Fresh Loaf

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, has secured a commitment from the Senate Armed Services Committee to hold hearings this fall on the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which bans openly gay soldiers from serving. Gillibrand had tried over the last several weeks to rally support behind a measure that would put an 18-month moratorium on the policy, but couldn’t come up with the votes.

In the House, Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-PA, is leading the charge against the policy by sponsoring a bill that would overturn DADT.  Murphy, an Iraq War veteran, is getting major backing from the Human Rights Campaign and Stonewall Democrats. Georgia Congressmen John Lewis and Hank Johnson are co-sponsors of Murphy’s bill. Here’s Rep. Murphy discussing his support for repeal of DADT with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.

Meanwhile, British newspaper The Independent is reporting that senior U.S. military officers are “quietly holding talks with their British counterparts” about how the U.S. should go about changing the policy.  The U.K. lifted their ban on gays in the military in 2000.

Chief Operations Officer of Stonewall Democrats, and Atlanta resident, Kyle Bailey spoke to Creative Loafing about the policy’s effect on Georgia service members, as well as on those nationwide:

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Interesting item on Wonkette today involving Congressman John Lewis, D-Atlanta:

Rep. Bennie Thompson (Mississippi) was next to me on my flight from National to New Orleans last night. Heard him say that John Lewis stopped him at National last night and said hes still on some TSA no-fly lists due to his arrest a few weeks ago so Thompson wants to file a bill to remove him from all the lists. Seemed like a nice guy though, and spent most of his time reading a huge stack of newspapers.

A Lewis spokeswoman tells CL that Lewis’ appearance on the list isn’t because of his recent arrest at the Sudanese embassy. The frustrating security snafu dates back years to when the controversial — some say ineffective — method of screening passengers was beefed up after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. (Google “John Lewis no-fly list” and you’ll see what we mean.)

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Earlier today, ABC News’ Jake Tapper reported U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Atlanta, would join protesters at a Save Darfur Coalition rally in front of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Well, the civil rights leader and longtime statesman was there, alright. And he got arrested.

From the AJC‘s Bob Keefe in D.C.:

Georgia Rep. John Lewis and five other members of Congress were arrested for civil disobedience as part of a protest against the humanitarian policies of the Sudanese government in Darfur.

Lewis, a civil rights leader, and others were arrested after crossing a police line and refusing to leave the steps of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington during the protest. The Democrat from Atlanta was expected to be released from a Washington police precinct within a few hours, said Ann Brown, a spokeswoman for the Save Darfur coalition.

…

“We cannot stand by, watch and wait,” he said. “Almost 10 years ago, my hometown of Atlanta welcomed some of the Lost Boys, refugees of the civil war in the Sudan. These young men stole our hearts. … how many more have to pay this heavy price?

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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You know that whole Beltline dispute? The one in which the Georgia Department of Transportation and Amtrak basically told Beltline officials that they’d have to make room in Northeast Atlanta for a commuter rail line? Officials from the agencies and departments involved met this morning and had what I’m sure was a very interesting sitdown. They’ve requested the federal government give them 30 days so they can try and resolve the dispute as a group.

So sayeth a joint statement from the agencies:

Atlanta – A meeting of officials from key organizations including the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), the City of Atlanta, Atlanta Beltline, Inc., Amtrak, the Atlanta Regional Commission, MARTA and the Transit Implementation Board along with staff from Congressman John Lewis’ office was held today to discuss the critical issue regarding plans for the Northeast Beltline Corridor (“Decatur Street Belt”) and future options for multi-modal passenger terminals (MMPT).

The overarching goal of the meeting was to share information, communicate directly, discuss alternatives and seek out viable solutions for an amicable outcome that is in the best interest of our customers. To that end, the Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta Beltline Inc./ Atlanta Development Authority, Amtrak and Norfolk Southern have agreed to formally request that the Surface Transportation Board issue a 30 day stay of their proceedings in this matter in order to work towards a common solution that accommodates the Beltline vision, intercity and high speed rail in the region.

During this time, a technical team will work to investigate the potential alternatives. An Executive Team will also work to develop a final agreement between all of the parties.

All of the organizations involved acknowledged the importance of the Beltline project to the City of Atlanta and the region. Each recognized the common goal to provide much needed regional transportation options for the residents of and visitors to the City of Atlanta which have a profound effect on the economic future for the entire state of Georgia.

After the jump, exclusive video of Beltline officials confronting the GDOT Beast about its plans.

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RAIL RALLY Beltline supporters say Amtrak, GDOT's plans jeopardize Beltline

When it comes to the future of public transit in Atlanta, there’s good news and there’s bad news.

The good news: After decades of bowing at the throne of roadbuilders, the Georgia Department of Transportation says it’s finally taking off the kneepads and getting serious about train service that would connect Atlanta to other cities in the Southeast.

The bad news: Thanks to an unexpected tiff between GDOT and city of Atlanta officials, the Beltline — the transformative 22-mile loop of parks, trails and transit that would one day circle the city — might be in jeopardy. That’s because the train service that GDOT is suddenly embracing would have to run on or near the proposed Beltline tracks. What’s more, Piedmont Park, the city’s most iconic greenspace, might have to be severed by a heavy-rail route in order to accommodate GDOT’s vision.

Last week, CL first reported that GDOT — working in tandem with Amtrak — threw a wrench in Beltline officials’ plans for light-rail, trails and additional green space near Piedmont Park. Just as Norfolk Southern, the current owner of the tracks in question, was about to surrender them to the city, GDOT and Amtrak stepped in and halted the proceedings. Those two agencies now say the tracks in dispute are vital to their own vision for commuter rail.

“Simply put, because of GDOT’s boorish behavior and AMTRAK’s willingness to play along, the future of the city of Atlanta is at stake,” Mayor Shirley Franklin wrote in an urgent letter to U.S. Congressman John Lewis to seek his assistance.

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U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, has requested AMTRAK President Joseph Boardman work with city and regional planners, officials and residents to resolve the “Decatur Belt” dispute between the federal agency, the Georgia Department of Transportation and Beltline officials.

Lewis says AMTRAK’s actions “have the potential to unnecessarily disrupt one of the most important public benefit projects that the City of Atlanta has undertaken in recent memory.” He adds that “these combined actions are not the model of a productive and healthy local, State and federal partnership with the shared goal of revitalizing transportation services in Metro Atlanta.”

Download a PDF of the letter here.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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HIT THE BRAKES Beltline faces another obstacle — from GDOT and AMTRAK

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the Beltline, the 22-mile loop of parks, trails and transit proposed to circle Atlanta, it’s that surprises are to be expected. And some interesting developments are afoot with the $2.8-billion project.

If you recall, Atlanta Beltline Inc. — the nonprofit agency in charge of planning and implementing the project — finalized its purchase of a 66-acre piece of property in October owned by Gwinnett County developer Wayne Mason and his son Keith, an Atlanta attorney. The Mason property included  land and transit right-of-way. The $66 million purchase riled city watchdogs not only for the ultimate payout to the Masons — more than double what father and son originally paid for the land in 2004 — but also the deal ABI cut with a private partner group it needed to buy out if it wanted to use tax-exempt bonds to finalize the purchase before a Halloween deadline. That’s background, and for all intents and purposes, irrelevant for the moment.

Beltline leaders hoped to complete planning the area, implement transit, and sell off excess land to developers. They would then re-invest the windfall from those sales back into the overall project. But before it could do anything with the property, it first had to abandon the transit right-of-way. That humdrum process is conducted by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board and largely involves just some time for public comment and a shuffling of papers. It was supposed to be a walk in the park.

Looks like that’s not turning out to be the case. An eleventh-hour move by the state Department of Transportation and AMTRAK has potentially thrown a wrench in the Beltline. And why those two odd entities decided to hold hands and insert themselves into the conversation — this late in the party — is making folks scratch their heads.

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Today’s the last chance for Georgia’s U.S. Senate candidates to campaign, and they’re both playing to the base.

Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss hosted Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin last night at a private fundraiser at the W Hotel in Midtown; today she’ll stump for the candidate in Augusta, Savannah and Perry before finishing the day at the Gwinnett Arena at 4 p.m.

Democratic candidate Jim Martin is scheduled to receive well wishes from rapper Ludacris and U.S. Congressman John Lewis today at a rally in front of the Capitol at 5:30 p.m.

