<pi> This package/segment contains third party material. Unless otherwise noted, this material may only be used within this package/segment. Usage must cease on all platforms (including digital) within ten days of its initial delivery or such shorter time as designated by CNN. </pi>\n\n --SUPERS--\n:40-:47\nCannon Lambert\nAttorney\n\n2:11-end\nSharon Cooper\nSister\n\n --LEAD IN--\nNEW VIDEO HAS EMERGED THAT SHOWS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE FROM A CONTROVERSIAL ARREST THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO A WOMAN'S DEATH YEARS AGO. \nSANDRA BLAND'S FAMILY SAYS IT SHOWS POLICE HID A CULTURE OF ABUSE... AND A LAWYER SAYS IT SUGGESTS PROSECUTORS DIDN'T DO THEIR JOBS. \nC-N-N'S STEPHANIE ELAM HAS THE VIDEO. \n --REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS--\nNatsot/Encinia\n"Get out of the car! Now!"\nNEARLY FOUR YEARS AFTER SANDRA BLAND'S CONTROVERSIAL TRAFFIC STOP, A NEW POINT OF VIEW HAS JUST EMERGED...\nNatsot/Bland\n"Why am I being apprehended? You're trying to give me a ticket for a failure?"\nNatsot/Encinia\n"I said get out of the car." \nITS THE PERSPECTIVE OF BLAND HERSELF.\nCELL PHONE VIDEO SHE SHOT OF HER ENCOUNTER WITH TEXAS STATE TROOPER BRIAN ENCINIA AFTER HE PULLED HER OVER FOR FAILING TO SIGNAL. \nNatsot/Bland\n"You just opened my car door. So you're threatening to drag me out of my own car."\nBLAND'S FAMILY SAYS THEY HADN'T SEEN THE VIDEO UNTIL NOW. \nTHE VIDEO WAS PUBLISHED BY DALLAS TV STATION W-F-A-A IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE INVESTIGATIVE NETWORK.\nCannon Lambert/Attorney\n"The special prosecutors, if they had this video and had an opportunity to prosecute, they should have. \nTHE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SAID IN A STATEMENT TO C-N-N THAT THE VIDEO IS QUOTE:\n"NOT NEWLY DISCOVERED EVIDENCE" AND HAS "IN NO WAY BEEN CONCEALED BY THE DEPARTMENT."\nPREVIOUSLY, THE PUBLIC HAD ONLY SEEN DASH CAM VIDEO OF ENCINIA ORDERING THE 28 YEAR OLD FROM HER CAR.\nNatsot/Encinia\n"I'm going to yank you out of here."\nNatsot/Bland\n "OK, you're going to yank me out of my car?"\nNatsot/Encinia\n"Get out!"\nNatsot/Bland\n"Don't touch me!"\nIN BOTH VIDEOS, ENCINIA POINTS WHAT APPEARS TO BE A TASER AT BLAND. \nBUT BLAND'S 39-SECOND VIDEO IS FROM A MUCH CLOSER ANGLE.\nNatsot/Bland\n"So you're threatening to drag me out of my own car."\nNatsot/Encinia\n"Get out of the car!\nNatsot/Bland\n"And then you're going to stun me?\nNatsot/Encinia\n"I will light you up! Get out!"\nNatsot/Bland\n "Wow."\nNatsot/Encinia\n"Now!"\nENCINIA INITIALLY STATED HE FEARED FOR HIS SAFETY DURING THE INCIDENT. \nBUT IN 2016, A GRAND JURY SAID IT DIDN'T BELIEVE HIS CLAIM THAT HE REMOVED BLAND FROM HER CAR SO HE COULD MORE SAFELY CONDUCT A TRAFFIC INVESTIGATION. \nHE WAS INDICTED FOR PERJURY AND FIRED. \nBUT THE CHARGE WAS DISMISSED IN 2017 AFTER HE AGREED TO NEVER WORK IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAIN.\nCannon Lambert/Attorney\n"That video shows... it is unabashed in its ability to show that he had no basis to fear for his safety." \nTHREE DAYS AFTER HER ARREST, BLAND WAS FOUND HANGING IN A JAIL CELL. \nWHILE HER DEATH WAS RULED A SUICIDE, HER FAMILY ARGUED SHE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN THE FIRST PLACE. \nBLAND'S SISTER SAYS THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY ABOUT BLAND'S VIDEO SPEAKS TO A LARGER PROBLEM.\nSharon Cooper/Sister \n"There is an effort to conceal such things in a hope to not reveal some of the bad behavior that continues to go on by some law enforcement officials with regard to engaging with citizens. especially those citizens of color."\n --TAG--\nBLAND'S FAMILY ENDED UP WINNING A ONE-POINT-NINE MILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT IN THE CASE. \nNO ONE WAS EVER CONVICTED OF A CRIME. \n -----END-----CNN.SCRIPT-----\n\n --KEYWORD TAGS--\nJUSTICE CRIME SANDRA BLAND CELL PHONE VIDEO ARREST WALLER COUNTY TEXAS\n\n

NEWSER BY THE FAMILY OF SANDRA BLAND AND THEIR ATTORNEY / From the Bland family's lawyer Cannon Lambert: "The family will hold a press conference at 2:30pm today at DuPage AME Church to discuss the dash cam . The church is located at 4300 YACKLEY AVE LISLE, IL. <x-apple-data-detectors://1>" / Rev. Theresa Dear, Assoc. Minister DuPage AME Church, on exec. committee of NAACP Rev. Lana Miller, Staff at DuPage AME Church, Exec. Pastor at DuPage AME Church Rev. Dr. James Miller, Senior Pastor DuPage AME Church Shante Needham, Sandra Bland's Sister Cannon Lambert Sr., Family Attorney Sharon Cooper, Sandra's Older Sister Geneva Reed-Veal, Sandra's Mother Rev. Morgan Dixon, Church Administrator at DuPage AME Church Cannon Lambert Sr., Family Attorney 15:51:29 Obviously we are here because of the circumstances surrounding Sandra Bland. Fortunately we have successfully been able to get our sister and our daughter and bring her home. Today and going forward, the family is preparing for the home-going celebration that Sandy Bland will have here at this church. And as a consequence of that home-going, and until that homegoing occurs, her mother has elected to forgo any comment to the media at this time. So I will start off by asking that you understand and appreciate she will not be taking any questions of any kind at this particular point. 15:52:21 I know there's a lot of questions surrounding the dash-cam. We wanted to take this opportunity to respond to the dash cam and what is displayed in it. If you look at the dash cam, I think that you see right out of the gate, right out of the gate, you see from that dash-cam that this could have easily been avoided. There was very little reason that can be gleaned from the dash-cam why Sandy had to be asked to put her cigarette out, why Sandy had to be asked to get out of her car, why Sandy had to be subject to the officer pointing a taser at her, why Sandy had to be thrown to the ground and hurt. 15:53:17 There are even more question that is have come out of Texas than we had when he went down there. Now there's the dash cam and we don't know the circumstances surrounding the footage on the dash cam. We are not in a position to say it's been tampered with. We are not in a position to say it has not. We simply don't know. I'm not a forensic media examiner, but now I know that we're going to have to get one. The long and short of it is that we want everything that happened from the time that the police interfaced with Sandy up until the time that she was found to have died and beyond to come to light. Right now sandy is speaking, and this family feels that Sandy is speaking. 15:54:21 She's speaking, saying find the truth. Find the answers we want the answers and Sandy demands them. And we will find them. The reality of it is that when this family had to see that dash cam, the emotion that it drew from them was extraordinary... and we want to give you an opportunity to talk to their spokesperson and ask them some questions about that. With that, should there be any questions of me, you can certainly can ask me. Yes? 15:55:00 Reporter: A couple things have come to light on the video -- on the dash cam she does say she suffers from epilepsy. In another video that she made, she said she suffered from depression and PTSD. Can you shed any light on that? And was she taking medication? And if so, what was she taking for that? 15:55:18 >> I can tell you we take issue with the notion she was suffering from depression. She was never clinically diagnosed, as this family understands. Everybody has hills and valleys, and the bottom line is that there's no medication we're aware of she was taking to address any sort of epilepsy or depression. 15:55:41 Reporter: You don't -- it's not even clear she had epilepsy either? >> The long and short of it is is that, with regard to her medical history, none of that has anything to do with why that stop took place. Reporter: No, no, the jail, what happened -- 15:55:56 >> What I would say is despite the effort to try to divert the energy and attention from what really happened, we will not fall subject to it. This happened because an officer was overzealous. This happened because an officer decided that he wished to overstep his authority. That's where our focus is going to remain for the current time. Reporter: But it raises questions whether or not she committed suicide. 15:56:24 >> What raises questions is why it is that 28-year-old woman who had received two job offers would take her own life. What it does is that it raises questions. It raises questions why a 28-year-old woman would call her mother in excitement about those two jobs, and then take her life... Sandy was a social activist. Social activists don't take their own life, particularly in jail. It just doesn't make sense. 15:56:57 Reporter: There's a newspaper report she told jailers she had tried to commit suicide in the past. Is that true? >> We can't wait to see what's in all the reports they have. I know you don't have them all and neither do they. This investigation is ongoing, and we look forward to it being completed. We don't know what they are alleging that she told them. I know what the newspaper article said. Until I see the reports, I won't be in a position where I can respond to that question. 15:57:25 Reporter: Can you talk a bit about being an activist. We have seen the videos she posted online. What home court things did she do as an activists? Involved in protests? >> Sandy daily made posts, inspirational posts, efforts to try to bring other people up. She put her arms around people. That's why there's been such a groundswell of support for her. 15:57:52 Reporter: Were there other components to the activism we should know about? Protesting, things like that? >> If you mean speaking up for the interests of the many, caring for kids and the generation behind her, yeah, she was an activist. 15:58:09 Reporter: Sir, do you think sandy did anything wrong during that traffic stop? Some people are asking why didn't she just cooperate? >> Here's the problem. Citizens have rights. When you lay down your rights voluntary, you forgo the enjoyment of those rights.... And I don't know that you have an obligation to give away your rights. This country was founded on the citizens in it enjoying their rights. That's what Sandy was doing. 15:58:40 Reporter: But a follow-up. If she had just gotten out of the car and not -- not in any way negative towards the police officers, whether he deserved it or not, if she had just, you know stepped out of the car and cooperated, could this all have been avoided? Sharon Cooper, Sandra's Older Sister >> Could I answer that question, please? >> I just would like to address the question. In looking at the video, I have seen the video in its entirety. Sandy was pulled over for failure to indicate a proper lane change, and in looking at that, as her sister, I simply feel like the officer was picking on her. Point-blank, period. I personally think that it's petty. >> Reporter: Do you believe he pulled her over because she was black? 15:59:35 >> I think he pulled her over because she was an out-of-state resident. That's what I think. >> Ms. Cooper, when you see your sister crying out in anger. 15:59:46 >> I'm infuriated and everything else should be infuriated as well. From the petty charge to the officer asking her, let's be clear, he asked her, can you put your cigarette out for me, please? That's not an instruction, that's not a summons, that's an ask. He asked her, and she simply responded no, I don't have to put out my cigarette. I'm in my own car/ Reporter: Was there any court date? 16:00:15 >> She did make an appearance in court and had been given bond at the time, which we were working on expeditiously to give her. It has not been shared with us that she had a court date. Reporter: What level of confidence do you have in the investigation that is ongoing right now with Texas authorities as well as -- 16:00:31 >> They've been cooperative to date. We hope they will continue to do so. Reporter: Have you had your -- the autopsy -- do you folks -- has that been done? 16:00:43 >> Quite frankly I'm disgusted we're even having a discussion about an autopsy. Because she was pulled over for something so insignificant, and because of an officer who felt like maybe his ego was bruised and got in the way, not once did he ever say he felt threatened. But when you tell me you're going to light me up, I feel extremely threatened and concerned, and I'm not going to get out of my car. Reporter: What does it mean for your family to have her back now over the weekend and have gone to bring her home. How has that been for all of you. Can you tell me -- 16:01:21 >> I will be frank with you, that is a brief moment of gratification. It's brief, because we know in the coming days, we are going to have to lay our awesome, beloved daughter, sister, friend, aunt to rest. That's very difficult. It's the longest flight I've ever had. I'm sure my mother feels the same way, and my sisters do as well. Reporter: The outpouring from the community about this, and what that has meant for your family and also what you want -- 16:01:54 >> Absolutely. I would be happy to. It has been awe-inspiring, and I have kind of stepped back and looked at her and said, what am I doing with my life? Because let's be real here. She has been in the forefront of everybody's mind for the last seven days, but that peaked within 72 hours. From the love and support of people who knew her, who personally knew her in this community and this church, abroad where she went to school, people love her and genuinely care about you. I don't know if you understand the magnitude that was going on with Sandra bland this weekend. On Saturday the rock at her old high school was painted, rest in peace sandy, we love you so much, tons of people showed up to support her. That following day, there was a prayer vigil in Houston, Texas at hope A.M.E. Church, where the community came out in droves to support her and us in solidarity. Dignitaries from the state of Texas were there, which I can clearly tell you is a display on our end. 16:02:57 They feel the very same way, that they have questions that something is wrong. Following that, we just had a memorial service for her yesterday evening, where I can tell you there were well over 200 people there, coupled with our prayer walk this week. She has been in the minds and thoughts of everybody, and I cannot tell you how appreciative we are, how much we have truly -- it's angered us as a family much more than you will ever know. You want to talk about the power of social media, and using social media for good? So my ask, my family's ask, close friends of sandy's ask, please keep tweeting. Keep tweeting, keep facebooking, keep 16:03:41 instagraming, keep snap chatting, keep utilizing the hashtag "justice for Sandy". And my all-time favorite keep #sayhername. Because the minute you forget her name, you forget her character, and that she was a person. So that is my humble ask on behalf of me and my family. [ Inaudible ] >> Reporter: -- There's no accusation of bias, in light of that and the grand jury investigation, how hopeful are you that you're really going to find out the truth of what happened after the fact? 16:04:29 >> My hope is based off of execution and not -- not promises. We just want to make sure that the things that are being communicated to us are honored. So we want to make sure there is ongoing collaboration, effort and transparency in terms of finding out what happened to Sandra bland. Reporter: Have authorities said anything to the family about this officer's -- they commented about the way this officer behaved during that traffic stop? 16:05:02 >> They have commented about as much as you all have read, which is simply that it was inappropriate... and they put him on administrative leave. I understand he's on leave at this time. >> Did they ever detail what he did wrong with the family in conversations? >> No. Reporter: Would you give a timeline again about -- >> And -- altered now? 16:05:24 >> That's not our specialty. We certainly seek out an expert who can clarify that for us, so we won't respond to that at this time. Reporter: Are you on a holding pattern until the investigation is complete? The home-going service, walk us through the timeline of what you beleive feel like you can do next and what that process will look like. Cannon Lambert Sr., Family Attorney 16:05:51 >> Legally -- I'm sorry. Legally we are in the process of kind of scouring the area to try and find individuals that might have information regarding how the incident happened or might have information regarding what happened in the jail. In addition to that, we're also continuing to ask for the documentation we have not yet been given. Understand that the baseline in many respects will start -- or will be what's in the reports. We want to know is it what happened as it relates to when she was transferred to the jail by the arresting officer. We want to know is what the people that booked her were told by the officer. We need to understand what happened to her once she was put in a jail cell and whether or not she was moved, and with what frequency she was moved. There are a whole host of things that when we look at the reports we get from the sheriff, the reports we get from the Texas rangers, the reports we get from the department of public safety, and for that matter if the FBI has reports, what all of those reports say. Reporter: Just to be clear on the reports that she told the jailers there that she had tried to take her own life, had there been any evidence or any instances -- did she ever try to take her life? 16:07:22 >> This family has no evidence that that is the case. None. We know for a certainty when she went into the jail, she was ecstatic. She had just gotten to Texas the day before, and she was about to start a job. She had gone grocery shopping and filled her refrigerator. She had left messages with her loved ones, and that just does not jibe with someone who would take her own life. Reporter: Are you preparing a wrongful death lawsuit? 16:07:55 >> We are looking to have this investigation be completed in a thorough, complete and full-bodied way. If a lawsuit comes out of that, so be it. Reporter: -- Her cell phone -- >> That's part of the investigation and we're looking for that. >> Thank you, everyone.

A NEW CAMERA WILL HELP PROTECT TEXAS POLICE AGAINST FRAUDULENT CLAIMS AND WILL HELP CRIMINAL SUSPECTS AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY. IT'S CALLED THE TASER CAM AND IT IS A SMALL SURVEILLANCE CAMERA MOUNTED TO THE END OF A TASER GUN. CHECK OUT THESE TWO EXAMPLES FROM THE HOUSTON PD.

HD 1080i Police at Outdoor Concert Festival in Austin Texas.

Lots of american and Texas US state flag gears spinning and covering the whole frame while zooming out

Forty-five seconds.That's how much time went by from the moment when Corp. Thomas O'Connor approached a car during a routine traffic stop to when he fired his taser at the unsuspecting driver.That is not the way I want my officers conducting business," Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said.Chief Acevedo said he was appalled when he first saw the tape."It is my opinion the officer escalated instead of de-escalated the stop," he said.It was an incident that happened last Thanksgiving, long before he took office. Now, almost a year later, he's using it in a training video to demonstrate to other officers how not to use taser guns.The video goes on to show the dash-cam video of the holiday traffic stop. In it, you hear the driver, Eugene Snelling, ask why he was being pulled over. Snelling had his mom and cousin in the new car -- he was allegedly going five miles over the speed limit. O'Connor asked a second time for his driver's license and proof of insurance, and when Snelling doesn't hand it over fast enough, O'Connor tasered Snelling.O'Connor was put on a three day probation after the incident. He is still on the police force today.Since 2004 when APD implemented taser guns, there have been 17 allegations of improper use by officers. Acevedo tells officers watching the video to ask themselves if they would want their family member to be treated this way. And to ask themselves, "Am I that officer? Am I treating people that way for a minor traffic violation? And if you are, please change your behavior."  Dash-Cam Video Shows Officer's Improper Taser Use Austin's police chief is using video of what he calls an embarrassment to teach police about the proper use of force.The dashboard camera video provided by the Austin Police Department shows a driver pulled over by Cpl. Thomas O'Connor in November.O'Connor quickly loses control.Cpl. O'Connor: "Step out of the vehicle. Step out of the vehicle. Step out of the vehicle, give me your driver's license and proof of insurance. Step to the back of the vehicle, put your hands on the vehicle. Step to the back of the vehicle. Taser needed!"The driver can be heard screaming in the video.Chief Art Acevedo is showing the video to other officers as a training tool of what not to do.O'Connor was suspended for three days by then Acting Chief Cathy Ellison. Chief Acevedo firm: No more stunts like thisAustin, TX, "Statesman"; Editorial Board; 9/30/07 http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/editorial/entries/2007/09/29/acevedo_firm_no_more_stunts_li.htmlA somber Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo is seen on the video asking officers to consider three questions as they watch how a fellow officer conducted a minor traffic stop last year:Would they want their family members to be treated in the same manner as the suspect if stopped by an officer? Would officers be proud of the Austin Police Department if someone outside of the organization saw the tape that recorded the officer’s rudeness and unprovoked use of force?Acevedo looks directly at the camera and asks the third question: “I really want you to take a good hard look inside of yourself and determine, `Am I that officer - am I treating people that way for minor traffic violations?’ “Those questions signal a titanic shift in the Austin Police Department. It’s a welcome shift that will benefit officers and Austin. With those questions, Acevedo drives home problems that tend to undermine public confidence in police, specifically a lack of transparency that cloaks wrongful - at times outrageous - conduct by Austin officers.By all accounts (except for the department’s Internal Affairs division) the conduct of Cpl. Thomas O’Connor was truly outrageous, when he stopped a driver on MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1) last year for going five miles over the speed limit. The driver, Eugene Snelling, was on his way to a family Thanksgiving dinner with his mother, who sat next to him. His cousin was in the back seat of Snelling’s new car.American-Statesman writer Tony Plohetski details the incident, as well as the fallout, in today’s editions. It’s a compelling and informative story that provides a window on the city police department, its policies and the new chief’s leadership. Video of the traffic stop can be viewed at www.statesman.com.The case confirms the value of video cameras in patrol cars. The tape shows that when Snelling seems to question the officer about why he is being stopped and about the officer’s rude manner, O’Connor becomes more agitated, drawing his Taser. Forty-five seconds after demanding Snelling’s license and insurance, O’Connor shot 50,000 volts of electricity into Snelling, who crumples to the pavement.The department’s Internal Affairs division exonerated O’Connor.Some will look at the video and say O’Connor’s conduct is routine - that’s the way Austin police deal with people, especially minority suspects. The difference this time, they will say, is that the incident was caught on video. Snelling is black. O’Connor is white.This is not the only incident in which O’Connor disregarded department policies over minor traffic violations. His actions didn’t sit well with many officers, though, including former acting Chief Cathy Ellison, who recognized O’Connor’s unprovoked use of force. Despite being cleared by Internal Affairs, Ellison suspended O’Connor for three days without pay. That single action moved O’Connor’s disciplinary records and the video into the public domain. O’Connor is still on the force.Austin’s police monitor Cliff Brown also deserves credit. His office viewed the video and pressured the department to use it as a training tool of what not to do.As the new chief, Acevedo took that advice and is using the video and the case to convey his intent to transform the department’s closed culture. He is shining a light on wrongdoing by officers and building a department that officers and residents can be proud of.Acevedo ends his talk on the video by answering his third question: “If you are (this officer in the video), please change your behavior because this administration owes it to the hard-working men and women of the department to hold people accountable. In circumstances like this, we will hold people accountable and the penalty will be very severe.”

THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HOLDS A CONFIRMATION HEARING FOR ALABAMA SENATOR JEFF SESSIONS TO BE THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL. GRASSLEY: Morning, everybody. I welcome everyone back for our second day of hearing on Senator Sessions' nominee -- nomination for Attorney General. As I said yesterday, I want everyone to be able to watch the hearing without obstruction. If people stand up and block the views of others behind them or if they speak out of turn, it's not fair or considerate to others. So officers will remove individuals as they have previously. Before we begin with opening statements from the panel, I want to go over a couple of housekeeping items and explain how we're going to proceed today. Senator -- Senator Whitehouse will be acting as Ranking Member today and I will give an opening statement and he can if he wants to as well. I welcome that. Then we'll turn to our witnesses for their opening statements. Following the statements, we'll begin with the first rounds of questions, in which each senator will have seven members (sic). After we finish asking questions of the first panel, we'll turn to the final panel for their testimony. And in regard to the timing of that, it will kind of depend on when this panel is completed. But if we get this panel completed, let's say around lunch or 12:30 or 1 o'clock, we may adjourn for an hour or so at that time. But I won't be able to make that determination until we finish here with this panel. Yesterday, we met here from 9:30 until about 8 p.m., so that every Senator, both Democrat and Republican could ask Senator Sessions as many questions as they wanted to. We had great cooperation every day, yesterday, and I should thank everybody for that cooperation, and we'll press ahead into today. We heard from Senator Shelby and Collins, who gave their strong endorsement of Senator Sessions. Their introductions describes Senator Sessions extensive experience, outstanding qualifications and character. I also want to note that yesterday, Senator Feinstein participated in her first nomination hearing as the new Ranking Member. I'm looking forward to working with her in her new capacity as I said yesterday. In her opening statement yesterday, Senator Feinstein correctly observed and I'd like to quote, fairly long quote, "Today we're not being asked to evaluate him, meaning Senator Sessions, as a Senator. We're being asked to evaluate him for the Attorney General of the United States, the chief law enforcement for the largest and best democracy in America." She continued, "As attorney general, his job will not be to advocate for his beliefs, rather the job of attorney general is to enforce federal law, even if he voted against a law, even if he spoke against it before it passed, even if he disagreed with the President, seeing that the law is constitutional." Then she concluded, "This hearing must determine whether this Senator will enforce the laws that he voted against." end of quote. And yesterday, through 10 and a half hours of testimony, we got a clear and unequivocal answer to this threshold question. He was asked repeatedly if he would enforce the law, even if he disagreed with that law as a matter of policy. Time and again, Senator Sessions reaffirmed his commitment to this fundamental principle. As Attorney General of the United States his solemn duties are, as we all know and expect, are to the Constitution and to enforce the law duly enacted. His fundamental commitment to the rule of law emerged as a central theme of our discussion yesterday. And as I made clear in my opening statement, that's what I believe the department desperately needs. Yesterday -- yesterday's testimony further convinced me that Senator Sessions is the right choice to serve as our nation's chief law enforcement officer at this critical time. We know that he is very well qualified for the position having served for 15 years as a prosecutor and now 20 years as a Senator, so that's three decades of public service. We all know (ph) Senator Sessions will be up front with you when you say that he's going to do something, he will do it. Senator Sessions will be an independent attorney general, as he's been asked so many times yesterday and about his enforcement of the law. That's the bottom line. I now turn to Senator Whitehouse. WHITEHOUSE: Thank you very much Chairman. Let me, just make some very brief remarks. First, I can't help but note as a general proposition, hearing after hearing, the effort to push nominees into confirmation hearings before their FBI background checks are complete. Before their ethics and financial disclosure filings are concluded, and I'd like to put into the record, this hearing, the letter that Senator Schumer, Minority Leader Schumer wrote to Majority Leader McConnell. In which, he took a letter that Majority Leader McConnell had written, Minority Leader McConnell had written to Majority Leader Reed and simply changed the names. He wrote, Dear Mitch, in place of dear Harry, and he signed his own name at the bottom and it was thus a verbatim letter. And what we have been asking for is exactly what Republicans asked for over and over again, what has long been the tradition of the Senate. It is not the Senate's fault that the Trump administration was not prepared and that it did not have its nominees vetted. In place, I know that Senator Sessions has been one of the nominees who has been prepared but I can't help but point out that across the board the ramming of unvetted nominees, the stacking of hearings on top of hearings, and the jamming of all of this up against an unprecedented vote-a-rama for a no-hearing budget, creates I think an unfortunate new precedent in the Senate. The point that I'll make about the Department of Justice is somebody who has served in the Department of Justice, like many of my colleagues or a number of my colleagues, is that I think there's legitimate concern based on the hectoring in the right wing groups for a general house cleaning of career staff, and for a particular targeting of named career staff. As I mentioned in my questioning yesterday, one of the Heritage Foundation spokespeople made the comparison to the Aegean Stables and filth as having to be washed out of the Aegean Stables. I don't think it's fair to characterize the career of employees of the United States Department of Justice as filth, and, nor do I think it is proper to assert that this should not be secular. And, I think it's a matter of concern when an attorney general thinks that a secular attorney may have a lesser, or different appreciation of truth than a religious attorney. Particularly coming from what I want more, freedom of conscience has been such a principle of core values since the days of Roger Williams. When Providence was a tiny settlement in the wilderness, where people who thought freely were able to get away from the theocracy of Massachusetts. We have a long history of concern about that kind of evaluation of career department professionals. And finally I'd say that, after a very divisive campaign, that left a lot of Americans and a lot of communities feeling very wounded and very vulnerable and very set upon, and after a promise that he would be a President for all Americans over and over and over and over again, we're seeing an array of cabinet nominees who run far to the right. And frankly, in many cases, come out of the swamp that the President-elect promised to drain. So, I thank you Chairman for the, I think, thoughtful and fair way in which you have run this hearing. I thought that Senator Sessions handled himself very well by staying until all the questions were answered. I appreciate the procedure that you have gone through, but I did want to make a record of those concerns from our side about the larger process in which these nominations hearings are taking place. And with that, I yield back to you sir. GRASSLEY: Thank you. (Inaudible) witnesses and introduce them. I think, so I don't forget it, I promised Senator Coons point of personal privilege on one of the nominations. COONS: Thank you Mr. Chairman. I -- I had asked for the opportunity to introduce my friend and colleague Cornell Brooks, but I'm perfectly happy to wait to do so until there are other introductions a foot or to do it right now. GRASSLEY: I'd rather have you do it now if you would please. COONS: Thank you Mr. Chairman. I'm pleased to introduce Dr. Cornell Brooks, the President and CEO of the NAACP, as one of our many witnesses on this distinguished panel here today. Mr. Brooks has dedicated his entire career to ensuring that Americans truly enjoy the promise of equal protection of the law. Before assuming leadership of the NAACP in 2014, he was head of the Newark, New Jersey based Institute for Social Justice. And fittingly, for a hearing on the nominee to lead the Department of Justice, his early experience was of being a part of the Department of Justice, as a trial attorney, where he secured the largest government settlement for victims of housing discrimination. And filed the government's first lawsuit against a nursing home alleging discrimination based on race. He was also Executive Director of the Fair Housing Council of Greater Washington, a trial attorney with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and a law clerk to the Honorable Samuel J. Ervin III on the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He's a fellow alum with Yale Law School, holds a Master of Divinity degree from Boston University School of Theology. He is not just a lawyer and social advocate, but a fourth generation ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, a husband and father of two sons. Mr. Brooks, thank you for your leadership in the work of justice throughout our nation and I look forward to your testimony here today. BROOKS (?): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. GRASSLEY: I'm going to ask you to stand and swear before we -- before I introduce you. Would you raise your right hand? Will you -- do you affirm that the testimony you're about to give before this committee will be the whole truth -- the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God? OK. I noticed that all of you affirmed that. Thank you very much. Please sit down. The 81st Attorney General of the United States was the Honorable Michael Mukasey. Mr. Mukasey has also served as a U.S. attorney and a district court judge, southern district of New York. We thank him for coming. Our second witness, Oscar Vasquez, he became a citizen of the United States 2011 and served honorably in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army. We welcome you and thank you, obviously, for your military service. Our next witness, Peter Kirsanow is a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and is very familiar with this committee and we're familiar with you. Thank you for coming. Next is Amita Swadhin, she is a sexual assault survivor and co-founder of Mirror Memoirs. I hope I'm right on that. Welcome to you. Then we have Jayann Sepich, the mother of Katie Sepich. She's the founder of Surviving Parents Coalition. Our next witness Cornell Brooks, you've heard introduced, but let me further say that he's President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and he's well known to us as well. Thank you for being here today. Chuck Canterbury is the National President of the Fraternal Order of Police. He's familiar to a lot of us as well, so we welcome you. Next we'll hear from David Cole, National Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union. He's also a professor at the Georgetown Law Center. We welcome you. And finally, we'll hear from Larry Thompson. He served as Deputy Attorney General under President Bush. As a well known U.S. attorney for the northern district of Georgia, and we welcome back to the committee Mr. Thompson. So, I think we'll start with Mr. Mukasey and we're going to hear testimony from all of you. And then, we'll have questions as I indicated, seven minute rounds. So proceed will you General Mukasey. MUKASEY: Thank you. Chairman Whitehouse, Ranking Member -- sorry Chairman Grassley, not yet, right? Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse, members of the committee, this is one of those occasions that's both an honor and a pleasure. An honor to appear before this committee and a pleasure to speak to the qualifications of Senator Sessions to serve as attorney general. I submitted a statement to the committee and I'm happy to answer any questions relating to it or any other subject that the committee thinks that's relevant to passing on the qualifications of Senator Sessions. But, of course I'm here for the convenience of the committee, not simply to orate. And after watching yesterday's hearing, and Senator Sessions responses to the committee's questions, I think the only thing I have to add to what I've already submitted at this point, is to say that the person you saw and heard yesterday is very much the person I came to know beginning in 2007, when I first appeared before this committee. Principled, intelligent, knowledgeable, thorough, modest and thoroughly dedicated to the rule of law and to the mission of the department. which is to enforce the law and to preserve our freedoms. So I thank you very much for hearing me. GRASSLEY: Does that complete your testimony? MUKASEY: It does. GRASSLEY: Thank you. Now, Sergeant Vasquez. Thank you. Please proceed. VASQUEZ: Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse, thank you for the opportunity to testify before the committee. My name is Oscar Vasquez and I am proud to be an American. I was born in a small town in Mexico. I was 12 years old when my mother and I boarded a bus to the border. Although I did not make the choice to come to America, this country quickly became my home. As soon as we were settled in America, my parents made sure I was enrolled in school, because they wanted me to understand the value of education. It was at this point that I started to develop a passion for math and science, since the formulas and equations transcended the language barrier. In high school, I joined the JROTC program, where my drill instructors were Vietnam veterans. They thought as a valley of selfless service, whether you able to provide it in the military or not. They wanted us to be better Americans. I loved the order and discipline and was eventually awarded the JROTC officer of the year. In my sophomore year, soon after 9/11, I saw the Band of Brothers mini series and I knew then, I wanted to join the Army. But when I met with the recruiter, I was told I could not enlist because I was undocumented. I left that meeting not knowing what to do, or what was next. I was devastated. I then had to figure out what else to do with my life. At the beginning of my senior year, I joined the robotics club. Our team of undocumented (ph) students enter a national competition and would design the underwater robot which we named Stinky. Beyond our wildest dreams, my high school team won the grand prize for the competition, against some of the countries top technical universities. Winning the competition was proof that we as DREAMers have something to offer to the country we always considered our home. Although I could not contribute to my country by joining the military, I enrolled Arizona State University and decided I could contribute by becoming an engineer. In 2005, I married my wife Carla, a U.S. citizen. She started a process of petitioning for my legal status, but it is the case of many DREAMers there were enormous legal obstacles and substantial risks. While I was a student at Arizona State, the Arizona legislator passed a law prohibiting undocumented citizens from receiving state financial aid and paying the state tuition. Even doors, that I've had in my home for many years and I was married to a U.S. citizen, I was treated like an outsider. The law tripled my tuition, (inaudible) by working construction, I scraped the money together to pay for college and support my family. I graduated in 2009 with a degree in mechanical engineering. This was three years before the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals was established. So even though I had a (inaudible) degree and there were jobs available, no one would hire me in this field because I didn't have legal status. In 2010, after completing a legal process that involved substantial hardship to my family, I was able to get a green card. Having legal resident status changed my life. I was able to get a drivers license, travel freely within the United States and pursue a career in engineering. The biggest note is -- the biggest note is -- the biggest change that I noticed was the fear. I was no longer afraid of being deported or being forcibly separated from my family. I could also pursue my dream of joining the military and becoming a paratrooper. I enlisted in the United States Army and started basic training in February 2011. I went in to fight for the country that raised me. Saying I love this country wasn't enough. I wanted to let my actions speak for themselves. Shortly before I finished basic training, I became a U.S. citizen. A couple weeks later, I found myself jumping out of a C-130 flying over Fort Benning, Georgia. And a couple months after that, I was deployed to Afghanistan. I look forward to combat because I wanted to protect the United States. Serving in the Army allowed me to contribute fully to this country and make it safer. I was following in the footsteps of countless other immigrants who have proudly served the United States. In Afghanistan, I fought side by side with my Army brothers. We wore the same uniform, wore the U.S. flag on the same shoulder. It mattered more that we were willing to be there (ph) for each other and for our country than where we came from. To this day, I remember how I felt after our first firefight in Afghanistan. I had put my life on the line for my brothers and for my country and I felt really proud to be an American. I felt then, for the first time, that no one could again question whether I am an American. It has been a great honor to serve my country. My son Oscar Maximus is 4 years old and in preschool. My daughter, Samantha is 8 years old and in third grade. We live outside of Fort Worth, Texas where I volunteer at two different high schools in their respective robotics program. I feel that my family is living the American dream. But I want to continue serving my country and I will soon join the Army Reserve. I think now about all the doors that were unlocked for me when I became a lawful, permanent resident. The ability to get the job of my dreams, provide for my family and live without fear. I can't imagine what it will be like to have that taken away from me today. I also can't imagine what it is like today for my former teammates and the nearly 100,000 DACA recipients who do not have a legal status and who are afraid of what could happen to them in a matter of days. Of course, DACA is only a temporary solution and now even that is at risk. I hope that you will not view my story of that as someone exceptional, rather I am where I am today because of the many great people who have believed in me and have given me a chance. I also want to acknowledge most DREAMers and mostly (ph) undocumented immigrants who do not have a path to legal status right now. I wanted to come here today because our countries top law enforcement officer must be someone who understands that immigrants make our country stronger. Most Americans agree that it's not right to deport someone who was brought here as a child. Deport them to a country that might not even remember. We need an attorney general who will protect American people from those who will do us harm, but who will also show mercy to those who deserve it. Thank you again for the opportunity to testify. I look forward to answering your questions. GRASSLEY: Thank you very much, Sergeant. Now Mr. Kirsanow. KIRSANOW: (OFF-MIKE) GRASSLEY: Have you pushed the red button? Or whatever color the button is? KIRSANOW: Thank you Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse, members of the committee, I'm Peter Kirsanow of the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights and a partner in the Labor and Employment Practice Group of Benesh, Friedlander and I'm here on a personal capacity. Youth commission on civil rights was established pursuant to the 1957 Civil Rights Act to among other things, act as a national clearing house for matters pertaining to denials of equal protection, discrimination and voting rights. And in furtherance of that clearing house function, my assistant and I reviewed the bills, sponsored and co-sponsored by Senator Sessions in his tenure, in the Senate as well as his public activities and actions that are at least arguably related to civil rights. Our examination found that Senator Sessions' approach to civil rights matters, both in terms of his legislative record and his other actions is consistent with mainstream, textbook (ph) interpretation of rolled in statutory and constitutional authority as well as governing precedent. Our examination also reveals, that Senator Sessions approach to civil rights is consistent, is legally sound, enrichingly (ph) honest and has appreciation and understanding of the historical basis for civil rights laws. And our examination found that several aspects of Senator Sessions -- Sessions' -- Senator Sessions' record unfortunately have been mischaracterized and distorted to portray him as somehow being indifferent, if not hostile to civil rights. The facts emphatically show otherwise. Among other things, and this is probably least consequential, Senator Sessions has sponsored or co- sponsored a plethora of bills honoring significant civil rights leaders, events, icons, such as Reverend Martin Luther King, Loretta Scott King, Reverend Shuttlesworth's fight against segregation. Three separate bills honoring Rosa Parks, a Senate apology to the descendants of victims of lynching. A bill to honor participants in the Selma voting rights march. A bill to honor the victims of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing and on and on and on, but Senator Sessions' commitment to civil rights transcends resolutions in support of civil rights. He has authored, co-sponsored, or sponsored a number of bills to protect and enhance voting rights. Such as the Federal Election Reform Act of 2001, the Voter Fraud Protection Act of 2009, a number of bills to protect and enhance the voting rights of service members, particularly those serving overseas. He's a strong proponent of religious liberty, having sponsored or co-sponsored several bills to prevent discrimination against the religiously observant and to prevent the government from substantially burdening free exercise of a person's religious beliefs. But in our estimation, his most profound and important impact is on preserving and protecting the rights of American workers, particularly black workers. The employment and wage levels of black workers in America have been abysmal for several decades. The labor force participation rate for black males, 61.8 percent and following. The unemployment rate for black males has nearly doubled that of white males. Evidence introduced (ph) before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights shows that 40 percent of the 18 point decline in black employment levels is attributable to government failure or refusal to enforce existing integration laws. And this has a cascade effect by increasing the competition within the unskilled and low skilled marketplace, driving out black workers, slashing wages, particularly among black males. And this has resulted in hundreds of thousands, if not slightly over 1 million blacks having lost their jobs, directly due to this phenomenon, and it has broader sociological implications as well, related to incarceration and family formation rates. No one has been more committed or engaged than Senator Jeff Sessions in protecting and enhancing the prospects of black workers in America. But for his emphatical efforts in this regard, the plight of black workers now and in the immediate future and the foreseeable future will be demonstratively worse. His leadership on this matter, and his leadership on sub-committee, on immigration and the national interests has been key to restoring an even deeper downward trajectory for black workers in this country. And I'll conclude Mr. Chair by simply, respectfully offering that his record on civil rights legislation, his actions as a U.S. attorney and state attorney demonstrate an unwavering commitment to equal protection under the law, and a genuine fidelity to the rule of law that should make him an outstanding attorney general. Thank you Mr. Chairman. GRASSLEY: (OFF-MIKE) SWADHIN: I'm not sure if this is working. Great. Good morning. My name is Amita Swadhin, I am a resident of Los Angeles, California, born in Ohio to two immigrants from India and raised in New Jersey. And I'm grateful to Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse and members of the committee for the opportunity to be here today. In October, miked (ph) tapes were released of President-elect Trump describing forcibly kissing women and grabbing women by the genitals. In the wake of these comments becoming public, Senator Sessions was quoted stating, "He doesn't characterize that behavior as sexual assault." Millions of sexual assault survivors were triggered in the wake of these events. I was one of those survivors. My father raped me at least once a week for age four to age 12. I endured psychological, verbal and physical abuse from him for years. I also grew up watching my father abuse my mother in a textbook case of domestic violence and marital rape. When I disclosed the sexual abuse to my mother, at age 13, she called a therapist engaging mandating reported -- mandated reporting. The prosecutors threatened to prosecute my mother for being complicit. They told me I would be harshly cross-examined by the defense attorney, and did not connect me to any victim support services. I was too afraid to tell them my story. My father received five years probation and no jail time and his violence continued for two years, until my mother finally found the support to leave him. I am here today on behalf of rape and sexual assault survivors to urge you not to confirm Senator Sessions as attorney general. As a publicly out survivor of child sexual abuse, many people have downplayed the impact of this violence on my present day life. I live with complex post traumatic stress disorder, and struggle everyday to be well. It directly and negatively impacts me when people minimize sexual assault. So to hear Senator Sessions initially say President- elect Trump's comments do not constitute sexual assault, and then to consider him leading the Department of Justice has been incredibly worrisome. I am unfortunately far from alone in my experience. More than 320,000 Americans over age 12 are raped or sexually assaulted every year. One in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before age 18. These are public health issues occurring in the private sphere. In 80 percent of adult sexual assaults, and 90 percent of cases of child sexual abuse, victims know and trust our perpetrators. For this reason, most victims of violent crime never seek healing or accountability from the state. Most violent crimes remained unreported. Thankfully we have improved the response of the criminal justice system with the creation of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994. The stock (ph) formula grants under VAWA provide training to judges, prosecutors and police officers and other law enforcement personnel to better support survivors. In 1991, the police did not contact victim services for me, but today thanks to VAWA, law enforcement is encouraged to provide victims and advocates to support them in breaking their silence. Yet despite this progress, rape, sexual assaults and domestic violence still happen at epidemic rates and survivors at the intersections of oppression are especially vulnerable. LGBT people and particularly transgender women of color are disproportionally victimized. One in two transgender people will be raped or sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Furthermore, the majority of hate violence homicide victims are transgender women. In fact, only 11 days into the new year, two transgender women of color have already been murdered, Misha Caldwell (ph), an African-American transgender woman from Mississippi and Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow (ph), a two spirit Oglala Lakota woman from South Dakota. We need an attorney general who is committed to improving and enforcing our laws to ensure the most vulnerable victims of crime can come forward to seek accountability and to access healing. Time and again, Senator Sessions voting record has shown us he is not the man for the job. Despite his claim to be a champion for victims of violent crime, he has not been a friend to vulnerable survivors. While Senator Sessions voted in favor of the Violence Against Women Act in the bill's early years, when VAWA was expanded in 2013, to ensure LGBT, immigrant and tribal populations of domestic violence and sexual assault survivors are protected and have access to services. Senator Sessions voted against the bill. We must trust the attorney general to enforce and apply our laws fairly, per our Constitution's provisions on equal protection. We must trust the attorney general to respect the humanity of all Americans, and especially to be committed to seeking justice for our most vulnerable victims of crime. Given his voting record on VAWA and on LGBT rights, we have no reason to put our faith or our trust in Senator Sessions as attorney general. In conclusion, I want to emphasize that members of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, including but not limited to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the YWCA, the National Council of Jewish Women, UGEMA (ph), the National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community, the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, the National Coalition of Anti- Violence Programs, Break the Cycle, and Jewish Women International opposed Senator Sessions nomination because of the issues I am raising today. Thank you. GRASSLEY: Thank you very much. And now we'll go to Ms. Sepich. SEPICH: Good morning Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse and members of the committee. My name is Jayann Sepich and thank you for the opportunity to testify today in support of the nomination of Senator Sessions as Attorney General of the United States. In 2003, my daughter Katie, a vivacious 22 year old graduate student was brutally raped, murdered and set on fire. It is never easy to lose a child for any reason, but the pain and horror of losing our daughter in this violent manner is beyond description. No suspects emerged in Katie's case, but Katie fought for her life and underneath her fingernails were found the blood and skin of her attacker, and a DNA profile was extracted and uploaded into the National Forensic DNA Database called CODIS. I made the comment to the investigators that the man who had killed Katie was such a monster that surely he would be arrested for another crime. His cheek would be swabbed and we would soon know his identity and he would not be able to harm another woman. That's when I learned it was not legal in New Mexico, my home state, or in most states to take DNA at the time of felony arrest. It could only be taken after conviction. I was stunned. We don't use DNA to accurately identify arrested for serious crimes. We release them from law enforcement without a check of the DNA database for a possible match to other unsolved crimes. We collect fingerprints, mug shots, and check what other crimes a person may have been involved in but we do not collect DNA. After considerable research, I became a national advocate for the collection of DNA upon arrest. My husband and I started the non- profit association DNA Saves. We know we can't bring Katie back, but we absolutely believe that we may be able to prevent new crimes. Prevent this horrible pain from being visited on other families, by advocating for laws that allow for the collection of DNA from persons arrested for serious crimes. To date, 30 state legislatures in the United States Congress have enacted laws requiring that a DNA sample be taken for qualifying felony arrests. In June 2012, the United States Supreme Court upheld these laws, ruling that taking DNA at the time of booking for a felony arrest is a legitimate police booking procedure that is reasonable under the Fourth Amendment. Senator Sessions helped craft the legislative language