Portrait of Patsy Mink, trailblazing congressmember, unveiled in US Capitol on 50th anniversary of Title IX law

OFFICE OF SEN. MAZIE HIRONO

Sen. Mazie Hirono and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi admire the portrait of the late Patsy Mink.

The portrait of the late Congresswoman from Hawaiʻi, Patsy Mink, was unveiled today in the US Capitol during a ceremony to celebrate her legendary life and the 50th anniversary of her groundbreaking bill, Title IX.

Mink—the first woman of color elected to Congress in 1965—led the effort to write and pass Title IX, which President Nixon signed into law. Title IX stated that no one should be excluded from participation or face discrimination on the basis of sex in any education programs or activity receiving federal assistance.

"This is what America is all about: possibilities," said President Biden. "Millions of women and girls have benefited from the change that Title IX helped make possible. 

"More women and girls are participating and excelling in countless fields—from professional sports, to science, math, and technology than ever before. Their leadership, achievements, and success bear out the legacy of countless women throughout history who fought hard for a place at the table and for equal opportunity in all fields."

US Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-HI, said during the ceremony Thursday: “Thirty-seven words long, Title IX represented a sea change for women in our country. Fifty years later, Title IX is just as important today as it was when Patsy fought for it.”

Following Mink's death in 2002, the law was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act.

Title IX applies to several areas of education, including the classroom, athletics, sexual assault and violence on campus, employment, discrimination, admissions, retaliation and financial assistance with tuition.

Over the years, the law also has been extended to other forms of gender and sex discrimination with issues involving the LGBTQ community.

Because of Title IX and the movement it launched, athletic opportunities for women in college are no longer the exception – they are the rule.

In 1971, the year before Title IX, fewer than 300,000 girls participated in high school sports, one in 27. Twenty years later, the total approached 3 million, approximately one in 2½. The latest number, according to the Women’s Sports Foundation, is 3.4 million.

The portrait of Mink was painted by artist Sharon Sprung. It joins other portraits of women trailblazers hanging in Statuary Hall, including Shirley Chisholm, the first African American Woman to serve in Congress and Jeanette Rankin, the first woman to ever serve in Congress.

"Growing up, I never thought I would be in elected office, let alone a member of Congress. It's because I never saw anyone who looked like me in such positions," said Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. "So, it never even occurred to me that it was a possibility. 

"But think of how different this will be with the installation of this portrait. So many young girls will see it as they walk through the halls of the U.S. Capitol. And they will see a shining example of what Asian American women and women of color can do as trailblazers in Congress," said Chu.

"With celebration comes our continued commitment to build off of these incredible achievements.," said Rep. Kai Kahele, D-HI, representing Mink's congressional district. "We must tackle new challenges that arise, including fighting to eliminate sexual violence and increasing female representation in STEM programs. As the representative of the congressional district that she formerly served, I strive to uphold her legacy every day by advocating for equal rights and continuing to push for increased opportunities for women.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Congressional leaders call for action against attacks on Asian Americans

Members of Congress held a virtual press conference denouncing anti-Asian violence.

The outcry against the continuing acts of violence directed at Asian Americans has reached the U.S. capitol.

Friday, members of the Congressional Tri-Caucus – composed of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) – held a press conference with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries to condemn the recent spike in anti-Asian hate crimes and violence in recent weeks.

“It is a profound and unacceptable injustice that the AAPI community faces not only the coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis right now, but also the growing threat of bigoted attacks against their community," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "This epidemic of violence is a challenge to the conscience of our country, which our Democratic Congress is committed to combating, confronting and ending.”

Since March last year when Stop AAPI Hate began accepting reports of hate acts against Asians, there have been about 3,000 incidents reported.

The recent unprovoked attacks against AAPI elderly, some of which were videotaped by security cameras, struck an emotional chord with the Asian American community. Respecting and honoring seniors is part of most Asian cultures.

Members of Congress and White House Domestic Policy Council Director Susan Rice issued the following statements:

“Attacks on Asian Americans have become an almost daily tragedy in our country. My heart breaks for the thousands of Asian American families that have been terrorized by this xenophobic violence since the start of the pandemic. But I am also encouraged by the support from other communities of color, Congressional leadership, and the Biden Administration,” said Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), CAPAC Chair. 

