Black Caucus

Washington.--The American electorate changed the course of American politics last week. Buried among the many stories of defeated incumbents will be the inglorious end of an era for black members of Congress, who will now become the minority's minority.While most black members were easily re-elected, the collective clout of the Congressional Black Caucus was foreclosed the moment Republicans achieved majority status in the House.Reaching a record-high 40 members in 1992, the Black Caucus boasted a political status far superior to its numbers.

The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland is pushing legislation to close what it describes as loopholes in state law that allow police to keep DNA samples from people never convicted of crimes. Del. Jill P. Carter, a Baltimore Democrat, said Friday she is preparing — with caucus backing — to introduce a bill that would subject all DNA collected by Maryland police to the restrictive standards used for genetic information taken from people charged with violent crimes and burglaries.

Ihappened to mention to a colleague that Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D. 7th, has been elected chairman of the CBC."What's the CBC?" he asked."You know," I said, "the Congressional Black Caucus.""Ah yes," said my colleague appreciatively, "they host the best fashion show in town."Similarly, news accounts of Mfume's rise to the chairmanship a few weeks ago noted that as chairman he will preside over the annual Congressional Black Caucus Weekend, which, with its fashion show and gala ball, has become the premier social event for the black hoi polloi in Washington, D.C. You would think that this is all the caucus is about -- fashion shows, and fancy dress balls and invitation-only dinners.

Wearing hoodies, members of Maryland Legislative Black Caucus this afternoon called upon the U.S. Department of Justice to examine a Florida law that has become controversial in the wake of the death of Trayvon Martin. "We believe justice has not been served," said Sen. Catherine Pugh, a Baltimore Democrat who leads the Black Caucus. "We want people in the city, state and country to realize we have to be more culturally sensitive. " "You should not make assumptions because of what someone is wearing ... or the color of their skin," Pugh said.

WASHINGTON -- At a time when Democrats and Republicans in this town are at each others' throats, the Congressional Black Caucus has fashioned a compromise that ends months of internal bickering.In a rare show of bipartisan collegiality that assumed the air of a peace treaty signing, the Democratic-controlled black caucus has agreed to allow Rep. Gary Franks of Connecticut, its only Republican member, to rejoin the organization as a full-fledged member."I've come to realize the Congressional Black Caucus is no greater than the sum of its parts," Caucus Chairman Kweisi Mfume, D-Md.

WASHINGTON -- The Congressional Black Caucus' 24th Annual Legislative Conference is ground zero of black political meetings.For the 40 black caucus members -- 39 House members (including the non-voting delegate from the District of Columbia, Eleanor Holmes Norton) and one senator, Carol Mosely Braun of Illinois -- the conference, which ended late Saturday night, was a celebration of their existence.Here are selected sights and sounds of black legislators and their friends.To officially open the five-day conference, Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-Md.

A Prince George's County Democrat assumed the chairmanship of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus last night, succeeding former Sen. Larry Young of Baltimore.Del. Carolyn J. B. Howard, who had been vice chairman, was selected to serve the remainder of Young's term, which expires June 30.Young was expelled from the Senate on Jan. 16 for apparent violations of state ethics laws.Howard has been in the House of Delegates since 1988.Sen. Nathaniel J. McFadden, a Baltimore Democrat, will serve as vice chairman, Howard said.

WASHINGTON -- Responding to charges that black elected officials are being harassed by the federal government, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus proposed yesterday the creation of a special institute or center to seek hard evidence of such cases.Recently, Attorney General Richard L. Thornburgh was asked to create a special commission to investigate instances of inappropriate or overzealous government investigation and prosecution of black elected officials. But the attorney general said he first needed "evidence" of such instances.

In another sign of Baltimore's diminishing influence in Annapolis, a second-term Eastern Shore delegate defeated longtime city Del. Clarence Davis in the race for chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus. The election of Del. Rudolph C. Cane, who represents Dorchester and Wicomico counties, ends an unwritten but long-held tradition within the black caucus of alternating the chairmanship between Baltimore and Prince George's County, the jurisdictions where the overwhelming majority of the 43 African-American senators and delegates live.

SOME REPUBLICAN Party plans to streamline Congress may improve government operations. Limiting committee chairmanships to six years, banning proxy voting and opening committee meetings to the public make sense. But the decision to eliminate legislative service organizations neither makes sense nor saves money. It is a sneak attack on the Congressional Black Caucus, and an ill-conceived and incendiary strategy in a time of strained race relations.Money to fund the legislative service organizations comes from the office budget of each member of Congress.

Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley released his congressional redistricting plan Saturday evening, hours after a handful of African-American lawmakers walked out of a Legislative Black Caucus meeting and prevented the group from taking an official position on an earlier draft. O'Malley's map makes only a handful of changes to the boundaries drawn by an advisory committee, adding some neighborhoods in Montgomery County to the 8th Congressional District that Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen had requested.

A group of black lawmakers appears to have blocked Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler's effort to end voters' ability to choose Circuit Court judges. Gansler's proposal, which aimed to replace contested elections with retention elections every 10 years, is languishing in key committees in the House of Delegates and the Senate. The chairmen of both said Monday that the Legislative Black Caucus' strong opposition has doomed Gansler's bill. "That spelled its demise," said Sen. Brian E. Frosh, a Montgomery County Democrat and chairman of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, who does not plan to forward the legislation to the full Senate.

A group of black lawmakers appears to have blocked Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler's effort to end voters' ability to choose Circuit Court judges. Gansler's proposal, which aimed to replace contested elections with retention elections every 10 years, is languishing in key committees in the House of Delegates and the Senate. The chairmen of both said Monday that the Legislative Black Caucus' strong opposition has doomed Gansler's bill. "That spelled its demise," said Sen. Brian E. Frosh, a Montgomery County Democrat and chairman of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, who does not plan to forward the legislation to the full Senate.

A top aide to Gov. Martin O'Malley lashed out yesterday at the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland for what he called "irresponsible" and "intentionally inflammatory" comments about a new program for collecting DNA samples from crime suspects. Chief legislative officer Joseph C. Bryce appeared before a legislative committee to address criticism raised last month by the ACLU of Maryland, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Legislative Black Caucus over proposed regulations governing the state's expanded DNA-collection system, which goes into effect in January.

There's a reunion going on in heaven right about now that not too many people know about. When I think about it, all I can do is smile. Memorial Day marked the passing of one of our great icons, former Rep. Parren J. Mitchell of Baltimore, a true giant of a man and a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. Mr. Mitchell (no relation to me) touched countless thousands of lives in his decades of service, and this story from a little over 20 years ago is just one case that demonstrates what kind of person he was. In 1986, there was this 21-year-old kid from Chicago who moved to Baltimore.

WASHINGTON -- Members of the Congressional Black Caucus pressed President Bush on post-Hurricane Katrina reconstruction aid, the war in Iraq and social programs during an hourlong meeting at the White House yesterday. The Democratic House members said afterward that they would take Bush at his word that he would consider their concerns about the slow pace of reconstruction in New Orleans and his proposal to make budget cuts in federal health care programs. Several lawmakers said their expectations were low heading into the session -- which some, including Rep. Maxine Waters of California, chose to skip.

WASHINGTON -- The Congressional Black Caucus was quick to praise the humanitarian mission to Somalia when President George Bush announced it in December.But it took Rep. Kweisi Mfume of Baltimore, the caucus chairman, more than two days to say anything about the chorus of cries for a U.S. withdrawal that followed the weekend battle in Mogadishu that left 13 Americans dead and scores wounded. Shortly after President Clinton finished speaking last evening, the Baltimore congressman finally made public comments, saying the caucus supported the president's actions.

WASHINGTON -- The Congressional Black Caucus, the group that vetoed one of President Clinton's earlier choices for the government's top civil rights post, unanimously endorsed yesterday the current choice: Boston lawyer Deval Patrick."

Kopp re-elected in lopsided vote The General Assembly voted overwhelmingly yesterday to re-elect Nancy K. Kopp as treasurer, keeping her in a post charged with managing state finances and helping decide whether to approve government contracts. Kopp, a Democrat from Montgomery County, has held the job for five years and was heavily favored to win another four-year term. She was endorsed yesterday by 165 of the 183 legislators who voted. In a short speech before a joint session of the legislature, Kopp outlined accomplishments of her time in the office, including reconciling the state's books and revamping its investment portfolio.

Maryland's Legislative Black Caucus unveiled yesterday a six-point plan to deal with rising electricity rates and demanded that Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. call a special session of the General Assembly to enact the reforms by June 15. If the governor declines, caucus members said they will seek a special session by circulating a petition that would need the signatures of a majority of the Assembly's 188 members. Their plan calls for instituting rate caps to allow an increase of about 12 percent in electric bills; holding up the pending merger between BGE's parent company, Constellation Energy Group, and a Florida utility; forcing Constellation to sell energy to Maryland customers at a discount; firing the members of the Public Service Commission; and other measures.