Martin, whom many political pundits said needed a visit from Pres.-elect Barack Obama to rouse voters back to the polls against Chambliss, is trying to energize turnout among African-American voters. That demographic turned out in record numbers for the Nov. 4 General Election, but statistics for early voting in the runoff election show fewer numbers are returning to the polls. Obama did lend his voice to robocalls and a radio ad for Martin, it looks like he won’t be stopping in the Peach State to rally for the former state lawmaker.

And before I forget. Matt Zencey, the editorial page editor for the Anchorage Daily News, has some kind words for Palin as she makes her way across our gee-golly-this-place-is-neat-ya-know state.

Gov. Palin’s eldest joined the Army and has been deployed to Iraq. As a justifiably proud military mom, she might ask herself why she is using her conservative star power to support such a reprehensible Republican chicken hawk.

OK then! We’ll have info later in the day about voting tomorrow as well as the usual list of who’s partying where. If you attend any of these rallies — I’ll most likely try to get some face time with America’s sweetheart — feel free to send in photos.

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In response to a lawsuit filed today against Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel alleging that the voting rights of a Cherokee County man have been violated, Congressman John Lewis — a leader of the voting-rights battle of the 1960s — released the following statement:

“Georgia is not the only state where questions are mounting.  In Ohio and in Florida and other states around the country it seems that obstacles are being created to keep citizens from participating in this election.

“I think there is a deliberate, systematic effort to depress the turn out of African American, Latino and other minority voters on November 4th. This is harassment.  It is intimidation, and it places an undue burden on some citizens.  Who decides, based on what standards, which 2 million voters deserve greater scrutiny than any others?  I think these actions violate both the letter and the spirit of the Voting Rights Act.  They should be pursued by voting rights groups and the Department of Justice with all deliberate speed so we can make the way clear for registered voters to freely exercise their constitutional rights.”

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Some familiar Democratic names, such as Congressman John Lewis, D-Ga., are scheduled to be on hand for the “For The People Rally” in Gainesville on Sunday, Sept. 21. The former Civil Rights activist and longtime lawmaker will be the afternoon’s keynote speaker. Billed as  a day that “celebrates the values of the Democratic Party,” the gathering will be held from 1 pm to 5 pm. All ages are invited.

Lewis will be joined by U.S. Senate Democratic Party nominee Jim Martin, Public Service Commission candidate Jim Powell and Congressional Candidates Jeff Scott, Bobby Saxon, Bill Jones and Doug Heckman.

Former State Legislator and Congressional Candidate Wyc Orr will be the evening’s host of the event.

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As expected, the two challengers who took on U.S. Rep. John Lewis in yesterday’s Democratic primary were battling for second place. With 96 percent of precincts reporting, Lewis commanded a solid 69.1 percent of the vote.

Unexpectedly, though, political newbie the Rev. Markel Hutchins appears to have edged out longtime state Rep. “Able” Mable Thomas, with 15.9 percent of the vote to her 15 percent.

In a CL cover story published three weeks ago, we foresaw a different outcome:

Compared to Hutchins, Thomas is the stronger candidate. She’s an experienced campaigner who’s won eight races – and was thrashed by Lewis when she challenged him back in 1992. She has a firm base of support in Vine City and on the Westside. And simply by virtue of her gender, she’s likely to win support from some women voters.

It would be a shock if Hutchins even managed to beat Thomas for second place – much less if he came in first.

Call us shocked. We stand corrected.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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RUNSOFF: Jim Martin and Vernon Jones will face off in a runoff Aug. 5 to determine who faces Saxby Chambliss in November; Burrell Ellis and Stan Watson will also have a runoff in the DeKalb CEO race; the Fulton County sheriff’s race will be running off to decide whether incumbent Myron Freeman or retired FBI agent Ted Jackson will face Republican Michael Rary in November.

INCUMBENTS: U.S Reps. John Lewis, John Barrow and Paul Broun all fended off their challengers to retain their seats in Congress.

CITI TREND: Dunwoody becomes the latest north Atlanta community to catch city fever.

GWINNETTIANS: Less opposed to MARTA than they used to be.

ALL-STAR GAME: American League wins its 12th straight in the longest All-Star Game in major-league history.

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Read between the lines.

When Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, says it’s harder for him to switch his superdelegate support from Clinton to Obama than it was for him to march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge with Dr. King in segregated Selma, Alabama over 40 years ago, what he’s really saying is:

Don’t get it twisted white America, the possibility that a black man could actually be nominated President of the Free World is harder for me to swallow than it is for you.

