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Politico
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Wes Moore's reparations moment
What up, Recast fam. On today's agenda: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore faces an early test of his viability on the national stage as he is set to headline a dinner and fundraiser for South Carolina Democrats on Friday. The opportunity to address party insiders of an early presidential nominating state comes as Moore is facing some headwinds back home — and, perhaps, increasingly from other parts of the Democratic base — over his recent decision to veto a reparations bill in Maryland. The bill called for a study of historic race-based inequality in the state. The veto surprised many of Moore's supporters, especially his fellow Democrats in the state Legislature who presumed Maryland's first, and currently the nation's only, Black governor would sign the bill. It comes at a fraught moment for Moore, as he looks to bolster his national standing within the party and position himself as a potential presidential candidate. (Why else would he be traveling to South Carolina?) That's despite the fact that he's repeatedly said he's not looking to make a White House run, for now. The veto also prompted one South Carolina Democrat, state Rep. John King, to lobby state party officials to disinvite Moore from the Blue Palmetto Dinner. Writing in an open letter on Facebook, King characterized Moore's veto this way: 'It was a rejection of the very acknowledgment that the wounds of slavery still bleed into the lives of our people today.' In an interview with The Recast, King took it a step further, explaining that while he would be open to supporting Moore should he run for president in the future, the governor's veto of a reparations bill sends the message that the historic pain suffered by Black Americans, who make up the base of the Democratic Party, can easily be ignored. 'His decision to veto a bill that simply studies reparations, gives political cover, in my opinion, to opponents of racial justice, not just in Maryland, but across the country,' he said. 'It sends a message that even Black leadership at the highest level sees reparations as politically untenable, and that makes it even harder for us as Black legislators to introduce or defend, and in many cases advance, meaningful legislation on reparational justice.' Was The Recast forwarded to you by a friend? Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter here. You'll get a weekly breakdown of how race and identity are the DNA of American politics and policy. The reparations issue has gained traction in a handful of states in recent years, including in California, New York, Illinois and the District of Columbia, which have each enacted commissions to study the long-term effects of slavery on Black Americans. Some local municipalities including Providence, Rhode Island, have also established similar bodies. But the issue has gone nowhere on the federal level, having been introduced every session of Congress since 1989 without being passed. Most recently, Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) introduced a 'Reparations Now' resolution earlier this month, which is not expected to be taken up by the GOP-controlled House. Reparations remains a politically fraught issue nationally, with Black and white survey respondents expressing markedly different opinions. In a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, some 77 percent of African American respondents supported reparations, while just 18 percent of white respondents said the same. A person familiar with Moore's thinking granted anonymity to speak candidly told The Recast it is unclear to them whether Moore will address the reparations veto directly in his South Carolina remarks but expects the governor to point to efforts during his time as governor that have addressed racial disparities in the state, echoing sentiments in the governor's veto letter. 'Because while I appreciate the work that went into this legislation, I strongly believe now is not the time for another study,' Moore wrote in his May 16 letter, listing items including increasing the number of mortgages to help first-time homeowners, which has helped some 1,500 pursue homeownership, and investing more than $1.3 million in the state's historically Black colleges and universities. 'We've made real progress both to undo bad policies of the past and craft good policies that will lead us toward a brighter future,' Moore continued in his letter, promising to introduce more policies in the next legislative session, which convenes in January 2026. Maryland Democrats, who enjoy a supermajority in the state Legislature, are already floating talks of overriding the governor's veto. We'll continue to monitor this space and report back on how it will be playing out — both in South Carolina and in Maryland. All the best,The Recast Team REMEMBRANCES FOR CHARLES RANGEL The political world continues to mourn the death of the legendary Harlem, New York, Congressman Charles Rangel. During a congressional career that spanned nearly half a century, he came to be known as the 'Lion of Lennox Avenue' and was one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus, which included other towering political figures like the late Reps. John Conyers of Michigan, Ron Dellums of California and fellow New Yorker Shirley Chisholm. He also became the first Black lawmaker to chair the powerful Ways and Means Committee, first taking the gavel in 2007. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the first Black party leader of either chamber, remembered Rangel as 'friend and mentor,' while also praising him as 'change agent and champion for justice.' He listed numerous accomplishments, including being a Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient fighting in the Korean War, establishing the Low Income Housing Tax Credit that helped usher in new and affordable housing units across the country and, in the late 1980s, established the so-called Rangel Amendment, which blocked foreign tax credits to U.S. businesses investing in South Africa, which at the time was ruled by the apartheid system. