Representative Charles Rangel walks out on the House Ethics Committee that is investigating him. Rangel said he did not have legal representation and was declining to participate in the hearing. The committee considered delaying the hearing to allow Rangel to get legal representation. The committee agreed with Rangel that he could not accept free legal help. But decided it would not delay the hearing.
A House of Representatives panel is hearing the ethics case against New York Democratic Rep. Charles B. Rangel, former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and long one of the most influential black lawmakers in Congress. The session comes on the first day lawmakers arrive back in Washington, D.C. to begin the lame-duck legislative session following the November mid-term elections.
Rangel, who easily won re-election in his Harlem district to a 21st term Nov. 2, has insisted he is innocent of the allegations that he broke congressional rules in his personal finances and his fundraising efforts for a New York college. The hearing could reportedly last several days. The UpTake will air these hearings in their entirety.
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President Obama outlines his Administration’s vision for American leadership in the 21st century and calls on the world to help realize a future built on freedom and human rights in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly.
Key quote from President Obama: “There is much to show for our efforts, even as there is much work to be done. The global economy has been pulled back from the brink of a depression, and is growing once more. We have resisted protectionism, and are exploring ways to expand trade and commerce among nations. But we cannot — and will not — rest until these seeds of progress grow into a broader prosperity, not only for all Americans, but for peoples around the globe.”
Related links:
Transcript of President Obama speaking at the United Nations
… Continue Reading
President Obama and the First Lady join President Bill Clinton to address the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative Meeting in New York City.
Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden visit Fort Drum in upstate New York to welcome home the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, from Iraq. One of the most deployed brigades in the U.S. Army, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team has participated in three deployments to Afghanistan and four deployments to Iraq. The Vice President speaks off stage about the end of the combat mission in Iraq, and the future of the American mission in that country.
Story By Susan Maricle, Video by Skye Steele
“That’s not democracy.
I’ve got a hundred thousand dollars
for a governor who’ll be nice to me.”
Professional violinist Skye Steele gave an impromptu performance to a manager of a Target store located near Steele’s home of Brooklyn, New York. The message, set to an upbeat bluesy tune on the mandolin: a protest of Target Stores’ decision to give $150,000 to MnForward, the political action group that supports Tom Emmer.
“I don’t live in Minnesota, but I do shop at Target,” Steele explained. He wrote the song That’s Not Democracy and decided to create his own video after seeing an UpTake video on MoveOn.org. In the video, a Target customer cut up her store charge card after returning a major purchase. The video was created for The UpTake by Bill Sorem.
Accompanied by his fiancée with a video camera, Steele visited the nearest Target and asked at the customer service desk to speak to a manager. He explained why, and said the customer service reps were polite and helpful. They told Steele, “You want to talk to a big manager.” Out came Ajay, the manager seen in the video. He too was courteous, Steele said.
Ajay acknowledged he had already received visits from customers who had given personal written statements to Target. The manager encouraged Steele to “do what he had to do.”
The musician admits to being nervous, despite having performed for audiences numbering in the thousands. “I guess sometimes the stakes are higher when it’s one-on-one,” he says.
After the performance, Steele said Ajay the manager told him, “Skye, your message came through loud and clear.” Ajay added that all he could do was apologize, that the decision to donate wasn’t his or the employees’. He also said he would definitely pass Steele’s message on to the corporate office.
Steele, 29, began studying violin was he was three years old. He has performed throughout the U.S., Brazil, Europe, and the Middle East. He has eight musical performance videos on YouTube, but says That’s Not Democracy is the first video of an “interventional” performance. He used this technique to deliver a message about climate change to New York’s United States Senators.
“This type of performing is brand new to me,” he says. “There will definitely be more.” … Continue Reading
Senator Al Franken announces the “Understanding The True Cost Of College Act” that would require colleges to use easier to understand language in their financial aid package offers to students.
Hindia Ali, Youth Leadership Development Coordinator at Somali Action Alliance is a delegate the the 2012 National Democratic Convention, the first Somali-American to be a delegate.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, President Obama ripped into Republicans for their lack of compromising and for the first time mentioned his likely Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, by name.
