Congressional Black Caucus Members Under Investigation

The Washington Post is reporting that House ethics investigators have been scrutinizing the activities of more than 30 lawmakers and several aides in inquiries about issues including defense lobbying and corporate influence peddling, according to a confidential House ethics committee report prepared in July. Dozens in Congress under ethics inquiry Ellen Nakashima and Paul Kane staff writers with the Washington Post are reporting the a number of members of the Congressional Black Caucus are being investigated for defense lobbying and corporate influence peddling, according to a confidential House ethics committee report prepared in July. Rep. Charles Rangel . (AP Photo) The document also disclosed that ethics committee staff members have interviewed House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) about one element of the complex investigation of his personal finances, as well as the lawmaker's top aide and his son. Rangel said he spoke with ethics committee staff members regarding a conference that he and four other members of the Congressional Black Caucus attended last November in St. Martin. The trip initially was said to be sponsored by a nonprofit foundation run by a newspaper. But the three-day event, at a luxury resort, was underwritten by major corporations such as Citigroup, Pfizer and AT&T. Rules passed in 2007, shortly after Democrats reclaimed the majority following a wave of corruption cases against Republicans, bar private companies from paying for congressional travel. According to Wapo Rangel said he has not discussed other parts of the investigation of his finances with the committee. "I'm waiting for that, anxiously," he said. There is more.. According to Wapo, Politico, and The LA Times, the committee did not detail the two newly disclosed investigations. However, according to the July document, Rep. Maxine Waters, a high-ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, came under scrutiny because of activities involving OneUnited Bank of Massachusetts, in which her husband owns at least $250,000 in stock. Waters arranged a September 2008 meeting at the Treasury Department where OneUnited executives asked for government money. In December, Treasury selected OneUnited as an early participant in the bank bailout program, injecting $12.1 million. AAPP: Voters in their congressional districts need to take a hard look at these Corrupt Congressional Black Caucus members. It just may be time to throw these folks out of office. I know if any of them were representing me, I would vote them out of office in a heartbeat. I guess Cathy Hughes would do the same thing. If I were Obama I would not meet with the Congressional Black Caucus until they stop standing up for crooks, get there act together and purged those who bring the group into disgrace. I'm also getting a bit tired of these Congressional ethics inquiries, that have been dragging on for sometime despite vows to end corruption. I guess I can understand why some democrats are worried that one of their own could cost them their jobs.