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who prior to serving in that post was elected twice as New York senator, also praised Rangel for his military service and helping to urge her to enter politics after eight years of being first lady. 'He was a proud veteran who loved serving his Harlem constituents,' Clinton said on X. 'He urged me to run for the Senate and later was an invaluable colleague.' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York also added on X: 'The list of his accomplishments could take pages, but he leaves the world a much better place than he found it.' While many of his mourners focused on his many achievements, there were less rosy moments of his career, including when his colleagues in the U.S. House overwhelmingly voted to censure him in 2010 for several ethics violations, including receiving gifts and improper use of influence. Still, voters in his Harlem district reelected him the following cycle by a wide margin, and he didn't retire until after his 17th term, when he decided not to seek reelection in 2016. Rangel was 94 years old. WHAT WE'RE WATCHING THIS WEEK California GOP would love a Harris run — Republicans in the Golden State love to hate the former vice president. But what they would love even more is if she would run for California governor. Kamala Harris is still reportedly months away from a decision on that race — as she mulls a gubernatorial run or a perhaps another go at the White House in 2028 — but for California's GOP the mere prospect of her running for governor is seen as beneficial, as the party expect it to energize donors and the conservative rank and file, reports POLITICO's Jeremy B. White. What else we're watching: TODAY'S CULTURE RECS Hoop Dreams — The NBA's Eastern and Western Conference playoffs have been a ratings bonanza, according to one metric, which is likely making that 'cha-ching' sound' for the league's new partners including NBCU, Amazon and Disney, which inked massive deals set to kick in when the new league season tips off in the fall. Take me back — Every genre has 'em, every decade loves 'em. Rolling Stone is out with their ranking of the 50 best one-hit wonders of the 2000s. See who topped the list and who missed the cut. Janet Jackson takes center stage — The American Music Awards was this past weekend. Didn't watch? No problem. Here's a list of winners, snubs and surprises. And a look at icon Janet Jackson's performance.
Politico
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Ilhan Omar on George Floyd, 5 years later
Programming note: We'll be off next Tuesday, May 27, following the federal holiday in the U.S., and we'll return to your inboxes the following day, May 28. What up, Recast fam. On today's agenda: This weekend marks five years since George Floyd's murder by a Minneapolis police officer, a moment captured on video that sparked international protests calling for an end to systemic racism and a national conversation on how law enforcement interacts with Black and brown communities. The murder took place in the district represented by Rep. Ilhan Omar, a member of the Squad who has become a lightning rod for conservative provocateurs. In the wake of Floyd's murder, with protests rising around the country, corporations implementing DEI policies — and pledging collectively to spend some $50 billion to work toward eradicating systemic racism — and politicians openly talking about reforming policing, Omar hoped his death would spur radical change in the nation. But today, the protests have evaporated, DEI departments are shutting down and conservatives are even calling for President Donald Trump to issue a pardon to Derek Chauvin, the white officer convicted of killing Floyd. While it is unclear if Trump will move forward with a pardon, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz told reporters 'it behooves us to be prepared for it,' according to The Minnesota Star Tribune. Meanwhile, bipartisan talks around federal laws to reform policing have been scuttled. And by one measure, 2024 saw more people killed by police than in any year in the last decade. As the anniversary approaches, I spoke with Omar about the push for a Chauvin pardon, the legacy of the protest movement his death prompted and whether Democrats bear any blame for ceding support of law enforcement to conservatives, who have since labeled the Democrats the party of 'defund the police.' ◆◆◆ This interview has been edited for length and clarity. THE RECAST: How do you think the country should be thinking about the fifth anniversary of George Floyd's murder? OMAR: I believe after George Floyd was murdered in broad daylight for all of us in the United States and the world to witness, it seemed like it created a moment of hope. It ignited a lot of urgent conversations about the state of our nation, the state of policing and the state of our justice system, and who's entitled to justice. And unfortunately, as we have seen every time there is a movement for the liberation of Black people, for equality, for justice, we see a backslide — a backlash — where things not only stop progressing, but we are seeing more people emboldened with their racism. We are seeing unjust calls for [Chauvin] to be pardoned, which is telling since they're not calling for the pardon for his fellow officers that were also charged and convicted by a jury of their peers. Was The Recast forwarded to you by a friend? Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter here. You'll get a weekly breakdown of how race and identity are the DNA of American politics and policy. THE RECAST: To your point, Chauvin was tried, convicted and sentenced during his 2021 trial. The following year a federal court convicted the former police officer of two constitutional rights violations — in a case where Chauvin himself pleaded guilty — and in 2023 the Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld his second-degree murder conviction. So what do you think is driving this sentiment, particularly from conservative circles, about this push to pardon Chauvin, given the courts have ruled pretty decisively on his actions? OMAR: Well, I believe it is rooted in white supremacy. And just to be clear, the president only has the ability to pardon people who are charged and convicted under federal law. George Floyd's murderer still faces the state murder conviction and will, regardless of the federal pardon, be in jail, and he will always be known to the world and people of this country as a murderer. THE RECAST: You alluded to Floyd's murder creating 'a moment' in this country. There was also a moment on Capitol Hill to push forward on some sort of agreement on how policing on the federal level could be changed. Yet that promise went unfilled too. Can you talk a little bit about the frustrations that talks fell apart and if there are plans of this bill being reintroduced in this Congress? OMAR: I was grateful at that moment that then-Congresswoman Karen Bass and the Black Caucus rallied around the idea of reforming our policing and justice system after George Floyd's murder. We weren't successful in getting it across the finish line, and that was a missed opportunity by Congress. We know that with the passing of the bipartisan gun violence prevention legislation we were able to direct a lot of resources to help with some of those intended reforms across police departments. The Minneapolis Police Department has not become perfect, by any sense, but it's been reformed to some capacity. We've seen the consent decree from the DOJ come through, though we know that Trump's DOJ has paused it. So I am optimistic in the fact that there will be lasting positive impacts in regards to policing in this country that came out of that movement in the summer of 2020. But I'm not optimistic about having a president that fans the flames of hate, racism and bigotry. THE RECAST: Republicans have successfully labeled Democrats the party that was soft on crime and anti-police during the racial reckoning protests of five years ago. Is there anything Democrats can do to take back some of the mantle about how they are viewed as far as being welcoming to law enforcement? OMAR: There's always a narrative battle when you're in politics. I do believe that Democrats themselves have conceded that debate of whether we are for law and order and whether we care about the safety of our communities. None of us want hurt and harm for those who sign up to serve, but we do want people who actually care about that oath to serve. I hope that my Democratic colleagues find a way to reclaim that narrative, that we are not the ones that are pardoning Jan. 6 insurrectionists who beat up and were ultimately the cause of the deaths of so many Capitol police officers. We are not the ones that are calling for a murderer to be released and pardoned. We are not the ones that are creating an environment for the law to be disregarded and for order to be dismantled in this nation. I think oftentimes Democrats can end up being focused on pointing the finger at each other, instead of thinking about what the broader narrative is on what we are fighting for. THE RECAST: There's plenty of finger-pointing going on now with how much of a role Joe Biden played in Democrats' defeats this past cycle. I take it you fall into the camp that Democrats should focus on crafting a message of taking on Trump. OMAR: Oftentimes, I think we can be that kid who thinks they're smart, and they don't fully hear the teacher's instructions. And they raise their hand, try to answer, give the wrong answer and embarrass themselves. I do think that we often forget to read the room, to look at where our narrative should be and really hone in on what it means to care and and protect the future of this country. BOTTOMS LAUNCHES GEORGIA GUBERNATORIAL BID Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms surprised no one with her official campaign launch for Georgia governor on Tuesday. If elected, she would score a number of historic firsts: She'd be the nation's first Black woman to become a governor, the first Black person and first woman to lead the state of Georgia — and the first Democrat to win the Governor's Mansion in a generation. 'Donald Trump is a disaster for our economy and our country,' Bottoms proclaimed in the nearly 2 1/2-minute announcement video. She poked fun at a minor kerfuffle earlier this year when the president claimed to have fired her from the White House Export Council, a post she was appointed to by Biden. She vehemently denies that she was fired, arguing that she resigned prior to Trump taking office. 'While I laugh when Donald Trump spent part of his first day in office firing me from a job I didn't even have, for thousands of hard working Georgians who've lost their livelihoods, Donald Trump is no laughing matter,' she said in the ad. Bottoms enters the 2026 Democratic primary with broad name ID in the Peach State, but there are still looming questions about whether she can extend her reach outside the Atlanta area. It's also unclear if Georgia voters will be reluctant to elect her to the state's highest office after she stunned many Democrats by deciding against seeking a second term as mayor. She faces a potentially crowded primary, with state Sen. Jason Esteves and Atlanta-area pastor Olu Brown having declared their candidacies. In March, Rep. Lucy McBath suspended her exploratory bid to help her husband recover from cancer surgery, but she left the door open to launching a run for governor in the future. On the Republican side, state Attorney General Chris Carr launched his bid last year, while MAGA darling Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is thought to be eyeing a run after bowing out of a chance to run