Latest news with #IndianaBlackLegislativeCaucus
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Indiana House Democrats join Texas House Democrats to stand against mid-decade redistricting
Nine Indiana House Democrats joined Texas House Democrats in Chicago Wednesday to stand against mid-decade redistricting of congressional districts — which Texas Democrats are currently fighting against and Indiana Democrats could be fighting next. Indiana Black Legislative Caucus Chair State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago, said he was elected to serve his constituents 'not to help a guy in Washington D.C.' The move to redistrict mid-decade will disenfranchise voters, particularly minority voters, Harris said. Indiana District 1, held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, could be considered for redistricting if Indiana Republicans choose to do so, Harris said. District 1 has a large population of minority voters, Harris said, whose voices would be stifled. 'Why are we disenfranchising voters — Black and brown voters — who chose the person we want to represent us? We need to stand here and fight, be here in this fight,' Harris said. Texas State Rep. Gene Wu said the state Democratic House Caucus left the state to stop 'a racist, unconstitutional and illegal gerrymandering effort in Texas.' Gerrymandering refers to politicians manipulating the boundaries of an electoral map in their party's favor. Texas Democratic lawmakers are in Illinois for a second week as Republicans are trying to reconvene the state legislature in a special session to vote on redrawing congressional maps in their party's favor. Redistricting occurs every 10 years following the release of census data. But the Trump administration has been pressuring states, most notably Texas, to redistrict ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. '(We're) stopping the D.C. swamp from dictating who we get to vote for. This is an effort to stifle Americans who have had enough because Republicans know that their agenda and what they have done is so unpopular … with all Americans,' Wu said. 'They need to cheat and rig the system so they can rig the system.' State Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis, said she was proud to stand with her Texas colleagues to 'protect our democracy.' 'While Texas is on the front lines of this fight, Indiana may be next in line,' Pryor said. Last week, Vice President JD Vance met with Gov. Mike Braun and state Republican leaders to discuss redistricting in Indiana. After the meeting, Mrvan said during a news conference that the Trump administration 'brought the circus' of redistricting to Indiana and that he believed the decision to redistrict Indiana was 'a done deal.' 'JD Vance and Donald Trump brought the circus to Indianapolis,' Mrvan, D-Highland, said. 'They are afraid of checks and balances. They are afraid of the polling that they see, and they want to redistrict things.' State Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, said Vance 'is engaged in Congressional-level shoplifting.' 'Never in my life did I think that the vice president of the United States would come to my state and ask our legislature to shoplift for Congressional districts — steal them off the shelf, run outside and wave them in front of the country,' DeLaney said. On Tuesday, Braun told the Indiana Capitol Chronicle that he hasn't decided if he'll call a special session on redistricting Indiana's congressional map, but that he and Republican legislative leaders are 'considering it seriously' as they watch what happens in Texas. 'It'll be interesting to see what Texas does because they don't have a supermajority, so … if that gets tripped up, it's gonna probably impact what happens elsewhere, because the rest of it doesn't add up to much,' he told the Capital Chronicle on Tuesday. 'I think mostly what happens here is going to depend on where Texas goes, because I think they've got five seats in play,' he said. Indiana was last redistricted in 2021, which left Congressional Republicans with seven seats and Democrats two seats. Pryor said Republicans want to redistrict early because they want to hold onto power despite policies like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Pryor called a 'Big Beautiful Mess,' hurting Americans. 'This behavior that we're seeing today, we would not expect that from this country. We would expect that from a dictatorship, not the United States of America,' Pryor said. 'Their greatest fear is that Americans are waking up and realizing that the Republican Party might not be making them better off; it's making them bankrupt.' Indiana Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Tallian said in a statement that mid-decade redistricting attempts 'prove the GOP knows it is losing support among voters.' 'This is a clear power grab by a Republican Party that knows it can't win the next election without changing the rules,' Tallian said. 'After 21 years of Republican rule in Indiana, utility bills and grocery prices are skyrocketing and our healthcare system is hanging by a thread — no wonder they'd rather cheat than face the voters fair and square.' akukulka@