“This terrible violence is the deliberate result of a party that put xenophobia and blame shifting ahead of the health and safety of fellow Americans, and that is why it means so much to have a new President and elected leaders at all levels of government who are willing to condemn attacks against the Asian American community and push back on racist slurs like ‘Kung flu’ and ‘China virus’ that have put lives in danger," continued Chu.

“Hate has no place in America, but rates of harassment, bullying and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have risen dramatically in the past year. President Biden condemns and denounces anti-Asian xenophobia,” said Ambassador Susan Rice, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. 

Biden has made racial equity a cornerstone of his administration. Days after taking office the President signed a Presidential Memorandum on combating anti-Asian xenophobia, which directed departments and agencies within the federal government to take steps to combat anti-Asian bias, and partner with AAPI communities to prevent hate crimes and harassment. 

"As part of the Administration’s whole of government approach to advancing equity, we are focused on improving federal data disaggregation, removing language access barriers, and ensuring equal opportunities for AAPI communities,” said Rice.

The press conference was held on the Day Remembrance to recount the injustice towards Japanese Americans when they were incarcerated during WWII.

"As we shed light on the rise in hate crimes against the AAPI community, we dedicate this day to the nearly 120,000 innocent people who were wrongfully interned by our government solely because of the color of their skin, the shape of their eyes, and their Japanese heritage. What the AAPI community is experiencing today compared to what Japanese Americans experienced almost 80 years ago may be different, but the root cause of it is the same: scapegoating and mass blame,” said Rep. Mark Takano (CA-41), CAPAC Second Vice Chair. 

“Hate and discrimination against the AAPI community has been a long-standing problem, but it has been made far worse by the pandemic and because powerful leaders, like Trump and Republicans who enabled him, spread fear, misinformation, and racist rhetoric to advance their political agenda and cover up their incompetency in response to this virus, said the California representative.

“My heart goes out to the families of Vicha Ratanapakdee, the 61-year old Filipino man whose face was slashed with a knife in New York City, and any family or individual who has been impacted by the sickening and disturbing violence we’re seeing against Asian Americans,” said Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-33), CAPAC Whip. 

“These racist acts of violence have been fueled by the hateful rhetoric of the previous administration, who in an attempt to scapegoat, wrongfully blamed an entire community for spreading the coronavirus," said Lieu. 

"When the leaders of our country use terms such as ‘Kung-Flu’ – there are real world consequences. Asian American families are afraid to send their children to school and families are worried about their elderly parents or grandparents leaving their homes. This is not right. We will not stand for this senseless violence nor any form of discrimination or harassment against Asian Americans.”

“It is incredibly tragic that, as we just celebrated the Lunar New Year, we are still seeing a surge in Anti-AAPI hate crimes and violence,” said Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10). “Whenever there is a crisis in America, there is a history of wanting to blame someone, and in this case, it is the AAPI-community. 

"Because of the honor and respect our culture has for elders, watching them become the victims of this violence is even more painful and horrifying," said the first-term member of Congress. "In addition to the physical violence, we must also condemn the verbal abuse we have seen. We need action now, and we want to see consequences so that this behavior does not continue."

Kamala Haris wants Facebook to clamp down on misleading GOP advertisements about the Census

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Kamala Harris wants Facebook to take stronger measures against misleading ads.

ASAM NEWS

US Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) took Facebook executives to task over misleading 2020 Census advertisements on its site.
In a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg on March 5, Harris criticized the company for its “failure to enforce [its] policies banning misinformation.”

Facebook had run “thousands” of ads from Donald Trump Make America Great Again, a fundraising arm of President Donald Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee, asking users to take the “Official 2020 Congressional District Census.”

“President Trump needs you to take the Official 2020 Congressional District Census today. We need to hear from you before the most important election in American history,” the ad said. It then asked users to “respond NOW” and text “TRUMP to 8022,” according to The New York Times.

But instead of being taken to the U.S. Census Bureau government site, users were instead redirected to a Trump campaign page with “misleading information on how to take the census,” including dates, times, locations, and methods, according to Harris’s letter. The census had not begun to survey the public at the time.

