Can the NAACP save itself?

When the most prominent African-American civil rights group recently issued a nationwide warning against flying on American Airlines, it was a surprising move for an organization known more for slow-moving lawsuits than public confrontation with major corporations.

Leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said they were following tradition in standing up to the company after investigating a series of complaints that it had discriminated against black passengers who were removed from flights or had their seats downgraded against their will. The airline shot back, calling the accusation disappointing and saying it did not "tolerate discrimination of any kind."

Civil rights historians and activists say the rebuke of one of the nation's biggest corporations is part of a growing effort by the 109-year-old organization to reboot. It follows years of complaints that it has become out of touch as social-media-fueled movements like Black Lives Matter ignite protest and policy change.

"NAACP has had extraordinary success in local issues but nationally it's faded," said Craig Wilder, a historian who studies race at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "This is a critical period where it has to reinvent itself."

When black and white activists in New York founded it in 1909, the NAACP was largely focused on fighting against the wide-scale lynching of African-Americans. Within a decade, it had tens of thousands of members around the U.S. One of its first major triumphs came in 1930, when it persuaded senators to block the nomination of a judge to the Supreme Court because of his negative views on civil rights.

In the decades after that, the group turned aggressively to protests and lawsuits. It was prominent in Brown v. Board of Education — the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision that led to the desegregation of schools — and helped usher in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

But in recent years it has hit setbacks over finances, leadership and a growing chorus of critics attacking its relevance.

The spat with American Airlines was the latest flashpoint for the organization in its months-long attempt to reset.

Read more: Can the NAACP save itself? With viral protests and new leadership, a storied group tries reinvention

Chicago cop cited for racist and threatening Facebook posts

An oversight agency for the Chicago Police Department has cited a veteran officer for more than 60 rule violations, including openly advocating for civil war and Facebook posts that that it deemed to be racist, Islamophobic or threatening.

A 95-page report obtained by the Chicago Tribune shows that the Civilian Office of Police Accountability sustained 62 allegations of rule-breaking against Officer Brian J. Hansen.

"There can be no doubt, based on PO Hansen's Facebook activity and vehicle decals, that PO Hansen cannot live out this mission," the investigators wrote.

Most of the allegations involved Facebook comments Hansen posted between 2015 and 2017, according to the report.

"Alarmingly, PO Hansen also openly advocated for 'civil war,' encouraged people to settle their differences through violence, and even publicly supported the 'code of silence,'" the report said.

Among posts he shared was one of a cartoon boy urinating on the word "Allah" and one referring to African-American children as "wild African kids."

The agency said Hansen argued that his off-duty comments were protected by the First Amendment.

But it said the police department's general order prohibits officers from using social media to post content that's "disparaging to a person or group based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected class."

The report noted that officers can be fired for bigoted speech without violating the First Amendment. The agency also said that police officers are subject to greater First Amendment restraints than most other citizens.

Since August, the 25-year veteran has been stripped of his police powers and assigned to paid desk duty, according to the report. Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson has up to three months to make a recommendation on Hansen's employment to the Chicago Police Board. The board will ultimately decide Hansen's future with the department.

[SOURCE: YAHOO NEWS]

Black Celebrities, Athletes and Politicians Must Respect the Black Press

By Rosetta Miller-Perry, The Tennessee Tribune

Throughout history, the Black Press has been the best friend that Black celebrities, athletes and politicians have ever had. The Black Press often covers Black public figures from the very start of their careers, before they’re “discovered” by the mainstream media, all the way through to their ascension to star or leadership status. Before they became household names, had hit records, secured multi-million dollar contracts or became leaders in the United States Congress, it was the Black Press that was always there for their press conferences and events, often giving them extensive coverage when the mainstream media might only give them a brief mention in the B-section of their newspapers or 15 seconds at the end of an evening news segment.

When the mainstream media finally “discovers” these same Black celebrities, athletes and politicians and they attain a certain degree of fame and success, suddenly, they think it’s okay to snub the Black Press. Now they don't have time to give interviews to Black newspapers or magazines; there's no time to make the visits to Black radio stations, where they once made regular appearances; their (usually) White public relations and management staffers guard their time and appearances carefully, and shun Black-owned media.

