History will be made in Virginia on Election night as a woman of color will be elected Lt. Governor

UPDATE NOVEMBER 3, 2021: WINSOME SEARS WINS VIRGINIA LT. GOVERNOR RACE

Virginia voters will make a historic choice Tuesday: They'll almost certainly elect the commonwealth's first woman lieutenant governor and the first woman of color to statewide office, cracking the glass ceiling in a state that has never elected a woman to its highest office.

Democrat Hala Ayala faces off against Republican candidate Winsome Sears for a role that is widely seen as a launching pad to the governorship — a role that's never been held by a woman, let alone a woman of color — in the state.

"I want the children, when they see me, to say to themselves: 'Well, Winsome is there. If she can do it, then I can do it.' And then you know, we move on," Sears, who is a former state delegate, told USA TODAY.

But, she added, making history only goes so far: It's the governance that matters. "If all you do is shatter the glass ceiling, and then no one can trust you, then what's the point?"

Ayala, who has Lebanese, Afro-Latina and Irish ancestry, told USA TODAY in an interview that while "representation matters," the election isn't solely about electing a woman of color.

"We must first and foremost elect the right woman of color to statewide office," Ayala said. "This is about the future of the Commonwealth. We must work very hard to continue the progress we built on," Ayala said.

A Christopher Newport University poll released Wednesday showed the two candidates in a statistical tie. Ayala has a one-point lead over Sears, 49% to 48%, which is within the survey's 3.5% margin of error.

The candidate who wins the race in Virginia will join three other Black female lieutenant governors in the nation, as Black women continue to transform their political power into leadership positions and aim for higher offices they have long been denied: No state in the U.S. has elected a Black woman as governor.

[SOURCE MSN.COM]

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U.S. to pay millions to families, victims of Mother Emanuel AME massacre

The Department of Justice announced that it has reached an agreement in principle to settle the civil cases arising out of the June 2015 Mother Emanuel AME Church mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.

These settlements will resolve claims by 14 plaintiffs arising out of the shooting. Plaintiffs agreed to settle claims alleging that the FBI was negligent when it failed to prohibit the sale of a gun by a licensed firearms dealer to the shooter, a self-proclaimed white supremacist, who wanted to start a “race war” and specifically targeted the 200-year-old historically African-American congregation. For those killed in the shooting, the settlements range from $6 million to $7.5 million per claimant. For the survivors, the settlements are for $5 million per claimant. 

The parties have been in litigation since 2016, including before the district court and the federal court of appeals.

“The mass shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church was a horrific hate crime that caused immeasurable suffering for the families of the victims and the survivors,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Since the day of the shooting, the Justice Department has sought to bring justice to the community, first by a successful hate crime prosecution and today by settling civil claims.” 

“The nation grieved following the mass shooting at Mother Emanuel, and no one was more profoundly affected than the families of the victims and the survivors we have reached a settlement with today,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The department hopes that these settlements, combined with its prosecution of the shooter will bring some modicum of justice to the victims of this heinous act of hate.”

“The department is pleased to bring closure to this long-running litigation,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “These settlement agreements represent another chapter in the justice system’s efforts to address this horrific event, following the government’s prosecution and conviction of the shooter for federal hate crimes.”

On June 17, 2015, Mother Emanuel congregants welcomed a stranger who had entered their church. They invited him to participate in their Wednesday night bible study. Tragically, at the close of the bible study, the young man they had welcomed killed nine people, including Mother Emanuel’s pastor, Reverend Clementa Pinckney, also a South Carolina State Senator.

The families of the Emanuel Nine, as well as the five survivors who were inside the church at the time of the shooting, sued the government. They sought to recover for wrongful death and physical injuries arising from the shooting. Plaintiffs asserted that the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Checks System (NICS) failed to timely discover that the shooter was a person prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm. Plaintiffs alleged that because of this delay, the shooter was able to purchase the handgun that he used to commit the atrocity.

The FBI and NICS play a crucial role in combatting gun violence. Since this tragic shooting, the FBI has worked to strengthen and improve the background check process. The department and FBI are also actively working to combat gun violence, which is a significant aspect of the department’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy. After the shooting, the department prosecuted the shooter for federal hate crimes and obtained a conviction.

Under applicable law, the court must approve the settlements for many of the plaintiffs. All parties expect that the court will agree that these settlements are fair and reasonable. This case was handled by the Justice Department’s Civil Division.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announces run for governor

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced via Twitter on Friday that she is running for governor in 2022.

