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Maxine Waters Makes Good On Her Promise To Go After Trump Financials
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ast month, Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee Maxine Waters along with Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff issued subpoenas to Deutsche Bank seeking financial information on President Trump’s finances. Democrats also subpoenaed JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America as well as Citigroup in their quest to find information about President Trump’s finances. They want to know whether Russia had financial leverage over Trump. “We know that Deutsche Bank is one of the biggest money laundering banks in the country, or in the world perhaps. And we know that this is the only bank that will lend money to the president of the United States because of his past practices,” Congresswoman Maxine Waters said. “He won’t show his tax returns and we have certain information that leads us to believe that there may have been some money laundering activity that might have been connected with Mr. [Paul] Manafort, with some people in his family.” Earlier this year, President Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, testified that Trump inflated his assets to Deutsche Bank in order to purchase the Buffalo Bills. The president has been plagued by lawsuits and investigations since taking office more than two years ago. In June of 2018, Letitia James, the first AfricanAmerican and first woman to be elected New York Attorney General sued
President Trump’s charitable foundation along with its’ directors claiming they violated state and federal charity laws. Accusing the charity and the Trump family of sweeping violations of campaign finance laws and self-dealing, James called on the charity to be closed down and is seeking $2.8 million in restitution. In another lawsuit, Trump was also forced to pay a $25 million settlement to former students who attended Trump University. “I believe that this is a problematic president who has proven that he has taken advantage of others in the past. I know that he has had bankruptcies. We know that there are a lot of stories he hasn’t paid contractors, he hasn’t paid subcontractors,” Waters said. “We know a lot about the history of this president and it doesn’t look good ... So, we think that in addition to what Mr. Mueller is doing and now what we are able to do with our subpoena power, we’ll find out more and we’ll be able to answer that question directly.” Since running for President Trump has refused to release his taxes unlike past presidents who released theirs during their campaign. House Democrats want to delve deeper into his finances to see whether there has been money laundering as well as if there are connections with Russia. In a response to the subpoena, President Trump filed a lawsuit in federal court against Deutsche Bank as well as Capital One to block both banks from
revealing the Presidents assets. “The president will do anything and everything he can to obstruct justice,” Maxine Waters said. “He will do everything that he can to shut down an investigation. He has cast a gauntlet, and he has said that he’s going to fight.” House Democrats are unfazed by the lawsuit. Both Deutsche Bank and Capital One are cooperating with the subpoena and plan to hand over the documents requested. Deutsche Bank said in a statement that it was ‘in a productive dialogue with the House Financial Services and Intelligence Committees. ‘ “We remain committed to providing appropriate information to all authorized investigations in a matter consistent with our legal obligations,” the bank said.
Heated Charter School Debates Ignore One Key Fact: Black Students Are Underperforming frican-American children are California’s lowest performing group of students, only above students with special needs. Only 2 percent of Black kids in the state attend schools that are considered “high performing.” And only 10 majority AfricanAmerican schools, located mostly in hard-to-count, high-poverty census tracts around the Bay Area and Los Angeles, score, on average, above the state math and language arts requirements. On top of that, nearly 68 percent of all African-American students in California perform below their grade level in English and language arts. In math, about 80 percent of Black students fail to meet the state’s proficiency mark. Black children are also three times more likely than Whites to be suspended for similar behaviors, according to a report by San Diego State University’s Community College Equity Lab and UCLA’s Black Male Institute. When it comes to getting admitted to a California State University or University of California school, only 22 percent of Black high school seniors graduate from schools where a majority of their racial group passes the required courses. “The critical question is not being asked: ‘what is best for our children?,’” said Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), a member of the Assembly Education committee. She was speaking at a hearing held earlier this month on three charter school bills — AB 1505, AB 1506 and AB L.A. Focus/May 2019
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1507 — before her colleagues voted to move them out of committee. The package of legislation would place significant restrictions on charter schools, if the full legislature passes them and Gov. Gavin Newsom signs them. Then, last week, the Senate Education Committee voted in favor of another charter school bill. This one, SB 756, would place a five-year ban on certifying any new charters. The language in the bill, introduced by Sen. María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), states that it is designed to ensure public charter schools do not “replace or undermine” the state’s public school system. In California, roughly 52,800 Black students attend charter schools. Although the independent taxpayerfunded schools only account for about 10 percent of public schools, they enroll 3 percent more Black students than the traditional district schools. Because such a high percentage of African Americans attend charters, opponents of the bills see the package of proposals as a direct attack on Black students. “Charter schools have been a way within the public school system for African-American and all families to have choice,” says Margaret Fortune, an African-American educator who founded and runs Fortune School, a network of seven charter schools in Sacramento and San Bernardino that focuses on closing the African-American achievement gap and preparing students for college beginning in Kindergarten.
