Hillary Clinton: Why You Should Vote for Me

The following op-ed appears in Monday’s issue of USA Today:

Hillary Clinton: Why you should vote for me
Hillary Clinton
USA Today
November 6, 2016

In January, America is going to have a new president. Things are going to change — that much is certain. The question is, what kind of change are we going to have?

We can build an economy that works for everyone, or stack the deck even more for those at the top.

We can keep America safe through strength and smarts — or turn our backs on our allies, and cozy up to our adversaries.

We can come together to build a stronger, fairer America, or fear the future and fear each other.

Everything I’ve done, as first lady, senator, or secretary of State, I’ve done by listening to people and looking for common ground, even with people who disagree with me. And if you elect me on Tuesday, that’s the kind of president I’ll be.

Here are four priorities for my first 100 days — issues I’ve heard about from Americans all over our country.

First, we will put forward the biggest investment in new jobs since World War II. We’ll invest in infrastructure and manufacturing to grow our economy for years to come. We’ll produce enough renewable energy to power every home in America within a decade. We’ll cut red tape for small businesses and make it easier for entrepreneurs to get the credit they need to grow and hire — because in America, if you can dream it, you should be able to build it. We’ll pay for it all by asking the wealthy, Wall Street and big corporations to finally pay their fair share. And this commitment will go far beyond the first 100 days. Creating more good jobs with rising incomes will be a central mission of my presidency.

Second, we will introduce comprehensive immigration reform legislation. The last president to sign comprehensive immigration reform was Ronald Reagan, and it was a priority for George W. Bush. I’m confident that we can work across the aisle to pass comprehensive reform that keeps families together and creates a path to citizenship, secures our border, and focuses our enforcement resources on violent criminals. This is the right thing to do, and it will also grow our economy.

Third, to break the gridlock in Washington, we need to get secret, unaccountable money out of our politics. It’s drowning out the voices of the American people. So within my first 30 days, I will introduce a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. We should be protecting citizens’ rights to vote, not corporations’ rights to buy elections.

Fourth, we need to get started on end-to-end criminal justice reform. Too many people have been sent away for far too long for non-violent offenses. I believe our country will be stronger and safer when everyone has respect for the law and everyone is respected by the law.

There’s so much more we need to do together, and we certainly won’t get it all done in the first 100 days. But we’re going to roll up our sleeves and get to work for American families — and I’ll never, ever quit.

I want to be president for all Americans — Democrats, Republicans and independents; Americans of every race, faith and background.

My opponent has run his campaign on divisiveness, fear and insults, and spent months pitting Americans against each other. I’ve said many times that Donald Trump has shown us who he is. Now we have to decide who we are.

Because it’s not just our names on the ballot this year. Every issue we care about is on the ballot, too. This is about who we are as a country — and whether we are going to have change that makes us stronger together, or change that pushes us further apart.

It all comes down to this. I love our country. I believe in our people. And I think there’s nothing we can’t achieve if we work together and invest in each other.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: USA Today

Bipartisan Group of Former DOJ Officials Raise Concerns Over Comey’s Breach Of Protocol

Sunday, as reported by the Associated Press, a group of nearly 100 former federal prosecutors and high-ranking DOJ officials from both Democratic and Republican administrations, including former AG Eric Holder and former Deputy AG Larry Thompson, issued the following joint letter expressing serious concerns over FBI Director Comey’s departure from long-standing department protocols:

As former federal prosecutors and high-ranking officials of the U.S. Department of Justice, we know that the impartiality and nonpartisanship of the United States justice system makes it exceptional throughout the world.  To maintain fairness and neutrality, federal law enforcement officials must exercise discipline whenever they make public statements in connection with an ongoing investigation.  Often, evidence uncovered during the course of an investigative inquiry is incomplete, misleading or even incorrect, and releasing such information before all of the facts are known and tested in a court of law can unfairly prejudice individuals and undermine the public’s faith in the integrity of our legal process.

For this reason, Justice Department officials are instructed to refrain from commenting publicly on the existence, let alone the substance, of pending investigative matters, except in exceptional circumstances and with explicit approval from the Department of Justice officials responsible for ultimate supervision of the matter.  They are also instructed to exercise heightened restraint near the time of a primary or general election because, as official guidance from the Department instructs, public comment on a pending investigative matter may affect the electoral process and create the appearance of political interference in the fair administration of justice.

It is out of our respect for such settled tenets of the United States Department of Justice that we are moved to express our concern with the recent letter issued by FBI Director James Comey to eight Congressional Committees.  Many of us have worked with Director Comey; all of us respect him.  But his unprecedented decision to publicly comment on evidence in what may be an ongoing inquiry just eleven days before a presidential election leaves us both astonished and perplexed. We cannot recall a prior instance where a senior Justice Department official—Republican or Democrat—has, on the eve of a major election, issued a public statement where the mere disclosure of information may impact the election’s outcome, yet the official acknowledges the information to be examined may not be significant or new.