Black Bloggers urge Congressional U.S. Taser Torture Hearings

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Tuesday April 28, 2009 Black bloggers call for "Congressional Taser Torture Hearings" CONTACT: Wayne Hicks, Electronic Village, blog@elecvillage.com LN Rock, African American Political Pundit, AfricanAmericanPoliticalPundit@gmail.com Eddie Griffin, Eddie Griffin-BASG, eddiegriffin_basg@yahoo.com A group of bloggers called the afrospear, a 2 year old coalition of black bloggers from across America (and around the world) held a day of Blogging for Justice standing up against pre-trial capital punishment by electrocution event on Friday. More Here The Afrospear also established a p etition to Congress calling on Senator leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and members of the Congressional Black Caucus to speak out and organize public hearings on the systemic human rights violations occurring with Federal funding against black, Latino, Native American and other Americans. Group member Eddie Griffin, of the blog, Eddie Griffin-BASG, said, "While there continues to be considerable media and congressional attention to torture in Guantanamo, there is comparatively little attention to the mounting evidence of human rights violations in the streets of America by a number of police departments across America, including torture and killings of black children, women and men through-out the United States through the use and abuse of Tasers." LN Rock, a 2008 DNC Convention Blogger, who publishes the blogs, African American Political Pundit and Tasered While Black said, "We want Congress to stand up with us against the police pre-trial electrocution of black children, women and men - by taser. He went on to say, "We believe that few Americans support spending our tax dollars on torture, which violates our moral, religious and legal traditions. Most Americans expect an American policing policy that ensures the rights of all individuals regardless of race, greed, color, national origin, sex, disability or political or religious affiliation." Wayne Hicks, publisher of the blog, Electronic Village, said, "We believe most Americans would favor Congressional hearings as to whether our own U.S. police, policing policies and actions violate Federal and International laws prohibiting human rights violators. Evidence of widespread police abuse of tasers is more than enough to warrant our concern and justify a congressional inquiry." He went on to say, " We propose that Congress undertake serious oversight into the extent to which our taxes are funding human rights violations and torture by tasing, and provide an alternative roadmap to the restoration of our democratic values. We want Congress to make sure that police pre-trial electrocution of black children, women and men by taser stops." The bloggers are asking for: 1. The U.S. Attorney General and the Justice Department to aggressively fulfill its most basic mandate of enforcing the law. Torture by tasing is a crime, and the Justice Department is the right place to initiate an independent top-to-bottom investigation of the torturing of black children men, women and children by local police jurisdictions throughout the United States. It's important that the general public understand the 'use of force continuum' used by law enforcement officials, and how it is abused by many in the law enforcement community. (See the use-of-force-continuum provided by the blog Electronic Village) Note: Although there is a Justice Department Review of TASER-related Deaths the on-the-spot pre-trial electrocutions continues. 2. Congress should investigate whether US police tasing policies violate Federal or international civil and human right laws, including the U.N. Convention against Torture, and international covenants against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of citizens even in cases of so-called "state emergencies". 3. Congress should require the effective regulation of Taser use and require police/citizen review panels by Federal, state and local police and security agencies, including strict adherence to international human rights standards, or act to defund all such Federal, State and local police and security agencies who violate taser use regulations that would be established by Congress. No Federal stimulus dollars should be used to purchase tasers. The bloggers point out UN's Committee against Torture has declared that Taser use can constitute a form of torture, while USA: Amnesty International has an on-going concern about the use of tasers on American citizens. With all the conversation about the Bush torture memos and torture in the United States, we the undersigned bring up the issue of torture of black Americans at the hands of police in the United States. We urge you to stand up against the police pre-trial electrocution of black children, women and men by taser. Here is a sampling of what black bloggers are saying about the tasing of so many blacks in the United States. “A day of blogging for Justice ... What bloggers are saying and thinking: Asabagna - Afrospear Think Tank - http://afrospear.