Exclusive: Chairman Thompson Says Classified Tapes House Speaker Turned Over to Fox News Have ‘Serious National Security Implications’

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) turned over to Fox News included classified material that could threaten national security.

In an exclusive 65-minute interview with Let It Be Known, a live daily news show put on by the National Newspaper Publishers Association, Thompson, the head of the January 6 Commission, said he wanted to see what document McCarthy signed with Fox News to transfer the footage.

“There are safeguards in place, and some of this material is privileged,” he continued.

“You can’t just open the store and let someone come in and clean it out. We want to see what document was executed for that transfer of information. I chaired the [January 6] committee, and I can tell you that there is clearly information in there that we choose not to put in the public arena because of its sensitivity.” from a journalistic standpoint, we can have differences of opinion, but when facts say something different and are irrefutable, and you try to promote alternate situations, that’s not journalism,” he continued.

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

Mississippi Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson revealed that some of the 41,000 hours of video footage from the January 6, 2021, insurrection that

“There are serious national security implications, a lot of what we saw and did not share with the public as a committee,” Thompson said in a no-holds-barred discussion with Black Press reporters on the program.

Attacking Mia Bonta...

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The Legislature does not set salaries or benefits for state constitutional officers such as Rob Bonta.

The bold and unusual move by the House speaker of handing over such information reportedly comes after McCarthy faced intense pressure from his right flank to relitigate the work of the House select committee.

“You turn this kind of information to these people who have been proven in a court of law not to tell the truth about a subject they had already acknowledged in court. Fox News has turned this information over to the courts in a lawsuit, and now that same Fox News has access to information about January 6. The speaker should have said, ‘I can’t let you have this.’ But he did.”

While it took an unprecedented 15 rounds of voting for McCarthy to win the speakership, one of the reasons Republicans relented was because he vowed to hold hearings on the Capitol riot.

Police Canines...

Bonta’s appointment to chair is recognition that she has the skills and experience necessary to fulfill her role effectively and impartially. Rendon has expressed confidence that she will be independent in her legislative judgment.

leads budget matters for the executive branch. Finance and departmental officials, as well as staff of the Legislative Analyst’s Office advocates and members of the public, appear at public hearings to answer questions.

While Thompson doesn’t expect McCarthy to pay the price for his action, he stated his belief that he, a Democrat and African American, most certainly would have had it been him who turned over classified information.’

“I, and every other member of Congress, take an oath that you are not supposed to release that kind of information,” Thompson declared.

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“I let the data take me to where I need to go. And the data is clear that in some of the most consequential issues of our time right now — especially when it comes to the relationship between law enforcement and the African American community,” Jackson told California Black Media (CBM). “This was a no-brainer for me. This is not a ‘gotcha’ bill. Our own data in California shows that we have it wrong, and we have to fix it.”

“The fact that canines are harming people more than batons and tasers is astonishing to me. I would never have guessed that,” added Jackson, who says he has already read three reports on the topic.

The California/Hawaii (CA/ HI) Conference of the NAACP, another co-sponsor, acknowledges the bill’s historic importance. “Police canines have historical roots in slavery and have continued to be used as tools of oppression for Black, Brown, and other communities of color,” said conference President Rick L. Callender. “With this bill, we can begin to shift and sever ties with the terrorizing past.”

AB 742 does not call for banning the use of police canines for search and rescue, explosives detection, and narcotics detection — all activities that do not involve biting.

“The use of a canine is sending a dog out that will inflict injury on a person before that person has been accused of a crime or formally convicted of one,” said Kat Carell, a member of the Sacramento Chapter of the ACLU. “So, you end up with lifelong disfigurement, or mental problems, or you could be killed before you have ever been in a court of law and proven guilty of anything.”

Reaction to the introduction of the bill by police dog handlers and some law enforcement organizations — including the Western States Canine Association — was swift, charactering the bill as misguided and going too far.

Ron Cloward, president of the Western States Police Canine Association and a veteran of the

Modesto Police Department, said Jackson’s bill does not “make sense.” He argued that if AB 742 passes, it would take away one more non-lethal weapon law enforcement relies on to fight crime.

Cloward, who owns a canine training business, told ABC news affiliate in Bakersfield that while dog bites can be harmful and “disfiguring,” they do not cause death. He further asserted that it was the only method of force that can be recalled after deployment.

“Once you’ve deployed pepper spray, it’s been deployed. It’s gonna land. Once you use your gun, it’s gone,” he said. “Once you use a taser, it’s on its way. You’re not stopping it. The only thing you can stop is a K-9.”

Jackson was elected in November of 2022 to represent the 60th Assembly District. Before that, he served on the Riverside County Board of Education in 2020 and represented portions of the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, Perris, and the unincorporated community of Mead Valley.

Supporters say Jackson’s background in social work gives him a keen awareness and understanding of the microaggressions Black and Brown communities face.

AB 742 is one of many pieces of legislation Jackson has introduced (or plans to) that holds individuals and institutions accountable, creating room for even larger victories towards dismantling systematic racism. He calls the effort the ‘Antiracism Bill Package.’

Another bill in the package is AB 11. That bill would authorize the creation of a commission to identify sustainable solutions to reduce the cost of living in California.

The commission would consist of 11 members, including nine members appointed by the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the President pro Tempore of the Senate.