Director Comey’s letter is inconsistent with prevailing Department policy, and it breaks with longstanding practices followed by officials of both parties during past elections.  Moreover, setting aside whether Director Comey’s original statements in July were warranted, by failing to responsibly supplement the public record with any substantive, explanatory information, his letter begs the question that further commentary was necessary.  For example, the letter provides no details regarding the content, source or recipient of the material; whether the newly-discovered evidence contains any classified or confidential information; whether the information duplicates material previously reviewed by the FBI; or even “whether or not [the] material may be significant.”

Perhaps most troubling to us is the precedent set by this departure from the Department’s widely-respected, non-partisan traditions.  The admonitions that warn officials against making public statements during election periods have helped to maintain the independence and integrity of both the Department’s important work and public confidence in the hardworking men and women who conduct themselves in a nonpartisan manner.

We believe that adherence to longstanding Justice Department guidelines is the best practice when considering public statements on investigative matters.  We do not question Director Comey’s motives. However, the fact remains that the Director’s disclosure has invited considerable, uninformed public speculation about the significance of newly-discovered material just days before a national election.  For this reason, we believe the American people deserve all the facts, and fairness dictates releasing information that provides a full and complete picture regarding the material at issue.

Signatories:

• Eric H. Holder, former Attorney General of the United States
• Stuart M. Gerson, former Acting Attorney General of the United States, former Assistant Attorney General
• Donald B. Ayer, former Deputy Attorney General of the United States
• James M. Cole, former Deputy Attorney General of the United States
• Jamie S. Gorelick, former Deputy Attorney General of the United States
• Gary G. Grindler, former Acting Deputy Attorney General of the United States
• Larry D. Thompson, former Deputy Attorney General of the United States
• David W. Ogden, former Deputy Attorney General of the United States
• Wayne A. Budd, former Associate Attorney General of the United States, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts
• Tony West, former Associate Attorney General of the United States
• Neal Kumar Katyal, former Acting Solicitor General of the United States
• Lanny A. Breuer, former Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division
• Christine A. Varney, former Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division

• Lourdes Baird, former U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California
• Paul Coggins, former U.S. Attorney for Northern District of Texas
• Jenny Durkan, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington
• Melinda L. Haag, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
• Timothy Heaphy, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia
• Scott R. Lassar, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois
• Michael D. McKay, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington
• Harry Litman, former U.S. Attorney for Western District of Pennsylvania
• Neil H. MacBride, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia
• Bill Nettles, former U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina
• Timothy Q. Purdon, former U.S. Attorney for the District of North Dakota
• Donald Stern, former U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts
• Anne M. Tompkins, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina
• Elkan Abramowitz, former Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York

• David B. Anders, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Jodi L. Avergun, former Section Chief, U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division
• Marion Bachrach, former Chief of General Crimes, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York
• Richard Ben-Veniste, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and former Assistant Watergate Prosecutor
• Shay Bilchik, former Director, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
• David M. Buckner, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
• Alex Busansky, former prosecutor, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
• Helen V. Cantwell, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Sandra Cavazos, former Assistant US Attorney for the Northern District of California and the Eastern District of New York
• Charles E. Clayman, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
• Joel M. Cohen, former Chief of the Business and Securities Fraud Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York
• Leo P. Cunningham, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
• Bert Deixler, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California
• Keir Dougall, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
• Ira M. Feinberg, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Cary M. Feldman, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
• Martin Flumenbaum, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Stuart L. Gasner, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii
• Douglas F. Gansler, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and former Attorney General of Maryland
• Faith Gay, former Deputy Chief of the Special Prosecutions and Civil Rights Divisions, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York
• Gerald Greenberg, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
• Fred Hafetz, former Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
• John Heuston, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California
• Michele Hirshman, former Chief of the General Crimes and Public Corruption Units, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
• Sydney Hoffmann, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
• June M. Jeffries, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
• Marcia Jensen, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
• John Joseph, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• Nancy Kestenbaum, former Chief of General Crimes, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
• David V. Kirby, former Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont
• Barbara E. Kittay, former prosecutor, U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
• David S. Krakoff, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
• Larry H. Krantz, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
• Miriam Krinsky, former Chief of General Crimes, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California
• Laurie Levenson, former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Central District of California
• Tim Lewis, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and former federal judge on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals
• Lori Lightfoot, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois
• Debra Long-Doyle, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
• Carl H. Loewenson, Jr., former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Jeffrey Marcus, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
• Richard Marmaro, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California
• Douglass B. Maynard, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Seth Miles, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
• Amy Millard, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Curtis B. Miner, dormer Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
• Cynthia Monaco, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
• Martin Perschetz, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Elliot R. Peters, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Karen A. Popp, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
• Jeff Rabkin, former Assistant U.S Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and for the Northern District of California
• Daniel L. Rashbaum, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Southern District of Florida
• Alicia Strohl Resnicoff, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• David H. Resnicoff, former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• Lawrence Robbins, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
• Frank A. Rothermel, former U.S. Department of Justice Civil Fraud Prosecutor
• Lee Rubin, former prosecutor, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
• Betty Santangelo, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• John Savarese, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Richard L. Scheff, former Chief of the Corruption and Labor Divisions, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• William Schwartz, former Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
• John Siffert, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• David Sklansky, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California
• Matthew E. Sloan, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and the Central District of California
• Judge Mike Snipes, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas
• Stephen R. Spivack, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
• Jeremy H. Temkin, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Eric Tirschwell, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
• Michael Tremonte, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
• Amy Walsh, former Chief of the Business and Securities Fraud Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York
• Richard D. Weinberg, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
• Peter Zeidenberg, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and U.S. Department of Justice Public Integrity Section
• Lawrence J. Zweifach, former Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The Briefing

Hillary’s Plan: Foreign Policy

Hillary Clinton’s Strong, Steady Approach to Global Challenges vs. Trump’s Dangerously Unserious Approach

The fifth topic on deck for this evening’s debate will address global challenges. Hillary Clinton’s steady leadership has made America stronger and safer on the world stage. As First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State, she has worked tirelessly to keep Americans safe and stay true to our values.  Conversely, Donald Trump’s dangerous national security proposals, lack of understanding of geopolitical realities, and reckless foreign policy rhetoric have been apparent throughout the campaign.

Hillary Clinton has laid out a comprehensive plan to defeat ISIS and keep Americans safe at home.  She understands that it’s not enough just to take out specific groups or leaders – we must have a comprehensive strategy to win the long game against the global terrorist network and its ideology. Former military leaders and top national security officials agree: Hillary is the right choice.

As president, Hillary will:

• Protect our homeland, including by surging our intelligence to ensure law enforcement has the information they need to detect and disrupt plots.
• Work with Silicon Valley to shut down terrorist propaganda and disrupt their recruitment efforts online.
• Keep guns out of the hands of suspected terrorists.
• Work with our allies to dismantle the global network that supplies money, arms, propaganda and fighters to the terrorists.
• Choke off the networks that facilitate their growth and expansion.
• Focus on eliminating the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
• Take out ISIS’s strongholds in the Middle East by intensifying the coalition air campaign, supporting our partners on the ground, and pursuing diplomacy to end Syria’s civil war and close Iraq’s sectarian divide, because those conflicts are keeping ISIS alive.
• Stand with our allies, rather than abandoning them.

Despite Trump’s claims that he has a “secret” plan to defeat ISIS, he has no real plan at all. And his rhetoric is dangerously playing into terrorists’ hands.

As president, Trump will:

• Watch “the shows” for military advice.
• Consult himself on foreign policy because, according to Trump, he has “a very good brain.”
• Allow new countries like Japan, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea to obtain nuclear weapons.
• Complement and prop up dictators like Vladimir Putinand Kim Jong-Un.
• “Ask [his] generals” for a plan to defeat ISIS, since he doesn’t currently have any plan at all.
• Continue to promote Russia’s brutal bombing campaign in Syria that is targeting civilians and the moderate opposition instead of ISIS.
• Allow Syria to become a “free zone for ISIS.”
• Ban Muslims from entering the U.S., a policy that feeds radical jihadist propaganda.

Engage in torture in the fight against ISIS and kill the families of terrorists.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Hillary Clinton Statement on Alleged Plot Against Somali Community

Following news that the FBI had charged three Kansas men for plotting to use a weapon of mass destruction against an apartment complex in Garden City, Kansas, that is home to many Somali immigrants, Hillary Clinton issues the following statement:

“I applaud law enforcement for detecting and disrupting a highly disturbing terror plot in Kansas, in which men were allegedly planning an elaborate attack directed at Muslim Americans, including directing four car bombs at an apartment complex housing more than 100 men, women, and children. This plot is an affront to all Americans. We all must stand firm in fighting terror and rejecting hateful and divisive rhetoric–and we must do it together. According to the FBI, their eight-month investigation uncovered ‘a hidden culture of hatred and violence.’ We should all be grateful to law enforcement for preventing this plot from being carried out, and as President, I will work with law enforcement at all levels and with our communities to make sure we have the tools we need to prevent both domestic and international terrorist threats.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: USA Today

Hillary Clinton Speaks During Sunday Services at Charlotte Church

On Sunday, Hillary Clinton spent the day in Charlotte, North Carolina. Clinton had planned on visiting Charlotte a week ago, but due to the unrest in the city and limited resources, Mayor Jennifer Roberts asked that she delay her trip until local authorities had a better handle on the situation. The protests in the city followed the death of Keith Lamont Scott who was shot by a Charlotte police officer. A video of Scott’s encounter with police was released by the police department earlier this week.

In Charlotte, Clinton spoke during Sunday morning church services at Little Rock AME Zion Church today. She spoke about the need for additional police training to ensure situations are deescalated. She also spoke about a number of her plans such as criminal justice reform and reducing the cost of higher education, both she said would benefit the African American community and end the “so-called school to prison pipeline.” She also criticized Donald Trump’s tone deaf response to shootings such as the one in Charlotte. Before she completed her remarks, Clinton invited Zionna Oliphant, a local fourth-grader, to join her. Oliphant recently spoke about race relations in Charlotte before the City Council. Clinton said, “Protecting all of God’s children is our calling.” While in Charlotte, Clinton also met with with local officials. A video of Clinton’s remarks is below.