that became the DNA Fingerprint Act, to provide federal authorities with the authorization to collect DNA from arrestees. In 2008, Senator Bingaman, along with Senator Schumer as original co- sponsor introduced the Katie Sepich Enhanced DNA Collection Act, which was passed in 2012. This federal law provides additional funding to the Debbie Smith Backlog Elimination Act to those states who have enacted laws to expand their databases. Once again, as a judiciary committee's ranking member during that time, in which this legislation was pending, Senator Sessions played a significant role in helping us to craft a bill that would gain bipartisan support and eventually pass Congress unanimously. As a result of stronger state and federal DNA database laws, we have seen many heinous criminals identified through arresting DNA testing. My home state of New Mexico has seen over 1,200 cases matched. California has seen 10 cases matched everyday on their DNA database. The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences remains one of the most successful programs in the country and they credit Senator Sessions for must of the success, largely due to the support he's provided from the outset of the state's forensic DNA program during his term as Alabama Attorney General. Alabama has utilized the DNA database to solve over 6,500 previously unsolved cases. In Katie's case, after more than three long years, DNA finally identified Gabriel Avila as Katie's killer. But he would have been identified after only three months, if law enforcement had been permitted to collect DNA at arrest. Over the past 11 years, our family has worked to change DNA laws across the country. We have been supported by lawmakers of both parties. We have also seen opposition from both Republicans and Democrats. Forensic DNA is a very complex issue and it is vitally important that policy makers take the time to fully understand these complexities in a truly non-partisan manner. Senator Sessions has done that. And with that understanding, he has stood in strong support of the use of forensic DNA to both identify the guilty and exonerate the innocent. He knows that when a DNA match is made on CODIS, it is completely blind to race, ethnicity and social economic status. DNA is truth. It is science. Senator Sessions said in a 2002 floor speech, we are spending only a pittance on getting our scientific evidence produced in an honest and effective way. As a result justice is being delayed and justice delayed is justice denied. I believe that Senator Sessions is committed to that philosophy that it is the core responsibility of our government to protect public safety. He cares about victims. He has been a leader on forensics policy for years and consistently has supported vital funding for DNA. In conclusion, our lives were shattered was brutally murdered. We know intimately the pain that violent crime brings to families. Senator Sessions has shown he understands the pain of victims and has put that understanding into action to help make changes that will make a difference. Senator Sessions will provide strong leadership to the United States Department of Justice and I hope you will support his nomination for attorney general. Thank you. GRASSLEY: And thank you Ms. Sepich. Now, Mr. Brooks. BROOKS: Good morning, Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse and esteemed Senators of this committee. My name is Cornell William Brooks, I serve as President and CEO of the NAACP. I greatly appreciate the invitation to testify before you today to express the deep concerns of the NAACP regarding the nomination of Senator Jefferson Sessions to be U.S. Attorney General. As you well know, the attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States. Particularly for such a time as this, with racial divisions deepening, hate crimes rising from sanctuaries to school yards with state imposed, racially motivated voter suppression spreading in state legislatures as well as being struck down in federal courts, with police involved shootings reduced to (inaudible) homicides and viralized videos. It is critical that this committee closely examine Senator Sessions entire record as a prosecutor and as a legislator, to determine whether he is fit to serve as the chief enforcer of our nation's civil rights laws. Based upon a review of the record, the NAACP firmly believes that Senator Sessions is unfit to serve as attorney general. Accordingly, we representing multiple civil rights and human rights coalitions we urge this committee not to favorably report his nomination to the full Senate. As our written testimony details, Senator Sessions record reveals a consistent disregard for civil and human rights of vulnerable populations, including African- Americans, Latinos, women, Muslims, immigrants, the disabled, the LGBT community and others. Further his Senate voting record reflects a fundamental disregard for many of the Department of Justice's programs which are vital for the protection of Americans. Senator Sessions votes against the Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2009 and the Violence Against Woman Act in 2012 and 2013, demonstrate a disturbing lack of concern regarding violent crimes, rape, assault, murder committed against minorities and an American majority of women. These crimes in particular make victims of individuals as well as the groups to which they belong and the American values we cling to. His opposition to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act indicates a hostility to the claims of employment discrimination and more specifically to allowing legal redress for paid discrimination against women. This consistent opposition to any meaningful gun control, shows an unwillingness to stand up to the firearms lobby and a lack of concern regarding the destructive impact of gun violence on our children and communities. His failure to condemn the President-elect's call for an unconscionable and unconstitutional ban on Muslim immigrants, as well as his opposition to his Senate resolution condemning a government imposed litmus test on a global religion, evidences an unwillingness to protect the rights of the vulnerable and the unpopular, which is something that an attorney general must do. His call for the reevaluation of a basic constitutional principle, that persons born in this country, are citizens of this country, reflects a form of unconstitutional xenophobia that is fundamentally inconsistent to the duty of the attorney general to protect the rights of all Americans. His calling into question the legitimacy of consent decrees causes us to question whether he will use this powerful tool to hold accountable police departments, such as Ferguson, that engaged in predatory policing and a pattern and practice of discrimination. With his consistent support for mandatory minimums, as a prosecutor and a legislator, he stands in opposition to bipartisan efforts to bring to an end this ugly era of mass incarceration, with 2.3 million Americans behind bars, with overpopulated prisons and jails and depopulated families and communities. It is Senator Sessions' record on voting rights, however, that is perhaps the most troubling. As this committee is well aware, of the infamous Marion Three Case, in which civil rights activists were prosecuted by then U.S. Attorney Sessions for voter fraud, all of whom were acquitted by a jury in less than four hours on 29 counts. This chilling prosecution against innocent civil rights workers, who were later given gold medals by Congress, painfully reverberates in the hearts of black voters in Alabama and the history of this country. Senator Sessions' record of prosecuting so called voter fraud and both intimidating and suppressing voters then is now reflected in a legislative record of supporting voter ID requirements that suppress votes based on the myth of voter fraud today. His record of vote suppressing prosecution is connected to a record of vote suppressing legislation today. Rather than condemn, he's commended voter ID laws like that is own state of Alabama affecting a half million voters. Similar to laws struck down in Texas and North Carolina in the fourth and fifth circuits. If we could imagine, a Senator Sessions leading a Department of Justice and Michael Brown's Ferguson, Freddie Gray's Baltimore, towns with rising hate crime, communities of vulnerable population -- populations and a democracy divided by voter suppression in his twitter -- civil rights -- twitter a civil rights movement. We can imagine that. Imaging that, we must face the reality that Senator Sessions should not be our attorney general. With that said, thank you for this opportunity to testify. I welcome your questions. GRASSLEY: (OFF-MIKE) CANTERBURY: Good morning, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Whitehouse, distinguished members of the committee and of course my own Senator Lindsey Graham. My name is Chuck Canterbury, the National President of the 330,000 rank and file police officer organization. I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to be here today to testify before this committee. I've testified before on cabinet nominations, agency head nominations and even a nominee for the Supreme Court of the United States. I can say without reservation, that I've never testified with more optimism and enthusiasm as I do today for Senator Jeff Sessions. We wholeheartedly support his position and nomination as Attorney General of the United States. Following the news that President-elect Trump intended to tap Senator Sessions, we immediately issued a statement to the press indicating our strong support for his nomination. He's been a true partner to law enforcement in his time as a U.S. attorney, Attorney General for the state of Alabama and throughout his tenure in the United State Senate. Senator Sessions is demonstrated commitment, not just to so-called law and order issues, but also to an issue very important to my members, officer safety. He was the leading co-sponsor of the FOP's efforts to enact the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, which was authored by our friend and former chairman of this committee Senator Leahy. In 2010, Senator Sessions was the Republican lead co-sponsor of S.1132, the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act improvements, which made important and needed changes to the original law. He has provided true leadership in this successful and bipartisan effort. More recently, Senator Sessions was deeply involved in the passage of S.2840, the Protecting Our Lives by Initiating Cots Expansion Act. He helped build bipartisan support for the legislation, which passed the Senate and then the House before being signed into law by the President. That law gives the Office of Community Ordinance Policing Services, the authority to award grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to get active shooter response training for their officers. The need for this training is obviously been identified by numerous law enforcement leaders and by the FOP. Senator Sessions played a key role in the efforts to pass the Fallen Hero Flag Act. The bill which provides a flag to be flying over this Capital to surviving -- to be provided to surviving members of public officers killed in the line of duty. Now this may not sound like much to you, but in a time when officers are being assassinated at the highest rate since the '70s and officers being assaulted at record rates, officers in the field want to know who has my back. Who will protect me while I protect my community? Bills like this, which acknowledge and respect the sacrifices -- sacrifices made by the rank and file truly resonate with my members and with the public safety community. Members of the committee may remember that years that were spent trying to do away with the disparity between the sentencing on the possession of crack cocaine versus powder cocaine. There was a considerable gulf between the position of the FOP and many members of this committee. But in 2001, Senator Sessions introduced a bill to address this issue and he worked tirelessly to bring it together. He made sure the voice of law enforcement was heard and also asserted his belief that the disparity, as existing in the current law, was unjust. In 2010, as a ranking member of this committee, he brokered to compromise that led to the passage, with our support of the Fair Sentencing Act. We accepted that compromise because it was fair, it was just and it reflected the perspective of law enforcement and the law enforcement community. The importance of his direct role on this issue cannot be overstated. Without Jeff Sessions, I believe we might be here today still trying to remain unsolved. That said, I understand that there's a certain amount of partisanship and it's expected in these nomination hearings. But I ask all the members of this committee, to recollect Senator Sessions has worked in a bipartisan manner on many issues, officer safety issues with the FOP and members of the left. More than many times that I've been here, has Senator Sessions been one of the sole members to stand up for law enforcement, especially when it came to the issue of asset forfeiture. Without his leadership, the support in the Equitable Sharing Program may have been dismantled. For us, that demonstrates that Jeff Sessions is a man who can reach across the aisle to get things done for the rank and file officer and to protect the citizens of this country. Senator Sessions has worked tirelessly and faithfully for the majority of his adult life. He is above all, a man who reveres the law and reveres justice. I believe he will be an exemplary attorney general and we urge you to move this nomination forward to the Senate for passage. Thank you sir. GRASSLEY: Thank you Mr. Canterbury. Now Mr. Cole. COLE: Thank you for inviting me to testify. The ACLU is a non- partisan organization with a long standing policy of neither endorsing nor opposing nominees for federal office. We rarely testify in confirmation hearings as a result. We do so today, because we believe Senator Sessions' record raises serious questions about the fitness of -- of Senator Sessions to be the attorney general for all the American people. We take no position on how you should ultimately vote, but we urge you to painstakingly probe the many serious questions that his actions, words and deeds raise about his commitment to civil rights and civil liberties. Our concerns arise from his conduct as a prosecutor and from his record as a Senator. As a prosecutor, when he exercised the power to prosecute, the most powerful -- the most serious power that any government official in the United States exercises, he abused that power. Cornell Brooks has already talked about his prosecution, ultimately baseless of civil rights heroes for seeking to increase the black vote in Alabama. He didn't investigate those who sought to help white voters in Alabama, but he did investigate and prosecute those who sought to aid black voters. Many of the charges in that case were dismissed before they even went to the jury because they were baseless. The jury then acquitted of all the charges. In a second case, the Tyco (ph) case, Senator Sessions collaborated with campaign contributors to his senatorial campaign, to use the office of the criminal prosecutor to intervene in a private business dispute, on behalf of his campaign contributors. He filed a 222-count indictment against Tyco (ph), a -- a -- a engineering supply service -- corporation. All charges in the case were dismissed. Many were dismissed because, again, they were baseless, there was no evidence whatsoever to support them. The others were dismissed on grounds of prosecutorial misconduct and the judge who dismissed them said this was the worst case of prosecutorial misconduct he had seen in his career on the bench. Mr. Sessions successor, Mr. Pryor did not even appeal that decision. So those actions raise serious questions about his fitness to become the most powerful prosecutor in the land. Second, his record as a Senator. Here he has shown blindness or outright hostility to the concerns of the people who's rights he will be responsible to protect. On voting rights, he supported felon disenfranchisement laws and voter ID laws that suppressed the black vote. When the Supreme Court gutted the single most effective provision of the Voting Rights Act, the most important statute in getting -- African-Americans the right to vote in this country, Senator Sessions called that a good day for the south. On religious tolerance, he called Islam a toxic ideology. It is in fact a religion practiced by millions of Americans. Imagine if he called Christianity a toxic ideology. Now, he says he opposes a Muslim ban on entrance to the United States, but when Donald Trump proposed that, he stood up and opposed a resolution introduced here in the Senate to keep religion out of immigration decisions. On women's right, now he says that grabbing women's genitals is sexual assault. But when Donald Trump's tape recording, bragging about his doing precisely that was made public, Senator Sessions said, and I quote, "I don't characterize that as a sexual assault. That's a stretch." When he voted against extending the hate crimes law, to crimes motivated by gender and sexual orientation, he said, and I quote, "I am not sure women or people with different sexual orientations face that kind of discrimination. I just don't see it." Well if you don't see discrimination, you can't very well enforce the laws against discrimination. On torture he now says, that torture, water boarding is illegal, but he praised Michael Mukasey for not ruling out water boarding. And he opposed Senator McCain's amendment which was designed to make it clear that water boarding was illegal. On criminal justice he is an outlier, departing even with many of his Republican colleagues who seek to make the criminal justice system more fair and less harsh. If someone applying to intern for one of your offices had as many questions in his record as Senator Sessions has, racist comment, unethical conduct, padding of his resume, you would not hire him, absent the most thorough investigation and inquiry, if then. Senator Sessions is not seeking to be an intern. He's nominated to be the most powerful law enforcement officer in the nation. The Senate and more importantly the American people deserve satisfactory answers to these questions before Senator Sessions is confirmed. Thank you very much. GRASSLEY: Thank you Mr. Cole. Now Mr. Thompson. THOMPSON: Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse and other members of this distinguished committee, I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you in support of the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General of the United States. I want to add this morning, a bit of a personal perspective on Senator Sessions. I've known Senator Sessions for over 30 years and I am honor to consider him a good friend. Over the years, we have talked frequently, had dinners together and enjoyed each other counsel and support. When I first met Senator Sessions, he was the United States attorney in Mobile and I was the United States attorney in Atlanta. In order to stretch our limited government per diems on travel to Department of Justice conferences, we sometimes shared a room together. We were simply two young prosecutors trying to save money. In 1982, when I was asked by Attorney General William French Smith, to head the Southeastern Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, simply because of the strategic location in Atlanta, where my office was, a delicate situation was represented. The task force consisted of 11 other United States attorney offices, but any potential problem was avoided because my friend, Senator Sessions rallied the other United States attorneys around our common cause and my leadership. Senator Sessions had a lot to do with the success of the task force under my leadership. Senator Sessions was highly thought of by his colleagues and -- and served on the prestigious Attorney General's Advisory Committee. Membership to this committee is by invitation only. I thought about this a lot and can identify for you without any equivocation whatsoever, three things in which the Senator will lead the Department of Justice. First, Senator Sessions will vigorously, but impartially enforce our laws. Senator Sessions has a strong record of bipartisan accomplishment on criminal justice matters. He also understands the importance of what former Attorney General Robert Jackson said, about what constitutes a good prosecutor. That being one who displays sensitivity to fair play and who appreciates his or her tasks with humility. Next, Senator Sessions will continue to make certain that the traditional role of federal law enforcement is carried out with vigor, effectiveness and independence. The Department of Justice under his leadership will attack such critical crime problems, as complicated fraud schemes by individuals and organizations, civil rights violations, serious environmental violations, terrorism and espionage. Finally Senator Sessions will seriously look at the role of federal law enforcement to help our citizens achieve a greater sense of personal safety in their homes and neighborhoods. This will be especially important for some of our minority and low income citizens against whom violent crime has a disproportionate impact. Of all our important civil rights, the rights to be safe and secure in one's home and neighborhood is perhaps the most important. We all know that Senator Sessions has strongly but honestly held political and policy views. But the Senator also has a record of bipartisan leadership in the Senate, especially on criminal justice issues. We talked yesterday, a great deal, was presented to the committee on Senator Sessions' effort under the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 and his work with Senator Durbin on that important legislation. It's interesting as I, as the Deputy Attorney General of the United States in the Bush administration, I opposed this legislation. Senator Sessions was right and I was wrong. A son of the south who has had up close experiences with our great civil rights movement, Senator Sessions is not oblivious to the fact that we have more to do in the area of racial equality. He noted in a speech praising the foot soldiers of the civil rights movement, that more needs to be done, we need to join closer hands. So, as a lawyer myself, who has spent a fair amount of time during my 43 year legal career, supporting diversity in our great profession and equal rights, this statement touched me greatly. Because, it reflects the man I have known for over 30 years and who I'm proud to call my friend. Senator Sessions deserves confirmation as our next attorney general. Thank you. GRASSLEY: Thank you. We'll have seven minute rounds now. And I'm going to start with General Mukasey. Senator Sessions, himself, has noted the attorney general is not the President's lawyer. In your opinion, would Senator Sessions have the independence and of course the ability to say no the President if they disagree? MUKASEY: Absolutely, and I think he made that both clear and explicit yesterday, saying that if necessary the alternative was to resign. GRASSLEY: Also to you, we heard Senator Sessions testify yesterday about the appropriate scope of communication between the White House and the Department of Justice. He said he thought that there was merit in your December 2007 on that topic. So could you tell us what you believe the merits of your approach to be, which would be your explaining in further detail what Senator Sessions said yesterday. MUKASEY: OK. What's in the memo is, the contact between the White House and the Justice Department is limited to the attorney general and the deputy attorney general, with a couple of exceptions. Those exceptions are pending legislation, which is the subject of communication between lower level people and the White House and people in the office of legal policy and other routine budget matters. Other than that, there is to be no contact between anyone at the Justice Department and anyone in the White House. And if anybody gets such a call, they are instructed that the polite response is thank you very much, I'll refer you to the person who can respond to you. GRASSLEY: OK. Mr. Thompson, you've known Senator Sessions for 35 years and in that time you worked very closely with him. So you've already said something about your service together, but could you tell us about that service in more detail than you did in your opening statement? THOMPSON: Yes, Senator Grassley. I've known, as I said, Senator Sessions for a number of years. He has a great deal of respect for the Department of Justice. He had been an Assistant United States Attorney when I'd met him. He had already been promoted to become the United States attorney. He's a fine lawyer, was a very effective prosecutor, but has great fidelity to the principles of fair prosecution in the traditions of the Department of Justice. GRASSLEY: And would you, knowing him as you do. Would you say that he's going to be that independent head that we expect of the Department of Justice? THOMPSON: Absolutely. I would expect Senator Sessions to understand and appreciate and to practice the traditional independent role of the Department of Justice. And he would be an attorney general, I think, that all the Senators on this committee would be proud of. GRASSLEY: Further, since you know him. How do you think he would fair standing up to a strong willed President, who wants to take certain actions that Senator Sessions in his capacity as attorney general may not feel, that would feel would be inappropriate? THOMPSON: That's a good question. As I said, Senator Sessions is not only an experienced prosecutor, but he's a mighty fine lawyer. He would understand his role to counsel the President and to bring the President around to what position is appropriate. But he, at the end of the day, would be independent if the President insisted upon doing something that was inappropriate. GRASSLEY: Mr. Canterbury, of course you're no stranger to these, sort of, attorney general hearings. You testified in support of Attorney General Eric Holder eight years ago, reflecting on the last eight years of leadership of the Department of Justice from the perspective of arguably the largest law enforcement advocacy group. How did DOJ fair? And how might it be different if the person you're supporting today were attorney general? CANTERBURY: Senator, it's our position that we have to work with whoever is in that office. And we have historically worked with every attorney general, personally I've worked with every attorney general since Janet Reno. And we believe that with Senator Sessions, the communications, the lines of communications will be more direct than they have been. We've had good success with career employees at DOJ. They're very professional. We believe it's an outstanding organization. But we also believe, with Senator Sessions, information and the knowledge that he's had from serving on this committee, he'll be able to serve us well in the area of criminal justice with reform efforts and with training and equitable sharing and those types of things. We feel that communications will be excellent with Senator Sessions. GRASSLEY: Another question for you. The Sheriff's Association at the national level recently noted that in the past year, this country has seen the highest number of law enforcement fatalities in five years, including 21 officers who were ambushed, shot, and killed. If confirmed for the position of attorney general, what steps do you think that Senator Sessions could take to reverse the trend? CANTERBURY: First and foremost, we believe that Senator Sessions, as attorney general, will not speak out on incidents that arise before a thorough and -- and -- and full investigation. And we believe that the anti-police rhetoric comes from people that make comments without knowledge of the situation and prior to the facts being released to the media, and so, we believe that there will be a much more positive tone about reconciliation. Nobody in this country wants our communities and police to reconcile more than my members Senator. GRASSLEY: Mr. Kirsanow, Senator Sessions has received some criticism for his enforcement of voting rights while he was a federal prosecutor and Alabama attorney general. Would you evaluate Senator Sessions record on voting rights? This will probably have to be my last question. KIRSANOW: Thank you Mr. Chair. I'd be happy to. I've heard testimony and I've heard media reports with respect to cases related to voting rights that Senator Sessions was prosecuting. And if he had failed to prosecute the Perry County case, that would have been an extraordinary dereliction of duty. I would advise everybody who's interested in facts as opposed to optics to read the indictment, read all the available pleadings, read all of the contemporaneous reporting and you will have wasted about two days doing so, as I did. The multi count indictment, if you go through it, details in excruciating detail all of the violations here. If you look at the facts of the case, what happened is you had two separate factions of black Democrats in Perry County who were vying for seats. One faction went to the attorney -- U.S. attorneys office and said, wait a minute here, we believe there's rampant voter fraud going on here. And in fact, if you look at the FBI's affidavit related to this, they found 75 forged signatures on absentee ballots. There were multiple counts where individuals who were part of, who were candidates, were taking absentee ballots, changing them, altering them or filling them out on behalf of individuals and then giving them to the elections board. One family had a candidate, for whom they voted who was their cousin. All six members testified that their ballot, none the less, was checked for the other person and they said it was false. There was copious evidence that, in fact, there was voter fraud in fact that it occurred. Now, it is true, these people were acquitted. But we've seen this circumstance before. The person who literally wrote the book on voter fraud prosecutions, Craig Don Santo, he's legendary head of the former -- former head of Public Integrity Unit of DOJ was the man who told Senator Sessions, go forward with this. He surmised as did many other contemporary witnesses is that this was a classic case of voter nullification. I think as he testified, or he indicated that this is a matter in which there was no way in the world, a jury was going to convict these individuals, who were in fact civil rights advocates. The facts of the case established that had a prosecutor not taken this and pursued this, there would have been some serious questions about his integrity. GRASSLEY: Senator Whitehouse. WHITEHOUSE: Thank you Chairman. Mr. Canterbury, I was my state's attorney general and Rhode Island is one of the states where the attorney general has full prosecuting authority. There are only three. So I worked very closely with my police department, I was always my state's United States attorney, in that capacity worked very, very closely with police chiefs. My experience was that a police chief in Providence, which is say urban good size city, and a police chief in small coastal Merganser (ph), Rhode Island would have very different law enforcement priorities. And that it, in my view, is appropriate for a police chief to be able to pursue their own law enforcement priorities within their communities. Would you agree with that? CANTERBURY: Yes, Senator. I mean, the same thing with sheriffs. Constitutionally elected officers, their going to police their communities as they think they need to be policed and set priorities that way. WHITEHOUSE: And an important part of that for a police chief, is to maintain the kind of community relations between the department and the community that support effective pursuit of those law enforcement priorities. Is that not the case also? CANTERBURY: I don't think it's any different in a city with five police officers than it is in Providence. Where ever you are, community relations is the key to -- to successfully perform in our job. WHITEHOUSE: And it's going to be different in different communities. The method is going to be different of effective community relations in different communities. CANTERBURY: It can be. Yes sir. WHITEHOUSE: And so, would you agree for the Department of Justice to try to dictate what local law enforcement priorities should be? Or how a police department should chose to deal with its community could be a stretch too far? CANTERBURY: In -- in matters of law, no, but in matters of policy and procedure, yes sir. I would agree with you. WHITEHOUSE: And prioritization as well correct? CANTERBURY: Absolutely. WHITEHOUSE: The reason I asked that, is that one of the concerns that I've heard from Rhode Island police chiefs has been that a relentless or unthinking pursuit of very low level immigration violations could disrupt everything from orderly community relations with a Latino community to even ongoing significant gang investigations. In which cooperators might get, lose their willingness to cooperate if somebody came in and decided to try to deport their mother. My point isn't that one is right and the other is wrong. My point is decision at the community level as to priorities and to maintaining community relations is an important one, correct? CANTERBURY: Yes, sir, it would be, but to cut more to the core of what I think you're asking, sanctuary city decisions are usually made by politicians and not police chiefs, and very rarely... WHITEHOUSE: Sanctuary city, in fact, is not even a legal term, is it? CANTERBURY: And -- and very rarely should law enforcement officers make those decisions. As you know, senator, politicians pass the laws and we're charged with enforcing them, not -- don't necessarily have to agree or disagree with them. WHITEHOUSE: And in doing so, you do establish law enforcement priorities. CANTERBURY: Yes, sir, we would. WHITEHOUSE: You don't put people out on the street to do jaywalking. You go after murders first. You go after robberies first. That's standard law enforcement practice, correct? CANTERBURY: Emergency protocol requires the highest level of crime first and -- and down from there. WHITEHOUSE: Down from there. Mr. Thompson, Mr. Canterbury said earlier something that I agree very much with, which was to applaud the career employees of the Department of Justice and to say that right now the Department of Justice was an outstanding organization. You and I and others have served as United States attorneys. What do you think about the career attorney core of the Department of Justice? THOMPSON: Well, the career attorneys at the Department of Justice through my years of experience, Senator, like yours, these are very good lawyers. They are dedicated to law enforcement. They're dedicated to the work of the Department of Justice. I've had nothing but positive experiences in my years at the Department of Justice and in dealing with the Department of Justice as a defense lawyer. WHITEHOUSE: Should a career attorney in a new administration be punished for following properly the policy direction of a previous administration? THOMPSON: I -- I don't actually think a career attorney should be punished for anything other than not doing his or her work. WHITEHOUSE: Clearly a career attorney shouldn't be judged on whether they are secular or religious in their lives, correct? THOMPSON: Absolutely not. WHITEHOUSE: OK. Mr. Brooks, the Sessions candidacy has achieved expressions of support from people like David Duke and from what's described as a white supremacist neo-Nazi news site called the Daily Stormer, whose site founder wrote that the Sessions appointment was like "Christmas. Basically we are looking at a Daily Stormer dream team in the Trump administration." Now you can't fault a nominee for the people who choose to be enthusiastic about his candidacy. This is not, obviously, Senator Sessions' fault, but do you believe that he has distinguished himself away from whatever the causes are for that support so that you feel comfortable going forward that he has addressed that? BROOKS: Based on the record, I do not believe that the Senator has sufficiently described a Department of Justice fully committed to enforcing the nation's civil rights laws, where we have hate crime rising, most of which is perpetuated not in bars, not in streets, but in K through 12 schools. Speaking against hate crimes, making it clear that you're going to prosecute hate crimes, making it clear that you're going to enforce the nation's civil rights laws, voting rights, the Voting Rights Act to the full measure in a full-throated way. I do not believe we have heard that. So he is not responsible for who endorses him, but he is in fact responsible for what he endorses and his vision for the Department of Justice. WHITEHOUSE: Thank you, Chairman. My time has expired. GRASSLEY: Thank you, Senator Whitehouse. Now Senator Hatch. HATCH: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. General Mukasey, welcome back to the Judiciary Committee. You became attorney general after nearly two decades as a federal district court judge. The current attorney general had nearly two decades of experience as a federal prosecutor. Jeff Sessions will become attorney general after two decades as a U.S. senator. No matter where an attorney general comes from, he or she has the duty described yesterday by one of my Democratic colleagues as "enforcing the law fairly, evenly and without personal bias." You were here yesterday and heard as I did the repeated suggestion that Senator Sessions would not be able to enforce the law personally that he personally disagrees with. Do you agree that someone's political party, general ideological perspective or personal opinions do not by themselves mean that he or she cannot be impartial and fair? MUKASEY: I -- I certainly agree that a person's political background does not disqualify that person from enforcing the law and does not disable that person from enforcing the law. I think Senator Sessions made it entirely clear that he understood the difference between advocating a position, on the one hand, as a legislator, and the oath that he takes to enforce the law on the other. He was very clear, very precise about that, and I think everybody who passes from one status to another -- be it from a judge to attorney general, be it from a lawyer to a judge -- understands that they are changing their responsibilities, and he's not alone in -- in that, but he certainly is very much allowed to it. HATCH: How confident are you that Senator Sessions, a conservative Republican senator, will enforce the law fairly, evenly and without personal bias? MUKASEY: I think his statement's yesterday make it entirely clear that he understands his responsibility to do that, and I see no reason why he won't do it. HATCH: Mr. Kirsanow, in his written testimony, Mr. Brooks argued that Senator Session lacks the judgment and temperament to serve as attorney general. Even more, he questioned whether Senator Sessions would actually prosecute hate crimes. I'd welcome your response to that. KIRSANOW: (OFF-MIKE) HATCH: Put your -- put your... KIRSANOW: I haven't known Mr. Sessions as long as Mr. Thompson has, but I've known him for more than 10 years, and what I can tell you is that I've worked with several senators here who've been very concerned about issues related to civil rights, particularly with respect to one issue that's within my wheelhouse as labor attorney, and that is the interests of black and other workers and their employment prospects. We had hearings at the Civil Rights Commission, several hearings at the Civil Rights Commission, about a lot of deleterious policies to the prospects of black employment, and these were rectifiable policies, but they had pronounced effects, negative effects, on black employment. We even had a hearing where every single witness that spanned the ideological spectrum from left to right agreed, for example, that massive illegal immigration has a decidedly negative impact on wage and employment levels. I provided these reports to a number of senators and other congressmen. Many of the senators here were alarmed by it and questioned me about it, and we had interactions and other members of the Civil Rights Commission. I also provided it to members of Congress, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus. The one senator who reached out, being very alarmed and pursing this case with ultimate vigor, was Senator Sessions. He was very concerned about this. In a number of private conversations we talked about a number of the steps that could be taken aside from reforming immigration law, which we all know here is something that's a significant challenge, but what can we do to improve employment prospects of black Americans? He was the only senator to act in that fashion. I heard nothing whatsoever from the Congressional Black Caucus, despite copious detail about the negative impact of this. I'm ultimately convinced that Senator Sessions would take the appropriate actions to enforce the law as written, because that's what we are talking about, existing immigration law, and he was adamant in doing that without fear or favor and without bias. HATCH: Knowing him as well as I do I agree with you. Mr. Canterbury, I want to thank you so much for what you and thousands of officers who represent us each and every day have said here for Senator Sessions. The Pew Research Center today released one of the largest polls of police officers ever conducted involving some 8,000 officers in departments across the country. As a result of the high profile fatal encounters between officers and blacks, three-quarters of officers are more reluctant to use force when it is appropriate, and 72 percent have become less willing to stop and question people who seem suspicious. Now I believe this effect stems from what has become almost a presumption that police have done something wrong when such encounters occur. That is a pernicious and dangerous shift in the general attitude toward our police, and it is totally without foundation. . Now it seems to me that this change in attitude can not only negatively affect officers and actually put police safety at risk, but also make much more difficult important efforts at -- at community policing. Do you agree with me on that? CANTERBURY: Ab -- Absolutely agree with you. I think the case in Chicago of the young female officer that decided to take a beating rather than deploy a Taser because she said it wasn't worth what she would put herself through to deploy a Taser is -- is a -- a microcosm of what's happening in law enforcement where it's not worth what -- what you may have to put yourself through. HATCH: Well, that same poll found that 93 percent of officers have become more concerned about their own safety in this country. Yesterday the chairman noted that the number of police killed in the line of duty has significantly increased. You've made that point. Also yesterday Senator Sessions noted that most police are local rather than federal. The Fraternal Order of Police and other national law enforcement groups support his nomination. How do you think that a change in leadership of the justice department can concretely affect and improve things at the local level? CANTERBURY: Well, first of all the Byrne JAG Grant Program, the COPS Program, the Community Oriented Policing teams, consent decrees, pattern of practice investigations. When you have open lines of communication where rank and file management as well as citizen and activist groups can discuss those -- those cases, I think you can -- you can get to a place where the communities will face -- feel safer and the police officers will feel safer. And we've got to reduce the violence in this country. You know, Senator Hatch, we've been saying for a long time systemic poverty is an issue that law enforcement is not charged with nor has the ability to fix, but we're willing to be good partners, and we believe with Jeff Sessions as attorney general we'll be able to work in all of those sections of the Justice Department to try and improve. (CROSSTALK) HATCH: We're pleased that you're here today, and we're pleased that you're willing to testify for and on his behalf. Thank you. Mr. Chairman. GRASSLEY: Senator. DURBIN: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank all the members of the panel who are here today, and especially Oscar Vasquez, who came as my invitee, for telling his inspiring life story. Thank you. You've given a face to an issue which is near and dear to my heart and the hearts of millions of Americans. Thank you for serving our country. General Mukasey, during the course of this hearing, I sense that there is an evolving context relative to Russia and the involvement of Russia in the election. Many of the questions we've posed to Senator Sessions related to his values, his votes, and now I think there's a growing concern of a question that you've addressed yourself, too. I'm going to ask you to speak to again, about his role if he becomes attorney general vis-a-vis the White House, the president. We now have allegations, unconfirmed, relative to Russian activity relating to the president-elect. As I said, alleged, unconfirmed, and Director Comey of the FBI saying at this point he would not talk about whether there was an ongoing investigation relative to Russia's role in the election. So can you give me some clarity? And I think you've addressed this. Forgive me if I'm asking you to repeat. Could you give me some clarity? When you served as attorney general, if you received a call from on high, from the White House, from any person in the White House, relative to an investigation, an ongoing investigation or a prosecution, what do you believe was the appropriate response in that situation? MUKASEY: The appropriate response is that whatever investigation it is is going to be pursued to its logical conclusion, which is to say where the facts and the law lead. I'm glad that the question was in the hypothetical, because I in fact did not get such a call, although I have gotten -- did get calls with respect to other matters, and my response was generally that the department would pursue its agenda as already said. DURBIN: So do you -- is it your position the attorney general is independent in this decision making when it comes to other members of the executive branch? MUKASEY: Correct. The Attorney General is, obviously, is a member of an administration and pursues priorities that are set by an administration, but when you're talking about particular investigations and particular cases, that's something altogether different, and I think Senator Sessions made it clear he understood it was altogether different. DURBIN: Can I ask you another question related to that? Investigations undertaken by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, what authority does the attorney general have over the commencement or the conclusion of those investigations? MUKASEY: The attorney general, theoretically, is -- is -- The FBI director reports to the attorney general. I say theoretically because there're -- occasionally one gets the idea that the attorney general is independent. If we had more time, I could tell you the story, but it will have to wait until (inaudible) meeting. The FBI director works for the attorney general. DURBIN: So, I guess my question, it -- Repeatedly Senator Sessions has called for attorneys general to recuse themselves rather than participate in investigations with political ramifications -- most recently called for Attorney General Lynch to appoint a special counsel for Hillary Clinton in an op-ed that he wrote on November 5 of last year. I am trying to work this through. I asked him pointedly whether he would recuse himself if there were any accusations against the president-elect once he becomes president or other people involved in the Trump campaign, and he basically answered me that he was going to take this on a case-by-case basis. If he has the authority and power to stop an investigation at the FBI, is that what you're telling me? MUKASEY: Yes. DURBIN: So, if there is an investigation underway, he could stop it if he wished? MUKASEY: Yes. DURBIN: And when it comes to the appointment of a special counsel involving the pre- the conduct of the president, is it your feeling that the attorney general should, as a general rule, consider special counsel? MUKASEY: No. It would depend on the case. The -- The -- A special counsel has to be appointed when there is a good reason why the department headed by the attorney general cannot pursue that case. I think what Senator Sessions had in... I'm not familiar with the op-ed that you mentioned, so I'm -- I'm speculating, but it sounds like what he had in mind was not simply the position of the attorney general, but rather the tarmac conversation with -- with President Clinton, that put her in a -- in a difficult situation. I don't think that simply had to do with the fact that she was attorney general appointed by the president. DURBIN: I see. Thank you. Mr. Brooks, since the Shelby County decision, the Voting Rights Act is in a perilous situation, and I commended to my colleagues and I commend to you a book entitled "White Rage" by Carol Anderson who teaches at Emory, and she talks about the evolution of the issue of race since the Civil War. It strikes me now that we are in dangerous territory about the future of the Voting Rights Act. If preclearance is not required, and the Department of Justice is reacting after the fact, there could be some delay in justice here in an intervening election or no action taken. I asked my staff to give me a listing of the cases initiated by the Department of Justice relative to the Voting Rights Act for the last several years, and it goes on for pages. Can you address this issue about your belief of the commitment of Senator Sessions to enforce the Voting Rights Act in principal post-Shelby County? BROOKS: Certainly. So, as you well know, Senator, the Voting Rights Act is regarded as the crown jewel of civil rights statutes, and Section 5 was regarded as the most effective provision of the most effective civil rights statute. In the wake of the Shelby v. Holder Supreme Court decision, which debilitated Section 5, being via Section 4(b), we have seen nothing less than a Machiavellian frenzy of voter disenfranchisement from one end of the country to the other. And so that means that the Department of Justice has taken on more responsibility and civil rights organizations have taken on more responsibility with fewer tools. It has meant the debilitation, literally, of our democracy. Where we have citizens who have to wait for the violation to occur, as we saw in North Carolina, where the Fourth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, held that the state legislature engaged in intentional racial discrimination with respect to voter suppression carried out with surgical precision. It took an army of lawyers, an army of experts, in order to vindicate the rights of the people, and a mass movement by the North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP with so many others and so many other legal groups. The point being here is the Department of Justice -- Not only is the democracy in a perilous place, but the Department of Justice is in a perilous place. It needs strong leadership. It needs resources, and we need the Voting Rights Advancement Act -- to fix the Voting Rights Act. DURBIN: And post-Shelby County, if the attorney general is not timely and aggressive in enforcing the Voting Rights Act, the damage will be done. BROOKS: The damage is absolutely done. And when we think about all of the many members of this body that went to Selma, that commemorated the foot soldiers of the movement, on the Edmond Pettus Bridge. All that they died for, all that they sacrificed is hanging in the balance. So we need strong leadership there, because literally, literally, we can squander the fruit of -- of -- of their efforts and the civic sacrament of our democracy, namely the right to vote. DURBIN: Thank you. Thank you Mr. Chairman. GRASSLEY: Thank you Senator. Senator Cornyn. CORNYN: Thank you Mr. Chairman. There's a lot to cover in seven minutes. So let me try to be somewhat selective. First of all, thanks to all of you for being here. I can't help but believe that, in spite of the fact that we've had a national election that the election is still ongoing. The campaign is still ongoing. I respect each one of your rights to express your point of view. And -- but I at the same time, it's amazing to me that, with the Senator having cast 6,000 votes in the United States Senate, we're focused on a handful of policy differences and somehow people are saying, well those are dispositive of the qualification of this person who we've served along side of for 15 years, in my case, and 20 years in the case of others. So I guess our job is, sort of, like the jury in a regular lawsuit, that we have to not -- we have to give weight to the testimony and we have to figure out who's testimony is entitled to greater weight. Because frankly, the description we've heard today are so wildly disparate that it's, I -- I would imagine for people who didn't know Senator Sessions and know his record as I do and those of us who've served with him, it would be hard to reconcile. But I -- I want to ask General Mukasey, Senator Hatch alluded to this, but this is really important to me and I just want to reiterate this. You've had the distinction of serving in the two branches of our three branches of government, as a federal district judge with great distinction and as attorney general in the executive branch. I, at a much lower level, have had the chance to serve now in three branches myself as a state court judge and as attorney general of my state and now as a legislator here at the federal level. Each of those roles are different aren't they? And indeed I think that's the point that Senator Sessions made eloquently yesterday, even though he may have some policy differences or have cast a vote against a bill in the Senate. He would respect the Constitution and enforce the law. Isn't that what you understood? MUKASEY: That's precisely what I understood. And he recognized the difference in the different roles that he plays as a legislator, from what he would play as attorney general. CORNYN: And I thought yesterday he did a magnificent job responding to the questions and acknowledging the policy differences do exist. That's just the way it is. Mr. Canterbury, let me ask you a little bit about the role of the federal government and the attorney general's office and the Department of Justice in supporting local and state law enforcement. I believe the figure is roughly $2 billion a year, that the federal government hands out, or -- or -- or distributes in terms of grants to local and state law enforcement. I think your testimony, you mentioned the active shooter training that we've tried to enhance through the Police Act, which passed the Congress and was signed by President Obama. Making sure that more officers were -- got that training which is even more relevant, sadly today than perhaps even in the past. I would just add to that, the -- the work that we did recently on mental health and it's intersection with the criminal justice system. The Mental Health and Safe Communities Act that was part of the 21st Century Cures Bill. Again, recognizing that our jails and our streets and our emergency rooms have become the treatment centers by default for people with mental illness. We need to do more to try to get people who need help the help they need, but not treat mental illness as a crime, per say. We also need to make sure that we train our law enforcement officials because we know how dangerous, at least from the stories and the statistics that we see, how dangerous it can be when police officer encounters a person with mental illness. And they don't have the training they need to de-escalate the -- the -- the scene. But could you talk a little bit about your experience and your organization's experience as law enforcement officials dealing with people with -- with mental illness? CANTERBURY: Well I would say in the last 10 or 15 years, the number of mentally ill individuals that law enforcement comes in contact as exponentially gone up as mental health services at the state and local level have gone down. And, I've explained this recently to a -- a Vice-President Biden when he asked about that same question. And my response was, in many of these situations, regardless on whether a police officer or a law enforcement professional realizes that there's a mental illness, the circumstances are dictated by the actions. And so, whether or not we can recognize the particular mental illness, is not as important as recognizing that there is an issue. The problem is that there's very little assistance at that level anymore for street level mental illness. And, making sure that they're not a danger to themselves or others should not, cannot be the responsibility of a first responding officer. We just will never have the training to be able to do it to that extent. So there is -- it's a huge issue for local and state officers and I don't know what we're going to do to fix that. But, the biggest thing is that the community based mental health facilities are just not there anymore. CORNYN: Well I think you'll find a friend in -- in Senator Sessions as attorney general in recognizing the priorities for local law enforcement -- state law enforcement and making sure that the Mental Health and Safe Communities Act, which will provide priority for that kind of training and assistance for local and state law enforcement is there. Ms. Sepich, thank you for your outstanding work and rising out of a terrible tragedy, you and your family experienced in your lives. But -- but I know you're committed to making sure not only that that doesn't happen to other families, but also that through your work on DNA Saves that we are able to bring people responsible to justice. There's been so much work that we've done here and Senator Sessions has been front and center as you've noticed. Things like Senator Hatch's rapid DNA legislation act. The Paul Coverdale National Forensic Science Improvement Act, which was just renewed in the Justice for All Act that Senator Leahy and I co-sponsored and was signed by President Obama. But, it is so important to make sure that we do provide all these essential tools and good science to make sure we do convict the guilty, but we also exonerate people who are innocent of crimes. And would you, I just want to say thank you. I know the Chairman has the gavel in his hand and he's getting ready to gavel me out of order here. But I just want to express my gratitude to you for your leadership on that issue. But you're right, Senator Sessions has been front and center at all of those efforts, not only to convict the guilty, but also to exonerate the innocent. Thank you Mr. Chairman. GRASSLEY: Now Senator Leahy. LEAHY: Thank you. I wasn't going to interrupt Senator Cornyn as long as your praising a legislation you and I wrote -- wrote together. I mention that only because contrary to what people believe, Republicans and Democrats do work together on a lot of things here in the Congress. Mr. Thompson, you and I have worked together on things as you know. And, I just want to say something to Sergeant Vasquez -- Vasquez, I'm sorry for the pronunciation. I watched some of your testimony earlier. It is so moving. And, my wife did too, and we're both so proud of you and thank you for what you have done, your service for the country. And as parents of one who served in the military, we, like all parents everywhere, you worry about those who serve and you worry what they do, but you think. Thank everybody, the fact that we have people who are willing to serve our country. Are you concerned about what might happen under the new administration for young people registered under DACA? VASQUEZ: Definitely Mr. Senator. There -- there is a huge concern for those roughly 800,000 people that raise their hand and say they were undocumented right? I think that the biggest point that makes is that when there was a path, there was a way for us to come out of the shadows, right. And a dozen people raised their hand and say they were undocumented. Now the fact of the matter is that there was no other way, right;the Congress, the Senate has not passed any meaningful laws that could guarantee them a path to citizenship, to (inaudible) legislation (ph), to whatever you want to call it. But unless there is a path, unless there is a way they can find a permanent solution, we are definitely concerned that the next administration is going to stop the DACA and that those students are going to have to go back into the shadows. Senator Sessions stated yesterday that there is not enough financial support to report 800,000 people and at the same time he opposed every single legislation that will give them a way to become legal. So what are the students to do? What are the young adults to do when they are faced with opposition? So it is definitely concerning. LEAHY: You must know an awful lot of people who are nearing the DACA, is there a sense of concern about the rhetoric that we're hearing with the new administration? VAZQUEZ: There is definitely a sense of concern. There is a lot of fear most of all. I know students -- one of the other, my teammate has won the competition so many years ago; he is a father to two U. S. citizen children now and he will be facing -- he is facing the unknown (ph) given the next administration. I mean there has been statement saying that DACA is going to be repealed, maybe there is not, so we are not sure what's going to happen in that scenario. There is a lot of fear out there. LEAHY: Thank you. Ms. Swadhin, I -- I raised on behalf -- I probably should raise the question yesterday and I'm hearing about comments that the President-Elect has made regarding sexual assault and gave Mr. Sessions a chance to explain where-- his first response is that he seemed to be basically minimize and improving what President might have said, he expanded what he meant yesterday and yesterday he is under oath, I will accept that. But I think -- my own daughter -- I think of -- my three beautiful granddaughters; and I think about somebody in the Hollywood video on the President-elect jokes about what is sexual assault. Mr. Sessions now when he is asked further about it, in midst of what President-elect Trump brags about doing is sexual assault. You've dedicated your life to helping others heal after sexual assault. You're a survivor yourself. What -- sort of a two-part question; what kind of a message to somebody, especially somebody in power trivializes sexual assault, even jokes about it; how is the prosecutor -- I prosecuted sexual assault cases. What does it do for victims' willingness to come forth if they see people in power trivialize something that might be a lifelong trauma for them? (Inaudible). SWADHIN: Thank you for the question, Senator Leahy. You know, it's highly relevant on several levels that the impact that it has on survivors watching people in power and in this case, someone who -- you know, has been elected to be the President of The United States make these kind of jokes and brag about this kind of so- called locker room behavior about sexually assaulting women. I think it's important to go back to the point I made in my testimony that the majority of victims of violent crime are assailed (ph) by people who they know intimately. In cases of adult rape and sexual assault, 80 percent of survivors know their assailant and in 90 percent of cases of child sexual abuse,the person sexually abusing the child is known and trusted and often loved by the person who is perpetrating the violence. So it's already so hard for survivors to come forward because it means that we have to testify against the people that we put our trust in. In my case it was my father and that's not an uncommon story, it's someone very close to you; that's how these crimes happen. And so to be able to trust the state more than we fear are intimately known perpetrators,we have to see people in control of the state who take a hard-line stance against sexual assault and whom -- you know, say publicly that they would support and believe survivors. And unfortunately in this political climate, we're looking at an administration led by a man who not only does not seem to prioritize helping sexual assault survivors heal and come forward to be able to trust the state but -- you know, may have actually engaged in assault himself, the things that he was bragging about. So it's incredibly concerning. Add to that the fact that the violence that we live through has very traumatizing impacts. I myself live with complex PTSD, so your mental health on a day-to-day basis is already negatively impacted. So to be able to stay grounded enough to come forward and put your trust in a stranger, social worker, a prosecutor, a police officer in order to get the services healing and the accountability that you deserve, it's incredibly difficult. LEAHY: Thank you. Because I -- I remember, on the sexual assault cases where detectives at my office, assistant prosecutors and myself having to tell people you can trust us. We actually care about what you're saying. We do believe it's a crime. And frankly, those who trivialize it and say it's not a crime are ignoring too many people in this country. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. GRASSLEY: Thank you, Senator Leahy, now Senator Cruz. CRUZ: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank all the members of the distinguished panel for being here today and I want to take a special moment to thank Larry Thompson who was my boss at the Department of Justice; although I would note that you should not hold Larry accountable for my missteps in the years that followed. I want to start, Mr. Cole by addressing your testimony. And I would note that the ACLU -- I have worked alongside the ACLU on any number of the issues here in the senate, including we've worked alongside each other on issues of indefinite detention, we've worked on the same side concerning the USA Patriot Act, we worked on the same side working to stop the efforts of Senate Democrats to amend the Constitution and to amend the Free Speech protections of the First Amendment and so I'm grateful for many of the good things the ACLU does. You're a professor at Georgetown; I would like to ask you as a professor, how would you react to a student who submitted List of Panel Members and Witnesses PANEL MEMBERS: SEN. CHARLES E. GRASSLEY, R-IOWA CHAIRMAN SEN. JEFF SESSIONS, R-ALA. SEN. ORRIN G. HATCH, R-UTAH SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-S.C. SEN. JOHN CORNYN, R-TEXAS SEN. MIKE LEE, R-UTAH SEN. TED CRUZ, R-TEXAS SEN. JEFF FLAKE, R-ARIZ. SEN. DAVID PERDUE, R-GA. SEN. THOM TILLIS, R-N.C. SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN, D-CALIF. RANKING MEMBER SEN. PATRICK J. LEAHY, D-VT. SEN. CHARLES E. SCHUMER, D-N.Y. SEN. RICHARD J. DURBIN, D-ILL. SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, D-R.I. SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR, D-MINN. SEN. AL FRANKEN, D-MINN. SEN. CHRIS COONS, D-DEL. SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, D-CONN. SEN. MAZIE K. HIRONO, D-HAWAII WITNESSES: FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL MICHAEL B. MUKASEY DAVID COLE, LEGAL DIRECTOR, ACLU LARRY THOMPSON, FORMER DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL CORNELL BROOKS, PRESIDENT AND CEO, NAACP CHUCK CANTERBURY, NATIONAL PRESIDENT, FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE OSCAR VAZQUEZ, FORMER DREAMER, U.S. VETERAN PETER KIRSANOW, COMMISSIONER, UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS AMITA SWADHIN, FOUNDER, MIRROR MEMOIRS JAYANN SEPICH, CO-FOUNDER, DNA SAVES SEN. CORY BOOKER, D-N.J. WILLIE HUNTLEY, FORMER ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA REP. JOHN LEWIS, D-GA. JESSE SEROYER, FORMER UNITED STATES MARSHAL, MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA REP. CEDRIC L. RICHMOND, D-LA. WILLIAM SMITH, FORMER CHIEF COUNSEL, ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT AND THE COURTS SUBCOMMITTEE, SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HOLDS A CONFIRMATION HEARING FOR ALABAMA SENATOR JEFF SESSIONS TO BE THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL. THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HOLDS A CONFIRMATION HEARING FOR ALABAMA SENATOR JEFF SESSIONS TO BE THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL. GRASSLEY: Morning, everybody. I welcome everyone back for our second day of hearing on Senator Sessions' nominee -- nomination for Attorney General. As I said yesterday, I want everyone to be able to watch the hearing without obstruction. If people stand up and block the views of others behind them or if they speak out of turn, it's not fair or considerate to others. So officers will remove individuals as they have previously. Before we begin with opening statements from the panel, I want to go over a couple of housekeeping items and explain how we're going to proceed today. Senator -- Senator Whitehouse will be acting as Ranking Member today and I will give an opening statement and he can if he wants to as well. I welcome that. Then we'll turn to our witnesses for their opening statements. Following the statements, we'll begin with the first rounds of questions, in which each senator will have seven members (sic). After we finish asking questions of the first panel, we'll turn to the final panel for their testimony. And in regard to the timing of that, it will kind of depend on when this panel is completed. But if we get this panel completed, let's say around lunch or 12:30 or 1 o'clock, we may adjourn for an hour or so at that time. But I won't be able to make that determination until we finish here with this panel. Yesterday, we met here from 9:30 until about 8 p.m., so that every Senator, both Democrat and Republican could ask Senator Sessions as many questions as they wanted to. We had great cooperation every day, yesterday, and I should thank everybody for that cooperation, and we'll press ahead into today. We heard from Senator Shelby and Collins, who gave their strong endorsement of Senator Sessions. Their introductions describes Senator Sessions extensive experience, outstanding qualifications and character. I also want to note that yesterday, Senator Feinstein participated in her first nomination hearing as the new Ranking Member. I'm looking forward to working with her in her new capacity as I said yesterday. In her opening statement yesterday, Senator Feinstein correctly observed and I'd like to quote, fairly long quote, "Today we're not being asked to evaluate him, meaning Senator Sessions, as a Senator. We're being asked to evaluate him for the Attorney General of the United States, the chief law enforcement for the largest and best democracy in America." She continued, "As attorney general, his job will not be to advocate for his beliefs, rather the job of attorney general is to enforce federal law, even if he voted against a law, even if he spoke against it before it passed, even if he disagreed with the President, seeing that the law is constitutional." Then she concluded, "This hearing must determine whether this Senator will enforce the laws that he voted against." end of quote. And yesterday, through 10 and a half hours of testimony, we got a clear and unequivocal answer to this threshold question. He was asked repeatedly if he would enforce the law, even if he disagreed with that law as a matter of policy. Time and again, Senator Sessions reaffirmed his commitment to this fundamental principle. As Attorney General of the United States his solemn duties are, as we all know and expect, are to the Constitution and to enforce the law duly enacted. His fundamental commitment to the rule of law emerged as a central theme of our discussion yesterday. And as I made clear in my opening statement, that's what I believe the department desperately needs. Yesterday -- yesterday's testimony further convinced me that Senator Sessions is the right choice to serve as our nation's chief law enforcement officer at this critical time. We know that he is very well qualified for the position having served for 15 years as a prosecutor and now 20 years as a Senator, so that's three decades of public service. We all know (ph) Senator Sessions will be up front with you when you say that he's going to do something, he will do it. Senator Sessions will be an independent attorney general, as he's been asked so many times yesterday and about his enforcement of the law. That's the bottom line. I now turn to Senator Whitehouse. WHITEHOUSE: Thank you very much Chairman. Let me, just make some very brief remarks. First, I can't help but note as a general proposition, hearing after hearing, the effort to push nominees into confirmation hearings before their FBI background checks are complete. Before their ethics and financial disclosure filings are concluded, and I'd like to put into the record, this hearing, the letter that Senator Schumer, Minority Leader Schumer wrote to Majority Leader McConnell. In which, he took a letter that Majority Leader McConnell had written, Minority Leader McConnell had written to Majority Leader Reed and simply changed the names. He wrote, Dear Mitch, in place of dear Harry, and he signed his own name at the bottom and it was thus a verbatim letter. And what we have been asking for is exactly what Republicans asked for over and over again, what has long been the tradition of the Senate. It is not the Senate's fault that the Trump administration was not prepared and that it did not have its nominees vetted. In place, I know that Senator Sessions has been one of the nominees who has been prepared but I can't help but point out that across the board the ramming of unvetted nominees, the stacking of hearings on top of hearings, and the jamming of all of this up against an unprecedented vote-a-rama for a no-hearing budget, creates I think an unfortunate new precedent in the Senate. The point that I'll make about the Department of Justice is somebody who has served in the Department of Justice, like many of my colleagues or a number of my colleagues, is that I think there's legitimate concern based on the hectoring in the right wing groups for a general house cleaning of career staff, and for a particular targeting of named career staff. As I mentioned in my questioning yesterday, one of the Heritage Foundation spokespeople made the comparison to the Aegean Stables and filth as having to be washed out of the Aegean Stables. I don't think it's fair to characterize the career of employees of the United States Department of Justice as filth, and, nor do I think it is proper to assert that this should not be secular. And, I think it's a matter of concern when an attorney general thinks that a secular attorney may have a lesser, or different appreciation of truth than a religious attorney. Particularly coming from what I want more, freedom of conscience has been such a principle of core values since the days of Roger Williams. When Providence was a tiny settlement in the wilderness, where people who thought freely were able to get away from the theocracy of Massachusetts. We have a long history of concern about that kind of evaluation of career department professionals. And finally I'd say that, after a very divisive campaign, that left a lot of Americans and a lot of communities feeling very wounded and very vulnerable and very set upon, and after a promise that he would be a President for all Americans over and over and over and over again, we're seeing an array of cabinet nominees who run far to the right. And frankly, in many cases, come out of the swamp that the President-elect promised to drain. So, I thank you Chairman for the, I think, thoughtful and fair way in which you have run this hearing. I thought that Senator Sessions handled himself very well by staying until all the questions were answered. I appreciate the procedure that you have gone through, but I did want to make a record of those concerns from our side about the larger process in which these nominations hearings are taking place. And with that, I yield back to you sir. GRASSLEY: Thank you. (Inaudible) witnesses and introduce them. I think, so I don't forget it, I promised Senator Coons point of personal privilege on one of the nominations. COONS: Thank you Mr. Chairman. I -- I had asked for the opportunity to introduce my friend and colleague Cornell Brooks, but I'm perfectly happy to wait to do so until there are other introductions a foot or to do it right now. GRASSLEY: I'd rather have you do it now if you would please. COONS: Thank you Mr. Chairman. I'm pleased to introduce Dr. Cornell Brooks, the President and CEO of the NAACP, as one of our many witnesses on this distinguished panel here today. Mr. Brooks has dedicated his entire career to ensuring that Americans truly enjoy the promise of equal protection of the law. Before assuming leadership of the NAACP in 2014, he was head of the Newark, New Jersey based Institute for Social Justice. And fittingly, for a hearing on the nominee to lead the Department of Justice, his early experience was of being a part of the Department of Justice, as a trial attorney, where he secured the largest government settlement for victims of housing discrimination. And filed the government's first lawsuit against a nursing home alleging discrimination based on race. He was also Executive Director of the Fair Housing Council of Greater Washington, a trial attorney with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and a law clerk to the Honorable Samuel J. Ervin III on the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He's a fellow alum with Yale Law School, holds a Master of Divinity degree from Boston University School of Theology. He is not just a lawyer and social advocate, but a fourth generation ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, a husband and father of two sons. Mr. Brooks, thank you for your leadership in the work of justice throughout our nation and I look forward to your testimony here today. BROOKS (?): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. GRASSLEY: I'm going to ask you to stand and swear before we -- before I introduce you. Would you raise your right hand? Will you -- do you affirm that the testimony you're about to give before this committee will be the whole truth -- the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God? OK. I noticed that all of you affirmed that. Thank you very much. Please sit down. The 81st Attorney General of the United States was the Honorable Michael Mukasey. Mr. Mukasey has also served as a U.S. attorney and a district court judge, southern district of New York. We thank him for coming. Our second witness, Oscar Vasquez, he became a citizen of the United States 2011 and served honorably in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army. We welcome you and thank you, obviously, for your military service. Our next witness, Peter Kirsanow is a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and is very familiar with this committee and we're familiar with you. Thank you for coming. Next is Amita Swadhin, she is a sexual assault survivor and co-founder of Mirror Memoirs. I hope I'm right on that. Welcome to you. Then we have Jayann Sepich, the mother of Katie Sepich. She's the founder of Surviving Parents Coalition. Our next witness Cornell Brooks, you've heard introduced, but let me further say that he's President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and he's well known to us as well. Thank you for being here today. Chuck Canterbury is the National President of the Fraternal Order of Police. He's familiar to a lot of us as well, so we welcome you. Next we'll hear from David Cole, National Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union. He's also a professor at the Georgetown Law Center. We welcome you. And finally, we'll hear from Larry Thompson. He served as Deputy Attorney General under President Bush. As a well known U.S. attorney for the northern district of Georgia, and we welcome back to the committee Mr. Thompson. So, I think we'll start with Mr. Mukasey and we're going to hear testimony from all of you. And then, we'll have questions as I indicated, seven minute rounds. So proceed will you General Mukasey. MUKASEY: Thank you. Chairman Whitehouse, Ranking Member -- sorry Chairman Grassley, not yet, right? Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse, members of the committee, this is one of those occasions that's both an honor and a pleasure. An honor to appear before this committee and a pleasure to speak to the qualifications of Senator Sessions to serve as attorney general. I submitted a statement to the committee and I'm happy to answer any questions relating to it or any other subject that the committee thinks that's relevant to passing on the qualifications of Senator Sessions. But, of course I'm here for the convenience of the committee, not simply to orate. And after watching yesterday's hearing, and Senator Sessions responses to the committee's questions, I think the only thing I have to add to what I've already submitted at this point, is to say that the person you saw and heard yesterday is very much the person I came to know beginning in 2007, when I first appeared before this committee. Principled, intelligent, knowledgeable, thorough, modest and thoroughly dedicated to the rule of law and to the mission of the department. which is to enforce the law and to preserve our freedoms. So I thank you very much for hearing me. GRASSLEY: Does that complete your testimony? MUKASEY: It does. GRASSLEY: Thank you. Now, Sergeant Vasquez. Thank you. Please proceed. VASQUEZ: Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse, thank you for the opportunity to testify before the committee. My name is Oscar Vasquez and I am proud to be an American. I was born in a small town in Mexico. I was 12 years old when my mother and I boarded a bus to the border. Although I did not make the choice to come to America, this country quickly became my home. As soon as we were settled in America, my parents made sure I was enrolled in school, because they wanted me to understand the value of education. It was at this point that I started to develop a passion for math and science, since the formulas and equations transcended the language barrier. In high school, I joined the JROTC program, where my drill instructors were Vietnam veterans. They thought as a valley of selfless service, whether you able to provide it in the military or not. They wanted us to be better Americans. I loved the order and discipline and was eventually awarded the JROTC officer of the year. In my sophomore year, soon after 9/11, I saw the Band of Brothers mini series and I knew then, I wanted to join the Army. But when I met with the recruiter, I was told I could not enlist because I was undocumented. I left that meeting not knowing what to do, or what was next. I was devastated. I then had to figure out what else to do with my life. At the beginning of my senior year, I joined the robotics club. Our team of undocumented (ph) students enter a national competition and would design the underwater robot which we named Stinky. Beyond our wildest dreams, my high school team won the grand prize for the competition, against some of the countries top technical universities. Winning the competition was proof that we as DREAMers have something to offer to the country we always considered our home. Although I could not contribute to my country by joining the military, I enrolled Arizona State University and decided I could contribute by becoming an engineer. In 2005, I married my wife Carla, a U.S. citizen. She started a process of petitioning for my legal status, but it is the case of many DREAMers there were enormous legal obstacles and substantial risks. While I was a student at Arizona State, the Arizona legislator passed a law prohibiting undocumented citizens from receiving state financial aid and paying the state tuition. Even doors, that I've had in my home for many years and I was married to a U.S. citizen, I was treated like an outsider. The law tripled my tuition, (inaudible) by working construction, I scraped the money together to pay for college and support my family. I graduated in 2009 with a degree in mechanical engineering. This was three years before the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals was established. So even though I had a (inaudible) degree and there were jobs available, no one would hire me in this field because I didn't have legal status. In 2010, after completing a legal process that involved substantial hardship to my family, I was able to get a green card. Having legal resident status changed my life. I was able to get a drivers license, travel freely within the United States and pursue a career in engineering. The biggest note is -- the biggest note is -- the biggest change that I noticed was the fear. I was no longer afraid of being deported or being forcibly separated from my family. I could also pursue my dream of joining the military and becoming a paratrooper. I enlisted in the United States Army and started basic training in February 2011. I went in to fight for the country that raised me. Saying I love this country wasn't enough. I wanted to let my actions speak for themselves. Shortly before I finished basic training, I became a U.S. citizen. A couple weeks later, I found myself jumping out of a C-130 flying over Fort Benning, Georgia. And a couple months after that, I was deployed to Afghanistan. I look forward to combat because I wanted to protect the United States. Serving in the Army allowed me to contribute fully to this country and make it safer. I was following in the footsteps of countless other immigrants who have proudly served the United States. In Afghanistan, I fought side by side with my Army brothers. We wore the same uniform, wore the U.S. flag on the same shoulder. It mattered more that we were willing to be there (ph) for each other and for our country than where we came from. To this day, I remember how I felt after our first firefight in Afghanistan. I had put my life on the line for my brothers and for my country and I felt really proud to be an American. I felt then, for the first time, that no one could again question whether I am an American. It has been a great honor to serve my country. My son Oscar Maximus is 4 years old and in preschool. My daughter, Samantha is 8 years old and in third grade. We live outside of Fort Worth, Texas where I volunteer at two different high schools in their respective robotics program. I feel that my family is living the American dream. But I want to continue serving my country and I will soon join the Army Reserve. I think now about all the doors that were unlocked for me when I became a lawful, permanent resident. The ability to get the job of my dreams, provide for my family and live without fear. I can't imagine what it will be like to have that taken away from me today. I also can't imagine what it is like today for my former teammates and the nearly 100,000 DACA recipients who do not have a legal status and who are afraid of what could happen to them in a matter of days. Of course, DACA is only a temporary solution and now even that is at risk. I hope that you will not view my story of that as someone exceptional, rather I am where I am today because of the many great people who have believed in me and have given me a chance. I also want to acknowledge most DREAMers and mostly (ph) undocumented immigrants who do not have a path to legal status right now. I wanted to come here today because our countries top law enforcement officer must be someone who understands that immigrants make our country stronger. Most Americans agree that it's not right to deport someone who was brought here as a child. Deport them to a country that might not even remember. We need an attorney general who will protect American people from those who will do us harm, but who will also show mercy to those who deserve it. Thank you again for the opportunity to testify. I look forward to answering your questions. GRASSLEY: Thank you very much, Sergeant. Now Mr. Kirsanow. KIRSANOW: (OFF-MIKE) GRASSLEY: Have you pushed the red button? Or whatever color the button is? KIRSANOW: Thank you Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse, members of the committee, I'm Peter Kirsanow of the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights and a partner in the Labor and Employment Practice Group of Benesh, Friedlander and I'm here on a personal capacity. Youth commission on civil rights was established pursuant to the 1957 Civil Rights Act to among other things, act as a national clearing house for matters pertaining to denials of equal protection, discrimination and voting rights. And in furtherance of that clearing house function, my assistant and I reviewed the bills, sponsored and co-sponsored by Senator Sessions in his tenure, in the Senate as well as his public activities and actions that are at least arguably related to civil rights. Our examination found that Senator Sessions' approach to civil rights matters, both in terms of his legislative record and his other actions is consistent with mainstream, textbook (ph) interpretation of rolled in statutory and constitutional authority as well as governing precedent. Our examination also reveals, that Senator Sessions approach to civil rights is consistent, is legally sound, enrichingly (ph) honest and has appreciation and understanding of the historical basis for civil rights laws. And our examination found that several aspects of Senator Sessions -- Sessions' -- Senator Sessions' record unfortunately have been mischaracterized and distorted to portray him as somehow being indifferent, if not hostile to civil rights. The facts emphatically show otherwise. Among other things, and this is probably least consequential, Senator Sessions has sponsored or co- sponsored a plethora of bills honoring significant civil rights leaders, events, icons, such as Reverend Martin Luther King, Loretta Scott King, Reverend Shuttlesworth's fight against segregation. Three separate bills honoring Rosa Parks, a Senate apology to the descendants of victims of lynching. A bill to honor participants in the Selma voting rights march. A bill to honor the victims of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing and on and on and on, but Senator Sessions' commitment to civil rights transcends resolutions in support of civil rights. He has authored, co-sponsored, or sponsored a number of bills to protect and enhance voting rights. Such as the Federal Election Reform Act of 2001, the Voter Fraud Protection Act of 2009, a number of bills to protect and enhance the voting rights of service members, particularly those serving overseas. He's a strong proponent of religious liberty, having sponsored or co-sponsored several bills to prevent discrimination against the religiously observant and to prevent the government from substantially burdening free exercise of a person's religious beliefs. But in our estimation, his most profound and important impact is on preserving and protecting the rights of American workers, particularly black workers. The employment and wage levels of black workers in America have been abysmal for several decades. The labor force participation rate for black males, 61.8 percent and following. The unemployment rate for black males has nearly doubled that of white males. Evidence introduced (ph) before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights shows that 40 percent of the 18 point decline in black employment levels is attributable to government failure or refusal to enforce existing integration laws. And this has a cascade effect by increasing the competition within the unskilled and low skilled marketplace, driving out black workers, slashing wages, particularly among black males. And this has resulted in hundreds of thousands, if not slightly over 1 million blacks having lost their jobs, directly due to this phenomenon, and it has broader sociological implications as well, related to incarceration and family formation rates. No one has been more committed or engaged than Senator Jeff Sessions in protecting and enhancing the prospects of black workers in America. But for his emphatical efforts in this regard, the plight of black workers now and in the immediate future and the foreseeable future will be demonstratively worse. His leadership on this matter, and his leadership on sub-committee, on immigration and the national interests has been key to restoring an even deeper downward trajectory for black workers in this country. And I'll conclude Mr. Chair by simply, respectfully offering that his record on civil rights legislation, his actions as a U.S. attorney and state attorney demonstrate an unwavering commitment to equal protection under the law, and a genuine fidelity to the rule of law that should make him an outstanding attorney general. Thank you Mr. Chairman. GRASSLEY: (OFF-MIKE) SWADHIN: I'm not sure if this is working. Great. Good morning. My name is Amita Swadhin, I am a resident of Los Angeles, California, born in Ohio to two immigrants from India and raised in New Jersey. And I'm grateful to Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse and members of the committee for the opportunity to be here today. In October, miked (ph) tapes were released of President-elect Trump describing forcibly kissing women and grabbing women by the genitals. In the wake of these comments becoming public, Senator Sessions was quoted stating, "He doesn't characterize that behavior as sexual assault." Millions of sexual assault survivors were triggered in the wake of these events. I was one of those survivors. My father raped me at least once a week for age four to age 12. I endured psychological, verbal and physical abuse from him for years. I also grew up watching my father abuse my mother in a textbook case of domestic violence and marital rape. When I disclosed the sexual abuse to my mother, at age 13, she called a therapist engaging mandating reported -- mandated reporting. The prosecutors threatened to prosecute my mother for being complicit. They told me I would be harshly cross-examined by the defense attorney, and did not connect me to any victim support services. I was too afraid to tell them my story. My father received five years probation and no jail time and his violence continued for two years, until my mother finally found the support to leave him. I am here today on behalf of rape and sexual assault survivors to urge you not to confirm Senator Sessions as attorney general. As a publicly out survivor of child sexual abuse, many people have downplayed the impact of this violence on my present day life. I live with complex post traumatic stress disorder, and struggle everyday to be well. It directly and negatively impacts me when people minimize sexual assault. So to hear Senator Sessions initially say President- elect Trump's comments do not constitute sexual assault, and then to consider him leading the Department of Justice has been incredibly worrisome. I am unfortunately far from alone in my experience. More than 320,000 Americans over age 12 are raped or sexually assaulted every year. One in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before age 18. These are public health issues occurring in the private sphere. In 80 percent of adult sexual assaults, and 90 percent of cases of child sexual abuse, victims know and trust our perpetrators. For this reason, most victims of violent crime never seek healing or accountability from the state. Most violent crimes remained unreported. Thankfully we have improved the response of the criminal justice system with the creation of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994. The stock (ph) formula grants under VAWA provide training to judges, prosecutors and police officers and other law enforcement personnel to better support survivors. In 1991, the police did not contact victim services for me, but today thanks to VAWA, law enforcement is encouraged to provide victims and advocates to support them in breaking their silence. Yet despite this progress, rape, sexual assaults and domestic violence still happen at epidemic rates and survivors at the intersections of oppression are especially vulnerable. LGBT people and particularly transgender women of color are disproportionally victimized. One in two transgender people will be raped or sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Furthermore, the majority of hate violence homicide victims are transgender women. In fact, only 11 days into the new year, two transgender women of color have already been murdered, Misha Caldwell (ph), an African-American transgender woman from Mississippi and Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow (ph), a two spirit Oglala Lakota woman from South Dakota. We need an attorney general who is committed to improving and enforcing our laws to ensure the most vulnerable victims of crime can come forward to seek accountability and to access healing. Time and again, Senator Sessions voting record has shown us he is not the man for the job. Despite his claim to be a champion for victims of violent crime, he has not been a friend to vulnerable survivors. While Senator Sessions voted in favor of the Violence Against Women Act in the bill's early years, when VAWA was expanded in 2013, to ensure LGBT, immigrant and tribal populations of domestic violence and sexual assault survivors are protected and have access to services. Senator Sessions voted against the bill. We must trust the attorney general to enforce and apply our laws fairly, per our Constitution's provisions on equal protection. We must trust the attorney general to respect the humanity of all Americans, and especially to be committed to seeking justice for our most vulnerable victims of crime. Given his voting record on VAWA and on LGBT rights, we have no reason to put our faith or our trust in Senator Sessions as attorney general. In conclusion, I want to emphasize that members of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, including but not limited to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the YWCA, the National Council of Jewish Women, UGEMA (ph), the National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community, the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, the National Coalition of Anti- Violence Programs, Break the Cycle, and Jewish Women International opposed Senator Sessions nomination because of the issues I am raising today. Thank you. GRASSLEY: Thank you very much. And now we'll go to Ms. Sepich. SEPICH: Good morning Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse and members of the committee. My name is Jayann Sepich and thank you for the opportunity to testify today in support of the nomination of Senator Sessions as Attorney General of the United States. In 2003, my daughter Katie, a vivacious 22 year old graduate student was brutally raped, murdered and set on fire. It is never easy to lose a child for any reason, but the pain and horror of losing our daughter in this violent manner is beyond description. No suspects emerged in Katie's case, but Katie fought for her life and underneath her fingernails were found the blood and skin of her attacker, and a DNA profile was extracted and uploaded into the National Forensic DNA Database called CODIS. I made the comment to the investigators that the man who had killed Katie was such a monster that surely he would be arrested for another crime. His cheek would be swabbed and we would soon know his identity and he would not be able to harm another woman. That's when I learned it was not legal in New Mexico, my home state, or in most states to take DNA at the time of felony arrest. It could only be taken after conviction. I was stunned. We don't use DNA to accurately identify arrested for serious crimes. We release them from law enforcement without a check of the DNA database for a possible match to other unsolved crimes. We collect fingerprints, mug shots, and check what other crimes a person may have been involved in but we do not collect DNA. After considerable research, I became a national advocate for the collection of DNA upon arrest. My husband and I started the non- profit association DNA Saves. We know we can't bring Katie back, but we absolutely believe that we may be able to prevent new crimes. Prevent this horrible pain from being visited on other families, by advocating for laws that allow for the collection of DNA from persons arrested for serious crimes. To date, 30 state legislatures in the United States Congress have enacted laws requiring that a DNA sample be taken for qualifying felony arrests. In June 2012, the United States Supreme Court upheld these laws, ruling that taking DNA at the time of booking for a felony arrest is a legitimate police booking procedure that is reasonable under the Fourth Amendment. Senator Sessions helped craft the legislative language that became the DNA Fingerprint Act, to provide federal authorities with the authorization to collect DNA from arrestees. In 2008, Senator Bingaman, along with Senator Schumer as original co- sponsor introduced the Katie Sepich Enhanced DNA Collection Act, which was passed in 2012. This federal law provides additional funding to the Debbie Smith Backlog Elimination Act to those states who have enacted laws to expand their databases. Once again, as a judiciary committee's ranking member during that time, in which this legislation was pending, Senator Sessions played a significant role in helping us to craft a bill that would gain bipartisan support and eventually pass Congress unanimously. As a result of stronger state and federal DNA database laws, we have seen many heinous criminals identified through arresting DNA testing. My home state of New Mexico has seen over 1,200 cases matched. California has seen 10 cases matched everyday on their DNA database. The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences remains one of the most successful programs in the country and they credit Senator Sessions for must of the success, largely due to the support he's provided from the outset of the state's forensic DNA program during his term as Alabama Attorney General. Alabama has utilized the DNA database to solve over 6,500 previously unsolved cases. In Katie's case, after more than three long years, DNA finally identified Gabriel Avila as Katie's killer. But he would have been identified after only three months, if law enforcement had been permitted to collect DNA at arrest. Over the past 11 years, our family has worked to change DNA laws across the country. We have been supported by lawmakers of both parties. We have also seen opposition from both Republicans and Democrats. Forensic DNA is a very complex issue and it is vitally important that policy makers take the time to fully understand these complexities in a truly non-partisan manner. Senator Sessions has done that. And with that understanding, he has stood in strong support of the use of forensic DNA to both identify the guilty and exonerate the innocent. He knows that when a DNA match is made on CODIS, it is completely blind to race, ethnicity and social economic status. DNA is truth. It is science. Senator Sessions said in a 2002 floor speech, we are spending only a pittance on getting our scientific evidence produced in an honest and effective way. As a result justice is being delayed and justice delayed is justice denied. I believe that Senator Sessions is committed to that philosophy that it is the core responsibility of our government to protect public safety. He cares about victims. He has been a leader on forensics policy for years and consistently has supported vital funding for DNA. In conclusion, our lives were shattered was brutally murdered. We know intimately the pain that violent crime brings to families. Senator Sessions has shown he understands the pain of victims and has put that understanding into action to help make changes that will make a difference. Senator Sessions will provide strong leadership to the United States Department of Justice and I hope you will support his nomination for attorney general. Thank you. GRASSLEY: And thank you Ms. Sepich. Now, Mr. Brooks. BROOKS: Good morning, Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse and esteemed Senators of this committee. My name is Cornell William Brooks, I serve as President and CEO of the NAACP. I greatly appreciate the invitation to testify before you today to express the deep concerns of the NAACP regarding the nomination of Senator Jefferson Sessions to be U.S. Attorney General. As you well know, the attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States. Particularly for such a time as this, with racial divisions deepening, hate crimes rising from sanctuaries to school yards with state imposed, racially motivated voter suppression spreading in state legislatures as well as being struck down in federal courts, with police involved shootings reduced to (inaudible) homicides and viralized videos. It is critical that this committee closely examine Senator Sessions entire record as a prosecutor and as a legislator, to determine whether he is fit to serve as the chief enforcer of our nation's civil rights laws. Based upon a review of the record, the NAACP firmly believes that Senator Sessions is unfit to serve as attorney general. Accordingly, we representing multiple civil rights and human rights coalitions we urge this committee not to favorably report his nomination to the full Senate. As our written testimony details, Senator Sessions record reveals a consistent disregard for civil and human rights of vulnerable populations, including African- Americans, Latinos, women, Muslims, immigrants, the disabled, the LGBT community and others. Further his Senate voting record reflects a fundamental disregard for many of the Department of Justice's programs which are vital for the protection of Americans. Senator Sessions votes against the Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2009 and the Violence Against Woman Act in 2012 and 2013, demonstrate a disturbing lack of concern regarding violent crimes, rape, assault, murder committed against minorities and an American majority of women. These crimes in particular make victims of individuals as well as the groups to which they belong and the American values we cling to. His opposition to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act indicates a hostility to the claims of employment discrimination and more specifically to allowing legal redress for paid discrimination against women. This consistent opposition to any meaningful gun control, shows an unwillingness to stand up to the firearms lobby and a lack of concern regarding the destructive impact of gun violence on our children and communities. His failure to condemn the President-elect's call for an unconscionable and unconstitutional ban on Muslim immigrants, as well as his opposition to his Senate resolution condemning a government imposed litmus test on a global religion, evidences an unwillingness to protect the rights of the vulnerable and the unpopular, which is something that an attorney general must do. His call for the reevaluation of a basic constitutional principle, that persons born in this country, are citizens of this country, reflects a form of unconstitutional xenophobia that is fundamentally inconsistent to the duty of the attorney general to protect the rights of all Americans. His calling into question the legitimacy of consent decrees causes us to question whether he will use this powerful tool to hold accountable police departments, such as Ferguson, that engaged in predatory policing and a pattern and practice of discrimination. With his consistent support for mandatory minimums, as a prosecutor and a legislator, he stands in opposition to bipartisan efforts to bring to an end this ugly era of mass incarceration, with 2.3 million Americans behind bars, with overpopulated prisons and jails and depopulated families and communities. It is Senator Sessions' record on voting rights, however, that is perhaps the most troubling. As this committee is well aware, of the infamous Marion Three Case, in which civil rights activists were prosecuted by then U.S. Attorney Sessions for voter fraud, all of whom were acquitted by a jury in less than four hours on 29 counts. This chilling prosecution against innocent civil rights workers, who were later given gold medals by Congress, painfully reverberates in the hearts of black voters in Alabama and the history of this country. Senator Sessions' record of prosecuting so called voter fraud and both intimidating and suppressing voters then is now reflected in a legislative record of supporting voter ID requirements that suppress votes based on the myth of voter fraud today. His record of vote suppressing prosecution is connected to a record of vote suppressing legislation today. Rather than condemn, he's commended voter ID laws like that is own state of Alabama affecting a half million voters. Similar to laws struck down in Texas and North Carolina in the fourth and fifth circuits. If we could imagine, a Senator Sessions leading a Department of Justice and Michael Brown's Ferguson, Freddie Gray's Baltimore, towns with rising hate crime, communities of vulnerable population -- populations and a democracy divided by voter suppression in his twitter -- civil rights -- twitter a civil rights movement. We can imagine that. Imaging that, we must face the reality that Senator Sessions should not be our attorney general. With that said, thank you for this opportunity to testify. I welcome your questions. GRASSLEY: (OFF-MIKE) CANTERBURY: Good morning, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Whitehouse, distinguished members of the committee and of course my own Senator Lindsey Graham. My name is Chuck Canterbury, the National President of the 330,000 rank and file police officer organization. I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to be here today to testify before this committee. I've testified before on cabinet nominations, agency head nominations and even a nominee for the Supreme Court of the United States. I can say without reservation, that I've never testified with more optimism and enthusiasm as I do today for Senator Jeff Sessions. We wholeheartedly support his position and nomination as Attorney General of the United States. Following the news that President-elect Trump intended to tap Senator Sessions, we immediately issued a statement to the press indicating our strong support for his nomination. He's been a true partner to law enforcement in his time as a U.S. attorney, Attorney General for the state of Alabama and throughout his tenure in the United State Senate. Senator Sessions is demonstrated commitment, not just to so-called law and order issues, but also to an issue very important to my members, officer safety. He was the leading co-sponsor of the FOP's efforts to enact the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, which was authored by our friend and former chairman of this committee Senator Leahy. In 2010, Senator Sessions was the Republican lead co-sponsor of S.1132, the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act improvements, which made important and needed changes to the original law. He has provided true leadership in this successful and bipartisan effort. More recently, Senator Sessions was deeply involved in the passage of S.2840, the Protecting Our Lives by Initiating Cots Expansion Act. He helped build bipartisan support for the legislation, which passed the Senate and then the House before being signed into law by the President. That law gives the Office of Community Ordinance Policing Services, the authority to award grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to get active shooter response training for their officers. The need for this training is obviously been identified by numerous law enforcement leaders and by the FOP. Senator Sessions played a key role in the efforts to pass the Fallen Hero Flag Act. The bill which provides a flag to be flying over this Capital to surviving -- to be provided to surviving members of public officers killed in the line of duty. Now this may not sound like much to you, but in a time when officers are being assassinated at the highest rate since the '70s and officers being assaulted at record rates, officers in the field want to know who has my back. Who will protect me while I protect my community? Bills like this, which acknowledge and respect the sacrifices -- sacrifices made by the rank and file truly resonate with my members and with the public safety community. Members of the committee may remember that years that were spent trying to do away with the disparity between the sentencing on the possession of crack cocaine versus powder cocaine. There was a considerable gulf between the position of the FOP and many members of this committee. But in 2001, Senator Sessions introduced a bill to address this issue and he worked tirelessly to bring it together. He made sure the voice of law enforcement was heard and also asserted his belief that the disparity, as existing in the current law, was unjust. In 2010, as a ranking member of this committee, he brokered to compromise that led to the passage, with our support of the Fair Sentencing Act. We accepted that compromise because it was fair, it was just and it reflected the perspective of law enforcement and the law enforcement community. The importance of his direct role on this issue cannot be overstated. Without Jeff Sessions, I believe we might be here today still trying to remain unsolved. That said, I understand that there's a certain amount of partisanship and it's expected in these nomination hearings. But I ask all the members of this committee, to recollect Senator Sessions has worked in a bipartisan manner on many issues, officer safety issues with the FOP and members of the left. More than many times that I've been here, has Senator Sessions been one of the sole members to stand up for law enforcement, especially when it came to the issue of asset forfeiture. Without his leadership, the support in the Equitable Sharing Program may have been dismantled. For us, that demonstrates that Jeff Sessions is a man who can reach across the aisle to get things done for the rank and file officer and to protect the citizens of this country. Senator Sessions has worked tirelessly and faithfully for the majority of his adult life. He is above all, a man who reveres the law and reveres justice. I believe he will be an exemplary attorney general and we urge you to move this nomination forward to the Senate for passage. Thank you sir. GRASSLEY: Thank you Mr. Canterbury. Now Mr. Cole. COLE: Thank you for inviting me to testify. The ACLU is a non- partisan organization with a long standing policy of neither endorsing nor opposing nominees for federal office. We rarely testify in confirmation hearings as a result. We do so today, because we believe Senator Sessions' record raises serious questions about the fitness of -- of Senator Sessions to be the attorney general for all the American people. We take no position on how