The ads were still approved and ran for “hours,” even after the company was made aware of the misinformation by Vanita Gupta, president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

Harris is just one of the Democrats criticizing Facebook for running the misleading ads. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called it “a robust unacceptable interference in the census” in a press conference Thursday, The Hill reported.

In response, a Facebook spokesman replied that they received Harris’s letter and “look forward to clarifying the policies Facebook has in place to prevent confusion around the official U.S. census.”

The advertisements have since been removed, but Harris is concerned that the company’s initial approval of the ads is a signal that Facebook is “now backing away from full enforcement of those policies.” Such misinformation in future elections could result in voter disenfranchisement.

It is also a concern for the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, which the U.S. Census Bureau has recognized as difficult to count, due to language barriers and the “large number of first-generation immigrants, estimated to be at least two-thirds of the over 22 million AAPI in the US,” according to AAPI Data.

There’s already confusion, worry, and lack of knowledge about the census, which is why activist groups are taking it upon themselves to educate communities on the benefits of taking the census, including how the information may be used.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus member An Le had expressed concern about non-English speakers, particularly in California, who would fall through the cracks without appropriate outreach and information.

Gupta echoed the concerns of Harris and other civil rights leaders in a recent statement:

“While we’re gratified that Facebook shut down Trump’s attempt to sow confusion about how and when to participate in the 2020 census, it’s disturbing that the ads weren’t immediately removed,” Gupta said. “We will continue to hold Facebook accountable to enforce it. Nothing should distract from making sure everyone gets counted.”

Most AAPI lawmakers endorse call for impeachment inquiry against Trump

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called for an impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump.

Asian American lawmakers had varying reactions to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's announcement that the House would be moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump.

"The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law," said Pelosi Tuesday (Sept. 24).

The California lawmaker said the House will move forward with an official impeachment inquiry against Trump over a whistleblower complaint and the his alleged push to get Ukraine to investigate a political opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden's son. The allegations against Hunter Biden were found false and without merit.

Trump maintains he's done nothing wrong, tweeting that the inquiry was the latest episode in what he's called "a total witch hunt." AAPI legislators endorsed Pelosi's action.

"I commend Speaker Pelosi for launching an official impeachment inquiry across six committees," said Congressman Ted Lieu, a member of the judiciary committee that investigates Trump. "This whistleblower complaint is a big deal."

The impeachment inquiry stems from a whistleblower complaint alleging Trump sought help in digging up dirt on his political rival, Vice President Joe Biden, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a phone call between the two last summer.

Lieu said Congress needs to see the full complaint as soon as possible.

Trump maintains he's done nothing wrong, tweeting that the inquiry was the latest episode in what he's called "a total witch hunt," said Lieu.

“From Day 1 of his presidency, Donald Trump has been motivated by two things: protecting himself and making money. Speaker Pelosi is right to hold this dangerous chief executive accountable,” stated Hawaii's Sen. Mazie Hirono, who first called for Trump's impeachment the day after the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller earlier this year.

Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, tweeted: 

Virginia's Rep. Bobby Scott, who is of Filipino descent, issued a lengthy statement, that reads in part:

“Unfortunately, after the Mueller report found multiple instances of obstruction of justice committed by the President, after the President has continued to profit from foreign business transactions in violation of the Emoluments Clause, and after failing to sanction violations of the Hatch Act, recent events cannot be ignored. The President has now admitted to sacrificing national security for his own political gain and then violating the law by refusing to provide to Congress the whistleblower complaint submitted to the Intelligence Community Inspector General. That is just the latest example of this president violating the law and constitutional norms, and this violation undermines our national security. 

“Every Member of Congress swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. I therefore support Speaker Pelosi’s call for a formal impeachment inquiry. It is the only appropriate course of action given the severity of recent events. Additionally, the Trump Administration must make the entire whistleblower complaint available to Congress immediately so we can consider its contents along with the evidence of other impeachable offenses that the president has committed.”

Filipino American Congressman TJ Cox of California's Central Valley endorsed the Pelosi action in a series of tweets.

"More and more people are coming onboard," Ro Khanna, who represents California's 17th congressional district, said during an interview with CNN's S.E. Cupp on Saturday evening. "And I think this incident with Ukraine may be the straw that breaks the camel's back," he suggested.