Also, one member each from the Assembly and the Senate would serve as ex officio nonvoting members. The bill would require the commission to complete reports describing the commission’s findings and recommendations.

Budget subcommittees focus on specific issues in their agendas, such as how much more or less funding a division of a department needs to perform a specific function.

Thompson noted that the cause for alarm rose further when McCarthy gave the classified information to Carlson, the most outspoken Fox host, to promote the lie that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump.

“If you do, you have violated the oath of office and broken the law.”

Thompson, who led the investigation into the January 6 insurrection, called it challenging to work with Republicans like McCarthy, Marjorie Taylor Greene of “moral issue” as well.

The work of Budget Subcommittee #5 consists of hearing, reviewing, and making recommendations to the full Budget Committee concerning the Governor’s budget proposals for the courts, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Department of Justice, the Military Department, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, and other public safety departments.

Proving her integrity, Bonta has announced, “I will recuse myself from Budget Subcommittee #5 matters directly pertaining to the Department of Justice including budget change proposals, proposed trailer bills, and legislative proposals that pertain to the DOJ to ensure that the body may focus on the important work before us.”

The press should be covering the important work that Bonta is doing to promote public safety and reduce recidivism in her district, where, sadly, gun violence currently disproportionately ravages communities of color. These are her constituents’ legislative priorities, and Bonta has a strong track record of fighting for their needs.

Furthr, there is real news occurring around the priorities Attorney General Bonta set for his office that merits press coverage. Among his priorities are combating hate crimes and protecting civil rights, advancing criminal justice reform, protecting consumers, defending California’s environment, and enhancing public safety.

These are important issues that deserve our attention, and it is disappointing to see them being overshadowed by baseless allegations of conflict of interest.

Mia Bonta has made it clear that the suggestion of a conflict of interest shows a lack of understanding about the legislative budgeting process.

The Assembly budget process starts with the Governor’s proposed budget bill, introduced by the full Budget Committee chair as required by the Constitution.

There are five Assembly budget subcommittees that recommend amendments to the budget bill as the principle focus of their agendas.

The Governor’s chief fiscal advisor, the Department of Finance

The state’s budget is finalized by negotiations on thousands of budget items led by the governor, the Senate Pro Tem, and the Assembly Speaker (a.k.a. the “Big Three”), on behalf of their branches of government. The staff of the governor, the Senate, and the Assembly carry out these negotiations at the three leaders’ direction.

The Department of Justice - as a separate constitutional office - is not directly involved in those concluding negotiations. The executive branch in those talks is represented by the governor.

Mia Bonta is an outstanding Assemblymember and public servant who has proven that she is committed to representing her constituents with integrity.

Rob Bonta, who held the same Assembly seat before being appointed Attorney General by Gov. Newsom and winning election to the office last November, also serves his office with integrity.

The media focus should be on covering both of their efforts to promote public safety and make California a better place for all citizens.

I urge all reporters and editors to uphold the principles of responsible journalism and prioritize the truth and accuracy of their reporting over sensationalism and clickbait. The public deserves better than to be misled by unfounded innuendo.

The Black press has a responsibility to step up and do its part to foster a more informed and engaged public and not allow mainstream media and newspapers to marginalize Black leaders without pushing back especially when their reporting shows ignorance and fails to uphold the principles of responsible journalism.

About Paul Cobb Paul

“You turn the tapes over to a guy who was the cheerleader of lies being told, and even when he knew what he was saying was wrong, he kept saying it,” Thompson railed.

“I don’t know what it means

Black Caucus Event...

Continued from page 2 small businesses because of the many obstacles they face every day.”

Each honoree was selected from the state lawmakers’ districts, including four special recognitions selected separately by King. The following proprietors received business awards from the CLBC and CBCC:

Demetrius Porter, Center Cork Wines (Fresno); Chandra Brooks, Chandra Brooks International (San Jose); Juana Williams and Blair Paysinger, Downtown Disney (Anaheim); Earl Johnson, Home and Work Mobile Oil Changers (Fremont); Deborah A. Day, Ashay By The Bay (Vallejo); and Clayrone Clark, Coop and Fire (Gardena); and Dr. Leonard Thompson III, M.A.N.D.A.T.E. Records, (San Diego); Rounding out the business honorees are Keith Corbin, Alta Adams (Los Angeles); Reggie and Nicole Borders, Pound Bizness (San Francisco Bay Area); Lee Williams, Lee Williams Real Estate Group (San Pedro); Ann Hamilton, Robsag Real Estate,

LLC (Pasadena); Twina Brown, Mama T’s Food For the Soul (Moreno Valley); Austin Clements, Slauson & Co (Los Angeles); Zion F.A. Taddese, Queen Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant (Sacramento); Tyrei Lacy, Restaurant Seven Nineteen by G/S (Los Angeles); and Bo and Kay Anuluoha, Kutula by Africana (Los Angeles).

The CBCC is an African American non-profit business organization that represents hundreds of small and emerging businesses, affiliates and chambers of commerce throughout the state. It provides advocacy assistance for supplier’s diversity needs, and business development and training for small businesses.

The CLBC, formed in 1967, was created to address the concerns of African Americans and other citizens of color. According to the organization’s website, the members believed that a caucus would provide political influence and visibility far beyond their numbers. Today, there are 12 members of the CLBC serving in the California Assembly and Senate.

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