you should ultimately vote, but we urge you to painstakingly probe the many serious questions that his actions, words and deeds raise about his commitment to civil rights and civil liberties. Our concerns arise from his conduct as a prosecutor and from his record as a Senator. As a prosecutor, when he exercised the power to prosecute, the most powerful -- the most serious power that any government official in the United States exercises, he abused that power. Cornell Brooks has already talked about his prosecution, ultimately baseless of civil rights heroes for seeking to increase the black vote in Alabama. He didn't investigate those who sought to help white voters in Alabama, but he did investigate and prosecute those who sought to aid black voters. Many of the charges in that case were dismissed before they even went to the jury because they were baseless. The jury then acquitted of all the charges. In a second case, the Tyco (ph) case, Senator Sessions collaborated with campaign contributors to his senatorial campaign, to use the office of the criminal prosecutor to intervene in a private business dispute, on behalf of his campaign contributors. He filed a 222-count indictment against Tyco (ph), a -- a -- a engineering supply service -- corporation. All charges in the case were dismissed. Many were dismissed because, again, they were baseless, there was no evidence whatsoever to support them. The others were dismissed on grounds of prosecutorial misconduct and the judge who dismissed them said this was the worst case of prosecutorial misconduct he had seen in his career on the bench. Mr. Sessions successor, Mr. Pryor did not even appeal that decision. So those actions raise serious questions about his fitness to become the most powerful prosecutor in the land. Second, his record as a Senator. Here he has shown blindness or outright hostility to the concerns of the people who's rights he will be responsible to protect. On voting rights, he supported felon disenfranchisement laws and voter ID laws that suppressed the black vote. When the Supreme Court gutted the single most effective provision of the Voting Rights Act, the most important statute in getting -- African-Americans the right to vote in this country, Senator Sessions called that a good day for the south. On religious tolerance, he called Islam a toxic ideology. It is in fact a religion practiced by millions of Americans. Imagine if he called Christianity a toxic ideology. Now, he says he opposes a Muslim ban on entrance to the United States, but when Donald Trump proposed that, he stood up and opposed a resolution introduced here in the Senate to keep religion out of immigration decisions. On women's right, now he says that grabbing women's genitals is sexual assault. But when Donald Trump's tape recording, bragging about his doing precisely that was made public, Senator Sessions said, and I quote, "I don't characterize that as a sexual assault. That's a stretch." When he voted against extending the hate crimes law, to crimes motivated by gender and sexual orientation, he said, and I quote, "I am not sure women or people with different sexual orientations face that kind of discrimination. I just don't see it." Well if you don't see discrimination, you can't very well enforce the laws against discrimination. On torture he now says, that torture, water boarding is illegal, but he praised Michael Mukasey for not ruling out water boarding. And he opposed Senator McCain's amendment which was designed to make it clear that water boarding was illegal. On criminal justice he is an outlier, departing even with many of his Republican colleagues who seek to make the criminal justice system more fair and less harsh. If someone applying to intern for one of your offices had as many questions in his record as Senator Sessions has, racist comment, unethical conduct, padding of his resume, you would not hire him, absent the most thorough investigation and inquiry, if then. Senator Sessions is not seeking to be an intern. He's nominated to be the most powerful law enforcement officer in the nation. The Senate and more importantly the American people deserve satisfactory answers to these questions before Senator Sessions is confirmed. Thank you very much. GRASSLEY: Thank you Mr. Cole. Now Mr. Thompson. THOMPSON: Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Whitehouse and other members of this distinguished committee, I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you in support of the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General of the United States. I want to add this morning, a bit of a personal perspective on Senator Sessions. I've known Senator Sessions for over 30 years and I am honor to consider him a good friend. Over the years, we have talked frequently, had dinners together and enjoyed each other counsel and support. When I first met Senator Sessions, he was the United States attorney in Mobile and I was the United States attorney in Atlanta. In order to stretch our limited government per diems on travel to Department of Justice conferences, we sometimes shared a room together. We were simply two young prosecutors trying to save money. In 1982, when I was asked by Attorney General William French Smith, to head the Southeastern Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, simply because of the strategic location in Atlanta, where my office was, a delicate situation was represented. The task force consisted of 11 other United States attorney offices, but any potential problem was avoided because my friend, Senator Sessions rallied the other United States attorneys around our common cause and my leadership. Senator Sessions had a lot to do with the success of the task force under my leadership. Senator Sessions was highly thought of by his colleagues and -- and served on the prestigious Attorney General's Advisory Committee. Membership to this committee is by invitation only. I thought about this a lot and can identify for you without any equivocation whatsoever, three things in which the Senator will lead the Department of Justice. First, Senator Sessions will vigorously, but impartially enforce our laws. Senator Sessions has a strong record of bipartisan accomplishment on criminal justice matters. He also understands the importance of what former Attorney General Robert Jackson said, about what constitutes a good prosecutor. That being one who displays sensitivity to fair play and who appreciates his or her tasks with humility. Next, Senator Sessions will continue to make certain that the traditional role of federal law enforcement is carried out with vigor, effectiveness and independence. The Department of Justice under his leadership will attack such critical crime problems, as complicated fraud schemes by individuals and organizations, civil rights violations, serious environmental violations, terrorism and espionage. Finally Senator Sessions will seriously look at the role of federal law enforcement to help our citizens achieve a greater sense of personal safety in their homes and neighborhoods. This will be especially important for some of our minority and low income citizens against whom violent crime has a disproportionate impact. Of all our important civil rights, the rights to be safe and secure in one's home and neighborhood is perhaps the most important. We all know that Senator Sessions has strongly but honestly held political and policy views. But the Senator also has a record of bipartisan leadership in the Senate, especially on criminal justice issues. We talked yesterday, a great deal, was presented to the committee on Senator Sessions' effort under the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 and his work with Senator Durbin on that important legislation. It's interesting as I, as the Deputy Attorney General of the United States in the Bush administration, I opposed this legislation. Senator Sessions was right and I was wrong. A son of the south who has had up close experiences with our great civil rights movement, Senator Sessions is not oblivious to the fact that we have more to do in the area of racial equality. He noted in a speech praising the foot soldiers of the civil rights movement, that more needs to be done, we need to join closer hands. So, as a lawyer myself, who has spent a fair amount of time during my 43 year legal career, supporting diversity in our great profession and equal rights, this statement touched me greatly. Because, it reflects the man I have known for over 30 years and who I'm proud to call my friend. Senator Sessions deserves confirmation as our next attorney general. Thank you. GRASSLEY: Thank you. We'll have seven minute rounds now. And I'm going to start with General Mukasey. Senator Sessions, himself, has noted the attorney general is not the President's lawyer. In your opinion, would Senator Sessions have the independence and of course the ability to say no the President if they disagree? MUKASEY: Absolutely, and I think he made that both clear and explicit yesterday, saying that if necessary the alternative was to resign. GRASSLEY: Also to you, we heard Senator Sessions testify yesterday about the appropriate scope of communication between the White House and the Department of Justice. He said he thought that there was merit in your December 2007 on that topic. So could you tell us what you believe the merits of your approach to be, which would be your explaining in further detail what Senator Sessions said yesterday. MUKASEY: OK. What's in the memo is, the contact between the White House and the Justice Department is limited to the attorney general and the deputy attorney general, with a couple of exceptions. Those exceptions are pending legislation, which is the subject of communication between lower level people and the White House and people in the office of legal policy and other routine budget matters. Other than that, there is to be no contact between anyone at the Justice Department and anyone in the White House. And if anybody gets such a call, they are instructed that the polite response is thank you very much, I'll refer you to the person who can respond to you. GRASSLEY: OK. Mr. Thompson, you've known Senator Sessions for 35 years and in that time you worked very closely with him. So you've already said something about your service together, but could you tell us about that service in more detail than you did in your opening statement? THOMPSON: Yes, Senator Grassley. I've known, as I said, Senator Sessions for a number of years. He has a great deal of respect for the Department of Justice. He had been an Assistant United States Attorney when I'd met him. He had already been promoted to become the United States attorney. He's a fine lawyer, was a very effective prosecutor, but has great fidelity to the principles of fair prosecution in the traditions of the Department of Justice. GRASSLEY: And would you, knowing him as you do. Would you say that he's going to be that independent head that we expect of the Department of Justice? THOMPSON: Absolutely. I would expect Senator Sessions to understand and appreciate and to practice the traditional independent role of the Department of Justice. And he would be an attorney general, I think, that all the Senators on this committee would be proud of. GRASSLEY: Further, since you know him. How do you think he would fair standing up to a strong willed President, who wants to take certain actions that Senator Sessions in his capacity as attorney general may not feel, that would feel would be inappropriate? THOMPSON: That's a good question. As I said, Senator Sessions is not only an experienced prosecutor, but he's a mighty fine lawyer. He would understand his role to counsel the President and to bring the President around to what position is appropriate. But he, at the end of the day, would be independent if the President insisted upon doing something that was inappropriate. GRASSLEY: Mr. Canterbury, of course you're no stranger to these, sort of, attorney general hearings. You testified in support of Attorney General Eric Holder eight years ago, reflecting on the last eight years of leadership of the Department of Justice from the perspective of arguably the largest law enforcement advocacy group. How did DOJ fair? And how might it be different if the person you're supporting today were attorney general? CANTERBURY: Senator, it's our position that we have to work with whoever is in that office. And we have historically worked with every attorney general, personally I've worked with every attorney general since Janet Reno. And we believe that with Senator Sessions, the communications, the lines of communications will be more direct than they have been. We've had good success with career employees at DOJ. They're very professional. We believe it's an outstanding organization. But we also believe, with Senator Sessions, information and the knowledge that he's had from serving on this committee, he'll be able to serve us well in the area of criminal justice with reform efforts and with training and equitable sharing and those types of things. We feel that communications will be excellent with Senator Sessions. GRASSLEY: Another question for you. The Sheriff's Association at the national level recently noted that in the past year, this country has seen the highest number of law enforcement fatalities in five years, including 21 officers who were ambushed, shot, and killed. If confirmed for the position of attorney general, what steps do you think that Senator Sessions could take to reverse the trend? CANTERBURY: First and foremost, we believe that Senator Sessions, as attorney general, will not speak out on incidents that arise before a thorough and -- and -- and full investigation. And we believe that the anti-police rhetoric comes from people that make comments without knowledge of the situation and prior to the facts being released to the media, and so, we believe that there will be a much more positive tone about reconciliation. Nobody in this country wants our communities and police to reconcile more than my members Senator. GRASSLEY: Mr. Kirsanow, Senator Sessions has received some criticism for his enforcement of voting rights while he was a federal prosecutor and Alabama attorney general. Would you evaluate Senator Sessions record on voting rights? This will probably have to be my last question. KIRSANOW: Thank you Mr. Chair. I'd be happy to. I've heard testimony and I've heard media reports with respect to cases related to voting rights that Senator Sessions was prosecuting. And if he had failed to prosecute the Perry County case, that would have been an extraordinary dereliction of duty. I would advise everybody who's interested in facts as opposed to optics to read the indictment, read all the available pleadings, read all of the contemporaneous reporting and you will have wasted about two days doing so, as I did. The multi count indictment, if you go through it, details in excruciating detail all of the violations here. If you look at the facts of the case, what happened is you had two separate factions of black Democrats in Perry County who were vying for seats. One faction went to the attorney -- U.S. attorneys office and said, wait a minute here, we believe there's rampant voter fraud going on here. And in fact, if you look at the FBI's affidavit related to this, they found 75 forged signatures on absentee ballots. There were multiple counts where individuals who were part of, who were candidates, were taking absentee ballots, changing them, altering them or filling them out on behalf of individuals and then giving them to the elections board. One family had a candidate, for whom they voted who was their cousin. All six members testified that their ballot, none the less, was checked for the other person and they said it was false. There was copious evidence that, in fact, there was voter fraud in fact that it occurred. Now, it is true, these people were acquitted. But we've seen this circumstance before. The person who literally wrote the book on voter fraud prosecutions, Craig Don Santo, he's legendary head of the former -- former head of Public Integrity Unit of DOJ was the man who told Senator Sessions, go forward with this. He surmised as did many other contemporary witnesses is that this was a classic case of voter nullification. I think as he testified, or he indicated that this is a matter in which there was no way in the world, a jury was going to convict these individuals, who were in fact civil rights advocates. The facts of the case established that had a prosecutor not taken this and pursued this, there would have been some serious questions about his integrity. GRASSLEY: Senator Whitehouse. WHITEHOUSE: Thank you Chairman. Mr. Canterbury, I was my state's attorney general and Rhode Island is one of the states where the attorney general has full prosecuting authority. There are only three. So I worked very closely with my police department, I was always my state's United States attorney, in that capacity worked very, very closely with police chiefs. My experience was that a police chief in Providence, which is say urban good size city, and a police chief in small coastal Merganser (ph), Rhode Island would have very different law enforcement priorities. And that it, in my view, is appropriate for a police chief to be able to pursue their own law enforcement priorities within their communities. Would you agree with that? CANTERBURY: Yes, Senator. I mean, the same thing with sheriffs. Constitutionally elected officers, their going to police their communities as they think they need to be policed and set priorities that way. WHITEHOUSE: And an important part of that for a police chief, is to maintain the kind of community relations between the department and the community that support effective pursuit of those law enforcement priorities. Is that not the case also? CANTERBURY: I don't think it's any different in a city with five police officers than it is in Providence. Where ever you are, community relations is the key to -- to successfully perform in our job. WHITEHOUSE: And it's going to be different in different communities. The method is going to be different of effective community relations in different communities. CANTERBURY: It can be. Yes sir. WHITEHOUSE: And so, would you agree for the Department of Justice to try to dictate what local law enforcement priorities should be? Or how a police department should chose to deal with its community could be a stretch too far? CANTERBURY: In -- in matters of law, no, but in matters of policy and procedure, yes sir. I would agree with you. WHITEHOUSE: And prioritization as well correct? CANTERBURY: Absolutely. WHITEHOUSE: The reason I asked that, is that one of the concerns that I've heard from Rhode Island police chiefs has been that a relentless or unthinking pursuit of very low level immigration violations could disrupt everything from orderly community relations with a Latino community to even ongoing significant gang investigations. In which cooperators might get, lose their willingness to cooperate if somebody came in and decided to try to deport their mother. My point isn't that one is right and the other is wrong. My point is decision at the community level as to priorities and to maintaining community relations is an important one, correct? CANTERBURY: Yes, sir, it would be, but to cut more to the core of what I think you're asking, sanctuary city decisions are usually made by politicians and not police chiefs, and very rarely... WHITEHOUSE: Sanctuary city, in fact, is not even a legal term, is it? CANTERBURY: And -- and very rarely should law enforcement officers make those decisions. As you know, senator, politicians pass the laws and we're charged with enforcing them, not -- don't necessarily have to agree or disagree with them. WHITEHOUSE: And in doing so, you do establish law enforcement priorities. CANTERBURY: Yes, sir, we would. WHITEHOUSE: You don't put people out on the street to do jaywalking. You go after murders first. You go after robberies first. That's standard law enforcement practice, correct? CANTERBURY: Emergency protocol requires the highest level of crime first and -- and down from there. WHITEHOUSE: Down from there. Mr. Thompson, Mr. Canterbury said earlier something that I agree very much with, which was to applaud the career employees of the Department of Justice and to say that right now the Department of Justice was an outstanding organization. You and I and others have served as United States attorneys. What do you think about the career attorney core of the Department of Justice? THOMPSON: Well, the career attorneys at the Department of Justice through my years of experience, Senator, like yours, these are very good lawyers. They are dedicated to law enforcement. They're dedicated to the work of the Department of Justice. I've had nothing but positive experiences in my years at the Department of Justice and in dealing with the Department of Justice as a defense lawyer. WHITEHOUSE: Should a career attorney in a new administration be punished for following properly the policy direction of a previous administration? THOMPSON: I -- I don't actually think a career attorney should be punished for anything other than not doing his or her work. WHITEHOUSE: Clearly a career attorney shouldn't be judged on whether they are secular or religious in their lives, correct? THOMPSON: Absolutely not. WHITEHOUSE: OK. Mr. Brooks, the Sessions candidacy has achieved expressions of support from people like David Duke and from what's described as a white supremacist neo-Nazi news site called the Daily Stormer, whose site founder wrote that the Sessions appointment was like "Christmas. Basically we are looking at a Daily Stormer dream team in the Trump administration." Now you can't fault a nominee for the people who choose to be enthusiastic about his candidacy. This is not, obviously, Senator Sessions' fault, but do you believe that he has distinguished himself away from whatever the causes are for that support so that you feel comfortable going forward that he has addressed that? BROOKS: Based on the record, I do not believe that the Senator has sufficiently described a Department of Justice fully committed to enforcing the nation's civil rights laws, where we have hate crime rising, most of which is perpetuated not in bars, not in streets, but in K through 12 schools. Speaking against hate crimes, making it clear that you're going to prosecute hate crimes, making it clear that you're going to enforce the nation's civil rights laws, voting rights, the Voting Rights Act to the full measure in a full-throated way. I do not believe we have heard that. So he is not responsible for who endorses him, but he is in fact responsible for what he endorses and his vision for the Department of Justice. WHITEHOUSE: Thank you, Chairman. My time has expired. GRASSLEY: Thank you, Senator Whitehouse. Now Senator Hatch. HATCH: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. General Mukasey, welcome back to the Judiciary Committee. You became attorney general after nearly two decades as a federal district court judge. The current attorney general had nearly two decades of experience as a federal prosecutor. Jeff Sessions will become attorney general after two decades as a U.S. senator. No matter where an attorney general comes from, he or she has the duty described yesterday by one of my Democratic colleagues as "enforcing the law fairly, evenly and without personal bias." You were here yesterday and heard as I did the repeated suggestion that Senator Sessions would not be able to enforce the law personally that he personally disagrees with. Do you agree that someone's political party, general ideological perspective or personal opinions do not by themselves mean that he or she cannot be impartial and fair? MUKASEY: I -- I certainly agree that a person's political background does not disqualify that person from enforcing the law and does not disable that person from enforcing the law. I think Senator Sessions made it entirely clear that he understood the difference between advocating a position, on the one hand, as a legislator, and the oath that he takes to enforce the law on the other. He was very clear, very precise about that, and I think everybody who passes from one status to another -- be it from a judge to attorney general, be it from a lawyer to a judge -- understands that they are changing their responsibilities, and he's not alone in -- in that, but he certainly is very much allowed to it. HATCH: How confident are you that Senator Sessions, a conservative Republican senator, will enforce the law fairly, evenly and without personal bias? MUKASEY: I think his statement's yesterday make it entirely clear that he understands his responsibility to do that, and I see no reason why he won't do it. HATCH: Mr. Kirsanow, in his written testimony, Mr. Brooks argued that Senator Session lacks the judgment and temperament to serve as attorney general. Even more, he questioned whether Senator Sessions would actually prosecute hate crimes. I'd welcome your response to that. KIRSANOW: (OFF-MIKE) HATCH: Put your -- put your... KIRSANOW: I haven't known Mr. Sessions as long as Mr. Thompson has, but I've known him for more than 10 years, and what I can tell you is that I've worked with several senators here who've been very concerned about issues related to civil rights, particularly with respect to one issue that's within my wheelhouse as labor attorney, and that is the interests of black and other workers and their employment prospects. We had hearings at the Civil Rights Commission, several hearings at the Civil Rights Commission, about a lot of deleterious policies to the prospects of black employment, and these were rectifiable policies, but they had pronounced effects, negative effects, on black employment. We even had a hearing where every single witness that spanned the ideological spectrum from left to right agreed, for example, that massive illegal immigration has a decidedly negative impact on wage and employment levels. I provided these reports to a number of senators and other congressmen. Many of the senators here were alarmed by it and questioned me about it, and we had interactions and other members of the Civil Rights Commission. I also provided it to members of Congress, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus. The one senator who reached out, being very alarmed and pursing this case with ultimate vigor, was Senator Sessions. He was very concerned about this. In a number of private conversations we talked about a number of the steps that could be taken aside from reforming immigration law, which we all know here is something that's a significant challenge, but what can we do to improve employment prospects of black Americans? He was the only senator to act in that fashion. I heard nothing whatsoever from the Congressional Black Caucus, despite copious detail about the negative impact of this. I'm ultimately convinced that Senator Sessions would take the appropriate actions to enforce the law as written, because that's what we are talking about, existing immigration law, and he was adamant in doing that without fear or favor and without bias. HATCH: Knowing him as well as I do I agree with you. Mr. Canterbury, I want to thank you so much for what you and thousands of officers who represent us each and every day have said here for Senator Sessions. The Pew Research Center today released one of the largest polls of police officers ever conducted involving some 8,000 officers in departments across the country. As a result of the high profile fatal encounters between officers and blacks, three-quarters of officers are more reluctant to use force when it is appropriate, and 72 percent have become less willing to stop and question people who seem suspicious. Now I believe this effect stems from what has become almost a presumption that police have done something wrong when such encounters occur. That is a pernicious and dangerous shift in the general attitude toward our police, and it is totally without foundation. . Now it seems to me that this change in attitude can not only negatively affect officers and actually put police safety at risk, but also make much more difficult important efforts at -- at community policing. Do you agree with me on that? CANTERBURY: Ab -- Absolutely agree with you. I think the case in Chicago of the young female officer that decided to take a beating rather than deploy a Taser because she said it wasn't worth what she would put herself through to deploy a Taser is -- is a -- a microcosm of what's happening in law enforcement where it's not worth what -- what you may have to put yourself through. HATCH: Well, that same poll found that 93 percent of officers have become more concerned about their own safety in this country. Yesterday the chairman noted that the number of police killed in the line of duty has significantly increased. You've made that point. Also yesterday Senator Sessions noted that most police are local rather than federal. The Fraternal Order of Police and other national law enforcement groups support his nomination. How do you think that a change in leadership of the justice department can concretely affect and improve things at the local level? CANTERBURY: Well, first of all the Byrne JAG Grant Program, the COPS Program, the Community Oriented Policing teams, consent decrees, pattern of practice investigations. When you have open lines of communication where rank and file management as well as citizen and activist groups can discuss those -- those cases, I think you can -- you can get to a place where the communities will face -- feel safer and the police officers will feel safer. And we've got to reduce the violence in this country. You know, Senator Hatch, we've been saying for a long time systemic poverty is an issue that law enforcement is not charged with nor has the ability to fix, but we're willing to be good partners, and we believe with Jeff Sessions as attorney general we'll be able to work in all of those sections of the Justice Department to try and improve. (CROSSTALK) HATCH: We're pleased that you're here today, and we're pleased that you're willing to testify for and on his behalf. Thank you. Mr. Chairman. GRASSLEY: Senator. DURBIN: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank all the members of the panel who are here today, and especially Oscar Vasquez, who came as my invitee, for telling his inspiring life story. Thank you. You've given a face to an issue which is near and dear to my heart and the hearts of millions of Americans. Thank you for serving our country. General Mukasey, during the course of this hearing, I sense that there is an evolving context relative to Russia and the involvement of Russia in the election. Many of the questions we've posed to Senator Sessions related to his values, his votes, and now I think there's a growing concern of a question that you've addressed yourself, too. I'm going to ask you to speak to again, about his role if he becomes attorney general vis-a-vis the White House, the president. We now have allegations, unconfirmed, relative to Russian activity relating to the president-elect. As I said, alleged, unconfirmed, and Director Comey of the FBI saying at this point he would not talk about whether there was an ongoing investigation relative to Russia's role in the election. So can you give me some clarity? And I think you've addressed this. Forgive me if I'm asking you to repeat. Could you give me some clarity? When you served as attorney general, if you received a call from on high, from the White House, from any person in the White House, relative to an investigation, an ongoing investigation or a prosecution, what do you believe was the appropriate response in that situation? MUKASEY: The appropriate response is that whatever investigation it is is going to be pursued to its logical conclusion, which is to say where the facts and the law lead. I'm glad that the question was in the hypothetical, because I in fact did not get such a call, although I have gotten -- did get calls with respect to other matters, and my response was generally that the department would pursue its agenda as already said. DURBIN: So do you -- is it your position the attorney general is independent in this decision making when it comes to other members of the executive branch? MUKASEY: Correct. The Attorney General is, obviously, is a member of an administration and pursues priorities that are set by an administration, but when you're talking about particular investigations and particular cases, that's something altogether different, and I think Senator Sessions made it clear he understood it was altogether different. DURBIN: Can I ask you another question related to that? Investigations undertaken by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, what authority does the attorney general have over the commencement or the conclusion of those investigations? MUKASEY: The attorney general, theoretically, is -- is -- The FBI director reports to the attorney general. I say theoretically because there're -- occasionally one gets the idea that the attorney general is independent. If we had more time, I could tell you the story, but it will have to wait until (inaudible) meeting. The FBI director works for the attorney general. DURBIN: So, I guess my question, it -- Repeatedly Senator Sessions has called for attorneys general to recuse themselves rather than participate in investigations with political ramifications -- most recently called for Attorney General Lynch to appoint a special counsel for Hillary Clinton in an op-ed that he wrote on November 5 of last year. I am trying to work this through. I asked him pointedly whether he would recuse himself if there were any accusations against the president-elect once he becomes president or other people involved in the Trump campaign, and he basically answered me that he was going to take this on a case-by-case basis. If he has the authority and power to stop an investigation at the FBI, is that what you're telling me? MUKASEY: Yes. DURBIN: So, if there is an investigation underway, he could stop it if he wished? MUKASEY: Yes. DURBIN: And when it comes to the appointment of a special counsel involving the pre- the conduct of the president, is it your feeling that the attorney general should, as a general rule, consider special counsel? MUKASEY: No. It would depend on the case. The -- The -- A special counsel has to be appointed when there is a good reason why the department headed by the attorney general cannot pursue that case. I think what Senator Sessions had in... I'm not familiar with the op-ed that you mentioned, so I'm -- I'm speculating, but it sounds like what he had in mind was not simply the position of the attorney general, but rather the tarmac conversation with -- with President Clinton, that put her in a -- in a difficult situation. I don't think that simply had to do with the fact that she was attorney general appointed by the president. DURBIN: I see. Thank you. Mr. Brooks, since the Shelby County decision, the Voting Rights Act is in a perilous situation, and I commended to my colleagues and I commend to you a book entitled "White Rage" by Carol Anderson who teaches at Emory, and she talks about the evolution of the issue of race since the Civil War. It strikes me now that we are in dangerous territory about the future of the Voting Rights Act. If preclearance is not required, and the Department of Justice is reacting after the fact, there could be some delay in justice here in an intervening election or no action taken. I asked my staff to give me a listing of the cases initiated by the Department of Justice relative to the Voting Rights Act for the last several years, and it goes on for pages. Can you address this issue about your belief of the commitment of Senator Sessions to enforce the Voting Rights Act in principal post-Shelby County? BROOKS: Certainly. So, as you well know, Senator, the Voting Rights Act is regarded as the crown jewel of civil rights statutes, and Section 5 was regarded as the most effective provision of the most effective civil rights statute. In the wake of the Shelby v. Holder Supreme Court decision, which debilitated Section 5, being via Section 4(b), we have seen nothing less than a Machiavellian frenzy of voter disenfranchisement from one end of the country to the other. And so that means that the Department of Justice has taken on more responsibility and civil rights organizations have taken on more responsibility with fewer tools. It has meant the debilitation, literally, of our democracy. Where we have citizens who have to wait for the violation to occur, as we saw in North Carolina, where the Fourth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, held that the state legislature engaged in intentional racial discrimination with respect to voter suppression carried out with surgical precision. It took an army of lawyers, an army of experts, in order to vindicate the rights of the people, and a mass movement by the North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP with so many others and so many other legal groups. The point being here is the Department of Justice -- Not only is the democracy in a perilous place, but the Department of Justice is in a perilous place. It needs strong leadership. It needs resources, and we need the Voting Rights Advancement Act -- to fix the Voting Rights Act. DURBIN: And post-Shelby County, if the attorney general is not timely and aggressive in enforcing the Voting Rights Act, the damage will be done. BROOKS: The damage is absolutely done. And when we think about all of the many members of this body that went to Selma, that commemorated the foot soldiers of the movement, on the Edmond Pettus Bridge. All that they died for, all that they sacrificed is hanging in the balance. So we need strong leadership there, because literally, literally, we can squander the fruit of -- of -- of their efforts and the civic sacrament of our democracy, namely the right to vote. DURBIN: Thank you. Thank you Mr. Chairman. GRASSLEY: Thank you Senator. Senator Cornyn. CORNYN: Thank you Mr. Chairman. There's a lot to cover in seven minutes. So let me try to be somewhat selective. First of all, thanks to all of you for being here. I can't help but believe that, in spite of the fact that we've had a national election that the election is still ongoing. The campaign is still ongoing. I respect each one of your rights to express your point of view. And -- but I at the same time, it's amazing to me that, with the Senator having cast 6,000 votes in the United States Senate, we're focused on a handful of policy differences and somehow people are saying, well those are dispositive of the qualification of this person who we've served along side of for 15 years, in my case, and 20 years in the case of others. So I guess our job is, sort of, like the jury in a regular lawsuit, that we have to not -- we have to give weight to the testimony and we have to figure out who's testimony is entitled to greater weight. Because frankly, the description we've heard today are so wildly disparate that it's, I -- I would imagine for people who didn't know Senator Sessions and know his record as I do and those of us who've served with him, it would be hard to reconcile. But I -- I want to ask General Mukasey, Senator Hatch alluded to this, but this is really important to me and I just want to reiterate this. You've had the distinction of serving in the two branches of our three branches of government, as a federal district judge with great distinction and as attorney general in the executive branch. I, at a much lower level, have had the chance to serve now in three branches myself as a state court judge and as attorney general of my state and now as a legislator here at the federal level. Each of those roles are different aren't they? And indeed I think that's the point that Senator Sessions made eloquently yesterday, even though he may have some policy differences or have cast a vote against a bill in the Senate. He would respect the Constitution and enforce the law. Isn't that what you understood? MUKASEY: That's precisely what I understood. And he recognized the difference in the different roles that he plays as a legislator, from what he would play as attorney general. CORNYN: And I thought yesterday he did a magnificent job responding to the questions and acknowledging the policy differences do exist. That's just the way it is. Mr. Canterbury, let me ask you a little bit about the role of the federal government and the attorney general's office and the Department of Justice in supporting local and state law enforcement. I believe the figure is roughly $2 billion a year, that the federal government hands out, or -- or -- or distributes in terms of grants to local and state law enforcement. I think your testimony, you mentioned the active shooter training that we've tried to enhance through the Police Act, which passed the Congress and was signed by President Obama. Making sure that more officers were -- got that training which is even more relevant, sadly today than perhaps even in the past. I would just add to that, the -- the work that we did recently on mental health and it's intersection with the criminal justice system. The Mental Health and Safe Communities Act that was part of the 21st Century Cures Bill. Again, recognizing that our jails and our streets and our emergency rooms have become the treatment centers by default for people with mental illness. We need to do more to try to get people who need help the help they need, but not treat mental illness as a crime, per say. We also need to make sure that we train our law enforcement officials because we know how dangerous, at least from the stories and the statistics that we see, how dangerous it can be when police officer encounters a person with mental illness. And they don't have the training they need to de-escalate the -- the -- the scene. But could you talk a little bit about your experience and your organization's experience as law enforcement officials dealing with people with -- with mental illness? CANTERBURY: Well I would say in the last 10 or 15 years, the number of mentally ill individuals that law enforcement comes in contact as exponentially gone up as mental health services at the state and local level have gone down. And, I've explained this recently to a -- a Vice-President Biden when he asked about that same question. And my response was, in many of these situations, regardless on whether a police officer or a law enforcement professional realizes that there's a mental illness, the circumstances are dictated by the actions. And so, whether or not we can recognize the particular mental illness, is not as important as recognizing that there is an issue. The problem is that there's very little assistance at that level anymore for street level mental illness. And, making sure that they're not a danger to themselves or others should not, cannot be the responsibility of a first responding officer. We just will never have the training to be able to do it to that extent. So there is -- it's a huge issue for local and state officers and I don't know what we're going to do to fix that. But, the biggest thing is that the community based mental health facilities are just not there anymore. CORNYN: Well I think you'll find a friend in -- in Senator Sessions as attorney general in recognizing the priorities for local law enforcement -- state law enforcement and making sure that the Mental Health and Safe Communities Act, which will provide priority for that kind of training and assistance for local and state law enforcement is there. Ms. Sepich, thank you for your outstanding work and rising out of a terrible tragedy, you and your family experienced in your lives. But -- but I know you're committed to making sure not only that that doesn't happen to other families, but also that through your work on DNA Saves that we are able to bring people responsible to justice. There's been so much work that we've done here and Senator Sessions has been front and center as you've noticed. Things like Senator Hatch's rapid DNA legislation act. The Paul Coverdale National Forensic Science Improvement Act, which was just renewed in the Justice for All Act that Senator Leahy and I co-sponsored and was signed by President Obama. But, it is so important to make sure that we do provide all these essential tools and good science to make sure we do convict the guilty, but we also exonerate people who are innocent of crimes. And would you, I just want to say thank you. I know the Chairman has the gavel in his hand and he's getting ready to gavel me out of order here. But I just want to express my gratitude to you for your leadership on that issue. But you're right, Senator Sessions has been front and center at all of those efforts, not only to convict the guilty, but also to exonerate the innocent. Thank you Mr. Chairman. GRASSLEY: Now Senator Leahy. LEAHY: Thank you. I wasn't going to interrupt Senator Cornyn as long as your praising a legislation you and I wrote -- wrote together. I mention that only because contrary to what people believe, Republicans and Democrats do work together on a lot of things here in the Congress. Mr. Thompson, you and I have worked together on things as you know. And, I just want to say something to Sergeant Vasquez -- Vasquez, I'm sorry for the pronunciation. I watched some of your testimony earlier. It is so moving. And, my wife did too, and we're both so proud of you and thank you for what you have done, your service for the country. And as parents of one who served in the military, we, like all parents everywhere, you worry about those who serve and you worry what they do, but you think. Thank everybody, the fact that we have people who are willing to serve our country. Are you concerned about what might happen under the new administration for young people registered under DACA? VASQUEZ: Definitely Mr. Senator. There -- there is a huge concern for those roughly 800,000 people that raise their hand and say they were undocumented right? I think that the biggest point that makes is that when there was a path, there was a way for us to come out of the shadows, right. And a dozen people raised their hand and say they were undocumented. Now the fact of the matter is that there was no other way, right;the Congress, the Senate has not passed any meaningful laws that could guarantee them a path to citizenship, to (inaudible) legislation (ph), to whatever you want to call it. But unless there is a path, unless there is a way they can find a permanent solution, we are definitely concerned that the next administration is going to stop the DACA and that those students are going to have to go back into the shadows. Senator Sessions stated yesterday that there is not enough financial support to report 800,000 people and at the same time he opposed every single legislation that will give them a way to become legal. So what are the students to do? What are the young adults to do when they are faced with opposition? So it is definitely concerning. LEAHY: You must know an awful lot of people who are nearing the DACA, is there a sense of concern about the rhetoric that we're hearing with the new administration? VAZQUEZ: There is definitely a sense of concern. There is a lot of fear most of all. I know students -- one of the other, my teammate has won the competition so many years ago; he is a father to two U. S. citizen children now and he will be facing -- he is facing the unknown (ph) given the next administration. I mean there has been statement saying that DACA is going to be repealed, maybe there is not, so we are not sure what's going to happen in that scenario. There is a lot of fear out there. LEAHY: Thank you. Ms. Swadhin, I -- I raised on behalf -- I probably should raise the question yesterday and I'm hearing about comments that the President-Elect has made regarding sexual assault and gave Mr. Sessions a chance to explain where-- his first response is that he seemed to be basically minimize and improving what President might have said, he expanded what he meant yesterday and yesterday he is under oath, I will accept that. But I think -- my own daughter -- I think of -- my three beautiful granddaughters; and I think about somebody in the Hollywood video on the President-elect jokes about what is sexual assault. Mr. Sessions now when he is asked further about it, in midst of what President-elect Trump brags about doing is sexual assault. You've dedicated your life to helping others heal after sexual assault. You're a survivor yourself. What -- sort of a two-part question; what kind of a message to somebody, especially somebody in power trivializes sexual assault, even jokes about it; how is the prosecutor -- I prosecuted sexual assault cases. What does it do for victims' willingness to come forth if they see people in power trivialize something that might be a lifelong trauma for them? (Inaudible). SWADHIN: Thank you for the question, Senator Leahy. You know, it's highly relevant on several levels that the impact that it has on survivors watching people in power and in this case, someone who -- you know, has been elected to be the President of The United States make these kind of jokes and brag about this kind of so- called locker room behavior about sexually assaulting women. I think it's important to go back to the point I made in my testimony that the majority of victims of violent crime are assailed (ph) by people who they know intimately. In cases of adult rape and sexual assault, 80 percent of survivors know their assailant and in 90 percent of cases of child sexual abuse,the person sexually abusing the child is known and trusted and often loved by the person who is perpetrating the violence. So it's already so hard for survivors to come forward because it means that we have to testify against the people that we put our trust in. In my case it was my father and that's not an uncommon story, it's someone very close to you; that's how these crimes happen. And so to be able to trust the state more than we fear are intimately known perpetrators,we have to see people in control of the state who take a hard-line stance against sexual assault and whom -- you know, say publicly that they would support and believe survivors. And unfortunately in this political climate, we're looking at an administration led by a man who not only does not seem to prioritize helping sexual assault survivors heal and come forward to be able to trust the state but -- you know, may have actually engaged in assault himself, the things that he was bragging about. So it's incredibly concerning. Add to that the fact that the violence that we live through has very traumatizing impacts. I myself live with complex PTSD, so your mental health on a day-to-day basis is already negatively impacted. So to be able to stay grounded enough to come forward and put your trust in a stranger, social worker, a prosecutor, a police officer in order to get the services healing and the accountability that you deserve, it's incredibly difficult. LEAHY: Thank you. Because I -- I remember, on the sexual assault cases where detectives at my office, assistant prosecutors and myself having to tell people you can trust us. We actually care about what you're saying. We do believe it's a crime. And frankly, those who trivialize it and say it's not a crime are ignoring too many people in this country. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. GRASSLEY: Thank you, Senator Leahy, now Senator Cruz. CRUZ: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank all the members of the distinguished panel for being here today and I want to take a special moment to thank Larry Thompson who was my boss at the Department of Justice; although I would note that you should not hold Larry accountable for my missteps in the years that followed. I want to start, Mr. Cole by addressing your testimony. And I would note that the ACLU -- I have worked alongside the ACLU on any number of the issues here in the senate, including we've worked alongside each other on issues of indefinite detention, we've worked on the same side concerning the USA Patriot Act, we worked on the same side working to stop the efforts of Senate Democrats to amend the Constitution and to amend the Free Speech protections of the First Amendment and so I'm grateful for many of the good things the ACLU does. You're a professor at Georgetown; I would like to ask you as a professor, how would you react to a student who submitted List of Panel Members and Witnesses PANEL MEMBERS: SEN. CHARLES E. GRASSLEY, R-IOWA CHAIRMAN SEN. JEFF SESSIONS, R-ALA. SEN. ORRIN G. HATCH, R-UTAH SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-S.C. SEN. JOHN CORNYN, R-TEXAS SEN. MIKE LEE, R-UTAH SEN. TED CRUZ, R-TEXAS SEN. JEFF FLAKE, R-ARIZ. SEN. DAVID PERDUE, R-GA. SEN. THOM TILLIS, R-N.C. SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN, D-CALIF. RANKING MEMBER SEN. PATRICK J. LEAHY, D-VT. SEN. CHARLES E. SCHUMER, D-N.Y. SEN. RICHARD J. DURBIN, D-ILL. SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, D-R.I. SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR, D-MINN. SEN. AL FRANKEN, D-MINN. SEN. CHRIS COONS, D-DEL. SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, D-CONN. SEN. MAZIE K. HIRONO, D-HAWAII WITNESSES: FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL MICHAEL B. MUKASEY DAVID COLE, LEGAL DIRECTOR, ACLU LARRY THOMPSON, FORMER DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL CORNELL BROOKS, PRESIDENT AND CEO, NAACP CHUCK CANTERBURY, NATIONAL PRESIDENT, FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE OSCAR VAZQUEZ, FORMER DREAMER, U.S. VETERAN PETER KIRSANOW, COMMISSIONER, UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS AMITA SWADHIN, FOUNDER, MIRROR MEMOIRS JAYANN SEPICH, CO-FOUNDER, DNA SAVES SEN. CORY BOOKER, D-N.J. WILLIE HUNTLEY, FORMER ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA REP. JOHN LEWIS, D-GA. JESSE SEROYER, FORMER UNITED STATES MARSHAL, MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA REP. CEDRIC L. RICHMOND, D-LA. WILLIAM SMITH, FORMER CHIEF COUNSEL, ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT AND THE COURTS SUBCOMMITTEE, SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Texas state flag on sky

Dash cam video has been released showing exactly what happened between a Constable's deputy and a 72-yEAr-old woman, before she was tasered last month.The officer says Kathryn Winkfein mouthed off, and was physically noncompliant. Winkfein told us that wasn't true.Precinct 3 Sgt. Maj. Gary Griffin says he's reviewed the dash cam footage and he's standing by his deputy--he says followed policy.Just after two in the afternoon on May 11, the video shows Deputy Chris Bieze stopping Kathryn Winkfein for speeding on a notoriously dangerous strip of Highway 71.After completing the paperwork, the officer returns to Winkfein's truck, but she refuses to sign the speeding ticket."Take me to jail," Winkfein demands on the tape, "I'm a 72-year-old woman."That's when the deputy opens the driverside door to arrest the great-grandmother."Give me the ******* ticket now," Winkfein curses. The deputy shoves her. "You're gonna push me? A 72-year-old woman?"The shove, the Constable's office says, served to get the two out of oncoming traffic. Then, the deputy warns her one of five times."Stand back, " Bieze says. "I'm gonna tase you."She responds by saying, "I dare you."The deputy announces he's going to taser Winkfein, and the woman hits the ground as the taser is deployed.Winkfein agreed to talk with FOX 7 Monday. She told reporter Keri Bellacosa she'd like to see the video. When the news crew arrived at her home for the appointment, no one came to the door. But last Friday, Winkfein sat down with FOX 7 and told her side of the arrest."I wasn't argumentative. I was no combative, okay? This is a lie. All of this is a lie. Pulled away from him I did not," she said on May 29.FOX 7 also requested an interview from Winkfein's attorney. He declined Monday."There may be many viewers upset we deployed a taser," Sgt. Maj. Griffin said, "But she made a very simple interaction with police, a very difficult task.--------A 72-year-old woman is pulled over for speeding, then tasered and sent to jail. Kathryn Winkfein says she drives to Austin about twice a month to do her shopping. But on a Monday afternoon, a Travis County Constable deputy pulled her over, on her way back to Granite Schoals."Due to being a construction zone, and workers being present," Pct. 3 Constable Richard McCain said, "it was 45, she was doing 60."Winkfein admits she was speeding in the dangerous strip of Highway 71 and Bee Creek."He explained to her," Constable McCain said, "sign the ticket stub, it's not an admission of guilt. It's a promise to appear in court. She didn't want to. She said take me to jail."That's when the officer says Winkfein exited her vehicle and didn't cooperate."She refused to get off the side of the road, he said to her, Ma'am, you're under arrest. She used profanity," the Constable said. He adds she got violent, and the officer used a taser on her.Winkfein showed FOX 7 her taser scars."Here and here. Two places, side by side. It's unreal. It's like an electric shock," she said.A shock Winkfein believes she didn't deserve."I wasn't argumentative, I was not combative. This is a lie. All of this is a lie, pulled away from him I did not," she said, reading the arrest affidavit.The great-grandmother was taken to the Travis County Jail, where she was booked for resisting arrest and detention. She was released shortly after. Now, Winkfein has hired attorneys to protect her rights.When asked if it was appropriate for the arresting officer to have used a taser, Constable McCain answered yes.