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/a-day-of-blogging-for-justice-standing-up-against-the-pre-trial-electrocution/ Wayne Hicks - Electronic Village - http://tinyurl.com/chedrx Shawn Williams, Dallas South Blog.com - http://tinyurl.com/cx6h97 Nate, Nateo Blog - http://nateo.blogspot.com/2009/04/call-for-stopping-pre-trial.html Antoinette - Antoinette's Point of View - http://aapov.blogspot.com/ Cherie S. - http://memoirofcherieamour.blogspot.com/ Mr. E-D - Excited-delirium.com LN Rock, African American Opinion - http://africanamericanopinion.ning.com Francis Holland - Francis L. Holland Blog - http://francislholland.blogspot.com/2009/04/police-pre-trail-execution-pigs-on.html Kathy - Daily Kos Blogger - Do White People Care About Tasing? http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/4/24/724113/-Do-White-People-Care-About-Tasing Zhana - Ancestral Energies - http://ancestralenergies.blogspot.com/2009/04/no-to-pre-trial-electrocutions.html The Kid - Pirate satellite: A Day of Blogging for Justice - http://kid-kidfunkadelic.blogspot.com/ Wayne Bennett, The Field Negro, Major side bar and link highlighting the importance of this day. http://field-negro.blogspot.com/ Purple Zoe - UltraVioletUnderground - http://purplezoe.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-ban-pre.html April Davis - Around Harlem.com http://blog-aroundharlem.com/2009/04/24/blogging-for-justice-standing-up-against-the-use-of-police-tasers/ PaJoyner - PlezWorld - http://pajoyner.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-death-by.html Yobachi - Black Perspective.net - http://www.blackperspective.net/index.php/act-against-police-taser-abuse/ Ms. Lady Deborah - From my Brown Eyed View - http://msladydeborah.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justicestanding-up.html Eddie Griffin BASG - http://eddiegriffinbasg.blogspot.com/2009/04/gravest-injustice.html Rev. Sequoyah Kofi bin-Tomas, Intelligent Aboriginal News Service (IANS) - The Angry Indian - Inteligentaindigena Novajoservo: When "Non-Lethal" Weapons Kill Wayne Hicks - Villager, OxDown. Firedoglake - http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/4927 Wayne Hicks - Villager - Electronic Village-.. http://tinyurl.com/59jet6 - Use of Force Continuum SjP - Sojourners Place - http://sojournersplace.blogspot.com/2009/04/blogging-for-justice-stop-taser.html LN Rock - Post Racial Blog - http://postracial.blogspot.com/2009/04/tasering-and-toturing-black-americans.html The SuperSpade - http://www.thesuperspade.com/taser-torture/ Anyway I Have To - http://underovr.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-standing-up.html Vanessa Byers- On The Black Hand Side - http://www.blackhandside.net/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice.html It All Goes Here - http://nateo.blogspot.com/2009/04/call-for-stopping-pre-trial.html Independent Bloggers Alliance - http://independentbloggersalliance.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-standing-up.html Rover's Morning Glory - http://www.roverradio.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=Black-kids-women-and-children-are-being-tasered-to-death-while-black....html&Itemid=382 Assata Shukur Forum - http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/open-forum/37831-4-24-blog-against-pre-trial-electrocution.html RiPPa - The Intersection between Maddness and Reality - http://rippdemup.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-end-taser.html Lola - Whatever Lola Wants - http://lolagetslife.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-standing-up.html African American Political Pundit Report - http://aappreport.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-of-blogging-for-justice-standing-up.html African American Political Pundit Blog - http://aapoliticalpundit.blogspot.com/2009/04/blacks-tasers-and-torture-sign-online.html Electrocuted While Black - http://electrocutedwhileblack.blogspot.com/2009/04/at-least-five-seventeen-year-olds.html Scotty - Black Talk Radio - http://blacktalkradio.ning.com/profiles/blogs/a-day-of-blogging-for-justice?xgs=1 Proud Black Blogger - http://proudblackvoter.blogspot.com/2009/04/congressional-black-caucus-needs.html Carmen D. - Black Voices - http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2009/04/27/lets-put-a-stop-to-taser-madness/ Chicago Cop Watch - http://chicagocopwatch.org/2009/04/at-least-five-seventeen-year-olds-suffer-police-pretrial-capital-punishment-by-electrocution-this-year/ Here is a link to the Afrospear Petition to request Congressional hearings on the Taser torture of Americans: http://www.petition2congress.com/2/1822/taser-torture-in-america-call-congressional-hearings/