This is a disgrace, because when things go bad and these Black celebrities want to get “their” side of the story out, the first place these folks run to is the Black Press. If there is a story about political corruption, infidelity or other alleged crimes involving a Black public figure, the mainstream media's attitude is usually “guilty until proven innocent.” It's the Black Press that usually takes the “innocent until proven guilty” approach, urging fairness and caution, telling readers, listeners and viewers to wait until all the evidence is in, frequently reminding folks of all the great things that their favorite hero did in the past.

The Black Press remains the advocate for Black celebrities, athletes and politicians, even now, despite the fact that so many of them seem oblivious to our existence. That is why, increasingly, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the trade group that represents over 200 Black-owned media companies, that reach more than 20 million readers in print and online every week, is reminding these Black public figures that Black newspapers are their champions and defenders 24/7, and that we have backed them in good times and bad. While the classic case of a Black superstar, who ran away from the Black Press for years and then returned at the eleventh hour, remains O.J. Simpson, it is instructive to see how mainstream media is covering the NFL in the wake of Donald Trump’s garbage claims that the players are somehow "disrespecting the flag and the military" if they kneel during the playing of the national anthem, a claim that was and continues to be absolute nonsense.

The Black Press backed Colin Kaepernick's protest against oppression and police brutality from the beginning, and continues to do so. The Black Press supports Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett and other players who have responded positively in the wake of criticism. Black newspapers have printed the entire Star-Spangled Banner, including its verses supporting slavery including its verses supporting slavery, while many mainstream publications have bought into the Trump idiocy. When conservative newspapers and publications attacked ESPN commentator Jemele Hill for her tweets about Trump, it was the Black Press that offered unqualified support. We've been there through decades of attacks on Black leaders, and we remain vigilant to the constant character assassination and innuendos lodged against Black public figures at the local, state and national levels.

What the Black Press wants from Black celebrities, athletes and politicians is respect, fairness, transparency and the same access provided to mainstream media outlets. Don't just advertise in The New York Times or The Washington Post; also do business with NNPA member publications; continue to make appearances at Black radio stations; order subscriptions to Black publications, in print and online. Our subscriptions and advertising rates are more reasonable than those of the big corporate newspapers, and despite what some advertising firms say, we’re more trusted in the Black community than “general” market publications.

It’s time for the Black celebrities, athletes and politicians who say they value entrepreneurship and economic empowerment to do business with the Black Press.

White ex-Tulsa cop sentenced in killing of daughter's black boyfriend

A white former police officer in Oklahoma was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison for the fatal off-duty shooting of his daughter's black boyfriend, after four trials spanning nearly a year including three that resulted in hung juries.

Former Tulsa officer Shannon Kepler was convicted last month of first-degree manslaughter in the 2014 slaying of 19-year-old Jeremey Lake.

Tulsa County District Court Judge Sharon Holmes also issued him with a $10,000 fine.

Kepler's lawyers said the 24-year police veteran was trying to protect his daughter because she had run away from home and was living in a crime-ridden neighborhood. Kepler, who retired from the force after he was charged, told investigators that Lake was armed and that he shot him in self-defense. Police never found a weapon on Lake or at the scene, and several neighbors testified that they didn't see a gun, either.

There also was a racial undercurrent to the trials. Kepler killed Lake days before the fatal shooting of an unarmed black 18-year-old by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, fanned a national debate over the treatment of minorities by law enforcement.

Read more: White ex-Tulsa cop sentenced in killing of daughter's black boyfriend

House Ethics panel announces probe of Rep. John Conyers

The House Ethics Committee said Tuesday that it has begun an investigation of sexual harassment allegations against Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.).

A BuzzFeed News report on Monday evening revealed that Conyers settled a wrongful dismissal complaint in 2015 with a former staffer who alleged she was fired because she didn't succumb to his sexual advances.

Former staffers also alleged that Conyers made unwanted sexual advances toward his female aides, touched them inappropriately, used congressional resources to transport women with whom he was suspected of having affairs and complained that a female staffer was "too old" and he wanted to dismiss her.

“The Committee is aware of public allegations that Representative John Conyers, Jr. may have engaged in sexual harassment of members of its staff, discriminated against certain staff on the basis of age, and used official resources for impermissible personal purposes,” Ethics Committee Chairwoman Susan Brooks (R-Ind.) and ranking Democrat Ted Deutch (Fla.) said in a joint statement.

Brooks and Deutch added that the Ethics Committee will refrain from making further public statements on the Conyers investigation pending completion of its initial review.