for Senate next year. Bottoms is running to replace the popular GOP Gov. Brian Kemp, who is term-limited. WHAT WE'RE WATCHING THIS WEEK DOJ hits New Jersey Democrat with criminal charge — The Justice Department announced an assault charge Monday against Rep. LaMonica McIver, a New Jersey Democrat. She remains the only elected official currently charged with a crime following a tussle this month between federal agents and Democratic lawmakers who attempted to gain access to an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement facility in Newark. The city's mayor, Ras Baraka, was initially charged for trespassing, but those charges were later dropped. Our POLITICO colleagues note the McIver charge 'is an extraordinary stress-test for the separation of powers at a time in which President Donald Trump is seeking to maximize executive branch dominance.' TODAY'S CULTURE RECS You make me wanna … sue! — We informed you a few issues back that hip-hop legends Salt-N-Pepa will finally be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. Ahead of their official induction ceremony, the pioneering female emcees are suing Universal Music Group over control of their music catalog. A Spike Lee joint — The upcoming film'Highest 2 Lowest,' a remake of the 1963 Japanese film 'High and Low,' is reimagined and set in New York. It stars Denzel Washington as a music mogul and A$AP Rocky, who ransom's his son. Acclaimed director Spike Lee is garnering high praise from Variety, which calls the work 'a soul-searching genre movie that entertains while also sounding the alarm about where the culture could be headed.' Shakira's Stirring Performance on Fallon — International superstar Shakira, who recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of her megahit 'Hips Don't Lie' on the 'Tonight Show,' returned Monday night to perform 'Antología,' proving that she can move a crowd even when seated on a stool.
Politico
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
The race to succeed Gretchen Whitmer heats up
What up, Recast fam! On today's agenda: Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist is trying to do something that hasn't been done in recent memory in the state — be elevated to the Great Lakes State's top office. After serving as the No. 2 to Gretchen Whitmer, the popular but term-limited governor, Gilchrist is banking that Michiganders will vote for him to not just make history as the state's first Black governor, but be the first lieutenant governor to succeed their boss in the governor's mansion since William Milliken succeeded Gov. George Romney in 1969. Gilchrist, who stands 6 feet, 8 inches tall, hopes to become a towering figure in Michigan for his political acumen as well, though he's leaning into his height by utilizing a hashtag that urges voters to #StandTall for Michigan. Aside from stature, he's touting his background as a former software engineer at Microsoft who jokes about himself as self-proclaimed 'nerd' as part of his case for why he's best suited to succeed Whitmer. 'When you've got problems, you get an engineer to come fix them,' Gilchrist told POLITICO. 'When systems are broken you get an engineer to get those systems to work better for people and this is a moment to do that.' His candidacy for governor has been expected for some time. He decided to forgo a run for the open U.S. Senate seat last month and instead focus on the state Legislature where, as the lieutenant governor, he presides over the state Senate. His candidacy sets him on a collision course with another prominent Democrat: Jocelyn Benson, Michigan's secretary of state, who launched her candidacy for governor in January. And Detroit's longtime Mayor Mike Duggan announced he was seeking to replace Whitmer back in December and plans to run as an independent. Other candidates may still enter the race. Was The Recast forwarded to you by a friend? Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter here. You'll get a weekly breakdown of how race and identity are the DNA of American politics and policy. When asked if a Whitmer endorsement would help his prospects in the Democratic primary, Gilchrist demurred, instead focusing on their strong partnership in Lansing. 'I'm proud to continue to stand with her and work with her,' Gilchrist tells The Recast. 'And she's been incredibly supportive of me, because she picked me on purpose. We worked together purposefully to solve important problems.' Whitmer, who notes she knows Benson, Duggan and Gilchrist well, has said she will not endorse in the race. In an interview at the end of last year Whitmer said that 'it's time to break tradition' and not be a sitting governor that endorses their running mate. 'There's also a tradition that none of them end up winning.' A recent poll found Benson trouncing a hypothetical Democratic primary matchup that includes Gilchrist as well as the state's Attorney General Dana Nessel and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, who launched his candidacy last month. Benson lapped the field, garnering 55 percent of the survey's Democratic primary voters, while Gilchrist was tied for second at 12 percent along with Nessel — who has not made any formal plans to run for governor. Gilchrist had little political experience when Whitmer selected him as her running mate in 2018, but he added a progressive bona fides to the ticket and grew up in Detroit, long considered the engine of Michigan Democrats' voter base. The field of Republicans vying for the gubernatorial nomination is also expected to be a crowded one. Michigan's Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt announced a campaign earlier this year, while the state's former Attorney General Mike Cox has formed a candidate committee, but has not formally launched his candidacy. Rep. John James (R-Mich.), the only Black elected official in Michigan's congressional delegation, is also eyeing a statewide run but has not decided if he wants to run for governor or the state's open Senate seat. Michigan presents an important test for Democrats next cycle. It was part of the so-called Blue Wall states that Kamala Harris was relying on but that Donald Trump successfully flipped in the fall. The 2024 election also saw Michigan Democrats cede power in the state, losing their governing trifecta with Republicans in control of the Michigan House of Representatives. 