In Ohio, open Senate seat sparks debate on gender, diversity
An open Senate seat in Ohio has set off a round of jockeying among ambitious Democrats and a spirited debate over who is best poised to lead a party comeback in a one-time battleground that has been trending Republican. While Acton and Ryan are believed to be the furthest along in their deliberations, several politicians who are Black are also eyeing the seat. The group is working to recruit a Black candidate for the Senate seat, he said. AdStill, Ryan got a boost Saturday when Hillary Clinton, the party’s 2016 presidential nominee, declared on Twitter that she was “all in” for a Ryan Senate candidacy. For some Ohio Democrats the cautionary tale is 2018, when a group of female gubernatorial candidates all ceded their ambitions to former Obama administration consumer chief Richard Cordray, who lost the race.
Ohio police chief forced out in wake of Andre Hill killing
FILE - In this Jan. 30, 2020, file photo, Thomas Quinlan, chief of the Columbus Division of Police, speaks with the media at the Columbus Community Safety Advisory Commission in Columbus, Ohio. Quinlan was forced out Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, after the mayor who hired him said he'd lost confidence in Quinlan's ability to make needed changes to the department, weeks after the police killing of Andre Hill. “It became clear to me that Chief Quinlan could not successfully implement the reform and change I expect and that the community demands," Ginther said in a statement. At the time, Ginther said Quinlan must address racism within the department’s ranks, including further diversifying the department. The Columbus Division of Police — like many big-city agencies — is juggling calls for internal change even as it battles unprecedented street violence.
Inaugural event to celebrate resiliency of Black Americans
Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris campaigns for Democratic U.S. Senate challengers the Rev. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is slated to speak at Tuesday's event, “We Are One,” which will also honor the historic nature of her being the first Black and South Asian woman to become U.S. vice president. Black voters nationwide helped deliver Biden’s presidency, overwhelmingly supporting him from the start of his White House bid. The event will pay homage to the legacy of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities, as well as Black sororities and fraternities. It'll be hosted by Terrence J and feature Leslie Jones, DJ D-Nice, and Black cultural icons such as Frankie Beverly, The O’Jays, and Rapsody.
Inaugural event to celebrate resiliency of Black Americans
Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris campaigns for Democratic U.S. Senate challengers the Rev. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is slated to speak at the event, “We Are One,” which will also honor the historic nature of her being the first Black and South Asian woman to become U.S. vice president. Black voters nationwide helped deliver Biden’s presidency, overwhelmingly supporting him from the start of his White House bid. The event will pay homage to the legacy of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities, as well as Black sororities and fraternities. It'll be hosted by Terrence J and feature Leslie Jones, DJ D-Nice, and Black cultural icons such as Frankie Beverly, The O’Jays, and Rapsody.
Sharpton: Firing officer who killed Andre Hill is not enough
Andre Hill, fatally shot by Columbus police on Dec. 22, is memorialized on a shirt worn by his daughter, Karissa Hill, on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. Karissa Hill said she considered her father an everything man because he did so many things. (AP Photo/Andrew Welsh-Huggins)COLUMBUS, Ohio – The life of Andre Hill was commemorated Tuesday morning as family and lawmakers called for justice to be brought against the white Columbus police officer who fatally shot the 47-year-old days before Christmas. Dozens gathered at the First Church of God in the city’s southwest side — clad in their Sunday best and Black Lives Matter masks — to honor Hill’s life. Sharpton saluted Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and other city officials for ordering the firing of Coy less than a week after he shot Hill.
Use of force criticized in protests about police brutality
(Daily Memphian via AP)As protests grip the nation, officers have doused crowds with pepper spray, struck protesters with batons, steered police cars into throngs, shoved demonstrators and screamed curses. Now, some are questioning whether tough police tactics against demonstrators are actually making the violence worse rather than quelling it. Another officer stepped in within seconds to assist the man, as did the officer who knocked him down. As we do everything to stop NYC from burning, all we hear from elected officials is criticism," the group tweeted. Maybe they should try it on the front lines.___Reeves and Stafford are members of the AP's Race and Ethnicity team.