Latest news with #YvetteClarke
Politico
6 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Eleanor Holmes Norton keeps a low profile as Trump takes aim at DC
CBC Chair Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) said in a Tuesday statement that the group will 'continue fighting to protect D.C.'s right to self-governance and we urge all Americans to recognize this for what it is: a test run for broader authoritarian overreach.' 'The stakes are high not just for Washington, D.C., but for the future of democracy in every corner of this country,' Clarke continued. Most elected Democrats are loath to publicly criticize Norton given her long record of fighting for the city — including during the mid-1990s, when Congress imposed a financial control board to manage most city affairs. Norton was instrumental in pushing through legislation that recalibrated the city's relationship with Congress and is widely seen as setting the stage for its economic rebirth and population growth over the following two decades. Many also believe that Trump would have gone after the District regardless of what its elected officials said or did in the lead-up to his announcements Monday. But others contend that, without an actual vote in Congress, the D.C. delegate's foremost responsibility is to rally support for the city and make the case for its autonomy to the American public. Kinney Zalesne, a former DNC official who is running against Norton, said in a Tuesday interview that 'there's an opportunity here for the D.C. delegate to be a loud and consistent and powerful and unrelenting voice for D.C. to Congress, to the administration and to the rest of the nation.' 'One or two statements' did not meet that standard, she said: 'We need to tell the truth about this federal overreach — that it's unnecessary, inappropriate and potentially illegal.' Norton's Democratic colleagues on Capitol Hill, meanwhile, voiced support — even as some said they had not spoken to her amid this moment of crisis. 'I'm going to continue to support her and D.C., because many of my constituents work in D.C.,' said Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, who represents a district in the Virginia suburbs. 'I know people have brought up the issue of her ability to serve. … I haven't had a problem serving with her.' Jeffries, speaking to reporters Tuesday in Illinois, said 'I have not had a conversation with Delegate Norton as of yet, but have been in communication with Mayor Bowser [and] indicated that we are going to strongly support her efforts to defend the sovereignty and integrity of the District of Columbia.' 'I look forward to connecting with her at some point later on today,' he added later. Shia Kapos contributed to this report from Springfield, Illinois.
Daily Mail
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
House Dem says she needs more migrants in her area
A New York City Democrat has said she needed more migrants in her congressional district for 'redistricting purposes'. Rep. Yvette Clarke said on a Zoom call in January 2024, which has recently resurfaced online, that the Big Apple could take in more migrants. Redistricting is the process of dividing up new electoral district boundaries. Therefore, Clarke's adversaries said her comment showed her desire to move more people, who would perhaps vote in her favor, into her constituency. Clarke's words were brought up during a Homeland Security Committee in March this year - in which President Joe Biden 's border security policies were discussed. Rep. Reli Crane, an Arizona Republican, played the clip, saying: 'Her words outline Biden's failed plans for illegal immigration to gain political influence.' Her comments came at a time when Democrats in the state were passing a congressional map that redid district lines. Districts in New York City did not change. After recently resurfacing, Clarke's previous comments have sparked fury online amongst conservatives, who blamed her for trying to 'import votes.' One person posted: 'So we're just saying the quiet part out loud now? Import votes. Manipulate districts. Call it equity.' They continued: 'This isn't representation, it's population engineering for political survival. And every American should be outraged.' Another person posted: 'She's openly admitting to bringing in votes to cling to power. Did she think this wouldn't leak, or have Democrats become this brazen? This isn't democracy, it's blatant voter fraud on a massive scale. Shameful.' 'This has always been their game plan. They can't win on policy, so they must rig it', another added. President Donald Trump has been cracking down on illegal immigration after his return to the White House earlier this year. An operation in New York in April saw 133 people arrested across Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Rouses Point and Massena. Stephen Miller, the president's deputy chief of staff and chief architect of his immigration policies, has set a target of at least 3,000 immigration arrests a day. Miller and 'Border Czar' Tom Homan have both suggested that the numbers are not currently where they want them. Homan backed the ambitious new benchmark, insisting: 'We've gotta' increase these arrests and removals.'