"I am ready to vote on impeachment," Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-WA, said, adding that there are a few committees still putting some "remaining pieces" together. "But what we're seeing now is incredibly serious, incredibly grave." 

Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY, and vice chair of the DNC tweeted:

Sen. Kamala Harris, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for President, has long called for impeachment proceedings against Trump.

"I strongly believe that it is long past due that we begin impeachment proceedings against this President," Harris said. "He's pressured a foreign leader, the Ukraine President, to dig up dirt on a political opponent, in the 2020 presidential election. He urged a foreign country to attack our democracy in the 2016 presidential election. He gave classified information to Russian officials in May of 2017."

Andrew Yang, who was not in favor of impeaching Trump until the Ukraine matter came to light, changed his mind Tuesday.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), the third Asian American running for POTUS, was one of the few Democrats who didn't support Pelosi's decision to proceed with the impeachment process. said Wednesday (Sept. 25) that the partial transcript of President Trump's call with Ukraine’s president released by the Trump administration doesn’t show a “compelling” case for impeachment.

“Most people reading through that transcript are not going to find that extremely compelling cause to throw out a president that won an election in 2016,” the Democratic presidential candidate told Hill.TV.

The Hawaii representative maintained that impeachment will only deepen the “hyperpartisan divides,” and argued that most people will only see it as another politically-motivated move by Democrats to oust Trump.

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's controversial chief of staff steps down

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Saikat Chakrabarti leaving Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's staff.

The Chief of staff to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Saikat Chakrabarti, will be leaving his post after a series of tweets that angered moderate Democrats.

“Saikat has decided to leave the office of Rep. Ocasio-Cortez to work with New Consensus to further develop plans for a Green New Deal,” communications director Corbin Trent said in a statement to The Intercept, which first reported the news. Trent will also be leaving his position to join the congresswoman's campaign staff.

“We are extraordinarily grateful for his service to advance a bold agenda and improve the lives of the people in NY-14. From his co-founding of Justice Democrats to his work on the Ocasio-Cortez campaign and in the official office, Saikat’s goal has always been to do whatever he can to help the larger progressive movement, and we look forward to continuing working with him to do just that,” said Trent.

Chakrabarti, an Indian American, who represented the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party, was made Politico’s “Power List,” of people to watch in 2019. The list, Politico says, “highlights politicians, activists and operatives across the country who are positioned to play a critical role in the political landscape leading up to 2020.”

Chakrabarti, 33, worked in Silicon Valley before joining the Bernie Sanders campaign in 2016 where he met Trent and Oacasio-Cortez. 

He angered some of Ocasio-Cortez’s Congressional peers early in July when he took to Twitter and comparee some moderate Democrats to southern segregationists.

“Instead of ‘fiscally conservative but socially liberal,’ let’s call the New Democrats and Blue Dog Caucus the ‘New Southern Democrats,’ ” Chakrabarti wrote in a tweet that is now deleted. “They certainly seem hell bent to do to black and brown people today what the old Southern Democrats did in the 40s.”

Chakrabarti made a veiled allegation of racism against When Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.)  voted in late June for a bipartisan bill to appropriate money to government operations on the southern border. Chakrabarti said of Davids: “Her votes are showing her to enable a racist system.”

That tweet drew an angry response from the official House Democrats’ Twitter account, which is managed by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-Brooklyn: “Who is this guy and why is he explicitly singling out a Native American woman of color?”

Chakrabarti's Twitter activity was one of the reasons that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a message to Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ocasio-Cortez, cautioning them on their social media comments.

That led to a one-on-one meeting a week ago between Pelosi and Ocasio-Cortez to defuse the tension between the progressive and moderate Democrats.On Friday (July 2) he departures of Chakrabarti and Trent were announced. Chakrabarti leaves immediately but Trent's last day hasn't been announced.

According to Ocasio-Cortez’s office, the departures are not a result of the dust-up with leadership, and were decided well before the public feuds took place.

Three new AAPI congressmembers join diverse Congress

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Rep. TJ Cox with his family just prior to the formal picture with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (in red).

THE 116TH CONGRESS was sworn in Jan. 3. It was the United States' most diverse Congress in history. Among the first-time legislators was Filipino American TJ Cox from California, Korean American Andy Kim of New Jersey, and Guamanian Michael San Nicolas, a non-voting representative. 

