Page 6 - 7-14-15 Tuesday's Edition

Presidential News
Clemency For Non-Violent Drug Dealers: President Obama First Sitting Proxy To Visit Federal Prison
The President Will Be Keynote Speaker At The NAACP Convention On Tuesday
President Obama will use his clemency power to release dozens of inmates from federal custody this week, doubling the commutations he’s granted so far and reassuring advo- cates that he is serious about using his executive authority to free people serving long decades for nonviolent crimes.
If the President grants an- other 40 or so commutations as expected, he will have short- ened the sentences of more prisoners than any president since Gerald Ford, who ex- tended clemency to thousands of Vietnam draft dodgers.
On Thursday, President Obama will travel to El Reno prison in Oklahoma, becoming the first sitting president to tour a federal prison, accord- ing to White House spokesman Josh Earnest. The President will also give an interview to VICE magazine at the prison, on his criminal jus- tice reform efforts.
Last year, the Obama ad- ministration made a historic call for applications from pris- oners serving more than a decade in prison for nonvio- lent crimes that would have been prosecuted less harshly today.
PRESIDENT OBAMA
The President is expected to shorten the sentences of hun- dreds of these prisoners before he leaves office, though the White House maintains there is no set number of commuta- tions. The president has shown a special interest in people sent away for decades for crack cocaine violations, which were punished 100 times more harshly than pow- der cocaine until Congress scaled down that gap in 2010.
President Obama may cross paths with one such pris- oner seeking his clemency when he visits the federal prison in Oklahoma on Thurs- day. Douglas Dunkins, 49, has served more than 20 years of a life sentence at El Reno for dealing crack cocaine. (If Dunkins had been convicted
of dealing the same amount of powder cocaine, his sentence would have been 20 years.) The judge in Dunkins’ case expressed discomfort with the mandatory minimum laws that forced him to put a 26- year-old with no prior felonies on his record in prison for life.
The ACLU is representing Dunkins’ petition for clemency and has written about his case.
The President’s historic call for petitions from prisoners has not gone off without a hitch. First of all, the response has been overwhelming. More than 30,000 federal inmates filled out a survey saying they wanted to request clemency. The Justice Department asked private lawyers to volunteer to represent inmates pro bono, and a coalition of advocacy groups called Clemency Proj- ect 2014 is now organizing the effort to match lawyers with applicants they believe meet the Obama administration’s requirements.
The group has screened out about 13,000 of the 30,000 who responded as not eligible. These prisoners still may apply directly to the pardon attorney if they like, but will not receive a pro bono lawyer.
President Barack Obama
will address the 106th NAACP Annual Convention in Philadelphia, PA on Tuesday, July 14, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
“We are honored to welcome President Obama back to our NAACP national conven- tion,” stated NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock. “Our members are looking forward to President Obama deliv- ering a powerful message that reinforces our commitment to being champions for civil and human rights in the 21st cen- tury.”
This is the second time the President will address the NAACP's National Convention as President of the United States.
“President Barack Obama, having spoken elo- quently of grace to a grieving nation in a moment of crisis in Charleston, will now address the social and economic chal- lenges of our time in the hometown of American free- dom – Philadelphia,” stated NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks.
“Thousands of NAACP lead- ers, delegates, activists, youths, and supporters will welcome him to the 106th Convention of the NAACP in a moment in which his voice and our voices so desperately need to be heard. has been on the forefront of transformative change from civil rights to human rights over his term and in recent days. We in the nation eagerly anticipate his vision and plans for the diffi- cult work ahead.”
PRESIDENT OBAMA
ROSALYN BROCK AND CORNELL WILLIAM BROOKS
The President will speak about the need to reform mandatory minimum sen- tences for nonviolent crimes, which disproportionately af- fect men and women of color.
This year’s convention will run from July 11 – July 15 under the theme “Pursuing Liberty in the Face of Injus- tice.”
The NAACP will focus on building a broad based agenda around voting rights, criminal justice reform, health equity, economic opportunity and ed- ucation equality ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Congress And Cuba: Plans To Block Cuban Ambassador Nominee
Republican Congressman Mitch McConnell...U.S. Senate Majority Leader
This is what happens when you don’t vote!
The top Senate Republican said on Sunday that Congress is likely to block any nominee that President Barack Obama names as ambassador to Cuba and retain broad eco- nomic sanctions, even as Pres- ident Obama moves to establish diplomatic and eco- nomic ties with the island.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, said the Senate is unlikely to confirm any U.S. ambassador to Ha- vana nominated by the Presi- dent.
McConnell added, "There are sanctions that were im- posed by Congress. I think the administration will have a hard time getting those
..Street musicians in Havana, Cuba.
Graffiti Artist Who Created Obama ‘Hope’ Poster Arrested
removed. This is a policy that there is substantial opposition to in Congress."
Last December, President Obama announced he would use his executive powers to move toward more normal re- lations with Cuba after a five- decade standoff.
Those steps have included establishing diplomatic rela- tions, an expansion of some travel from the United States to Cuba, increasing the limit on remittances to Cuban nationals from those living in the United States and expanding some trade in goods and services.
But it would be up to Con- gress to allow normal travel and full trade.
Republicans control both the
Senate and House of Repre- sentatives. Many Republicans oppose the President’s moves toward better relations with Cuba, claiming they only bol- ster Cuba's communist leaders. Republicans also fear alienat- ing Cuban Americans in Florida who have fled the is- land nation and are supporters of the Republican Party.
President Obama charted a new U.S. path toward Cuba with the support of some Re- publicans, including freshman Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona.
The President said in March his moves were already paying dividends, saying that since December the Cuban govern- ment had begun discussing ways to reorganize its econ- omy.
Graffiti artist Shepard Fairey was arrested in Los An- geles for his graffiti artwork in Detroit, according to reports.
Fairey, who became well- known for creating the Obama “Hope” poster, was detained by Customs agents at Los Angeles International Airport on Mon- day while traveling from Eu- rope. He was arrested for allegedly vandalizing 14 build- ings in Detroit.
“Our warrant was evidently discovered as he went through customs, and he was placed under arrest,” said Douglas Baker, chief of criminal en- forcement for the Detroit Law Department.
Fairey spent one night in a Los Angeles jail, and Baker
Shepard Fairey is pho- tographed in front of the poster he created.
says the city is discussing when Fairey will return to Detroit to face charges.
PAGE 6 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015