Oakland Post, week of August 2 - 8, 2023

Oakland Post

60th Year, No. 28

Oakland in Danger of Missing Deadlines on Hundreds of Police Misconduct Cases

Mayor Thao Joins with Gov. Newsom to Expand Public Safety in Oakland

By Post Staff

The city is facing a huge backlog of police misconduct cases and is in danger of missing a mandatory oneyear state deadline for disciplining officers, according to Mac Muir, the newly hired executive director of the Community Police Review Agency (CPRA), which investigates police misconduct under the leadership of the Oakland Police Commission.

Speaking at the July 27 police commission meeting, Muir, a veteran police oversight investigator who started his job as the head of the CPRA in June, said his office is swamped with work and would have to do “triage” to prioritize its investigations to ensure the most serious misconduct cases can be resolved before they expire.

Top priority cases include use of force investigations, untruthfulness, and racial profiling cases.

While it is still unclear exactly what went wrong, CPRA over the past year has been functioning without stable leadership — the turnover of several executive directors — and now has only three of nine investigators, due to staff resignations.

“These are truly troubling issues. We’ve had several cases that have passed the 3304 deadline, which

means there can be no discipline administered,” Muir said, referring to the Public Safety Officers’ Procedural Bill of Rights, the state law that governs police misconduct cases.

Bluntly sharing the sobering news, Muir said:

• Of 211 current cases of alleged police misconduct cases, 64 have no investigators, and no investigative work has yet begun on 135 of these 211 cases.

• Currently, the average time to close each case is 363 days “and rising,” according to Muir. Under state law the agency has 365 days to resolve a case if it decides on any discipline. The goal is to complete cases within 180 days.

• Some files were lost due to the recent ransomware attack on the city’s computer systems.

• Muir has not specified the number of cases that are in jeopardy but said that if the current process is not improved, as many as 300 cases would be at risk by December or January.

“If the average case time rises over 365 days, then every single case is at risk of blowing the statute of limitations,” Muir said. CPRA currently receives about three new cases

Continued on page 8

By Post Staff Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao announced this week she is partnering with Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Highway Patrol to support the city’s crime prevention efforts.

Working in collaboration with the Oakland Police Department (OPD), California Highway Patrol officers will assist in traffic enforcement along high injury corridors in Oakland. The goal is to target reckless driving, auto theft, sideshows, and highway shootings while allowing OPD officers to focus their efforts on solving violent crime.

The Office of the Governor will provide the city with $1.2 million in state funding to support the purchase and installation of automated license plate readers, which will help OPD collect evidence and solve crime.

“Strong partnerships are critical in making our city safer,” said Thao. “Our comprehensive community safety approach includes both accountability for those who commit crime as well as prevention and deterrence efforts to stop crime before it occurs.”

“I am grateful to Gov. Newsom for granting my request for additional support,” Mayor Thao said.

Family Sues Transportation Company for “Negligence” in Death of Former Berkeley Mayor Gus Newport

The mayor’s community safety and crime prevention initiatives include:

• New deployments of foot patrols and motorcycle units;

• Expansion of MACRO, civilian responders to non-violent, nonemergency calls;

• Stepped up efforts, in coordination with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, to combat illegal sideshows;

• Funding for six new police academies for training;

• Funding for the Department of Violence Prevention to assist in its mission to deter crime and disrupt the cycle of violence;

• Working with Oakland Unified School District and community partners to improve school safety;

• Summer youth employment and other summer services, working with OUSD, to help keep young people engaged in positive activities.

“These partnerships will help improve traffic safety where it’s most needed while enabling our police department to focus resources on improved responsiveness and addressing crime,” said City Administrator Jestin Johnson.

PT-17, Tuskegee Airmen Aircraft Exchange Ceremony at Joint Base Andrews

By Ken Epstein

Family members have filed a lawsuit for negligence in the “wrongful death” of former Berkeley mayor and civil rights leader Gus Newport, 88, who died on June 17 after being gravely injured a few days earlier while a transportation company was delivering Newport from his home in Oakland to a medical appointment in San Francisco.

The lawsuit was filed against Owl Transportation, a large transportation company with branches around the country, which owned the van hired by the Veterans Administration to deliver Newport, who was in a wheelchair, from his Oakland home to the VA Medical Center in San Francisco in the early afternoon of June 12.

The lawsuit against Owl Transportation for “wrongful death, elder abuse, and personal injury” was filed on July 21 by Oakland civil rights attorney Dan Siegel on behalf of Newport’s wife and two children.

According to an email from Newport’s wife, Kathryn Kasch, “The SF Chief Medical Examiner

NAACP Calls for End to Oakland’s Public Safety Crisis

The Oakland and regional branches of the NAACP are demanding improvements in public safety from the city’s leadership and police. Issued last week, the letter and statement are published in full below.