The three new Asian and Pacific Islander representatives in the House brings the total number of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Congress to a record number of 20, according to the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).

Cox released the following statement on his swearing in yesterday (Jan. 3):

“I was honored to stand beside my family today as I was sworn in as your representative. Taking the oath of office, I was reminded of the trust and responsibility that the people of the Central Valley placed in me, and my obligation to fight for you each and every day in D.C. 

“We’ve come to Washington with a divided government and a divided nation. The challenges facing our country are steep — but like so many of us, I am no stranger to tough challenges. Now is the time for bold leadership and bold ideas, and to recommit to the values that actually made our country great.

“My parents came to this country because they knew that they could build a better life for their children here in America. Our district is defined by folks like my parents — immigrants willing to do whatever it takes so that their children might struggle just a little less, and reach yet a little higher. Arriving in California all those years ago, my parents could never have imagined that their son might one day serve in Congress. To have my mother with me today, next to my wife and children, as I swore my oath means more than anything to me.

“I pledge to you that my priorities will be your priorities. There is too much at stake today for us to tread this path alone: No single party has all the answers. But looking at the challenges facing our country, I think about the last election and the movement that defied the odds and the doubters to bring change to the Central Valley. Working together, I know we can achieve the America that our parents dreamed for us. I look forward to serving you.”

Courtesy of ANDY KIM

New Jersey's Congressman Andy Kim with his family outside of his new office.

Kim released this statement:

“I’m deeply honored and humbled to be serving my hometown and the people of New Jersey’s Third District as Congressman,” Kim said. “I ran for Congress to listen and give voice to the needs of South Jersey families and to challenge the status quo by demanding a government that works for the people instead of corporations and the wealthy. I intend for that change to start with me.

“I still won’t take a dime of corporate PAC money and I’m committed to being a Congressman that is open, honest, transparent and, most importantly, that listens. I will keep my promise to hold at least one public town hall event in the district each month, with the first one to take place later this month. I’ll also put my national security expertise to immediate work as a strong and vocal proponent of South Jersey’s largest employer, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, which provides more than 100,000 local jobs and has an economic impact of more than $7 billion in our region,” Kim continued.

“My top priority as a Congressman is to be responsive to the needs of constituents. Today’s opening of my Washington, D.C. office and launch of my congressional website and social media accounts are just the first step toward honoring that commitment,” Kim said. “I intend for my website to serve as a one-stop shop for constituent services. Whether it’s a flag request, a problem with a government agency or a nomination to one of our service academies, I hope every resident of New Jersey’s Third District will know that our office is ready and willing to help.

“I will also vote later today to re-open government. It’s disappointing that the government shutdown has extended as long as it has and simply unacceptable to require hundreds of thousands of federal law enforcement, Customs and Border Patrol and Transportation Security Administration agents to work without pay, especially over the holidays. I hope the Senate will pass and President Trump will swiftly sign the bill to mitigate any further economic losses as a result of this unnecessary government shutdown.”

Michael San Nicolas, Guam's representative, had his family gather 'round with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
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Trump ties DACA to border wall

Some portions of the U.S./Mexico border already have a wall as shown above. No one has proposed a wall to stop Canadians from illegally entering the country.

AS WE EXPECTED all along, Donald Trump's expressed sympathy for the Dreamers was nothing but a ploy to find some way to pay for his border wall in his proposed budget.

Trump made it clear that any budget package include funding for a border wall and immigration reform. In exchange Democrats might get legislation that would protect the Dreamers.

Friday, (Dec. 29) he laid his cards on the table. "The Democrats have been told, and fully understand, that there can be no DACA without the desperately needed WALL at the Southern Border and an END to the horrible Chain Migration & ridiculous Lottery System of Immigration etc," he said in a tweet. "We must protect our Country at all cost!"



DACA participants, who are immigrants brought to the U.S. as children by their undocumented parents, received protection from deportation under the law until the program was ended by Trump earlier this year. He told the GOP-dominated Congress to come up with legislation by the March in 2018 that would protect the so-called Dreamers from deportation.

About 13,000 of the almost 800,000 DACA participants are from Asia, mostly from South Korea, the Philippines, India and Pakistan.

