Maxine Waters statement on replacing Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

After the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announcing that hewould make a move soon to bring a Trump nominee to the floor, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA 43rd District) released the following statement reminding us all of Ginsburg's dying wishes:

Justice Ginsburg’s dying wish was that her seat would not be filled until a new president is installed! Senate Democrats, do not back down. You have a tough fight ahead but our future is on the line! No SCOTUS appointment before the election!!!

Rep. Payne, Jr. Introduces Bill to Reimburse Schools for Coronavirus Masks

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. introduced the Masks for Students Act today. The bill would force the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to continue to reimburse local K-12 schools nationwide for the masks purchased to protect in-school students during the coronavirus global pandemic. FEMA officials said recently that the administration would stop reimbursing schools because it defined masks as an operating expense now and not critical emergency equipment during the coronavirus global pandemic. Rep. Payne, Jr. introduced the bill with Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ).

“Schools are under tremendous pressure to continue in-class learning with less financial resources,” said Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. “They need all the help we can give them. Since the country benefits when students are back in the classroom, I wanted to introduce a bill that would continue to give local schools and school districts federal support for the masks they use to keep teachers and students safe. We are still in a national medical emergency and schools should not be punished for keeping students and workers safe.”

Rep. Jim Clyburn statement on Barr’s slavery comments

Rep. Jim Clyburn(D-SC 6th District) has issued a statement after Attorney General William Barr compared stay-at-home orders issued by governors to mitigate the spread of coronavirus to slavery.

Read his statement below:

Attorney General Barr is in need of a history lesson if he thinks coronavirus lockdowns are a violation against civil liberties comparable to slavery.

It is incredibly reckless for the chief law enforcement officer to compare slavery to life-saving advice from health experts.

Tuskegee Airman from N.J. dies at 101

Tuskegee Airmen Malcolm Nettingham, 101, of Scotch Plains, NJ died Monday. He would have been 102 on Oct. 1.

“He said he was not a hero and didn’t do anything special,” his daughter Deborah Nettingham said. “I said ‘dad, you’re living history. You kind of owe it to the younger generation, African Americans and everyone to let us know your story.’"

Nettingham was among a group of African American soldiers selected in 1944 to integrate a radio communication class in the Army Air Corps. He was stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey and trained as a radio operator/gunner on a B-25 bomber in 1945.

He became part of the important support units for the renowned, trailblazing Black squadron.

He was honorably discharged in 1946 and spent 32 years working for an industrial electronics company until his retirement.

Nettingham was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007.

Nettingham was survived by his daughter Deborah, of Scotch Plains, and son, Malcolm V., of Piscataway; six grandchildren and other family members. He was a member of the Metropolitan Baptist Church of Scotch Plains for the past 96 years where he taught Sunday school and sang in the choir.

[SOURCE: NJ.COM]

Al Sharpton Denounces Attacks On Police

Civil rights activist, Al Sharpton said on MSNBC that he prays for the LA County police officers shot in Compton in the same prayer as he does Jacob Blake and George Floyd. He also asked that ALL senseless violence whether it’s committed by police or civilians stop.

"I think that the protesters that have been, for months, out there now, I among them, should be saying we are not anti-police and we are certainly not for killing or shooting police," said Al Sharpton on MSNBC's Morning Joe. "We are there saying that police should not be wrongfully killing or shooting civilians, particularly in the Black community. And for people to try to associate us with murder and ambushing and death is doing more to hurt the cause than anything else. Some, I suspect in my own way of thinking, could be planted in order to hurt us because that is so extreme from our position."

"Let me be real clear, I pray for the lives of those two officers just like I pray for Jacob Blake who was shot in the back seven times in Kenosha, Wisconsin and I pray for the family of George Floyd," Sharpton added. "And I pray for all of them in the same prayer. I don't have separate prayers for police victims and for police that are victimized. The same prayer: that we stop this senseless violence and this senseless lawlessness. This is where we must be. This is Dr. King's tradition. This is what Nietzsche wrote about. John Lewis. Anyone on the other side whether they claim that they're left or right are wrong, that's what they are."