The committee's announcement comes after House Democratic leaders, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), called for an ethics investigation into the allegations.

[SOURCE: THEHILL]

Della Reese passes away at 86

Della Reese who enjoyed dual careers, first as a jazz and pop singer and later as a TV star on CBS' Touched By An Angel, has died at age 86.

Her representative, Lynda Bensky, confirmed her death to USA TODAY, noting, "We lost a magnificent woman who was a trailblazer in many ways."

In a statement sent to USA TODAY by CBS spokeswoman Diane Ekeblad, the network said they were "deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Della Reese, For nine years, we were privileged to have Della as part of the CBS family when she delivered encouragement and optimism to millions of viewers as Tess on Touched By An Angel. We will forever cherish her warm embraces and generosity of spirit...Another angel has gotten her wings."

Reese's singing career began in church, when she joined the junior gospel choir at the Olivet Baptist Church at the age of six in her hometown of Detroit. Soon she was singing at other churches, at civic events and on the radio.

When Mahalia Jackson, known as The Queen of Gospel Music, came to Detroit, she needed a singer to replace a member of her troupe. She turned to Reese, who was only 13.

Jackson was so impressed by the teenager's voice that she enlisted her for a summer tour, and Reese went on to tour with her for five summers.

The singer went on to form her own group, the Meditation Singers, in the late 1940s and signed a deal with Jubilee Records in 1953, with whom she released six albums largely composed of jazz standards.

In 1957, Reese earned national fame thanks to her song And That Reminds Me, followed by her signature hit, Don’t You Know?

Other hits included Not One Minute More, And Now, Someday (You’ll Want Me to Want You) and The Most Beautiful Words.

Reese is survived by her husband, Franklin Lett, and three children.

[SOURCE: CNN]

10 African American students chosen as Rhodes Scholars

One-third of the newest crop of Rhodes Scholars from the United States are African-Americans, the most ever elected in a U.S. Rhodes class.

Of the 100 Rhodes Scholars chosen worldwide for advanced study at Oxford in Britain each year, 32 come from the United States, and this time, 10 of those are African Americans.

The 10 African Americans in the class include Simone Askew, of Fairfax, Virginia, who made headlines in August when she became the first black woman to serve as first captain of the 4,400-member Corps of Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy—the highest position in the cadet chain of command at West Point. Askew, a senior, is majoring in international history, focused her undergraduate thesis on the use of rape as a tool of genocide and plans to study evidence-based social intervention at Oxford.

Several of the winners have devoted efforts to racial, social and economic justice.

Harvard College senior Tania N. Fabo, of Saugus, Massachusetts, created and codirected the first Black Health Matters Conference at the university. An immigrant who was born in Germany to Cameroonian parents, she plans to research oncology at Oxford.

"I'm still kind of in shock," Fabo said Sunday. "When they told me on Saturday I didn't really fully believe it."

Thamara V. Jean, of Brooklyn, New York, completed her senior thesis at Hunter College of the City University of New York on the Black Lives Matter movement. Jean is a child of Haitian immigrants, according to Debbie Raskin, a spokeswoman for Hunter College.

And JaVaughn T. "J.T." Flowers, who graduated this year from Yale University with a degree in political science, helped start an organization at Yale that provides mentors, tutors and summer stipends to make sure low-income students receive the same academic opportunities as others. Flowers has also examined gaps in Portland's sanctuary city policy. After graduating, he returned to Portland to work in the field office of Democratic U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, who said Flowers has worked on a variety of issues, including on how high costs of phone or video calls in prisons not only rip off the inmates, but make it harder for them to keep in touch with their families and thus to readjust to society when they're released.

"He's just an outstanding candidate for the Rhodes," Blumenauer said Sunday. "He's a very quick study, very good with people, an incisive listener who is able to translate that back to people who contact him and to the staff in our office. We're excited for him, and we're excited for what he's going to do when he's back."

Calvin Runnels, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is the second self-identified transgender Rhodes scholar from the U.S., following Pema McLaughlin, who was named a winner last year. A senior at the Georgia Institute of Technology, he has organized rallies in solidarity with the immigrant community and led efforts to increase the number of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus. Runnels will study biochemistry at Oxford. His research investigates the origin of the ribosome, which could provide insight into the origins of life, the Rhodes Trust said.

