15th Congressional District challengers

By CYRIL JOSH BARKER Amsterdam News Staff

While most voters might not know it, especially in his district, Cong. Charlie Rangel currently has two challengers vying for his congressional seat in the 15th District. One of them is a community activist, and the other a Harlem pastor.

Craig Schley is running as the Independent Party candidate and under his self-made VOTE (Voices of the Everyday People) for Change Party. Republican Party candidate Rev. Michael Faulkner is also running under his self-made Jobs Now Party. Both candidates say they have the skills to run the 15th Congressional District, which Rangel has held for the past 40 years.

Key forgotten congressional races in New York State

By STEPHON JOHNSON and CYRIL JOSH BARKER Amsterdam News Staff

While the gubernatorial race has drawn a significant amount of attention, congressional races in New York State are just as important as anything you’ll find involving Andrew Cuomo, Carl Paladino, Charles Barron or Jimmy McMillan. Running as the Democratic candidate for New York’s 23rd District, Bill Owens is battling Republican Matt Doheny down to the wire on Election Day.

The 23rd District includes parts of Plattsburgh, Watertown, St. Lawrence, Clinton, Essex, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, Franklin, Fulton, Madison, Oneida and Oswego.

New Yorkers learn new way to vote in time for election

By Cyril Josh Barker: Amsterdam News Staff

As the countdown to Election Day gets closer, New Yorkers are making their final decisions on whom they will vote for; however, voters are also educating themselves on how to vote for their candidate.

Workshops across the city are being provided for voters to learn about the new system of casting their ballot. New voting machines call for voters to cast their ballots by paper and scan their choices in a machine. New York State is the final state in the nation to use the machines, which replace the large lever machines that had been used for decades.

The new system is a result of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), passed by Congress in 2002, that requires all states to implement a voting system that produces a permanent paper record that can be used in a recount, which lever machines did not have.

September 11- Nine Years Later

By Amity Paye: Special to the AmNews

This Saturday, on the anniversary of the attack on the world trade center, Pastor Terry Jones of Florida plans to burn copies of the Quran in memory of the attacks. While Jones’ plans have filled the news this week his anti-Muslim sentiments are not abnormal.

Since September 11, 2001 there have been stories of Muslims across the
nation being targeted nationwide. This is partly because of American’s
sentiments against the people who flew the planes into the twin towers
being identified as Muslims. But nine years after the 9/11 terror
attacks the country’s “Islamaphobia” itself has expanded past dislike
of Park51 – the so-called Ground Zero Mosque, to include some other 
terrifying events.

People across the country are not only targeting
terrorism but perpetuating it as well.

On August 24 an Islamic center in Madera, CA, was vandalized with
signs that read: “No temple for the god of terrorism at Ground Zero,”
and “Wake up America, the enemy is here.”



Rangel speaks to Harlem principals

By CYRIL JOSH BARKER: Amsterdam News Staff

Harlem has benefited from relationships with Columbia University on issues like health, with the school’s trained experts and doctors dealing with health care discrepancies, but the Ivy League institution has also done its share of helping improve education uptown.

Congressman Charlie Rangel and Deputy U.S. Secretary Anthony Miller spoke to a group of Harlem school principals and policy makers on Monday at Columbia University to discuss the connection between the federal government and local schools.

The discussion was put together by Rangel and Columbia University’s Teachers College, which included professors Drs. Luis Huerta, Douglas Ready and Erica Walker. New York City Department of Education Chancellor Dr. Eric Nadelstern also weighed in on the conversation.

Amsterdam News Primary Endorsements

As this year’s election season is gearing up, candidates seeking the endorsement of the New York Amsterdam News made their annual pilgrimage to the endorsement meetings. The meetings, all held in one day, saw the likes of experienced senatorial, congressional and gubernatorial hopefuls to young men and women running for public office for the first time.

At this point in time, the Amsterdam News is only releasing endorsements for the primary elections. If a candidate does not have a primary, you will not see them mentioned until our final round of endorsements come later in the year.
Here are our picks for the 2010 primary election:

all endorsements

Olanike T. Alabi
Latrice Monique Walker
Barbara M. Clark
Jeffrion Aubry
John Ruiz
Herman D. Farrell
Bill Perkins
Edolphus Towns
Charles B. Rangel
Kirsten Gillibrand
Eric Schneiderman

Rangel assailed, but unfazed

Rep. Charles Rangel and former Mayor David Dinkins after the debate in the sanctuary of Convent Baptist Church with its senior pastor, the Rev. Dr. Jesse Williams, and members of the Gang of Six, which sponsored the political debate. (Herb Boyd photo)

By HERB BOYD: Special to the AmNews

There were rumors that Congressman Charles Rangel was not going to participate in the debate with candidates seeking to unseat him, but like so much hearsay surrounding the embattled representative, this was false. Not only did he appear at Convent Baptist Church Monday evening, he sat to the very end, often enduring withering attacks from his opponents.