Why Are Barbara Lee & the CBC Shilling for the Castro Regime?

Crossposted from A Political Season Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) returned from Cuba after meetings with the Castro brothers and other Cuban officials. CBC members renewed calls for an end or at least an easing of the blockade of the island, now in place for 41 years and counting. I can't say I have any quarrel with the idea of ending the embargo altogether. If we can be entirely okay with communist China owning the nation's debt while it sells us lead filled toys for our children, surely we can endure trade with this tiny island neighbor of ours. So the policy viewpoint that the embargo should be lifted is certainly rational. However, I am bothered by the uncritical nature of the cheerleading for a change in policy towards the Castro regime. I don't see any acknowledgment of the massive repression of individual liberties which exists under the Castro regime. Some argue that race plays a part in the formulation of foreign policy relative to Cuba, that the Cuban revolution had a significant racial dynamic to it in that the revolution was largely an uprising of dark skinned Cubans rebelling against a Batista regime dominated by light skinned or white Cubans and that those Cubans who fled the revolution were overwhelmingly white Cubans. Thats an intriguing prism through which to view Cuba's history. There is a significant Afro-Cuban community within and without the US and so its reasonable that the CBC would have some engagement on Cuban policy. But that does not abrogate some responsibility on the part of CBC members to call out the repression practiced by the Cuban regime, especially given the Afro-Cuban makeup of the island's population. Barbara Lee and other CBC members travel to Cuba and meet with Castro and return to talk about how eager Castro is for a change in relationship with the US, but I have to wonder if they asked him about his eagerness to address the regimes suppression of human rights and individual freedoms in the name of the state. The regime's repressive nature is manifest: Cubans cannot change their government through democratic means. Fidel Castro dominates the political system, having transformed the country into a one-party state with the Cuban communist Party (PCC) controlling all governmental entities from the national to the local level. Castro is responsible for every appointment and controls every lever of power in Cuba in his various roles as president of the Council of Ministers, chairman of the Council of State, commander in chief of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), and first secretary of the PCC. All political organizing outside the PCC is illegal. Political dissent, spoken or written, is a punishable offense, and those so punished frequently receive years of imprisonment for seemingly minor infractions. Official corruption remains a serious problem, with a “culture of illegality” shrouding the mixture of private and state-controlled economic activities allowed on the island. Cuba was ranked 62 out of 146 countries surveyed in the 2004 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions index. The press in Cuba is the object of a targeted campaign of intimidation by the government, which uses Ministry of Interior agents to infiltrate and report on the independent media. Independent journalists, particularly those associated with five small news agencies established outside state control, have been subjected to continued repression, including jail terms of hard labor and assaults by state security agents while in prison. Foreign news agencies must hire local reporters only through government offices. In 2004, 22 independent journalists arrested in March 2003 remained imprisoned in degrading conditions, which included physical and psychological abuse; acts of harassment and intimidation were also directed against their families. In October 2002, the U.S. State Department issued a report saying that Cuba was one of six countries that engaged in widespread repression of religion. Security agents frequently spy on worshippers, the government continues to block construction of new churches, the number of new foreign priests is limited, and most new denominations are refused recognition. The government restricts academic freedom. Teaching materials for courses such as mathematics or literature must have an ideological content. Affiliation with official Communist Party structures is generally needed to gain access to educational institutions, and students’ report cards carry information regarding their parents’ involvement with the Communist Party Limited rights of assembly and association are permitted under the constitution; however, these are subject to the stipulation that they may not be "exercised against the existence and objectives of the Socialist State." The unauthorized assembly of more than three persons, including those for private religious services in private homes, is punishable by law by up to 3 months in prison and a fine. This prohibition is selectively enforced, and is sometimes used as a legal pretext to imprison human rights advocates. Workers do not have the right to bargain collectively or to strike. Members of independent labor unions, which the government considers illegal, are often harassed or dismissed from their jobs and subsequently barred from future employment. The executive branch controls the judiciary. In practice, the Council of State, of which Castro is chairman, serves as a de facto judiciary and controls both the courts and the judicial process as a whole. Freedom of movement and the right to choose one’s residence and place of employment are severely restricted. Attempting to leave the island without permission is a punishable offense. Did Barbara Lee and the other CBC members express any concern to Castro about these issues? They met with families of the Cuban Five, five Cuban men who are in U.S. prison, serving four life sentences and 75 years collectively, after being convicted in U.S. federal court in 2001 of espionage and conspiracy against the United States, and other related charges, though there is an active movement that charges they were wrongly convicted. But there was no mention that the CBC met with any of the families of dissidents jailed by the Cuban government. Do CBC members have no interest in the people of Cuba imprisoned for simply speaking out against the regime? Its appropriate for the CBC to take an interest in Cuban policy given the African American and Afro-Cuban connections between the US and Cuba, but to engage in that discussion with not a critical word regarding the governments repression of its own people really makes CBC members appear to be very unthinking and lacking in level headed analysis. Supporting liberalization in Cuban policy without a critical word about this government, a government that they would not want to live under for one second, a government that rules repressively over an entire population of Afro-Cubans whom the CBC is sympathetic too, is a very limp knee jerk, leftist liberal viewpoint. I don't think one could even call it progressive given that it is so lacking in any critique of the Castro government's repressive nature, which is every bit as damaging and harmful to Cuba's people as the US embargo. I listened to Barbara Lee's remarks to the press upon her return from Cuba and at least in the portion I heard, there was not a single reference made to the repression of the Castro government. Bobby Rush, qouted in the LA Times ,who was also part of the delegation, was positively gushing: "I think that what really surprised me, but also endeared me to him, was his keen sense of humor, his sense of history and his basic human qualities," Are you kidding me? This is as silly sounding as Bush's comment about looking into Putin's soul, a silliness however countered and tempered by the fact that you could never accuse Bush of having an uncritical view of Russia. The CBC should stop shilling for the Castro regime in this manner. Am I off base here? Does it not strike anyone else that there is something unseemly about the CBC championing a change in relations while ignoring the very repressive nature of Castro's government over an island full of black people?

