Kamala Harris official campaign kickoff speech

Speaking at Oakland's City Hall, Kamala Harris officially launched her 2020 campaign for President of the United States. Watch her speech below:

Ethics complaint against Andrew Gillum will proceed

An ethics complaint against former Florida gubernatorial candidate and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum will proceed after the state ethics commission found probable cause at a hearing Friday that he had accepted gifts, Gillum's lawyer confirmed.

Gillum faced six counts related to soliciting and accepting gifts -- including rental accommodations in Costa Rica, a boat ride to see the Statue of Liberty and tickets to see the Broadway musical "Hamilton" in 2016 -- Gillum's attorney Barry Richard told CNN.

"There's conflicting testimony as to what happened," he said.

At the hearing, the Florida ethics commission advocate considered the facts of the case and "recommended no probable cause on the account for soliciting gifts, and she recommended probable cause on the remaining counts, which were accepting gifts that exceeded $100," Richard said.

Florida law bans state officials from accepting gifts worth more than $100.

Read more: Ethics complaint against Andrew Gillum will proceed

Black Voters: What gives you the most pause about supporting Kamala Harris

By George L. Cook III African American Reports.

On January 21st Senator Kamala Harris announced her run for President of the United States.

This was met be with a lot of enthusiasm by many including women, some progressives, and of course her sorors the AKAs, but with skepticism from some black voters.

What led to that skepticism are aspects of her record as , district attorney, and California Attorney General that became more widely known, and although not many some black men take issue with the fact that she did not marry a black man ( These men are akin to those black men in Georgia who refused to vote for Stacey Abrams).

There are also general voter issues with her candidacy such as her Wall Street ties, some feel that she is not progressive enough, and her perceived lack of experience.

Some are not going to like the face that I raised these issues but they must be discussed if we are going to have a serious discussion about Harris's candidacy, and she must have an answer for them if she is serious about her candidacy. Voters deserve answers to those questions.

I for one don't like her criminal justice record and have some concerns about her Wall Street ties but don't care about who she is married to or about her lack of experience as the same claims were made about former President Obama. I'm willing to listen to her and make a better-informed decision after her full platform is out there.

What do you think? I would love to see your responses below.

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Interim President and CEO Statement on the Resignation of Board Chair Rep. Jackson Lee

WASHINGTON—Dr. Elsie L. Scott, interim president and CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF), released the following statement regarding the resignation of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee as chair of the Foundation’s board of directors.

“The mission of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) is to advance the global black community by developing leaders, informing policy, and educating the public. As chair of CBCF’s board of directors, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s longstanding commitment to inspire young people to become involved in their communities and government, coupled with her outstanding leadership and vision, helped the Foundation fulfil its mission.

We are grateful for Rep. Jackson Lee’s unswerving commitment to the Foundation, and her efforts to help shape and elevate our programming for the last two years as chair, and a number of years as a board member.

The congresswoman values the Foundation’s ideals and does not want to be a distraction during the legal proceedings of the suit filed against the CBCF.

While the board selects an interim chair, CBCF will continue to facilitate academic, leadership and professional development opportunities for emerging black leaders.”

‘BlacKkKlansman’ Returns to Theaters After Six Academy Award Nominations

“BlacKkKlansman,” Spike Lee’s crime drama about a black detective who infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan, is heading back to theaters after picking up six Oscar nominations.

The film will be re-released in 168 theaters across the country this weekend. “BlacKkKlansman” will play in over 30 states, including New York, California, and Florida. Academy members will be allowed in showings free of charge with their membership card.

Focus Features initially released “BlacKkKlansman” in theaters in August, where it debuted with $10.8 million — the third-best opening weekend of Lee’s career. It went on to earn $48.5 million at the domestic box office and $40.8 million overseas.

“BlacKkKlansman” recounts the true story of black detective Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), who goes undercover to expose the Colorado Springs chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. After over 30 years of making movies, “BlacKkKlansman” finally landed Lee a best director nomination, making him only the sixth black filmmaker to receive a nod in that category. If he wins, he would be the first black director to do so. He is also the first black writer to be nominated in the screenplay category more than once.

[SOURCE: VARIETY]