'Folks … were frustrated in 2024 because they haven't gotten the results,' Gilchrist says, rattling off a list of accomplishments from Whitmer's administration, including luring more tech industry jobs to Michigan. In addition to next year's gubernatorial race, Democrats also have their sights on the state's open U.S. Senate race following the retirement of Sen. Gary Peters at the end of his current term. That, too, is attracting a crowded field on both sides of the aisle, including a potential bid by Pete Buttigieg, the former Transportation secretary, who recently met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about a possible run. For his part, Gilchrist bolsters his candidacy by reminding voters he's visited all 83 of the state's counties during his two terms as lieutenant governor and served as a surrogate in the closing stretch of the Harris presidential campaign in Michigan conducting outreach to Black men. Gilchrist has already secured a pledge for financial backing from the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association — a group that is looking to grow its influence by backing preferred candidates in primary elections. The group last month confirmed to POLITICO it was ready to spend roughly $1.5 million to support Gilchrist in his race. We'll certainly be watching how this race plays out. All the best,The Recast Team AL GREEN MAKES POST-CENSURE MEDIA ROUNDS Rep. Al Green, the Texas Democrat who was censured for interrupting Trump during his joint address to Congress last week, has made the media rounds in the days since his formal rebuke, calling his punishment both a 'double standard' and a form of 'invidious definition.' 'I was prepared to suffer the consequences when I decided that I would engage in a peaceful protest,' Green told CNN over the weekend when asked to weigh in on how his outburst was different from former Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) or Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who also shouted at sitting presidents — albeit Democratic ones — but never faced a censure. He added he was raised in the segregated South and he has 'acclimated to this type of behavior, but quite candidly it is a double standard.' Green is Black, while Wilson and Green are white. In an appearance on 'The Breakfast Club' radio program, co-host Charlamagne tha God referred to what Green did as 'good trouble' borrowing the phrase by the late civil rights icon and former Rep. John Lewis to describe peaceful but purposeful agitation and disruption. 'There is invidious discrimination in the House of Representatives,' Green explained. 'When the speaker decided I would be removed and then there was this motion, this resolution to censure me, it became obvious to me that I was not being treated as others were.' He explained that his interruption was not planned, but felt compelled to confront the president to tell him he did not have a mandate to cut Medicaid as Trump professed he did. Green's action has split Democrats, particularly those who felt like his actions were a 'distraction' from the party's strategy to counter Trump's policies, and breach of decorum. Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.), one of 10 Democrats who sided with Republicans in approving the censure, suggested in an interview with NewsNation's 'The Hill Sunday' that confrontation was the wrong tactic. 'I'd say we need radical civility,' Bera said. 'Let's not be a distraction, and what Al did — he's a friend — but that was a distraction,' Bera added. Others like Lauren Harper Pope, co-founder of WelcomePAC, which supports center-left candidates, agrees with Bera and the nine others who voted to censure. She added that if Democrats hope to win back the House in 2026, they should listen to 'winners' of competitive districts, not those in deep-blue ones like the one Green represents in Houston. 'The Democrats who voted to censure Rep. Green are the same depolarizers who know what it takes to win over voters in the most competitive districts,' she said in a statement to The Recast. 'Instead of defending polarizers, let's make a habit of listening to these Democrats who know how to win.' WHAT WE'RE WATCHING THIS WEEK The arrest of a Palestinian graduate student by immigration officials marks one of the most serious enforcement actions by the new Trump administration on both the immigration and pro-Palestinian student protester fronts, report POLITICO's Myah Ward and Irie Sentner. The administration had earlier vowed to cancel visas and green cards for anti-war protesters on college campuses. Mahmoud Khalil, a student protest leader at Columbia who also holds a green card, was detained over the weekend, and a federal judge on Monday put his deportation on hold, POLITICO's Amanda Friedman reports. What else we're watching: TODAY'S CULTURE RECS Turner honored in H-town: Rep. Sylvester Turner, who prior to being elected in November was the longtime mayor of Houston, will be remembered at a number of events for the public to pay respects to him in the city following his death on March 5. Wendy Williams to be a guest on 'The View': The former daytime talk show is scheduled to call in to 'The View' this Friday, ABC announced last week. In recent weeks, Williams has been vocal about her fight to end a yearslong court-ordered guardianship and on Monday was taken to the hospital after a welfare check by police. Billboard crowns rapper Doechii 'Woman of the Year': The red-hot rapper who recently added a Grammy and an NAACP Image Award, will be honored at a Billboard Women in Music event later this month.