“Oakland residents are sick and tired of our intolerable public safety crisis that overwhelmingly impacts minority communities. Murders, shootings, violent armed robberies, home invasions, car break-ins, sideshows, and highway shootouts have become a pervasive fixture of life in Oakland. We call on all elected leaders to unite and declare a state of emergency and bring together massive resources to address our public safety crisis.

“African Americans are disproportionately hit the hardest by crime in East Oakland and other parts of the city. But residents from all parts of the city report that they do not feel

safe.

“Women are targeted by young mobs and viciously beaten and robbed in downtown and uptown neighborhoods. Asians are assaulted in Chinatown. Street vendors are robbed in Fruitvale. News crews have their cameras stolen while they report on crime. PG&E workers are robbed and now require private security when they are out working. Everyone is in danger.

“Failed leadership, including the movement to defund the police, our District Attorney’s unwillingness to charge and prosecute people who

Continued on page 8

By Conway Jones

The Collings Foundation/American Heritage Museum hosted the PT-17 Tuskegee Airmen Aircraft Exchange Ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Hangar 3, on Wednesday, July 26.

Near Washington, D.C., the ceremony occurred on the 75th anniversary of President Harry S. Truman signing Executive Order 9980 and 9981, which ended segregation in the U.S. armed forces.

William T. Fauntroy Jr., Carl C. Johnson, and retired Lt. Col. Shelton Ivan Ware were three of the few surviving Tuskegee Airmen who were present and honored. The airmen used the aircraft for training while fighting in World War II.

“These men are the forefathers of modern history,” said Rob Collings, chief executive officer of the Collings Foundation, which is assisting in transporting the aircraft. “These

gentlemen embody what is great about America, and it is an honor to have this PT-17 headed to a national museum to continue that legacy.”

Air Force Chief of Staff General Charles Q. Brown Jr., said during his speech that successes of the Tuskegee Airmen helped to pave the way for future leaders like himself. General Brown has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen included completing 1,378 combat missions and 179 bomber escort missions that lost fewer than 25 bombers, a rare feat among missions. The airmen are also heavily decorated veterans, with 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 744 Air Medals, eight Purple Hearts and 14 Bronze Stars, according to the Air Force.

has determined that Gus died from a ‘blunt force head and neck injury,” that was caused by a fall in or from his wheelchair while he was in the transport van.”

“This was not a natural death,” Kasch wrote. “This was a vibrant life cut short by negligence or misconduct on the part of the transport company. The family has not received any explanation from the company or the VA as to what happened and so has had no choice but to file this suit in an effort to learn the truth and get some justice for our loss.”

In an interview with the Oakland Post, Siegel said, “The whole process has been frustrating for his wife and children. The van picked him up around noon to take him to the appointment to have his hearing aid adjusted.”

Before his death, Newport had been active, cheerful and in good health, Siegel said. “Something happened, but we don’t know what yet. He fell out of the wheelchair and broke his neck and spine.”

The first case management conference in the case is scheduled for December.

Eugene ‘Gus’ Newport. Post file photo.

Mac Muir (courtesy photo) and Cathy Leonard (courtesy photo).

Photograph by Robert Higginbotham.

Rick Callender (l.), president, California-Hawaii

NAACP Regional

Branch. Post file photo. Cynthia Adams, Oakland NAACP branch president. Post file photo.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18 postnewsgroup.com

Weekly Edition. August 2 - 8, 2023

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Henrietta Lacks’ Family Settles Lawsuit with Biotech Company, Paving the Way for More Claims, Says Attorney Ben Crump

and COVID-19 vaccines and the world’s most common fertility treatment.

Crump has noted that other companies besides Thermo Fisher Scientific sell Lacks’ cells, and biotech companies and labs globally use them for various types of research.

The family has signaled that they also may act against those companies.

For decades, Lacks’ contributions to science remained unrecognized.

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

Living relatives of Henrietta Lacks have reached a confidential settlement with Thermo Fisher Scientific, the multi-billion-dollar biotechnology company that has used regenerative cells taken from Lacks decades ago without her consent.

The settlement sets a precedent, potentially leading to complaints seeking compensation and control of Lacks’ cells, famously known as “HeLa” cells, the world’s first cells capable of replicating outside the human body.

Represented jointly by attorney Ben Crump, renowned for his advocacy for Black victims of police violence, and attorney Chris Seeger, known for leading significant class action lawsuits in U.S. history, the family called a news conference in Baltimore on Tuesday, August 1, which coincides with what would have been Lacks’ 103rd birthday.

“The parties are pleased that they were able to find a way to resolve this matter outside of court and will have no further comment about the settlement,” Crump and Seeger wrote in a news release.

