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Freshman CBC Member Congresswoman Summer Lee Wins Big After Being Targeted by AIPAC
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Rep. Lee, who represents parts of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County in Pennsylvania, is the first member of “The Squad” to face a 2024 primary challenge during the 2024 election cycle. Lee’s district is 72 percent white and 15 percent Black. Her decisive victory will likely signal how strong progressive power is currently and how voters view the current conflict in the Middle East. Rep. Lee supports Medicare-for-all, the Green New Deal and a ceasefire in Gaza.
The post Freshman CBC Member Congresswoman Summer Lee Wins Big After Being Targeted by AIPAC first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributor
Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA), who was formally targeted for defeat by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) won her primary challenge on April 23.
Rep. Lee won easily over a primary candidate recruited by AIPAC, 61 percent to 31 percent. On the last weekend of the primary campaign, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez campaigned alongside Lee.
Along with the NRA and Planned Parenthood, AIPAC is one of the most powerful and influential lobbying groups in U.S. politics. Back in September 2023, it was revealed that AIPAC was recruiting candidates to primary Black members of Congress who spoke out in support of stipulations on U.S. aid to Israel. Israel receives over $3.3 billion annually from the U.S.
AIPAC has many Republican donors, but the group has also funded members of the CBC. The list includes Maryland’s Rep. Glenn Ivey, House Democratic Caucus Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Rep. Valerie Foushee of North Carolina, Ohio Rep. Shontel Brown, and New York’s Rep. Ritchie Torres.
Though Torres’ Bronx, New York district is 54 percent Hispanic and 30 percent Black, with an average household income of only $42,000, Torres is one of the loudest and most energetic defenders of Israel in the U.S. Congress.
Rep. Lee, who represents parts of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County in Pennsylvania, is the first member of “The Squad” to face a 2024 primary challenge during the 2024 election cycle. Lee’s district is 72 percent white and 15 percent Black. Her decisive victory will likely signal how strong progressive power is currently and how voters view the current conflict in the Middle East. Rep. Lee supports Medicare-for-all, the Green New Deal and a ceasefire in Gaza.
After the October 7, 2023 attack by the militant Palestinian terrorist group Hamas that killed over 1,300 Israelis, the Israeli government led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas. Since October 2023, over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by the Israeli Defense Forces. Many elected officials on the left are defining Israel’s military reaction against Palestine as “genocide.”
“The Squad” in congress is made up of the most progressive Democrats who often speak out on what they view as anti-corporate politics focused on principle. But their positions on the Middle East, which tend to speak out against the decisions of the Israeli government, have put them at odds with AIPAC.
Rep. Lee’s challenger, Bhavini Patel, a member of the local City Council, made her vocal support of Israel a cornerstone of her campaign. She was critical of Congresswoman Lee for her position on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Other members of “The Squad,” such as Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN), are also facing primary challengers supported and funded by AIPAC.
In Michigan, a group called Michigan over 100,000 voters cast their vote as “uncommitted” in order to register a protest against President Biden’s policy on Israel and in favor of a ceasefire. That 13 percent of the vote was a wake-up call for the Biden Administration on Middle East policy. Regardless, the U.S. House and U.S. Senate voted to send $26 billion to Israel and $60 billion to Ukraine on April 20 and April 23.
Rep. Summer Lee voted against the total of $95 billion in tax money going overseas to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The legislation also banned the social media app TikTok unless they change their leadership structure.
Leadership in the Congressional Black Caucus has been almost silent on AIPAC’s funding against incumbent CBC members.
Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the publisher of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears regularly on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and speaks on Crisis Comms on YouTube @LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke
The post Freshman CBC Member Congresswoman Summer Lee Wins Big After Being Targeted by AIPAC first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association
For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.
As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.
Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.
We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.
Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.
The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.
We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.
Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association
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Hate and Chaos Rise in Trump’s America
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified 1,371 hate and antigovernment extremist groups operating across the United States in 2024. In its latest Year in Hate & Extremism report, the SPLC reveals how these groups are embedding themselves in politics and policymaking while targeting marginalized communities through intimidation, disinformation, and violence. “Extremists at all levels of government are using cruelty, chaos, and constant attacks on communities and our democracy to make us feel powerless,” said SPLC President Margaret Huang. The report outlines how hard-right groups aggressively targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives throughout 2024. Figures on the far right falsely framed DEI as a threat to white Americans, with some branding it a form of “white genocide.” After the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, a former Utah legislator blamed the incident on DEI, posting “DEI = DIE.”
Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains. Similar threats hit Jewish institutions and Planet Fitness locations after far-right social media accounts attacked them for trans-inclusive policies. Telegram, which SPLC describes as a hub for hate groups, helped extremists cross-recruit between neo-Nazi, QAnon, and white nationalist spaces. The platform’s lax moderation allowed groups like the Terrorgram Collective—designated terrorists by the U.S. State Department—to thrive. Militia movements were also reorganized, with 50 groups documented in 2024. Many, calling themselves “minutemen,” trained in paramilitary tactics while lobbying local governments for official recognition. These groups shared personnel and ideology with white nationalist organizations.
The manosphere continued to radicalize boys and young men. The Fresh & Fit podcast, now listed as a hate group, promoted misogyny while mocking and attacking Black women. Manosphere influencers used social media algorithms to drive youth toward male-supremacy content. Turning Point USA played a key role in pushing white nationalist rhetoric into mainstream politics. Its leader Charlie Kirk claimed native-born Americans are being replaced by immigrants, while the group advised on Project 2025 and organized Trump campaign events. “We know that these groups build their power by threatening violence, capturing political parties and government, and infesting the mainstream discourse with conspiracy theories,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project. “By exposing the players, tactics, and code words of the hard right, we hope to dismantle their mythology and inspire people to fight back.”
Click here for the full report or visit http://www.splcenter.org/resources/guides/year-hate-extremism-2024.
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