Thursday, June 9, 2016

Democracy Now! Daily Digest: A Daily Independent Global News Hour with Amy Goodman & Juan González for Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Democracy Now! Daily Digest: A Daily Independent Global News Hour with Amy Goodman & Juan González for Tuesday, June 7, 2016
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"Highly Inappropriate": Sanders Backer Slams AP, NBC for Calling Democratic Race Before Today's Vote
On the eve of the California primary and six other contests, the Associated Press and NBC News shook up the Democratic race for the White House last night by announcing Hillary Clinton had reached the number of delegates needed to capture the nomination, beating challenger Bernie Sanders. Both news organizations reached that conclusion based on unofficial polls of unelected superdelegates. If the projections stand, Clinton would become the first woman to ever be the presidential candidate of a major political party in U.S. history. Sanders criticized the move. "According to the Democratic National Committee, what they should not be doing is lumping pledged delegates, i.e. real delegates, with superdelegates, who may or may not change their mind, but who do not vote until July 25th," Sanders said. We host a debate between Kevin de León, president pro-tem of the California Senate, and Los Angeles city councilmember and former California state legislator Gil Cedillo, who has been campaigning with Bernie Sanders.
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: On the eve of the California primary and five other contests, the Associated Press and NBC News shook up the race for the White House last night by announcing Hillary Clinton had clinched the Democratic nomination, defeating challenger Bernie Sanders. Both news organizations reached that conclusion based on unofficial polls of unelected superdelegates. For months, the Democratic National Committee has urged the media not to report superdelegate tallies until next month’s convention in Philadelphia. If the projections stand, Hillary Clinton would become the first woman to ever be the presidential candidate of a major political party in U.S. history. She spoke at a rally last night in Long Beach, California.
HILLARY CLINTON: According to the news, we are on the brink of a historic, historic, unprecedented moment. But we still have work to do, don’t we? We have six elections tomorrow, and we’re going to fight hard for every single vote, especially right here in California.
AMY GOODMAN: The Sanders campaign dismissed the news, saying superdelegates should not be counted until they actually vote at the Philadelphia convention. Unlike pledged delegates, superdelegates can switch their support at any time. Bernie Sanders spoke last night to reporters after the AP and NBC called the race.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: According to the Democratic National Committee, what they should not be doing is lumping pledged delegates, i.e. real delegates, with superdelegates, who may or may not change their mind, but who do not vote until July 25th. So if everybody knows exactly how all the superdelegates are going to vote on July 25th, that’s great for them, but I don’t know that. The point is that tomorrow in California we have the most important primary. The people of California have the right to determine who is going to be president of the United States, not necessarily having to listen to AP or NBC. And I hope that they will come out in large numbers and make it clear that they want real change in this country, that they’re tired of establishment politics and establishment economics, and that they want a government that represents all of us and not just the 1 percent.
AMY GOODMAN: Bernie Sanders has largely staked his campaign on a victory today in California, the largest state in the union. In recent weeks he has held dozens of campaign events, including a large free concert last night in San Francisco. And it’s not just voters in California heading to the polls today. Primaries and caucuses are also being held in Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and North and South Dakota. The Sanders campaign has been hoping victories in California and other states could help convince superdelegates he would be the superior candidate to challenge Donald Trump.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: It’s going to be very difficult. I’m not here to deny that for a second. But the case we’re going to make to the superdelegates is, everybody at the Democratic National Convention is going to want to defeat Donald Trump, for good reasons. He is a disaster and must not become president of the United States. Well, you know what? According to every national poll that I have seen and according to virtually every state poll that I have seen, Bernie Sanders is a much stronger candidate against Donald Trump than is Hillary Clinton.
AMY GOODMAN: According to The New York Times, President Obama is planning to officially endorse Hillary Clinton as early as this week and then begin publicly campaigning for her.
To talk more about these developments and today’s primary in California, we’re going to Los Angeles, where we’re joined by two guests. Kevin de León is president pro-tem of the California state Senate. He spoke last night at Hillary Clinton’s rally at Long Beach City College. Also with us is Los Angeles city councilmember and former California state legislator Gil Cedillo, who has been campaigning with Bernie Sanders.
We welcome you both to Democracy Now! Let’s start with Kevin de León. Your response to the news that AP and NBC News have called Hillary Clinton as the winner, the presumptive Democratic nominee.
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: Well, good morning, Amy, and good morning to everyone on the East Coast. I think it’s fantastic news. It’s great news. But the reality is, it’s much too early to call. We have major races throughout the country. We still have six major primaries and two major rich delegate states, which is New Jersey and here back home in California. We believe that tonight Secretary Hillary Clinton will secure the nomination. She has the vast majority of the pledged votes. She has a vast majority of the raw popular votes throughout the country. She has won 21 out of 23 rich vote—numbers in votes states throughout the country, high populations. We feel very confident that tonight she will wrap it up.
AMY GOODMAN: Gil Cedillo, your response to this news, announced on the eve of these major primaries, six in all—California, the largest state—that in fact it’s Hillary Clinton who’s the presumptive Democratic nominee?
COUNCILMEMBER GIL CEDILLO: Well, it’s highly inappropriate for this news agency to try to announce and determine the outcome of elections that have yet to happen. It’s just wholly inappropriate. It’s a form of voter suppression. As the senator indicated, we have six important races to take place. Every vote counts. Every vote should count. And it’s just wholly inappropriate for this agency to try to determine the outcome of an election. It’s voter suppression in the most rank and raw form. What’s next? A literacy test or a poll tax? This is not something that a legitimate news agency should be involved with.
AMY GOODMAN: Explain what you mean by voter suppression.
COUNCILMEMBER GIL CEDILLO: Well, if you tell someone the election’s over, then people don’t think that they should go and vote. It’s demoralizing. It’s a misrepresentation. And it has a capacity, a potential, to impact the outcome. The fact of the matter is, as the senator indicated, we have important elections today from two of the most important states. Californians are geared up and getting ready to go out to vote this morning. And we want them to know and feel that their vote counts. This goes beyond politics. This is about protecting the right to vote. There are young men and women throughout the world who are prepared to put their lives on the line to defend that right to vote, and it’s just inappropriate for a news agency to try to suppress that vote, whether it’s in California, New Jersey or any of the other states that have elections today.
AMY GOODMAN: California state Senate President Kevin de León, do you agree that this will lead to voter suppression?
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: Well, you know, Gil Cedillo and I are very good friends. He is my city councilmember, I am his state senator. We’re both progressives who have been in the trenches for many decades, doing everything possible to help improve the human condition, especially for those who are the most marginalized and vulnerable.
The "voter suppression" is obviously a very strong word, much too strong. I think the media outlets—in this case AP, as well as NBC—have made a projection based on quantitative research of the pledged delegates, and the pledged delegates have indicated very clearly that they’re going to be with Hillary Clinton. So the projection is clear, because what is black and white is the math. And it’s simple math. One plus one is two, it is not three. So all you have to do is the math, and we feel very confident that tonight that Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee for the presidency of the United States.
But what’s most important is that we unite very quickly against the most dangerous man in modern political history, which is Donald Trump. This is an individual who has been very clear with regards to his own xenophobic views against immigrants, people of color, women, as well as Muslims. So, number one, we need to unite earlier rather than later. And it’s very clear mathematically that the numbers are there: Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee for the presidency of the United States.
AMY GOODMAN: Gil Cedillo, it’s the math. Your response?
COUNCILMEMBER GIL CEDILLO: Yes, well, the senator knows, because he’s one of our premier leaders of the state of California, but he should have been the assemblymember, the speaker of our state Assembly in the lower house. He once had the votes. They were projected. He was set to be the speaker of the state Assembly, and one of his votes flipped and took a few other votes with him. And as it turned out, we know history tells us that those projected votes didn’t come in. They didn’t happen when the election day came. The projections didn’t bear out, and he never became the speaker of the lower house. Fortunately for us in California, he went on to the Senate and became the president pro-tem. We have the virtue of his leadership. But he knows that until the election day and until votes are cast, you can’t count them until they’re cast. One vote, one person, one day of elections.
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: And I would say, Amy, that—and today I am the president of the California state Senate, the first Latino in over 133 years. But again, math is math. And it’s about persuasion. And if you’re not able to persuade any of the superdelegates—and to date, I have not seen any one individual superdelegate be persuaded yet to leave Hillary Clinton and go and support Bernie Sanders. Persuasion is critical, and I have yet to see anyone persuade any other superdelegate.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to turn—
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: Again, let me be very clear: Math is math. One plus one is two, it is not three. And we feel very confident that Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee tonight. Now, that being said, let me be very clear, because I’ve spent a lot of time with Hillary Clinton in California up and down the state of California—
AMY GOODMAN: You were with her last night, right?
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: She is fighting for every single vote, especially in the African-American and Latino communities. I spent a considerable amount of time with her in Boyle Heights and Pico-Union and El Sereno and East Los Angeles, in Long Beach last night. And she’s fighting for every single vote, because she’s not going to take anything for granted at all whatsoever. She’s here. She’s spent a considerable amount of time in California. But again, cooler heads prevail. Tonight is a major election throughout the country, but especially in New Jersey and here at home in California. We do believe strongly she will be the nominee for the Democratic presidency.
AMY GOODMAN: I want—I want to turn to DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz appearing on MSNBC in February, talking about superdelegates.
DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: And it’s just—I’m glad you’re asking me about this, because the way the media has been reporting this is incorrect. There aren’t pledged delegates, i.e. superdelegates, earned at any of these primary or caucus contests, Rachel. Those unpledged delegates are elected officials, party leaders, people who have spent years and years in the Democratic Party; members of Congress, our DNC members are superdelegates. And they have the ability to decide who they choose to support at the convention at any point. So they are not actually—whatever they’re saying now, I mean, most of them, presumably, would remain committed to who they’ve committed to now, but they haven’t all committed to a candidate. And they’re really free to decide all the way up into July.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s interesting. That’s DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, certainly no favorite of Bernie Sanders. In fact, he’s endorsed [her] opponent in her congressional race in Florida. A final word on this, Gil Cedillo? And then we’re going to talk about the larger issues in California.
COUNCIL MEMBER GIL CEDILLO: Well, she’s absolutely right. The election day for the superdelegates is at the convention. They won’t be counted until then. We would like to have an unencumbered, unbiased election here today in California and New Jersey, the other four states. It’s very important that we—two things: one, that we’re united in the fall to defeat Donald Trump; two, that we have our best candidate forward, that person who’s most prepared, most able, most capable of defeating Donald Trump. And we can’t determine that until we have an election, an unencumbered, unbiased election here in California and the other five states that are going to take place today.
AMY GOODMAN: We’re going to go to a break, then come back to talk about the issues in California, Gil Cedillo, Los Angeles city councilmember, and Kevin de León, president pro-tem of the California state Senate. This is Democracy Now! We’ll be back with them in a minute. ... Read More →