The Lacks family’s lawsuit addressed a problem that had persisted for 70 years following the unlawful removal of Henrietta

Lacks’ cells while she was receiving cervical cancer treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

The family argued that the cells rightfully belong to Lacks and that companies like Thermo Fisher Scientific should pay for using them in research and product development.

In a 2022 interview, Crump called the situation “indicative of the Black struggle for equality and respect in America.

“Because it’s a racial justice issue when you think about it in the purest form,” Crump asserted. “The children of Henry Ford, they’re able to benefit from his contributions to the world.”

Thermo Fisher Scientific, in its defense, contended that Lacks’ descendants waited too long to take legal action and that other companies worldwide also use HeLa cells without the family’s consent.

Lacks’ cancer treatment in 1951 was unsuccessful, and she tragically succumbed to the disease a few months after her diagnosis.

Following her death, researchers at Johns Hopkins discovered that the cells sampled from Lacks’ cervix could regenerate outside the human body.

They shared those groundbreaking cells, which were instrumental in developing polio

However, Maryland Democratic Rep. Kweisi Mfume and fellow Maryland Democrats U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin have introduced legislation seeking to award Lacks a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously.

The lawmakers said the goal is to ensure her contributions are honored and acknowledged for generations, as the cells she unknowingly provided continue to benefit millions worldwide.

Lacks’ story has since become a best-selling book and, in 2017, Oprah Winfrey starred in the big screen biopic, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.”

“It’s a real honor to have a family member that’s genetic makeup is that important to the world,” Lacks’ grandson, Ron Lacks, said in an earlier interview.

“When people are profiting from her, and some of my family members can’t even afford proper medical [care], you know, it’s like she’s on the auction block,” he said.

“You know, as loving as my grandmother was, she would have definitely said, ‘Well, what about her family?’”

California Lawmakers: Smarter Policy Can End Poverty

By Lila Brown California Black Media

A group of progressive California lawmakers — including three members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) — have pledged to end poverty in California by advancing more effective policy during the next legislative session — and beyond.

Newly appointed Assembly Majority Leader Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) announced the formation of the End Poverty in California Caucus last month at a Los Angeles screening of the documentary “Poverty and Power.”

The film features former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, an antipoverty advocate who founded a nonprofit that shares a name with the caucus, End Poverty in California (EPIC).

“We’re headed towards the end of the legislative session, but we’re in the process of recruiting members to the poverty caucus,” Bryan, who is the chair of the new caucus, told California Black Media.

“We’ve got about a half dozen members already,” Bryan contin-

ued. “As we continue to do outreach in the Legislature, I expect that number to grow. By the time we come back together in January to introduce new legislation we should have everything ready to go, to focus on criminal justice reform and the housing crisis’ systemic nexus to poverty in the state.”

Bryan is the treasurer of the CLBC.

The End Poverty Caucus says it will aim to “help lawmakers organize around key votes and issues and build power in order to advance bold policy change.”

Other CLBC lawmakers who are members of the newly formed poverty caucus are Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) and Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Ladera Heights).

“Part of the reason over a quarter of our state’s residents live at or below the poverty level is because of California’s failed public policies,” said Smallwood-Cuevas in a statement.

“Our state Legislature must fight for California’s working families by creating equitable ac-

cess to quality jobs and doubling down on what Californians earn across the board, particularly for residents from marginalized communities of color.”

Bonta said bills she introduced this year have prioritized the needs of children and families, but she looks forward to working with her colleagues to take bolder and broader action to address those problems.

“It’s clear that we need to advance stronger policies that will coordinate effective, place-based delivery of wrap-around services for people most in need to make significant progress in the fight against poverty,” Bonta said. “I look forward to joining forces with our End Poverty Caucus to ensure that we strengthen our safety net and tackle the racial and economic inequities in our communities.”

Some critics have cautioned, however, that creating a caucus focused on poverty is political showmanship by Democrats that will have little impact on actual poverty reduction.

Tim Anaya, vice president of

Continued on page 7

Majority Leader Isaac Bryan (California District 55) and ex-Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs (founder, End Poverty in California) with EPIC’s Greg Kauffman and filmmaker Jacob Kornbluth at the “Poverty and Power” Impact Screening and Conversation in Los Angeles.

Henrietta

OPINION: More Californians Should Know About Lifesaving COVID Meds

By Doug Moore Special to California Black

Media

While I would like nothing more than to put the pandemic in the rearview mirror, I’ve accepted the fact that COVID-19 is still a part of our lives.

We’re a far cry from where we were in the summer of 2020 — we now know what works to keep us safe and how to mitigate the worst of the virus.

Tools like COVID-19 medications can help us keep the worst of the virus at bay, if only more people knew about them.