Minnesota women in healthcare predicaments met with with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Sen. Al Franken, Rep. Betty McCollum and Governor Mark Dayton on Friday — the two year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.
President Obama says many of the factors that are driving up gas prices are out of our control such as unrest in the Middle East. However, he points out there are some things that are in our control such as fraud and manipulation that can cause prices to spike even further.
President Obama talks about an all-of-the-above American energy strategy at a Daimler manufacturing plant in North Carolina that’s making trucks that run on natural gas.
Senator Al Franken is used to close elections. This time he didn’t beat his opponents, but had to settle for a tie with Representative Chip Cravaack in the second annual Minnesota Congressional delegation hotdish cookoff.
President Obama would like to reform taxes so we reward companies that invest in the US, not ones that send jobs overseas. But there are some barriers, such as Congress.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu uses his photo op with President Obama today to talk up how the US and Israel are united against Iran, which is suspected of trying to create a nuclear bomb.
President Obama warns that “loose talk” of war was only helping Iran, while pushing back against charges from GOP presidential contenders that he has been less than a loyal ally to Israel.
Members of the Welfare Rights Committee disrupt the signing of the Vikings Stadium Bill. They claim, “Vikings Got Bailed Out, We Got Sold Out!”
Somali women and men gather to discuss the many aspects of female infertility with medical and social experts.
3M shareholders at annual meeting were asked to stop all corporate contributions to political campaigns and to disclose corporate political lobbying efforts. As expected, the resolutions were voted down, but the activists pledged to continue efforts.
Occupy backed homeowner successfully re-negotiated her loan with MN based US Bank.
After the six-week US-Dakota War of 1862, 38 Dakota men were hung in one of the largest mass executions in US History. Many argue that the trials were a sham, that is was the largest injustice in the nation’s history. Today, Representative Dean Urdahl, Chair of the Legacy Committee in Minnesota and the Civil War Task Force, seeks to, “rub a little salve in the wound,” by seeking a pardon for one of those warriors who was hung on that fateful December day. His name is Chaska.
Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL) decides to support the Vikings stadium because of the jobs it will create.
The Minnesota House and Senate have each approved different versions of a Vikings stadium proposal. So now it is up to a conference committee to reconcile the differences.
Principle or politics? On Friday, Governor Mark Dayton went heavily with principle and imperiled the politics of his top legislative priority — thousands of jobs from building a new Vikings football stadium.
A bill that would give business owners a tax cut is hailed by Senator Geoff Michel (R-Edina) as the “best piece of legislation” to be considered his year. Senator John Marty (DFL-Roseville ) counters it deserves a “smoking’ hot veto pen” because it isn’t paid for.
A Minnesota Senate attempt to override Governor Mark Dayton’s veto of a bill expanding the kinds of fireworks that can legally be sold in Minnesota fails to get the 2/3rds majority needed.
Occupy backed homeowner successfully re-negotiated her loan with MN based US Bank.
Nearly a year after the tornado that ripped through North Minneapolis, opinions vary greatly on what the poverty-stricken community needs most from local and state government. Should the City introduce “pie in the sky” ideas or focus on more immediate problems?
Representative Bobby Jo Champion talks about the challenges facing some of his constituents in North Minneapolis almost a year after a devastating tornado.
Rebuild It Right, an organization made up of architects and designers from Minneapolis, is helping homeowners advocate for quality design in the wake of the May 22nd Tornado.
The Vikings stadium deal got the support of Minneapolis City Council members. Council member Don Samuels says that this is a good deal for his constituents. It will provide jobs to a part of the city that has the highest rate of unemployment.
Local, Minneapolis non-profit Urban Homeworks works with banks and other community organizations to fight foreclosures.
Embattled homeowner Monique White took one more step Friday toward what could become an improbable victory that would let her stay in her North Minneapolis home. Judge Mark Labine will decide on Monday whether White will get a jury trial in District Court.
The Northside Economic Opportunity Network works with small businesses and micro-businesses in North Minneapolis to help them achieve success.
As we’ve been reporting for the past six months, many tornado victims who need help still haven’t gotten it.
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