Why Is Black Lives Matter Activist Facing Four Years in Jail While Stanford Rapist Gets Six Months?
Update: After our broadcast Jasmine Richards was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 18 days served, and 3 years on probation.
In California, Black Lives Matter activist Jasmine Richards faces up to four years in prison at her sentencing today after she was convicted of a rarely used statute in California law known up until recently as "felony lynching." Police accused her of trying to de-arrest someone during a peace march in Pasadena last August. The arrest and jailing of a young black woman activist on charges of felony lynching has sparked a firestorm of protest, with supporters vowing to pack the court today. Meanwhile, in another California case, a judge sentenced white former Stanford University swimmer Brock Allen Turner to six months in jail after he was convicted of three felony counts of sexual assault. We get reaction from California Senate President Pro-Tem Kevin de León and Los Angeles City Councilmember Gil Cedillo. "You started your show talking about someone from Stanford who rapes a woman and gets six months, and then you’ve got a woman who is part of the Black Lives [Matter] movement who is trying to bring forth the challenges that face us in America around racism and racial discrimination, and she’s participating, trying to exercise her First Amendment rights, ... and she’s going to be given four years?" Cedillo says. "Something’s wrong with that picture."
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to end on another issue. In California, Black Lives Matter activist Jasmine Richards faces up to four years in prison at her sentencing today after she was convicted of a rarely used statute in California law known up until recently as "felony lynching." Police accused her of trying to de-arrest someone during a peace march in Pasadena last August. The arrest and jailing of a young black woman activist on charges of felony lynching has sparked a firestorm of protest, with supporters vowing to pack the court today. Kevin de León, you’re president pro-tem of the California Senate. Your thoughts?
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: Well, listen, I’m not familiar with the legal details of this case, but nonetheless I think that perhaps prosecutors have been a little too harsh, or extremely harsh, with regards to the prosecution or the years that they’re trying to give this activist from Black Lives Matter. The reality is, is that Black Lives Matter, whether people concur or not concur with them, they have brought to light many of the abuse issues that young African Americans, Latinos and other minorities, people of color, have endured, have faced historically, not just in California, but throughout the nation. Perhaps the prosecutors are being overly harsh. Again, I want to underscore, I don’t know the legal details of this prosecution. I am aware of the general prosecution, but it seems like it’s much, much, much too harsh.
AMY GOODMAN: And Los Angeles City Councilmember Gil Cedillo, that she would be charged under this law originally set up so that if, you know, a mob pulled away—actually, for African Americans, against lynching—pulled away a person from police, that they would be held accountable for felony lynching, and yet it’s now being used against this young black woman?
COUNCILMEMBER GIL CEDILLO: Again, I also don’t know the details of the case, but it does seem wholly inappropriate. Think about this, Amy. You started your show talking about someone from Stanford who rapes a woman and gets six months, and then you’ve got a woman who is part of the Black Lives [Matter] movement who is trying to bring forth the challenges that face us in America around racism and racial discrimination, and she’s participating, trying to exercise her First Amendment rights—whatever people think about the tactics—and she’s going to be given four years? Something’s wrong with that picture.
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: I agree, absolutely.
AMY GOODMAN: We’re going to have to leave it there. Kevin de León, president pro-tem of the California state Senate, Gil Cedillo, Los Angeles city councilmember, thanks so much for joining us.
This is Democracy Now! When we come back, we’ll be joined by radio host Rose Aguilar to talk about other aspects of the California primary that are not getting as much attention. Stay with us ... Read More →