In my role as the executive director of UDW Homecare Providers Union/AFSCME Local 3930, a union fighting for the rights of domestic care workers, I’ve seen COVID-19 have a disproportionate impact on our members.

Vaccines were essential in establishing safe homecare environments as the pandemic raged on. But domestic workers were (and still are) entering potentially dangerous settings every day, often without access to vital PPE, and we needed to find ways to keep them safe, even when they did test positive.

COVID-19 medications have helped bridge that gap.

It can be hard to dodge COVID-19 even when we take precautions to stay safe, especially for workers whose workplaces are other people’s homes. Fortunately, medications that treat COVID-19 became available in 2021.

They are safe and effective at stopping the virus from multiplying in the body and scientific evidence shows that taking COVID-19 medications within the first week of testing positive can

lower the rate of serious illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 by half or more.

COVID-19 medications can mean the difference between life and death. That’s why I’ve been advocating tirelessly to make sure that domestic workers are getting vaccinated and tested, and that they’re aware of and can easily access COVID-19 medications if they test positive.

Even though medications have been free and available, regardless of insurance or citizenship status, for over a year, many people are surprised when they find out that they’re actually eligible for these medications, which are recommended for most adults.

At UDW Homecare Providers Union/AFSCME Local 3930, we’ve launched initiatives to educate and empower our workers — including resource fairs, clinics, and food drives — that provide information about and access to these medications.

The public at large can benefit from COVID-19 medications, not just our union’s domestic workers, especially as life returns to a new normal.

But the key is understanding how to move forward when you test positive. So, let’s continue doing the things that we love, worry-free, by normalizing testing and treating COVID-19.

Doug Moore is executive director of UDW Homecare Providers Union/AFSCME Local 3930, a union that advocates for domestic care workers and their communities.

Oakland’s Coogler Brothers Are Iconic: Now Their Dad, Ira Coogler Gets a Turn in the Spotlight

Under Pressure to Resign, Alameda County’s First Black Woman D.A. Fires

Back at NAACP

By Charla Montgomery

Texas-born and Oakland-raised, Ira Coogler is the father of director, producer, writer and Academy Award nominee Ryan Coogler, SAG writer Keenan Coogler and music artist Noah Coogler.

Most people are aware of Ira’s patriarchal connection to this incredibly talented family, but few are aware of Ira’s own artistic acumen within the realm of the visual arts.

That is going to change with Ira’s upcoming virtual event titled: “A Black Life Experience Through the Eye of i-Coogler.” It will open on Aug. 11.

Those closest to him are witnesses to his keen ability for visually depicting the African American experience on canvas. Ira’s artistic nuances may tug at your heart strings or tickle your funny bone. Either way the characters on the canvas can evoke a variety of feelings.

Although color-blind since childhood, Ira uses beautiful and vividly inviting colors to captivate viewers and guide them along his visual journey.

In Ira’s own words…”My art is a mixture of my emotions and feelings about Black life. Life is my biggest influencer.” He attended the Renaissance International School where he concentrated on cartooning and ceramics. He was a cartoonist for Fremont High School and did graphic artwork at Cal State University-Hayward.

“I still refer to myself as a cartoonist who paints,” he says. “My style is “all over the place, and hard to nail down, which is why I am a non-representational artist.”

His inspiration, he said, comes from his connection to the world and the “cause-and-effect” of events, both current and past.

His perception of the world, and how we fit is the general subject his artwork addresses. “Organic, authentic, and factual, my art reflects who I am as an artist,” he said.

Ira Coogler will be sharing his talent with the world over the coming months in both virtual and inperson unveiling events. For the first time ever, Ira will debut some of his latest work during an upcoming virtual event titled “A Black Life Experience Through the Eye of i-Coogler.”

During the event, Ira will talk about what nuances in life inspire him most and share his views on the Black arts.

This first virtual event is free and will be held Friday, Aug. 11. For more details and to RSVP, please visit online: www.i-Coogler.com. Please note: You must submit an RSVP to gain access to this event.

By California Black Media

Concerned by a sharp rise in crimes, the Oakland branch of the NAACP is blaming Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price for “failed leadership.”

Price, the first Black female District Attorney in the history of Alameda County, is the target of a recall effort staged by groups that say the city is in the grip of a “public safety crisis,” Oakland NAACP branch president Cynthia Adams and Acts Full Gospel Church’s Bishop Bob Jackson stated.

“Oakland residents are sick and tired of our intolerable public safety crisis that overwhelmingly impacts minority communities. Murders, shootings, violent armed robberies, home invasions, car break-ins, sideshows, and highway shootouts have become a pervasive fixture of

life in Oakland,” Adams and Jackson stated in a letter to city residents urging them to demand improved public safety in their communities.