EXT BROLL ABC POOL CUTS CAM POSITION LOW SHOT DURING 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MARCH CEREMONY Wednesday, August 28, 2013 LOG: March on Washington 50th Anniversary "Let Freedom Ring" at Lincoln Memorial SLUG: 0930 LINCOLN MEM STIX RS34 74 1530 LINCOLN MEM STIX RS34 71 AR: 16X9 DISC# NYRS: WASH HD 4 11:00 am - 12:00 pm 11:09:25 Geraldo Marshall (Trumpet Call) 11:11:28 REMARKS/ INTRO INVOCATION (Soledad O'Brien, Hill Harper) 11:14:49 Pastor A.R. Bernard (Invocation) 11:20:17 INTRO AMB. YOUNG (Hill Harper) 11:20:39 Ambassador Andrew Young YOUNG: I don't know about you, but I "Woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom. I woke up this morning with my mind" -- come on, help me -- "stayed on freedom. I woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom. Hallelu, Hallelu" -- come on (inaudible) -- "Hallelujah." Well, "I'm walking and talking with my mind -- my mind, it was, stayed on freedom. Walking and talking with my mind stayed on freedom. Walking and talking with my mind stayed on freedom. Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah." Now, 50 years ago when we came here, we came from a battle. We came from a battle in Birmingham. But that was just a few months before -- before Martin Luther King came through to speak of his dream. 11:22:11 He had been through bombings, jailings, beatings. He had been snatched from his jailhouse cell in DeKalb County, and put in chains, and taken down to Reidsville Penitentiary in the middle of the night, and thought it was going to be his last night on earth. 11:22:31 He went through the battles of Albany and Birmingham, and came out victorious. But we knew that the fight was just beginning. And we knew that we had a long, long way to go, and this was just the start. Now, he came here representing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, saying that we were going to redeem the soul of America from the triple evils of racism, war and poverty. He came, not talking so much about racism nor war. His speech was about poverty. And he said that the Constitution was a promissory note, to which all of us would fall heir, but that when men and women of color presented their check at the bank of justice, it came back marked, "insufficient funds." But then he said he knew that wasn't the end. But 50 years later, we're still here trying (ph) to cash that bad check. Fifty years later, we're still dealing with all kinds of problems. And so we're not here to claim any victory. We're here to simply say that the struggle continues. But a long time ago, when Ralph Abernathy would stand with him, and things would get difficult, Ralph would say, "Well, I don't know what the future may hold, but I know who holds the future." 11:24:02 And Martin would say that, "The moral arch of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice." And then he would say, "Truth forever on the scaffold; wrong forever on the throne. But the scaffold sways the future, for behind the dim unknown, standeth God beneath the shadows keeping watch above His own." 11:24:22 So I want to say to you this morning, I want to say, "I've got a feeling everything's going to be all right. I've got a feeling, everything's going to be all right. I've got a feeling, everything's going to be all right, be all right, be all right, be all right." Pray on, and stay on, and fight on. 11:25:34 Robby Novak, Kid President remarks 11:25:59 Jonathan B. Jarvis, 18th Director of the National Park Service remarks 11:26:08 there are countless photographs of that historic day, one with a pair of rangers with Dr King. Image captures small moment in great event, but captures role of nat'l parks service. 11:26:49 each monument you find a familiar parks service arrowhead. We are there to welcome visitors and preserve American stories they represent. Places civil rights was organized are now preserved as nat'l parks. The power of these places is to inspire each generation to have a dream. 11:28:11 we are very proud of the 2 rangers who stood here 50 years ago. My promise to you is that we will protect all the places entrusted to us with the highest standard of stewardship 11:28:48 Vincent C. Gray, Mayor of Washington 11:28:52 on behalf of 632,000 residents of DC, allow me to welcome you 11:29:08 dr king borrowed a lyric from one of our favorite patriotic songs: let freedom ring. 11:29:33 there was one place DR king didn't mention in that speech but later spoke forcefully: DC. That's because full freedom and democracy are still denied to those who live within sight of capitol dome. We have no voting representative in our own congress. We pay 3.5 billion dollars in taxes but don't get final say. We send our sons and daughters to fight for democracy but don't get to practice here at home 11:30:47 I implore, I hope all of you will stand with me when we say let freedom ring from mt st Albans, the bridges of Anacostia, from Capitol Hill itself, until all of the residents are truly free. 11:31:25 please join hands with us and make every American free 11:31:45 Reverend Wintley Phipps, Sr. 11:36:00 U.S. Senator Angus King, Maine 11:36:10 KING: Fifty years ago, Americans marched to this place. They came from the Northeast, from the West, from the Midwest, and they came from the South. They came by rail; they came by bus; they came by car. One even roller-skated here from Chicago. They slept the night before in buses, in cars, on friends' floors, and in churches. 11:36:42 Fifty years ago this morning, we started in small rivulets of people on the side streets of this great city. We joined together in larger streams, moving toward the main arteries of Washington. Then we came together in a mighty river of people down to this place, old, young, black, white, Protestant, Catholic, and Jew. We stopped at the Washington Monument and heard Peter, Paul and Mary sing of the hammer of justice and the bell of freedom. 11:37:26 Fifty years ago, Americans came to this place around a radical idea, an idea at the heart of the American experience, an idea new to the world in 1776, tested in 1865, renewed in 1963, and an idea still new and radical today: all men and women are created equal. All men and women are created equal. 11:38:08 Fifty years ago, at this place, at this sacred place, Americans sent a message to their leaders and around the world that the promise of equality of opportunity, equality before the law, equality in the right to freely participate in the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship applied to everyone in this country, not just the lucky few of the right color or the accident of birth. This is what Martin Luther King meant when he said that his dream was deeply rooted in the American dream. 11:39:03 And 150 years ago -- 150 years ago this summer -- a mighty battle was fought not far from this place. And this idea, the idea of equality, the idea of America hung in the balance. One of the soldiers on those hot July days was a young college professor from Maine named Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. And returning to the battlefield at Gettysburg many years later, he expressed the power of the place where such momentous deeds were done. Here is what he said. Here is what Joshua Chamberlain said. 11:39:44 "In great deeds, something abides. On great fields, something stays. Forms change and pass, bodies disappear, but spirits linger to consecrate the ground for the vision-place of souls. Generations that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for them, shall come to this deathless field, to this deathless place, to ponder and dream. And, lo, the shadow of a mighty presence will wrap them in its bosom and the power of the vision shall pass into their souls." 11:40:53 Fifty years ago today, this place was a battlefield. No shots were fired, no cannons roared, but a battlefield nonetheless, a battlefield of ideas, the ideas that define us as a nation. As it was once said of Churchill, Martin Luther King on that day mobilized the English language and marched it into war, and, in the process, caught the conscience of a nation. And here today on these steps, 50 years on, indeed, something abides and the power of the vision has surely passed into our souls. 11:41:57 The Honorable Johnny L. DuPree, Mayor of Hattiesburg, Mississippi and Secretary, National Council of Black Mayors 11:42:15 decades and decades ago, blood sweat and tears all culminated in a march 11:42:31 if someone would have told me this country boy would become a mayor, I'd say they fell off a truck 11:42:52 some of y'all never had the opportunity to take a bath in a #3 tin tub, I did that 11:43:19 we've been entrusted with making the lives better of people that we serve 11:43:39 at one point, struggle was to gain citizenship, then vote, for brief period, African Americans held elected office during reconstruction 11:44:00 now one of the challenges is the freedom to govern. We must to locally what obama did nationally 11:44:15 we must go back to individuals who helped get us here and encourage them to make their voices heard 11:44:34 we did not quiver or retreat in face of injustice 11:44:55 it is because of those who marched on, even though wearied and bloodied, until they did what people said couldn't be done 11:45:40 Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey with Trayvon Martin's parents and Newtown victim father Mark Barden 11:50:17 INTRO CHARLES STEELE JR and MELANIE CAMPBELL (Soledad O'Brien) 11:50:46 Charles Steele, president emeritus & CEO, Southern Christian Leadership Council 11:53:27 Melanie Campbell, president & CEO, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation 11:56:45 U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro, Texas (20th District) 11:56:55 CASTRO: It's an honor to be here with you today. I come as a son of the great state of Texas, the home to the president who signed the most sweeping and important civil rights legislation in our nation's history. I am 38 years old. I also speak to you as someone of a grateful generation, grateful for the struggles and the movements and the blood and tears and all of the work of the civil rights pioneers who stood here 50 years ago today, and those who marched in the streets of Selma, those who organized people in factories and farms, those who took their battles to the courts, like Thurgood Marshall and Gus Garcia, those who organized people to vote and exercise our rights, those like Willie Velasquez. My own parents in the 1960s were very involved in a movement inspired by Martin Luther King and the men and women who stood here. They were active in the Chicano movement, or the Latino civil rights movement. 11:58:08 And I want to say thank you to them, and thank you to all of you. And I also want to make a promise to you. As somebody of a younger generation of Americans, I want to promise you that all of the struggles and all of the fights and all of the work and all of the years that you put in to making our country a better place, to helping our leaders understand that freedom and democracy are prerequisites to opportunity, I want you to know that this generation of Americans will not let that dream go. That we will carry on, and make sure that this country lives up to the values and principles for which you fought so hard. Thank you very much. 11:58:53 The Right Honorable Perry Christie, Prime Minister of the Bahamas CHRISTIE: Greetings from the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, your closest neighbor to the south. Martin Luther King, Jr., holds a very special place in the hearts and minds of Bahamians, not least because he spent time amongst us, both in Nassau and in the tiny island of Bimini, where in 1964, while on a brief vacation, he composed his Nobel Prize acceptance speech. On a clear night, the lights of metropolitan Miami are, in fact, visible from the shores of Bimini, dramatizing the closeness between our two nations. We are, after all, less than 50 miles apart. But however close that may be in the literal sense, we are in the geography of the soul even closer than that. The common ties of history, of ethnicity and culture, of migration, of a common heritage of struggle bind us together not just as neighbors, not even only as friends, but as true brothers and sisters. The message I bring to you today can be briefly stated, and it is this. As momentous as this occasion is, we do a grave injustice to ourselves and to all humanity if we leave here unresolved to carry on the greater noble struggle for which Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his life. The blood of this good man shed in Memphis still cries out across the years, cries out to each and every one of us, wherever we may be, all across the world, to stand up for freedom, to stand up for human dignity, to stand up for equality, to stand up for social justice, to stand up for right and not for wrong, for peace and not for war, for love and not for hate. It is the timelessness and universality of the message that he proclaimed and the heroic majesty of his personal example that explains why Martin Luther King, Jr., is as relevant today, as compelling today, as inspirational today as he was 50 years ago, when from the very precincts he delivered the oration that rocked the conscience of America and the world. When he spoke as he did that day, we somehow knew, we somehow felt that his message was coming from a place that was not only deeper than himself, but deep within us all. He had awakened to the call of that place and was rousing us from our slumber so that we could take our own inner soundings and hear it, too. In so doing, he gave language to our deepest yearning for a better life. Martin Luther King's work remains unfinished. This then must be for all of us a time not only for renewal, but above all, a profoundly personal level and the most authentic way possible, a time for rededication to the dream that Martin Luther King championed throughout his life. May the light of the flame continue to guide us as we go forward, each in his own way, each in his own nation to continue the work of Martin Luther King. In that way, and in no other way, we keep his dream alive and make it our own. 12:00 -1:00 p.m. 12:02:42 Junkaroo performance 12:07:08 Myrlie Evers Williams 12:07:19 50 years ago we gathered in this very same spot. We felt in the words of another Mississippian, fannie lou hamer, I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. And I do believe that's what the crowd was saying to all of our leaders. Dr king took the helm, and under his leadership, said enough is enough America. This is our country. All of us, we belong here, and here we are, some 50 years later, assessing what has happened. Where we are 12:08:39 for a brief period of time I think we fell asleep and said everything is ok, but we know today everything is not ok, there has been a retrenchment in this country as far as equal rights is concerned. 12:09:09 the triumphs and defeats belong to us all. Dr king told us he might not get to mountaintop with us but there is a promised land. America is that land for all of us. 12:09:45 today's world, there's emphasis on individuality. How can I reach my top? No matter how strong any 1 person may be, they may be strengthened with support from each other 12:10:11 the movement can no longer afford an individual approach to justice 12:10:34 at times it is necessary that we let those who represent us know that we are a force to be reckoned with. Many of our messages today target youth and elders. I look at those in middle, they are young enough to relate but established enough in our community, I ask you what are our next steps 12:11:25 this country in the area of civil rights has taken a turn backward. I am energized to move forward and to be sure to see the gains we have encountered are not lost. So I do ask you what are our next steps. 12:11:58 many of our civil rights leaders like my husband and dr martin luther king 12:12:12 I challenge you to get back to community building, these are our children. You are the parents. The victory will be a collective one. It is with clear conscience that we will reach that mountaintop and we will overcome 12:12:46 it will take each and every one of us, letting those who say they manage America it's the voice and actions of people who say we must overcome and will eventually say we have overcome because of the involvement of each and every one 12:14:01 Kristin Stoneking, executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation 12:16:29 Mee Moua, president and executive director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice 12:18:40 The Honorable Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland 12:18:42 O'MALLEY: The work of justice is urgent. It is real, and it is needed. Let there be no comfort in our country for the bigotry of cold indifference. For there are still too many lives in America taken from us by violence, still too many children in America who go to bed hungry, who go to school hungry. Still too much apathy when the lives of people of color are too often valued less than the lives of white people. 12:19:09 And so, the responsibility we consecrate today is not rooted in nostalgia or memory. It is rooted in something far deeper. It is rooted in the calling of conscious to action, actions that protect every individual's right to vote; action that safeguards and keeps guns out of the hands of violent offenders; action makes quality education and the opportunity of college a reality for more families; action that protects the dignity of every child's home with civil marriage equality; action that strengthens our country with the hopes and dreams and hard work of our newest generation of new American immigrants; action that abolishes the death penalty and improves public safety in every neighborhood regardless of income or color; actions that create jobs and raises the minimum wage for every mom and dad that's willing to work hard and play by the rules. 12:20:25 Yes, thanks to Dr. King, America's best days are still ahead of us. Love remains the strongest power in our country. Forward we shall walk, hand in hand. And in this great work, we are not afraid. Thank you. 12:21:00 Natalie Grant 12:24:39 Fred Maahs, chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities 12:29:19 Reverend Roslyn Brock, chairman of the NAACP 12:29:24 the march on Washington was for equality and opportunity. We of NAACP acknowledge our organizing days are beginning anew 12:29:52 the power and depth of their witness is magnified by the fact that they returned home and organized 12:30:08 in a 1966 speech to medical committee for human rights, dr king said injustice in healthcare is most inhumane inequality. One of the most pressing issues for this generation 12:30:38 supreme court and people have spoken. Affordable Care Act is the law of the land. 12:30:58 we must ensure all Americans are aware we can change the face of health in this nation. We are determined and clear to the world, when it comes to healthj equity, courage will not skip this generation. 12:31:37 Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP BENJAMIN JEALOUS: Fired up! (Cheers.) Come on. Fired up! AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Ready to go! MR. JEALOUS: Fired up! AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Ready to go! MR. JEALOUS: Fired up! AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Ready to go! MR. JEALOUS: Ladies and gentlemen, as we stand here 50 years after the March on Washington, let us remember that Dr. King's last march was never finished. The Poor People's Campaign was never finished. Some 50 years after the March on Washington, while fewer people as a percentage in our country are poor, more as a number in our country are poor. And while the ladder of opportunity extends to the heavens for our people today, more are tethered at the bottom and falling off every day. 12:32:00 Indeed, one could say that the distance between a child's aspiration represented by the top of that ladder and a family's situation at the bottom of that ladder is the exact measurement of that parent's level of frustration. 12:32:44 And so as we go home today, let us remember that the dreamer was also a doer. And as we turn on our TVs tomorrow and see people walking out of places where they're being forced to survive on $7.25 by the thousands, let us commit to join them in fighting to lift up the bottom, because as the top of that ladder has extended, the tethers at the bottom must be unleashed. Let us not just be dreamers this day; let us recommit to be doers. Thank you, and God bless. (Cheers, applause.) 12:33:52 Maori Dancers performance 12:38:41 Reverend Joseph Lowery 12:42:26 Laura Turner Seydel, aka "Captain Planet" 12:45:42 Dr. Eliza Byard, executive director, Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network 12:48:19 Bill Russell 12:48:29 good afternoon, it's nice to be here. 12:48:39 it's nice to be anywhere after 50 years. 12:49:41 from my point of view, you only register progress by how far you have to go 12:50:46 progress can only be measured by how far we have to go 12:51:07 as we used to say in the projects, keep on keeping on 12:51:58 Clayola Brown, president of the A. Philip Randolph Institute 12:53:47 Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO 12:53:50 good afternoon. I'm so proud to represent 1.6 tril members 12:54:16 and 5 years later, dr king stood with sanitation workers of local 1733 12:54:38 new momentum on these steps 50 years ago, advances whenever disenfranchised stand up 12:54:52 because our struggle continues12:55:08 we come to commemorate past and shape future 12:55:10 we must also have the courage in the name of dr king, a phillip ranolph, rep john lewis, we must recommit to struggle as stewards of nation that belongs to rich and poor, those with and those without 12:55:44 we have to build on legacy left to us all, protect fundamental rights, ensure workers voices never silenced, fight for good jobs and decent pay. Above all, we must uphold principle that everyone who contributes to prosperity of nation should share in prosperity 12:56:31 U.S. Congresswoman Donna Edwards, Maryland (4th District) 12:56:43 REPRESENTATIVE DONNA EDWARDS (D-MD): On behalf of the members of Congress, I represent Maryland's 4th Congressional District. As the first African-American woman to represent Maryland in the House of Representatives, and on behalf of my sisters in Congress, I'm proud to stand here with you today on the shoulders of women, courageous women like Fannie Lou Hamer and Dorothy Height and Vivian Malone and Rosa Parks and so many others. I'm proud to stand on the shoulders of our domestic workers and to be wrapped in the arms of three, four little girls in a Birmingham church and a Chicago teenager on vacation in Mississippi. 12:57:05 It's a new day 50 years later and a better day. But the day is not over. Today's struggle for civil rights, social justice and economic opportunity demand our engagement and our voice. To realize fully the dream we must both raise our voices and take action. We must lift our voices to challenge government and our community and our neighbors to be better. We must lift our voices for wages that enable families to take care of themselves, for a health care system that erases disparities, for communities and homes without violence, for clean air and water to protect our environment for future generations and for a just justice system. We must lift our voice for the value of our vote and have our votes counted without interference. As we stand here today, Dr. King would know and my dear colleague John Lewis certainly does know that today is not just a commemoration or a celebration; it's a call to action for the work that remains undone and the communities that remain unchanged. Our foremothers and forefathers, 50 years ago they closed a book on the last century. Well, when the book closes on the 21st century and civil rights, which chapter will you have written? What fight will you have fought in the halls of Congress or in the town halls of your community? For men and women, black and white, Latino and Asian, Muslim, Christian and Jew, gay and straight, I hope this book includes you. We need you to act. The final chapter must include your voice to achieve Dr. King's dream. They cannot be written without you. 12:58:50 Alan van Capelle - CEO Bend the Arc 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. 13:02:43 Ingrid Saunders Jones, chair of the National Council of Negro Women SAUNDERS: Good afternoon. I'm so proud to represent the 1.6 million members of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFSCME, public service workers whose labor touches communities throughout this nation. You know, AFSCME stood with Dr. King in 1963 when he called on America to be true to its principles. And five years later Dr. King stood with AFSCME when the sanitation workers of Local 1733 demanded justice, dignity, and respect. The journey for civil rights, workers' rights and economic rights began almost from the moment America was born. It gained new momentum on these steps 50 years ago. And it advances whenever the disenfranchised and disillusioned stand up, fight back and march forward. Because our struggle continues, we come to this memorial not only to commemorate the past, but to shape the future. We have the power to carry the determination, the hope and passion of the March on Washington forward. We must also have had the courage. We must also have the courage. SAUNDERS: In the name of Dr. King, A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, Dorothy Height, Ella Baker and Congressman John Lewis, on behalf of those whose names will never be known, we must recommit to the struggle as stewards of a nation that belongs to the rich and the poor, to the CEO and the sanitation worker, those with and those without. We have the responsibility to build on the legacy that has been left -- left to us all. We must protect the most fundamental rights we have -- the right to vote. We must be sure that workers' voices will never be silenced. We must fight for good jobs and decent pay. And we must become the just and fair society of our ideals. Above all -- above all -- we must uphold the principle that everyone who contributes to the prosperity of this nation should share in the prosperity of our nation. Thank you. 13:05:19 Mark Tillman, president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. 13:07:57 Delores Huerta DOLORES HUERTA: We're being blessed with the rain. Yes, we are. 13:08:14 You know, we're here to celebrate all of the wonderful benefits that we all received from the civil rights movement and the Chicano movement. We honor the sacrifices and the lives of those that gave their lives so that we could have these benefits. We want to honor Coretta Scott King -- (cheers) -- for all of the work that she did to get that Martin Luther King holiday, the national holiday. We want to honor Yolanda King for all that she did on behalf of women and children to stop abuses of both. 13:08:45 But you know, Dr. King said, on this very stage, go back to your communities, go back to the South, go back to the North. And I'm saying also to the West, because we've got to continue to organize to fulfill that dream, because you know what? If we don't do it, it's not going to happen. The only way that discrimination is going to end against women of -- people of color, against women, against our LGBT community is if we do it, which means that we've got to outreach to those that are not with us. We've got to educate them. We've got to mobilize them. We've got to motivate them. That's the only way it can happen. So I'm going to ask all of you, who's got the power? AUDIENCE MEMBERS: We do! MS. HUERTA: Let's hear it loud and clear. We've got the power. I'm going to say, who's got the power? I want you to say, we've got the power. Who's got the power? AUDIENCE MEMBERS: We've got the power! MS. HUERTA: And I'm going to say, what kind of power? I want you to say, people power. What kind of power? AUDIENCE MEMBERS: People power! MS. HUERTA: All right! So we can do it. Yes, we can. "Si, se puede." Let's all say this all together. Yes, we can. "Si, se puede." Put your hands up, everybody, like this. We're going to all clap together and in Spanish we're going to say, "Si, se puede," which means, "Yes, we can." Let's do it. (Chanting.) "Si, se puede." AUDIENCE MEMBERS: (Chanting and clapping.) "Si, se puede! Si, se puede! Si, se puede!" 13:10:09 CUT OFF for LeAnn Rimes 13:10:34 LeAnn Rimes performs "Amazing Grace" 13:13:19 Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League MARC MORIAL: Good afternoon, fellow Americans. I stand today on the shoulders of Martin Luther King, Whitney Young, John Lewis, A. Philip Randolph and the many great leaders of 1963 who sacrificed, who marched, who demonstrated courage and bravery in the face of attack so that we can be here today. 13:14:05 I stand as a representative of the next generation that has had the opportunity to walk into corporate boardrooms, walk into city halls and county halls, into halls of justice, into the Justice Department and, yes, into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue solely because of the sacrifices and the bravery of those whose names we remember and those we don't. 13:14:39 I stand here today to call on this great and mighty nation to wake up, wake up to unfair legality parading as morality; wake up to insensitivity to the poor masked as fiscal austerity; wake up to politics without a positive purpose. It is time, America, to wake up. 13:15:06 Fifty years ago, that sleeping giant was awakened. But somewhere along the way, we've dozed. We've been quelled by the lullaby of false prosperity and the mirage of economic equality. We fell into a slumber. Somewhere along the way, white sheets were traded for buttoned down white shirts. Attack dogs and water hoses were traded for tasers and widespread implementation of stop-and-frisk policies. Nooses were traded for handcuffs. Somewhere along the way, we gained new enemies, cynicism and complacency. Murders from urban America to suburban America. The pursuit of power for power's sake. We stand here today to say it is time to wake up. 13:16:01 So here in 2013, we stand before the statue of the great emancipator. We look toward the statue of the great liberator. We say we have come to wake up a new civil rights movement for economic justice, a new civil rights movement for freedom in these days, a new civil rights movement for jobs, a new civil rights movement for men, for women, for children of all backgrounds, all races, all dispositions, all orientations, all cities, all counties, all towns all across America. 13:16:43 America, it is time for us to wake up. The 21st-century agenda for jobs and freedom comes alive today. We stand on the shoulders of the great men and women of yesterday, and we affirm this new commitment for today and tomorrow. God bless you, God thank you, and God bless this great nation. (Cheers, applause.) 13:17:15 U.S. Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, Ohio (11th District) and chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus FUDGE: Good afternoon. I am Marcia Fudge, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. 13:17:19 And I am the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus because Dr. Martin Luther King acted upon his dream. Dr. King was not just a dreamer, but the voice of a movement. In 1963, there were five members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Today, there are 44 African-American members in Congress. 13:17:44 Dr. King dreamed of an America where every individual -- no matter their race, nationality, or socioeconomic background -- would have the opportunity to achieve dreams of their own. His dream was a call to action. Dr. King advocated for an America where everyone would be afforded their inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, a nation where there would be equal protection under the law and a country where every person's right to vote is protected. He dreamed of an America where every child has access to quality schools and an education that prepares them for their future. And he dreamed that we as a nation would walk together on the swift path towards justice. 13:18:31 Now it is up to us, the Congress of the United States of America, to work together to pass a jobs bill that ensures decent jobs for all of our citizens. Now it is up to us to ensure that we have a criminal justice system that does not value one life more than another. Now it is up to us to make sure that no child goes hungry to school or to bed. 13:19:10 In Dr. King's words, we cannot and we must not be satisfied with anything less. It is our time to make Dr. King's dream our reality. Dr. King said that 1963 was not an end, but a new beginning. Let us make today the start of a new chapter in the history of this country, and let us march forward towards justice together. Thank you. 13:19:39 Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union HENRY: Brothers and sisters, the members of the Service Employees International Union are proud to join the freedom fighters across this country in insisting on the three freedoms that are on the back of your program. And in the spirit of the civil rights economic leadership whose shoulders we stand, I want you to join me in repeating the pledges of the freedoms we are committing ourselves here today: The freedom to participate in government, the freedom to prosper in life, the freedom to peacefully coexist. Our members are proud to join with working people, faith leaders, community leaders all across this country in joining our hands in a renewed commitment to bending the arc toward justice and continuing the struggle to achieve racial equality and economic equality for all by delivering on the promise of the Affordable Care Act, by insisting that we prevail in winning common sense immigration reform now, and by joining together to create good jobs by supporting workers all across this country who have the guts to stand up, join together, and demand a living wage from their employers. The fight continues. We want to work for a just society where all work is valued, every human being is respected, where every family and community can thrive, and where we, brothers and sisters, join together in pursuing the freedom to have a better and more equal society for the next generation. Thank you. 13:21:43 Jamie Foxx 13:21:44 FOXX: How we doing? Make some noise for 50 years. Right now let's make some noise. Listen, I don't have much time. I'm here to celebrate what Dr. King did 50 years -- I'm not even probably going to read from the teleprompter because I'm just going to speak from my heart. I'm going to tell you right now that everybody my age and all the entertainers, it's time for us to stand up now and renew this dream. That's what we got to do. I was affected by -- I was affected by the Trayvon Martin situation. I was affected by -- by Newtown. I was affected by Sandy Hook. I'm affected by those things. So it's time for us now to pick up. Harry Belafonte saw me at the Image Awards and he asked me what am I willing to do. He took it a step further and we went to dinner. And my daughter, who's 19 years old, I said listen, if you want to get inspired, come listen to this man speak. When I sat with Mr. Belafonte, he asked my daughter, how old are you? And my daughter said 19. 13:22:48 And I said, Mr. Belafonte, what were you doing at 19? He said, I was coming home from World War II. And when I got back to America, I wasn't allowed to vote. So I love my country. I love America. But I realized that I had more work to do. So myself, Al, Jesse and Martin, we marched. And I said, wait a minute, man. You sound like you're naming a boy band group. What do you mean? Who are these guys' names? And he looked at my daughter and he said, Martin Luther King. Have you heard of him? And we sat there and we cried. What we need to do now is the young folks pick it up now so that when we're 87 years old talking to the other young folks we can say it was me, Will Smith, Jay Z, Kanye, Alicia Keys, Kerry Washington. The list goes on and on. Don't make me start preaching up here. 13:23:38 Last but not least, I have to recognize Mr. Berry Gordy. And not only -- not only did Harry Belafonte bail Martin Luther King out of jail so that he could march, he also paid for all of Coretta Scott King's bills as long as she was on this planet. Young folks, let's have some respect to our elders. That's the first thing. Last thing is this and I'm out. I know they're telling me to get out of here. We have to salute Mr. Berry Gordy because Mr. Berry Gordy put Dr. King's speech on an album and put it out on Motown Records. And then after he did that, he turned around gave those -- those reels and those -- those tapes back to the King family. Thank you so much. Do not forget 50 years. I'm out. 13:24:59 Reverend Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network 13:25:05 REVEREND AL SHARPTON: Fifty years ago, when they came to Washington, it was not for an event. It was in the middle of struggles. It was in the middle of battles to break down the walls of apartheid in America. And Dr. King and those that fought with him, they fought and they beat Jim Crow. We come today to not only celebrate and commemorate, but we come as the children of Dr. King to say that we are going to face Jim Crow's children, because Jim Crow had a son called James Crow Jr. Esquire. (Laughter.) He writes voting suppression laws and puts it in language that looks different, but the results are the same. They come with laws that tell people to stand their ground, they come with laws to tell people to stop and frisk, but I've come to tell you, just like our mothers and fathers beat Jim Crow, we will beat James Crow Jr., Esq. (Cheers, applause.) 13:26:24 They called the generation of Dr. King the Moses generation, and those out here are now Joshua. But if Joshua does not fight the fights of Moses, they're not really Joshua. We saw Dr. King and the dream cross the Red Sea of apartheid and segregation, but we have to cross the Jordan of unequal economic (parity ?). We have to cross the Jordan of continued discrimination and mass incarceration. We've got to keep on fighting, and we've got to vindicate and stand up and substantiate that the dream was not for one generation, the dream goes on until the dream is achieved. 13:27:17 Lastly, we made it this far not because of what we had in our pockets but we had in our hearts, not because of what we owned but because who owned us. And we thank a mighty God for giving us a Martin Luther King. We thank a mighty God that brought us a long way. He brought us from disgrace to amazing grace. He brought us from the butler to the president. (Cheers, applause.) He brought us from Beulah to Oprah. (Cheers, applause.) He brought us a mighty long way, and we thank God for the dream, and we're going to keep on fighting until the dream is a reality. Thank you, and God bless you. 13:28:10 Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers 13:28:18 RANDI WEINGARTEN: Ladies and gentlemen, sisters and brothers, I am the president of the 1.5 million-member American Federation of Teachers. (Cheers, applause.) We have come so far -- King, Rustin, Evers, Parks, Chavez and so many others who have summoned our nation to confront the malignancy of prejudice and discrimination. And many of our afflictions have been healed, but we have far to go. Because the Supreme Court has turned its back on voter suppression, many will once again be denied the right to vote. Children born today poor will stay poor. Millions of Americans work hard every day but can't earn a living wage or exercise their right to collectively bargain. Public schools where kids need the most often get the least. And discrimination based on the color of your skin or the person you love may not be legal in many arenas, but it is still lethal in many times. 13:29:18 Leaders this day 50 years ago understood that the struggle for civil right and racial equality is a struggle for good jobs and decent wages. They understood, as we do today, that public education is an economic necessity, an anchor of democracy and a fundamental right. So we celebrate today that we have become a country that believes in equality, and we recommit ourselves to be a country that acts on that belief. And that start with reclaiming the promise of public education, not as it is today or was in the past, but what we need it to be to fulfill our collective responsibility to all of God's children. 13:30:06 A great nation ensures that every neighborhood public school is a good school. It takes great pains to make the working poor and child hunger conditions of the past. It honors the rights of workers. It takes its immigrants out of its shadows. And it makes the franchise sacrosanct. A great nation is one that acts to lifting us towards opportunity and justice. 13:30:32 The King family has brought us together these five days, not simply to reflect but to act. And we at the AFT will act to keep the dream alive. Thank you. 13:31:06 Julian Bond JULIAN BOND: This is a special day and a special place for all of us. Not only do we pay homage to those who gathered here 50 years ago to tell the nation that they too were Americans, we also celebrate the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation. This is personal for me. Like many of you, I was privileged to be here 50 years ago. And like many of you, I am the grandson of a slave. My grandfather and his mother were property, like a horse or a chair. As a young girl, she'd been given away as a wedding present to a new bride. And when that bride became pregnant, her husband -- that's my great-grandmother's owner and master -- exercised his right to take his wife's slave as his mistress. That union produced two children, one of them my grandfather. At age 15, barely able to read or write, he hitched his tuition to a steer and walked across Kentucky to Berea College, and the college let him in. He belonged to a transcendent generation of black Americans, a generation born in slavery, freed by the Civil War, determined to make their way as free women and men. Martin Luther King belonged to a transcendent generation of black Americans too, a generation born in segregation, determined to make their way as free women and men. When my grandfather graduated from Berea, the college asked him to deliver the commencement address. He said then: The pessimist, from his corner, looks out on a world of wickedness and sin, and, blinded by all that is good or hopeful in the condition and the progress of the human race, bewails the present state of affairs and predicts woeful things for the future. In every cloud, he beholds a destructive storm; in every flash of lightning, an omen of evil; in every shadow that falls across his path, a lurking foe. But he forgets that the clouds also bring life and hope, that the lightning purifies the atmosphere, that shadow and darkness prepare for sunshine and growth, and that hardships and adversity nerve the race, as the individuals, for greater efforts and grander victories. We're still being tested by hardships and adversity, from the elevation of "stand your ground" laws to the evisceration of the Voting Rights Act. But today we commit ourselves, as we did 50 years ago, to greater efforts and grander victories. Thank you. 13:33:43 Reverend Shirley Caesar performs "How I Got Over" 13:39:12 Lynda Bird Johnson Robb JOHNSON ROBB: (OFF-MIKE) my father, Lyndon Johnson, a passionate believer in equality, spoke these words: "One hundred years ago, the slaved was freed. One hundred years later, the Negro remained in bondage to the color of his skin. "The Negro today asks justice. We do not answer him -- we do not answer those who lie beneath this soil -- when we reply to the Negro by asking, 'Patience.'" 13:39:39 The Place was Gettysburg, and I was there with him when he spoke on Memorial Day, 1963, at the 100th Anniversary of the Civil War. He was vice president at that time, and it was three months before the historical march on Washington that we commemorate today. 13:40:03 At a superficial glance, my father, the grandson of a Confederate soldier, may not have seen the most obvious ally to the movement, a white Southerner from (inaudible), he was no young idealist fresh out of college, nor was racial equality a pressing goal of the majority of his Texas constituents; rather, the opposite. But as a teacher, he had seen the plight of his Mexican-American students. And Dr. King's powerful dream found a kindred spirit in my father, who cared deeply about fairness and equality. 13:40:40 When the tragedy of President Kennedy's assassination propelled him to the presidency, he used every power at his disposal, including this considerable legislative muscle, to push through the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. In Daddy's last year in the White House, signing the third Civil Rights bill, he wrote, "I do not exaggerate when I say that the proudest moments of my presidency have been times such as this, when I have signed into law the promises of a century." Recently, the Supreme Court struck down part of the Voting Rights Act, which did so much to combat voting inequality in our country. Now, 50 years later, there are still many examples from current events on how much farther we have yet to go to achieve that promise of a colorblind America. 13:41:56 But remember, too, that fairness and equality are powerful ideas that resonate with all Americans. And with a message as inspiring and timeless as the dream of Dr. King, there will be unexpected allies, if only we look for them. And you know what his wife said? Coretta Scott King said, "Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation." And she was right. So let's go forth, like Jimmie Foxx (ph) said. Thank you. 13:42:50 Ambassador Caroline Kennedy KENNEDY: Good afternoon. Fifty years ago, my father watched from the White House as Dr. King and thousands of others recommitted America to our highest ideals. Over the preceding months, President Kennedy has put the full force of the federal government on the side of the movement, calling on all Americans to recognize that we faced a moral crisis, as old as the Scriptures and as clear as the American Constitution. 13:43:24 His brothers, my Uncle Bobby and Teddy, my Aunt Eunice, continued his committed, working to expand the promises made here to others suffering from discrimination and exclusion. A few months ago, after the Trayvon Martin verdict was handed down, and the Supreme Court eviscerated the Voting Rights Act, President Obama did the same, reminding us all that despite our remarkable progress, each generation must rededicate itself to the unfinished work of building a free and just America. 13:44:03 Fifty years ago, our parents and grandparents marched for jobs and freedom. We have suffered and sacrificed too much to let their dream become a memory. 13:44:13 The children in our failing schools are all of our children. The victims of hate crimes and gun violence are our brothers and sisters. 13:44:23 In the words of an old Japanese proverb, "the water flows on, but the river remains." Now is our turn to live up to our parents' dream, to draw renewed strength from what happened here 50 years ago, and work together for a better world. Thank you. 13:44:52 Forest Whitaker 13:44:59 it's a great honor to be here on 50th anniversary 13:45:10 each of you came here with individual goals but we all share common bond. Your presence says you care and want to bring more peace love and harmony. Together we must embrace this moment. I've observed revolutions, social change firsthand 13:45:53 I am often reminded of the marches and sit ins we've experienced here. Hate is too great a burden 13:46:15 we've all see images of those days. Pictures of segregated water fountains. 13:46:33 many remain nameless but their heroic faces captured in portraits of the past. They risked their lives to bring about change 13:47:00 I want you to recognize the hero that exist inside yourselves. Every step you take around an unknown corner marks your bravery. 13:47:27 and if I were to take a picture of this crowd right now, people would see some of your faces in the movements of today. Individuals who stood in the very spot you stand today, you have responsibility to carry the torch 13:48:04 let's be the generation to make a true difference in the world. 13:48:43 so as the bell rings today, my dream is something will resonate inside you and me that will remind us each of our common bond. 13:49:42 BeBe, Marvin and Carvin Winans perform "God Before Us" 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. 14:05:35 Oprah Winfrey 14:05:45 OPRAH WINFREY: Hello everybody. I am absolutely thrilled to be here. I remember when I was 9 years old and the march was occurring and I asked my mama, can I go to the march? It took me 50 years, but I'm here. On this date in this place at this time, 50 years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King shared his dream for America with America. Took me 50 years, but I'm here. 14:06:05 On this date, in this place at this time, 50 years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King shared his dream for America with America. Dr. King was the passionate voice that awakened the (conscience ?) of a nation and inspired people all over the world. The power of his words resonated because they were spoken out of an unwavering belief in freedom and justice, equality and opportunity for all. "Let Freedom Ring" was Dr. King's closing call for a better and more just America. 14:06:47 So today, people from all walks of life will gather at 3 p.m. for bell-ringing events across our great country and around the world as we re-affirm our commitment to Dr. King's ideals. Dr. King believed that our destinies are all intertwined, and he knew that our hopes and our dreams are really all the same. He challenged us to see how we all are more alike than we are different. 