford, Crystal Hill and Christopher Wilson

Tue, April 20, 2021, 3:39 PM

The jury has reached a verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd. 

Chauvin is facing three charges: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

The verdict will be read aloud in court between 4:30 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. ET.

Yahoo News will be providing live coverage and instant analysis of the verdict and reaction. Tune in here.

This Week in the United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee

 

From: House Judiciary Democratic Press [mailto: HouseJudiciaryDemPress@mail.house.gov]
Sent: Monday, April 12, 2021 6:43 PM
To: Kirk Tanter
Subject: This Week in the House Judiciary Committee: April 12, 2021 - April 16, 2021

Washington, D.C. - The House Judiciary Committee has announced its schedule for the week ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌

 

This Week in the House Judiciary Committee: April 12, 2021 - April 16, 2021   Washington, D.C. - The House Judiciary Committee has announced its schedule for the week of April 12, 2021. Additional information regarding the schedule is available here.     April 14, 2021     Markup     Full Committee 10:00 a.m. ET 2141 Rayburn House Office Building H.R. 1333, the “National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants Act” or the “NO BAN Act” H.R. 1573, the “Access to Counsel Act of 2021" H.R. 40, the “Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act” H.R. 2393, “No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act of 2021” or “NOPEC" "Final Report on Investigation of Competition in Digital Markets” (Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law) A livestream of this markup will be available here.     All hearings and markups are streamed live at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVvv3JRCVQAl6ovogDum4hA.   Camera crews wishing to cover must be congressionally credentialed and RSVP with the House Radio-TV Gallery at (202) 225-5214.   Press Contact: Kayla Hamedi 202-225-3951

 

 

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Stacey Abrams up for a 2021 Nobel Prize

 U.S. voting rights activist Stacey Abrams nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

Story by Reuters     --     Written by Terje Solsvik, Gwladys Fouche

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OSLO - U.S. voting rights activist and Democratic Party politician Stacey Abrams has been nominated for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for her work to promote nonviolent change via the ballot box, a Norwegian lawmaker said on Monday.

FILE PHOTO: Stacey Abrams is seen speaking on screen at the Wisconsin Center on the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. August 18, 2020. Gabriela Bhaskar/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo/File Photo

Abrams, whose work was credited with boosting voter turnout last year, helping Joe Biden win the U.S. presidency, joins a long list of nominees, including both former President Donald Trump and his son-in-law, former White House adviser Jared Kushner.

“Abrams’ work follows in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s footsteps in the fight for equality before the law and for civil rights,” said Lars Haltbrekken, a Socialist Party member of Norway’s parliament.

King, a Baptist minister who became a leader of the 1960s civil rights movement, won the Nobel prize in 1964 and remains among its most famous laureates.

“Abrams’ efforts to complete King’s work are crucial if the United States of America shall succeed in its effort to create fraternity between all its peoples and a peaceful and just society,” Haltbrekken said.

Thousands of people, from members of parliaments worldwide to former winners, are eligible to propose candidates, and a nomination does not imply endorsement from the Nobel committee in Oslo.

Other candidates this year include Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, the World Health Organization and climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.

The U.S. Black Lives Matter movement, as well as Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the “Pentagon Papers” about the Vietnam War, U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and WikiLeaks, have also been nominated, as have pro-democracy and civil rights campaigners from Belarus to Poland and Hungary.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which decides who wins the award, does not comment on nominations, but nominators can choose to reveal their picks.

Prominent former U.S. winners include Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama, and former vice president, Al Gore.

The 2021 laureate will be announced in October.

President Joe Biden's promise to Diversify the Courts by former NAACP President/CEO Ben Jealous

 

Ben Jealous

 

 

Editors and Publishers: Please feel free to post and publish free of charge.    Biden's Promise to Diversify the Courts By Ben Jealous  People who care about equal justice under the law should be very happy about President Joe Biden’s first set of judicial nominees.   I am especially excited about the three outstanding Black women that President Biden nominated to the circuit courts—the appeals court level just below the U.S. Supreme Court.   You will soon be hearing more about all these highly credentialed and accomplished women: Ketanji Brown Jackson, Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, and Tiffany Cunningham.   Biden is fulfilling his promise to bring professional diversity to courts that are dominated by former prosecutors and corporate lawyers. Ketanji Brown Jackson and Candace Jackson-Akiwumi both have experience as public defenders. Jackson is now a federal district judge who was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 2013.   Biden has pledged to nominate the first Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court. These nominees are a good sign that he intends to keep that promise, too.   It is shameful that the Seventh Circuit, which has jurisdiction over diverse cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, and Indianapolis, currently has only white judges. The confirmation of Jackson-Akiwumi will change that. The confirmation of Tiffany Cunningham will make her the first Black judge ever to serve on the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.   These brilliant women will also bring other perspectives that are sorely lacking on the courts.  Judge Jackson was vice chair and commissioner on the U.S. Sentencing Commission, where she advocated for ending the brutally unjust and anti-Black discrepancy between sentences for crack cocaine and powder cocaine.   As a public defender, Candace Jackson-Akiwumi represented more than 400 people who could not afford a lawyer.   Tiffany Cunningham has been nominated to the specialized federal circuit, which needs judges familiar with science and technology issues. Cunningham not only has a law degree from Harvard, but a degree in chemical engineering from MIT. She has been repeatedly named to legal publications’ lists of the country’s best lawyers. She is impressive.   This is history in the making, not just for these judges but for all the people who will be influenced by their decisions.   Legendary civil rights advocate Mary Frances Berry recently wrote, “When the American people voted in November, we chose a new Congress and administration that we believed would deliver change. That means passing legislation that actually helps everyday people, not just the rich and powerful. It also means having the right people in key positions to bring that ‘real people’ focus to policymaking and to upholding the law.” As Berry pointed out, the success of these trailblazing women will also create new opportunities for the women and girls who follow them.   Former President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees were overwhelmingly white—around four percent of his judges are Black —and mostly picked for their loyalty to a right-wing judicial ideology that sacrifices individual rights and the common good to states’ rights and the power of corporations. Trump appointed no Black women to the circuit courts.  Confirming Biden’s judicial nominees will begin the process of repairing the damage done to our courts during the Trump administration and restoring faith in our courts.   Unfortunately, we have seen that being extremely well qualified does not prevent women of color from being unfairly attacked. Right-wing groups have spent millions of dollars to smear women of color nominated to Biden’s cabinet and to high-level positions at the U.S. Justice Department.   People For the American Way has launched the Her Fight Our Fight campaign to support the women of color who are ready to help lead the way to a more just, more inclusive, multiethnic and multiracial democratic society.    ___________________________________________ Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation. Jealous has decades of experience as a leader, coalition builder, campaigner for social justice and seasoned nonprofit executive. In 2008, he was chosen as the youngest-ever president and CEO of the NAACP. He is a graduate of Columbia University and Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and he has taught at Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania.