Top 5 Live-WURD Wednesday March 18
1. Democratic Party-endorsed candidate: My Facebook page was hacked
One day after being accused of posting racist messages on Facebook, the Democratic Party-backed candidate for the Seventh Council District said his page was hacked.
“Anything that you find from my Facebook that has to do with any type of derogatory comments, have never been from me,” Emanuel “Manny” Morales said in a telephone interview.
Morales said the messages, which date from 2010 to 2014, were not posted by him. He had no explanation for how it happened other than to say that people get hacked.
He took down the page Monday, but before doing so he posted this message:
2. Aaron Schock resigns amid scandal
Embattled Rep. Aaron Schock announced Tuesday he would resign his seat at the end of the month, in the wake of a congressional ethics investigation into reports that he used taxpayer money to fund lavish trips and events.
In a statement, he said he was stepping down “with a heavy heart,” having given his constituents “my all over the last six years.”
“But the constant questions over the last six weeks have proven a great distraction that has made it too difficult for me to serve the people of the 18th District with the high standards that they deserve and which I have set for myself,” he added.
Politico first reported that Schock would step down. The news marks the end of an embarrassing chapter for the former GOP rising star known for his Instagram account and a shirtless appearance in Men’s Health magazine.
3. Ted Cruz Defends Decision to Sign Letter to Iran Over Nuclear Deal
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, one of 47 Republicans who signed a controversial letter to Iran about ongoing nuclear talks, said Tuesday he would gladly sign it again.
The conservative lawmaker said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that he “would sign it in large print so that the ayatollah wouldn’t need his reading glasses to read the signature.”
The original letter was slammed by the White House and Democrats as a “reckless” move as the Obama administration attempts to clinch a deal on Tehran’s nuclear program. The Republicans who signed the letter warned Iran that the next U.S. president could easily undo any agreement.
4. Starbucks exec deletes Twitter account amid #RaceTogether backlash:
Not everyone wants to discuss race relations while ordering their morning coffee.
That’s the lesson Starbucks learned Tuesday after Internet backlash was aimed at its effort to initiate a nationwide discussion of the issue.
Senior VP Corey DuBrowa deleted his Twitter account Monday night after being personally attacked amid a storm of angry tweets.
DuBrowa said he’ll be back on Twitter soon and that he deleted his account because those attacking him were a “distraction from the respectful conversation we are trying to start.”
The issue of racial inequality is often taboo in corporate America, but over the past few months Starbucks has held open forums for employees to talk about it. This week, it pushed further, encouraging baristas to start conversations with customers.
5. Rapper Trinidad James, commentator Ben Ferguson clash over use of n-word
Things got testy on “CNN Tonight” when conservative commentator Ben Ferguson charged that rappers like Trinidad James are profiting off the n-word.
“I’ll be honest with you,” Ferguson told James on Monday night. “I think you know that we should probably get rid of the n-word, but in reality, I think many rappers are afraid they will lose out on money and sales and street cred if they don’t stop using the word.”
The two were part of a panel discussion about who can say the n-word. The panel also included CNN commentator Marc Lamont Hill.
“I’m making money off of doing music and being creative, sir,” James responded. “I’m not making money just because I use the n-word. Nobody goes to buy an album because it’s full of the n-word.”
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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