Politico
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Wes Moore takes a jab at Trump and Musk
What up, Recast fam! On today's agenda: Wes Moore is sharpening his rhetoric toward Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Maryland's first-term Democratic governor did little to hide his disgust with the new administration at an event highlighting state-level resources to aid former federal workers who were pink-slipped thanks to Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. Moore derided the firing of thousands of federal workforce as 'arbitrary' and 'draconian,' and characterized the slashing of the federal government as a threat to 'national security and global competitiveness,' while also calling into question the new administration's commitment to protecting the American people. He anticipates some 10,000 Marylanders will be impacted by the federal terminations. Maryland, because of its proximity to Washington, is reliant on the federal civil service sector, which accounts for roughly 6 percent of jobs in the state, not including government contractors. 'This is not patriotism, this is cruelty,' Moore said during his Friday remarks, by far the most stinging critique he's had of Trump since the president returned to the White House. He also had a message for affected federal workers in the state: 'Your service matters, no matter what you're being told right now, particularly by people who have not sacrificed anything.' While the governor didn't mention Trump or Musk by name, the comments represented a shift for Moore who, like many Democrats following Trump's 2024 victory, expressed an openness to trying to find common ground with Trump. 'I am not the leader of the resistance,' Moore told CNN on the eve of Trump's inauguration. The Recast asked Moore about this public shift. He said the possibility of working with this administration is there, but he's not seen a serious effort by Trump to try to reach consensus. 'I actually don't think I've departed from that. I will still find elements of common ground that we can find with this White House, but common ground means both sides must seek it.' Was The Recast forwarded to you by a friend? Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter here. You'll get a weekly breakdown of how race and identity are the DNA of American politics and policy. Moore is up for reelection next year and is widely considered to be a White House contender in 2028. In his interview with The Recast, Moore acknowledged he's less confident Trump will be a willing partner to help Maryland make housing more affordable or curb soaring energy costs. That's particularly true after he watched Trump single out fellow Democratic Gov. Janet Mills of Maine. At a gathering of state leaders at the White House last month, Trump had a tense exchange with Mills over banning trans athletes in women's sports and threatened to withhold federal funding if her state didn't comply with his executive order on the matter. Up until that point, Moore said there had been 'productive' meetings with Democratic and Republican governors, as well as with some of Trump's Cabinet secretaries. 'But what we saw with the president was anything but that,' Moore continued. 'We spent over an hour being lectured at and we spent over an hour hearing … him attack my colleagues personally. We spent over an hour hearing him make conspiracy theories,' including, Moore said, about the 2020 presidential election.' Moore, who said during his public remarks Friday, 'While I will work with anyone, I will bow down to no one,' finds himself in a tough fiscal position. His state faces a $3 billion shortfall, and he's pressing the state's Democratic-controlled Legislature to implement a middle-class tax cut and help recruit recently fired federal workers to fill open job posts throughout state government. It keeps in line with his campaign promise to expand state government, which had shrunk under his predecessor, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. When asked what he hopes to hear from Trump who delivers his prime time address to Congress tonight, Moore quipped: 'I've stopped setting expectations.' All the best, The Recast Team TRUMP DESIGNATES ENGLISH AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón stopped by Capitol Hill on Monday to push for Puerto Rican statehood. As POLITICO's Gloria Gonzalez notes, the visit came days after Trump, her political ally, issued an executive order declaring English the official language of the United States. Under Puerto Rico's Constitution, both Spanish and English are the official languages of the territory. But most residents speak Spanish primarily or exclusively. 'We don't have any problem with the executive order because we already have it by law,' the governor told The Recast after speaking at an event on the Hill urging members of Congress to take up legislation that could lead to Puerto Rico becoming a state. 'I believe [statehood] is something that's going to happen,' said the governor, who added she's not phased by Trump's recent push to have Canada become the nation's 51st state. '[Trump has] been asking to have Canada as a state. We're more ready than them. I don't mind having Canada as a state, but I believe the people of Puerto Rico have already shown our eagerness,' she said. But the man who replaced González-Colón as Puerto Rico's resident commissioner in Congress believes his predecessor's efforts are dead on arrival, particularly during Trump's second term. Pablo José Hernández Rivera, who caucuses with Democrats in Congress, said Trump's English language executive order proves his administration views American identity through a narrow lens that doesn't appear to include Puerto Rico's primarily Spanish-speaking population. 