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Indiana House Democrats join Texas House Democrats to stand against mid-decade redistricting
Nine Indiana House Democrats joined Texas House Democrats in Chicago Wednesday to stand against mid-decade redistricting of congressional districts — which Texas Democrats are currently fighting against and Indiana Democrats could be fighting next. Indiana Black Legislative Caucus Chair State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago, said he was elected to serve his constituents 'not to help a guy in Washington D.C.' The move to redistrict mid-decade will disenfranchise voters, particularly minority voters, Harris said. Indiana District 1, held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, could be considered for redistricting if Indiana Republicans choose to do so, Harris said. District 1 has a large population of minority voters, Harris said, whose voices would be stifled. 'Why are we disenfranchising voters — Black and brown voters — who chose the person we want to represent us? We need to stand here and fight, be here in this fight,' Harris said. Texas State Rep. Gene Wu said the state Democratic House Caucus left the state to stop 'a racist, unconstitutional and illegal gerrymandering effort in Texas.' Gerrymandering refers to politicians manipulating the boundaries of an electoral map in their party's favor. Texas Democratic lawmakers are in Illinois for a second week as Republicans are trying to reconvene the state legislature in a special session to vote on redrawing congressional maps in their party's favor. Redistricting occurs every 10 years following the release of census data. But the Trump administration has been pressuring states, most notably Texas, to redistrict ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. '(We're) stopping the D.C. swamp from dictating who we get to vote for. This is an effort to stifle Americans who have had enough because Republicans know that their agenda and what they have done is so unpopular … with all Americans,' Wu said. 'They need to cheat and rig the system so they can rig the system.' State Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis, said she was proud to stand with her Texas colleagues to 'protect our democracy.' 'While Texas is on the front lines of this fight, Indiana may be next in line,' Pryor said. Last week, Vice President JD Vance met with Gov. Mike Braun and state Republican leaders to discuss redistricting in Indiana. After the meeting, Mrvan said during a news conference that the Trump administration 'brought the circus' of redistricting to Indiana and that he believed the decision to redistrict Indiana was 'a done deal.' 'JD Vance and Donald Trump brought the circus to Indianapolis,' Mrvan, D-Highland, said. 'They are afraid of checks and balances. They are afraid of the polling that they see, and they want to redistrict things.' State Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, said Vance 'is engaged in Congressional-level shoplifting.' 'Never in my life did I think that the vice president of the United States would come to my state and ask our legislature to shoplift for Congressional districts — steal them off the shelf, run outside and wave them in front of the country,' DeLaney said. On Tuesday, Braun told the Indiana Capitol Chronicle that he hasn't decided if he'll call a special session on redistricting Indiana's congressional map, but that he and Republican legislative leaders are 'considering it seriously' as they watch what happens in Texas. 'It'll be interesting to see what Texas does because they don't have a supermajority, so … if that gets tripped up, it's gonna probably impact what happens elsewhere, because the rest of it doesn't add up to much,' he told the Capital Chronicle on Tuesday. 'I think mostly what happens here is going to depend on where Texas goes, because I think they've got five seats in play,' he said. Indiana was last redistricted in 2021, which left Congressional Republicans with seven seats and Democrats two seats. Pryor said Republicans want to redistrict early because they want to hold onto power despite policies like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Pryor called a 'Big Beautiful Mess,' hurting Americans. 'This behavior that we're seeing today, we would not expect that from this country. We would expect that from a dictatorship, not the United States of America,' Pryor said. 'Their greatest fear is that Americans are waking up and realizing that the Republican Party might not be making them better off; it's making them bankrupt.' Indiana Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Tallian said in a statement that mid-decade redistricting attempts 'prove the GOP knows it is losing support among voters.' 'This is a clear power grab by a Republican Party that knows it can't win the next election without changing the rules,' Tallian said. 'After 21 years of Republican rule in Indiana, utility bills and grocery prices are skyrocketing and our healthcare system is hanging by a thread — no wonder they'd rather cheat than face the voters fair and square.'