Will Decision to Call Race a Day Before Primary Deter Californians from Voting in Key Race?
While primaries and caucuses are underway in six states today, most of the nation’s attention is focused on California—the largest state in the union. In addition to the Hillary Clinton-Bernie Sanders race, voters will be deciding who will face off in November to succeed U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer. Thanks to a 2010 state law, California voters are expected to choose between two Democrats: California Attorney General Kamala Harris and U.S. Representative Loretta Sánchez. We are joined by Rose Aguilar, host of "Your Call," a daily public affairs radio show on NPR-affiliate KALW in San Francisco.
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: Voters are heading to the polls in six states today, but most of the nation’s attention is focused on California, the largest state in the union. In addition to the Hillary Clinton-Bernie Sanders race, voters will be deciding who will face off in November to succeed U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer. Thanks to a 2010 state law, California voters are expected to choose two Democrats: state Attorney General Kamala Harris and U.S. Representative Loretta Sánchez. To talk more about today’s primary in California, we’re joined by Rose Aguilar, host of Your Call, a daily public affairs radio show on NPR-affiliate KALW in San Francisco.
Rose, welcome to Democracy Now! First, your response on AP and NBC News calling the—naming Hillary Clinton as the Democratic presidential—the presumptive nominee.
ROSE AGUILAR: Well, this is the first time in decades that California’s primary actually matters, and it’s amazing to see so much excitement in the state. And I was at the event in San Francisco last night, attended by about 10,000 people, and the breaking news came down while we were at the rally. And a lot of people were so disappointed, because they feel like it will deter people from actually voting. And in addition to president, as you said, we’re going to choose a Senator. We have a lot of really important races down ticket. In San Francisco, we have a very important race with the local Democrats. And so people were really disappointed by this and said, "Look, people are already disenchanted with this process, and we need as many people as we can to go to the polls."
The other thing that’s exciting, Amy, is so many people have registered in California. I mean, this is a massive state. We’ve got about 40 million people in California. There are now 17 million people who are registered to vote. In the last two months running up to the election, we had 600,000 new registrants. So a lot of people are excited. And an announcement like this on the day before the California primary sends a really bad message to voters. And I heard that at the rally last night.
AMY GOODMAN: And to be clear, you were at the Bernie Sanders rally, is that right?
ROSE AGUILAR: Right, at the Bernie Sanders rally, right, last night in San Francisco.
AMY GOODMAN: And did he address this issue? Though he knew at that point that the race had basically been called, did he address it when he was speaking to all of you?
ROSE AGUILAR: No, he didn’t really address it. He did say that he’s taking this all the way to the convention. But that’s about it. He didn’t go much further than that.
AMY GOODMAN: KCRA is reporting that California’s primary voting process has excluded tens of thousands of independent voters from voting in the presidential primary so far, and those numbers are expected to grow, according to information provided to KCRA 3 by a leading political data firm. Can you explain how it works? I mean, in New York it was a closed primary. If you wanted to vote in the Democratic primary and you were an independent, you had to announce this—you had to decide this like months before, before any debate, before any primary, before it was clear it would be this close. So, millions of people couldn’t vote. Explain how it works. Voting rights advocates say California’s process for voting as an independent in the presidential primary is confusing. This is part of a PSA created by the nonprofit Independent Voter Project to help explain the process to voters.
INDEPENDENT VOTER PROJECT PSA: The Democratic, Libertarian and American Independent parties let you vote for their candidates as long as you’re not a member of another party. These parties have a semi-closed primary that lets independents or no-party-preference voters request a ballot. If you want to vote for these party candidate and receive your ballot by mail, you need to call your county registrar before May 31st and tell them to send the ballot you want, or you’ll get a ballot with no presidential candidates. If you miss the May 31st deadline, you can still vote at the polls, where, as an independent, you need to request a ballot for the party candidates you want.
AMY GOODMAN: So, if you could explain, Rose Aguilar, what that means today? When people go to the polls, what are they supposed to ask for?
ROSE AGUILAR: All right, this is really confusing, but here’s what you need to do. If you are a no-party-preference voter—and, Amy, in California, it’s not even independent. The independents are actually no party preference. So if you are a no-party-preference voter and you want to vote for a Democrat for president, you have to ask for a crossover ballot. And they legally have to give you one. So, again, ask for a crossover ballot. Try to go to the polls early, because, Amy, I’m already hearing reports, people are really concerned, that polling places are going to run out of ballots, because we’ve had such a massive voter surge in this—in California.
Now, you cited the report from KCRA, and these numbers are really astonishing. So 250,000 people have turned in their ballots, and this organization did an exit poll and asked these people, "All right, how many of you turned in a ballot without voting for a president?" It was 42 percent. They wanted to vote for president, and they didn’t. And they wanted to vote for a Democrat. So that’s almost half. That’s about 125,000 people in the state of California—
AMY GOODMAN: Why didn’t they vote?
ROSE AGUILAR: —have already voted without voting for a president. And 57 percent of those voters said they wanted to vote for Bernie Sanders. So people are turning in ballots without voting for a president. So you have to ask for a crossover ballot.
Now, to make matters even more confusing, the Los Angeles Times had a really good report about a month ago and found that 500,000 Californians checked off the American Independent Party box, thinking, well, that’s the independent party, right? Seems logical. That is an ultra, ultra-right party in California, the American Independent Party. And the L.A. Times found that 75 percent of those voters had no idea it was an ultra-right party. So, it’s really shameful that the rules are so confusing.
And then, to make matters even more confusing, if you live in San Francisco and you want to vote in our very important Democratic Central Committee race, you have to be a Democrat. And it’s too late to change. So if you’re a no-party-preference voter and you ask for a crossover ballot, you can vote for a Democratic president, but you cannot vote in the DCCC race in San Francisco. And I really wish the state would have done a better job of getting the word out. I wish the media had done a better job of getting the word out. We tried. We did what we could. But, you know, I’ve been paying attention, and I haven’t seen many PSAs. I haven’t really heard much about this. And it’s such an important issue, because people are going to be so upset if they can’t vote for president. And 125,000 people in California have already turned in their ballots without voting for president.
AMY GOODMAN: And explain why, just very quickly. I didn’t understand why they did get a ballot, but did not check the box for president.
ROSE AGUILAR: Well, there is no president on the ballot. If you’re a no-party-preference voter, there’s no president on your ballot. You have to request a Democratic ballot. So you either had to call in, or, you know, if you’re vote by mail, you had to do it in advance. But right now, what you can do today if you live in California, you need to take your ballot, if you’re a vote-by-mail voter, take your ballot into the polling place with you and ask for a crossover ballot. If you’re not vote by mail, go early and ask for a crossover ballot, because we’re really concerned that these polling places are going to run out of ballots, because so many people, hopefully, will be requesting a Democratic ballot to vote for president.
AMY GOODMAN: Now, Rose, something else that’s unusual in California, explain the Senate race that’s taking place, how the system works right now, that could lead to only Democrats on the ballot for the Senate race. Explain who’s running and how you vote.
ROSE AGUILAR: Right. So, we’ve only had two debates for Senate. And frankly, they weren’t that exciting. The president’s getting all the attention. Our down-ticket races aren’t getting that much attention. And this is such an important race. So, Kamala Harris and Loretta Sánchez are the two Democrats at the top of the ticket. A lot of the Republicans, most people have never heard of. There are third-party candidates running, but, of course, in this system, they’re not getting any media coverage. They were not invited to take part in the debate. The voters decided that they wanted the top two vote-getters to be on the ballot, regardless of party. And so, the Republican Party is not doing well in California. I mean, the Democrats pretty much control this state. That’s a wide-known fact. And we’re probably going to have Kamala Harris and Loretta Sánchez on the ballot, two Democrats. And what’s going to happen is the Republican Party will most likely vote for Loretta Sánchez, because she’s the more sort of moderate Democrat on certain issues. And it’s just a strange system. The Republicans really are not—they don’t really have a chance when it comes to running for Senate in the state of California.
AMY GOODMAN: You were at the Bernie Sanders rally last night. What do you think will happen with the Bernie Sanders camp? I mean, we still don’t know. Right to the end—
ROSE AGUILAR: Right.
AMY GOODMAN: —we cannot predict what will happen right up to the convention. But how do you think—what do you think needs to happen?
ROSE AGUILAR: Well, Amy, just listening to your last interview talking about all these ridiculous things that Trump has said, I am afraid that the next five to six months it’s going to be Trump said something ludicrous, Hillary Clinton responded, and we’re not going to talk about issues, we’re not going to talk about things that really matter to people.
And I think it’s important to remember that this time last year, Bernie Sanders was 63 points behind Hillary Clinton, one of the most well-known politicians in the world. And at this time last year, most people had never heard of Bernie Sanders. They didn’t know who he was. The media didn’t take him seriously. They called him the old socialist who has a bad haircut. "How is he going to get these ideas passed—universal healthcare, free tuition for public—people who go to public schools, banning fracking, overturning the death penalty? These are radical ideas," we heard, when, in fact, if Bernie Sanders was in many countries in Europe, these are center-right positions. We don’t really talk about that much.
AMY GOODMAN: Rose Aguilar, we’re going to have to leave it there.
ROSE AGUILAR: We don’t really—
AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you for being with us, host of Your Call, daily public affairs radio show on NPR-affiliate KALW in San Francisco.
That does it for the broadcast. Democracy Now! is hiring a news producer and an office coordinator, full-time jobs. Find out more at democracynow.org.
I’ll be speaking in Chicago on Saturday. That’s June 11th. Check our website. ... Read More →