14:07:29 So as the bells of freedom ring today, we're hoping that it's a time for all of us to reflect on not only the progress that has been made -- and we've made a lot -- but on what we have accomplished and also on the work that still remains before us. It's an opportunity today to recall where we once were in this nation and to think about that young man, who, at 34 years old, stood up here and was able to force an entire country to wake up, to look at itself and to eventually change. 14:08:04 And as we, the people continue to honor the dream of a man and a movement, a man who in his short life saw suffering and injustice and refused to look the other way, we can be inspired and we too can be courageous by continuing to walk in the footsteps in the path that he forged. He is the one who reminded us that we will never walk alone. He was, after all, a drum major for justice. So as the bells toll today, let us reflect on the bravery, let us reflect on the sacrifice of those who stood up for freedom, who stood up for us, whose shoulders we now stand on. And as the bells toll today at 3:00, let us ask ourselves: How will the dream live in me, in you, in all of us? As the bells toll, let us remind ourselves: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." As the bells toll, we commit to a life of service because Dr. King, one of my favorite quotes from him is, "Not everybody can be famous, but everybody can be great because greatness is determined by service." 14:09:36 So we ask ourselves, what are we doing for others to lift others up? And as the bells toll, we must recommit to let the love that abides and connects each of us to shine through and let freedom ring. 14:11:47 President Barack Obama walking out with First Lady Michelle Obama, Former President Bill Clinton, and Former President Jimmy Carter 14:12:52 Identity4Pop performs "The Star Spangled Banner" 14:10:28 U.S. Congressman John Lewis, Georgia (5th District) 14:15:01 LEWIS: President and Mrs. Obama, President Clinton, President Carter. I want to thank Bernice King, the King family, and the National Park Service for inviting me here to speak today. 14:15:30 When I look out over this diverse crowd and survey the guests on this platform, it seems to realize what Otis Redding was singing about and what Martin Luther King Jr. preached about, this moment in our history has been a long time coming, but a change has come. We are standing here in the shadow of Abraham Lincoln 150 years after he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and only 50 years after the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 14:16:07 We have come a great distance in this country in the 50 years, but we still have a great distance to go before we fulfill the dream of Martin Luther King. Sometimes I hear people saying, nothing has changed, but for someone to grow up the way I grew up in the cotton fields of Alabama to now be serving in the United States Congress, makes me want to tell them, come and walk in my shoes. 14:17:00 Come walk in the shoes of those who were attacked by police dogs, fire hoses, and nightsticks, arrested and taken to jail. I first came to Washington in the same year that President Barack Obama was born to participate in a Freedom Ride. In 1961, black and white people could not be seated together on a Greyhound bus. So we decided to take an integrated-fashion ride from here to New Orleans. But we never made it there. Over 400 of us were arrested and jailed in Mississippi during the Freedom Rides. A bus was set on fire in Anderson, Alabama. We were beaten, and arrested, and jailed. But we helped bring an end to segregation in public transportation. I came back here again in June of 1963 (inaudible) as the new chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. We met with President Kennedy, who said the fires of frustration were burning throughout America. 14:18:16 In 1963, we could not register to vote simply because of the color of our skin. We had to pay a poll tax, pass a so-called literacy test, count the number of bubbles in a bar of soap, or the number of jelly beans in a jar. Hundreds of thousands of people were arrested and jailed throughout the South for trying to participate in the democratic process. Medgar Evers had been killed in Mississippi. And that is why we told President Kennedy we intended to March on Washington, to demonstrate the need for equal justice and equal opportunity in America. 14:18:53 On August 28th, 1963, the nation's capital was in a state of emergency. Thousands of troops surrounded the city. Workers were told to stay home that day. Liquor stores were closed. But the march was so orderly, so peaceful, it was filled with dignity and self- respect. Because we believe in the way of peace, the way of love, the way of nonviolence. People came that day to that march dressed like they were on their way to a religious service. As Mahalia Jackson sang, "How We Got Over." "How We Got Over." She drew thousands of us together in a strange sense, it seemed like the whole place started rocking. 14:19:58 We truly believe that in every human being, even those who were violent toward us, there was a spark of the divine. And no person had the right to scar or destroy that spark. Martin Luther King Jr. taught us the way of peace, the way of love, the way of nonviolence. 14:20:22 He taught us to have the power to forgive, the capacity to be reconciled. He taught us to stand up, to speak up, to speak out, to find a way to get in the way. 14:20:43 People were advised by their vision of justice and equality, and they were willing to put their bodies on the line for a greater cause, greater than themselves. Not one incident of violence was reported that day. A spirit had engulfed the leadership of the movement and all of its participants. The spirit of Dr. King's words captured the hearts of people not just around America but around the world. 14:21:28 On that day, Martin Luther King Jr. made a speech, but he also delivered a sermon. He transformed these marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial into a modern-day pulpit. He changed us forever. After the ceremony was over, President Kennedy invited us back down to the White House. He met us standing in the door of the Oval Office. And he was beaming like a proud father, As he shook the hand of each one of us, he said, "You did a good job. You did a good job." And he said to Dr. King, "And you have a dream." 14:22:13 Fifty years later, we can ride anywhere we want to ride. We can stay where we want to stay. Those signs that said "white" and "colored" are gone. And you won't see them any more... ... except in a museum, in a book, or on a video. 14:22:35 But there are still invisible signs, barriers in the heart of humankind that form a gulf between us. Too many of us still believe our differences define us instead of the divine spark that runs through all of human creation. 14:22:55 The scars and stains of racism still remain deeply embedded in American society, whether it is stop-and-frisk in New York or injustice in Trayvon Martin's case in Florida. The mass incarceration of millions of Americans. Immigrants hiding in fear in the shadow of our society. Unemployment. Homelessness. Poverty. Hunger. Or the renewed struggle for voting rights. So I say to each one of us today, we must never, ever give up. We must never ever give in. We must keep the faith and keep our eyes on the prize. 14:23:46 We did go to jail. But we got the Civil Rights Act. We got a Voting Rights Act. We got a Fair Housing Act. But we must continue to push. We must continue to work. As the late A. Philip Randolph (ph) said, the organizer for the march in 1963, and the dean of the civil rights movement once said, we may have come here on different ships, but we all are in the same boat now. 14:24:27 So, it doesn't matter whether we're black or white, Latino, Asian American or Native American, whether we are gay or straight. We're one people. We are one family. We all live in the same house, not just the American house but the world's house. 14:24:46 And when we finally accept these truths, then we will be able to fulfill Dr. King's dreams to build a beloved community, a nation and a world at peace with itself. Thank you very much. 14:25:20 President Jimmy Carter PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER: Well, I'm greatly honored to be here. And I realize that most people know that it's highly unlikely that any of us three over on my right would have served in the White House or be on this platform had it not been for Martin Luther King Jr. and his movement and his crusade for civil rights. So we are grateful to him for us being here. (Applause.) 14:25:57 I'm also proud that I came from the same part of the South as he did. He never lost contact with the folks back home. He was helping Tennessee garbage workers, as you know, when he gave his life to a racist bullet. 14:26:14 I remember how it was, back in those days. I left Georgia in 1943 for college and the Navy. And when I came home from submarine duty, I was put on the Board of Education. I suggested to the other members that we visit all the schools in the county. They had never done this before, and they were reluctant to go with me. 14:26:40 But we finally did it, and we found that white children had three nice brick buildings, but the African-American children had 26 different elementary schools in the county. They were in churches, in front living rooms and a few in barns. They had so many because there were no school buses for African-American children, and they had to be within walking distance of where they went to class. Their schoolbooks were outdated and worn out, and every one of them had a white child's name in the front of the book. We finally obtained some buses. And then the state legislature ordained that the front fenders be painted black. Not even the school buses could be equal to each other. One of the finest moments of my life was 10 months after Dr. King's famous speech right here, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. I was really grateful when the King family adopted me as their presidential candidate in 1976. (Cheers.) Every handshake from Dr. King, from Daddy King, every hug from Coretta got me a million Yankee votes. (Laughter.) Daddy King prayed at the Democratic Convention -- for quite a while, I might say -- (laughter) -- and Coretta was in the hotel room with me and Rosalyn when I was elected president. My Presidential Medal of Freedom citation to Coretta for Dr. King said, and I quote, "He gazed at the great wall of segregation and saw that the power of love could bring it down. He made our nation stronger because he made it better." 14:28:47 We were able to create a national historic site where Dr. King lived, worked and worshipped. It's next door to the Carter Center, linked together just by a walking path. And at the Carter Center, we try to make the (principles ?) that we follow the same as his, emphasizing peace and human rights. I remember that Daddy King said, too many people think Martin freed only black people; in truth, he helped to free all people. (Applause.) And Daddy King added, it's not enough to have a right to sit at a lunch counter if you can't afford to buy a meal. And he also said, the ghetto still looks the same even from the front seat of a bus. Perhaps the most challenging statement of Martin Luther King Jr. was, and I quote: "The crucial question of our time is how to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence." In the Nobel Prize ceremony of 2002, I said that my fellow Georgian was, and I quote again, "the greatest leader that my native state, and perhaps my native country, has ever produced." And I was not excluding presidents and even the Founding Fathers when I said this. I believe we all know how Dr. King would have reacted to the new ID requirements to exclude certain voters, especially African- Americans. I think we all know how Dr. King would have reacted to the Supreme Court striking down a crucial part of the Voters' Rights Act just recently passed overwhelmingly by Congress. I think we all know how Dr. King would have reacted to unemployment among African- Americans being almost twice the rate of white people and for teenagers at 42 percent. I think we would all know how Dr. King would have reacted to our country being awash in guns and for more and more states passing "stand your ground" laws. I think we know how Dr. King would have reacted for people of District of Columbia still not having full citizenship rights. (Cheers, applause.) And I think we all know how Dr. King would have reacted to have more than 835,000 African-American men in prison, five times as many as when I left office, and with one-third of all African-American males being destined to be in prison in their lifetimes. 14:31:44 Well, there's a tremendous agenda ahead of us, and I'm thankful to Martin Luther King Jr. that his dream is still alive. Thank you. 14:32:00 President Bill Clinton 14:32:11 CLINTON: Thank you, Mr. President, Mrs. Obama, President Carter, Vice President Biden (inaudible) Biden. I want to thank my great friend, Reverend Bernice King, and the King family for inviting me to be part of this 50th observation of one of the most important days in American history. Dr. King and A. Philip Randolph, John Lewis and Bayard Rustin, Dorothy Height, Myrlie Evers, Daisy Bates (ph), and all the others who led there massive march knew what they were doing on this hallowed ground, in the shadow of Lincoln's statue the burning memory of the fact that he gave his life to preserve the Union and end slavery. 14:33:27 Martin Luther King urged his crowd not to drink from the cup of bitterness, but to reach across the racial divide, because, he said, we cannot walk alone. Their destiny is tied up with our destiny. Their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. He urged the victims of racial violence to meet white Americans with an outstretched hand, not a clenched fist, and in so doing to prove the redeeming power of unearned suffering. 14:33:52 And then he dreamed of an America where all citizens would sit together at a table of brotherhood where little white boys and girls and little black boys and girls would hold hands across the color lines, where his own children would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. 14:34:29 This march and that speech changed America. They opened minds, they melted hearts, and they moved millions, including a 17-year-old boy watching alone in his home in Arkansas. 14:34:43 It was an empowering moment but also an empowered moment. As the great chronicler of those years Taylor Branch wrote, the movement here gained a force to open, quote, "the stubborn gates of freedom." And out flowed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, immigration reform, Medicare, Medicaid, open housing. 14:35:09 It is well to remember that the leaders and foot soldiers here were both idealists and tough realists. They had to be. It was a violent time. Just three months later we lost President Kennedy. And we thank God that President Johnson came in and fought for all those issues I just mentioned. Just five years later, we lost Senator Kennedy. And in between, there was the carnage of the fights for jobs, freedom and equality. Just 18 days after this march, four little children were killed in the Birmingham church bombing. Then there were the Ku Klux Klan murders, the Mississippi lynching and a dozen others until in 1968, Dr. King was martyred, still marching for jobs and freedom. What a debt we owe to those people who came here 50 years ago. The martyrs paid it all for a dream, a dream as John Lewis said that millions have now actually lived. So how are we gonna repay the debt? Dr. King's dream of interdependence, his prescription of whole- hearted cooperation across racial lines, they ring as true today as they did 50 years ago. Oh, yes, we face terrible political gridlock now. Read a little history. It's nothing new. Yes, there remain racial inequalities in employment, income, health, wealth, incarceration and in the victims and perpetrators of violent crime. But we don't face beatings, lynchings and shootings for our political beliefs anymore. And I would respectfully suggest that Martin Luther King did not live and die to hear his heirs whine about political gridlock. It is time to stop complaining and put our shoulders against the stubborn gates... ... holding the American people back. We cannot be disheartened by the forces of resistance to building a modern economy of good jobs and rising incomes or to rebuilding our education system to give all our children a common core of knowledge necessary to ensure success, or to give Americans of all ages access to affordable college and training programs. And we thank the president for his efforts in those regards. 14:38:13 We cannot relax in our efforts to implement health care reform in a way that ends discrimination against those with preexisting conditions, one of which is inadequate income to pay for rising health care. A health care reform that will lower costs and lengthen lives. Nor can we stop investing in science and technology to train our young people of all races for the jobs of tomorrow and to act on what we learned about our bodies, our businesses and our climate. We must push open those stubborn gates. We cannot be discouraged by a Supreme Court decision that said we don't need this critical provision of the Voting Rights Act because -- look at the states (ph). It made it harder for African-Americans and Hispanics and students and the elderly and the infirm and poor working folks to vote. What do you know? They showed up, stood in line for hours and voted anyway. So obviously, we don't need any kind of law. 14:39:27 But a great democracy does not make it harder to vote than to buy an assault weapon. We must open those stubborn gates. And let us not forget that while racial divides persist and must not be denied, the whole American landscape is littered with the lost dreams and dashed hopes of people of all races. And the great irony of the current moment is that the future has never brimmed with more possibilities. It has never burned brighter in what we could become if we push open those stubborn gates and if we do it together. 14:40:20 The choice remains as it was on that distant summer day 50 years ago. Cooperate and thrive, or fight with each other and fall behind. We should all thank God for Dr. King and John Lewis, and all those who gave us a dream to guide it -- a dream they paid for, like our founders, with their lives, their fortune, their sacred honor. And we thank them for reminding us that America is always becoming, always on a journey. And we all, every single citizen among us, have to run our lap. God bless them and God bless America. 14:41:22 Martin L. King III 14:41:26 MARTIN LUTHER KING III: Mr. President, Madam First Lady, President Carter, President Clinton, Congressman Lewis, and to all program participants, this is an unusual moment in our world history as we observe this 50th anniversary. And I'm so thankful for the opportunity to really thank America for helping to realize the dream, although I must say it is not yet realized. And so we must redouble and quadruple our efforts. So much has been said today, and I was 5 years old in 1963, when dad delivered his message. And so I'm blessed that we were able to bring our daughter, who's hopefully paying attention, 5 -- 3 years -- 5 years old, so that she can appreciate this history and continue to participate. There are two quick other things that I want to say. I've been speaking all week, as many of us have. But I'm reminded that Dad challenged us. That's what he did, challenged our nation to be a better nation for all God's children. I'm reminded that he taught us the power of love, agape love, the love that is totally unselfish; you love someone if you're old or young, rich or poor, black or white, Native America or Hispanic- American or Latino. It does not matter. You love them because God calls us to do that. Love and forgiveness is what we need more of, not just in our nation but really throughout the world. And so I want to rush to tell you Dad said the ultimate measure of a human being is where one stands not in times of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy. He went on to say that on some questions, cowardice asks, is a position safe; expediency asks, is a position politic; vanity asks, is a position popular, but that something deep inside called conscience asks, is a position right. So he often talked about sometimes we must take positions that are neither safe nor popular nor politic, but we must take those position because our conscience tells us they are right. (Applause.) I'd finally say this afternoon, we've got a lot of work to do. But none of us should be (in any ways tired ?). Why? Because we've come much too far from where we started. You see, no one ever told any of us that our roads would be easy. But I know our God -- our God -- our God did not bring any of us this far to leave us. Thank you. God bless you. 14:44:57 Christine King Farris 14:45:05 CHRISTINE KING FARRIS: Thank you. President Obama and Mrs. Obama, former Presidents Clinton and Carter, other distinguished program participants, I am honored to be among you today and to address this historic gathering. I don't know if I am the most senior speaker to address this assemblage today, but I am certainly and surely the only person alive who knew Martin Luther King Jr. when he was a baby. (Laughter, applause.) It has been my great privilege to watch my little brother grow and thrive and develop into a fine man and then a great leader whose legacy continues to inspire countless millions around the world. Unfortunately, a bout with a flu virus 50 years ago prevented me from attending the original march. But I was able to watch it on television, and I was as awestruck as everyone else. I knew Martin was an excellent preacher, because I had seen him deliver, on many occasions. But on that day, Martin achieved greatness because he melded the hope and dreams of millions into a grand vision of healing, reconciliation and brotherhood. The dream my brother shared with our nation and world on that sweltering day of days 50 years ago continues to nurture and sustain nonviolent activists worldwide in their struggle for freedom and human rights. Indeed, this gathering provides a powerful testament of hope and proof positive that Martin's great dream will live on in the hearts of humanity for generations to come. Our challenge, then, as followers of Martin Luther King, Jr. is to now honor his life, leadership and legacy by living our lives in a way that carries forward the unfinished work. There is no better way to honor his sacrifices and contributions than by becoming champions of nonviolence in our homes and communities, in our places of work, worship and learning. Everywhere, every day, the dream Martin shared on that day a half century ago remains a definitive statement of the American dream, the beautiful vision of a diverse freedom-loving people united in our love for justice, brotherhood and sisterhood. Yes, they can slay the dreamer, but no, they cannot destroy his immortal dream. 14:49:18 But Martin's dream is a vision not yet to be realized, a dream yet unfilled, and we have much to do before we can celebrate the dream as reality, as the suppression of voting rights and horrific violence that has taken the lives of Trayvon Martin and young people all across America has so painfully demonstrated. But despite the influences and challenges we face, we are here today to affirm the dream. We are not going to be discouraged, we are not going to be distracted, we are not going to be defeated. Instead, we are going forward into this uncertain future, with courage and determination, to make the dream a vibrant reality. And so the work to fulfill the dream goes on, and despite the daunting challenges we face on the road to the beloved community, I feel that the dream is sinking deep and nourishing roots all across America and around the world. May it continue to thrive and spread and help bring justice, peace and liberation to all humanity. Thank you, and God bless you all. 14:51:40 Rev. Dr. Bernice King, CEO of The King Center for Non-Violent Social Change 14:51:30 REVEREND BERNICE KING: President Obama, Mrs. Obama, Presidents Carter and Clinton, Congressman Lewis, Ambassador Young, my brother Martin III, Dexter Scott King, to my entire family, I was five months old when my father delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech, and I probably was somewhere crawling on the floor or taking a nap after having a meal. But today is a glorious day because on this program today we have witnessed a manifestation of the beloved community. And we thank everyone for their presence here today. 14:52:21 Today we have been honored to have three presidents of the United States. Fifty years ago, the president did not attend. Today we are honored to have many women in the planning and mobilization of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. (Cheers, applause.) And 50 years ago, there was not a single woman on the program. Today we are honored to have not just one young person, but several young people on the program today. It is certainly a tribute to the work and the legacy of so many people that have gone on before us. Fifty years ago today, in the symbolic shadow of this great emancipator Abraham Lincoln, my father the great liberator stood in this very spot and declared to this nation his dream to let freedom ring for all people who were being manacled by a system of segregation and discrimination. Fifty years ago, he commissioned us to go back to our various cities, towns, hamlets, states and villages and let freedom ring. The reverberation of the sound of that freedom message has amplified and echoed since 1963, through the decades and coast to coast throughout this nation and even around the world and has summoned us once again back to these hallowed grounds to send out a clarion call to let freedom ring. Since that time, as a result of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act in 1968, we have witnessed great strides toward freedom for all, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, class or sexual orientation. 14:54:15 Fifty years later, in this year of jubilee, we're standing once again in the shadow of that "Great Emancipator," having been summoned to these hallowed grounds to reverberate the message of that great liberator, for there's a remnant from 1963, Congressman Lewis, Ambassador Young, that still remains, who has come to bequeath that message of freedom to a new generation of people who must now carry that message -- (cheers) -- in their time, in their community, amongst their tribes and amongst their nations of the world. We must keep the sound and the message of freedom and justice going. It was my mother, as has been said previously, Coretta Scott King, who in fact 30 years ago assembled a Coalition of Conscience that started us on this whole path of remembering the anniversary of the March on Washington. She reminded that struggle is a never-ending process; freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation. And so we come once again to let freedom ring, because if freedom stops ringing, then the sound will disappear, and the atmosphere will be charged with something else. Fifty years later, we come once again to this special landing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to reflect, to renew and to rejuvenate for the continued struggle of freedom and justice. 14:56:06 For today, 50 years later, my friends, we are still crippled by practices and policies steeped in racial pride, hatred and hostility, some of which have us standing our ground rather than finding common ground. We are still chained by economic disparities, income and class inequalities and conditions of poverty for many of God's children around this nation and the world. We're still bound by a cycle of civil unrest and inherent social biases in our nations and worlds that oftentimes degenerate into violence and destruction, especially against women and children. We're at this landing, and now we must break the cycle. The Prophet King spoke the vision. He made it plain, and we must run with it in this generation. His prophetic vision and magnificent dream described the yearning of people all over the world to have the freedom to prosper in life, which is the right to pursue one's aspirations, purpose, dreams, well- being without oppressive, depressive, repressive practices, behaviors, laws and conditions that diminish one's dignity and that denies one life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -- the freedom to participate in government, which is the right to have a voice and a say in how you are represented, regulated and governed without threats of tyranny, disenfranchisement, exclusionary tactics and behaviors, and to have freedom to peacefully coexist, which is the right to be respected in one's selfhood, individuality and uniqueness without fear of attack, assault or abuse. In 1967 my father asked a poignant and critical question: Where do we go from here, chaos or community? And we say, with a resounding voice, no to chaos and yes to community. If we're going to rid ourselves of the chaos, then we must make a necessary shift. Nothing is more tragic than for us to fail to achieve new attitudes and new mental outlooks. We have a tremendous and unprecedented opportunity to reset the very means by which we live, work and enjoy our lives. If we're going to continue the struggle of freedom and create true community, then we will have to be relentless in exposing, confronting and ridding ourselves of the mindset of pride and greed and selfishness and hate and lust and fear and idleness and lack of purpose and lack of love, as my brother said, for our neighbor. We must seize this moment, the dawning of a new day, the emergence of a new generation who is postured to change the world through collaborative power, facilitated by unconditional love. And as I close, I call upon my brother by the name of Nehemiah, who was also in the midst of rebuilding a community. And in the midst of rebuilding a community, he brought the leaders and the rulers and the rest of the people together, and he told them that the work is great and large, and we are widely separated one from another on the wall, but when you hear the sound of the trumpet, and might I say -- (cheers, applause) -- when you hear the sound of the bells today, come to that spot, and our God will fight with us. And so today we're going to let freedom ring all across this nation. We're going to let freedom ring everywhere we go. If freedom is going to ring in Libya, in Syria, in Egypt, in Florida, then we must reach across the table, feed each other and let freedom ring. 15:00:36 Participants gathering around bell 15:01:19 ringing bell 15:02:03 performance by Heather Headley 15:05:31 President Barack Obama takes podium 15:05:54 PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: To the King family, who have sacrificed and inspired so much, to President Clinton, President Carter, Vice President Biden, Jill, fellow Americans, five decades ago today, Americans came to this honored place to lay claim to a promise made at our founding. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 15:07:06 In 1963, almost 200 years after those words were set to paper, a full century after a great war was fought and emancipation proclaimed, that promise, those truths remained unmet. And so they came by the thousands, from every corner of our country -- men and women, young and old, blacks who longed for freedom and whites who could no longer accept freedom for themselves while witnessing the subjugation of others. Across the land, congregations sent them off with food and with prayer. In the middle of the night, entire blocks of Harlem came out to wish them well. With the few dollars they scrimped from their labor, some bought tickets and boarded buses, even if they couldn't always sit where they wanted to sit. Those with less money hitchhiked, or walked. They were seamstresses, and steelworkers, and students, and teachers, maids and pullman porters. They shared simple meals and bunked together on floors. And then, on a hot summer day, they assembled here, in our nation's capital, under the shadow of the great emancipator, to offer testimony of injustice, to petition their government for redress and to awaken America's long-slumbering conscience. 15:09:17 We rightly and best remember Dr. King's soaring oratory that day, how he gave mighty voice to the quiet hopes of millions, how he offered a salvation path for oppressed and oppressors alike. His words belong to the ages, possessing a power and prophecy unmatched in our time. 15:09:51 But we would do well to recall that day itself also belonged to those ordinary people whose names never appeared in the history books, never got on TV. Many had gone to segregated schools and sat at segregated lunch counters, had lived in towns where they couldn't vote, in cities where their votes didn't matter. There were couples in love who couldn't marry, soldiers who fought for freedom abroad that they found denied to them at home. They had seen loved ones beaten and children fire- hosed. And they had every reason to lash out in anger or resign themselves to a bitter fate. 15:10:54 And yet they chose a different path. In the face of hatred, they prayed for their tormentors. In the face of violence, they stood up and sat in with the moral force of nonviolence. Willingly, they went to jail to protest unjust laws, their cells swelling with the sound of freedom songs. A lifetime of indignities had taught them that no man can take away the dignity and grace that God grants us. They had learned through hard experience what Frederick Douglas once taught: that freedom is not given; it must be won through struggle and discipline, persistence and faith. That was the spirit they brought here that day. 15:11:55 That was the spirit young people like John Lewis brought that day. That was the spirit that they carried with them like a torch back to their cities and their neighborhoods, that steady flame of conscience and courage that would sustain them through the campaigns to come, through boycotts and voter registration drives and smaller marches, far from the spotlight, through the loss of four little girls in Birmingham, the carnage of Edmund Pettus Bridge and the agony of Dallas, California, Memphis. Through setbacks and heartbreaks and gnawing doubt, that flame of justice flickered and never died. And because they kept marching, America changed. Because they marched, the civil rights law was passed. Because they marched, the voting rights law was signed. Because they marched, doors of opportunity and education swung open so their daughters and sons could finally imagine a life for themselves beyond washing somebody else's laundry or shining somebody else's shoes. (Applause.) Because they marched, city councils changed and state legislatures changed and Congress changed and, yes, eventually the White House changed. (Cheers, applause.) 15:13:58 Because they marched, America became more free and more fair, not just for African-Americans but for women and Latinos, Asians and Native Americans, for Catholics, Jews and Muslims, for gays, for Americans with disabilities. America changed for you and for me. And the entire world drew strength from that example, whether it be young people who watched from the other side of an Iron Curtain and would eventually tear down that wall, or the young people inside South Africa who would eventually end the scourge of apartheid. (Applause.) Those are the victories they won, with iron wills and hope in their hearts. That is the transformation that they wrought with each step of their well-worn shoes. That's the depth that I and millions of Americans owe those maids, those laborers, those porters, those secretaries -- folks who could have run a company, maybe, if they had ever had a chance; those white students who put themselves in harm's way even though they didn't have to -- (applause) -- those Japanese- Americans who recalled their own interment, those Jewish Americans who had survived the Holocaust, people who could have given up and given in but kept on keeping on, knowing that weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning -- (cheers, applause) -- on the battlefield of justice, men and women without rank or wealth or title or fame would liberate us all, in ways that our children now take for granted as people of all colors and creeds live together and learn together and walk together, and fight alongside one another and love one another, and judge one another by the content of our character in this greatest nation on Earth. 15:16:32 To dismiss the magnitude of this progress, to suggest, as some sometimes do, that little has changed -- that dishonors the courage and the sacrifice of those who paid the price to march in those years. (Applause.) Medgar Evers, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, Martin Luther King Jr., they did not die in vain. (Applause.) Their victory was great. But we would dishonor those heroes as well to suggest that the work of this nation is somehow complete. The arc of the moral universe may bend towards justice, but it doesn't bend on its own. To secure the gains this country has made requires constant vigilance, not complacency. Whether it's by challenging those who erect new barriers to the vote or ensuring that the scales of justice work equally for all in the criminal justice system and not simply a pipeline from underfunded schools to overcrowded jails -- (applause) -- it requires vigilance. 15:18:12 And we'll suffer the occasional setback. But we will win these fights. This country has changed too much. (Applause.) People of good will, regardless of party, are too plentiful for those with ill will to change history's currents. (Applause.) In some ways, though, the securing of civil rights, voting rights, the eradication of legalized discrimination -- the very significance of these victories may have obscured a second goal of the march, for the men and women who gathered 50 years ago were not there in search of some abstract idea. They were there seeking jobs as well as justice -- (applause) -- not just the absence of oppression but the presence of economic opportunity. For what does it profit a man, Dr. King would ask, to sit at an integrated lunch counter if he can't afford the meal? This idea that -- that one's liberty is linked to one's livelihood, that the pursuit of happiness requires the dignity of work, the skills to find work, decent pay, some measure of material security -- this idea was not new. 15:20:06 Lincoln himself understood the Declaration of Independence in such terms, as a promise that in due time, the weights should be lifted from the shoulders of all men and that all should have an equal chance. Dr. King explained that the goals of African-Americans were identical to working people of all races: decent wages, fair working conditions, livable housing, old age security, health and welfare measures -- conditions in which families can grow, have education for their children and respect in the community. 15:20:54 What King was describing has been the dream of every American. It's what's lured for centuries new arrivals to our shores. And it's along this second dimension of economic opportunity, the chance through honest toil to advance one's station in life, that the goals of 50 years ago have fallen most short. Yes, there have been examples of success within black America that would have been unimaginable a half-century ago. But as has already been noted, black unemployment has remained almost twice as high as white employment (sic), Latino unemployment close behind. The gap in wealth between races has not lessened, it's grown. 15:21:52 As President Clinton indicated, the position of all working Americans, regardless of color, has eroded, making the dream Dr. King described even more elusive. For over a decade, working Americans of all races have seen their wages and incomes stagnate. Even as corporate profits soar, even as the pay of a fortunate few explodes, inequality has steadily risen over the decades. Upward mobility has become harder. In too many communities across this country in cities and suburbs and rural hamlets, the shadow of poverty casts a pall over our youth, their lives a fortress of substandard schools and diminished prospects, inadequate health care and perennial violence. 15:22:50 And so as we mark this anniversary, we must remind ourselves that the measure of progress for those who marched 50 years ago was not merely how many blacks had joined the ranks of millionaires; it was whether this country would admit all people who were willing to work hard, regardless of race, into the ranks of a middle-class life. (Applause.) The test was not and never has been whether the doors of opportunity are cracked a bit wider for a few. It was whether our economic system provides a fair shot for the many, for the black custodian and the white steelworker, the immigrant dishwasher and the Native American veteran. To win that battle, to answer that call -- this remains our great unfinished business. 15:23:54 We shouldn't fool ourselves. The task will not be easy. Since 1963 the economy's changed. The twin forces of technology and global competition have subtracted those jobs that once provided a foothold into the middle class, reduced the bargaining power of American workers. And our politics has suffered. Entrenched interests -- those who benefit from an unjust status quo resisted any government efforts to give working families a fair deal, marshaling an army of lobbyists and opinion makers to argue that minimum wage increases or stronger labor laws or taxes on the wealthy who could afford it just to fund crumbling schools -- that all these things violated sound economic principles. 15:24:53 We'd be told that growing inequality was the price for a growing economy, a measure of the free market -- that greed was good and compassion ineffective, and those without jobs or health care had only themselves to blame. And then there were those elected officials who found it useful to practice the old politics of division, doing their best to convince middle-class Americans of a great untruth, that government was somehow itself to blame for their growing economic insecurity -- that distant bureaucrats were taking their hard-earned dollars to benefit the welfare cheat or the illegal immigrant. 15:25:46 And then, if we're honest with ourselves, we'll admit that during the course of 50 years, there were times when some of us, claiming to push for change, lost our way. The anguish of assassinations set off self-defeating riots. Legitimate grievances against police brutality tipped into excuse- making for criminal behavior. Racial politics could cut both ways as the transformative message of unity and brotherhood was drowned out by the language of recrimination. And what had once been a call for equality of opportunity, the chance for all Americans to work hard and get ahead was too often framed as a mere desire for government support, as if we had no agency in our own liberation, as if poverty was an excuse for not raising your child and the bigotry of others was reason to give up on yourself. All of that history is how progress stalled. That's how hope was diverted. It's how our country remained divided. But the good news is, just as was true in 1963, we now have a choice. We can continue down our current path in which the gears of this great democracy grind to a halt and our children accept a life of lower expectations, where politics is a zero-sum game, where a few do very well while struggling families of every race fight over a shrinking economic pie. That's one path. Or we can have the courage to change. 15:27:52 The March on Washington teaches us that we are not trapped by the mistakes of history, that we are masters of our fate. But it also teaches us that the promise of this nation will only be kept when we work together. We'll have to reignite the embers of empathy and fellow feeling, the coalition of conscience that found expression in this place 50 years ago. 15:28:26 And I believe that spirit is there, that true force inside each of us. I see it when a white mother recognizes her own daughter in the face of a poor black child. I see it when the black youth thinks of his own grandfather in the dignified steps of an elderly white man. It's there when the native born recognizing that striving spirit of a new immigrant, when the interracial couple connects the pain of a gay couple who were discriminated against and understands it as their own. That's where courage comes from, when we turn not from each other or on each other but towards one another, and we find that we do not walk alone. That's where courage comes from. (Applause.) And with that courage, we can stand together for good jobs and just wages. With that courage, we can stand together for the right to health care in the richest nation on earth for every person. (Applause.) With that courage, we can stand together for the right of every child, from the corners of Anacostia to the hills of Appalachia, to get an education that stirs the mind and captures the spirit and prepares them for the world that awaits them. (Applause.) With that courage, we can feed the hungry and house the homeless and transform bleak wastelands of poverty into fields of commerce and promise. America, I know the road will be long, but I know we can get there. Yes, we will stumble, but I know we'll get back up. That's how a movement happens. That's how history bends. That's how, when somebody is faint of heart, somebody else brings them along and says, come on, we're marching. (Cheers, applause.) There's a reason why so many who marched that day and in the days to come were young, for the young are unconstrained by habits of fear, unconstrained by the conventions of what is. They dared to dream different and to imagine something better. And I am convinced that same imagination, the same hunger of purpose serves in this generation. 15:31:11 We might not face the same dangers as 1963, but the fierce urgency of now remains. We may never duplicate the swelling crowds and dazzling processions of that day so long ago, no one can match King's brilliance, but the same flames that lit the heart of all who are willing to take a first step for justice, I know that flame remains. (Applause.) That tireless teacher who gets to class early and stays late and dips into her own pocket to buy supplies because she believes that every child is her charge -- she's marching. (Applause.) That successful businessman who doesn't have to, but pays his workers a fair wage and then offers a shot to a man, maybe an ex-con, who's down on his luck -- he's marching. 15:32:12 (Cheers, applause.) The mother who pours her love into her daughter so that she grows up with the confidence to walk through the same doors as anybody's son -- she's marching. (Cheers, applause.) The father who realizes the most important job he'll ever have is raising his boy right, even if he didn't have a father, especially if he didn't have a father at home -- he's marching. (Applause.) The battle-scarred veterans who devote themselves not only to helping their fellow warriors stand again and walk again and run again, but to keep serving their country when they come home -- they are marching. (Applause.) Everyone who realizes what those glorious patriots knew on that day, that change does not come from Washington but to Washington, that change has always been built on our willingness, we, the people, to take on the mantle of citizenship -- you are marching. (Applause.) 15:33:16 And that's the lesson of our past, that's the promise of tomorrow, that in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it. And when millions of Americans of every race and every region, every faith and every station can join together in a spirit of brotherhood, then those mountains will be made low, and those rough places will be made plain, and those crooked places, they straighten out towards grace, and we will vindicate the faith of those who sacrificed so much and live up to the true meaning of our creed as one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. (Cheers, applause.) 15:33:56 Obama waving, walking from podium 15:34:59 Barack and Michelle hugging and gladhanding with King family onstage 15:36:12 Obama hugging Oprah 15:37:19 Barack and Michelle walking up steps away from event 15:37:29 Barack and Michelle Obama waving 15:37:50 Obamas with Clinton and Carter waving, walking away from event Today marks the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech. The final refrain of Martin Luther King Jr.'s most famous speech will echo around the world as bells from churches, schools and historical monuments "let freedom ring" in celebration of a powerful moment in civil rights history. Organizers said sites in nearly every state will ring their bells at 3pm today, the hour when King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington. President Obama, and former Presidents Clinton and Carter will deliver speeches at the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the anniversary.

Sgt. Chris Morris pepper sprays PCP guy to finally subdue him. Suspect laid under truck saying he couldn't feel his legs then his face. Suspect smashes truck window before screaming and heading towards Sgt. Morris. As a result of this tape being shown to the City Council, the Fritch PD now have tasers to subdue big goons like this guy!

