Prince Georges Afro American Newspaper April 18 2015

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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EDITION

Volume 123 No. 37

APRIL 18, 2015 - APRIL 24, 2015

Edwards is Ready to Fight for Senate Seat

Senate Delay of Lynch Vote Continues

By James Wright Special to the AFRO

AP File Photo

Loretta Lynch has waited five months to be confirmed as U.S. attorney general. By James Wright Special to the AFRO Civil rights leaders are continuing their push to have the U.S. Senate confirm President Obama’s pick for U.S. attorney general. Loretta Lynch, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, has waited a record number of days for a vote on her confirmation as the nation’s next chief law enforcement officer. The delay is unacceptable, Wade Henderson, the president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said. “It’s been five months since President Obama nominated Loretta Lynch

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to be the next U.S. attorney general, and the Senate has yet to even schedule a vote on her confirmation,” Henderson said. “A widely respected public servant with exemplary qualifications, Lynch has been a champion in the fight against terrorism, hate crimes, public corruption and community violence.” The Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network (NAN), agrees with Henderson. “Times are serious, things are too on-edge for us not to have a sitting, confirmed attorney general to decide where we are,” he said. Sharpton and Henderson made their remarks along with other civil rights leaders on April 11 at the NAN’s national

convention in New York City. If confirmed, Lynch will be the country’s first Black female attorney general. On Feb. 26, Lynch’s nomination was sent to the Senate floor by a 12-8 Senate Judiciary Committee vote. All the Democrats on the committee support her nomination and three Republicans, Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) voted for her also. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is holding up the confirmation vote because Democrats are contesting an anti-human trafficking bill that includes abortion Continued on A6

In 2008, Donna Edwards became the first Black woman elected to represent Maryland in the U.S. House of Representatives. She wants use that same drive to make history again in 2016: the Free State’s first AfricanAmerican U.S. senator. “If I am elected to the U.S. Senate, I will fight for working families and our communities,” Edwards said

Democratic primary for the Fourth Congressional District seat on Feb. 12, 2008, and, in an unusual set of events triggered by Wynn’s May 31 resignation from his position, Edwards won a June 17 special election to officially take the congressional seat. She was sworn into office on June 19, 2008 and won the Nov. 4 general election easily for a full two-year term. When Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) announced her retirement at the end of

“We only have one woman of color in the U.S. Senate…and I want to change that.” – Donna Edwards

on April 2. “Whether you live in Baltimore, the Eastern Shore, or Western Maryland, I will work to impact the lives of people in our state.” Edwards defeated incumbent Al Wynn in the

her current term on March 2 of this year, Edwards jumped in the race on March 10. U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (DMd.) is the only opponent she has at this time for the Democratic nomination for

donnaedwardsforsenate.com

U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards has represented part of Prince George’s County since 2008. the seat. Edwards said that as a senator, she will speak for those whose voices are not often heard. “When you look at the Senate, there are voices that are missing,” she said. “The voices that are missing are those of a Black woman. We only have one woman of color in the U.S. Senate, Mazie Hirono, and I want to change that.” Edwards refuted an assertion Continued on A8

New Lieutenant Governor Shares Insight on Being a Prince George’s County Leader By Melanie R. Duncan Special to the AFRO Over 400 people attended the 4th annual community breakfast hosted by 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County, Md. on April 11. Under the theme “Empowering Our Community with Tomorrow’s Leaders,” Maryland’s newly elected Lt. Gov. Boyd K. Rutherford was the keynote speaker. Having previously served as the Associate Administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration and Assistant Secretary for Administration for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rutherford said he was beginning to grow the clientele of his private law firm when he got the call from Larry Hogan Jr. requesting a meeting. “I turned to my wife and Photo by Michael A. Graham, 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County said, ‘I hope they’re not going to ask me to run Maryland Lt. Governor Byron K. Rutherford was the for lieutenant governor’,” he said. keynote speaker at the 4th annual community breakfast But after talking it over with family and hosted by the 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County. friends, Rutherford, a Republican, accepted Hogan’s offer and became the ninth lieutenant governor of the state of Maryland. “I jumped into the race and quite frankly I enjoyed it,” he said. “We listened to the issues. It wasn’t an issue of Democrat or Republican. They were issues

always chartered his own path. “As my mother will tell you, I’ve always walked my own way,” he said. “I was always willing to challenge the status quo.” Submitting a budget was at the top of Rutherford’s to-do list upon taking office. He also briefly mentioned his goal of bettering schools and tackling Maryland’s growing heroin problem. Rutherford applauded the 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County for their work in the community, saying citizens cannot look solely at the government to solve problems. Inviting Rutherford to speak at the event was an easy choice, said Michael Graham, chairman of 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County marketing and public relations committee. “We like to bring power to the community, because often times we don’t get access to them, whether we vote for them or Continued on A8

P.G. Business Profile

“We believe the city elected us to put Maryland on a different path.” – Lt. Gov. Rutherford

of Marylanders. We believe the city elected us to put Maryland on a different path.” Whether it’s cheering for the Dallas Cowboys in Washington Redskins territory or questioning the need to register as a Democrat, Rutherford described himself as a person who has

Fitness Trainer Finds Big Success in Small Space By Teria Rogers Special to the Afro

Eleven men and women were sweating to the beat in a Saturday morning workout. James Davis was on the back row dropping one knee into a lunge holding kettlebells. Felesha Johnson was on the front row lying flat on her back, legs suspended by resistance bands doing reverse crunches. “Just 10 more,” the class

Copyright © 2014 by the Afro-American Company

Continued on A8

Jonese Holloway and her daughter

Photo by Teria Rogers


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