“African Americans are disproportionately hit the hardest by crime in East Oakland and other parts of the city. But residents from all parts of the city report that they do not feel safe. Everyone is in danger,” the letter continued.

Price’s office released a statement pushing back on claims made by Adams and Jackson in the letter.

“We are disappointed that a great African American pastor and a great African American organization would take a false narrative on such an important matter. We would expect more from Bishop Bob Jackson and the Oakland Chapter of the NAACP,” said a spokesperson from the District Attorney’s office.

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California Attorney General Rob Bonta. FCBM file photo.

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. File photo..

Ira Coogler. Courtesy photo.

COMMENTARY: Trump, The O.J. of the Republican Party

one of the 319 respondents in this MAGA category — said (Trump) had committed serious federal crimes,” wrote Nate Cohn, the Times chief political analyst. “A mere 2% said he “did something wrong” in his handling of classified documents. More than 90% said Republicans need to stand behind him in the face of the investigations.”

Stand by your alleged criminal?

to make him right. I’ll be with my guy against your guy regardless. And so that’s where we are.”

That the MAGATS are mostly white should concern us. And they’re persuading others who may know Trump’s wrong but that’s OK with them. It’s as if the more Trump amasses legal entanglements, the more they like him. He’s their badass.

One concerning thing is how Black voters fit in the mix.

Attorney General Rob Bonta. File photo.

By Emil Guillermo

Is Donald Trump the White

O.J.?

The question must be asked with each twist and turn in the ongoing narrative of the Donald’s trampling of American democracy.

No man is above the law, yes, we know. But only Trump can still be considered the leading Republican candidate to lead the nation after an avalanche of criminal charges.

There’s a criminal indictment in New York for falsifying documents. There’s a second federal indictment in Florida for mishandling of classified documents and obstruction of justice; and there’s an impending third indictment for his involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection and the attempts to block the results of the 2020 election.

If that’s not enough, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis now says she’s “ready to go” with a fourth indictment over Trump’s attempt to steal the election in Georgia.

On top of that, Trump’s been deemed liable for sexual assault in the civil case filed by E. Jean Carroll, where the judge has said unequivocally that Trump is “a rapist.”

Sometimes we just have to revisit the litany of criminality to remind us how unfair the system is when we all know someone who has served serious time for a few ounces of weed.

And yet, for Trump, the criminal charges have buoyed him to where he is the preferred presidential candidate by 54% of Republican voters, 43 points in front of his nearest rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who can only muster 17%, according to the latest New York Times/Siena Poll.

Everyone else has but a fraction: Mike Pence, 3%; Tim Scott, 3%; Nikki Haley, 3%; Vivek Ramaswamy, 2%; Chris Christie, 2%.

Maybe they should try a little criminality?

The fact that Republicans can’t quit Trump should shock everyone. We are supposed to run away from the bad guys.

So what gives?

A look within the poll shows how the MAGA-base, the mostly white minority of “Make America Great Again” die-hards, controls the fate of Republicans and maybe even the nation.

That MAGA base is 37% of the Republican electorate and they don’t just support Trump, they believe he walks on water.

“Zero percent — not a single

Combine the 37% of the MAGAs with the 37% of so-called “persuadable” Republicans, (those who just want to win, no matter if Trump’s an indicted candidate), and it’s hard to see Trump not winning the nomination, based on this pre-polling 15 months before the election.

Consider how the 2024 campaign will mostly take place in court where the nominee for president is also an alleged criminal.

How does that happen in the world’s leading democracy?

Once again, it was Van Jones who uttered this idea on one of the passing CNN panels last week.

“It reminds me of O.J. Simpson back in the ’90s,” Jones said on CNN, referring to the athlete/ media star who was accused of killing his wife. “The Black community, we weren’t big fans of O.J. We knew he had done something wrong, but the people who were going after O.J. was the LAPD, and we thought the LAPD was even worse.”

I went to O.J.’s junior high in San Francisco, so I know how he was revered in the community.

What the MAGATs (Make America Great Again Trumpers) are displaying is a “tribalism,” said Jones. “In other words, I know my guy is wrong, but you’re not going

In a second Times/Sienna poll out this week, if Trump and Biden ran today, they’d be tied at 43% each. That’s surprising but look at the Black vote.

The Times put Black support for Biden at just 71%, with 12% for Trump.

The Black anti-Trump vote has traditionally been in the 80-90% range. Does Biden’s 71% indicate a growing conservatism in the Black community? What would happen if Trump picked Tim Scott, the African American senator from South Carolina, as his running mate? Or even millionaire candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, the Asian American Trump?

I know we, in California, especially the Bay Area, feel immune to all this national stuff. Trump couldn’t win here, right? There are more spotted owls in Northern California than Republicans.