“We need a new perspective,” said Joyce Johnson, 62, who organized for Obama’s campaign, “there is a sense of urgency” in Harlem she asserted. “They say a woman’s place is in the house—the House of Representatives.”

When moderator Les Payne asked her if Rangel should be sent back to Congress, she said: “I’m sending Joyce Johnson.”

Amsterdam News Primary Endorsements: Charles B. Rangel

15th Congressional District: Charles B. Rangel

Charles B. Rangel has served the 15th Congressional District for 38 years as its congressman. He is the dean of the New York State delegation and one of the most senior congressmen of the august House of Representatives. At the ripe young age of 80, Rangel can still outpace his younger counterparts. His Empowerment Zone legislation has stood the test of years and continues to help communities across this city and this country.

Recent events have taken some time away from the business at hand for the congressman, however this has not stopped him from continuing his legacy of commitment and work toward helping his beloved New York.

While Rangel no longer chairs the powerful Ways and Means Committee, he still has the stature to create change and to ensure the wellbeing of our communities. He has been a great fighter for all. of us and as he continues to be in the trenches, we must continue to fight alongside him.

As for his primary challengers, there are many, from Adam Clayton Powell IV to Joyce Johnson and Vince Morgan, the latter two of whom have both worked for the congressman. Johnson and Morgan are ambitions, but both hold the congressman in the highest of regard. Yet, they are challenging him to better position themselves down the line.

Morgan has worked for the Empowerment Zone, serves as chair of the 125th Street BID and is a community banker with TD Bank. He has the ambition and the drive to do well in New York City politics. We believe Morgan will do well down the line, but as for our current endorsement, we believe that Congressman Charles B. Rangel continues to be the best person to represent the 15th Congressional District.

That is why once again, the <em>Amsterdam News</em> enthusiastically endorses Charles B. Rangel for congressman on the 15th Congressional District.

Rangel: Proven Effectiveness and Presumed Innocent

By Gregg Walker: Manhattan Viewpoint Blogger

With the Ethics Committee in the US House of Representative unable, thus far, to reach a settlement with Representative Charlie Rangel regarding allegations of ethics missteps, we look at Gabe Pressman’s view and continue to hope for a settlement.

Settlement Hope

We hope that the US House and Upper Manhattan’s Charlie Rangel can settle the Ethics case without a trial. Representative Rangel is accused of missteps that are nearly all self-reported and nearly all paperwork snafu’s. The accusations themselves have always suggested sloppiness rather than greed. He is not even accused of any behavior that would have harmed his constituents, and he has not been accused of any sort of cover-up. Both the Rangel camp and the US House should recognize that a trial benefits no one, and the US House should not ask Representative Rangel to suggest that he knowingly committed any ethics violation.

We have highlighted previously that the US House has a record of targeting African American members of Congress for ethics investigations; in November 2009, we learned that 100% of the members of the US House of Representatives under investigation were African American, even though many non-African American lawmakers had been referred to the Ethics Committee for its review.

Presumed Innocent – Proven Effective

Charlie Rangel continues to have a presumption of innocence. He also has a record of achievement that eclipses that of any current member of Congress.

Gabe Pressman assessed the situation well last week. Charlie Rangel has served with dignity and effectiveness for 40 years.

He is a war hero who brought $5 billion of funding specifically to urban areas across our country. He has consistently served as the voice of those whose voices are often ignored. He has made our country stronger, and he has made Upper Manhattan stronger through his decades of service.

Charlie Rangel should not leave Congress this year. He was elected by the people of Upper Manhattan. We Upper Manhattan voters are the only people who should decide whether the member of Congress who represents us should be replaced. We have decided 20 consecutive times that Charlie Rangel is the best person for the job. On September 14, 2010, we will decide again who represents us. No one in Congress should suggest that he or she has better judgment than we do. We’ve been right 20 times in a row.