The scholarships, considered by many to be the most prestigious available to American students, cover all expenses for two or three years of study starting next October. In some cases, the scholarships may allow funding for four years. The winners came from a group of 866 applicants who were endorsed by 299 colleges and universities. Four of the institutions had winners for the first time: Hunter College at the City University of New York; Temple University in Philadelphia; the University of Alaska in Anchorage; and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Congrats to all those students and to all 32 students selected for this prestigious honor. Below is a complete list of the 2018 Rhode Scholars from the United States:

Tania N. Fabo, Saugus, Massachusetts (Harvard University)

Samarth Gupta, Acton, Massachusetts (Harvard University)

Christopher J. D'Urso, Colts Neck, New Jersey (University of Pennsylvania)

Jordan D. Thomas, South Plainfield, New Jersey (Princeton University)

Thamara V. Jean, Brooklyn, New York (Hunter College, City University of New York)

Daniel H. Judt, New York (Yale University)

Hazim Hardeman, Philadelphia (Temple University; also Community College of Pennsylvania)

Alan Yang, Dresher, Pennsylvania (Harvard University)

Nathan R. Bermel, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts (U.S. Naval Academy)

Naomi T. Mburu, Ellicott City, Maryland (University of Maryland, Baltimore County)

Chelsea A. Jackson, Lithonia, Georgia (Emory University)

Calvin Runnels, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Georgia Institute of Technology)

Matthew Rogers, Huntsville, Alabama (Auburn University)

Noah V. Barbieri, Beldin, Mississippi (Millsaps College)

Mary Clare Beytagh, Dallas (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Harold Xavier Gonzalez, Houston (Harvard University)

Simone M. Askew, Fairfax, Virginia (U.S. Military Academy)

Matthew Chun, Arlington, Virginia (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Thomas J. Dowling, Chicago, (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Camille A. Borders, Cincinnati (Washington University in St. Louis)

Nadine K. Jawad, Dearborn Heights, Michigan (University of Michigan)

Clara C. Lepard, East Lansing, Michigan (Michigan State University)

Jasmine Brown, Hillsborough, New Jersey (Washington University in St. Louis)

Jaspreet "Jesse" Singh, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (U.S. Air Force Academy)

Michael Z. Chen, Boulder, Colorado (Stanford University)

Joshua T. Arens, Yankton, South Dakota (University of South Dakota)

Samantha M. Mack, Anchorage, Alaska (University of Alaska, Anchorage)

JaVaughn T. "JT" Flowers, Portland, Oregon (Yale University)

Madeleine K. Chang, San Francisco (Stanford University)

Sean P. Reilly, San Jose, California (Santa Clara University)

Alexis L. Kallen, Ventura, California (Stanford University)

Gabrielle C. Stewart, San Dimas, California (Duke University)

[SOURCE]

LaToya Cantrell elected mayor of New Orleans

LaToya Cantrell was coasting to victory and into the history books on Saturday, becoming New Orleans’ first female mayor. With more than a third of the voters counted, she was on the way to a resounding win against her opponent, former Judge Desiree Charbonnet who, despite a substantial early fundraising edge, could not recover from political action committee attacks that largely did the political dirty work and allowed Cantrell to keep her hands clean.

With a sizable mandate, Cantrell will take over as New Orleans’ 51st mayor as the city marks the 300th anniversary of its founding.

"Almost 300 years, my friends, and New Orleans, we're still making history," Cantrell said to supporters at New Orleans Jazz Market in Central City.

Cantrell told the crowd she had spoken to Charbonnet over the phone and congratulated her on making history. "Our history was two women making that runoff, and we both deserve to be proud of that," Cantrell said.

Cantrell started the race as an against-the-odds candidate who struggled to raise money early in the race. She finally broke out of the fundraising slump once she topped Charbonnet by nine points in the Oct. 14 primary.

Read more: LaToya Cantrell elected New Orleans' first female mayor

Book of the week: The Origin of Others (The Charles Eliot Norton Lectures) by Toni Morrison

America’s foremost novelist reflects on the themes that preoccupy her work and increasingly dominate national and world politics: race, fear, borders, the mass movement of peoples, the desire for belonging. What is race and why does it matter? What motivates the human tendency to construct Others? Why does the presence of Others make us so afraid?