Fox News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Immigrants needed for ‘redistricting purposes,' House Dem admits in viral clip: ‘Quiet part out loud'
A resurfaced video clip appears to show Democratic Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., claiming she needs more immigrants in her district "just for redistricting purposes," causing significant concern and outrage from conservatives online. The video, from a 2021 House Foreign Affairs Committee briefing, shows long-time Democrat Clarke suggesting that the local Haitian community in Brooklyn could "absorb a significant number of these migrants." "When I hear my colleagues talk about, you know, the doors of the inn being closed, no room in the inn, I'm saying, you know, I need more people in my district, just for redistricting purposes and those members could clearly fit here," said Clarke. In response, Kyle Becker, an author and political commentator, commented on X, "House Rep. Yvette Clarke just said the quiet part out-loud. Democrats are as anti-American as it gets." "It is madness that American citizens are footing the bill for foreigners to come here, use our social services, our education services, our infrastructure, and then retire at our expense," Becker went on. "All because the anti-American Democratic Party wants a few extra seats in Congress. Enough!" Popular conservative account "End Wokeness" also commented on the video, saying, "This is how you hijack democracy." "Dems have been saying the quiet part out loud for years," commented conservative influencer David Freeman. "This is why the imported MILLIONS. They want to have a one party country," he added. New York City, which is heavily Democratic, has earned significant criticism in the past for moving to allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. Earlier this year, the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, blocked such a law that had been passed by the New York City Council in 2021 and would have allowed nearly a million noncitizens to vote in elections, including for mayor and city council. In response to the resurfaced clip, some renewed calls for the legislature to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility — "SAVE" — Act, which was introduced by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, earlier this year. The bill would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. Additionally, the bill stipulates that states must remove noncitizens from their official lists of eligible voters as well as impose criminal penalties for registering an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill has passed the House but has yet to be taken up by the Senate. Fox News Digital reached out to Clarke's office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Dem. Congresswoman says she needs MORE migrants in her area for 'redistricting purposes'
A New York City Democrat has said she needed more migrants in her congressional district for 'redistricting purposes'. Rep. Yvette Clarke said on a Zoom call in January 2024, that has recently resurfaced online, that the Big Apple could take in more migrants. She said: 'I'm from Brooklyn, New York, we have a diaspora that can absorb a significant number of these migrants. When I hear colleagues talk about the doors of the inn being closed, no room at the inn. 'I'm saying I need more people in my district just for redistricting purposes, and those members could clearly fit here.' Redistricting is the process of dividing up new electoral district boundaries. Therefore, Clarke's adversaries said her comment showed her desire to move more people who would vote in her favor into her constituency. Clarke's comments were brought up during a Homeland Security Committee in March this year - in which President Joe Biden 's border security policies were discussed. Rep. Reli Crane, an Arizona Republican, played the clip, saying: 'Her words outline Biden's failed plans for illegal immigration to gain political influence.' Her comments came at a time when Democrats in the state were passing a congressional map that redid district lines. Districts in New York City did not change. After recently resurfacing, Clarke's previous comments have sparked fury online amongst conservatives, who blamed her for trying to 'import votes.' One person posted: 'So we're just saying the quiet part out loud now? Import votes. Manipulate districts. Call it equity.' They continued: 'This isn't representation, it's population engineering for political survival. And every American should be outraged.' Another person posted: 'She's openly admitting to bringing in votes to cling to power. Did she think this wouldn't leak, or have Democrats become this brazen? This isn't democracy, it's blatant voter fraud on a massive scale. Shameful.' 'This has always been their game plan. They can't win on policy, so they must rig it', another added. President Donald Trump has been cracking down on illegal immigration after his return to the White House earlier this year. An operation in New York in April saw 133 people arrested across Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Rouses Point and Massena. Stephen Miller, the president's deputy chief of staff and chief architect of his immigration policies, has set a target of at least 3,000 immigration arrests a day. Clarke's previous comments on redistricting have sparked fury online amongst Conservatives Miller and 'Border Czar' Tom Homan have both suggested that the numbers are not currently where they want them. Homan backed the ambitious new benchmark, insisting: 'We've gotta' increase these arrests and removals.' 'The numbers are good, but I'm not satisfied. I haven't been satisfied all year long.' During Trump's first 100 days back in office, ICE officials arrested 66,463 illegal immigrants.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Offsides: The Two House Dems Who Make GOP's SCORE Act ‘Bipartisan'