California Senate President: Trump is a "Very Dangerous Man" for Denying Climate Change, Drought
Ahead of the California vote, Donald Trump is facing criticism for downplaying the state’s historic drought. He recently blamed the lack of water in some communities on environmentalists who are "trying to protect a certain kind of three-inch fish." We get a response from Kevin de León, president pro-tem of the California Senate.
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: To talk more about the Clinton-Sanders race and the California primary, we’re going back to Los Angeles, where we’re joined by two guests. Kevin de León is president pro-tem of the California state Senate. He spoke last night at Hillary Clinton’s rally at Long Beach City College. Also with us, Los Angeles city councilmember, former California state legislator Gil Cedillo, who has been campaigning with Bernie Sanders. I want to go to a comment of Donald Trump. This is a comment of Donald Trump last month telling California voters that there is no drought.
DONALD TRUMP: We’re going to solve your water problem. You have a water problem that is so insane, it is so ridiculous, where they’re taking the water and shoving it out to sea. And I just met with a lot of the farmers, who are great people, and they’re saying, "We don’t even understand it." They don’t understand. Nobody understands it. And I’ve heard this from other friends of mine in California, where they have farms up here, and they don’t get water. I said, "Oh, that’s too bad. Is it the drought?" "No, we have plenty of water." I said, "What’s wrong?" "Well, we shove it out to sea." And I said, "Why?" And nobody even knows why. And the environmentalists don’t know why. Now, they’re trying to protect a certain kind of three-inch fish.
AMY GOODMAN: That was Donald Trump. Kevin de León, California state Senate president, can you respond?
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: Well, to me, I think it’s very clear that Donald Trump lives in a fantasy land. He is both dangerous as well as mentally unstable. And I think there is a growing chorus throughout the country, throughout the world, even within the Republican ranks, that this is an individual who is ill-prepared to lead the most powerful nation in the world. The reality is this, is Donald Trump doesn’t even believe in climate change. And what is happening here in California is we are in the fifth record year of a historic drought, which means there has been less water in the Central Valley, which is a breadbasket for the entire nation. Now, we export 50 percent of our fruits, our vegetables and nuts to the rest of the nation. And those most severely impacted by this fifth year of a historic drought have been immigrants and migrant workers, Latinos specifically, who are unemployed because of the drought, because of the lack of water. This is impacted by climate change and the harmful emissions of carbon, CO2 and other criteria pollutants into the atmosphere.
So this is an individual who doesn’t believe in science. This is an individual who doesn’t believe what every Nobel Prize winner has said, that climate change is real. It is here to stay, unless we policymakers, Democrats as well as Republicans, start moving forward with policies that will reduce greatly our carbon emissions. This is a very dangerous individual, because he doesn’t believe in climate change. And this is what’s impacting California. California is the seventh-largest economy on planet Earth, to put this in context. And again, we export 50 percent of all of our fruits, our vegetables and our nuts to the rest of the nation—tomatoes and lettuce and nuts. This is—this is silly for him to say what he said in Central Valley to the farmers, that it’s just about a political decision here or there to turn on the spigots and let the water flow. Again, let me underscore and emphasize: This man is very dangerous. He’s unfit. And that’s why we have to unite the Democratic Party, move forward to do everything within our power to defeat him. ... Read More →

