Top 5 Live-WURD Wednesday August 12
1. Clinton’s attorney hands over private e-mail server, thumb drive to FBI
Hillary Clinton’s attorney has provided the FBI with the private server that housed her e-mail during her four years as secretary of state.
Her attorney also gave agents a thumb drive containing copies of thousands of e-mails that Clinton had previously turned over to the State Department.
The FBI has been looking into the security of Clinton’s unusual private system, which has emerged as an issue in her campaign.
A Clinton spokesman said Tuesday night that Clinton is cooperating with the probe. He declined to say whether the FBI ordered that she turn over the devices and when they were turned over.
“She directed her team to give her e-mail server that was used during her tenure as secretary to the Department of Justice, as well as a thumb drive containing copies of her e-mails already provided to the State Department,” the spokesman said.
2. Heavily-armed ‘Oath Keepers’ patrol Ferguson protests
Heavily-armed members of a controversial patriot group added an extra dose of unease to protests in Ferguson, Missouri, early Tuesday.
The Oath Keepers organization says its members — all former military, police and first responders — pledge to “defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
However, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar described their presence as “both unnecessary and inflammatory.”
Protesters and police confirmed that a handful of Oath Keepers with assault rifles, bulletproof vest and camouflage gear were seen early
Tuesday on the streets of Ferguson, which was under a state of emergency following demonstrations pegged to the anniversary of Michael Brown’s death.
Several protesters confronted members of the group, asking why they were allowed to openly carry weapons.
3. Sanders lets ‘Black Lives Matter’ activists open LA campaign event
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders vowed that he would fight harder than any other presidential candidate to end institutional racism in front of a packed Los Angeles arena, two days after Black Lives Matter protesters derailed one of his rallies.
The positive campaign stop on Monday avoided the Vermont senator’s previous problems in Seattle.
“There is no president that will fight harder to end institutional racism,” said Sanders, who was answered with a deafening roar and chants of “Bernie” from a packed Los Angeles Sports Arena, whose usual capacity is about 16,000 people.
The rally began taking on the issue head-on as Symone Sanders — Bernie Sanders’ new national press secretary who is not related to the candidate — opened the program and talked at length about racial injustice.
Symone Sanders is a black criminal justice advocate and a strong supporter of Black Lives Matter movement, and said Sanders was the candidate to fight for its values.
4. Democrats win three state House seats in special election
Philadelphia Democrats went three-for-three Tuesday in seeking state House seats up for grabs in a special election.
Winning those seats were former City Councilman Ed Neilson; Donna Bullock, a former special assistant to City Council President Darrell L. Clarke; and Joanna McClinton, who was chief counsel to State Sen. Anthony H. Williams.
All three seats had been held by Democrats. Two were vacant because of resignations tied to guilty pleas for corruption charges. One was vacant because the officeholder won a seat in the state Senate.
Neilson, Bullock, and McClinton all likely benefited from the Democratic advantage of outnumbering Republicans in their districts.
But they will be in the minority in Harrisburg, where Republicans hold firm control over the House. The Republicans will have 119 members when the new representatives are sworn in Aug. 25. The Democrats will have 84.
5. Black-Owned Businesses Are Quietly Powering Detroit’s Resurgence, But No One’s Talking About It
Detroit will mark the first anniversary of its bankruptcy filing this Friday, and people are watching the city to see how it has survived the upheaval.
Despite pending cuts for pensioners, widespread poverty, sobering health and violence statistics and a declining population, Detroiters have expressed optimism about development, promises to improve city services and a plan to eliminate blight.
A New York Times article last month highlighted hot spots in the Corktown neighborhood, and a Times story earlier this year heralded small businesses. But that article and others examining the city’s resurgence excluded black Detroiters, who make up 83 percent of the population.
There are more than 32,000 black businesses in the city, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures from 2007. Many feel excluded from conversations about Detroit’s revival and overlooked when it comes to accessing funds and resources.
Click here to read these stories on 900amWURD.
Solomon Jones is an Essence bestselling author and award-winning columnist. He is the creator and editor of Solomonjones.com and morning host on 900 am WURD radio. Click here to learn more about Solomon
