Just as I predicted, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has demonstrated her continuous commitment to the API community and issues during these first months of her leadership. One of her first staff promotions went to Carmela Clendening, a talented member of her congressional legislative staff and a former journalist. Carmela’s responsibilities include advising the speaker on API issues and conducting outreach to the API communities. So far Carmela’s efforts show remarkable results, as we see Pelosi publicly advocating on behalf of family reunification and immigration reform issues and full veteran benefit rights for the WWII Filipino veterans.
In honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month, Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Congressional APA Caucus Chair Mike Honda worked together to organize the second annual Democratic Leadership’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Town Hall in Washington on May 16. Sixteen members of Congress met with API leaders to discuss priority issues facing APIs. Among the congressional participants were Senators Akaka, Clinton, Reid, Salazar and Cardin; and Representatives Larson, Becerra, Abercrombie, Scott, Wu, Solis, Bordallo, Green, Matsui and Hirono.
Torrico leadership tested by gaming casinos: Five wealthy Southern California Indian Tribes are at it again through a massive media campaign and hardball tactics pressuring legislators to pass one of the largest expansions of casino gambling in U.S. history, according to The Sacramento Bee. The Senate recently passed a bill that approved compacts allowing five Indian tribes to more than triple their number of slot machines, adding to the 60,000 slot machines already in California. The Assembly, led by Alberto Torrico, is not being swayed by the tough political tactics and big money of the wealthy tribes pushing this legislation through. Knowing how these tribes try to intimidate by controlling election results, illustrated by their last-minute proliferation of money against State Controller candidate John Chiang, it takes a lot of courage to stand up to their demands. Torrico, chair of the APA Legislative Caucus, also recognizes that a high percentage of gamblers in these casinos are Asian immigrants, many of whom fall among the 1.2 million adult gambling addicts in California. It is a growing social problem that this community can no longer afford to ignore. Hopefully Assemblyman Torrico’s leadership will influence the Assembly to show similar courage in making sure that all aspects of this piece of legislation are closely examined.
Second chance opportunity for Warren Furutani? The passing of Congresswoman Juanita Millender McDonald in April has caused a flurry of political activity in her district, which includes Compton, Carson and parts of Long Beach. Assemblywoman Laura Richardson and State Senator Jenny Oropeza appear to be the lead contenders for this seat, and both beat Asian candidates, Warren Furutani and George Nakano respectively, during the last election. There is a strong chance the Richardson seat that Furutani narrowly lost last year will be vacant again whether Richardson goes to Congress or seeks Oropeza’s senate seat if Oropeza wins the congressional seat. People are strongly encouraging Furutani to prepare to run again. The senate scenario is even more interesting. If Richardson should run for the senate seat vacated by Oropeza, I would not be surprised if Assemblyman Ted Lieu and former Assemblyman George Nakano throw in their hats. Would Nakano and Lieu run against one another for this senate seat? I doubt it as these two have a close friendship. I bet one would defer to the other.