Sanders or Clinton? Two Progressive California Lawmakers Debate Ahead of Today's Vote
California Senate President Pro-Tem Kevin de León and Los Angeles City Councilmember Gil Cedillo debate who is the best candidate to take on Donald Trump. De León has backed Hillary Clinton and was with her last night in Long Beach when she was named by AP to be the presumptive Democratic nominee. Gil Cedillo is backing Bernie Sanders.
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: So, the question is: Who would most effectively do that? And I wanted to ask Gil Cedillo why you’re supporting Bernie Sanders.
COUNCILMEMBER GIL CEDILLO: Well, you know, seldom have we had the opportunity to have such a progressive candidate with his viability, and actually, I believe, on the verge of winning this election. His understanding of the economy and how it works—and how it doesn’t work for working men and women—is critical. His perspectives and policy proposals on immigration are really important to the Latino community, but to the entire nation. His positions on quality education for the nation is critical to our position in the global economy. And his position on healthcare is just so very important for us to join the rest of the industrialized nations of the world as a nation that provides healthcare as a right for every resident of our country. His positions are just compelling for the American people, for the American working class, for immigrants and for communities of color. And so, that’s why I’m so enthusiastic and happy to support the great senator from Vermont.
AMY GOODMAN: What decided it for you, Councilmember Cedillo, when you were making your decision on who to endorse? What was the issue that you felt Bernie Sanders best represented you on?
COUNCILMEMBER GIL CEDILLO: Well, I think the question of viability. I mean, seldom have we seen a progressive candidate, one who is so openly progressive about his positions, uses rhetoric from another era in many instances, in respect, but has policy positions that both the senator and I embrace, and he had the viability. Those early turnouts, his early victories indicated that he was a real, viable candidate. His positions—look, I’ve been an advocate, for example, on driver’s licenses, and the senator, as well, on driver’s licenses in California. It’s unfortunate that in the previous elections, the secretary did not support driver’s licenses in New York—
AMY GOODMAN: Driver’s licenses for?
COUNCILMEMBER GIL CEDILLO: —and intervened to block them. The senator was a proponent of driver’s licenses and worked with the governor of Vermont to make that a reality for immigrant motorists in Vermont. We’ve made it a reality here in California. It’s been very important to deter many of the deportations and the stopping of immigrants on our streets and highways. And so, it’s obviously one area that was very important to both of us. But I think, just in general, the fact that someone could be as progressive, as comprehensive in his global outlook and have viability, I think, was very important for—at least for me.
AMY GOODMAN: And, Kevin de León, as you talk about unifying the party, how do you respond to national polls that suggest that it’s actually Bernie Sanders who might be more effective, might actually have more of a chance against defeating Donald Trump?
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: Well, I think it’s all relative, because if polls show that you can win by 20 points, but another individual can win by 20 points, it becomes relative: How many points do you want to win by? The bottom line is this, is I also have seen polls that show that Hillary Clinton is the strongest candidate against Donald Trump. But let me underscore and emphasize, if you want to win by 10 or 15 points, or 17 or 18 points, it’s all relative, because a victory is a victory. And Hillary Clinton, I believe, is the strongest candidate to take on a very dangerous man.
Gil Cedillo and I are two progressive Democrats who really have moved the ball in California with regard to driver’s license, healthcare for undocumented children—
COUNCILMEMBER GIL CEDILLO: DREAM Act.
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: —the DREAM Act, tuition, in-state tuition for undocumented students who have done incredibly well in California. Hillary Clinton has been highly supportive of these policy issues. In fact, just last week on Saturday, she was very clear, very open to the rest of the nation, that she supports comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship, supports DAPA as well as DACA. And within the first 100 days of her presidency, she will move forcefully in the Congress a comprehensive immigration reform that leads a pathway to citizenship. This is resonating throughout the Latino immigrant community throughout the state of California.
I have a lot of respect for Bernie Sanders. In fact, I have a lot of admiration for Bernie Sanders. I think he’s done incredible with regards to this presidential campaign. But the time is now, because the clock is ticking for us to unite as a party to move forward. This is a big tent party. You have progressives. You have those individuals who are pragmatic. You have individuals who are a little more moderate and conservative within the Democratic Party. That is the mosaic diversity of who we are as a political party. But the time is now to move forward to unite, and I do believe that Bernie Sanders will do the right thing. Again, I have a lot of respect and admiration for him. I have a lot of friends who are staff members on his side. Gil Cedillo is a very good friend of mine. He’s a strong supporter of Bernie Sanders since day one. I’ve been a strong supporter since '08 of Hillary Clinton. I'm a progressive individual who’s gotten a lot of work done in California, that we believe is the model for the entire nation, not theoretical, abstract concepts, you know, given in speeches—
AMY GOODMAN: Kevin de León, let me ask—
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: —but rather actually implementing it into real life—
AMY GOODMAN: Let me ask you, last—
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: —the minimum wage, $15 an hour.
AMY GOODMAN: Last night you were with Hillary Clinton when this announcement was made, first by AP and then by NBC News. What was her response, since you were speaking to her? Was she as concerned? Some news reports were saying that the Clinton camp didn’t want this as much as the Sanders camp? They didn’t want this announcement?
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: Well, you know, she is working very hard. I was with her last night in Long Beach at the L.A. Long Beach City College. And she told me that she’s going to work very hard still to get—make sure she gets every single vote in California, in New Jersey and other states, as well. So she is not counting her chickens before they hatch, by no stretch of the imagination. AP as well as NBC will do their own projections. You cannot control the media outlets. Everyone’s out to get the story out first and foremost, shape it. The reality is this: She’s working very hard, she’s taking nothing for granted, until she crosses that finish line tonight. But there is a strong sense of confidence that she will be the presumptive Democratic nominee. And again, let me underscore and emphasize—it sounds like a broken record, but it is what it is—it’s simple math, and it’s time for us to unite as a Democratic Party and move forward to defeat the—
AMY GOODMAN: I want to turn to the latest—
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: —most dangerous man in politics today, which is Donald Trump. ... Read More →

