John Conyers Gives Up Post, Obama Slips to Hawaii, Sonia Sotomayor Teaches Civics in Spanish, and Judy Chu Aims to Block Muslim Ban

Welcome back to what will be a whirlwind week for Congress. So let’s get right to it. Senate Republicans are aiming to pass their tax reform bill this week and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) doesn’t yet have 50 votes locked in. Tax reform isn't the only partisan issue clogging the halls of Congress this week. Both sides of the aisle are digging their heels in on a myriad of standpoints as they race towards a potential government shutdown. The Trump admin and defense hawks want to boost defense spending to more than $600 billion, and Dems are demanding a dollar-for-dollar increase in non-defense spending. And complicating the passage of any spending deal are the highly charged politics of healthcare and immigration. Congressional leaders of both parties will meet with Trump at the WH tomorrow. And there’s yet another fight brewing. This one is at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Former CFPB Director Richard Cordray's hand-picked successor, Leandra English, is suing Trump over his appointment of Mick Mulvaney to head the agency. Mulvaney, who has been an outspoken critic of the agency, showed up for his first day at the office this morning (awkward) with donuts in hand for the entire staff (less awkward if they were Krispy Kreme). This morning, Rev. Al Sharpton will visit Meek Mill in a Pennsylvania jail. Mill’s two- to four-year sentence for parole violation was protested recently and is considered to be an example of the unfair justice system that targets people of color. And finally, she’s your QUEEEEEEEN to be! Actress Meghan Markle will make Black Girl Magic royalty when she weds Prince Harry, who is now fifth in line to the British throne.The couple announced their engagement on Sunday and said that their pending nuptials will take place in Spring of next year. Back to the grind. We’re kicking off the week with this...

  • Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) steps down from Judiciary post as another woman comes forward with more allegations.
  • Barack Obama flits off to Hawaii and Michelle Obama gets Baduism.
  • Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) leads Democratic female Senators push for DREAM Act legislation before December recess.
  • CBC Chair Cedric Richmond (D-LA) teams with conservative colleague on criminal justice reform legislation.
  • Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) intros legislation to block Muslim travel ban.
  • Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) faces off with colleague Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on tax reform.
  • Justice Sonia Sotomayor joins efforts to teach civics in Spanish.
  • Another longtime CNN en Español anchor to leave the network.
  • Several women of color among names floated around to replace Charlie Rose on CBS morning show.
  • NPR TV critic Eric Deggans joins NBC and MSNBC.
  • ProPublica put Facebook to the test on racial discrimination, and the social media behemoth failed miserably.
  • Author and commentator Marc Lamont Hill opens bookstore in Philadelphia.
  • Actress Meagan Goode helps The Collective PAC snatch Black Friday.
  • Two GOPers eye Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s (D-FL) seat.
  • Black voters in Alabama need to show up in large numbers for Dem candidate to beat Roy Moore.
  • Diplomats of color sound alarm at State Department as their numbers dwindle.
  • Legislators issue warning to HHS over religious liberty.
Brenda Arredondo