Nadler, Bass Comment on Protests Following Shooting of Jacob Blake
Last Friday, U.S. Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn) and Karen Bass (D-CA) released a joint statement regarding the protests that erupted in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
In particular, the representatives gave kudos to the Milwaukee Bucks for going on strike in solidarity with the protesters.
“The professional athletes who refused to play yesterday represent the best of America,” the said. These men and women trained and quarantined to uplift the spirits of a Covid-fatigued nation—and they declared no more business as usual to take a stand for racial justice. Their leadership is to be commended, and their collective protest will surely be remembered for generations to come.
“We do not pretend to have all of the answers to the crisis gripping our country, but we have proposed a way forward: H.R. 7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Among other important changes in policy, this legislation holds law enforcement officials accountable for their actions, ends ‘qualified immunity’ for police officers, bans chokeholds and ‘no knock’ warrants, and limits the use of military equipment on American streets. The House of Representatives passed this bill more than two months ago. It sits on Senate Majority Leader McConnell’s desk, ready for a vote at a moment’s notice. As the lead sponsors of this bill, we demand that Senator McConnell take up this legislation. We hope that all Americans, including the brave men and women who refuse to play sports in the face of continued injustice, will join us in that call for action.”
De Blasio Announces Appointment of Chief Diversity Officers
Last Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) announced the appointment of a Chief Diversity Officer to every City agency.
The officers, who will also serve as Chief MWBE Officers, will ensure that each agency employs strategic thinking to strengthen the City’s utilization of Minority and Women-Owned Businesses (M/WBEs) and foster diversity and inclusion. They will work in close coordination with the Agency Chief Contracting Office.
“Our Minority and Women-Owned Businesses are the core of our economy, and they have built New York City into what it is today,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I am proud to announce that a Chief Diversity Officer will be available at every single City agency to ensure they have the support they need.”
James Sues Trump Admin Over Curtailing NEPA
Last Friday, New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) and a coalition of 23 attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s final rule curtailing the National Environmental Policy Act.
Enacted in 1969, NEPA mandates that any federal agency must consider the environmental impacts of any “major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment” before enacting them. The Trump Administration curtails the law’s requirements for federal agencies to assess their actions, and also hinders public participation in the review process.
“The Trump Administration’s attempt to undermine the National Environmental Policy Act is yet another example of its unapologetic, relentless dismantling of our nation’s environmental protections,” said James. “By restricting the types of projects that undergo environmental review prior to their construction, it puts both our communities and our environment in harm’s way. My office is committed to fighting against this new rule and other similar efforts by the Trump Administration that undermine our nation’s bedrock environmental protection laws.”
Gottfried, Hoylman to Rally to Secure Election Drop Boxes
Today, Assemblymember Richard Gottfried (D-Chelsea, Midtown) and State Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Chelsea, Midtown) will hold a press conference calling for the passage of their bill to establish absentee ballot drop boxes throughout the State.
During the June Democratic Primary, more than 84,000 mail-in ballots in New York were invalidated, due to the lack of a postmark or late arrival. Hoylman and Gottfried’s bill would provide voters with a secure way to deliver their ballots and lessen the strain on the USPS.
The event will take place today at 11 a.m. in front of the Farley Post Office/Moynihan Stations, Eighth Avenue Between 31st and 33rd Street.