But I live in the red part of the Blue state and see Trump 2024 signs daily. And with every new indictment, no one takes them down. People just won’t quit him. To them, the gloves will never fit.

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. See his one-man show, Aug. 12, 17, 19 at the San Francisco Fringe. Go to amok. com for details.

Attorney Gen. Robert Bonta Announces Support for Federal Bill Benefitting Black WWII Veterans and Their Families

By California Black Media

California Attorney General

Rob Bonta joined a bipartisan coalition of 24 state attorneys general in submitting a letter to Congress in support of H.R. 1255, the “Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2023.’

The bill was named after two Black World War II veterans who were denied benefits under the GI Bill.

Authored by Congressmembers Seth Moulton (D-MA-6) and James Clyburn (D-SC-6), the legislation would extend eligibility for certain housing and educational benefits to Black World War II veterans and their families.

“Exactly 75 years ago, President Harry S. Truman mandated the desegregation of our Armed

End Poverty in California legislative caucus is not going to foster a serious discussion about helping Californians climb the economic ladder. Rather, EPIC promotes

Forces. Today, we cannot lose sight of a harsh reality: Black World War II veterans and their families were systematically denied the GI benefits they had rightfully earned,” said Bonta. “H.R. 1255 would fix that terrible injustice.”

If passed, H.R. 1255 would also extend access to the VA Loan Guaranty Program to surviving spouses and certain direct descendants of Black World War II veterans and to the Post-911 GI Bill educational assistance benefits to surviving spouses and certain direct descendants of Black World War II veterans.

Additionally, it would establish a panel of experts to make recommendations on addressing inequitable access to benefits for female and minority members of the Armed Forces.

Although poverty, overall, in California has decreased over the last four years, the numbers are still dire. About 28% of state residents (4.5 million people) are poor

Oakland Celebrates National Night Out

National Night Out (NNO) on August 1 was an enormous success across the City of Oakland.

Residents hosted and organized more than 500 parties from the West, Central, North and East Oakland.

More than 290 city staff members visited NNO parties, including the deputy mayor, city administrator, deputy city administrators, fire chief, chief of violence prevention, police chief, and Neighborhood Services Division, with a host of other city departments.

Demonstrating the importance of city-to-neighborhood partnerships, NNO is a great way to connect with the people we serve in the city’s neighborhoods, City of Oakland Publice Information Officer Jean Walsh said. “This is a huge gain over last year, demonstrating the residents’ desire to reconnect at the block level in the name of improving the public safety in the

community.

Neighborhood Services Division continues to send the powerful and profound message that “When neighbors know each other, neighborhoods are safer,” Walsh said.

Neighborhood Services also encourages neighbors to take the next step by starting a Neighborhood Watch Group on their street and participating in their Neighborhood Council, where they can work in partnership with the City’s Neighborhood Services Coordinators and the Community Resource Officers assigned to their neighborhood.

For more information about those programs visit the Neighborhood Services Division webpage: https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/ neighborhood-services

Courtesy City of Oakland Public Information Office.

U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan to Oversee

Former President Trump’s Election Interference Case

Obama in 2014.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire

Judge Tanya S. Chutkan will preside over the case of former President Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

This decision comes after Chutkan’s previous involvement in key motions related to the Jan. 6 committee’s investigation.

Chutkan has a history with Trump. She denied his 2021 motion to prevent records from being given to the Jan. 6 committee.

In her decision, she emphasized that “Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not president.” This ruling showcased her commitment to upholding the principles of democracy and the rule of law.

A trailblazer in her own right, Chutkan’s background is impressive.

She was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and moved to the United States to pursue higher education.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from George Washington University and later graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Chutkan began her law career working in private practice and later at the District of Columbia Public Defender Service.

After that, she joined the law firm Boies, Schiller, & Flexner LLP, where she specialized in white-collar criminal defense for a total of 12 years.

Legal experts described Chutkan as incredibly dedicated to justice and fair representation as a public defender. They said her commitment to ensuring equal access to justice was evident.

Her colleagues said her extensive experience in complex legal matters and criminal defense undoubtedly contributed to her well-rounded understanding of the law.

Chutkan was appointed to the District Court for the District of Columbia by former President Barack

Police Misconduct

Barbara Lee: Champion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

By Conway Jones

The Bay Area Council hosted a members-only, in-person discussion with Congresswoman and U.S. Senate candidate Barbara Lee on July 31 aboard their floating headquarters, the Klamath at Pier 9 in San Francisco.

Sandré Swanson Supported Mayor Wilson’s Historic Run

By Post Staff

The late Lionel J. Wilson, the first African American judge in California history, was appointed by Gov. Pat Brown in 1961. Three years later, Wilson became Alameda County Superior Court’s presiding judge.

