U.S. Representative Val Demings, a former police chief of Orlando, Florida, won the Democratic nomination to run for U.S. Senate in the state, Edison Research projected on Tuesday.
She will face incumbent Republican Senator Marco Rubio in the Nov. 8 general election.
We did it, Florida! We won the primary, now it’s time for us to #RetireRubio – watch my speech live now: https://t.co/EAZK2T5Rro #RunningtoWin
— Val Demings (@valdemings) August 23, 2022
In the wake of two mass shootings this month, former Police Chief of the Orlando Police Department, U.S. Rep. Val Demings of Florida said there are two pieces of gun control legislation that have broad support. Demings also said that she wants an investigation into local and federal authorities’ initial response to the shooting at Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
Wach her interview on the CBS news program Face the Nation:
Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Thursday night removed herself from consideration to be Joe Biden's running mate, citing the ongoing national discussion about racial injustice and police brutality to suggest the former vice president should choose a woman of color.
"This is a historic moment, and America must seize on this moment. And I truly believe as, I actually told the vice president last night when I called him, that I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket," Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, told MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell.
"And there are so many incredibly qualified women, but if you want to heal this nation right now, my party ... this is sure a hell of a way to do it."
Former Vice President Joe Biden said Friday that more than one African American woman is being considered to be his running mate.
Biden shared the detail during an interview on MSNBC as host Craig Melvin pressed him about renewed speculation about who might be his No. 2 on the Democratic ticket.
Melvin questioned whether demonstrations in Minneapolis and other cities across the country protesting police-involved deaths of unarmed black people were influencing Biden's decision.
“That is not the only criteria to determine who will be the vice president of the United States of America that I'll choose as a running mate. It is just beginning, the process. I guarantee you, there are more — there's more than one — there's more than one African American woman being considered for vice president," he added. "I promise you that.”
Among those floated as possible running mates are Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), all of whom are black, though Biden is also known to be considering a broad swath of women.
Rep. Val Demings, a Florida Democrat whose district includes Orlando, said Sunday she is “concerned” about theme parks reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.
CNN’s Dana Bash asked Demings if she is comfortable with theme parks reopening, noting that her district “depends heavily on these parks for tourism and jobs.”
“I do believe that the theme parks have been very strategic, methodical, very thoughtful in terms of coordinating with public health officials and local officials to make sure that they are doing this right,” she said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Demings added that the parks are “religiously practicing the CDC guidelines within those areas that have opened.”
“I think they're being smart about it. But let me say this. I am concerned, because we know that this virus is not yet under control, and it will not be until we have a vaccine. And we don't know when that will be, regardless of some of the reports that we hear coming out of the White House,” she said. “But we just need to be vigilant and do what we need to do to keep people safe.”
House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) urged former Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday to pick a black woman as his running mate to "reward" them for loyalty to the Democratic Party if he is its presidential nominee.
Clyburn, who endorsed Biden ahead of his South Carolina primary win late last month, told NPR, "I really believe that we've reached a point in this country where African American women need to be rewarded for the loyalty that they've given to this party."
He named a number of black women who he thinks would be good choices to share a ticket with Biden, including Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams.
Clyburn also mentioned Democratic Reps. Marcia Fudge (Ohio), Val Demings (Fla.) and Karen Bass (Calif.) as potential choices, as well as Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Florida Democratic Rep. Val Demings on Thursday endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for president, saying Biden "has been there in the trenches fighting for those things that are important to the American people."
"What I do know is America is always at its best when people have the opportunity to succeed," Demings told CNN's John Berman on "New Day." "And we have leaders in place who understand that. That's why I'm so proud this morning to endorse Joe Biden for the next president of the United States."
Demings did not rule out being Biden's running mate if she was asked and said she was "humbled" that her name has been raised as a potential add to the Democratic ticket.
Demings represents Florida's 10th Congressional District, and was Orlando's first female chief of police. She serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Homeland Security.
[SOURCE: CNN]
Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi selected a very diverse group of House impeachment managers which includes two African Americans.
The two are Rep. Val Demings (D-FL 10th District) and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (NY 8th District).
Demings is a retired law enforcement officer with 27 years on the force who served as Chief of the Orlando Police Department.
She sits on the following House committees:
Committee on Homeland Security
Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security
Committee on the Judiciary
Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations (Vice Chair)
Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Subcommittee on Defense Intelligence and Warfighter Support
Subcommittee on Intelligence Modernization and Readines
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries served as a clerk for Judge Harold Baer, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. He then worked in the litigation department of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison before becoming an assistant litigator for Viacom and CBS. During Jeffries' time at Paul, Weiss he also served as director of intergovernmental affairs for the New York State Chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors and as the president of Black Attorneys for Progress.
He is currently the Democratic Caucus Chair which is the fourth position in House leadership and heads organization of all Democratic Party members in the House.
Jeffries sits on the following Committees:
State House Committee on Banks
State House Committee on Codes
State House Committee on Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions
State House Committee on Correction
State House Committee on Housing
State House Committee on Judiciary
State House Subcommittee on Banking in Underserved Communities
State House Subcommittee on Mitchell-Lama
State House Subcommittee on Transitional Services
State House Subcommittee on Trust and Estates
Besides Demings and Jeffries the managers are:
Rep. Jerrold Nadler
Rep. Adam Schiff
Rep. Zoe Lofgren
Rep. Jason Crow
Sylvia Garcia
BET News presents “ AMERICAN INJUSTICE: A BET TOWN HALL.” Hosted and moderated by award-winning broadcast journalist, Soledad O’Brien, this critical and timely primetime special brings together some of the most influential voices in Congress to explore the future of criminal justice reform in America. The panel of political heavyweights includes presidential candidates Senator Cory Booker and Senator Kamala Harris, and other key members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) including Rep. Karen Bass (CBC Chair), and Rep. Val Demings. This one-hour special speaks to the stark racial disparities that plague America’s criminal justice system and offers solutions. The town hall event airs Sunday, March 24 at 9:00 PM ET/PT on BET.
“BET Networks is committed to bringing conversations and stories of systemic issues of race and justice across our nation to light through platforms like our powerful ‘Finding Justice’ series, our upcoming leadership symposium and this important ‘American Injustice’ town hall conversation in partnership with members of the Congressional Black Caucus,” said Scott Mills, President of BET Networks. “We are taking this on in a way no other brand and network can. We look forward to taking the conversation beyond our screens and into action as we work towards addressing and telling the untold stories of transgressions to Black Americans.”
In America there are currently over 2 million people locked up in jail or prison and more than 4 million under correctional supervision, and America’s crisis of mass incarceration disproportionately impacts black and brown communities. In December, President Trump signed into law the “First Step Act” aimed at reforming some of the sentencing disparities in America’s Criminal justice system. While the bill is a “first step” toward reform, there is still much more work to be done.
In addition to the “First Step Act,” this BET Town Hall examines several other issues in the Criminal Justice system still in urgent need of reform including juvenile justice and the school-to-prison pipeline, the cash bail system that too often preys on low-income minorities and a probation/parole system that in too many cases works as a system to re-incarcerate offenders. This BET News special addresses these issues and offers tools to empower people to advocate for criminal justice reform at the local level, in their communities. To drive audience engagement and give context to the issues discussed, clips of BET’s original docuseries “Finding Justice” will be included throughout the special.
Tune in Sunday, March 24 starting at 8:00 PM ET to a new episode of “Finding Justice” focusing on voter suppression, followed by “AMERICAN INJUSTICE: A BET TOWN HALL,” at 9:00 PM ET/PT and be part of this crucial conversation by socializing your thoughts with the hashtag #FindingJusticeBET