California Senate President: Trump's Attack on Federal Judge is Racist, Anti-Immigrant
Leading Republicans have continued to criticize presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for attacking a Mexican-American judge. Trump has said the judge should recuse himself from a lawsuit against the defunct for-profit Trump University, because his Mexican heritage represents a conflict of interest, since Trump wants to build a wall on the Mexican border. We get a response from Kevin de León, president pro-tem of the California Senate, and Los Angeles city councilmember and former California state legislator Gil Cedillo.
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to turn to the latest controversy: Donald Trump being forced by a federal judge to release internal Trump University documents amidst an ongoing lawsuit arguing the defunct for-profit school defrauded students. Trump is going after the judge, doubling down on Judge Gonzalo Curiel, this most recently at a campaign rally in San Diego.
DONALD TRUMP: I have a judge who is a hater of Donald Trump. A hater. He’s a hater. His name is Gonzalo Curiel. The judge, who happens to be, we believe, Mexican, which is great, I think that’s fine. You know what? I think the Mexicans are going to end up loving Donald Trump when I give all these jobs, OK?
AMY GOODMAN: On Monday, the Clinton campaign issued an ad featuring Republican lawmakers and party officials criticizing Trump’s recent remarks about Judge Gonzalo Curiel.
JAKE TAPPER: If you are saying he can’t do his job because of his race, is that not the definition of racism?
DONALD TRUMP: No, I don’t think so at all. We’re building a wall. He’s a Mexican.
ANA NAVARRO: How dare he question a judge’s responsibility, a judge’s adherence to the Constitution, because he is of Mexican descent!
CHUCK TODD: Is that not a racist statement?
SEN. MITCH McCONNELL: I couldn’t disagree more with a statement like that.
CHRIS WALLACE: Are you comfortable with a potential president attacking a federal judge for his heritage?
NEWT GINGRICH: No. This is one of the worst mistakes Trump has made. I think it’s inexcusable.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: He says that when he questions whether the judge can be fair because of his Mexican heritage, that is not racist. Do you agree?
SEN. BOB CORKER: Look, I—I don’t condone the comments.
REP. PAUL RYAN: I completely disagree with the thinking behind that.
ANA NAVARRO: He is just as American as Donald Trump. Mexican Americans bleed just as any other American when they go to war. They bled just as any other American on 9/11. They fight for America. They are Americans. And what he is doing is disgusting. I’m livid about it. And if this is his strategy to win over Hispanics, he’s got a hell of a wake-up call coming to him, come November.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s Hillary Clinton’s new ad, featuring a string of Republican officials criticizing Donald Trump. And that last voice was Republican strategist Ana Navarro. The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, in there, Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, House Speaker Paul Ryan and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich—all those voices in that ad. Gil Cedillo, this attack on the judge, on Judge Curiel, a judge who was first nominated—chosen for the bench by Governor Schwarzenegger, a Republican, who has faced death threats from Mexican drug cartels, born in Indiana, your response?
COUNCILMEMBER GIL CEDILLO: Look, if it wasn’t so serious, it would be hilarious. I mean, this is just ridiculous. It’s absurd. He’s a demagogue. It is patent, you know, racism. It’s racist by definition. It just shows the danger that his candidacy poses for the nation. And, you know, since Donald Trump first came forward as a candidate, we introduced a resolution in the Los Angeles City Council for us to divest ourselves from him, from his holdings, for the city to separate ourselves from him, because of his racist comments. Maybe that’s what he means when he says Mexico doesn’t send their best, they send their worst. You know, maybe he means people who get educated, people who become professionals, people who become judges. Maybe he considers that the worst that Mexico can send him.
AMY GOODMAN: And, Kevin de León, president pro-tem of the California Senate, also of Mexican heritage, your response to this attack?
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: I think Trump’s comments are disgusting. They’re abhorrent. And let’s call it what it is: They are racist, because they’re anti-immigrant. If he doesn’t like an individual or a group of individuals because they don’t concur with his views, he calls them out. And he doesn’t call them out based on their ideology, doesn’t call them out based on any debatable thoughts or policies or ideologies. He calls them out based on the hue of their skin, based on their origin, their ethnic origin. That’s racism. There’s nothing ambiguous. There’s nothing vague.
AMY GOODMAN: And, of course, he directly was asked if he would—
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: There’s nothing abstract. That’s called racism. Gonzalo—
AMY GOODMAN: And he was asked if he would—
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: As to Curiel, who lives in San Diego now—you had just mentioned a few moments ago, because I’m from the San Diego-Tijuana region. One of the worst drug cartels on the border in Tijuana, Arellano-Félix brothers, one of the worst Mexican drug cartels—his life was under threat by the drug cartels, because he was one of the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. So his life was on the line, doing everything possible to help stop the flow of drugs in the United States. And for Donald Trump to just outright call him what he did is abhorrent.
But also, if you recall during the Republican primary, when Jeb Bush was speaking in Spanish, trying to connect to the Latino community, he said, "Why are you speaking Mexican, Jeb Bush?" He didn’t say, "Why are you speaking Spanish?" or "Why are you speaking another language?" He said, "Why are you speaking Mexican?" So he says things on purpose to elicit a visceral emotional reaction that can further divide the fabric of this incredible mosaic which is the great United States of America. Again, let me underscore and emphasize: This man is the most dangerous man to come out ever for the presidency. And many folks have underestimated him, because who would have ever thought, who would have ever fathomed that this man would vanquish Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham, Jeb Bush, Christie—Governor Chris Christie from New Jersey and other established political Republican opponents? So, we take this man very seriously, even though his comments are very comical, you know—
AMY GOODMAN: Would you call him a—
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: —outlandish, very clownish.
AMY GOODMAN: Would you call him a racist?
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: I would call him a racist.
AMY GOODMAN: And Gil Cedillo?
SEN. KEVIN DE LEÓN: I’ll be very clear—let me be very clear, so it’s unambiguous: Donald Trump is a racist. He is anti-immigrant. He is anti-American.
AMY GOODMAN: Gil Cedillo?
COUNCILMEMBER GIL CEDILLO: I think the record speaks for itself. His comments speak for themselves. And I think the senator said it best: He’s anti-American, is what he is, more than anything else.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to—
COUNCILMEMBER GIL CEDILLO: He’s demonstrated that he’s anti-Mexican, anti-Muslim, anti-women, anti-gay, anti-disabled. I mean, he is the anti candidate, and we must be united to defeat him. ... Read More →
Headlines:AP & NBC Say Clinton Seals Democratic Nomination; Sanders Questions Tally