Meanwhile, in Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday, Senator Cory Booker spoke at a fundraiser on behalf of Hillary for America.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The New York Times, Politico, WSOCTV, Fox 8, Time Warner Cable News, The Charlotte Observer

Hillary Clinton Interviewed by ESSENCE Magazine

An interview with Hillary Clinton is featured in the October issue of ESSENCE magazine. Clinton was interviewed by ESSENCE Editor-in-chief Vanessa K. De Luca, and they discussed how Clinton’s proposals would benefit black women. Clinton spoke about a number of her plans including ensuring equal pay for women, ensuring that students graduate from college debt-free, and her plans to enact criminal justice reform. Read the full interview below.

In ESSENCE Magazine’s October Issue, Secretary Hillary Clinton sat for an exclusive interview with the editor-in-chief Vanessa DeLuca to discuss her agenda for Black America.  She outlined her commitment to support women business owners, equal pay, criminal justice reform and to protect President Obama’s legacy.

ESSENCE: Thank you, Secretary Clinton, for spending time with ESSENCE. Let’s jump right in: In 2012, more than 70 percent of eligible Black women voters went to the polls and 96 percent of them voted for President Obama. How do you plan on energizing this bloc to vote for you in 2016?

HILLARY CLINTON: First, thank you, Vanessa. I’m delighted to be talking with you today. I think what’s remarkable and worthy of great attention is the percentage of Black women who vote. Black women understand that politics and government have a direct effect on their lives. I want to build on the progress that has been made under President Obama. I am absolutely unabashed in saying that I don’t think he gets the credit for what he’s achieved.

There is a very clear set of issues that are particularly important to African-American women. I will continue to reach out to say, “Look, we’ve got to build on the progress. I can’t do it without you. I want to know what you need, and I want you to know that I’m going to do everything I can to respond to those needs.

ESSENCE: In a poll we conducted with civic engagement group Black Women’s Roundtable last year, we asked our audience to tell us the top three issues they found to be the most critical in deciding whether they would vote for a particular candidate. The issues were affordable health care, living wage and college affordability. How can the middle class participate in the affordable health care plan in the ways they are prevented from doing right now?

HILLARY CLINTON: I was thrilled when President Obama got the Affordable Care Act through. I will be looking to see how we make it truly affordable so that the co-pays, the premiums and the deductibles don’t take such a huge chunk out of a woman’s or a family’s budget. Women are eligible for Medicare starting at age 65, but what about the women between 55 and 65 who are maybe facing health challenges but don’t have Medicare? What about caretakers, all the women who cut back on their work hours or stop their work life to care for a child, a spouse or an elderly relative? They are hurt when it comes to social security, so how do we take care of that? I want to look at this broadly to figure out how we help people get the quality affordable health care that everybody needs and deserves to different points in their life.

ESSENCE: Let’s shift to the second issue. Black women with a bachelor’s degree are making $10,000 less than the average White male with an associate’s degree. How do you plan to address the significant pay gaps for us?

HILLARY CLINTON: More good jobs with rising incomes is the centerpiece of how we’re going to provide a higher standard of living for people. There is still too much explicit and implicit bias in employment, hiring and promoting that, again, disproportionately affect the African-American women. I am in favor of raising the minimum wage, and support the efforts that have already been successful in New York and California to raise it to 15$ per hour. I want to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act so that you’re not retaliated against if you try to find out what you’re paid. Right now if you and I are working for the same company and we’re having lunch together and I say, “Well I’m making X an hour or my salary is Y,” and you say, “But we’re doing the same job and I am making X minus or Y minus,” we could both be fired for that.

ESSENCE: A lot of our readers are excited about your student loan plan. How will it assist those of us with college loan debt, especially those who attended historically Black colleges and universities?

HILLARY CLINTON: From the very moment I rolled out my college affordability plan, I made it very clear that I wanted to get back to where we used to be, where it was possible for someone for someone from a modest-income family to afford to go to college. I have a plan to make four-year public colleges and universities tuition-free. If you make less than $125,000 a year, you should not have to borrow a penny to pay for all their other costs. I also have a really strong commitment to historically Black colleges and billion fund set aside that will help HBCUs be competitive, be able to upgrade their laboratories and be able to provide more financial support to make sure they remain a viable option.

ESSENCE: Why is that important to you?

HILLARY CLINTON: My first boss, Marian Wright Edelman went to Spelman, and another great friend of mine, Vernon Jordan, got his law degree at Howard. I’ve has close friends talk about how that experience was so important in their maturing and that they felt very nurtured—challenged, but nurtured. I have visited a lot of HBCUs and the ones that are the public colleges and universities in a lot of states are being shortchanged when it comes to funding, so they’re having to close departments and buildings. It’s not that these schools don’t have the demand; they still do. They don’t have the resources. I want to provide a floor underneath them. I have a plan to help refinance your debt, to get it paid down, to ensure you pay no more than 10 percent of your income for your debt and to provide relief. If you go into public service, and that includes teaching and law enforcement, we will forgive the rest of your debt after ten years.