DACA has been reduced to a bargaining chip to build a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico. Having failed to get Mexico to pay for the wall, Congress must find funding for the what could be over $20 billion.

Democrats, led by Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, swore that no budget would be passed without legislation supporting the DACA participants.

"After weeks of public pressure led by undocumented youth, a handful of Senators and Members of Congress pledged their support for a swift passage of the DREAM Act by the end of the year," read a statement from Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

"For those who were not moved by the hundreds of undocumented activists and their allies mobilizing around the country, you have turned your back to these communities and left them at risk of deportation."

On the list of demands for immigration reform include: limiting family-based green cards to spouses and the minor children of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents and creating a point-based system.

The White House also said it wants to boost fees at border crossings, make it easier to deport gang members and unaccompanied children, and overhaul the asylum system. And it wants new measures to crack down on "sanctuary cities," which don't share information with federal immigration authorities, among other proposals.

Congress averted a government shutdown this month by passing an emergency funding measure to get the government through January, when negotiations will pick up as Congress returns to Washington.

With Trump's cards on the table, it's the Democrats' turn to call, fold or raise the ante. Schumer and Pelosi will meet with White House Chief of Staff Wednesday, Jan. 3.

Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus "are committed to finding a permanent legislative fix to enshrine DACA protections immediately. Our caucus stands in solidarity with AAPI Dreamers and demands that Congress pass a clean Dream Act before the end of the year." said Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA, CAPAC chair.
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Ed Lee memorial: San Francisco says goodbye to the 'humble' public servant

Former Mayor Willie Brown pays tribute to the late Mayor Ed Lee during the memorial in the City Hall rotunda.

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A STANDING-ROOM only crowd packed into City Hall for the memorial service of late San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.

An overflow crowd also watched on a live stream in the San Francisco Main Library just a short walk away from city Hall and still more stood outside the steps of city hall and in front of hundreds of flowers left on the city hall steps.

Inside the crowd was gathered at the bottom of the steps with the Rotunda towering above them. An honor guard stood atop the steps before the memorial began.

Across the street from city hall, a giant American flag hung from two aerial ladders provided by the San Francisco Fire Department.

Lee was remembered as a genuine human being with no pretension. He genuinely cared about the people of San Francisco and the underrepresented.

Tania and Brianna Lee, the mayor’s two daughters, spoke on behalf of the family.

Holding back tears, the two thanked all those who have extended their condolences.

They talked about their father as an inspiration.

“Through out everything , his passion for service permeated everything he did.” They recalled their father taking them door knocking, campaigning and to community organizing meetings.

They joined their father during their high school years to paint over graffiti, despite their protest.But he always enticed them with promises of burritos later.

The two announced a charitable fund in their dad’s name at the San Francisco Foundation to continue his fight to end homelessness and other issues important to the city.

Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom followed the daughters. It was Newsom who Lee replaced after Newsom’s election as Lieutenant Governor.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” said Newsom about Lee’s death. He described Lee’s charisma as public service. He was “uncool in some ways, but had friends like Willie Mays and Joe Montana.”

“Decent, honorable humble human being who always wanted to do the right thing,” said Newsom about Lee. ”Ed’s life was about triumphing together.”

Newsom said cries of “Chinese must go” are part of our distant memory.

“Ed Lee was my friend. Ed Lee cared deeply about everyone in this room,” said Newsom.

Minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) recalled how both she and Rep Jackie Speier (D-California) cried when they learned during their morning Democratic Caucus meeting of Lee’s passing. She recalled the last time she was with Lee.

“He always had that smile. He smiled and gave you that feeling that it would happen,” said Pelosi about Lee’s optimism.

The wife and daughters of the late Mayor Ed Lee listen to tributes to San Francisco's first Asian/American mayor.

Charlotte Malliard Schultz, the chief of protocol for the city of San Francisco, recalled how Lee described his speeches as “short because he was short.”

Schultz read words from former President Clinton who said he liked Mayor Lee the moment he met him. President Barack Obama said he was grateful for everything he did to “advance our shared vision and shape a future of great prosperity in San Francisco and throughout the nation.”

“Your golden sun will shine for me and Mayor Lee was a golden sun,” wrote Tony Bennett in a letter also read by Schultz. Bennett then sang those famous words from his classic song, I Left my Heart in San Francisco via video.”