Drawing on her Norton Lectures, Toni Morrison takes up these and other vital questions bearing on identity in The Origin of Others. In her search for answers, the novelist considers her own memories as well as history, politics, and especially literature. Harriet Beecher Stowe, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, and Camara Laye are among the authors she examines. Readers of Morrison’s fiction will welcome her discussions of some of her most celebrated books―Beloved, Paradise, and A Mercy.

If we learn racism by example, then literature plays an important part in the history of race in America, both negatively and positively. Morrison writes about nineteenth-century literary efforts to romance slavery, contrasting them with the scientific racism of Samuel Cartwright and the banal diaries of the plantation overseer and slaveholder Thomas Thistlewood. She looks at configurations of blackness, notions of racial purity, and the ways in which literature employs skin color to reveal character or drive narrative. Expanding the scope of her concern, she also addresses globalization and the mass movement of peoples in this century. National Book Award winner Ta-Nehisi Coates provides a foreword to Morrison’s most personal work of nonfiction to date.

Check out the book.

HARDCOVER-------- KINDLE

‘Get Out’s Jordan Peele Responds To Golden Globes Category

The decision by Jordan Peele, Blumhouse and Universal to submit their film Get Out in the Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy category at the Golden Globes this year has created many questions from his fanbase. Here, Peele explains why the decision was made:

The most rewarding part of making “Get Out” is the conversations the film has inspired.

When I originally heard the idea of placing it in the comedy category it didn’t register to me as an issue. I missed it. There’s no category for social thriller. So what? I moved on.

I made this movie for the loyal black horror fans who have been underrepresented for years. When people began standing up for my voice, it meant a lot. “Get Out” doesn’t just belong to me any more, now it belongs to everyone.

The reason for the visceral response to this movie being called a comedy is that we are still living in a time in which African American cries for justice aren’t being taken seriously. It’s important to acknowledge that though there are funny moments, the systemic racism that the movie is about is very real. More than anything, it shows me that film can be a force for change. At the end of the day, call “Get Out” horror, comedy, drama, action or documentary, I don’t care. Whatever you call it, just know it’s our truth.

[SOURCE: DEADLINE]

Jesse Jackson announces he has Parkinson's Disease

Civil rights leader, Jesse Jackson has released a statement in which he stated he has been suffering from Parkinson's Disease for the last three years. Read his statement below:

Dear Friends and Supporters,

On July 17, 1960, I was arrested, along with seven other college students, for advocating for the right to use a public library in my hometown of Greenville, S.C. I remember it like it was yesterday, for that day changed my life forever. From that experience, I lost my fear of being jailed for a righteous cause. I went on to meet Dr. King and dedicate my heart and soul to the fight for justice, equality, and equal access. In the tradition of the Apostle Paul, I have offered myself – my mind, body and soul – as a living sacrifice.

Throughout my career of service, God has kept me in the embrace of his loving arms, and protected me and my family from dangers, seen and unseen. Now in the latter years of my life, at 76 years old, I find it increasingly difficult to perform routine tasks, and getting around is more of a challenge. My family and I began to notice changes about three years ago. For a while, I resisted interrupting my work to visit a doctor. But as my daily physical struggles intensified I could no longer ignore the symptoms, so I acquiesced.

After a battery of tests, my physicians identified the issue as Parkinson’s disease, a disease that bested my father.

Recognition of the effects of this disease on me has been painful, and I have been slow to grasp the gravity of it. For me, a Parkinson's diagnosis is not a stop sign but rather a signal that I must make lifestyle changes and dedicate myself to physical therapy in hopes of slowing the disease’s progression.

I am far from alone. God continues to give me new opportunities to serve. This diagnosis is personal but it is more than that. It is an opportunity for me to use my voice to help in finding a cure for a disease that afflicts 7 to 10 million worldwide. Some 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s every year.

I will continue to try to instill hope in the hopeless, expand our democracy to the disenfranchised and free innocent prisoners around the world. I'm also spending some time working on my memoir so I can share with others the lessons I have learned in my life of public service. I steadfastly affirm that I would rather wear out than rust out.

I want to thank my family and friends who continue to care for me and support me. I will need your prayers and graceful understanding as I undertake this new challenge. As we continue in the struggle for human rights, remember that God will see us through, even in our midnight moments.

KEEP HOPE ALIVE!