ESSENCE: How will you deal with the ongoing issue of police brutality and racial profiling should be elected president?

HILLARY CLINTON: I think there are four issues that we have to address simultaneously. One is policing reform and I think President Obama’s policing commission has excellent recommendations. What I intend to do is use the federal budget to incentivize and catalyze the 18,000 police departments we have in America to follow those kinds of recommendations. I want there to be national guidelines on the use of force, particularly lethal force, that every department would accept and that they would then train their police and hold them accountable. I want independent investigations of any police incident that results in the death of any person.

ESSENCE: Beyond a grand jury?

HILLARY CLINTON: New York, after some of our regrettable, terrible incidents, made the right decision by legislating that the attorney general of the state would take over these investigations. I want to have a better approach to accountability and justice. I want to provide second-chance programs for people coming out of jail and prison, but I want to do much more to divert people from ever getting their in the first place. Honestly, young, Black kids, particularly young Black boys, for being kids. I want to replace the cradle-to-prison pipeline with a cradle-to-college or –career pipeline and really emphasize that.

ESSENCE: Obviously the country is in a very precarious state right now. There’s lots of division and failure to see the other side. How would you bring us all together?

HILLARY CLINTON: I hope that by reaching out to people—especially across the aisle to Republicans as I did when I was First Lady, as senator and as secretary of state—I will demonstrate that I’m walking the walk as well as talking the talk. I know that it takes time and investment of your energy to build relationships, but investment of your energy to build relationships, but there’s no substitute for that. I intend to begin doing that as soon as I possibly can. This will determine what kind of lives we have and certainly what kind of lives our children and grandchildren will have. Are we going to be fairer, more just society with opportunity for all, one that builds an inclusive economic prosperity that people can feel is helping them get ahead? Are we going to stand against discrimination, bigotry, bluster and bullying? Those are all core beliefs that I have about the kind of country that I think we must be, and in our better moments, we are.

ESSENCE: Should there be resistance, how will you push back against that?

HILLARY CLINTON: I expect there will be resistance, but you have to work to find whatever common ground you can. I don’t know if you have seen the wonderful musical “Hamilton” but there is a point where George Washington says that he is going to step down and people are shocked.  But he said, “It’s the right thing to do,” and then he said, “History’s eyes are on us.” I think history’s eyes are still on us. We’ve got to keep working together and that means creating common ground and common purpose wherever we can. There will always be naysayers; there will always be haters. But we can’t let them drive our agenda. What we’re trying to do is much bigger than them and much more hopeful than they even understand. I am going to keep reaching out, and based on my experience I think we can make progress.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: ESSENCE

Clinton Interviewed by Steve Harvey

On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton was interviewed by Steve Harvey on an episode his radio show, “The Steve Harvey Morning Show.” During the interview, Clinton was asked about the recent shooting by police of an unarmed black man in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Clinton responded to the death of Terence Crutcher by asking, “How many times do we have to see this in our country?” She continued by speaking about the importance of proper police training saying, “There are good, honorable, cool-headed police officers. … We can do better. We have got to rein in what is absolutely inexplicable, and we’ve got to have law enforcement respect communities and communities respect law enforcement because they have to work together.” Download the full interview HERE.

A transcript of the interview is below:

STEVE HARVEY: Okay, well here we go. Joining me now – this is what I’ve been waiting on – is a dynamic Democratic Party candidate for the presidency of the United States. She served as the 67th United States Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013. She was born right here in Chicago, Illinois. Woohoo. Chi-town girl. She is a former First Lady of the United States. Who got that title? […] She’s a mother, she’s a grandmother, and we’re going to put her back in the White House, just flat out. Simply put.

SHIRLEY STRAWBERRY: Yes!

STEVE HARVEY: Nothing else will do. Please welcome to the show Mrs. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton.

HILLARY CLINTON: Oh, Steve, hello!

SHIRLEY STRAWBERRY: Good morning.

HILLARY CLINTON: Hey, good morning, everybody.

STEVE HARVEY: How you doing?

HILLARY CLINTON: It’s so good to hear your voice.

STEVE HARVEY: You know what? I had you on my talk show, it was great there, and I told you I was going to get behind you and be a full supporter, and we’ve done just that – just that.

HILLARY CLINTON: Well, I really appreciate it because I know that you understand how high the stakes are in this election. It doesn’t get any higher, and we need everybody to get out and register and then vote because we’ve got to keep our country on the right track, and that’s under threat right now.

STEVE HARVEY: Yeah. Yeah, it absolutely is. Hey, we’re going to get into that right now. Now, let me ask you something kind of personal, though.

HILLARY CLINTON: Okay.

STEVE HARVEY: You and I are now both grandparents.

HILLARY CLINTON: Yes, just you and me.

STEVE HARVEY: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, we’re grandparents right now.

HILLARY CLINTON: Yes.