The Associated Press and NBC News have announced Hillary Clinton has clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, defeating Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. The announcement came ahead of today’s primary in California and contests in five other states: New Jersey, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota. Both news organizations named Clinton the victor based on unofficial polls of unelected superdelegates. If the projections stand, Clinton would become the first woman to ever be the presidential candidate of a major political party in U.S. history. Speaking in Los Angeles Monday, Clinton attacked presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Hillary Clinton: "So, whether it’s immigrants that he’s insulted, Muslims, people with disabilities, POWs, women, federal judges, the list keeps growing longer. And it is wrong of someone running for president of the United States to engage in that kind of hateful rhetoric and demagoguery."
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders accused the AP and NBC of defying the DNC’s own rules by lumping together pledged delegates with unelected superdelegates, who can change their vote at any point.
Sen. Bernie Sanders: "The point is that tomorrow in California we have the most important primary. The people of California have the right to determine who is going to be president of the United States, not necessarily having to listen to AP or NBC. And I hope that they will come out in large numbers and make it clear that they want real change in this country, that they’re tired of establishment politics and establishment economics, and that they want a government that represents all of us and not just the 1 percent."
We’ll have more on the Democratic race after headlines.
TOPICS:
California
2016 Election
Democratic Party
Rubio Criticizes Trump's Comments on Judge: "It's Wrong, and I Hope He Stops"
Leading Republicans have continued to criticize presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for attacking a Mexican-American judge. Trump has said the judge should recuse himself from a lawsuit against the defunct for-profit Trump University, because his Mexican heritage represents a conflict of interest, since Trump wants to build a wall on the Mexican border. On Monday, Florida senator and former Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio criticized Trump’s comments in an interview with Florida news station WFTV.
Sen. Marco Rubio: "I think it’s wrong. He needs to stop saying it. That man is an American and born in the United States. Beyond it, even if he hadn’t been, I mean, he’s a judge, who has earned that position and in the end should be treated with the same level of respect as any other officer of the court. I don’t think it reflects well on the Republican Party. I don’t think it reflects well on us as a nation. There shouldn’t be any sort of ethnicity, religious or racial test for what kind of judges should hear what kind of cases. If you take that argument and you expand it, you can make that argument, I mean, about anybody in some circumstance or another. It’s wrong, and I hope he stops."
TOPICS:
Republican Party
2016 Election
Donald Trump
Defying Staff, Trump Orders Surrogates to Double Down on Criticism of Judge

Despite the criticism from within his own party, Trump has ordered his surrogates to double down on criticism of Judge Gonzalo Curiel. On Monday, Trump held a conference call with leading supporters, including former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer. According to an account of the call published by Bloomberg, Trump urged his supporters to question the judge’s credibility and impugn reporters as racists. When Brewer noted Trump’s own campaign had sent an email asking surrogates to stop talking about the lawsuit, Trump overruled his staff, saying, "Take that order and throw it the hell out."
TOPICS:
Donald Trump
2016 Election
BuzzFeed Nixes $1.3 Million Ad Deal with RNC, Citing Trump Campaign