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

Homeland Security Official Resigns Over Remarks on African-Americans

The Department of Homeland Security’s head of outreach to religious and community organizations resigned on Thursday after audio recordings revealed that he had previously made incendiary remarks about African-Americans and Muslims while speaking on radio shows.

In a 2008 clip, the Rev. Jamie Johnson, who was appointed by the Trump administration to lead the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, told radio listeners that the black community had “turned America’s major cities into slums because of laziness, drug use and sexual promiscuity.” He also said black people were anti-Semitic because they were jealous of Jewish people, according to audio posted by CNN. Listen to his disturbing comments below:

Congresswoman Karen Bass questions Jeff Sessions on Black Identity Extremist

During his appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he was not aware of an FBI report on 'black identity extremists.' Rep. Karen Bass (Dem-California 37th District) asked him why there was not a similar report on activities by white nationalists.

Rep. Hakeem Jefferies questions Attorney General Jeff Sessions ability to remember things.

On 11/14/2017 during a House Judiciary Committee hearing. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), pressed the attorney general on his claims that he didn’t recall certain moments during testimony. This didn't go well for Sessions. Watch their at times intense five minute session below:

Olympic hero Ibtihaj Muhammad now has a Barbie doll

Mattel , which makes Barbie, announced Monday that the latest doll in its "Shero" collection will be modeled after Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad. In 2016, Muhammad became the first American to compete in the games while wearing a hijab.

"I'm proud to know that little girls everywhere can now play with a Barbie who chooses to wear hijab! This is a childhood dream come true," Muhammad said in a tweet. The news was announced at Glamour's Women of the Year summit. The doll will go on sale in 2018.

"Ibtihaj is an inspiration to countless girls who never saw themselves represented, and by honoring her story, we hope this doll reminds them that they can be and do anything," Sejal Shah Miller, Barbie's vice president of global marketing, said in a statement.

[SOURCE: CNN]

Pastor Darrell Scott considering run for congress

WARNING: This is not a joke, pastor and sycophant (that's a nice way of saying a** kisser), Darrell Scott is considering running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Scott's only political experience is sucking up to Trump that doesn't seem to have hurt Ben Carson too much in a Trump administration. George L. Cook III African American Reports.

One of Donald Trump’s favorite pastors is laying the groundwork for a potential congressional run in Ohio—and he wants to do it on an exclusively pro-Trump platform.

For months, Darrell Scott, a 58-year-old, Cleveland-area pastor and alumnus of Trump’s presidential transition team, has been mulling a primary challenge to Rep. David Joyce (R-OH) in the upcoming midterms. Recently, however, he has made more serious strides, rather than merely toying with the idea.

Scott says he still texts with Steve Bannon, Trump’s former top strategist, about a potential run, and that Fox News host Sean Hannity, whom he calls his good “buddy,” has shown an interest in him running. The pastor said he had a private, two-hour meeting with Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s one-time campaign manager, last week to discuss his political ambitions. He’s talked to members of the RNC and the Ohio GOP to take their temperature on his possible candidacy. Scott has also been attempting to line up potential donors and high-profile endorsers should he decide to challenge Joyce, whom he calls “anti-Trump” and “Do Nothin’ Dave.”

Scott told The Daily Beast that he already has the support of several members of President Trump’s family, and that his “main motivation” to run would be that “the president needs more support in Congress.” In fact, if he were to win election, he said he would stop serving in Congress once Trump left his office too.

Read more: Trump’s Favorite Pastor Wants to Run for Congress to Help Purge ‘Backstabbing’ Republicans

Sgt. La David Johnson may have been executed

Sgt. La David Johnson, the dead U.S. soldier whose wife Donald Trump disrespected during a condolence phone call, was found with his arms bound after being killed in a Niger ambush in October. Witness testimony suggests that he was captured and executed. Johnson was one of the four U.S. soldiers killed in the suspected ISIS ambush.

Adamou Boubacar, a 23-year-old farmer and trader, said some children tending cattle found the remains of the soldier Oct. 6, two days after the attack outside the remote Niger village of Tongo Tongo, which also left five Nigerien soldiers dead. The children notified him.

When Boubacar went to the location, a bushy area roughly a mile from the ambush site, he saw Johnson’s body lying face down, he said. The back of his head had been smashed by something, possibly a bullet, said Boubacar. The soldier’s wrists were bound with rope, he said, raising the possibility that the militants — whom the Pentagon suspects were affiliated with the Islamic State — seized Johnson during the firefight and held him captive.