At last week's House Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee markup hearing, Chairman Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) touted his Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act as a product of 'bipartisan legislation,' reflecting what he called the committee's 'rich history of thoughtful and bipartisan engagement' on college athlete compensation. Then the proceedings got underway, quickly revealing a familiar partisan divide on the two pivotal questions on shaping the future of college sports: whether Congress should shield the NCAA from further antitrust lawsuits, and whether it should prevent college athletes from being classified as employees. More from NCAA Defeats Terrelle Pryor's Lawsuit Over Lost NIL Opportunities NCAA Scores Major Antitrust Win as Eligibility Rules Upheld NIL Collectives Face Uncertain Fate as House Attorneys, CSC Bicker Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) criticized the SCORE Act as 'The NCAA Wishlist Act,' while Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.)—a former college athlete and vocal critic of NCAA policies—argued that the bill prioritizes institutional power over athletes' rights. 'Once we give that shield to an organization like the NCAA, we won't get that power back,' she said. By the end of the session, the SCORE Act advanced on a straight, party-line vote, undermining Bilirakis' framing of the legislation's support. The bill now heads to a House Education subcommittee for another markup, where Democrats aim to highlight it as a Republican-driven effort. However, that narrative has been complicated by two freshman Democrats, Reps. Janelle Bynum (Ore.) and Shomari Figures (Ala.), who have joined with Bilirakis and six other Republicans to give the SCORE Act at least the technical distinction of being bipartisan. In separate phone interviews with Sportico last week, Figures and Bynum explained their support for the bill despite the broader Democratic consensus that the courts, not Congress, remain the most reliable path for advancing college athlete rights. 'I think the type of stability that is necessary is best addressed through legislation that can provide the type of consistency and provide the types of general guardrails for these systems to operate within,' said Figures, who previously served as deputy chief of staff and Counselor for Attorney General Merrick Garland. 'Court cases take years. Court cases cost millions of dollars. Most of the plaintiffs in the [House v. NCAA] case that was just recently settled finished college like, what, decade-plus ago? And so the realities of it are, people don't want to have to litigate and fight for their entire collegiate career.' He continued: 'Look people, everybody from fans to student-athletes, they want this to be as simple as possible. They want athletes to be paid and compensated fairly and equitably. And they want to get back to the days where we can, you know, watch football and enjoy it. And [the SCORE Act] is something that gets us, you know, closer to that direction.' For Bynum, the SCORE Act arguably contrasts with her prior state-level efforts to limit NCAA power. While serving in the Oregon House of Representatives last year, Bynum co-sponsored a bill, now law, barring athletic associations from punishing athletes over actual or alleged rule violations that contravene state statutes. However, Bynum now sees federal action as necessary to bring balance and clarity to a system complicated by state laws and judicial rulings. 'I'm very passionate about kids being healthy, kids being able to participate, and particularly at the college level, where they [now] have an opportunity to monetize. For so long, they did not have a fair opportunity,' Bynum said. 'And now we're into this area where the rules aren't very clear. I would still say they're not necessarily fair, and it's time for us to have a real conversation about what it means to have a healthy marketplace.' Though both Figures and Bynum hail from states known for big-time athletics, neither represents a congressional district with a major FBS football or basketball program. Alabama's 2nd District, represented by Figures, is home to eight four-year institutions—including three lower-tier Division I programs (South Alabama, Troy and Alabama State), three Division II schools and two NAIA colleges. Bynum's Oregon district (the 5th) includes only one NCAA-affiliated school: Division III Willamette University. Both lawmakers have personal and professional ties to college athletics, particularly through Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Bynum's son, Ellis, recently transferred to Prairie View A&M University—an HBCU in Texas—to play football after three bench-filled seasons at the University of Oregon. Figures, a self-proclaimed 'fan of college sports,' earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Alabama during the height of the Nick Saban era. While he hasn't personally spoken with Saban about college sports reform, the legendary coach has become a vocal supporter of the SCORE Act's key initiatives. Figures' brother played college basketball at Morehouse College, another HBCU, and two of his senior staffers are former college athletes: legislative director Iyanla Kollock competed in track and field at Rutgers, while press secretary Bry'Shawna Walker played lacrosse at Division III North Central College, where she also served as president of the school's NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 'They have certainly helped inform the position that we've taken,' Figures said. 'The benefit of having members in the office who were athletes shortly before the NIL era is that they bring recent, relevant experience. At the end of the day, they provide valuable insight and guidance, and we're happy to have them.' Despite the clear divide between most Democrats and the bill during last week's markup hearing, Figures praised Bilirakis and other Republicans for making a genuine effort to find common ground. 'My general sense is that there seems to be a legitimate appetite to come to the table to hear out the concerns,' Figures said. 'I think that was evidenced in the hearing … We even heard some Republican members on the committee make remarks like, 'Hey, that's a very valid point, a strong point. Let's get together. Let's sit down and see what we can work through on it.' And so I think, you know, as long as that environment is here, I think there's an opportunity to get more Democrats on the bill.' Bynum was even more hopeful. 'I'm bullish on our ability to bring along more Democrats and to have robust conversations with my Republican colleagues,' she said. 'I'm always an optimist on that space, and I think everyone wants to bring something home to their state that helps.' Best of Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025? Browns Officially Get Public Money for New Stadium in Ohio Budget WNBA Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From Golden State to Atlanta