STEVE HARVEY: I’ve been struggling with what I want the grandkids to call me. I’ve already pitched one; Marjorie kind of shut it down. She is “Nana.” They call her “Nana.”

HILLARY CLINTON: Okay.

STEVE HARVEY: I wanted the grandkids to call me “Big Pimpin’.” [Laughter.] That got shot down.

HILLARY CLINTON: Yes, I’m with Marjorie on this one. [Laughter.]

STEVE HARVEY: Yeah, okay. Well, y’all women are always sticking together. So I got shot down, so I’m down to “Papa.”

HILLARY CLINTON: Yes, that’s —

STEVE HARVEY: What does your granddaughter Charlotte call you? What does she call you?

HILLARY CLINTON: Well, she calls me “Grandma” and she calls Bill “Pop-pop.”

STEVE HARVEY: “Pop-pop,” that’s cool.

HILLARY CLINTON: Yes.

STEVE HARVEY: That’s pretty cool.

HILLARY CLINTON: Yes.

STEVE HARVEY: And are you enjoying being a grandparent?

HILLARY CLINTON: Oh, it is the best thing in my life by such a country mile. There’s no comparison. I am so happy whenever I even get a picture or FaceTime and, oh, my gosh, if I get to see them. It just is transformational, Steve. I mean, there’s nothing like it.

STEVE HARVEY: Yeah, yeah.

HILLARY CLINTON: And really – it’s really about the future. I mean, you look at these little kids and you just want to hold them and protect them and love them and guide them, and you just want the country they’re growing up in to be everything it should be and the world to be peaceful and prosperous. I mean, it really does trigger all of these very deep thoughts when you’re around your kids.

STEVE HARVEY: Yeah. You know what? I would imagine that’s really what’s at stake here in this election. It’s really about the future and – but it’s also about right now. And what’s shaking us up in this whole candidacy is we’ve got to get America to understand exactly what you’re about here. And you do want what’s best for the country. How do you see this election going right now? Because you’re gaining momentum now because you – you had to take a short break for a minute because you were ill.

HILLARY CLINTON: That’s right.

STEVE HARVEY: And how is your health now? First of all, let me ask you that.

HILLARY CLINTON: It’s great. Thanks for asking. And yes, I’m back on the campaign trail.

STEVE HARVEY: Okay, so good. What separates you from Donald Trump? Let me ask you.

HILLARY CLINTON: Oh, my gosh. Can I have the whole hour? [Laughter.]

SHIRLEY STRAWBERRY: Take your time.

HILLARY CLINTON: I think it really comes down to our visions and our values. I have a vision where we continue to pursue equality and justice and opportunity for everybody, and that’s how I was raised. My mom had a really neglected life and yet she was able to, through the kindness of literally strangers, not her own family but teachers and others, to become a warm and loving parent and not be bitter; and my church, which gave me a lot of food for thought as they tried to make sure that I didn’t take any of my blessings for granted and understood to whom much is given much is required.

And then I was so fortunate because when I was in law school I met Marian Wright Edelman, who was the first African American woman to pass the Mississippi bar. She went down there and started working on behalf of kids and families, and she was close to Dr. King, she was close to Bobby Kennedy, and she formed the Children’s Defense Fund, and that gave me the opportunity to really see what we need to do – because I believe you’ve got to change both laws and hearts. We’ve got to change laws to protect people, to protect everything about them, and we’ve got to be a clear and loud voice for our society being what it should be: the city on the hill, striving for the more perfect union. And that’s my view, and I don’t think that’s how my opponent sees it.

When I went to defend young black kids put into adult jails in South Carolina, or went to Alabama undercover to expose racist segregated academies, or when I worked to get kids with disabilities the education they deserved, or stood up for women around the world who are often the last fed and ignored and marginalized, and everything that I believe in I want to bring to the White House. I want to build on the progress that President Obama has made during a very tumultuous time.

I mean, I’m appalled that Donald Trump will not apologize to the President and to the country for spending years questioning his citizenship and attempting to delegitimize him. And President Obama and Michelle Obama, they’ve kept their heads high. Like Michelle says, when they go low, we go high. And we’ve got to stay high. We’ve got to stay focused. And I know what we can do together to deal with more good jobs with rising incomes, making college affordable. I’ve got a plan for historically black colleges and universities because I value their work so much. And we’ve got to tackle systemic racism – this horrible shooting again. How many times do we have to see this in our country? In Tulsa, an unarmed man with his hands in the air? I mean, this is just unbearable, and it needs to be intolerable.

And so maybe I can, by speaking directly to white people, say, look, this is not who we are. We’ve got to do everything possible to improve policing, to go right at implicit bias. There are good, honorable, cool-headed police officers. We have seen them in action in New York over the last 48 hours because of the terrorist attacks. We can do better. We have got to rein in what is absolutely inexplicable. And we have got to have law enforcement respect communities and communities respect law enforcement because they have to work together.

So I have a big agenda.

