Criminal Justice & Civil Rights

By Gwen MooreMilwaukee County’s David Clarke could be a valuable voice in the national conversation over police violence. Instead he’s on Fox News blaming ‘black underclass subculture behavior.’Our sheriff isn’t like most American sheriffs. He’s a self-proclaimed Democrat, an outspoken Tea Party activist, and a regular on prime time cable news. You may have seen Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke on one of his numerous appearances on the Fox News Channel lashing out at President Obama. You mi... Read more

Proper training of our law enforcement officers in these situations can help prevent tragedies before they occur, which is why I am delighted that my amendment to the FY 16 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill passed. My amendment will increase funding for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA) to help provide assistance and training for police departments to safely and appropriately dealing with mentally ill individuals. I am optimistic that efforts like this will help prevent future tragedies like that of Dontre Hamilton. Read more

By Deena Zaru(CNN)Caitlyn Jenner's debut last week was met with a social media firestorm and bipartisan support. Vanity Fair tweeted its latest cover Monday, starring the former Bruce Jenner, now Caitlyn, who not only came out as a woman in the groundbreaking interview with Diane Sawyer last month, but also, as a Republican. The most recent support for Jenner comes from Republican presidential candidate and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who said on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday, tha... Read more

By Judy KurtzAn openly gay congressman is cheering the woman formerly known as Bruce Jenner, moments after the “Keeping up with the Kardashians” star revealed her new name and look on a magazine cover. “Call me Caitlyn,” the cover of Vanity Fair’s July issue reads, with a photo of Jenner flashing a slight smile and posing in a white bustier. “For all intents and purposes, I am a woman,” Jenner, 65, told Diane Sawyer in an April interview. On Monday, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) — the first openly... Read more

By Baker MachadoAs the world was formally introduced to Caitlyn Jenner, celebs and President Barack Obama tweeted out tons of love and support, but so too did LGBT groups and other politicians in Washington, D.C. (With the release of her Vanity Fair cover on June 1, Caitlyn has chosen to publicly identify as a woman and E! News will refer to her using female pronouns. In stories published prior to this date, Caitlyn was referred to as Bruce and male pronouns were used.) Jay Brown, Human Rights C... Read more

By Gwen MooreAs the leading voice on the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act (H.R. 159) and the Rape Survivor Child Custody Act (H.R. 1257), both of which were included in therecently passed Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (S. 178), Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-04) issued the following statement: “Most Americans tend to think of human trafficking as a foreign issue, as if our country were somehow immune to such horrific darkness. Unfortunately, these atrocities are taking place in o... Read more

Most Americans tend to think of human trafficking as a foreign issue, as if our country were somehow immune to such horrific darkness. Unfortunately, these atrocities are taking place in our own backyards at alarming rates, and they're happening to the most vulnerable among us. Needless to say, we cannot stand idly by while women and children are traded and sold like modern-day slaves. Victims of such abhorrent practices need allies in their corner, and I take pride in knowing Congress has finally decided to get into the fight. Read more

By Gwen MooreWhen you’re trying to feed your family and stretch a dollar, steaks and short ribs don’t make it to your grocery list. As one of nine siblings in a low-income household in Wisconsin, my mother made a habit of buying inexpensive stewing meat for us. These tough cuts of beef came in handy when shopping on a budget, but if Missouri lawmakers have their way, stewing meat will be off the menu for the working class. Republican State Representatives have recently introduced legislation tha... Read more

By Cristina MarcosA bipartisan group of House members are urging their top leaders to allow a floor vote on legislation aimed at curbing human trafficking that passed in the Senate last month. In a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), eleven lawmakers called for finishing work on an issue supported by both sides. The bill, S. 178, titled the Justice for Victims of T... Read more

By Jonah Kaplan, Julia Fello Dontre Hamilton's mother boarded a bus to Washington, D.C. Thursday morning. She will spend Mother's Day with other moms who have lost their children. Former Milwaukee police officer Christopher Manney shot and killed her son in Red Arrow Park last year. While she is there, she will participate in the Million Moms March. The original march was a push for gun control. Maria Hamilton will now join other moms for a new march for those who have lost their children during... Read more