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Congressional Black Caucus
Dec
20
Chicago Law Student Considers Congressional Run
Filed Under Congressional Black Caucus, Politics, The Profession • Leave a Comment
The soon to be 25 yr. old William Godwin has formed an exploratory committee to weigh a run for the 8th District of Mississippi. The former Hill staffer attended Georgetown University and the London School of Economics. Here’s a head-scratcher–he’s worked for both Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Democratic Illinois U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.
From the Jackson Sun:
Godwin said his bipartisan background has shaped his appreciation of Tanner, saying that he admires the founding member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog coalition of congressional Democrats for often “trying to find a middle way.”
Godwin touted his knowledge of international issues. The statement announcing his interest in the 8th District seat says he once addressed aconference about the civil rights of Catholics in Northern Ireland and was an official state guest of the United Arab Emirates in 2007.
But don’t get any fancy ideas about his background:
“I’m not privileged. I’m not from a political background.” Godwin said. “… I have a knowledge and an understanding of the big domestic problems, especially the issues of education and health care that are challenging our country in big ways.”
Feb
18
Oh, Oh, Oh…Perr-Jury!
Filed Under Congressional Black Caucus • Leave a Comment
The Honorable Roland Burris is in the hot seat once again. This time for disclosing all after the fact that he a) was asked to fundraise for then Governor Rod R. Blagojevich and b) actually attempted to do so. Fortunately for Mr. Burris, he didn’t know too many black people with money. The cries are growing louder for a perjury hearing and his resignation. But hey, worse case scenero, Mr. Burris still gets to put United States Senator on his tombstone.
From USA Today:
U.S. Sen. Roland Burris’ admission that he tried to raise campaign funds for ousted Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich is prompting calls for his resignation and a perjury investigation.Burris told reporters in Peoria late Monday that he “talked to some people” last year about holding a fundraiser for the now-disgraced former Democratic governor. At the time, Burris was seeking the appointment to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Obama.
Jan
7
The 111th Congress (Part III)
Filed Under Congressional Black Caucus, Profiles, Something Else • 1 Comment
The 111th Congress convenes this week and OBABL will mark the occasion with profiles of Congressional Black Caucus members who also happen to be attorneys. We think membership in the U.S. Congress is a fine career alternative. True, you’re up against some stiff competition for a job that stands to pay you little more than that of a junior associate, but if you can resist the urge to hide store money in your freezer or assault security guards remove your official lapel pin, you’re all but guaranteed job security.
The Honorable Sheila Jackson-Lee
Representing the 18th District of Texas
Yale University
University of Virginia Law School
First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994
Congresswoman Jackson-Lee is a feisty legislator who doesn’t mind going against general consensus. She advocated for Elian Gonzalez’s father during the international custody battle and believes the U.S. should have better relations with Venezuela. She is not one to back down—good news if you’re a Darfur refugee, not so much if you work in her office. During her first term, her office had a 180 percent turnover rate.
Mrs. Jackson-Lee has been criticized for being a self-promoter, jack of all trades and poor manager. OBABL finds it hard to criticize her since we’re never sure what it is she’s trying to say. We fear she suffers from a severe case of malapropism.
The Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
Representing the 14th District of Michigan
Wayne State University
Wayne State University Law School
First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1964
Born a few months before the 1929 stock market crash, Congressman Conyers is one of the oldest members of Congress. Call him a geezer if you must, but he’s blogging on The Huffington Post, chairing the House Judiciary Committee and keeping up with a spouse nearly half his age. The elder statesman’s wife, Monica, is President of the Detroit City Council and has, shall we say, a reputation. Reportedly, she has threatened to shoot a city aide and beat up a council member. We’re not sure if this is the same council member she referred to as Shrek. Her website photo gallery has her posing confidently with everyone from Rosa Parks to the rapper, The Game. Mrs. Conyers loses her composure entirely when an 8th grader admonishes her behavior.
Jan
7
The 111th Congress (Part II)
Filed Under Congressional Black Caucus, Profiles, Something Else • Leave a Comment
The 111th Congress convenes this week and OBABL will mark the occasion with profiles of Congressional Black Caucus members who also happen to be attorneys. We think membership in the U.S. Congress is a fine career alternative. True, you’re up against some stiff competition for a job that stands to pay you little more than that of a junior associate, but if you can resist the urge to hide store money in your freezer or assault security guards remove your official lapel pin, you’re all but guaranteed job security.