REBECCA Contributor
TANU HENRY
California Black Media
She says, under current California law, the number one consideration for a charter school to be approved is the academic performance of students. Under the new proposals, one of the criteria would be money — if the applying charter impacts the finances of the local school district. The legislators who authored the bills and their supporters say they introduced them to bring about more accountability and that charter school reform is long overdue. “School board members have a fiduciary duty to ensure the fiscal health of their district. They know the needs of their schools the best and should be able to consider the fiscal impact on their students and district when considering whether to approve a new charter school,” said Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland). Critics of the legislation have said nowhere in the language of the new bills or public statements about them, have the bills’ legislative sponsors taken a critical look at why Black students are underperforming across the state. Last week, nationally recognized television journalist and commentator Roland Martin moderated a town hall in Sacramento focused on school choice. Martin said charter schools are the only option for African-American families who don’t have the means to move to a better performing school district. During the town hall, Martin stated reasons he supports charter schools and has launched a national initiative to Charter school debate continued to page 25
Herb Wesson Announces Unveiling of Obama Boulevard The City of Los Angeles will officially unveil Obama Boulevard in honor of America’s 44th President on Saturday, May 4th. Obama Boulevard will replace Rodeo Boulevard, a 3.5-mile street that runs from “The Heart of Screenland” better known as Culver City, to Mid-City Los Angeles. “I’m thrilled that Los Angeles will be home to Obama Boulevard,” said L.A. City Council President Wesson. “History is important and this is one way we’ll ensure that America’s 44th President’s legacy is shared for generations to come for Angelenos and visitors alike.” A free daylong music and street festival is planned for the unveiling ceremony which will begin at noon on May 4th where Obama Boulevard will intersect with Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard in one of Los Angeles’ most iconic Black neighborhoods.
Family of John Singleton Urges Blacks To Get Blood Pressure Checked Condolences have come rolling in following the tragic loss of groundbreaking Hollywood filmmaker John Singleton at age 51. “Rest in Power, my friend. One of the greatest to ever do it,” posted Regina King, who was featured in Singleton's classic “Boyz N The Hood”. “Mourning the loss of a collaborator & True Friend John Singleton,” wrote “Shaft” star Samuel L. Jackson. Filmmakers Ava DuVernay and Jordan Peele also paid respects to the man they say paved the way. Singleton suffered a stroke two weeks ago while in the hospital after feeling weakness in one of his legs following a flight back from Costa Rica. He had been in intensive care at Cedars-Sinai Hospital for thirteen days when his family took him off life support. Thankful for the support of fans and colleagues, a spokesperson addressed the chronic health issue that took Singleton’s life prematurely-- high blood pressure or hypertension. “Like many African Americans, Singleton quietly struggled with hypertension. More than 40 percent of African American men and women have high blood pressure, which also develops earlier in life and is usually more severe. His family wants to share the message with all to please recognize the symptoms by going to Heart.org”.
L.A. County Officials and Special Needs Network Break Ground on New Center
Last month, Special Needs Network (SNN) President Areva Martin-- along with support from Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas-- broke ground on a new autism center located within the three-story, 55,000 square foot building to be constructed on Martin Luther King Jr. Hospital’s campus in the heart of South L.A. “If you speak to anyone affected by autism, a learning, intellectual or developmental disability, the chances are that you will hear stories of hidden suffering, shame, and discrimination in nearly every sector of their lives. The Special Needs Network autism wellness center seeks to change that,” said Martin. The first of its kind in California, the center will not only serve as a research institute but also offer a range of services including: diagnostics, job training, occupational and speech therapy and life skills training. Impacting one in 59 children, autism is the fastest growing childhood disability in the U.S.