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U.S. NEWS Monday 31 January 2022
Clyburn, architect of Biden’s court pledge, pushes his pick

By Meg Kinnard White House, Clyburn said
Associated Press he wrote to the then-presi-
(AP) — At President Joe dent elect advocating that
Biden’s lowest moment in Childs be promoted from
the 2020 campaign, South South Carolina’s federal
Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn trial bench to the D.C. ap-
came to him with a sugges- peals court. A seat on court
tion: He should pledge to is often seen as a spring-
put the first Black woman board for Supreme Court
on the Supreme Court. nominees.
After some cajoling, Biden “Everybody says, ‘Well,
made the promise at a that’s the way you need to
Democratic debate, a go, to go to the Supreme
move Clyburn credits with Court,’” Clyburn said, of
turning out the Black sup- the appellate level. “I’ve
port that helped Biden never agreed to that, but
score a resounding victory you know, I don’t have to
in the South Carolina pri- agree with all the rules that
mary and ultimately win I have to play by.”
the White House. Last month, Biden officially
Two years later, the hoped- submitted Childs’ name for
for vacancy on the court an open slot on the circuit
has arrived with the retire- From left, Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev. House Majority Whip Jim Cly- court. Her Senate hearing
burn, D-S.C., Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., alongside other mem-
ment of Justice Stephen bers of the Congressional Black Caucus, speak in front of the Senate chamber about their sup- had been expected this
Breyer. Biden is standing by port of voting rights legislation at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Amanda coming week, which would
his pledge. And Clyburn, Andrade-Rhoades, File) have given Childs a closely
the highest-ranking Black watched audition of sorts,
member of Congress, has jurist from his native South Appeals for the District of his failure this month to de- but staffers said Friday that
another ask. Carolina. It’s a campaign Columbia Circuit. Biden is liver on voting rights legisla- had been delayed.
“Judge (Michelle) Childs he’s making in public and also looking at U.S. District tion in the Senate. He said In interviews over recent
has everything I think it in private, helping elevate Court Judge Wilhelmina Thursday that having a days, Clyburn has argued
takes to be great,” Clyburn Childs to an emerging short Wright from Minnesota and Black woman on the court that, if Childs were nomi-
said. list of Black women who Melissa Murray, a New York is “long overdue” and that nated, she could win the
As the lobbying begins could soon make history. University law professor he would announce his backing of South Caro-
over filling the open court In addition to Childs, early who is an expert in family choice by the end of Feb- lina’s two Republican sena-
seat, Clyburn is harness- discussions about a suc- law and reproductive rights ruary. tors, Lindsey Graham and
ing his history with Biden cessor include California justice. Clyburn had a head start. Tim Scott — an enticing
and his stature as the No. 3 Supreme Court Justice Le- For Biden, the court open- He began making his case prospect for Biden, offer-
House Democrat to make ondra Kruger, as well as ing is a chance to show for Childs more than two ing the possibility of a pick
a forceful case for his pre- Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Black voters that he has years ago. that could satisfy the party
ferred choice, U.S. District former Breyer clerk who is not forgotten his promises In December 2020, just and also win bipartisan
Judge J. Michelle Childs, a now on the U.S. Court of to them, particularly after weeks after Biden won the support.q

2nd trial in Floyd killing centers on clash of duty, code

By Kathleen Foddy Justice’s pursuit of charges of state murder and man-
(AP) — A federal trial accusing J. Alexander Kue- slaughter charges last year
against three former Minne- ng, Thomas Lane and Tou and pleaded guilty to a
apolis police officers seeks Thao of violating Floyd’s federal civil rights charge.
to hold them responsible civil rights. Kueng, Lane and Thao also
for not stopping George “This sends a real message face a separate state trial
Floyd’s murder — and per- to counterbalance that on charges they aided and
haps strike a blow against very strong cultural set of abetted murder and man-
long-standing police cul- influences in policing that slaughter.
ture that breeds reluctance often prevent an officer Police departments and lo-
to rein in fellow officers. from stepping forward and cal prosecutors have their
The circumstances of reporting or stopping mis- own means to punish of-
Floyd’s death — pinned un- conduct,” said Jonathan ficers who don’t intervene.
der Officer Derek Chauvin’s Smith, former chief of the But high-profile examples
knee for more than nine department division that show how risky it is, both Police line-up at the Oregon State Capitol building where dem-
minutes, recorded from oversees police civil rights personally and profession- onstrators gathered during the day Saturday, Nov 7, 2020, in Sa-
multiple camera angles inquiries. ally, for officers who do in- lem, Ore. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
— may help prosecutors The federal charges require tervene or who cooperate
clear the bar for conviction prosecutors to prove the with investigations of fellow was taunted as a “rat” by from a handcuffed sus-
on a charge that’s rarely ex-officers willfully deprived officers. fellow officers who said her pect, apparently afraid he
brought, in part because Floyd of his constitutional In Chicago, a key police calls for assistance while on was about to pepper spray
it can be difficult to prove. rights — meaning that they witness against three Chi- duty should be ignored. the man. The sergeant, a
Regardless, several former knew what they were do- cago officers charged with In Florida late last year, an 21-year veteran, grabbed
federal prosecutors and ing was wrong and still trying to cover up the 2014 officer with less than three the officer — at one point
legal experts see a mes- went ahead. shooting of Laquan Mc- years experience pulled a placing his hand against
sage in the Department of Chauvin was convicted Donald testified that she sergeant by his belt away her throat.q