Congressional Black Caucus "Chumps"

Michelle Singletary has a great article in The Washington Post regarding the bailout “Bait and Switch” and how Baltimore Congressman Elijah Cumming's questioning of Neel Kashkari, the interim assistant Treasury secretary for financial stability, that had me hollering. She writes how she usually don't enjoy watching congressional hearings and how they are often packed with blustering, long-winded, self-serving speeches that are nap-inducing. She also writes about how a recent hearing before the domestic policy subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee was riveting. In part, it was because of remarks by Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.). The subject of the hearing was whether the Treasury Department was using bailout funds to increase foreclosure prevention, as Congress intended. It was Cummings's questioning of Neel Kashkari, the interim assistant Treasury secretary for financial stability, that had me hollering. During the hearing, Cummings said what I've been feeling for months. In straight-from-the-'hood vernacular, Cummings captured what has been done to American taxpayers. "Mr. Kashkari, in the neighborhood I grew up in, in the inner city of Baltimore, one of the things that you tried to do was make sure that you were not considered a chump," Cummings said. "And what 'chump' meant was that you didn't want people to see you as just somebody they could get over on." Corporate America is playing us like chumps. Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. and the folks he's assembled to try to get us out of the economic tempest are being played like chumps. Read More HERE AAPP: I have to agree Representative Cummings, Corporate America is playing us like chumps. But, the fact of the matter is he is part of the problem, you see, he is one of the 13 black lawmakers who switched from "no" to "yes" on the bailout bill vote. The question is why a majority of the The Congressional Black Caucus supported the bail out bill from the beginning? I guess Elijah Cummings, Donna Edwards and other Congressional Black Caucus members are the biggest chumps for supporting the bill when voters were saying no! Cross posted on African American Political Pundit.com

The Congressional Black Caucus should be renamed - "The Congressional Black Cowards"

AAPP says: Well, it appear that the Congressional Black Caucus are a bunch of bought off cowards and traitors. Yes, Skeptical Brother is right. The Congressional Black Caucus are "selling us out." First Key Congressional Black Caucus Members Actually Stopped The Bailout Then they fall in line and follow Nancy Pelosiand George W. Bush. Folks the Congressional Black Caucus sold us down the drain. As reported by the Daily Voice, and Skeptical Brother members of the Congressional Black Caucus voted 31-8 in favor of the financial rescue bill that passed the House of Representatives on Friday, with several members swtching their votes. The vote was a dramatic turnaround for the Caucus from Monday, when most members of the group voted against the plan. The bill passed the full House of Representatives 263 to 171, just one day after the Senate approved the measure, 74 to 25. Senator Barack Obama personally called members of the CBC, some of whom credited him for changing their minds in favor of the bill, according to the Associated Press. Thirteen CBC members -- Andre Carson (IN), Emanuel Cleaver (MO), Elijah Cummings (MD), Donna Edwards (MD), Al Green (TX), Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL), Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX), Carolyn Kilpatrick (MI), Barbara Lee (CA), John Lewis (GA), Bobby Rush (IL), David Scott (GA) and Diane Watson (CA) -- who had voted against the bill on Monday switched their votes in favor of it on Friday. Many who switched their votes cited the changes in the proposal made since the Senate passed the measure on Thursday. Despite tremendous pressure from House Democratic leadership, eight members of the Caucus -- Reps. G.K. Butterfield, William Clay, John Conyers, William Jefferson, Hank Johnson, Donald Payne, Robert Scott and Bennie Thompson -- voted against the final bill on Friday. Rep. Elijah Cummings and Donna Edwards, both of Maryland, told AP that Senator Obama had contacted them and pledged to help homeowners facing foreclosure on their mortgages if he wins the White House and promised to support changes in the bankruptcy law to help consumers. More HERE AAPP: Lets call it the 700 Billion dollar fleecing of America, without any protections or direct help for homeowners facing foreclosure on their mortgages. Now I read my own Maryland congressional delegation, including of all people Rep. Elijah Cummings and Donna Edwards, both of Maryland, told AP that Senator Obama had contacted them and pledged to help homeowners facing foreclosure on their mortgages if he wins the White House and promised to support changes in the bankruptcy law to help consumers. As bigbaby says, WTF There are also some four dozen small provisions. Among them, with projected costs over 10 years: _Extending an expired provision that gives Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands a rebate against excise taxes charged on imported rum. The rebate, at $13.50 per proof gallon, helps finance local infrastructure projects. The cost is $192 million. _Establishing a new tax credit ranging from $2,500 to $7,500 for purchasers of plug-in electric-drive vehicles. Cost: $758 million. _Extending tax credits that expired at the end of 2007 for certain domestic corporations involved in American Samoa economic development. Cost: $33 million. _Extending a credit of up to $10,000 for the training of mine rescue team members. The credit expires at the end of this year and the one-year extension costs $4 million. _Enacting President Bush's proposal to erase the debt of the black lung disability trust fund at a cost of $1.3 billion. _Extending for one year a seven-year depreciation timetable that NASCAR and other motorsport racing facilities have had for some years, the same tax break that amusement parks enjoy. Without the extension, the tracks would have to depreciate the cost of their improvements over 15 years, raising their taxes by $100 million. _Extending for five years a program that reduces import duties on some wool fabrics. The tariff relief benefits U.S. worsted wool fabric producers that use imported fibers and yarns. Cost: $148 million. _Increasing the single-year deduction in production costs, from $15 million to $20 million, that film and TV productions may take if the costs are incurred in economically depressed areas. In an effort to keep film and TV productions in the U.S., it also allows more companies to use a domestic production deduction. Cost: $478 million. _Allowing commercial fishermen and others hurt by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska to average out damage awards over three years rather than taking a one-year hit from the IRS. Cost: $49 million. _Extending two programs that fund rural schools and rural communities that have been relying on declining income from logging on federal land or have low property tax bases because they are located on or next to federal lands. This is a major issue in the West. Cost: $3.3 billion. _Exempting wooden practice arrows used by children from an excise tax of 39 cents per arrow. Oregon's two senators and two Wisconsin representatives previously introduced legislation calling for the action, saying the tax was meant for more expensive archery arrows and is untenable for makers of toy arrows that may cost only about 30 cents apiece. The bill would affect about a half-dozen manufacturers nationwide, including one in Oregon; the Oregon senators said they didn't seek its addition to the bailout, however. Cost: $2 million. _Allowing employers to exempt from taxation what they spend on some fringe benefits for workers who commute to work by bicycle, for example reimbursing the cost of parking the bikes. Cost: $2 million. More HERE H/Tip Bygbaby and Soul Cast The Congressional are truly a bunch of bought off cowards and traitors. We need to throw all of them out of office, and get a new group of members.I must say I expected more out the new member Donna Edwards, I guess she is not the new breed of leader I thought she would be. Cross posted on African American political Pundit.com