Lewis isn’t the only one among the graying generation of Civil Rights leaders who finds himself at a crossroads. For those who have spent a lifetime relying on alliances with the white liberal establishment to help promote civic change, a potential Obama victory represents a mind-boggling paradigm shift.

It’s probably a lot for a sharecropper’s son to grasp — especially one as politically indebted to the status quo, i.e. the Clintons, as Lewis.

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THE REV. MARKEL HUTCHINS TAKES ON REP. JOHN LEWIS: “The winds of change are blowing. Dress in layers.”

(photo by Joeff Davis)

Accompanied by a smooth-jazz rendition of “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now,” the Rev. Markel Hutchins strode up to the small crowd assembled outside the Russell Federal Building downtown Wednesday to announce he’s running for Congress.

The 30-year-old minister and activist, best known as the spokesman for the family of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston after she was gunned down by Atlanta police, is taking on 11-term Rep. John Lewis in the Democratic primary. Hutchins called Lewis the candidate of “yesteryears” – a great icon, but a lousy advocate for the 5th District in D.C.

The odds against Hutchins are steep. So steep, in fact, that during his speech he said, “I’m not crazy.” “The winds of change” are blowing, he insisted. I don’t know if they were winds of change or not, but the wind was blowing so hard during his announcement that I left during the Q&A with reporters. I was cold.

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Deciding between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama won’t be Rep. John Lewis’ only challenge this spring.

The Rev. Markel Hutchins, the 30-year-old minister and activist best known for being the public spokesman for the family of 92-year-old police shooting victim Kathryn Johnston, on Wednesday will announce his bid to unseat the 11-term congressman.

In a letter to friends and supporters, Hutchins calls Lewis a mentor, but pointedly refers to him as an icon of “yesteryears.” Hutchins faults Lewis in his letter for failing to bring federal dollars to the 5th Congressional District, as well as for formally endorsing Sen. Clinton’s run for president.

Hutchins will announce his candidacy at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday from the run-down bridge portion of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, adjacent to the Russell Federal Building. The location’s bridge/crumbling infrastructure/MLK symbolism is intentional.

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Last fall, when Sen. Hillary Clinton had a huge lead in national and state polls, Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., endorsed her candidacy. Now he’s not so sure.

“I have looked at all the candidates, and I believe that Hillary Clinton is the best prepared to lead this country at a time when we are in desperate need of strong leadership.”

– Lewis, endorsing Clinton for president Oct. 12, 2007

“Something is happening in America, and people are prepared and ready to make that great leap.”

– Lewis, as quoted in the New York Times Feb. 15, explaining his decision to vote for Obama at the 2008 Democratic Party Convention. A spokesman for Lewis said the Times’ report is “not accurate.”

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REP. JOHN LEWIS: “[The Democrat who seems most likely to win] can count on my unwavering support.” (Photo by Joeff Davis)

Rep. John Lewis sorta kinda rescinded his endorsement of Sen. Hillary Clinton for president yesterday.The 11-term Atlanta congressman and hero of the Civil Rights Movement says he now plans to cast his superdelegate vote for Sen. Barack Obama at the Democratic Party Convention this summer. From the New York Times:

“In recent days, there is a sense of movement and a sense of spirit,” said Mr. Lewis, a Georgia Democrat who endorsed Mrs. Clinton last fall. “Something is happening in America, and people are prepared and ready to make that great leap.”

Translation: I endorsed Clinton last October because she was very popular. Now I’m voting for Obama because he’s even more popular.

Clinton must be annoyed, but she doesn’t have much right to complain. Lewis is just bending with the wind, which is exactly what Clinton did when she voted for the Iraq war before turning against it.

For what it’s worth*, Lewis says he hasn’t formally rescinded his endorsement of Clinton. He’ll probably wait for Sen. Obama to come to Atlanta, camera crews in tow, to make that announcement.

(*nothing)

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Last night’s Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, the premier event on the Democratic calendar, seemed in some ways a lifetime removed from last year’s confab. The ‘07 gathering had a surprisingly fun vibe to it – one guest explained that it was one night when all oppressed Democrats could gather in one room to party down and forget their many, many troubles.