The villagers’ accounts come as the Niger operation is under intense scrutiny in the United States, with lawmakers expressing concern that they have received insufficient or conflicting information about what happened. The Pentagon is conducting an investigation into the attack in Niger, where the U.S. military is helping the Nigerien government confront a threat by militants associated with the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

Read more: U.S. soldier in Niger ambush was bound and apparently executed, villagers say

Omarosa gets into trouble at the White House over wedding photo shoot

One Saturday in early April, Omarosa Manigault caused a stir in the White House.

The "Apprentice" villain turned senior White House official brought members of her 39-person bridal party to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for an extended wedding photo shoot, catching fellow senior aides and some security officials by surprise in her bridal attire. The visitors loudly wandered around, looking to snap photos in the Rose Garden and throughout the West Wing, according to four current and former White House officials.

While it’s unclear whether she received formal permission for the photo shoot, at least some lawyers and other senior aides were not briefed in advance, the officials said. They quickly banned Manigault, director of communications for the Office of the Public Liaison, from posting the pictures online, citing security and ethical concerns.

The incident — which created buzz in the West Wing for weeks — did little to help the reputation of the Office of Public Liaison, seen by some White House officials as one of the most unruly and under-utilized operations in the West Wing, according to eight current and former White House officials and advisers.

The office has floundered for months, these people say, and has drawn particular scrutiny from Chief of Staff John Kelly, who has asked for changes.

Read more: Omarosa's West Wing bridal adventure highlights broader dysfunction

The new Black Panther character posters are here!

Marvel has released new posters featuring individual characters from the upcoming Black Panther movie. Each poster gives you an idea of who the characters are. Check them out below. Black Panther is directed by Ryan Coogler (Creed) and will be released 02/16/2018. The Marvel movie stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis.

His father's legacy. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/SLITarKCdJ

— Black Panther (@theblackpanther) November 9, 2017

His people's rage. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/VbqKCW5KW6

— Black Panther (@theblackpanther) November 9, 2017

Her king's love. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/08LozlelID

— Black Panther (@theblackpanther) November 9, 2017

Her nation's honor. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/W5flvGFzUA

— Black Panther (@theblackpanther) November 9, 2017

His people's pride. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/LrOhQc5bz8

— Black Panther (@theblackpanther) November 9, 2017

His nation's security. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/FJO3gVQaGW

— Black Panther (@theblackpanther) November 9, 2017

Her son's survival. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/nZ3HHviAfo

— Black Panther (@theblackpanther) November 9, 2017

His king's commands. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/IBDh8QsmzA

— Black Panther (@theblackpanther) November 9, 2017

Her brother's keeper. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/uSbu3XkPCK

— Black Panther (@theblackpanther) November 9, 2017

His enemy's revenge. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/xxnKYsKhdq

— Black Panther (@theblackpanther) November 9, 2017

His country's orders. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/l3CduecQyL

— Black Panther (@theblackpanther) November 9, 2017

Dem. Congressman ‘Sees Nothing Wrong’ With Changing The National Anthem

Illinois Democratic Rep. Danny Davis says he sees ‘nothing wrong’ with the California ACLU’s effort to ban the Star Spangled Banner as the country’s national anthem.

“Well, you know, one of the things about the Constitution that our forefathers wrote, and basically, there were none of our foremothers that were there. There were none of our fore-sisters there. There are changes that can take place and there is room to change,” he told TheDC Thursday.

Alice Huffman, president of the California chapter of the NAACP, declared the anthem to be “racist” and that it “doesn’t represent our community. It’s anti-black people,” SFGate.com, reported Wednesday. The NAACP is hoping for lawmakers to change it.

Davis, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus went on to say, “Intellectually, if people continue to pursue this nation to become perfected, then I see nothing wrong with that. I mean it was designed, I think they said, to form a more perfect union.”

He added, “They didn’t say that it was perfect at the time, but they did say that we could continue to pursue perfection and if they’re individuals who think that we can make the national anthem more perfect in terms of the goals and objectives of this country then I say so be it.”

The NAACP referenced the anthem’s third verse, which is seldom sung and includes the line, “no refuge could save the hireling and slave from the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave.”

The Star Spangled Banner was written in 1814 by Frances Scott Key at a time when slavery was legal in the United States.

[SOURCE: THEDC]