Chicago Tribune
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Gary celebrates Juneteenth with parade in Midtown
Looking at her grandchildren's interest in a Juneteenth parade, Wendy Kimble can't help but feel proud. 'I love it,' Kimble said. 'It gives us a time to be able to etch this moment in time and be able to spend time with our family.' They went to the parade because her grandchildren like cars, but Kimble was hoping they'd walk away with more life lessons. 'This is just an example of what it means to come together as African Americans and our community,' Kimble said. 'But, it's so much more than that, and I intend on teaching them that.' Kimble and her family attended Gary's Juneteenth parade Thursday, which is part of the city's Midtown Fest. The parade started at the intersection of 15th Avenue and Broadway and ended at Roosevelt Park. Thursday also featured a car show at Roosevelt Park and music, including a performance by singer Kym Mazelle, who is from Gary. Mazelle was also the grand marshal of the Juneteenth parade. 'I'm overwhelmed to be back home,' Mazelle said. 'I'm overwhelmed to be part of this event for Juneteenth, and I'm blessed to be back at Roosevelt Park.' Juneteenth, which is every June 19, is a federal holiday that celebrates the emancipation of all enslaved people in the U.S., according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. It marks the date in 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas received news of their emancipation from slavery by order of Major General Gordon Granger. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863, but slaveholders in Texas, which was part of the Confederacy, were inconsistent in following it. Freedom for all remaining slaves came in December 1865 when the 13th Amendment was ratified. State Rep. Earl Harris, D-East Chicago, issued a statement ahead of the national holiday, urging people to not allow actions to be taken to erase Black history. Harris' said that action first takes place in the classroom, and the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus is making moves to 'remove roadblocks and create an equal playing field' for all Hoosiers. 'Today, 160 years later, Juneteenth is still as important as it was the first year it was celebrated,' Harris said. 'Juneteenth is a day to celebrate the liberation, joy and achievements of Black people. It is also a time to channel our efforts to overcome the barriers that still lie ahead of us.' Watching her hometown celebrate Juneteenth made Mazelle proud, she said. Mazelle cried before the parade because she was so happy to see Gary embracing a holiday dedicated to Black Americans. 'It's beautiful,' Mazelle said. 'There's just so much history here.' Nawtissha Edwards, from Merrillville, heard about the parade from a flyer, and she was excited to celebrate the national holiday with her husband, Martice. She hopes the parade continues to grow in the future, Edwards said. 'A lot of years, nothing is done, but now we know something is being done,' she said. 'It's being acknowledged, it's now a national holiday. We just wanted to be able to come out here and celebrate with everyone else.' Edwards also enjoyed seeing children involved in the celebration, especially seeing them in Juneteenth colors and participating in the parade. 'I'm very proud and very excited for the next generation,' Edwards said. 'I want them to know what the meaning is. I think that's important.' Vanita and Octavia Wells, a mother and daughter from Gary, walked together in the Juneteenth parade, representing Little Bean Learning, which provides a nature-based education to students. Vanita Wells said it was important for them to walk in the parade so they can be seen and show people why supporting Black history matters. Walking with her mother made the parade even more special, Octavia Wells said. 'I've always been super proud of my mom with all the stuff she's accomplished,' she said. 'It means a lot to just be able to enjoy and celebrate what others have accomplished.'