GOP Front Runners to Black Voters: We are the Grand Old "White" Party

AAPP says: Well the grand old party is doing it's racist thing again. A month or so ago, I wrote in the Huffington Post about how the GOP Won't Even Talk with Black Folks. Since that time nothing has changed. The Grand Old "White" Party is establishing itself as the New White Citizens Council of the 21st Century. Here is the scary thing, not many black people are surprised. ------ Hat Tip Huffingtonpost.com and Michael Roston who are reporting on the Republicans avoiding a second black voter forum, which has now been postponed. GOP 'Scheduling Conflicts' Postpone Another Black Voter Forum Michael Roston says: In recent weeks, Republican presidential candidates have found time in their busy schedules to speak or debate before the Republican Jewish Coalition, "Value Voters," conservative Floridians, even Wyoming Republicans, who hold virtually no sway in the primary race. They've also agreed to appear at the CNN/YouTube debate they at one point shunned. But it appears that some GOP frontrunners are once again letting an opportunity to appear before African-American voters lapse, just as they decided to sit out a black voter forum hosted last month by Tavis Smiley. The Congressional Black Caucus Institute announced in September that it had scheduled a debate for November 4 on Fox News for Republican presidential candidates. But a spokeswoman for the group confirmed to the Huffington Post that it has now been postponed, with no new date set. "The debate will not take place on November 4, and we're still considering the debate schedule," said CBC Institute spokesperson Georgella Muirhead. Republican candidates have cited scheduling conflicts in resisting new proposed dates, Muirhead said. "It's the same issue they had with some of the other debates," she added. "We're getting a new working date, that's what's being considered." The CBC Political Education and Leadership Institute is a non-profit organization linked to the Congressional Black Caucus, which includes 43 African-American members of the House and Senate. Read more of Micheal Roston's report HERE