[BREAK]

STEVE HARVEY: I want to say this to you. You’re speaking right now from your heart because this was not a prompted question about what happened on Friday to this gentleman. Nobody – I didn’t ask you any questions about HBCUs. I didn’t ask you the information that you know. This is a person that’s speaking from her heart. This is truly on the inside of you. This is what people have got to know about Hillary Clinton, that this is coming from within you. This isn’t prepped, started up. And we’re – that’s one thing we’re really looking for these debates on Monday because there will be no chance for everybody to get prepped. You will be and see pointblank from the heart of a person and mind what they really think and feel because there will be no teleprompting. You can’t fix it. I think Monday, Monday, we will see the real difference between these two candidates. And I think it will be a glaring difference.

HILLARY CLINTON: Well, I’ll tell you I am going to do my very best to communicate as clearly and – and fearlessly as I can in the face of the insults and the attacks and the bullying and bigotry that we’ve seen coming from my opponent. I can take it, Steve. I can take that kind of stuff. I’ve been at this. And I understand it’s a contact sport. But I’m not going to take what he says about everybody else –

STEVE HARVEY: Right.

HILLARY CLINTON: – his attacks on African Americans and immigrants and Muslims and women and people with disabilities.

STEVE HARVEY: Yes. There you go.

HILLARY CLINTON: It’s just –

STEVE HARVEY: There you go.

HILLARY CLINTON: It’s just something we cannot tolerate. And that’s why it’s so important for you and for everyone who has a platform in our country right now to really stand up and say, “This is not who we are.” And it’s important that all your – your listeners and your viewers on TV realize they cannot stay on the sidelines.

STEVE HARVEY: Right.

HILLARY CLINTON: Every issue they care about is at stake in this election. This is not, oh, a little here, a little there. We can – we can take it, no matter who wins. No. The next 50 days will determine the next 50 years. And I say that –

STEVE HARVEY: Wow.

HILLARY CLINTON: – absolutely seriously. And so I hope that everybody is encouraged to be sure you’re registered to vote. It’s simple. If you go to a site called iwillvote.com and enter your information, you can find out are you registered, where do you go to register because I need you. I need you –

STEVE HARVEY: Yeah.

HILLARY CLINTON: – people who believe as we believe and what we need to be doing in our country to make it better and make it fairer. We’ve got to stand up and be counted in this election.

STEVE HARVEY: Hey, let me tell you something. Ms. Clinton, you – you have our word here on The Morning Show we are going to see this thing through. We are pushing real hard for voter registration. The polls are not counting the right people. The polls are not counting all of us. And we are very well-aware of that. We supported President Obama. We heard his plea at the caucus meeting, what would mean the most to him if we got behind you. We’re not going to let you down. Be well on Monday. Be aggressive. If you say what you just said today, we’re going to hit it over the wall. But we’re behind you, Ms. Clinton.

HILLARY CLINTON: Yes.

STEVE HARVEY: And we wish you nothing but the best. But, more than that, we are going to the polls, and we are going to vote. Thank you so much.

HILLARY CLINTON: Thank you. Great to talk to you, Steve and everybody. Thanks a lot.

STEVE HARVEY: Absolutely. Thank you.

HILLARY CLINTON: Bye-bye.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The Los Angeles Times, The Huffington Post

Hillary Clinton Statement on Apparent Terrorist Attacks

Following a series of apparent terrorist attacks in Minnesota, New Jersey, and New York yesterday, Hillary Clinton released the following statement:

“I strongly condemn the apparent terrorist attacks in Minnesota, New Jersey, and New York. I pray for all of those who were wounded, and for their families. Once again, we saw the bravery of our first responders who run toward danger to help others. Their quick actions saved lives. Law enforcement officials are working to identify who was behind the attacks in New York and New Jersey and we should give them the support they need to finish the job and bring those responsible to justice – we will not rest until that happens. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack in Minnesota, and this should steel our resolve to protect our country and defeat ISIS and other terrorist groups. I have laid out a comprehensive plan to do that. This includes launching an intelligence surge to help identify and thwart attacks before they can be carried out, and to spot lone wolf attackers. We also need to work with Silicon Valley to counter propaganda and recruitment efforts online. Americans have faced threats before, and our resilience in the face of them only makes us stronger. I am confident we will once again choose resolve over fear.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: USA Today, The Washington Post, The New York Times

Hillary Clinton Announces Plan to Combat High Prescription Drug Prices

On Friday, Hillary Clinton announced a plan to combat the rising cost of prescription drugs, particularly the excessive rise in costs of live saving prescriptions like the EpiPen. Clinton’s plan would create a federal team to monitor drug prices and track increases. Her plan also provides several actions the government could take when drug prices have been raised excessively such as fines and increased access to treatment programs. An outline of Clinton’s proposal is below, and the full plan can be read on The Briefing.