Axios
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Gov. Mike Braun delivers inaugural State of the State address
Republican Gov. Mike Braun pitched his agenda to Hoosiers Wednesday night in his inaugural State of the State address. The big picture: While Braun feels his victory — and President Trump's — makes his agenda a mandate from voters, he's just two weeks into the job and still building relationships with the lawmakers whose support he needs to put major pieces of that agenda in place. He spent the bulk of his speech discussing two of his major campaign promises — property tax reform and lowering health care costs — both of which need legislative action. "I look forward to working with you all to get (the property tax bill) across the finish line," he said to the lawmakers gathered for his speech. "Hoosiers sent me here with a clear directive that this cannot be ignored." Between the lines: Braun illustrated his major agenda items with real-world examples, like the Greenwood couple whose property tax bill has more than doubled since 2021 and a Fort Wayne woman who received a surprise medical bill for $1,300 after her annual physical. Yes, but: His mention of a knife attack on a 14-year-old Lowell girl last September gave the speech a darker tone than is traditional in these annual addresses. Braun used the attack, which was allegedly perpetrated by a Honduran man who entered the country illegally, to bolster his recent pledge to support Trump's immigration policies. The other side: Braun is already running into opposition. Earlier on Wednesday, a small group of demonstrators gathered outside the Statehouse to protest a slew of conservative policies on issues such as abortion, immigration, and diversity, equity and inclusion. On Wednesday evening, the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus organized a rally inside the Statehouse while Braun delivered his speech, to "advocate for communities being negatively impacted" by Braun's agenda. Most of the caucus members did not sit in the House chamber for his speech. What they're saying:"In the first few weeks of Gov. Braun's administration, we've received a message about the path he intends to follow," state Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago, said in a statement before the rally. "We want to bring Hoosiers together to fight for a better state for all." Reality check: Republicans have super majorities in both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly, meaning Braun does not need support from Democrats to pursue his agenda. Go deeper: See Braun's full speech below.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gov. Mike Braun gives first State of the State address: Our takeaways
Republican Gov. Mike Braun gave his first State of the State address to a joint session of the Indiana General Assembly on Wednesday, reiterating many of his campaign promises to curtail rising property taxes and tackle high health care costs. His prepared remarks were short with few surprises. Meanwhile, one floor up, community members and Black legislators protested in response to Braun's repudiation of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. It was the first time in at least 20 years that most members of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus declined to attend a State of the State speech. Here are some of our takeaways from his address and the evening. This story will be updated. More: Watch Braun's first State of the State speech. These two issues were at the very top of Braun's campaign agenda, and he demonstrated as such by bringing in regular Hoosiers to put human faces on them. Two of his guests were a couple named Rob and Stephanie Parks, from Greenwood, who Braun said have lived in their home for 27 years. Their property tax bill doubled since 2021, from $715 to over $1,500, according to Braun. (The biggest jump in property tax bills largely occurred in 2023, with an average 17% jump. In Johnson County, according to an analysis by the Association of Indiana Counties, the average was closer to 25%. Certainly there will be outlier statistics.) Another of Braun's guests tonight was Melissa Dietrich from Ossian, a town just south of Fort Wayne, who he said was surprised to receive a bill of over $1,300 for routine blood work. It took hours on the phone to get that bill down to $300, he said. "But it didn't feel right," he said. "Melissa, it shouldn't feel right." Legislative leaders have been vocal for years about their intentions to figure out how to lower the cost of health care. It started with a vaguely threatening letter to the state's biggest hospitals in 2021, and culminated with some lukewarm data-collecting bills in the 2023 legislative session, the last time they had to craft the state budget. So they were primed to make some bigger moves during this budget session. Braun's hyperfixation on the issue certainly adds fuel to the fire, and there are many high-profile bills by leaders this session tackling it from multiple angles, from price controls to physician noncompete clauses to how much hospitals get reimbursed for Medicaid patients. He aligns with legislative leaders on just about every other topic in his speech, from the desire to property tax reform to enacting universal school choice to reskilling and upskilling Indiana's workforce. Former Gov. Eric Holcomb made a habit of breaking news during his State of the State addresses ― sometimes just a morsel, but news nonetheless. Last year, it was the announcement of a record-high grant award from the Lilly Endowment toward the state's READI program. The year before, it was a new rail trail in southern Indiana. And so on. Braun's speech includes no such morsels, but rather, reiterates the broad strokes of his agenda. We're not necessarily complaining. Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@ or follow her on X@kayla_dwyer17. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Gov. Mike Braun's first State of the State: Our takeaways