Her husband, former Secretary of State George Schultz, described Lee as one the people could trust.

Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, who was among those who convinced Lee to run for Mayor after his interim appointment, also spoke. He talked about how Lee never really wanted to become mayor. “I’m not sure Ed Lee wanted any job except one. He was one of the lawyers who handled the integrating of our fire department.” He joked that he has accepted more credit for Lee’s accomplishments than Lee has himself.

Another former San Francisco mayor also spoke.

“He was incredibly effective in government management with a proud history in civil rights,” said U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). Feinstein recalled how Lee met his wife Anita in Hong Kong when Anita tutored Ed in Mandarin.

She also recalled the Ping Yuen rent strike lead by Lee for the Asian Law Caucus and listed a long resume of public service.

“Ed Lee’s 27 years of public service to the city of San Francisco is truly compelling and unique,” she said.

“This community showed a Chinese/American could reach the pinnacle of public service,” recalled Feinstein about Lee’s election as the first Asian/American Mayor in a major city. “A new generation of Asian/Americans now knows an Asian American can hold the highest office in this city.”

“Ed Lee is a very unusual political leader,” said California Governor Jerry Brown. He described Lee’s “infectious smile.” Every call from Lee was always pleasant. He asked for things with a “charm and humanity that was always welcomed.”

“Ed Lee was a real person. He was a person who communicated integrity and a love of love,” said Brown.

Acting Mayor London Breed said Lee meant a lot to the city, meant a lot to the Chinese American community.

Mayor Lee was like Beyonce with a moustache,” recalled Breed about a trip to China she took with Lee.

She thanked the family for sharing him with the city of San Francisco.

“San Francisco has been fighting for its values. Mayor Lee was a guardian against dangerous winds,” referring to the Trump administration. “Our mayor served others before himself. He fought for his city with a quiet dignity.”

Rabbi Beth Singer started off the memorial telling the two daughters and Mayor Lee’s wife Anita that there father truly touched a lot of people.

“Mayor Lee was not looking for more attention from the NRA. He was interested in a safer city and was not seeking attention for himself,” she said. “We will remember him.”

The service ended with the singing of "He’s Got the Whole World in his Hands."

Music was provided by the San Francisco Symphony along with the Glide Memorial ensemble and Beach Blanket Babylon’s Misa Malone.

The body of Mayor Lee was not  at today’s memorial. A private burial may have already been held or is being planned for later.

Among those who was planning to come was Jeannie Kim, owner of Sam Diner where Lee had his final breakfast, according to ABC7.

“We are going to dedicate this table, we’ll have a little plaque for him,” she said.
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DACA deal hits a roadblock

Stephen Miller

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, D-NY, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, are finding out what former business associates, builders and contractors have found out the hard way: making a deal with Donald Trump is not a sure thing.

The White House is reportedly going to submit a plan to Congress that would use its support for the DACA program a bargaining chip in exchange for Democratic support irs immigration proposals that would include cutting immigration in half.

This so-called "deal" is being spearheaded by Stephen MIller, a noted anti-immigrant zealot.

Last month, "Chuck and Nancy" thought they had reached an agreement with Trump to try and save President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that allowed the undocumented young people who were brought into the children illegally by their parents.

The meeting with "Chuck and Nancy" reportedly angered Miller, who now appears to be making impossible demands to scuttle the agreement between Trump and the Democrats.

One Republican aide told CNN: “Either the president is negotiating in bad faith, or Stephen Miller has hijacked the negotiation.”

“The Stephen Miller wish list is a non-starter with Democrats, and this divides Republicans in both the House and Senate,” the aide continued. “Until Miller takes a backseat, the DACA deal is going nowhere.”

In his drive to undo Obama actions, Trump announced by executive order that the DACA program would end by year's end. At the same time, he asked Congress to come up with a plan to save the 800,000 young men and women who have signed up for DACA.

With Miller in charge of the negotiations for the White House, it is unlikely that deadline will be met. 

Ali Noorani, executive director of the pro-reform National Immigration Forum, said he thinks Trump wants to do something to protect Dreamers from deportation and understands that will require a compromise with Democrats. But he doesn’t think Miller goes along with that.

“The president is being undermined by his own people,” Noorani said.

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