Cleveland Browns Stadium Renovations – Take Action!
A special thanks to those of you who took the time to take our survey on Browns Stadium Funding. And now it’s time to take action! Please click the link below to find out how you can contact your County Councilperson to let them know how you feel about Browns stadium funding. We’ve included in the link a link to find your County Councilperson as well as some suggested talking points when you contact them.
Randy’s Rants
Randy’s Rants is a series of essays by legendary Cleveland author, activist and CCPC Member Randy Cunningham. We’ll be featuring a different one each week for as long as Randy is willing to write them.
CCPC Recommended
Local
Cleveland City Council members aim to fight off progressive challengers with higher campaign contribution caps A special thanks to those of you who took the time last week to sign the letter opposing city council’s doubling the limit of their campaign contributions. As you’ll see in the article, the 200 signatures we submitted really hit a nerve with most of the city council, who apparently think the seat they hold is theirs for life. We’ll let you know who the progressive challengers are next year as soon as we know.
Gateway looking to Cleveland, Cuyahoga for millions in bail out, funding source uncertain The publicly funded entity that oversees Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse and Progressive Field is already $25 million in the hole for promised repairs at the facilities and the bills keep growing, but no one knows yet where the money will come from.Revenue from the Sin Tax is almost gone and the county is considering asking voters to approve an increase in the Sin Tax in November. Meanwhile the Haslams’ want money for a new domed stadium.
Cleveland City Council begins redistricting process Cleveland City Council has hired the research firm Triad Research Group to start the redistricting process and draw new maps. Because of population decline in the 2020 census the city must drop from 17 to 15 wards. Over the next few months the firm will be meeting with each council member for input and potential maps will be shared with the public for feedback before city council votes on the new maps. The process is expected to finish before the end of the year.
Labor advocates fight wage theft in Cleveland Is a nice shout out to our friends at the Northeast Ohio Worker Center and the good work they are doing. NEOWC was established locally in 2019 with the mission of representing the region’s working – class population and organizing to build power in local communities. Community based organizations known as workers centers have sprouted up across the country to educate workers on their rights and help them advocate for themselves and their co – workers.
State
Proposed amendment to end police immunity can proceed, federal court says A federal court last week ordered Ohio Attorney General Dave Yo – Yo Yost to stop blocking a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would end qualified immunity. Qualified Immunity is the longstanding legal doctrine of granting broad immunity from criminal and civil liability to public servants, including police officers. Yo – Yo has said he would appeal the ruling. Let’s hope the appeal is unsuccessful.
Ohio AG Yost Says He Won’t Explain His Role in Bailout Scandal Because of Other Cases Ohio Attorney General Dave Yo – Yo Yost has found another excuse to not explain his involvement in the biggest corruption scandal in Ohio history. He claims that because he is prosecuting other cases he needs to keep quiet about his own involvement. LOL. If he really wasn’t involved, why doesn’t he say so. At last year’s trial prosecutor’s at least had a passing interest in his involvement.
First Energy, the center point of a bribery plot, could officially beat the rap this summer Because of a special agreement with prosecutors, all of the charges against Worst Energy are expected to be dropped on July 20. In case you forgot, the company gave a $60 million bribe to ex – Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and a $4.3 million bribe to ex – PUCO chair Sam Randazzo who recently committed suicide. The company did pay a $230 million fine but HB 6, worth about a billion dollars to the company, has not been repealed. WTF!
Ohio Libraries Bracing for Tough Choices as State Funding Revenue Continues to Dip Ohio libraries act as community hubs not just for reading, but also internet access, and job and school resources. But they are being forced to have difficult discussions as state revenue continues to dip, threatening operations and funding. Already hours and staff are being cut. This is not a surprise because the lunatics that run the General Assembly have always gone out of their way to show that they do not want an educated population.
National
The 54 charges Trump faces after his New York conviction The breakdown goes like this. Ten charges in the Georgia 2020 election interference case, four charges in the federal election interference case and the leader in the clubhouse is the forty charges in the federal classified documents case. Unfortunately none of these cases are likely to go to trial before the election. Wouldn’t it have been great if these cases had been prosecuted in 2021. If they had been, Trump would likely be in jail now with 88 felony convictions. And wouldn’t that be great.
How the White House Should Spin the Trump Conviction Argues that just repeating the word’s ‘ convicted felon ‘ in the general vicinity of Trump’s name isn’t enough and that an attack on his character should be launched. What kind of man has unprotected sex with an adult film star while his wife is home recovering from labor and delivery and caring for an infant? What kind of a terrible employer has an underling borrow against his own home to cover up his boss’s sordid lies and extramarital affair?