1820s: Historic recreation. Group of men in period costume. Close ups of men. Man with hammer. Men talking. Man smoking in doorway. Men talking. Close ups of men talking

EXT BROLL ABC POOL CUTS CAM POSITION LOW SHOT DURING 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MARCH CEREMONY Wednesday, August 28, 2013 LOG: March on Washington 50th Anniversary "Let Freedom Ring" at Lincoln Memorial SLUG: 0930 LINCOLN MEM STIX RS34 74 1530 LINCOLN MEM STIX RS34 71 AR: 16X9 DISC# NYRS: WASH HD 4 11:00 am - 12:00 pm 11:09:25 Geraldo Marshall (Trumpet Call) 11:11:28 REMARKS/ INTRO INVOCATION (Soledad O'Brien, Hill Harper) 11:14:49 Pastor A.R. Bernard (Invocation) 11:20:17 INTRO AMB. YOUNG (Hill Harper) 11:20:39 Ambassador Andrew Young YOUNG: I don't know about you, but I "Woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom. I woke up this morning with my mind" -- come on, help me -- "stayed on freedom. I woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom. Hallelu, Hallelu" -- come on (inaudible) -- "Hallelujah." Well, "I'm walking and talking with my mind -- my mind, it was, stayed on freedom. Walking and talking with my mind stayed on freedom. Walking and talking with my mind stayed on freedom. Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah." Now, 50 years ago when we came here, we came from a battle. We came from a battle in Birmingham. But that was just a few months before -- before Martin Luther King came through to speak of his dream. 11:22:11 He had been through bombings, jailings, beatings. He had been snatched from his jailhouse cell in DeKalb County, and put in chains, and taken down to Reidsville Penitentiary in the middle of the night, and thought it was going to be his last night on earth. 11:22:31 He went through the battles of Albany and Birmingham, and came out victorious. But we knew that the fight was just beginning. And we knew that we had a long, long way to go, and this was just the start. Now, he came here representing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, saying that we were going to redeem the soul of America from the triple evils of racism, war and poverty. He came, not talking so much about racism nor war. His speech was about poverty. And he said that the Constitution was a promissory note, to which all of us would fall heir, but that when men and women of color presented their check at the bank of justice, it came back marked, "insufficient funds." But then he said he knew that wasn't the end. But 50 years later, we're still here trying (ph) to cash that bad check. Fifty years later, we're still dealing with all kinds of problems. And so we're not here to claim any victory. We're here to simply say that the struggle continues. But a long time ago, when Ralph Abernathy would stand with him, and things would get difficult, Ralph would say, "Well, I don't know what the future may hold, but I know who holds the future." 11:24:02 And Martin would say that, "The moral arch of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice." And then he would say, "Truth forever on the scaffold; wrong forever on the throne. But the scaffold sways the future, for behind the dim unknown, standeth God beneath the shadows keeping watch above His own." 11:24:22 So I want to say to you this morning, I want to say, "I've got a feeling everything's going to be all right. I've got a feeling, everything's going to be all right. I've got a feeling, everything's going to be all right, be all right, be all right, be all right." Pray on, and stay on, and fight on. 11:25:34 Robby Novak, Kid President remarks 11:25:59 Jonathan B. Jarvis, 18th Director of the National Park Service remarks 11:26:08 there are countless photographs of that historic day, one with a pair of rangers with Dr King. Image captures small moment in great event, but captures role of nat'l parks service. 11:26:49 each monument you find a familiar parks service arrowhead. We are there to welcome visitors and preserve American stories they represent. Places civil rights was organized are now preserved as nat'l parks. The power of these places is to inspire each generation to have a dream. 11:28:11 we are very proud of the 2 rangers who stood here 50 years ago. My promise to you is that we will protect all the places entrusted to us with the highest standard of stewardship 11:28:48 Vincent C. Gray, Mayor of Washington 11:28:52 on behalf of 632,000 residents of DC, allow me to welcome you 11:29:08 dr king borrowed a lyric from one of our favorite patriotic songs: let freedom ring. 11:29:33 there was one place DR king didn't mention in that speech but later spoke forcefully: DC. That's because full freedom and democracy are still denied to those who live within sight of capitol dome. We have no voting representative in our own congress. We pay 3.5 billion dollars in taxes but don't get final say. We send our sons and daughters to fight for democracy but don't get to practice here at home 11:30:47 I implore, I hope all of you will stand with me when we say let freedom ring from mt st Albans, the bridges of Anacostia, from Capitol Hill itself, until all of the residents are truly free. 11:31:25 please join hands with us and make every American free 11:31:45 Reverend Wintley Phipps, Sr. 11:36:00 U.S. Senator Angus King, Maine 11:36:10 KING: Fifty years ago, Americans marched to this place. They came from the Northeast, from the West, from the Midwest, and they came from the South. They came by rail; they came by bus; they came by car. One even roller-skated here from Chicago. They slept the night before in buses, in cars, on friends' floors, and in churches. 11:36:42 Fifty years ago this morning, we started in small rivulets of people on the side streets of this great city. We joined together in larger streams, moving toward the main arteries of Washington. Then we came together in a mighty river of people down to this place, old, young, black, white, Protestant, Catholic, and Jew. We stopped at the Washington Monument and heard Peter, Paul and Mary sing of the hammer of justice and the bell of freedom. 11:37:26 Fifty years ago, Americans came to this place around a radical idea, an idea at the heart of the American experience, an idea new to the world in 1776, tested in 1865, renewed in 1963, and an idea still new and radical today: all men and women are created equal. All men and women are created equal. 11:38:08 Fifty years ago, at this place, at this sacred place, Americans sent a message to their leaders and around the world that the promise of equality of opportunity, equality before the law, equality in the right to freely participate in the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship applied to everyone in this country, not just the lucky few of the right color or the accident of birth. This is what Martin Luther King meant when he said that his dream was deeply rooted in the American dream. 11:39:03 And 150 years ago -- 150 years ago this summer -- a mighty battle was fought not far from this place. And this idea, the idea of equality, the idea of America hung in the balance. One of the soldiers on those hot July days was a young college professor from Maine named Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. And returning to the battlefield at Gettysburg many years later, he expressed the power of the place where such momentous deeds were done. Here is what he said. Here is what Joshua Chamberlain said. 11:39:44 "In great deeds, something abides. On great fields, something stays. Forms change and pass, bodies disappear, but spirits linger to consecrate the ground for the vision-place of souls. Generations that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for them, shall come to this deathless field, to this deathless place, to ponder and dream. And, lo, the shadow of a mighty presence will wrap them in its bosom and the power of the vision shall pass into their souls." 11:40:53 Fifty years ago today, this place was a battlefield. No shots were fired, no cannons roared, but a battlefield nonetheless, a battlefield of ideas, the ideas that define us as a nation. As it was once said of Churchill, Martin Luther King on that day mobilized the English language and marched it into war, and, in the process, caught the conscience of a nation. And here today on these steps, 50 years on, indeed, something abides and the power of the vision has surely passed into our souls. 11:41:57 The Honorable Johnny L. DuPree, Mayor of Hattiesburg, Mississippi and Secretary, National Council of Black Mayors 11:42:15 decades and decades ago, blood sweat and tears all culminated in a march 11:42:31 if someone would have told me this country boy would become a mayor, I'd say they fell off a truck 11:42:52 some of y'all never had the opportunity to take a bath in a #3 tin tub, I did that 11:43:19 we've been entrusted with making the lives better of people that we serve 11:43:39 at one point, struggle was to gain citizenship, then vote, for brief period, African Americans held elected office during reconstruction 11:44:00 now one of the challenges is the freedom to govern. We must to locally what obama did nationally 11:44:15 we must go back to individuals who helped get us here and encourage them to make their voices heard 11:44:34 we did not quiver or retreat in face of injustice 11:44:55 it is because of those who marched on, even though wearied and bloodied, until they did what people said couldn't be done 11:45:40 Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey with Trayvon Martin's parents and Newtown victim father Mark Barden 11:50:17 INTRO CHARLES STEELE JR and MELANIE CAMPBELL (Soledad O'Brien) 11:50:46 Charles Steele, president emeritus & CEO, Southern Christian Leadership Council 11:53:27 Melanie Campbell, president & CEO, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation 11:56:45 U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro, Texas (20th District) 11:56:55 CASTRO: It's an honor to be here with you today. I come as a son of the great state of Texas, the home to the president who signed the most sweeping and important civil rights legislation in our nation's history. I am 38 years old. I also speak to you as someone of a grateful generation, grateful for the struggles and the movements and the blood and tears and all of the work of the civil rights pioneers who stood here 50 years ago today, and those who marched in the streets of Selma, those who organized people in factories and farms, those who took their battles to the courts, like Thurgood Marshall and Gus Garcia, those who organized people to vote and exercise our rights, those like Willie Velasquez. My own parents in the 1960s were very involved in a movement inspired by Martin Luther King and the men and women who stood here. They were active in the Chicano movement, or the Latino civil rights movement. 11:58:08 And I want to say thank you to them, and thank you to all of you. And I also want to make a promise to you. As somebody of a younger generation of Americans, I want to promise you that all of the struggles and all of the fights and all of the work and all of the years that you put in to making our country a better place, to helping our leaders understand that freedom and democracy are prerequisites to opportunity, I want you to know that this generation of Americans will not let that dream go. That we will carry on, and make sure that this country lives up to the values and principles for which you fought so hard. Thank you very much. 11:58:53 The Right Honorable Perry Christie, Prime Minister of the Bahamas CHRISTIE: Greetings from the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, your closest neighbor to the south. Martin Luther King, Jr., holds a very special place in the hearts and minds of Bahamians, not least because he spent time amongst us, both in Nassau and in the tiny island of Bimini, where in 1964, while on a brief vacation, he composed his Nobel Prize acceptance speech. On a clear night, the lights of metropolitan Miami are, in fact, visible from the shores of Bimini, dramatizing the closeness between our two nations. We are, after all, less than 50 miles apart. But however close that may be in the literal sense, we are in the geography of the soul even closer than that. The common ties of history, of ethnicity and culture, of migration, of a common heritage of struggle bind us together not just as neighbors, not even only as friends, but as true brothers and sisters. The message I bring to you today can be briefly stated, and it is this. As momentous as this occasion is, we do a grave injustice to ourselves and to all humanity if we leave here unresolved to carry on the greater noble struggle for which Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his life. The blood of this good man shed in Memphis still cries out across the years, cries out to each and every one of us, wherever we may be, all across the world, to stand up for freedom, to stand up for human dignity, to stand up for equality, to stand up for social justice, to stand up for right and not for wrong, for peace and not for war, for love and not for hate. It is the timelessness and universality of the message that he proclaimed and the heroic majesty of his personal example that explains why Martin Luther King, Jr., is as relevant today, as compelling today, as inspirational today as he was 50 years ago, when from the very precincts he delivered the oration that rocked the conscience of America and the world. When he spoke as he did that day, we somehow knew, we somehow felt that his message was coming from a place that was not only deeper than himself, but deep within us all. He had awakened to the call of that place and was rousing us from our slumber so that we could take our own inner soundings and hear it, too. In so doing, he gave language to our deepest yearning for a better life. Martin Luther King's work remains unfinished. This then must be for all of us a time not only for renewal, but above all, a profoundly personal level and the most authentic way possible, a time for rededication to the dream that Martin Luther King championed throughout his life. May the light of the flame continue to guide us as we go forward, each in his own way, each in his own nation to continue the work of Martin Luther King. In that way, and in no other way, we keep his dream alive and make it our own. 12:00 -1:00 p.m. 12:02:42 Junkaroo performance 12:07:08 Myrlie Evers Williams 12:07:19 50 years ago we gathered in this very same spot. We felt in the words of another Mississippian, fannie lou hamer, I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. And I do believe that's what the crowd was saying to all of our leaders. Dr king took the helm, and under his leadership, said enough is enough America. This is our country. All of us, we belong here, and here we are, some 50 years later, assessing what has happened. Where we are 12:08:39 for a brief period of time I think we fell asleep and said everything is ok, but we know today everything is not ok, there has been a retrenchment in this country as far as equal rights is concerned. 12:09:09 the triumphs and defeats belong to us all. Dr king told us he might not get to mountaintop with us but there is a promised land. America is that land for all of us. 12:09:45 today's world, there's emphasis on individuality. How can I reach my top? No matter how strong any 1 person may be, they may be strengthened with support from each other 12:10:11 the movement can no longer afford an individual approach to justice 12:10:34 at times it is necessary that we let those who represent us know that we are a force to be reckoned with. Many of our messages today target youth and elders. I look at those in middle, they are young enough to relate but established enough in our community, I ask you what are our next steps 12:11:25 this country in the area of civil rights has taken a turn backward. I am energized to move forward and to be sure to see the gains we have encountered are not lost. So I do ask you what are our next steps. 12:11:58 many of our civil rights leaders like my husband and dr martin luther king 12:12:12 I challenge you to get back to community building, these are our children. You are the parents. The victory will be a collective one. It is with clear conscience that we will reach that mountaintop and we will overcome 12:12:46 it will take each and every one of us, letting those who say they manage America it's the voice and actions of people who say we must overcome and will eventually say we have overcome because of the involvement of each and every one 12:14:01 Kristin Stoneking, executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation 12:16:29 Mee Moua, president and executive director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice 12:18:40 The Honorable Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland 12:18:42 O'MALLEY: The work of justice is urgent. It is real, and it is needed. Let there be no comfort in our country for the bigotry of cold indifference. For there are still too many lives in America taken from us by violence, still too many children in America who go to bed hungry, who go to school hungry. Still too much apathy when the lives of people of color are too often valued less than the lives of white people. 12:19:09 And so, the responsibility we consecrate today is not rooted in nostalgia or memory. It is rooted in something far deeper. It is rooted in the calling of conscious to action, actions that protect every individual's right to vote; action that safeguards and keeps guns out of the hands of violent offenders; action makes quality education and the opportunity of college a reality for more families; action that protects the dignity of every child's home with civil marriage equality; action that strengthens our country with the hopes and dreams and hard work of our newest generation of new American immigrants; action that abolishes the death penalty and improves public safety in every neighborhood regardless of income or color; actions that create jobs and raises the minimum wage for every mom and dad that's willing to work hard and play by the rules. 12:20:25 Yes, thanks to Dr. King, America's best days are still ahead of us. Love remains the strongest power in our country. Forward we shall walk, hand in hand. And in this great work, we are not afraid. Thank you. 12:21:00 Natalie Grant 12:24:39 Fred Maahs, chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities 12:29:19 Reverend Roslyn Brock, chairman of the NAACP 12:29:24 the march on Washington was for equality and opportunity. We of NAACP acknowledge our organizing days are beginning anew 12:29:52 the power and depth of their witness is magnified by the fact that they returned home and organized 12:30:08 in a 1966 speech to medical committee for human rights, dr king said injustice in healthcare is most inhumane inequality. One of the most pressing issues for this generation 12:30:38 supreme court and people have spoken. Affordable Care Act is the law of the land. 12:30:58 we must ensure all Americans are aware we can change the face of health in this nation. We are determined and clear to the world, when it comes to healthj equity, courage will not skip this generation. 12:31:37 Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP BENJAMIN JEALOUS: Fired up! (Cheers.) Come on. Fired up! AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Ready to go! MR. JEALOUS: Fired up! AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Ready to go! MR. JEALOUS: Fired up! AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Ready to go! MR. JEALOUS: Ladies and gentlemen, as we stand here 50 years after the March on Washington, let us remember that Dr. King's last march was never finished. The Poor People's Campaign was never finished. Some 50 years after the March on Washington, while fewer people as a percentage in our country are poor, more as a number in our country are poor. And while the ladder of opportunity extends to the heavens for our people today, more are tethered at the bottom and falling off every day. 12:32:00 Indeed, one could say that the distance between a child's aspiration represented by the top of that ladder and a family's situation at the bottom of that ladder is the exact measurement of that parent's level of frustration. 12:32:44 And so as we go home today, let us remember that the dreamer was also a doer. And as we turn on our TVs tomorrow and see people walking out of places where they're being forced to survive on $7.25 by the thousands, let us commit to join them in fighting to lift up the bottom, because as the top of that ladder has extended, the tethers at the bottom must be unleashed. Let us not just be dreamers this day; let us recommit to be doers. Thank you, and God bless. (Cheers, applause.) 12:33:52 Maori Dancers performance 12:38:41 Reverend Joseph Lowery 12:42:26 Laura Turner Seydel, aka "Captain Planet" 12:45:42 Dr. Eliza Byard, executive director, Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network 12:48:19 Bill Russell 12:48:29 good afternoon, it's nice to be here. 12:48:39 it's nice to be anywhere after 50 years. 12:49:41 from my point of view, you only register progress by how far you have to go 12:50:46 progress can only be measured by how far we have to go 12:51:07 as we used to say in the projects, keep on keeping on 12:51:58 Clayola Brown, president of the A. Philip Randolph Institute 12:53:47 Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO 12:53:50 good afternoon. I'm so proud to represent 1.6 tril members 12:54:16 and 5 years later, dr king stood with sanitation workers of local 1733 12:54:38 new momentum on these steps 50 years ago, advances whenever disenfranchised stand up 12:54:52 because our struggle continues12:55:08 we come to commemorate past and shape future 12:55:10 we must also have the courage in the name of dr king, a phillip ranolph, rep john lewis, we must recommit to struggle as stewards of nation that belongs to rich and poor, those with and those without 12:55:44 we have to build on legacy left to us all, protect fundamental rights, ensure workers voices never silenced, fight for good jobs and decent pay. Above all, we must uphold principle that everyone who contributes to prosperity of nation should share in prosperity 12:56:31 U.S. Congresswoman Donna Edwards, Maryland (4th District) 12:56:43 REPRESENTATIVE DONNA EDWARDS (D-MD): On behalf of the members of Congress, I represent Maryland's 4th Congressional District. As the first African-American woman to represent Maryland in the House of Representatives, and on behalf of my sisters in Congress, I'm proud to stand here with you today on the shoulders of women, courageous women like Fannie Lou Hamer and Dorothy Height and Vivian Malone and Rosa Parks and so many others. I'm proud to stand on the shoulders of our domestic workers and to be wrapped in the arms of three, four little girls in a Birmingham church and a Chicago teenager on vacation in Mississippi. 12:57:05 It's a new day 50 years later and a better day. But the day is not over. Today's struggle for civil rights, social justice and economic opportunity demand our engagement and our voice. To realize fully the dream we must both raise our voices and take action. We must lift our voices to challenge government and our community and our neighbors to be better. We must lift our voices for wages that enable families to take care of themselves, for a health care system that erases disparities, for communities and homes without violence, for clean air and water to protect our environment for future generations and for a just justice system. We must lift our voice for the value of our vote and have our votes counted without interference. As we stand here today, Dr. King would know and my dear colleague John Lewis certainly does know that today is not just a commemoration or a celebration; it's a call to action for the work that remains undone and the communities that remain unchanged. Our foremothers and forefathers, 50 years ago they closed a book on the last century. Well, when the book closes on the 21st century and civil rights, which chapter will you have written? What fight will you have fought in the halls of Congress or in the town halls of your community? For men and women, black and white, Latino and Asian, Muslim, Christian and Jew, gay and straight, I hope this book includes you. We need you to act. The final chapter must include your voice to achieve Dr. King's dream. They cannot be written without you. 12:58:50 Alan van Capelle - CEO Bend the Arc 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. 13:02:43 Ingrid Saunders Jones, chair of the National Council of Negro Women SAUNDERS: Good afternoon. I'm so proud to represent the 1.6 million members of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFSCME, public service workers whose labor touches communities throughout this nation. You know, AFSCME stood with Dr. King in 1963 when he called on America to be true to its principles. And five years later Dr. King stood with AFSCME when the sanitation workers of Local 1733 demanded justice, dignity, and respect. The journey for civil rights, workers' rights and economic rights began almost from the moment America was born. It gained new momentum on these steps 50 years ago. And it advances whenever the disenfranchised and disillusioned stand up, fight back and march forward. Because our struggle continues, we come to this memorial not only to commemorate the past, but to shape the future. We have the power to carry the determination, the hope and passion of the March on Washington forward. We must also have had the courage. We must also have the courage. SAUNDERS: In the name of Dr. King, A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, Dorothy Height, Ella Baker and Congressman John Lewis, on behalf of those whose names will never be known, we must recommit to the struggle as stewards of a nation that belongs to the rich and the poor, to the CEO and the sanitation worker, those with and those without. We have the responsibility to build on the legacy that has been left -- left to us all. We must protect the most fundamental rights we have -- the right to vote. We must be sure that workers' voices will never be silenced. We must fight for good jobs and decent pay. And we must become the just and fair society of our ideals. Above all -- above all -- we must uphold the principle that everyone who contributes to the prosperity of this nation should share in the prosperity of our nation. Thank you. 13:05:19 Mark Tillman, president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. 13:07:57 Delores Huerta DOLORES HUERTA: We're being blessed with the rain. Yes, we are. 13:08:14 You know, we're here to celebrate all of the wonderful benefits that we all received from the civil rights movement and the Chicano movement. We honor the sacrifices and the lives of those that gave their lives so that we could have these benefits. We want to honor Coretta Scott King -- (cheers) -- for all of the work that she did to get that Martin Luther King holiday, the national holiday. We want to honor Yolanda King for all that she did on behalf of women and children to stop abuses of both. 13:08:45 But you know, Dr. King said, on this very stage, go back to your communities, go back to the South, go back to the North. And I'm saying also to the West, because we've got to continue to organize to fulfill that dream, because you know what? If we don't do it, it's not going to happen. The only way that discrimination is going to end against women of -- people of color, against women, against our LGBT community is if we do it, which means that we've got to outreach to those that are not with us. We've got to educate them. We've got to mobilize them. We've got to motivate them. That's the only way it can happen. So I'm going to ask all of you, who's got the power? AUDIENCE MEMBERS: We do! MS. HUERTA: Let's hear it loud and clear. We've got the power. I'm going to say, who's got the power? I want you to say, we've got the power. Who's got the power? AUDIENCE MEMBERS: We've got the power! MS. HUERTA: And I'm going to say, what kind of power? I want you to say, people power. What kind of power? AUDIENCE MEMBERS: People power! MS. HUERTA: All right! So we can do it. Yes, we can. "Si, se puede." Let's all say this all together. Yes, we can. "Si, se puede." Put your hands up, everybody, like this. We're going to all clap together and in Spanish we're going to say, "Si, se puede," which means, "Yes, we can." Let's do it. (Chanting.) "Si, se puede." AUDIENCE MEMBERS: (Chanting and clapping.) "Si, se puede! Si, se puede! Si, se puede!" 13:10:09 CUT OFF for LeAnn Rimes 13:10:34 LeAnn Rimes performs "Amazing Grace" 13:13:19 Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League MARC MORIAL: Good afternoon, fellow Americans. I stand today on the shoulders of Martin Luther King, Whitney Young, John Lewis, A. Philip Randolph and the many great leaders of 1963 who sacrificed, who marched, who demonstrated courage and bravery in the face of attack so that we can be here today. 13:14:05 I stand as a representative of the next generation that has had the opportunity to walk into corporate boardrooms, walk into city halls and county halls, into halls of justice, into the Justice Department and, yes, into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue solely because of the sacrifices and the bravery of those whose names we remember and those we don't. 13:14:39 I stand here today to call on this great and mighty nation to wake up, wake up to unfair legality parading as morality; wake up to insensitivity to the poor masked as fiscal austerity; wake up to politics without a positive purpose. It is time, America, to wake up. 13:15:06 Fifty years ago, that sleeping giant was awakened. But somewhere along the way, we've dozed. We've been quelled by the lullaby of false prosperity and the mirage of economic equality. We fell into a slumber. Somewhere along the way, white sheets were traded for buttoned down white shirts. Attack dogs and water hoses were traded for tasers and widespread implementation of stop-and-frisk policies. Nooses were traded for handcuffs. Somewhere along the way, we gained new enemies, cynicism and complacency. Murders from urban America to suburban America. The pursuit of power for power's sake. We stand here today to say it is time to wake up. 13:16:01 So here in 2013, we stand before the statue of the great emancipator. We look toward the statue of the great liberator. We say we have come to wake up a new civil rights movement for economic justice, a new civil rights movement for freedom in these days, a new civil rights movement for jobs, a new civil rights movement for men, for women, for children of all backgrounds, all races, all dispositions, all orientations, all cities, all counties, all towns all across America. 13:16:43 America, it is time for us to wake up. The 21st-century agenda for jobs and freedom comes alive today. We stand on the shoulders of the great men and women of yesterday, and we affirm this new commitment for today and tomorrow. God bless you, God thank you, and God bless this great nation. (Cheers, applause.) 13:17:15 U.S. Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, Ohio (11th District) and chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus FUDGE: Good afternoon. I am Marcia Fudge, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. 13:17:19 And I am the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus because Dr. Martin Luther King acted upon his dream. Dr. King was not just a dreamer, but the voice of a movement. In 1963, there were five members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Today, there are 44 African-American members in Congress. 13:17:44 Dr. King dreamed of an America where every individual -- no matter their race, nationality, or socioeconomic background -- would have the opportunity to achieve dreams of their own. His dream was a call to action. Dr. King advocated for an America where everyone would be afforded their inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, a nation where there would be equal protection under the law and a country where every person's right to vote is protected. He dreamed of an America where every child has access to quality schools and an education that prepares them for their future. And he dreamed that we as a nation would walk together on the swift path towards justice. 13:18:31 Now it is up to us, the Congress of the United States of America, to work together to pass a jobs bill that ensures decent jobs for all of our citizens. Now it is up to us to ensure that we have a criminal justice system that does not value one life more than another. Now it is up to us to make sure that no child goes hungry to school or to bed. 13:19:10 In Dr. King's words, we cannot and we must not be satisfied with anything less. It is our time to make Dr. King's dream our reality. Dr. King said that 1963 was not an end, but a new beginning. Let us make today the start of a new chapter in the history of this country, and let us march forward towards justice together. Thank you. 13:19:39 Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union HENRY: Brothers and sisters, the members of the Service Employees International Union are proud to join the freedom fighters across this country in insisting on the three freedoms that are on the back of your program. And in the spirit of the civil rights economic leadership whose shoulders we stand, I want you to join me in repeating the pledges of the freedoms we are committing ourselves here today: The freedom to participate in government, the freedom to prosper in life, the freedom to peacefully coexist. Our members are proud to join with working people, faith leaders, community leaders all across this country in joining our hands in a renewed commitment to bending the arc toward justice and continuing the struggle to achieve racial equality and economic equality for all by delivering on the promise of the Affordable Care Act, by insisting that we prevail in winning common sense immigration reform now, and by joining together to create good jobs by supporting workers all across this country who have the guts to stand up, join together, and demand a living wage from their employers. The fight continues. We want to work for a just society where all work is valued, every human being is respected, where every family and community can thrive, and where we, brothers and sisters, join together in pursuing the freedom to have a better and more equal society for the next generation. Thank you. 13:21:43 Jamie Foxx 13:21:44 FOXX: How we doing? Make some noise for 50 years. Right now let's make some noise. Listen, I don't have much time. I'm here to celebrate what Dr. King did 50 years -- I'm not even probably going to read from the teleprompter because I'm just going to speak from my heart. I'm going to tell you right now that everybody my age and all the entertainers, it's time for us to stand up now and renew this dream. That's what we got to do. I was affected by -- I was affected by the Trayvon Martin situation. I was affected by -- by Newtown. I was affected by Sandy Hook. I'm affected by those things. So it's time for us now to pick up. Harry Belafonte saw me at the Image Awards and he asked me what am I willing to do. He took it a step further and we went to dinner. And my daughter, who's 19 years old, I said listen, if you want to get inspired, come listen to this man speak. When I sat with Mr. Belafonte, he asked my daughter, how old are you? And my daughter said 19. 13:22:48 And I said, Mr. Belafonte, what were you doing at 19? He said, I was coming home from World War II. And when I got back to America, I wasn't allowed to vote. So I love my country. I love America. But I realized that I had more work to do. So myself, Al, Jesse and Martin, we marched. And I said, wait a minute, man. You sound like you're naming a boy band group. What do you mean? Who are these guys' names? And he looked at my daughter and he said, Martin Luther King. Have you heard of him? And we sat there and we cried. What we need to do now is the young folks pick it up now so that when we're 87 years old talking to the other young folks we can say it was me, Will Smith, Jay Z, Kanye, Alicia Keys, Kerry Washington. The list goes on and on. Don't make me start preaching up here. 13:23:38 Last but not least, I have to recognize Mr. Berry Gordy. And not only -- not only did Harry Belafonte bail Martin Luther King out of jail so that he could march, he also paid for all of Coretta Scott King's bills as long as she was on this planet. Young folks, let's have some respect to our elders. That's the first thing. Last thing is this and I'm out. I know they're telling me to get out of here. We have to salute Mr. Berry Gordy because Mr. Berry Gordy put Dr. King's speech on an album and put it out on Motown Records. And then after he did that, he turned around gave those -- those reels and those -- those tapes back to the King family. Thank you so much. Do not forget 50 years. I'm out. 13:24:59 Reverend Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network 13:25:05 REVEREND AL SHARPTON: Fifty years ago, when they came to Washington, it was not for an event. It was in the middle of struggles. It was in the middle of battles to break down the walls of apartheid in America. And Dr. King and those that fought with him, they fought and they beat Jim Crow. We come today to not only celebrate and commemorate, but we come as the children of Dr. King to say that we are going to face Jim Crow's children, because Jim Crow had a son called James Crow Jr. Esquire. (Laughter.) He writes voting suppression laws and puts it in language that looks different, but the results are the same. They come with laws that tell people to stand their ground, they come with laws to tell people to stop and frisk, but I've come to tell you, just like our mothers and fathers beat Jim Crow, we will beat James Crow Jr., Esq. (Cheers, applause.) 13:26:24 They called the generation of Dr. King the Moses generation, and those out here are now Joshua. But if Joshua does not fight the fights of Moses, they're not really Joshua. We saw Dr. King and the dream cross the Red Sea of apartheid and segregation, but we have to cross the Jordan of unequal economic (parity ?). We have to cross the Jordan of continued discrimination and mass incarceration. We've got to keep on fighting, and we've got to vindicate and stand up and substantiate that the dream was not for one generation, the dream goes on until the dream is achieved. 13:27:17 Lastly, we made it this far not because of what we had in our pockets but we had in our hearts, not because of what we owned but because who owned us. And we thank a mighty God for giving us a Martin Luther King. We thank a mighty God that brought us a long way. He brought us from disgrace to amazing grace. He brought us from the butler to the president. (Cheers, applause.) He brought us from Beulah to Oprah. (Cheers, applause.) He brought us a mighty long way, and we thank God for the dream, and we're going to keep on fighting until the dream is a reality. Thank you, and God bless you. 13:28:10 Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers 13:28:18 RANDI WEINGARTEN: Ladies and gentlemen, sisters and brothers, I am the president of the 1.5 million-member American Federation of Teachers. (Cheers, applause.) We have come so far -- King, Rustin, Evers, Parks, Chavez and so many others who have summoned our nation to confront the malignancy of prejudice and discrimination. And many of our afflictions have been healed, but we have far to go. Because the Supreme Court has turned its back on voter suppression, many will once again be denied the right to vote. Children born today poor will stay poor. Millions of Americans work hard every day but can't earn a living wage or exercise their right to collectively bargain. Public schools where kids need the most often get the least. And discrimination based on the color of your skin or the person you love may not be legal in many arenas, but it is still lethal in many times. 13:29:18 Leaders this day 50 years ago understood that the struggle for civil right and racial equality is a struggle for good jobs and decent wages. They understood, as we do today, that public education is an economic necessity, an anchor of democracy and a fundamental right. So we celebrate today that we have become a country that believes in equality, and we recommit ourselves to be a country that acts on that belief. And that start with reclaiming the promise of public education, not as it is today or was in the past, but what we need it to be to fulfill our collective responsibility to all of God's children. 13:30:06 A great nation ensures that every neighborhood public school is a good school. It takes great pains to make the working poor and child hunger conditions of the past. It honors the rights of workers. It takes its immigrants out of its shadows. And it makes the franchise sacrosanct. A great nation is one that acts to lifting us towards opportunity and justice. 13:30:32 The King family has brought us together these five days, not simply to reflect but to act. And we at the AFT will act to keep the dream alive. Thank you. 13:31:06 Julian Bond JULIAN BOND: This is a special day and a special place for all of us. Not only do we pay homage to those who gathered here 50 years ago to tell the nation that they too were Americans, we also celebrate the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation. This is personal for me. Like many of you, I was privileged to be here 50 years ago. And like many of you, I am the grandson of a slave. My grandfather and his mother were property, like a horse or a chair. As a young girl, she'd been given away as a wedding present to a new bride. And when that bride became pregnant, her husband -- that's my great-grandmother's owner and master -- exercised his right to take his wife's slave as his mistress. That union produced two children, one of them my grandfather. At age 15, barely able to read or write, he hitched his tuition to a steer and walked across Kentucky to Berea College, and the college let him in. He belonged to a transcendent generation of black Americans, a generation born in slavery, freed by the Civil War, determined to make their way as free women and men. Martin Luther King belonged to a transcendent generation of black Americans too, a generation born in segregation, determined to make their way as free women and men. When my grandfather graduated from Berea, the college asked him to deliver the commencement address. He said then: The pessimist, from his corner, looks out on a world of wickedness and sin, and, blinded by all that is good or hopeful in the condition and the progress of the human race, bewails the present state of affairs and predicts woeful things for the future. In every cloud, he beholds a destructive storm; in every flash of lightning, an omen of evil; in every shadow that falls across his path, a lurking foe. But he forgets that the clouds also bring life and hope, that the lightning purifies the atmosphere, that shadow and darkness prepare for sunshine and growth, and that hardships and adversity nerve the race, as the individuals, for greater efforts and grander victories. We're still being tested by hardships and adversity, from the elevation of "stand your ground" laws to the evisceration of the Voting Rights Act. But today we commit ourselves, as we did 50 years ago, to greater efforts and grander victories. Thank you. 13:33:43 Reverend Shirley Caesar performs "How I Got Over" 13:39:12 Lynda Bird Johnson Robb JOHNSON ROBB: (OFF-MIKE) my father, Lyndon Johnson, a passionate believer in equality, spoke these words: "One hundred years ago, the slaved was freed. One hundred years later, the Negro remained in bondage to the color of his skin. "The Negro today asks justice. We do not answer him -- we do not answer those who lie beneath this soil -- when we reply to the Negro by asking, 'Patience.'" 13:39:39 The Place was Gettysburg, and I was there with him when he spoke on Memorial Day, 1963, at the 100th Anniversary of the Civil War. He was vice president at that time, and it was three months before the historical march on Washington that we commemorate today. 13:40:03 At a superficial glance, my father, the grandson of a Confederate soldier, may not have seen the most obvious ally to the movement, a white Southerner from (inaudible), he was no young idealist fresh out of college, nor was racial equality a pressing goal of the majority of his Texas constituents; rather, the opposite. But as a teacher, he had seen the plight of his Mexican-American students. And Dr. King's powerful dream found a kindred spirit in my father, who cared deeply about fairness and equality. 13:40:40 When the tragedy of President Kennedy's assassination propelled him to the presidency, he used every power at his disposal, including this considerable legislative muscle, to push through the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. In Daddy's last year in the White House, signing the third Civil Rights bill, he wrote, "I do not exaggerate when I say that the proudest moments of my presidency have been times such as this, when I have signed into law the promises of a century." Recently, the Supreme Court struck down part of the Voting Rights Act, which did so much to combat voting inequality in our country. Now, 50 years later, there are still many examples from current events on how much farther we have yet to go to achieve that promise of a colorblind America. 13:41:56 But remember, too, that fairness and equality are powerful ideas that resonate with all Americans. And with a message as inspiring and timeless as the dream of Dr. King, there will be unexpected allies, if only we look for them. And you know what his wife said? Coretta Scott King said, "Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation." And she was right. So let's go forth, like Jimmie Foxx (ph) said. Thank you. 13:42:50 Ambassador Caroline Kennedy KENNEDY: Good afternoon. Fifty years ago, my father watched from the White House as Dr. King and thousands of others recommitted America to our highest ideals. Over the preceding months, President Kennedy has put the full force of the federal government on the side of the movement, calling on all Americans to recognize that we faced a moral crisis, as old as the Scriptures and as clear as the American Constitution. 13:43:24 His brothers, my Uncle Bobby and Teddy, my Aunt Eunice, continued his committed, working to expand the promises made here to others suffering from discrimination and exclusion. A few months ago, after the Trayvon Martin verdict was handed down, and the Supreme Court eviscerated the Voting Rights Act, President Obama did the same, reminding us all that despite our remarkable progress, each generation must rededicate itself to the unfinished work of building a free and just America. 13:44:03 Fifty years ago, our parents and grandparents marched for jobs and freedom. We have suffered and sacrificed too much to let their dream become a memory. 13:44:13 The children in our failing schools are all of our children. The victims of hate crimes and gun violence are our brothers and sisters. 13:44:23 In the words of an old Japanese proverb, "the water flows on, but the river remains." Now is our turn to live up to our parents' dream, to draw renewed strength from what happened here 50 years ago, and work together for a better world. Thank you. 13:44:52 Forest Whitaker 13:44:59 it's a great honor to be here on 50th anniversary 13:45:10 each of you came here with individual goals but we all share common bond. Your presence says you care and want to bring more peace love and harmony. Together we must embrace this moment. I've observed revolutions, social change firsthand 13:45:53 I am often reminded of the marches and sit ins we've experienced here. Hate is too great a burden 13:46:15 we've all see images of those days. Pictures of segregated water fountains. 13:46:33 many remain nameless but their heroic faces captured in portraits of the past. They risked their lives to bring about change 13:47:00 I want you to recognize the hero that exist inside yourselves. Every step you take around an unknown corner marks your bravery. 13:47:27 and if I were to take a picture of this crowd right now, people would see some of your faces in the movements of today. Individuals who stood in the very spot you stand today, you have responsibility to carry the torch 13:48:04 let's be the generation to make a true difference in the world. 13:48:43 so as the bell rings today, my dream is something will resonate inside you and me that will remind us each of our common bond. 13:49:42 BeBe, Marvin and Carvin Winans perform "God Before Us" 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. 14:05:35 Oprah Winfrey 14:05:45 OPRAH WINFREY: Hello everybody. I am absolutely thrilled to be here. I remember when I was 9 years old and the march was occurring and I asked my mama, can I go to the march? It took me 50 years, but I'm here. On this date in this place at this time, 50 years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King shared his dream for America with America. Took me 50 years, but I'm here. 14:06:05 On this date, in this place at this time, 50 years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King shared his dream for America with America. Dr. King was the passionate voice that awakened the (conscience ?) of a nation and inspired people all over the world. The power of his words resonated because they were spoken out of an unwavering belief in freedom and justice, equality and opportunity for all. "Let Freedom Ring" was Dr. King's closing call for a better and more just America. 14:06:47 So today, people from all walks of life will gather at 3 p.m. for bell-ringing events across our great country and around the world as we re-affirm our commitment to Dr. King's ideals. Dr. King believed that our destinies are all intertwined, and he knew that our hopes and our dreams are really all the same. He challenged us to see how we all are more alike than we are different. 14:07:29 So as the bells of freedom ring today, we're hoping that it's a time for all of us to reflect on not only the progress that has been made -- and we've made a lot -- but on what we have accomplished and also on the work that still remains before us. It's an opportunity today to recall where we once were in this nation and to think about that young man, who, at 34 years old, stood up here and was able to force an entire country to wake up, to look at itself and to eventually change. 14:08:04 And as we, the people continue to honor the dream of a man and a movement, a man who in his short life saw suffering and injustice and refused to look the other way, we can be inspired and we too can be courageous by continuing to walk in the footsteps in the path that he forged. He is the one who reminded us that we will never walk alone. He was, after all, a drum major for justice. So as the bells toll today, let us reflect on the bravery, let us reflect on the sacrifice of those who stood up for freedom, who stood up for us, whose shoulders we now stand on. And as the bells toll today at 3:00, let us ask ourselves: How will the dream live in me, in you, in all of us? As the bells toll, let us remind ourselves: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." As the bells toll, we commit to a life of service because Dr. King, one of my favorite quotes from him is, "Not everybody can be famous, but everybody can be great because greatness is determined by service." 14:09:36 So we ask ourselves, what are we doing for others to lift others up? And as the bells toll, we must recommit to let the love that abides and connects each of us to shine through and let freedom ring. 14:11:47 President Barack Obama walking out with First Lady Michelle Obama, Former President Bill Clinton, and Former President Jimmy Carter 14:12:52 Identity4Pop performs "The Star Spangled Banner" 14:10:28 U.S. Congressman John Lewis, Georgia (5th District) 14:15:01 LEWIS: President and Mrs. Obama, President Clinton, President Carter. I want to thank Bernice King, the King family, and the National Park Service for inviting me here to speak today. 14:15:30 When I look out over this diverse crowd and survey the guests on this platform, it seems to realize what Otis Redding was singing about and what Martin Luther King Jr. preached about, this moment in our history has been a long time coming, but a change has come. We are standing here in the shadow of Abraham Lincoln 150 years after he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and only 50 years after the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 14:16:07 We have come a great distance in this country in the 50 years, but we still have a great distance to go before we fulfill the dream of Martin Luther King. Sometimes I hear people saying, nothing has changed, but for someone to grow up the way I grew up in the cotton fields of Alabama to now be serving in the United States Congress, makes me want to tell them, come and walk in my shoes. 14:17:00 Come walk in the shoes of those who were attacked by police dogs, fire hoses, and nightsticks, arrested and taken to jail. I first came to Washington in the same year that President Barack Obama was born to participate in a Freedom Ride. In 1961, black and white people could not be seated together on a Greyhound bus. So we decided to take an integrated-fashion ride from here to New Orleans. But we never made it there. Over 400 of us were arrested and jailed in Mississippi during the Freedom Rides. A bus was set on fire in Anderson, Alabama. We were beaten, and arrested, and jailed. But we helped bring an end to segregation in public transportation. I came back here again in June of 1963 (inaudible) as the new chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. We met with President Kennedy, who said the fires of frustration were burning throughout America. 14:18:16 In 1963, we could not register to vote simply because of the color of our skin. We had to pay a poll tax, pass a so-called literacy test, count the number of bubbles in a bar of soap, or the number of jelly beans in a jar. Hundreds of thousands of people were arrested and jailed throughout the South for trying to participate in the democratic process. Medgar Evers had been killed in Mississippi. And that is why we told President Kennedy we intended to March on Washington, to demonstrate the need for equal justice and equal opportunity in America. 14:18:53 On August 28th, 1963, the nation's capital was in a state of emergency. Thousands of troops surrounded the city. Workers were told to stay home that day. Liquor stores were closed. But the march was so orderly, so peaceful, it was filled with dignity and self- respect. Because we believe in the way of peace, the way of love, the way of nonviolence. People came that day to that march dressed like they were on their way to a religious service. As Mahalia Jackson sang, "How We Got Over." "How We Got Over." She drew thousands of us together in a strange sense, it seemed like the whole place started rocking. 14:19:58 We truly believe that in every human being, even those who were violent toward us, there was a spark of the divine. And no person had the right to scar or destroy that spark. Martin Luther King Jr. taught us the way of peace, the way of love, the way of nonviolence. 