'You're basically excluding Puerto Ricans from that national identity,' Hernández said. He is also concerned Trump's order could have negative implications for continued disaster relief funding and other critical services for Puerto Ricans — who are still reeling after a succession of deadly disasters such as Hurricane Maria in 2017, the 2020 earthquakes and Hurricane Fiona in 2022. And on the issue of statehood, he believes the prospects are dim. 'That door has been shut at least for the next four years,' he said. WHAT WE'RE WATCHING THIS WEEK The NOT State of the Union: Trump will lay out his vision during a joint address to Congress at 9 p.m. tonight — just don't call it a State of the Union. The first speech from a new president to Congress doesn't get that label, but let's be honest, that's basically what it is. Here's what POLITICO's Megan Messerly is on the lookout for, while The Recast is curious what he'll say on hot-button issues like DEI and his mass deportation push. Democrats' Fractured Response: Democrats, still searching for how to counter Trump and chart a path out of the political wilderness, have at least FOUR rebuttals planned this evening. Will more Dems challenge Eric Adams? The embattled mayor of New York, who is already facing a challenge from ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, may get even more. Adrienne Adams (no relation), the speaker of the New York City Council, delivers her State of the City Address on Tuesday, where many will be looking for clues on if she'll launch a late-in-the-game mayoral bid. And finally, a mini dispatch from Katy O'Donnell, POLITICO's intrepid reporter who covers federal housing policy: The official account for the Department of Housing and Urban Development over the weekend trumpeted a clip of Secretary Scott Turner proclaiming that 'DEI at HUD is dead' at an industry conference. 'After one week, we uncovered $4 million in canceled contracts for DEI cultural transformation … $4 million that could have gone to serve the American people,' Turner said. 'I want to be very clear that DEI at HUD is dead.' Rep. Maxine Waters, the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, on Monday stopped by HUD headquarters to hand-deliver a letter to Turner grilling him on cuts at the agency. (She was stopped in the lobby.) She wrote that Turner's recent moves have given her 'deep concern about the future of fair and affordable housing.' More than 100 of her Democratic colleagues signed the letter. TODAY'S CULTURE RECS The Oscars' Bond tribute: While the ceremony was a bit of a bore, there was one show-stopping number — the tribute to James Bond which featured a vocal performance from none other than rapper-singer Doja Cat. You knew it would happen: SNL's cold open parodied the blow-up between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Check it out here. Wu-Tang gets alley-oop from Ernie Johnson: The iconic hip-hop group recently announced its farewell tour. What better way to let fans know they're playing at the basketball mecca Madison Square Garden, than to launch a trailer voiced over by 'Inside the NBA' host Ernie Johnson.
Politico
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Why Baltimore is suing Donald Trump
What up, Recast fam. A programming note for next week: Due to the President's Day federal holiday, we'll be hitting your inboxes on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Now, on to today's agenda. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott takes attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts personally. Following the deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge last March, conservatives on social media derided him as the city's 'DEI mayor,' seemingly blaming him for the massive container ship crashing into the structure. Scott later looked to flip the derogatory moniker on its head, rocking paraphernalia that read 'Duly Elected Incumbent' — but that moment has stuck with him. When President Donald Trump ordered the end of DEI-related government programs, federal contracting and spending, Scott, the Baltimore City Council and a coalition of other groups quickly sued. The lawsuit argues that the president does not have legal standing to enforce his executive orders and alleges that if they're allowed to stand, the city would lose millions of dollars in federal grants that it relies on to carry out critical functions. Was The Recast forwarded to you by a friend? Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter here. You'll get a weekly breakdown of how race and identity are the DNA of American politics and policy. We sat down with Scott to discuss the lawsuit and whether the Democratic Party at large is doing enough to fight Trump's unprecedented attempts to reshape the federal government. ◆◆◆ This interview has been edited for length and clarity. THE RECAST: Why did you, as mayor, feel compelled to sue the Trump administration over its executive order to eradicate DEI policies from the federal government? SCOTT: The executive order threatens to cut off all federal funding for any entity that has diversity or equity programs, which are vaguely defined in the order. We as a city got involved because here in Baltimore, equity is the law of the land based on a piece of legislation that I passed as a city council member years ago. Equity is based in every single operation