February 23, 2017

Will an openly gay mayor from the Rust Belt be the Democrats' next leader? (Guardian)

As Donald Trump descended the golden escalator in the lobby of his namesake Fifth Avenue skyscraper to announce his candidacy for president, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, also had an announcement. In a personal essay published in the local newspaper that same day, Pete Buttigieg, a Democratic rising star who had also served in Afghanistan as a lieutenant with the Navy Reserves, came out as gay.

Now, nearly two years later, after Trump rode a dark horse campaign to the White House, the 35-year-old mayor of South Bend is mounting his own outsider bid to be the face of the opposition in the Trump era as the chair of the Democratic National Committee.

“This race is a test of whether the DNC is prepared to change,” Buttigieg told the Guardian in an interview. “I believe I represent that change.”

A 2014 Washington Post profile called Buttigieg “the most interesting mayor you’ve never heard of”. The next year, Buttigieg won his re-election bid with 80% of the vote, a wider margin than the first time around. In June, New York Times columnist Frank Bruni proposed: “The First Gay President?”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/23/pete-buttigieg-democratic-party-chair-candidate?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+USA+-+Collections+2017&utm_term=214678&subid=20993289&CMP=GT_US_collection

February 23, 2017

Muslim Americans raise over $100,000 to repair vandalism of historic Jewish cemetery

Jewish Cemetery Desecrated

On the heels of bomb threats and hate crimes against dozens of Jewish community center's across the United States, a historical Jewish cemetery was vandalized this past weekend when over 170 headstones were damaged. Muslim Americans stand in solidarity with the Jewish-American community to condemn this horrific act of desecration against the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery. We also extend our deepest condolences to all those who have been affected and to the Jewish community at large.

The Campaign

In a campaign organized by Linda Sarsour of MPower Change and Tarek El-Messidi of CelebrateMercy, the Muslim-American community extends our hands to help rebuild this sacred space where Jewish-American families have laid their loved ones to rest since the late 1800's. Campaign proceeds will go directly to the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in light of the recent damage. Any remaining funds - after the cemetery is restored - will be allocated to repair any other vandalized Jewish centers.

Is It Not a Human Soul?

While these senseless acts have filled us with sorrow, we reflect on the message of unity, tolerance, and mutual protection found in the Constitution of Medina: an historic social contract between the Medinan Jews and the first Muslim community. We are also inspired by the example of our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, who stood up to pay respects for a passing Jewish funeral procession. When questioned on why he stood for a Jewish funeral, he responded, "Is it not a human soul?" [Source: Bukhari]

https://www.launchgood.com/project/muslims_unite_to_repair_jewish_cemetery#/

I continue to be inspired by the goodness and decency of people as they come together in community to support those marginalized and targeted.

February 23, 2017

Susan Collins (Senate Intel) says investigation could result in subpoena for Trump tax returns

A Republican in the Senate Intelligence Committee just said that the panel’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections could possibly result in a subpoena for President Trump’s tax returns.

Senator Susan Collins was asked by the host of local radio program Maine Public whether Trump’s tax returns would be requested as a part of the Russia investigation.

“If it’s necessary to get to the answers then I suspect we would,” Collins said, though she did say that she was unsure at this point whether such an action would be compulsory to their investigation.

(snip)

Collins was one of two Republican Senators to vote against the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, forcing a tie-breaking vote by Vice President Pence.

“All of us are determined to get the answers,” Collins said. “In some ways, this is a counterintelligence cooperation — in many ways — and that’s what our committee specializes in.”

More:
http://usuncut.com/news/republican-senator-says-shes-open-demanding-trumps-tax-returns/

At Wyden's town hall Saturday, he said numerous times,emphatically, that getting the tax returns released was critical to getting to the bottom of the issue.

February 23, 2017

GOP Rep Says Crowd At His Town Hall "Was Real People With Real Concerns" not "artificial crowd"

Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC) said on Wednesday that the crowd at his last town hall "wasn’t manufactured" and attendees were "real people with real concerns."

"This wasn't an artificial crowd. It wasn't manufactured. It was real people with real concerns in terms of what came next on healthcare," Sanford told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

Rep. Sanford says people at his town hall were local and passionate, not "artificial crowd" https://t.co/ylK2ewgMTh https://t.co/i4mmx2OFQj

— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2017

Members of Congress who are home in their districts for the week during the congressional recess faced large crowds and vocal criticism at town halls on Tuesday.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer claimed Wednesday that the wave of angry protests was partly due to a “professional protester manufactured base.”

“It is a loud, small group of people disrupting something in many cases for media attention, no offense," he said. "Obviously there are people that are upset, but I also think that when you look at some of these districts and some of these things, that it is not a representation of a member's district or an incident."

More:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mark-sanford-town-hall-attendees-real-people-not-manufactured-crowds