President Biden, Cherelle Griner Remarks on Release of WNBA Star Brittney Griner

Watch as President Biden announces that the U.S. had secured the release of WNBA player Britney Griner. Also hear Brittney Griner's wife, Cherelle discuss Brittney's release.

Booker, Murphy Urge US Sentencing Commission for Fair Sentencing During Implementation of BSCA

U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) urged the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) to pursue fair sentencing policies while also meeting the purposes of the USSC’s directive under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), legislation that was signed into law by President Biden earlier this year.

“As the first meaningful federal gun safety legislation in decades, we believe that it can and will save lives. But to achieve that outcome, it is essential that the implementation of the law avoids the mistakes of the past,” wrote Senators Booker and Murphy in a letter to USSC Chair Judge Carlton W. Reeves. “The Commission has an important role in ensuring fair sentencing and preventing unjust outcomes in criminal sentences. The process that the Commission undertakes will impact individuals and communities for years to come. We respectfully urge the Commission to remain steadfast in its goals to establish fair sentencing policies and practices that meet the purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(2) through careful research, collection and analysis of data, and input from the criminal justice community. We are mindful that this approach takes a great deal of time and effort, but it is imperative that the process be thorough to avoid any unintended consequences that result in unfair or unjust sentencing policies.”

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act includes provisions that direct the USSC to impose increased penalties for convicted straw purchasers and firearms traffickers, especially if they are affiliated with a gang or cartel. The Senators emphasized the intent of the provisions is to deter these criminal activities and urged USSC to avoid taking a broader interpretation that could lead to unfair or harsh sentencing practices.

“It should be made clear that the legislative intent of the BSCA is to end the flow of illegal guns into communities and reduce gun violence. The directive’s attention to both sentencing enhancements and mitigating factors reflects this focus, as it seeks to punish suppliers of the large numbers of firearms diverted from lawful commerce, while avoiding unnecessarily long sentences for people with less culpability or without significant criminal histories. The directive’s instruction to the Commission to consider sentences for straw purchasers ‘that are sufficient to deter participation in such activities and reflect the defendant’s role and culpability’ should not be interpreted more broadly than intended. It was our intent that the instruction that sentences be ‘sufficient to deter participation’ reflects an intent that the recommended sentences for straw purchasing be enough to achieve this goal but not excessive or unnecessary,” continued the Senators. 

The full text of the letter can be found here.

The full text of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act can be found here.

Ken Griffey Jr., MLB, MLBPA announce inaugural HBCU Swingman Classic

Major League Baseball (MLB), the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. jointly announced Tuesday the launch of the "HBCU Swingman Classic,” an annual All-Star experience for baseball student-athletes from Division-I programs at Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU). The philanthropic & educational event, which will center around an “All-Star” Game, will be held during 2023 MLB All-Star Week in July at T-Mobile Park, home of the Seattle Mariners, the franchise for which Griffey Jr. played for 13 seasons during his legendary career.

The HBCU Swingman Classic, which will be powered by the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation, will highlight the history and legacy of HBCU baseball programs while also providing 50 HBCU baseball players with the opportunity to showcase their talent on a national stage. The student-athletes will be selected by a committee that will include Griffey Jr., representatives from MLB and MLBPA, and scouts. Additional details about the HBCU Swingman Classic will be announced in the months ahead.

Griffey Jr., who is an Ambassador for the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation, said: “I am excited to help these kids get the national attention that they don’t receive compared to other college baseball programs. Over the years, we have seen the decline of African American players, not because they don’t want to play, but rather because they haven’t been seen. College scholarships for baseball are not comparative to other sports, and a lot of families cannot afford to pay the difference. So, this effort is the industry coming together to give these kids an opportunity to play the game they love on the national stage. Financial restrictions prevent them from going to schools that give more exposure. The HBCU Swingman Classic will try and close that gap.”

“Major League Baseball is thrilled to continue to work alongside Ken Griffey Jr. and the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation to bring this groundbreaking event to MLB All-Star Week,” said Tony Reagins, Chief Baseball Development Officer, MLB. “Highlighting the talent at HBCU Baseball programs is an important part of how we connect with college baseball while also improving African American representation at all levels of our game. We are excited to offer this opportunity to these players and for our fans to witness this new All-Star experience.”

The HBCU Swingman Classic joins the annual Hank Aaron Invitational as youth-oriented and diversity-focused programs powered by the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation, a joint initiative by MLB and MLBPA to support efforts that focus on improving the caliber, effectiveness and availability of amateur baseball and softball programs across the United States and internationally.

Historically, many HBCU alumni have reached Major League Baseball, including Hall of Famers Andre Dawson and Lou Brock as well as Marquis Grissom, Rickie Weeks, Jr., Vince Coleman, Tommie Agee, Tom Alston, Earl Battey, Joe Black and others. Hall of Famer Larry Doby is also an HBCU alumnus, but did not play baseball at the collegiate level.

Watch Sen. Raphael Warnock full victory speech after defeating Herschel Walker

Watch Senator Raphael Warnock's full victory speech after defeating Herschel Walker in the Georgia runoff election:

NAACP Congratulates Rep. Hakeem Jeffries on Historic New Role

This week, Democrats in the House of Representatives voted to elect Rep. Hakeem Jeffries as their new party leader. NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson released the following statement congratulating him on this historic achievement:

"Rep. Hakeem Jeffries has made history. The NAACP is proud to celebrate the election of the first Black lawmaker to lead a major political party in either chamber of Congress. This is a major milestone for Black representation within our government. This historic moment is only further proof that it is possible to build a Congress that is just as diverse and dynamic as the American people. As he steps into this new role, Rep. Jeffries will lead his Caucus into a new era, bringing with him new ideas, passion, and energy that will inspire the next generation of Black leaders. "