BuzzFeed has nixed a $1.3 million advertising agreement with the Republican National Committee. In an email to BuzzFeed staff, CEO Jonah Peretti wrote: "The Trump campaign is directly opposed to the freedoms of our employees in the United States and around the world and in some cases, such as his proposed ban on international travel for Muslims, would make it impossible for our employees to do their jobs." Writing about the announcement for The Guardian, Megan Carpentier notes the deal would have been for native advertising, or sponsored content, often made to look like journalistic posts or videos. She notes: "While media companies accepting money from political campaigns (and organizations such as Super Pacs and advocacy groups supporting candidates) is a fairly standard practice, accepting money to run pieces of sponsored content that many readers will mistake for journalism in support of those candidacies is not—and that’s the deal that BuzzFeed nixed on Monday."
TOPICS:
Donald Trump
Republican Party
Journalism
Brazil: Chief Prosecutor Calls for Arrest of Senate President and Other Top Officials

In Brazil, the chief prosecutor has asked the Supreme Court to authorize the arrest of the presidents of the Senate and the ruling PMDB party and former President José Sarney for allegedly trying to obstruct police investigations. The officials are among the most powerful in Brazil. If they’re arrested, it could rock the newly installed administration of interim President Michel Temer. Temer took over after lawmakers voted to suspend President Dilma Rousseff in what many consider a coup by her right-wing opponents. Leaked transcripts show at least one official plotted to oust Rousseff in order to end a corruption investigation that was targeting him.
TOPICS:
Brazil
U.N. Removes U.S.-Backed, Saudi-Led Coalition in Yemen from Child Killer List, Despite Toll
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has removed the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen from a blacklist of forces responsible for killing children. The removal came after intense pressure from Saudi Arabia. An annual U.N. report found nearly 2,000 children were killed or injured in Yemen last year, a sixfold increase over the previous year. Sixty percent of those casualties were blamed on the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition.
TOPICS:
Yemen
Saudi Arabia
Turkey: Car Bomb Kills 11, Wounds Dozens in Istanbul

In Istanbul, Turkey, a car bombing has killed at least 11 people and wounded dozens more. The bombing targeted a police shuttle bus near a central tourist area of the city during rush hour. Seven of those killed were police. No group has claimed responsibility so far.
TOPICS:
Turkey
Watchdog Highlights Role of Lapis Lazuli in Destabilizing Afghanistan

A watchdog group has recommended the blue semi-precious stone lapis lazuli be classified as a conflict mineral because of its role in fueling armed groups in Afghanistan. Global Witness says the Taliban and other armed groups earn up to $20 million a year from illegal lapis mining. Researcher Stephen Carter said the mines have destabilized Badakhshan province in northern Afghanistan.
Stephen Carter: "The situation at the moment is you have a real illustration that there is competition among armed groups for this resource. And what that does is it creates the ideal conditions for an insurgency to flourish. Everyone’s got an interest in there being a little bit of conflict. Everyone’s got an interest in the government being essentially a hollow shell."
Nuclear Activists Speak Out During Dept. of Energy Tour over Nuclear Waste

The Department of Energy is conducting an eight-city national tour aimed at gathering public feedback on the issue of where to store nuclear waste. The agency has launched a so-called consent-based siting model to determine where to store spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. At a hearing in Boston Thursday, Paul Gunter of Beyond Nuclear raised objections to the process.
Paul Gunter: "How does the public in the affected community build trust when the Department of Energy itself is a promotional agency doing the bidding of the nuclear industry by direct promotion, and that the whole process going forward to date has lacked consent? There’s never been consent with regard to generation of nuclear waste."
Muslim Man Attacked, Severely Beaten Outside NYC Mosque

Here in New York City, a Muslim man has been attacked and severely beaten by three men outside a mosque in Queens. Mohamed Rasheed Khan suffered broken ribs and facial bones, internal bleeding and a concussion. Advocates have called for authorities to investigate the beating as a possible hate crime.
Black Teenager Dies of Asthma Attack While Being Chased by White Youths Yelling Slurs

In another case being described as a possible hate crime, an African-American boy has died after running from a group of mostly white teenagers who were reportedly shouting racial slurs in Staten Island. The New York Daily News reports a dispute between two groups of teenagers escalated when the mostly white group chased after 16-year-old Dayshen McKenzie and his friends with a gun, shouting the N-word. McKenzie collapsed and died of an asthma attack.
TOPICS:
Racism
New York
Judge in Stanford Sexual Assault Case Faces Recall Campaign

In California, a Stanford law professor has launched a recall campaign against the judge who sentenced a former Stanford University swimmer to six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a dumpster. Judge Aaron Persky said he was concerned a prison sentence would have a "severe impact" on Brock Allen Turner, who was convicted of three felony counts of sexual assault after being caught by two witnesses while on top of the woman. Turner’s victim wrote a powerful letter to her attacker which has been viewed more than 5 million times. Turner’s father fueled the outrage by complaining his son’s life had been ruined for what he called "20 minutes of action." The survivor, who has not been named publicly, told The Guardian Monday she was "overwhelmed and speechless" at the support she had received. Meanwhile, Stanford University has finally released Turner’s original booking photo from the night of his arrest last year. Up until now, most media outlets had been using a smiling yearbook photo of Turner rather than the mugshots that typically accompany stories of sexual assault and other crimes.
TOPICS:
California
Black Lives Matter Activist Jasmine Richards Faces Sentencing in "Felony Lynching" Case

In California, Black Lives Matter activist Jasmine Richards faces up to four years in prison at her sentencing today after she was convicted of a rarely used statute in California law known up until recently as "felony lynching." Police accused her of trying to de-arrest someone during a peace march in Pasadena last August. The arrest and jailing of a young black woman activist on charges of felony lynching has sparked a firestorm of protest, with supporters vowing to pack the court today. Click here to see our interview with her attorney, Nana Gyamfi, and Black Lives Matter organizer Melina Abdullah.
TOPICS:
Black Lives Matter
California
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