James’s candidacy, which was expected, sets up a primary contest against Gov. Kathy Hochul, another Democrat, who intends to seek election on her own after assuming office on the resignation of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

If elected, the 63-year-old Brooklyn resident James would be the first Black woman to be governor of a U.S. state.

Watch her announcement video below:

I'm running for Governor of New York because I have the experience, vision, and courage to take on the powerful on behalf of all New Yorkers.

Let's do this, together. pic.twitter.com/JA21M19p5m

— Tish James (@TishJames) October 29, 2021

NAACP Urges Professional Athletes In Free Agency to Avoid Texas

In response to the most recent attacks on voting rights and reproductive care, the Association sent an open letter to the National Players' Leagues, urging free agents to reconsider moving their families to a state that is not safe for anyone.

NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson:

"We must stand up for what is right and protect our loved ones from the dangerous attacks on freedoms taking place in Texas."

Signed by NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson and NAACP Texas President Gary Bledsoe, the letter was delivered to the National Football League Players Association, Women's National Basketball Player's Association, National Basketball Players Association, Major League Baseball Players Association, and National Hockey League Players' Association. The letter calls on athletes to consider not only their influential platforms as professional athletes, but as parents and role models for our children and those in their personal lives. >/p>

"As we watch an incomprehensible assault on basic human rights unfold in Texas, we are simultaneously witnessing a threat to constitutional guarantees for women, children and marginalized communities," write the authors. "Over the past few months, legislators in Texas have passed archaic policies, disguised as laws, that directly violate privacy rights and a woman's freedom to choose, restrict access to free and fair elections for Black and brown voters, and increase the risk of contracting coronavirus. If you are a woman, avoid Texas. If you are Black, avoid Texas. If you want to lower your chances of dying from coronavirus, avoid Texas."

"When all else fails, we must look within and answer the call to protect the basic human rights and democratic values which are fundamental to this country" said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP. "Professional athletes serve as some of our country's greatest role models and we need them to join us to fight for democracy."

Over the past few months, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed into law extreme voting laws to severely restrict the right to vote, empowered vigilantes with the authority of the law to restrict women's freedom to make choices about their bodies, and has most recently codified redistricting maps that aim to disenfranchise Black, brown, and Latinx voters. Recently released data from the 2020 census shows that people of color have driven 95% of the Texas population growth.

"The continued attacks on people of color in the state of Texas are reprehensible," said Gary Bledsoe, President of the Texas NAACP. "In the absence of federal action, advocates in Texas must stand together and use all of the tools at their disposal to ensure that basic human rights are delivered to the people of Texas. We must fight for our Constitution and the freedoms that it guarantees to all Americans."

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. Appoints Sandra Douglass Morgan to Board of Directors

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) today announced the appointment of Sandra Douglass Morgan to its Board of Directors, effective November 7, 2021, and subject to required regulatory approvals. Morgan, an attorney, is the past chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control board and the first African American to serve as chair.

"We are delighted to add Sandra Douglass Morgan to the Caesars Entertainment leadership team," said Gary Carano, Executive Chairman of the Board, Caesars Entertainment. "Sandra is rooted in the gaming industry in a way few others could be. Her experience as chair of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and as a member of the Nevada Gaming Commission gives her a deep understanding of our industry. Her leadership as an attorney for gaming corporations and government entities adds another lens through which she has developed a unique perspective which will help our company continue to move forward as the gaming landscape evolves and grows."

Morgan was appointed chairwoman and executive director of the Nevada Gaming Control board in January of 2019 after serving on the Nevada Gaming Commission. In her role as chair of Nevada gaming's regulatory agency, Morgan implemented sweeping changes, including ensuring licensees adopted and implemented policies against discrimination and paving the way for cashless wagering at machines and table games, as well as steering the industry through the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Sandra is a proven leader, team builder, and passionate advocate for always doing the right thing," said Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment. "I'm pleased to add her independent voice to our strong board of directors. I look forward to working with her, the rest of our board, and the management team to continue to drive results for our guests, our Team Members, and our shareholders."

Before becoming chair of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, Morgan served as Director of External Affairs for AT&T Services, Inc., responsible for managing AT&T's government and community affairs in Nevada. She previously served as the City Attorney for the City of North Las Vegas and was the first African American City Attorney in Nevada. She began her career as a litigation attorney in the gaming industry.

Morgan currently serves as a board member of the following publicly traded companies: Fidelity National Financial, Allegiant Travel Company, and Cerberus Cyber Sentinel Corp.

With the addition of Morgan, Caesars Entertainment's Board of Directors will grow to 10 members.