Politics

California Republican Assembly, Top Democrat, Endorse Larry Elder for Governor

As the race heats up, Elder has been on the campaign trail making his case and telling voters why he is the best candidate to be the next governor of California.

Published

3 years ago

September 8, 2021

Isabelle Price

Larry Elder, Photo courtesy of California Black Media

To no avail, the California Republican Assembly (CRA) says it has been trying to organize a debate between Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles-based conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder ahead of the gubernatorial recall election September 14.

Elder is the only Black candidate among GOP frontrunners vying to replace Newsom in the upcoming California recall election. He has also almost consistently polled among the top three choices of Californians who support removing the current governor from office.

CRA President Johnnie Morgan, who is also African American, said he reached out to several political organizations and media outlets around the state attempting to make the Newsom-Elder faceoff happen. All of them, he says, returned with a similar response: that timing would not permit a public discussion.

“No one was interested at this time to host it,” Morgan said. “We were looking to have a debate just between Elder and Newsom. It would only be fitting that (Elder) be allowed to tell people why he’s the best person to take over that position. And Newsom could tell people why he should remain in that position and defend his record.”

For much of his campaign to replace Newsom, Elder’s team has had to assume a defensive stance, explaining disparaging statements he has made about Blacks, women, climate change and other topics. The state is also investigating whether he improperly disclosed some of his sources of income.

Elder’s ex-fiancée Alexandra Datig has also accused Elder of verbal and emotional abuse. One incident, she claims, involved Elder intimidating her with a .45 revolver gun. The candidate has dismissed Datig’s allegations, calling them a “distraction.”

By now, most Californians have received a vote-by-mail ballot and have begun to turn them at ballot boxes, county voting centers or by mail.

As the race heats up, Elder has been on the campaign trail making his case and telling voters why he is the best candidate to be the next governor of California.

He has convinced one high-profile state Democrat who endorsed him last week. Former California State Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero, a Democrat who represented the 24^th district in Los Angeles County, endorsed Elder at the end of August. Romero was a state lawmaker from 1998 to 2010, serving in both the Assembly and Senate. She and former state Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado, a Republican, participated in a news conference last week to announce their support for Elder.

Romero, a school-choice advocate, said she “along with about 1.7 million Californians, signed the recall petition” that triggered the election to recall Newsom.

“This election, let’s be clear, is not about political parties. This is not about a rightwing controversy,” Romero said in her opening statement. “This is about Californians using our voice and our rights in a recall process that some of the party elites tried to stifle, but the people came through. It’s time for a change. We can do better.”

“At the end of the day, we need some shaking up in Sacramento,” Maldonado said. “What better than a gentleman, a brother from South Central Los Angeles who gets up every day to make a difference around our country and around our state. (Elder) you are the solution for Californians.”

The CRA endorsed Elder, an attorney, author, and broadcaster, for governor at its convention last month in Valencia. CRA, founded in 1935, is the oldest Republican volunteer organization in California that endorses Republican candidates. Chartered by the Republican Party, CRA has close to 2,000 members and 43 chapters across the state.

Under CRA bylaws, endorsement of statewide candidates requires the support of two-thirds of the delegates at the convention.

Elder garnered the support of 68% of the delegates.

As California’s oldest and most influential Republican volunteer organization, Morgan said, CRA’s endorsement is “coveted” for those candidates who meet the organization’s high standards — conservative, principled, electable, and the overwhelming choice of CRA’s membership.

“The other (Republican) candidates have good records and they have been working for the party,” Morgan said, explaining why CRA chose Elders. “But none of them have distinguished themselves to the extent that Elder has. Elder would be the governor for the people.”

On the gubernatorial recall ballot, on the first question, Morgan urges a YES vote to remove Newsom from the office of governor. On the second question, CRA endorses Elder to succeed Newsom as governor if he is recalled.

“So many businesses have left California due to Newsom’s policies,” Morgan said. “Some of those people that took off are probably thinking they acted prematurely. He is just making life more difficult for citizens. Especially for people with average means and who are business-minded.”

Isabelle Price

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Activism

‘Donald Trump Is Not a God:’ Rep. Bennie Thompson Blasts Trump’s Call to Jail Him

“Donald Trump is not a god,” U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

Published

7 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Congressman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said he not intimidated by President-elect Donald Trump, who, during an interview on “Meet the Press,” called for the congressman to be jailed for his role as chairman of the special congressional committee investigating Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“Donald Trump is not a god,” Thompson told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

“He can’t prove it, nor has there been any other proof offered, which tells me that he really doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” said the 76-year-old lawmaker, who maintained that he and the bipartisan Jan. 6 Select Committee – which referred Trump for criminal prosecution – were exercising their constitutional and legislative duties.

“When someone disagrees with you, that doesn’t make it illegal; that doesn’t even make it wrong,” Thompson said, “The greatness of this country is that everyone can have their own opinion about any subject, and so for an incoming president who disagrees with the work of Congress to say ‘because I disagree, I want them jailed,’ is absolutely unbelievable.”

When asked by The Grio if he is concerned about his physical safety amid continued public ridicule from Trump, whose supporters have already proven to be violent, Thompson said, “I think every member of Congress here has to have some degree of concern, because you just never know.”

This story is based on a report from The Grio.

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

7 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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Biden’s Legacy Secured with Record-Setting Black Judicial Appointments

His record surpasses previous efforts by his predecessors. President Jimmy Carter appointed 37 Black judges, including seven Black women. In stark contrast, Donald Trump’s first term resulted in only two Black women appointed out of 234 lifetime judicial nominations. The White House said Biden’s efforts show a broader commitment to racial equity and justice.

Published

8 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

iStockphoto.

By Stacy M. Brown
WI Senior Writer

President Joe Biden’s commitment to diversifying the federal judiciary has culminated in a historic achievement: appointing 40 Black women to lifetime judgeships, the most of any president in U.S. history.

Biden has appointed 62 Black judges, cementing his presidency as one focused on promoting equity and representation on the federal bench.

The White House said Biden’s efforts show a broader commitment to racial equity and justice.

Meanwhile, Trump has vowed to dismantle key civil rights protections, including the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

“Having the Black woman’s experience on the federal bench is extremely important because there is a different kind of voice that can come from the Black female from the bench,” Delores Jones-Brown, professor emeritus at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told reporters.

Lena Zwarensteyn of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights told reporters that these district court judges are often the first and sometimes the final arbiters in cases affecting healthcare access, education equity, fair hiring practices, and voting rights.

“Those decisions are often the very final decisions because very few cases actually get heard by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Zwarensteyn explained.

Biden’s nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court further reflects his commitment to judicial diversity. Jackson became the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court.

Patrick McNeil, spokesperson for the Leadership Conference, pointed out that over half of Biden’s Black female judicial appointees have backgrounds as civil rights attorneys and public defenders, experience advocates consider essential for a balanced judiciary.

Meanwhile, Congress remains divided over the expansion of federal judgeships. Legislation to add 66 new judgeships—approved unanimously by the Senate in August—stalled in the GOP-controlled House until after the election. House Republicans proposed distributing the new judgeships over the next decade, giving three administrations a say in appointments. President Biden, however, signaled he would veto the bill if it reached his desk.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., argued the delay was a strategic move to benefit Trump’s potential return to office. “Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to expand the power of the presidency and giving him 25 new judges to appoint gives him one more tool at his disposal,” Nadler said.