He asked Congressman Ronald V. Dellums if one of his top administrative assistants, Oakland native Sandré R. Swanson, could take a leave of absence in order to run Wilson’s historic campaign to become Oakland’s first African American mayor. Dellums said, “absolutely,” and told Wilson that he was sure the young Swanson would do a great job.

As members of “The New Oakland Committee,” a civic coalition of business, labor and community representatives, Swanson and Wilson worked together for a better Oakland. As Swanson was already a veteran of several successful campaigns, Wilson publically announced the appointment of Swanson as his campaign manager with

confidence.

Wilson was facing a challenging campaign against Oakland School Board President Dave Tucker. This was a hard-fought campaign, with Wilson, Swanson and campaign volunteers going door to door for votes. With a massive community effort, and high voter turn-out, Wilson won his historic campaign and was elected Oakland’s first African American mayor in 1977.

At his first press conference, Mayor-Elect Wilson specifically complimented Swanson for doing an “excellent job” as his campaign manager.

Twenty-five years after his death in 1998, Lionel J. Wilson’s record of excellence as mayor stands: he got things done.

Today, Sandré R. Swanson is a candidate for the California State Senate: If elected he would be the only African American in the state Senate from Northern California.

More information on the Swanson for Senate campaign can be found at www.sandreswanson.net.

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for every one it closes out, which is not sustainable, he said.

At present, the work of CPRA, which is a team of civilian investigators outside the Oakland Police Department, is partially duplicated by OPD’s Internal Affairs Division investigators.

City leaders plan to close Internal Affairs by July 2024, which would allow the department to put more officers on the streets. However, to deal with the expanded workload, the CPRA would have to be able to handle about 600 cases a year.

Looking for ways to improve the CPRA, he said he wanted to create a database to track the CPRA’s caseload and to track how long it takes to complete a case.

Further, there are funds available to improve the CPRA, which did not spend over half of its budget last year, giving Muir an additional $1.7 million this year to hire new staff, including four new investigators.

He emphasized the importance of looking squarely at what is not working. “This is accountability, it’s talking about the problems,” he said. “The present is certainly dim, but our future is going to be a lot brighter than our past.” Mayor Sheng Thao, in a state-

Chutkan has a reputation for being a fair and committed judge.

Still, she hasn’t shied away from imposing harsher sentences than the Justice Department initially requested in cases involving January 6 defendants.

When federal prosecutors suggested that Matt Mazzocco serve three months of home confinement and probation after he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Chutkan insisted that there must be consequences “beyond sitting at home” for individuals involved in an attempted violent overthrow of the U.S. government.

“If Mr. Mazzocco walks away with probation and a slap on the wrist, that’s not going to deter anyone trying what he did again,” Chutkan asserted from the bench.

“It does not, in this Court’s opinion, indicate the severity — the gravity of the offenses that he committed on Jan. 6.”

Ultimately, she sentenced Mazzocco to 45 days in jail and 60 hours of community service.

Many observers said her stance reflects a belief in the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions during the insurrection.

The judge has refused to bow to political pressure or executive privilege.

In addition to denying Trump’s emergency motion in 2021, attempting to prevent the National Archives from turning over his administration’s records to the Jan. 6 committee, she has remained steadfast in upholding the law.

“For a lot of people, I seem to check a lot of boxes: immigrant, woman, Black, Asian. Your qualifications are always going to be subject to criticism and you have to develop a thick skin,” Chutkan was quoted as saying in a February 2022 profile posted by the federal judiciary.

ment published in Oaklandside, said she is committed to investing in civilian police oversight.

“While this is the goal, it was clear at the start of my administration that we had inherited an agency that had faced severe underinvestment in staff capacity, technology, professional development and executive leadership, preventing CPRA from fully carrying out its mission,” Thao said.

Muir did not blame the commission for not knowing about or calling attention to the case backlog, saying that the commissioners may not have been informed about the issues. “I don’t think you can say this is necessarily their problem,” Muir said.

However, Cathy Leonard, president of the Coalition for Police Accountability, said the responsibility lies with past heads of the CPRA and the chair of the Police Commission.

“The buck stops with (them),” she told the Oakland Post. “The Police Commission chair has not been asking the right questions. We knew the CPRA was understaffed. The mayor and city staff should have been alerted.”

“They only spent 41% of their budget last year. Why weren’t they hiring more investigators?”

Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, was the moderator for the afternoon presentation.

In response to a question from Wunderman about what the new generation of Californians can do to keep its grip on the state’s share of government funding, Lee responded that “We have to fight the headwinds of House Speaker McCarthy and MAGA.”