of Baltimore city government. And when you think about the consequence of having that funding taken away from the city of Baltimore, it can be devastating. I think that it's so important for me as a mayor — as a young Black man who's the mayor of the city that birthed racial redlining — that we always be mindful of allowing those types of policies to creep back in. THE RECAST: You've also challenged how conservatives use 'DEI' to describe what they see as an unqualified person of color in a position of power, and you've created a campaign saying the letters stand for 'Duly Elected Incumbent' and 'Definitely Earned It.' SCOTT: Often, when a person looks like you and I, and we're in a position that folks don't believe we should be in, they're going to look to discredit us immediately. When we had a horrendous tragedy here in Baltimore, when the Key Bridge collapsed after a container ship hit it, immediately you had all the racists running online to say: 'It's because of the DEI mayor and the DEI governor.' The bridge was built before I was born. I am the 'Duly Elected Incumbent.' And that's why I said at the time that I earned every single bit of it and made sure that they knew that I was elected by the voters of Baltimore. We know the word they want to say [when talking about DEI] — they just don't have the courage to say that out loud. THE RECAST: What word is it you think they want to say, but don't? SCOTT: We all know when they're talking about Black people, they want to say 'n---a,' but they won't say it. When they're talking about women, it's the B-word, but they won't say it. When they're talking about LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters, they have a [plethora] of words that they want to say, but they won't say it. Don't call me [a DEI hire], just have the courage to stand on your racism, to stand on your ignorance, so that we can help you unpack that. That's why I wanted to dive deep into this issue for Black History Month, and create a campaign that rebrands DEI to 'Definitely Earned It.' THE RECAST: There are serious questions about whether Democrats are moving quickly enough to respond to Trump's unprecedented push to upend government norms. Congressional Democrats are staging walk-ups to try to get into the Department of Education or holding rallies outside the Treasury Department. Is that enough? How do you see it? SCOTT: We need leaders to lead. We need people to fight, and need everyone to be in the fight in every way that they can, period. When I think about Congress, I, of course, start with my wonderful Maryland delegation. We continue to see what Sen. Chris Van Hollen is doing with USAID. Everyone saw Sen. Angela Alsobrooks challenge Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his confirmation hearing on behalf of Black people. But we cannot simply wait and rely on Congress. ... And I know that my brother and sister mayors around the country are leading and fighting in every way. THE RECAST: You brought up the Maryland delegation. Let's talk about Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, the leader of your state, who has said repeatedly, 'I'm not the leader of the resistance.' Is this at odds with your own stance, since you're very much positioning yourself as part of the resistance? SCOTT: My governor and I aren't — and will never be — at odds. I want to make that very clear. This is about fighting in the appropriate way, that your appropriate position allows you to do. I know the governor and his team are going to continue to push and make sure that Marylanders are protected. This is also why it's important for it to not just be on Gov. Moore. This is why it's important for ... all of us to be carrying our weight. This is not the time to be having petty side fights. This is not the time for folks to be looking for a political come-up — this is the time for us to hunker down and focus on preserving democracy. JOHN JAMES FOR MICHIGAN GOVERNOR? As we've noted, Michigan's gubernatorial race could be a marquee contest in 2026 — and it looks like Rep. John James (R-Mich.) might throw his own hat into the ring. With Michigan's Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist also weighing a bid, the Great Lakes State could see two Black candidates for governor. Like Gilchrist, James has not officially announced. But Semafor's Kadia Goba recently overheard James — who represents a key swing district just outside of Detroit — telling his Hill colleagues that he'll enter the gubernatorial race. James' office did not return The Recast's request for comment. James would be a formidable contender among the GOP field. One late January poll of 1,000 likely Republican primary voters shows him holding a commanding 40-point lead over state Sen. Aric Nesbitt, who officially launched his candidacy for governor late last month. WHAT ELSE WE'RE WATCHING Here are a few storylines The Recast is tracking for the rest of this week. TODAY'S CULTURE RECS ZENDAYA RETURNS: There's no official premiere date yet, but HBO just dropped a first look at Season 3 of 'Euphoria.' SERENA WILLIAMS?!?! Tennis icon Serena Williams — who briefly dated rapper Drake — went viral for her crip walk during Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance. Her husband, Alexis Ohanian, heartily approves. SPEAKING OF ... Here are all the Easter eggs you might have missed in his very artistic halftime show, via Ebony. AND TO THE EAGLES FANS: Congratulations on your team winning the big game … Philly's championship parade, will, fittingly, take place on Friday (aka Valentines Day).