• Making alternatives available and increasing competition
• Emergency importation of safe treatments
• Penalties for unjustified price increases to hold drug companies accountable and fund expanded access
• Dedicated oversight to protect consumers
• Strong new enforcement measures to respond when there are unjustified, outlier price increases that threaten public health
  • Directly intervening to make treatments available, and supporting generic and alternative manufacturers that enter the market and increase competition to bring down prices
  • Broadening access to safe, high-quality generic and alternative competitors through emergency importation
  • Holding drug makers accountable for unjustified price increases with new penalties – and using the funds to expand access and competition
• Cap monthly and annual out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs to save patients with chronic or serious health conditions hundreds or thousands of dollars
• Clear out the FDA generic backlog
• Prohibit “pay for delay” arrangements that keep generic competition off the market
• Ensure American consumers are getting value for their drugs
• Stop direct-to-consumer drug company advertising subsidies, and reinvest funds in research
• Require drug companies that benefit from taxpayers’ support to invest in research, not marketing or profits
• Allow Medicare to negotiate drug and biologic prices and demand higher rebates for prescription drugs in Medicare

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The Briefing, The New York Times

Clinton Unveils Comprehensive Agenda on Mental Health (Updated)

Hillary Clinton announced her comprehensive plan to better treat people living with a mental illness. The current mental health treatment policies have been criticized for not properly treating patients. Highlights of Clinton’s plan include the expansion of early intervention programs, a national suicide prevention initiative, increased training for police in dealing with the mentally ill, providing mental health care for those who commit non-violent crimes, expanding employment opportunities, and increasing investments in research for the brain and behavioral research. An outline of the plan is below, and the full plan can be read on The Briefing.

1. Early Diagnosis and Intervention
   • Increase public awareness and take action to address maternal depression, infant mental health, and trauma and stress in the lives of young children
   • Scale up efforts to help pediatric practices and schools support children facing behavioral problems
   • Help providers share information and best practices
   • Ensure that college students have access to mental health services
2. Federal Support for Suicide Prevention
   • Create a national initiative around suicide prevention across the lifespan that is headed by the Surgeon General
   • Encourage evidence-based suicide prevention and mental health programs in high schools
   • Provide federal support for suicide prevention on college campuses
   • Partner with colleges and researchers to ensure that students of color and LGBT students are receiving adequate mental health coverage
3. Integrate our Healthcare Systems and Expand Community-Based Treatment
   • Foster integration between the medical and behavioral health care systems (including mental health and addiction services), so that high-quality treatment for behavioral health is widely available in general health care settings
   • Expand reimbursement systems for collaborative care models in Medicare and Medicaid
   • Promote the use of health information technology to foster coordination of care
   • Promote the use of peer support specialists
   • Encourage states to allow same-day billing
   • Support the creation of high-quality, comprehensive community health centers in every state
   • Launch a nationwide strategy to address the shortage of mental health providers
4. Improve Outcomes in the Criminal Justice System
   • Dedicate new resources to help train law enforcement officers in responding to encounters involving persons with mental illness, and increase support for law enforcement partnerships with mental health professionals
   • Prioritize treatment over punishment for low-level, non-violent offenders with mental illnesses
5. Enforcing Mental Health Parity
   • Launch randomized audits to detect parity violations, and increase federal enforcement
   • Enforce disclosure requirements so that insurers cannot conceal their practices for denying mental health care
   • Strengthen federal monitoring of health insurer compliance with network adequacy requirements
   • Create a simple process for patients, families, and providers to report parity violations and improve federal-state coordination on parity enforcement
6. Housing and Job Opportunities
   • Expand community-based housing opportunities for individuals with mental illness and other disabilities
   • Expand employment opportunities for people with mental illness
   • Expand protection and advocacy support for people with mental health conditions
7. Brain and Behavioral Science Research
   • Significantly increase research into brain and behavioral science research
   • Develop new links with the private and non-profit sectors
   • Commit to brain and behavioral science research based on open data

UPDATE (8/30/16): Hillary for America announced that Clinton and Tim Kaine spoke with the mental health policy community including patients, advocates, researchers, policy experts, physicians, counselors, and service providers. The conference call featured people from across the country and allowed Clinton to speak about her plan and hear feedback from experts.

Following the meeting, Clinton said, “I have heard heartbreaking stories for years about these incredible challenges, but during this campaign, it has seemed like a floodgate has opened from parents and students, from veterans, nurses, doctors, police officers. But I’ve also heard stories of hope and courage – people getting the help they needed, being able to lead happy, healthy, and thriving lives. And cities and states are deploying innovative programs, and that’s what we want to hear more of. We’ve got to break through and break down the stigma and shame. We’ve got to make clear that mental health is not a personal failing. Right now, it is our country which is failing people with mental health issues.”

Kaine said, “I am really happy that today when our campaign rolled out this proposal with respect to comprehensive mental health improvement, that we decided one group of people that we really want to talk to is college students. Most mental health challenges do first present themselves during adolescence or college. So, while even a mental health challenge of an adult later in life may become more manifest, there are early signs about it. One in four college students today do acknowledge that they are dealing with mental health challenges at some point along the way. And it is very important that we are aware of that and that we make clear that it’s normal, there is no stigma associated with it. And we want to make sure that there are appropriate resources, innovative resources, community-based resources so that people can access help, and that the response of society is treatment rather than judgment or pretending that it doesn’t exist.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The Briefing, USA Today