Lee was instrumental in getting legislation passed that required the Pentagon to have audits by the Government Accounting Office. She said that the Pentagon has failed five GAO audits and that there is $150 billion in waste, fraud, and abuse.

“The Department of Defense has an $886 billion current budget and is failing audits,” Lee said.

Oakland’s Public Safety Crisis ...

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murder and commit life-threatening serious crimes, and the proliferation of anti-police rhetoric have created a heyday for Oakland criminals. If there are no consequences for committing crime in Oakland, crime will continue to soar.

“People are moving out of Oakland in droves. They are afraid to venture out of their homes to go to work, shop, or dine in Oakland and this is destroying economic activity. Businesses, small and large, struggle and close, tax revenues vanish, and we are creating the notorious doom-loop where life in our city continues to spiral downward.

“As economic pain increases, the conditions that help create crime and criminals are exacerbated by desperate people with no employment opportunities.

“We are in crisis and elected leaders must declare a state of emergency and bring resources together from the city, the county, and the state to end the crisis.

“We are 500 police officers short of the number that experts say Oakland needs. Our 911 system does not work. Residents now know that help will not come when danger confronts them. Worse, criminals know that too.

“Our youth must be given alternatives to the crippling desperation that leads to crime, drugs, and prison. They need quality education, mentorship, and, most importantly, real economic opportunities.

“Oakland should focus on creating skilled industrial and logistics jobs that pay family sustaining wages, and vocational training so Oakland residents can perform those jobs. With this focus we can produce hundreds, if not thousands, of the types of jobs desperately needed to stem economic despair.

“Unfortunately, progressive policies and failed leadership have chased away or delayed significant blue-collar job development in the city, the Port of Oakland, and the former Army Base. That must change!

“We also must continue with mentoring programs like the Oakland branch of the national OK Program that steers youth away from criminal activity. We believe that young people currently in the criminal life will choose another path if

She also talked about the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023, a bill that prohibits governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services.

This bill prohibits state and local governments from implementing measures that are similar to those restricted by the bill or that otherwise single out and impede access to abortion services.

“Congresswoman Barbara Lee is an incredible, faithful public servant who has provided her district, our region and our state critical leadership across myriad issues over the decades.” said Wunderman. “She has been accessible and collaborative, and we deeply value the relationship with her.”

Lee has represented Oakland and the East Bay in Congress since 1998. She is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee which controls the federal purse strings. She also chairs and co-chairs several important House caucuses. The Bay Area Council is a nonpartisan public policy organization that does not endorse candidates in elections.

they are shown a way.

“We urge African Americans to speak out and demand improved public safety. We also encourage Oakland’s white, Asian, and Latino communities to speak out against crime and stop allowing themselves to be shamed into silence.

“There is nothing compassionate or progressive about allowing criminal behavior to fester and rob Oakland residents of their basic rights to public safety. It is not racist or unkind to want to be safe from crime. No one should live in fear in our city.

“We need our elected leaders to take responsible action to ensure public safety. The best way to start is to declare that we are in a public safety emergency. Then marshal resources to address crime and create economic opportunities, training, and youth mentoring so people can work and live productive lives.

“We encourage the entire Oakland community to join a broadbased, united coalition around these three issues: 1) we have an emergency, 2) we must end the proliferation of crime in our streets and, 3) we must provide jobs, training, and mentorship so our youth have alternatives to crime.

“Do it for the love of all Oakland residents. Each and every one of us has the right to live peacefully and safely.

NAACP California Hawaii State Conference Statement on NAACP Oakland Open Letter Re: Ending the Public Safety Crisis in Oakland July 28, 2023

“The NAACP California Hawaii State Conference stands by and doubles down on NAACP Oakland Branch’s request for a call for a state of emergency in the city of Oakland. Our community members are in danger and elected officials are turning their heads away. Crime is at an all-time high in Oakland and we are calling on the mayor to step up and work with the Oakland Branch to address this critical issue and call for a state of emergency,” said Rick Callender, president of the NAACP California Hawaii State Conference. “We cannot sit around and do nothing when people are in danger doing daily activities, trying to survive.”

By Cynthia Adams, president of NAACP’s Oakland Branch and Bishop Bob Jackson, senior pastor, Acts Full Gospel Church

Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. File photo.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee speaking at the Bay Area Council with program moderator Jim Wunderman, council president and CEO.

Photo by Conway Jones.

On Minna Street, neighbors set up to provide musical entertainment.

Photo courtesy City of Oakland.

Neighbors pose with a National Night Out t-shirt in Oakland. Photo courtesy of the City of Oakland

Attorney Clarence Davis, Sandré Swanson, Lionel Wilson and attorney James White campaign door-to-door. Photo from Wilson for Mayor Campaign files.