This Supreme Court Term Was All About Undoing Democracy The court has already made racist gerrymandering the law of the land – and that’s just the start. In the coming weeks they are expected to issue decisions that are expected to undercut bedrock assumptions about each branch of government and create a new balance of power – one that tips the scales towards an unassailable executive and an all powerful judiciary. Please click the link if you want to read the sordid details.
Scientists see evidence of ‘ vigorous melting ‘ at grounding level of Antarctic ‘ Doomsday Glacier ‘ If you click the link the first thing you’ll see is a photo of a magnificent blue iceberg that was shot from a ship off the South Sandwich Islands in Antarctica. Enjoy it while it lasts. Two new studies have shown that the melting ice situation in Antarctica is worse than previously thought. Which means that much higher sea levels and devastation of coastal areas is just around the corner.
Black Lives Matter
5 things to know about the Tulsa Race Massacre, 103 years later On May 31, 1921, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in America began in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For 18 hours, thousands of homes and businesses were burned to the ground, and 300 innocent Black people were killed. The massacre targeted Black Wall Street, a flourishing business district in an all – Black community. The city was already on edge after the lynching of a Black man by a mob that included the mayor.
Strict school zones are reinforcing inequality Rigid school attendance zones allow districts to legally keep students of color and low income families out of coveted, elite k – 12 schools, a new study says. The study found that school segregation between Black and white students has returned to 1968 levels. The growing inequality in school access has been worsening as the nation has become more diverse and as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v Board of Education case that supposedly ended segregation
Cleveland residents want a care response program to include ongoing training The report cited in the article provides an overview of the feedback offered at six community meetings organized by the Cuyahoga County ADAMHS Board. The board plans to launch a care response team later this summer. Frontline, which currently handles calls to 988 ( The suicide and crisis lifeline ) and manges a mobile crisis response team will oversee the initial five teams serving two zip codes – 44105 and 44102.
Group of Black men file racial discrimination lawsuit against American Airlines The suit alleges that eight Black male passengers were ordered off a plane flying from Phoenix to New York City in January of 2024 ” without any valid reason, based solely on their race,” according to the complaint. The complaint also refers to what it calls ” American’s pattern of discriminating against Black passengers,” which prompted an NAACP warning relating to the airline.
Immigration
Cleveland’s busy immigration year How many of you know someone who is an immigrant? It is estimated that 5000 immigrants arrived in Cleveland in 2023, including refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine, and asylum seekers primarily from central and South America. And 2024 is on pace to welcome a larger number. This influx of new residents represents an essential path to restoring, and growing the city’s population which has declined in every U.S. census since 1960.
Biden’s long – awaited southern border measure draws fire from both sides Which of course was totally predictable. Although Biden did exactly what Trump did when he was president, Republicans dismissed the executive order as ” window dressing.” Progressives are outraged that Biden would use tactics similar to the Trump administration that would threaten millions of migrants fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries. The ACLU promptly said it would challenge the order. Let’s hope they are successful.
The US is reviving the worst of its immigration history to all of our peril Trump and his allies are dominating the headlines and winning the rhetorical battle with the hyperbolic message that immigrants are villains who threaten our economy, culture and security, Like 100 years ago, they claim that mass exclusion is essential to save America. And president Biden only makes matters worse with his confusion on how to respond. A confusion that is based on polling numbers and not what is the right thing to do.
Immigration group to the press. It’s the mass deportations, stupid America’s Voice, a top immigration advocacy group is pushing the press to focus immigration coverage on former President Trump’s promise of mass deportations. a series of proposals they say would wreak havoc on immigrant communities and the economy in general. Immigration advocates have grown increasingly frustrated with both the press and immigration – friendly politicians on both sides of the aisle. CCPC is also frustrated.
CCPC East Side Summer Outdoor Celebration / Fundraiser
CCPC East Side Summer Outdoor Celebration / Fundraiser Thursday, June 27 from 6 to 8 pm @ Forest Hill Park Lee Blvd Pavilion, 2370 Lee Blvd. Cleveland Heights 44118. We had so much fun last June in Cleveland Heights, we thought it would be great to do it again! The fundraiser part of the event is optional and only for those willing and able to make a donation. The main agenda item for the evening is to spend some quality time with your fellow progressive activists. CCPC will provide food and drinks but if you would like to bring something to share that would be great. The pavilion has picnic tables but if you’d prefer, bring your most comfortable lawn chair. State Representative Phil Robinson will be dropping by to give us an update about what is going on in Columbus. And other candidates and elected officials are welcome to also give a few short remarks. But mostly let’s have fun and enjoy being outdoors! If you can’t make it but can make a donation please click here.
And in case you missed it
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Steve Holecko
CCPC Political Director
440 220 1874
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