The J-J Dinner last night seemed more businesslike. For starters, it took place in the drab, concrete-floored basement of the World Congress Center, rather than the well-appointed ballroom upstairs – presumably to accommodate a larger crowd. Also, this being an election year, there was more visible networking and campaigning, which likewise sapped the fun factor. Finally, Labor Commish Michael Thurmond did not repeat last year’s fabulous James Brown impression.

Even many of the speeches had a downbeat quality to them. Rep. Calvin Smyre, the minority caucus chairman, who’s served in the House some 33 years (!), memorialized longtime colleague Speaker Tom Murphy, who died a few weeks ago. And guest of honor, former Sen. Max Cleland, has come to be a living symbol of Democratic defeat at the hands of ruthless Republicans. He was introduced by a pretaped Sen. John Kerry, who has the unique ability to bring down any large gathering. Ex-Gov. Roy Barnes, however, had the best line of the night: “Max Cleland found out not all the enemies of democracy live in foreign countries.” Unfortunately, the Dems don’t have a viable challenger to GOP Sen. Saxby Chambliss this year.

Also honored, in more upbeat fashion, was Rep. John Lewis, who received a warm intro from congressional colleague Rep. Charles Rangel of Harlem.

Then the doors opened and Hillary supporters flooded in to crowd in front of the stage. There were also a healthy number of Obama sign-wavers in the audience as well, but – with John Edwards ending his campaign only hours earlier – the evening felt a bit lopsided with only one candidate there to speechify. (Word was the Obamites wanted to set up a live link for their candidate, but the Georgia Dems said no.)

Still, the J-J Dinner was clearly energizing to most of the attendees, who have good reason to picture their man – or woman – in the White House next year.

See more of Joeff Davis’ photos from the J-J Dinner after the jump.

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Atlanta’s African-American leaders are impressed by Sen. Barack Obama’s ability to energize and inspire presidential primary voters.

“What I like about Barack Obama is that he’s energizing a population that is not typically energized. And that he is providing inspiration.”

— Mayor Shirley Franklin, endorsing Obama on V-103’s (WVEE-FM) “Frank and Wanda in the Morning” on Jan. 9.

“. . . I believe he gives Georgia Democrats our best chance of retaking the White House in 2008 and building the coalition necessary to bring change as President.”

— Rumored Atlanta mayoral candidate and state Sen. Kasim Reed, endorsing Obama on Jan. 7.

“Thank goodness for what Obama has been doing in Iowa and New Hampshire. It’s historic. He’s tapped into a part of the electorate looking for something different, something new.”

— Rep. John Lewis, speaking to the AJC on Jan. 8. Lewis has endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton.

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CLINTON NABS LEWIS ENDORSEMENT AT PASCHAL’S: “I promise you eight years of shrill, robotic competence.”

(photo by Joeff Davis)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton stopped by Paschal’s restaurant in Castleberry Hill last Friday to pick up an important to-go order – the endorsement of 11-term incumbent and Civil Rights Movement hero Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga. It’s not on the menu. I checked.

Lewis’ endorsement is a big blow to Sen. Barack Obama who, based on his frequent visits to and impressive fundraising in Atlanta, was likely counting on the city’s black political establishment to back him. According to reports, Obama lobbied hard for Lewis’ endorsement. If Clinton wins the Democratic primary here next year, consider last Friday’s endorsement one of the turning points in her campaign. If she doesn’t, I’ll go in Creative Loafing’s archives and erase all record of this and the previous sentence.

In addition to Lewis’ endorsement, Clinton also picked up a side order during her Georgia visit – the endorsement of Lewis’ congressional colleague Rep. David Scott.

Perhaps because he’s less popular, and was recently called one of the most corrupt members of Congress by the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Scott’s endorsement got less attention.

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It’s not spoken about much, but there are concerns that we will lose, as African-Americans, our political base, which has largely been the city of Atlanta for major leadership within the state.

– Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, speaking on June 1 at a symposium on income disparity in cities at The New School in New York

The efforts of Martin and Coretta King, Hosea Williams, Maynard Jackson and many others will be lost.

– Franklin, in a radio ad last fall supporting John Eaves, a black Democratic candidate for Fulton County Commission Chairman

If you think fighting off dogs and water hoses in the ’60s was bad, imagine if we sit idly by and let the right-wing Republicans take control of the Fulton County Commission.

– Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., in the same ad. Eaves won.

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