Congressional Black Caucus getting more Toxic

More toxic political garbage from the Congressional (FOX) Caucus I guess African American bloggers will be called "Liberal Activists" again as we continue to report and post on the stupidity of the Congressional FOX Caucus. Let's go backwards a number of months when twenty-six members of the Congressional Black Caucus signed letters and sent them to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (DN.Y.) and former Sen. John Edwards (DN.C.) urging them to reconsider their decisions to skip the event. The CBC also known as the Congressional FOX Caucus claimed the debates will be an opportunity to "help educate African Americans and others on key issues of national policy. Whatever!! Hat Tip: Afro-netizen.com and dnA for the list of CBC members who signed the letter. Well, the Congressional Black (Fox) Caucus leadership is dropping more (excuse the language) toxic political poop on America's black communities, and based on African American blogger comments we not feel'n good about it. Unfortunately, Sen. Joseph Biden, former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, and Rep. Dennis Kucinich have agreed to join in on the poop event. Many African American bloggers, thought it may be over, the CBC would give up. It's not over as far as the Congressional Black Caucus is concerned. As reported by politico.com, prometheus6, Jack and Jill Politics and others, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick who seems to be acting like a FOX Network propaganda "stool pigeon" says, We're moving forward no matter what! We're definitely having a debate in Detroit in September," said CBC Chairwoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, who serves on the institute's board and represents Detroit in Congress. "We may change the format. We might have more than just the presidential candidates," she said. But she is not alone, there are more stool pigeons dropping poop on the black community. Check out Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), head of the CBC Institute, who said he still held out hope that he could convince the front-runners to attend. He preferred not to dwell on the idea of a lonely stage with Biden, Kucinich and Gravel lobbing bombs at their absentee rivals. "We're still working to get the other people to reconsider," Thompson said. "Their decision to make Fox News the issue is not a good idea. Whether you agree or disagree with [Fox], they have a viewership." AAPP: Ok, Let me be clear, this guy Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) may be powerful in the House of Representatives, but I'm with the American public regarding congress. This guy's statement about Fox, proves he is a moron. This guy is still in denial that Obama, Clinton and Edwards are not attending the FOX/CBC debate, even though he and the other CBC Fox News supporters are "fair and stupid" regrading this redneck shindig. We can all expect Jesse Jackson, Sr., to be there smilin' for the cameras'. "I Guess Bennie (yes-um FOX) Thompson has gotten very comfortable to those Mississippi rednecks like racially divisive Klan supporter Trent ( the United States would have avoided "all these problems" if then-segregationist Strom Thurmond had been elected president in 1948) Lott. As Jack and Jill Politics points out, "The CBC's defense of their partnership with conservative propaganda outlet Fox News Channel is becoming increasingly absurd." Skeptical Brotha was so right back in May of this year about the majority of the CBC selling out to Fox Noise Channel. African American bloggers such as The Reid Report and many, many others have been concerned for some time about the CBC's DUBIOUS FRIENDS. We should all remember how and why Kucinich, Joe Biden, Mike Gravel attended the FOX debate when we get into that voting booth. I'm not saying vote for or against a person just because of one position or stand, but I don't think we should forget who stood with black folks, and who stood against and pooped on black folks all in the name of exposure, instead of integrity. In the meantime, I'm getting some type of poop off (not and endorsement of the product) to fight against the Congressional Fox Caucus, and the candidates who support their efforts to poop on black communities. Because I don't like poop. I Don't l know anyone who does like poop, let alone "Toxic Political poop." oops... there is one group that does. As a clear example: The Congressional FOX Caucus. But as they say poop happens! Can the CBC spread that toxic political poop around to some other group? I'm tired of it. What about you?

Jesse Jackson supports FOX News - the septic tank scum of news networks.

The Congressional Black Caucus "Club" have forgotten about black folks again. This time it's Jesse Jackson who is joining the Congressional Black Caucus in showing his Rainbow to black folk. Jack and Jill Politics reports that Jesse Jackson is Flip-Floping on CBC/Fox Debates. AAPPundit says: Black Agenda Report is on point. Fox News has rented the Congressional Black Caucus and now Jesse Jackson. Surprise - Surprise! Cross posted at African American Political Pundit and Independent Bloggers Alliance