The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton
Representing the District of Columbia
Antioch College (Ohio)
Yale Law School
Georgetown University Law Center (Professor)
First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1990
It says something about Congress that one of its most distinguished and competent members does not have a real vote there. In her nearly twenty year battle for DC Statehood voting rights, Congresswoman Norton has led with class rather than crass. Every U.S. citizen should be lucky enough to have such a representative. From her bio:
Named by President Jimmy Carter as the first woman to chair the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, she came to Congress as a national figure who had been a civil rights and feminist leader, tenured law professor of law, and board member of three Fortune 500 companies. Ms. Norton also had been named one of the 100 most important American women in one survey and one of the most powerful women in Washington in another.
Look at her rocking that big ‘ole fro back in the day.
Shirley Chisholm, Coretta Scott King and Norton
Congressmen struggle with expletives, incontinence and keeping it in Vegas after the jump. Read more
Jan
5
The 111th Congress (Part 1)
Filed Under Congressional Black Caucus, Profiles, Something Else • 1 Comment
The 111th Congress convenes this week and OBABL will mark the occasion with profiles of Congressional Black Caucus members who also happen to be attorneys. We think membership in the U.S. Congress is a fine career alternative. True, you’re up against some stiff competition for a job that stands to pay you little more than that of a junior associate, but if you can resist the urge to hide store money in your freezer or assault security guards remove your official lapel pin, you’re all but guaranteed job security.
The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings
Representing the 7th Congressional District of Maryland
Howard University (Phi Beta Kappa)
University of Maryland School of Law (Honors)
First elected to Congress in 1996
Elijah Cummings was born in Manning, S.C. This son of sharecroppers excelled in school, ran a successful solo practice and won his first elected position, taking a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates, in 1982. Way to come up! The Congressman has been robbed at gun-point and been the victim of a home burglary and multiple car jackings breakins. Ahhh… the price of representing Mob Town Baltimore. He also knows a “chump” when he sees one.
The Honorable Keith Ellison
Representing the 5th Congressional District of Minnesota
Wayne State University
University of Minnesota Law School
First elected to Congress in 2006
Ellison is not only the first African American from Minnesota to serve in the U.S. Congress, but he is also the first Muslim to do so. Raised a Roman Catholic, Ellison converted while in college. So committed is he to his faith that while Congress was in an emergency session working on that “urgent” bailout package, Ellison was on a pilgrimage to Mecca. (We wonder if God told him that bailout wasn’t getting done any time soon). Hats off to the citizens of Minnesota for being open minded about Ellison’s religion as well as his unpaid taxes and parking tickets. StarTribune
The Honorable Al Green
Representing the 9th Congressional District of Houston, Texas
Florida A&M University
Tuskegee Institute of Technology
Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law
First elected to Congress in 2006
Is it possible to hear the name Al Green without humming, “Let’s Stay Together?” The Congressman has no relation to the hot-grits assaulted singer of the same name. After graduating from law school, Green co-founded and co-managed the law firm of Green, Wilson, Dewberry and Fitch. He was elected Justice of the Peace for a Texas precinct and served 26 years as a trial judge before retiring to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Recently, Green demonstrated why he’s not a man to be trifled with. When a former employee claimed sexual harassment, Green struck back with a publicist, lawyer and blackmail countersuit. Both sides dropped their suits late last year. We sure hope he can get his Federal Living Wage legislation passed as expediently as he handled his personal business.
The Honorable G.K. Butterfield
Representing the 1st District of (Eastern) North Carolina
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University School of Law
First elected to Congress in 2004
We find it pretentious to substitute an initial for one’s first name unless of course the initial happens to be the actual name, which seems likely in the case of G.K. At the very least, the moniker was forced on him by G.K. Sr., a dentist who became the first black elected official from Eastern North Carolina.
The Congressman (who has that Thurgood Marshall look about him) attended NCCU School of Law with Big Willie, who was no doubt pleased with G.K’s “No” vote on limiting attorney’s fees in class action lawsuits.
According to his bio:
Congressman Butterfield’s law practice was devoted to representing poor people with extraordinary legal problems. He was considered the “People’s Lawyer” in his hometown – a title that earned him great respect and admiration in the community. He is best known for successfully handling several Voting Rights lawsuits in eastern North Carolina counties resulting in the Court-ordered implementation of district elections for local officials.
Before running for Congress, G.K. was a judge on the North Carolina Supreme Court. It’s a good thing the law worked out; otherwise, G.K. might still be a ticket agent at the Raleigh-Durham airport. We are impressed with the initiative he took in setting up a facebook page but wonder if a FB page exists but is never updated, is the Congressman really “aware of the internet?”
There is really so much more we could have said about these public servants. If you’d like to learn more about their backgrounds and voting records, see the links below.
The Washington Times Candidate Profiles
The Washington Post Voting Record