14:20:22 He taught us to have the power to forgive, the capacity to be reconciled. He taught us to stand up, to speak up, to speak out, to find a way to get in the way. 14:20:43 People were advised by their vision of justice and equality, and they were willing to put their bodies on the line for a greater cause, greater than themselves. Not one incident of violence was reported that day. A spirit had engulfed the leadership of the movement and all of its participants. The spirit of Dr. King's words captured the hearts of people not just around America but around the world. 14:21:28 On that day, Martin Luther King Jr. made a speech, but he also delivered a sermon. He transformed these marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial into a modern-day pulpit. He changed us forever. After the ceremony was over, President Kennedy invited us back down to the White House. He met us standing in the door of the Oval Office. And he was beaming like a proud father, As he shook the hand of each one of us, he said, "You did a good job. You did a good job." And he said to Dr. King, "And you have a dream." 14:22:13 Fifty years later, we can ride anywhere we want to ride. We can stay where we want to stay. Those signs that said "white" and "colored" are gone. And you won't see them any more... ... except in a museum, in a book, or on a video. 14:22:35 But there are still invisible signs, barriers in the heart of humankind that form a gulf between us. Too many of us still believe our differences define us instead of the divine spark that runs through all of human creation. 14:22:55 The scars and stains of racism still remain deeply embedded in American society, whether it is stop-and-frisk in New York or injustice in Trayvon Martin's case in Florida. The mass incarceration of millions of Americans. Immigrants hiding in fear in the shadow of our society. Unemployment. Homelessness. Poverty. Hunger. Or the renewed struggle for voting rights. So I say to each one of us today, we must never, ever give up. We must never ever give in. We must keep the faith and keep our eyes on the prize. 14:23:46 We did go to jail. But we got the Civil Rights Act. We got a Voting Rights Act. We got a Fair Housing Act. But we must continue to push. We must continue to work. As the late A. Philip Randolph (ph) said, the organizer for the march in 1963, and the dean of the civil rights movement once said, we may have come here on different ships, but we all are in the same boat now. 14:24:27 So, it doesn't matter whether we're black or white, Latino, Asian American or Native American, whether we are gay or straight. We're one people. We are one family. We all live in the same house, not just the American house but the world's house. 14:24:46 And when we finally accept these truths, then we will be able to fulfill Dr. King's dreams to build a beloved community, a nation and a world at peace with itself. Thank you very much. 14:25:20 President Jimmy Carter PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER: Well, I'm greatly honored to be here. And I realize that most people know that it's highly unlikely that any of us three over on my right would have served in the White House or be on this platform had it not been for Martin Luther King Jr. and his movement and his crusade for civil rights. So we are grateful to him for us being here. (Applause.) 14:25:57 I'm also proud that I came from the same part of the South as he did. He never lost contact with the folks back home. He was helping Tennessee garbage workers, as you know, when he gave his life to a racist bullet. 14:26:14 I remember how it was, back in those days. I left Georgia in 1943 for college and the Navy. And when I came home from submarine duty, I was put on the Board of Education. I suggested to the other members that we visit all the schools in the county. They had never done this before, and they were reluctant to go with me. 14:26:40 But we finally did it, and we found that white children had three nice brick buildings, but the African-American children had 26 different elementary schools in the county. They were in churches, in front living rooms and a few in barns. They had so many because there were no school buses for African-American children, and they had to be within walking distance of where they went to class. Their schoolbooks were outdated and worn out, and every one of them had a white child's name in the front of the book. We finally obtained some buses. And then the state legislature ordained that the front fenders be painted black. Not even the school buses could be equal to each other. One of the finest moments of my life was 10 months after Dr. King's famous speech right here, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. I was really grateful when the King family adopted me as their presidential candidate in 1976. (Cheers.) Every handshake from Dr. King, from Daddy King, every hug from Coretta got me a million Yankee votes. (Laughter.) Daddy King prayed at the Democratic Convention -- for quite a while, I might say -- (laughter) -- and Coretta was in the hotel room with me and Rosalyn when I was elected president. My Presidential Medal of Freedom citation to Coretta for Dr. King said, and I quote, "He gazed at the great wall of segregation and saw that the power of love could bring it down. He made our nation stronger because he made it better." 14:28:47 We were able to create a national historic site where Dr. King lived, worked and worshipped. It's next door to the Carter Center, linked together just by a walking path. And at the Carter Center, we try to make the (principles ?) that we follow the same as his, emphasizing peace and human rights. I remember that Daddy King said, too many people think Martin freed only black people; in truth, he helped to free all people. (Applause.) And Daddy King added, it's not enough to have a right to sit at a lunch counter if you can't afford to buy a meal. And he also said, the ghetto still looks the same even from the front seat of a bus. Perhaps the most challenging statement of Martin Luther King Jr. was, and I quote: "The crucial question of our time is how to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence." In the Nobel Prize ceremony of 2002, I said that my fellow Georgian was, and I quote again, "the greatest leader that my native state, and perhaps my native country, has ever produced." And I was not excluding presidents and even the Founding Fathers when I said this. I believe we all know how Dr. King would have reacted to the new ID requirements to exclude certain voters, especially African- Americans. I think we all know how Dr. King would have reacted to the Supreme Court striking down a crucial part of the Voters' Rights Act just recently passed overwhelmingly by Congress. I think we all know how Dr. King would have reacted to unemployment among African- Americans being almost twice the rate of white people and for teenagers at 42 percent. I think we would all know how Dr. King would have reacted to our country being awash in guns and for more and more states passing "stand your ground" laws. I think we know how Dr. King would have reacted for people of District of Columbia still not having full citizenship rights. (Cheers, applause.) And I think we all know how Dr. King would have reacted to have more than 835,000 African-American men in prison, five times as many as when I left office, and with one-third of all African-American males being destined to be in prison in their lifetimes. 14:31:44 Well, there's a tremendous agenda ahead of us, and I'm thankful to Martin Luther King Jr. that his dream is still alive. Thank you. 14:32:00 President Bill Clinton 14:32:11 CLINTON: Thank you, Mr. President, Mrs. Obama, President Carter, Vice President Biden (inaudible) Biden. I want to thank my great friend, Reverend Bernice King, and the King family for inviting me to be part of this 50th observation of one of the most important days in American history. Dr. King and A. Philip Randolph, John Lewis and Bayard Rustin, Dorothy Height, Myrlie Evers, Daisy Bates (ph), and all the others who led there massive march knew what they were doing on this hallowed ground, in the shadow of Lincoln's statue the burning memory of the fact that he gave his life to preserve the Union and end slavery. 14:33:27 Martin Luther King urged his crowd not to drink from the cup of bitterness, but to reach across the racial divide, because, he said, we cannot walk alone. Their destiny is tied up with our destiny. Their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. He urged the victims of racial violence to meet white Americans with an outstretched hand, not a clenched fist, and in so doing to prove the redeeming power of unearned suffering. 14:33:52 And then he dreamed of an America where all citizens would sit together at a table of brotherhood where little white boys and girls and little black boys and girls would hold hands across the color lines, where his own children would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. 14:34:29 This march and that speech changed America. They opened minds, they melted hearts, and they moved millions, including a 17-year-old boy watching alone in his home in Arkansas. 14:34:43 It was an empowering moment but also an empowered moment. As the great chronicler of those years Taylor Branch wrote, the movement here gained a force to open, quote, "the stubborn gates of freedom." And out flowed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, immigration reform, Medicare, Medicaid, open housing. 14:35:09 It is well to remember that the leaders and foot soldiers here were both idealists and tough realists. They had to be. It was a violent time. Just three months later we lost President Kennedy. And we thank God that President Johnson came in and fought for all those issues I just mentioned. Just five years later, we lost Senator Kennedy. And in between, there was the carnage of the fights for jobs, freedom and equality. Just 18 days after this march, four little children were killed in the Birmingham church bombing. Then there were the Ku Klux Klan murders, the Mississippi lynching and a dozen others until in 1968, Dr. King was martyred, still marching for jobs and freedom. What a debt we owe to those people who came here 50 years ago. The martyrs paid it all for a dream, a dream as John Lewis said that millions have now actually lived. So how are we gonna repay the debt? Dr. King's dream of interdependence, his prescription of whole- hearted cooperation across racial lines, they ring as true today as they did 50 years ago. Oh, yes, we face terrible political gridlock now. Read a little history. It's nothing new. Yes, there remain racial inequalities in employment, income, health, wealth, incarceration and in the victims and perpetrators of violent crime. But we don't face beatings, lynchings and shootings for our political beliefs anymore. And I would respectfully suggest that Martin Luther King did not live and die to hear his heirs whine about political gridlock. It is time to stop complaining and put our shoulders against the stubborn gates... ... holding the American people back. We cannot be disheartened by the forces of resistance to building a modern economy of good jobs and rising incomes or to rebuilding our education system to give all our children a common core of knowledge necessary to ensure success, or to give Americans of all ages access to affordable college and training programs. And we thank the president for his efforts in those regards. 14:38:13 We cannot relax in our efforts to implement health care reform in a way that ends discrimination against those with preexisting conditions, one of which is inadequate income to pay for rising health care. A health care reform that will lower costs and lengthen lives. Nor can we stop investing in science and technology to train our young people of all races for the jobs of tomorrow and to act on what we learned about our bodies, our businesses and our climate. We must push open those stubborn gates. We cannot be discouraged by a Supreme Court decision that said we don't need this critical provision of the Voting Rights Act because -- look at the states (ph). It made it harder for African-Americans and Hispanics and students and the elderly and the infirm and poor working folks to vote. What do you know? They showed up, stood in line for hours and voted anyway. So obviously, we don't need any kind of law. 14:39:27 But a great democracy does not make it harder to vote than to buy an assault weapon. We must open those stubborn gates. And let us not forget that while racial divides persist and must not be denied, the whole American landscape is littered with the lost dreams and dashed hopes of people of all races. And the great irony of the current moment is that the future has never brimmed with more possibilities. It has never burned brighter in what we could become if we push open those stubborn gates and if we do it together. 14:40:20 The choice remains as it was on that distant summer day 50 years ago. Cooperate and thrive, or fight with each other and fall behind. We should all thank God for Dr. King and John Lewis, and all those who gave us a dream to guide it -- a dream they paid for, like our founders, with their lives, their fortune, their sacred honor. And we thank them for reminding us that America is always becoming, always on a journey. And we all, every single citizen among us, have to run our lap. God bless them and God bless America. 14:41:22 Martin L. King III 14:41:26 MARTIN LUTHER KING III: Mr. President, Madam First Lady, President Carter, President Clinton, Congressman Lewis, and to all program participants, this is an unusual moment in our world history as we observe this 50th anniversary. And I'm so thankful for the opportunity to really thank America for helping to realize the dream, although I must say it is not yet realized. And so we must redouble and quadruple our efforts. So much has been said today, and I was 5 years old in 1963, when dad delivered his message. And so I'm blessed that we were able to bring our daughter, who's hopefully paying attention, 5 -- 3 years -- 5 years old, so that she can appreciate this history and continue to participate. There are two quick other things that I want to say. I've been speaking all week, as many of us have. But I'm reminded that Dad challenged us. That's what he did, challenged our nation to be a better nation for all God's children. I'm reminded that he taught us the power of love, agape love, the love that is totally unselfish; you love someone if you're old or young, rich or poor, black or white, Native America or Hispanic- American or Latino. It does not matter. You love them because God calls us to do that. Love and forgiveness is what we need more of, not just in our nation but really throughout the world. And so I want to rush to tell you Dad said the ultimate measure of a human being is where one stands not in times of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy. He went on to say that on some questions, cowardice asks, is a position safe; expediency asks, is a position politic; vanity asks, is a position popular, but that something deep inside called conscience asks, is a position right. So he often talked about sometimes we must take positions that are neither safe nor popular nor politic, but we must take those position because our conscience tells us they are right. (Applause.) I'd finally say this afternoon, we've got a lot of work to do. But none of us should be (in any ways tired ?). Why? Because we've come much too far from where we started. You see, no one ever told any of us that our roads would be easy. But I know our God -- our God -- our God did not bring any of us this far to leave us. Thank you. God bless you. 14:44:57 Christine King Farris 14:45:05 CHRISTINE KING FARRIS: Thank you. President Obama and Mrs. Obama, former Presidents Clinton and Carter, other distinguished program participants, I am honored to be among you today and to address this historic gathering. I don't know if I am the most senior speaker to address this assemblage today, but I am certainly and surely the only person alive who knew Martin Luther King Jr. when he was a baby. (Laughter, applause.) It has been my great privilege to watch my little brother grow and thrive and develop into a fine man and then a great leader whose legacy continues to inspire countless millions around the world. Unfortunately, a bout with a flu virus 50 years ago prevented me from attending the original march. But I was able to watch it on television, and I was as awestruck as everyone else. I knew Martin was an excellent preacher, because I had seen him deliver, on many occasions. But on that day, Martin achieved greatness because he melded the hope and dreams of millions into a grand vision of healing, reconciliation and brotherhood. The dream my brother shared with our nation and world on that sweltering day of days 50 years ago continues to nurture and sustain nonviolent activists worldwide in their struggle for freedom and human rights. Indeed, this gathering provides a powerful testament of hope and proof positive that Martin's great dream will live on in the hearts of humanity for generations to come. Our challenge, then, as followers of Martin Luther King, Jr. is to now honor his life, leadership and legacy by living our lives in a way that carries forward the unfinished work. There is no better way to honor his sacrifices and contributions than by becoming champions of nonviolence in our homes and communities, in our places of work, worship and learning. Everywhere, every day, the dream Martin shared on that day a half century ago remains a definitive statement of the American dream, the beautiful vision of a diverse freedom-loving people united in our love for justice, brotherhood and sisterhood. Yes, they can slay the dreamer, but no, they cannot destroy his immortal dream. 14:49:18 But Martin's dream is a vision not yet to be realized, a dream yet unfilled, and we have much to do before we can celebrate the dream as reality, as the suppression of voting rights and horrific violence that has taken the lives of Trayvon Martin and young people all across America has so painfully demonstrated. But despite the influences and challenges we face, we are here today to affirm the dream. We are not going to be discouraged, we are not going to be distracted, we are not going to be defeated. Instead, we are going forward into this uncertain future, with courage and determination, to make the dream a vibrant reality. And so the work to fulfill the dream goes on, and despite the daunting challenges we face on the road to the beloved community, I feel that the dream is sinking deep and nourishing roots all across America and around the world. May it continue to thrive and spread and help bring justice, peace and liberation to all humanity. Thank you, and God bless you all. 14:51:40 Rev. Dr. Bernice King, CEO of The King Center for Non-Violent Social Change 14:51:30 REVEREND BERNICE KING: President Obama, Mrs. Obama, Presidents Carter and Clinton, Congressman Lewis, Ambassador Young, my brother Martin III, Dexter Scott King, to my entire family, I was five months old when my father delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech, and I probably was somewhere crawling on the floor or taking a nap after having a meal. But today is a glorious day because on this program today we have witnessed a manifestation of the beloved community. And we thank everyone for their presence here today. 14:52:21 Today we have been honored to have three presidents of the United States. Fifty years ago, the president did not attend. Today we are honored to have many women in the planning and mobilization of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. (Cheers, applause.) And 50 years ago, there was not a single woman on the program. Today we are honored to have not just one young person, but several young people on the program today. It is certainly a tribute to the work and the legacy of so many people that have gone on before us. Fifty years ago today, in the symbolic shadow of this great emancipator Abraham Lincoln, my father the great liberator stood in this very spot and declared to this nation his dream to let freedom ring for all people who were being manacled by a system of segregation and discrimination. Fifty years ago, he commissioned us to go back to our various cities, towns, hamlets, states and villages and let freedom ring. The reverberation of the sound of that freedom message has amplified and echoed since 1963, through the decades and coast to coast throughout this nation and even around the world and has summoned us once again back to these hallowed grounds to send out a clarion call to let freedom ring. Since that time, as a result of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act in 1968, we have witnessed great strides toward freedom for all, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, class or sexual orientation. 14:54:15 Fifty years later, in this year of jubilee, we're standing once again in the shadow of that "Great Emancipator," having been summoned to these hallowed grounds to reverberate the message of that great liberator, for there's a remnant from 1963, Congressman Lewis, Ambassador Young, that still remains, who has come to bequeath that message of freedom to a new generation of people who must now carry that message -- (cheers) -- in their time, in their community, amongst their tribes and amongst their nations of the world. We must keep the sound and the message of freedom and justice going. It was my mother, as has been said previously, Coretta Scott King, who in fact 30 years ago assembled a Coalition of Conscience that started us on this whole path of remembering the anniversary of the March on Washington. She reminded that struggle is a never-ending process; freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation. And so we come once again to let freedom ring, because if freedom stops ringing, then the sound will disappear, and the atmosphere will be charged with something else. Fifty years later, we come once again to this special landing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to reflect, to renew and to rejuvenate for the continued struggle of freedom and justice. 14:56:06 For today, 50 years later, my friends, we are still crippled by practices and policies steeped in racial pride, hatred and hostility, some of which have us standing our ground rather than finding common ground. We are still chained by economic disparities, income and class inequalities and conditions of poverty for many of God's children around this nation and the world. We're still bound by a cycle of civil unrest and inherent social biases in our nations and worlds that oftentimes degenerate into violence and destruction, especially against women and children. We're at this landing, and now we must break the cycle. The Prophet King spoke the vision. He made it plain, and we must run with it in this generation. His prophetic vision and magnificent dream described the yearning of people all over the world to have the freedom to prosper in life, which is the right to pursue one's aspirations, purpose, dreams, well- being without oppressive, depressive, repressive practices, behaviors, laws and conditions that diminish one's dignity and that denies one life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -- the freedom to participate in government, which is the right to have a voice and a say in how you are represented, regulated and governed without threats of tyranny, disenfranchisement, exclusionary tactics and behaviors, and to have freedom to peacefully coexist, which is the right to be respected in one's selfhood, individuality and uniqueness without fear of attack, assault or abuse. In 1967 my father asked a poignant and critical question: Where do we go from here, chaos or community? And we say, with a resounding voice, no to chaos and yes to community. If we're going to rid ourselves of the chaos, then we must make a necessary shift. Nothing is more tragic than for us to fail to achieve new attitudes and new mental outlooks. We have a tremendous and unprecedented opportunity to reset the very means by which we live, work and enjoy our lives. If we're going to continue the struggle of freedom and create true community, then we will have to be relentless in exposing, confronting and ridding ourselves of the mindset of pride and greed and selfishness and hate and lust and fear and idleness and lack of purpose and lack of love, as my brother said, for our neighbor. We must seize this moment, the dawning of a new day, the emergence of a new generation who is postured to change the world through collaborative power, facilitated by unconditional love. And as I close, I call upon my brother by the name of Nehemiah, who was also in the midst of rebuilding a community. And in the midst of rebuilding a community, he brought the leaders and the rulers and the rest of the people together, and he told them that the work is great and large, and we are widely separated one from another on the wall, but when you hear the sound of the trumpet, and might I say -- (cheers, applause) -- when you hear the sound of the bells today, come to that spot, and our God will fight with us. And so today we're going to let freedom ring all across this nation. We're going to let freedom ring everywhere we go. If freedom is going to ring in Libya, in Syria, in Egypt, in Florida, then we must reach across the table, feed each other and let freedom ring. 15:00:36 Participants gathering around bell 15:01:19 ringing bell 15:02:03 performance by Heather Headley 15:05:31 President Barack Obama takes podium 15:05:54 PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: To the King family, who have sacrificed and inspired so much, to President Clinton, President Carter, Vice President Biden, Jill, fellow Americans, five decades ago today, Americans came to this honored place to lay claim to a promise made at our founding. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 15:07:06 In 1963, almost 200 years after those words were set to paper, a full century after a great war was fought and emancipation proclaimed, that promise, those truths remained unmet. And so they came by the thousands, from every corner of our country -- men and women, young and old, blacks who longed for freedom and whites who could no longer accept freedom for themselves while witnessing the subjugation of others. Across the land, congregations sent them off with food and with prayer. In the middle of the night, entire blocks of Harlem came out to wish them well. With the few dollars they scrimped from their labor, some bought tickets and boarded buses, even if they couldn't always sit where they wanted to sit. Those with less money hitchhiked, or walked. They were seamstresses, and steelworkers, and students, and teachers, maids and pullman porters. They shared simple meals and bunked together on floors. And then, on a hot summer day, they assembled here, in our nation's capital, under the shadow of the great emancipator, to offer testimony of injustice, to petition their government for redress and to awaken America's long-slumbering conscience. 15:09:17 We rightly and best remember Dr. King's soaring oratory that day, how he gave mighty voice to the quiet hopes of millions, how he offered a salvation path for oppressed and oppressors alike. His words belong to the ages, possessing a power and prophecy unmatched in our time. 15:09:51 But we would do well to recall that day itself also belonged to those ordinary people whose names never appeared in the history books, never got on TV. Many had gone to segregated schools and sat at segregated lunch counters, had lived in towns where they couldn't vote, in cities where their votes didn't matter. There were couples in love who couldn't marry, soldiers who fought for freedom abroad that they found denied to them at home. They had seen loved ones beaten and children fire- hosed. And they had every reason to lash out in anger or resign themselves to a bitter fate. 15:10:54 And yet they chose a different path. In the face of hatred, they prayed for their tormentors. In the face of violence, they stood up and sat in with the moral force of nonviolence. Willingly, they went to jail to protest unjust laws, their cells swelling with the sound of freedom songs. A lifetime of indignities had taught them that no man can take away the dignity and grace that God grants us. They had learned through hard experience what Frederick Douglas once taught: that freedom is not given; it must be won through struggle and discipline, persistence and faith. That was the spirit they brought here that day. 15:11:55 That was the spirit young people like John Lewis brought that day. That was the spirit that they carried with them like a torch back to their cities and their neighborhoods, that steady flame of conscience and courage that would sustain them through the campaigns to come, through boycotts and voter registration drives and smaller marches, far from the spotlight, through the loss of four little girls in Birmingham, the carnage of Edmund Pettus Bridge and the agony of Dallas, California, Memphis. Through setbacks and heartbreaks and gnawing doubt, that flame of justice flickered and never died. And because they kept marching, America changed. Because they marched, the civil rights law was passed. Because they marched, the voting rights law was signed. Because they marched, doors of opportunity and education swung open so their daughters and sons could finally imagine a life for themselves beyond washing somebody else's laundry or shining somebody else's shoes. (Applause.) Because they marched, city councils changed and state legislatures changed and Congress changed and, yes, eventually the White House changed. (Cheers, applause.) 15:13:58 Because they marched, America became more free and more fair, not just for African-Americans but for women and Latinos, Asians and Native Americans, for Catholics, Jews and Muslims, for gays, for Americans with disabilities. America changed for you and for me. And the entire world drew strength from that example, whether it be young people who watched from the other side of an Iron Curtain and would eventually tear down that wall, or the young people inside South Africa who would eventually end the scourge of apartheid. (Applause.) Those are the victories they won, with iron wills and hope in their hearts. That is the transformation that they wrought with each step of their well-worn shoes. That's the depth that I and millions of Americans owe those maids, those laborers, those porters, those secretaries -- folks who could have run a company, maybe, if they had ever had a chance; those white students who put themselves in harm's way even though they didn't have to -- (applause) -- those Japanese- Americans who recalled their own interment, those Jewish Americans who had survived the Holocaust, people who could have given up and given in but kept on keeping on, knowing that weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning -- (cheers, applause) -- on the battlefield of justice, men and women without rank or wealth or title or fame would liberate us all, in ways that our children now take for granted as people of all colors and creeds live together and learn together and walk together, and fight alongside one another and love one another, and judge one another by the content of our character in this greatest nation on Earth. 15:16:32 To dismiss the magnitude of this progress, to suggest, as some sometimes do, that little has changed -- that dishonors the courage and the sacrifice of those who paid the price to march in those years. (Applause.) Medgar Evers, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, Martin Luther King Jr., they did not die in vain. (Applause.) Their victory was great. But we would dishonor those heroes as well to suggest that the work of this nation is somehow complete. The arc of the moral universe may bend towards justice, but it doesn't bend on its own. To secure the gains this country has made requires constant vigilance, not complacency. Whether it's by challenging those who erect new barriers to the vote or ensuring that the scales of justice work equally for all in the criminal justice system and not simply a pipeline from underfunded schools to overcrowded jails -- (applause) -- it requires vigilance. 15:18:12 And we'll suffer the occasional setback. But we will win these fights. This country has changed too much. (Applause.) People of good will, regardless of party, are too plentiful for those with ill will to change history's currents. (Applause.) In some ways, though, the securing of civil rights, voting rights, the eradication of legalized discrimination -- the very significance of these victories may have obscured a second goal of the march, for the men and women who gathered 50 years ago were not there in search of some abstract idea. They were there seeking jobs as well as justice -- (applause) -- not just the absence of oppression but the presence of economic opportunity. For what does it profit a man, Dr. King would ask, to sit at an integrated lunch counter if he can't afford the meal? This idea that -- that one's liberty is linked to one's livelihood, that the pursuit of happiness requires the dignity of work, the skills to find work, decent pay, some measure of material security -- this idea was not new. 15:20:06 Lincoln himself understood the Declaration of Independence in such terms, as a promise that in due time, the weights should be lifted from the shoulders of all men and that all should have an equal chance. Dr. King explained that the goals of African-Americans were identical to working people of all races: decent wages, fair working conditions, livable housing, old age security, health and welfare measures -- conditions in which families can grow, have education for their children and respect in the community. 15:20:54 What King was describing has been the dream of every American. It's what's lured for centuries new arrivals to our shores. And it's along this second dimension of economic opportunity, the chance through honest toil to advance one's station in life, that the goals of 50 years ago have fallen most short. Yes, there have been examples of success within black America that would have been unimaginable a half-century ago. But as has already been noted, black unemployment has remained almost twice as high as white employment (sic), Latino unemployment close behind. The gap in wealth between races has not lessened, it's grown. 15:21:52 As President Clinton indicated, the position of all working Americans, regardless of color, has eroded, making the dream Dr. King described even more elusive. For over a decade, working Americans of all races have seen their wages and incomes stagnate. Even as corporate profits soar, even as the pay of a fortunate few explodes, inequality has steadily risen over the decades. Upward mobility has become harder. In too many communities across this country in cities and suburbs and rural hamlets, the shadow of poverty casts a pall over our youth, their lives a fortress of substandard schools and diminished prospects, inadequate health care and perennial violence. 15:22:50 And so as we mark this anniversary, we must remind ourselves that the measure of progress for those who marched 50 years ago was not merely how many blacks had joined the ranks of millionaires; it was whether this country would admit all people who were willing to work hard, regardless of race, into the ranks of a middle-class life. (Applause.) The test was not and never has been whether the doors of opportunity are cracked a bit wider for a few. It was whether our economic system provides a fair shot for the many, for the black custodian and the white steelworker, the immigrant dishwasher and the Native American veteran. To win that battle, to answer that call -- this remains our great unfinished business. 15:23:54 We shouldn't fool ourselves. The task will not be easy. Since 1963 the economy's changed. The twin forces of technology and global competition have subtracted those jobs that once provided a foothold into the middle class, reduced the bargaining power of American workers. And our politics has suffered. Entrenched interests -- those who benefit from an unjust status quo resisted any government efforts to give working families a fair deal, marshaling an army of lobbyists and opinion makers to argue that minimum wage increases or stronger labor laws or taxes on the wealthy who could afford it just to fund crumbling schools -- that all these things violated sound economic principles. 15:24:53 We'd be told that growing inequality was the price for a growing economy, a measure of the free market -- that greed was good and compassion ineffective, and those without jobs or health care had only themselves to blame. And then there were those elected officials who found it useful to practice the old politics of division, doing their best to convince middle-class Americans of a great untruth, that government was somehow itself to blame for their growing economic insecurity -- that distant bureaucrats were taking their hard-earned dollars to benefit the welfare cheat or the illegal immigrant. 15:25:46 And then, if we're honest with ourselves, we'll admit that during the course of 50 years, there were times when some of us, claiming to push for change, lost our way. The anguish of assassinations set off self-defeating riots. Legitimate grievances against police brutality tipped into excuse- making for criminal behavior. Racial politics could cut both ways as the transformative message of unity and brotherhood was drowned out by the language of recrimination. And what had once been a call for equality of opportunity, the chance for all Americans to work hard and get ahead was too often framed as a mere desire for government support, as if we had no agency in our own liberation, as if poverty was an excuse for not raising your child and the bigotry of others was reason to give up on yourself. All of that history is how progress stalled. That's how hope was diverted. It's how our country remained divided. But the good news is, just as was true in 1963, we now have a choice. We can continue down our current path in which the gears of this great democracy grind to a halt and our children accept a life of lower expectations, where politics is a zero-sum game, where a few do very well while struggling families of every race fight over a shrinking economic pie. That's one path. Or we can have the courage to change. 15:27:52 The March on Washington teaches us that we are not trapped by the mistakes of history, that we are masters of our fate. But it also teaches us that the promise of this nation will only be kept when we work together. We'll have to reignite the embers of empathy and fellow feeling, the coalition of conscience that found expression in this place 50 years ago. 15:28:26 And I believe that spirit is there, that true force inside each of us. I see it when a white mother recognizes her own daughter in the face of a poor black child. I see it when the black youth thinks of his own grandfather in the dignified steps of an elderly white man. It's there when the native born recognizing that striving spirit of a new immigrant, when the interracial couple connects the pain of a gay couple who were discriminated against and understands it as their own. That's where courage comes from, when we turn not from each other or on each other but towards one another, and we find that we do not walk alone. That's where courage comes from. (Applause.) And with that courage, we can stand together for good jobs and just wages. With that courage, we can stand together for the right to health care in the richest nation on earth for every person. (Applause.) With that courage, we can stand together for the right of every child, from the corners of Anacostia to the hills of Appalachia, to get an education that stirs the mind and captures the spirit and prepares them for the world that awaits them. (Applause.) With that courage, we can feed the hungry and house the homeless and transform bleak wastelands of poverty into fields of commerce and promise. America, I know the road will be long, but I know we can get there. Yes, we will stumble, but I know we'll get back up. That's how a movement happens. That's how history bends. That's how, when somebody is faint of heart, somebody else brings them along and says, come on, we're marching. (Cheers, applause.) There's a reason why so many who marched that day and in the days to come were young, for the young are unconstrained by habits of fear, unconstrained by the conventions of what is. They dared to dream different and to imagine something better. And I am convinced that same imagination, the same hunger of purpose serves in this generation. 15:31:11 We might not face the same dangers as 1963, but the fierce urgency of now remains. We may never duplicate the swelling crowds and dazzling processions of that day so long ago, no one can match King's brilliance, but the same flames that lit the heart of all who are willing to take a first step for justice, I know that flame remains. (Applause.) That tireless teacher who gets to class early and stays late and dips into her own pocket to buy supplies because she believes that every child is her charge -- she's marching. (Applause.) That successful businessman who doesn't have to, but pays his workers a fair wage and then offers a shot to a man, maybe an ex-con, who's down on his luck -- he's marching. 15:32:12 (Cheers, applause.) The mother who pours her love into her daughter so that she grows up with the confidence to walk through the same doors as anybody's son -- she's marching. (Cheers, applause.) The father who realizes the most important job he'll ever have is raising his boy right, even if he didn't have a father, especially if he didn't have a father at home -- he's marching. (Applause.) The battle-scarred veterans who devote themselves not only to helping their fellow warriors stand again and walk again and run again, but to keep serving their country when they come home -- they are marching. (Applause.) Everyone who realizes what those glorious patriots knew on that day, that change does not come from Washington but to Washington, that change has always been built on our willingness, we, the people, to take on the mantle of citizenship -- you are marching. (Applause.) 15:33:16 And that's the lesson of our past, that's the promise of tomorrow, that in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it. And when millions of Americans of every race and every region, every faith and every station can join together in a spirit of brotherhood, then those mountains will be made low, and those rough places will be made plain, and those crooked places, they straighten out towards grace, and we will vindicate the faith of those who sacrificed so much and live up to the true meaning of our creed as one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. (Cheers, applause.) 15:33:56 Obama waving, walking from podium 15:34:59 Barack and Michelle hugging and gladhanding with King family onstage 15:36:12 Obama hugging Oprah 15:37:19 Barack and Michelle walking up steps away from event 15:37:29 Barack and Michelle Obama waving 15:37:50 Obamas with Clinton and Carter waving, walking away from event Today marks the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech. The final refrain of Martin Luther King Jr.'s most famous speech will echo around the world as bells from churches, schools and historical monuments "let freedom ring" in celebration of a powerful moment in civil rights history. Organizers said sites in nearly every state will ring their bells at 3pm today, the hour when King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington. President Obama, and former Presidents Clinton and Carter will deliver speeches at the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the anniversary.

/ demonstration of new taser cam camera, a small surveillance camera mounted to the end of a taser gun / first example from 11-13-2006 - video showing clicking of the taser that has latched onto a man's shirt, cops are yelling at man to lay down as they taser him again and he screams / second example from 9-20-2006, man walking away from cops, cops tell him to get on the ground and when he ignores them, they zap him with a taser as he screams and falls to the ground. Demonstration of new Taser-CAM, taser gun camera on September 20, 2006 in Houston, Texas (Footage by Getty Images)

Flag of the state of Texas waving in the wind, Seamless loop with highly detailed.

EXT BROLL ABC POOL CUTS CAM POSITION LOW SHOT DURING 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MARCH CEREMONY Wednesday, August 28, 2013 LOG: March on Washington 50th Anniversary "Let Freedom Ring" at Lincoln Memorial SLUG: 0930 LINCOLN MEM STIX RS34 74 1530 LINCOLN MEM STIX RS34 71 AR: 16X9 DISC# NYRS: WASH HD 4 11:00 am - 12:00 pm 11:09:25 Geraldo Marshall (Trumpet Call) 11:11:28 REMARKS/ INTRO INVOCATION (Soledad O'Brien, Hill Harper) 11:14:49 Pastor A.R. Bernard (Invocation) 11:20:17 INTRO AMB. YOUNG (Hill Harper) 11:20:39 Ambassador Andrew Young YOUNG: I don't know about you, but I "Woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom. I woke up this morning with my mind" -- come on, help me -- "stayed on freedom. I woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom. Hallelu, Hallelu" -- come on (inaudible) -- "Hallelujah." Well, "I'm walking and talking with my mind -- my mind, it was, stayed on freedom. Walking and talking with my mind stayed on freedom. Walking and talking with my mind stayed on freedom. Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah." Now, 50 years ago when we came here, we came from a battle. We came from a battle in Birmingham. But that was just a few months before -- before Martin Luther King came through to speak of his dream. 11:22:11 He had been through bombings, jailings, beatings. He had been snatched from his jailhouse cell in DeKalb County, and put in chains, and taken down to Reidsville Penitentiary in the middle of the night, and thought it was going to be his last night on earth. 11:22:31 He went through the battles of Albany and Birmingham, and came out victorious. But we knew that the fight was just beginning. And we knew that we had a long, long way to go, and this was just the start. Now, he came here representing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, saying that we were going to redeem the soul of America from the triple evils of racism, war and poverty. He came, not talking so much about racism nor war. His speech was about poverty. And he said that the Constitution was a promissory note, to which all of us would fall heir, but that when men and women of color presented their check at the bank of justice, it came back marked, "insufficient funds." But then he said he knew that wasn't the end. But 50 years later, we're still here trying (ph) to cash that bad check. Fifty years later, we're still dealing with all kinds of problems. And so we're not here to claim any victory. We're here to simply say that the struggle continues. But a long time ago, when Ralph Abernathy would stand with him, and things would get difficult, Ralph would say, "Well, I don't know what the future may hold, but I know who holds the future." 11:24:02 And Martin would say that, "The moral arch of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice." And then he would say, "Truth forever on the scaffold; wrong forever on the throne. But the scaffold sways the future, for behind the dim unknown, standeth God beneath the shadows keeping watch above His own." 11:24:22 So I want to say to you this morning, I want to say, "I've got a feeling everything's going to be all right. I've got a feeling, everything's going to be all right. I've got a feeling, everything's going to be all right, be all right, be all right, be all right." Pray on, and stay on, and fight on. 11:25:34 Robby Novak, Kid President remarks 11:25:59 Jonathan B. Jarvis, 18th Director of the National Park Service remarks 11:26:08 there are countless photographs of that historic day, one with a pair of rangers with Dr King. Image captures small moment in great event, but captures role of nat'l parks service. 11:26:49 each monument you find a familiar parks service arrowhead. We are there to welcome visitors and preserve American stories they represent. Places civil rights was organized are now preserved as nat'l parks. The power of these places is to inspire each generation to have a dream. 11:28:11 we are very proud of the 2 rangers who stood here 50 years ago. My promise to you is that we will protect all the places entrusted to us with the highest standard of stewardship 11:28:48 Vincent C. Gray, Mayor of Washington 11:28:52 on behalf of 632,000 residents of DC, allow me to welcome you 11:29:08 dr king borrowed a lyric from one of our favorite patriotic songs: let freedom ring. 11:29:33 there was one place DR king didn't mention in that speech but later spoke forcefully: DC. That's because full freedom and democracy are still denied to those who live within sight of capitol dome. We have no voting representative in our own congress. We pay 3.5 billion dollars in taxes but don't get final say. We send our sons and daughters to fight for democracy but don't get to practice here at home 11:30:47 I implore, I hope all of you will stand with me when we say let freedom ring from mt st Albans, the bridges of Anacostia, from Capitol Hill itself, until all of the residents are truly free. 11:31:25 please join hands with us and make every American free 11:31:45 Reverend Wintley Phipps, Sr. 11:36:00 U.S. Senator Angus King, Maine 11:36:10 KING: Fifty years ago, Americans marched to this place. They came from the Northeast, from the West, from the Midwest, and they came from the South. They came by rail; they came by bus; they came by car. One even roller-skated here from Chicago. They slept the night before in buses, in cars, on friends' floors, and in churches. 11:36:42 Fifty years ago this morning, we started in small rivulets of people on the side streets of this great city. We joined together in larger streams, moving toward the main arteries of Washington. Then we came together in a mighty river of people down to this place, old, young, black, white, Protestant, Catholic, and Jew. We stopped at the Washington Monument and heard Peter, Paul and Mary sing of the hammer of justice and the bell of freedom. 11:37:26 Fifty years ago, Americans came to this place around a radical idea, an idea at the heart of the American experience, an idea new to the world in 1776, tested in 1865, renewed in 1963, and an idea still new and radical today: all men and women are created equal. All men and women are created equal. 11:38:08 Fifty years ago, at this place, at this sacred place, Americans sent a message to their leaders and around the world that the promise of equality of opportunity, equality before the law, equality in the right to freely participate in the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship applied to everyone in this country, not just the lucky few of the right color or the accident of birth. This is what Martin Luther King meant when he said that his dream was deeply rooted in the American dream. 11:39:03 And 150 years ago -- 150 years ago this summer -- a mighty battle was fought not far from this place. And this idea, the idea of equality, the idea of America hung in the balance. One of the soldiers on those hot July days was a young college professor from Maine named Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. And returning to the battlefield at Gettysburg many years later, he expressed the power of the place where such momentous deeds were done. Here is what he said. Here is what Joshua Chamberlain said. 11:39:44 "In great deeds, something abides. On great fields, something stays. Forms change and pass, bodies disappear, but spirits linger to consecrate the ground for the vision-place of souls. Generations that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for them, shall come to this deathless field, to this deathless place, to ponder and dream. And, lo, the shadow of a mighty presence will wrap them in its bosom and the power of the vision shall pass into their souls." 11:40:53 Fifty years ago today, this place was a battlefield. No shots were fired, no cannons roared, but a battlefield nonetheless, a battlefield of ideas, the ideas that define us as a nation. As it was once said of Churchill, Martin Luther King on that day mobilized the English language and marched it into war, and, in the process, caught the conscience of a nation. And here today on these steps, 50 years on, indeed, something abides and the power of the vision has surely passed into our souls. 11:41:57 The Honorable Johnny L. DuPree, Mayor of Hattiesburg, Mississippi and Secretary, National Council of Black Mayors 11:42:15 decades and decades ago, blood sweat and tears all culminated in a march 11:42:31 if someone would have told me this country boy would become a mayor, I'd say they fell off a truck 11:42:52 some of y'all never had the opportunity to take a bath in a #3 tin tub, I did that 11:43:19 we've been entrusted with making the lives better of people that we serve 11:43:39 at one point, struggle was to gain citizenship, then vote, for brief period, African Americans held elected office during reconstruction 11:44:00 now one of the challenges is the freedom to govern. We must to locally what obama did nationally 11:44:15 we must go back to individuals who helped get us here and encourage them to make their voices heard 11:44:34 we did not quiver or retreat in face of injustice 11:44:55 it is because of those who marched on, even though wearied and bloodied, until they did what people said couldn't be done 11:45:40 Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey with Trayvon Martin's parents and Newtown victim father Mark Barden 11:50:17 INTRO CHARLES STEELE JR and MELANIE CAMPBELL (Soledad O'Brien) 11:50:46 Charles Steele, president emeritus & CEO, Southern Christian Leadership Council 11:53:27 Melanie Campbell, president & CEO, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation 11:56:45 U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro, Texas (20th District) 11:56:55 CASTRO: It's an honor to be here with you today. I come as a son of the great state of Texas, the home to the president who signed the most sweeping and important civil rights legislation in our nation's history. I am 38 years old. I also speak to you as someone of a grateful generation, grateful for the struggles and the movements and the blood and tears and all of the work of the civil rights pioneers who stood here 50 years ago today, and those who marched in the streets of Selma, those who organized people in factories and farms, those who took their battles to the courts, like Thurgood Marshall and Gus Garcia, those who organized people to vote and exercise our rights, those like Willie Velasquez. My own parents in the 1960s were very involved in a movement inspired by Martin Luther King and the men and women who stood here. They were active in the Chicano movement, or the Latino civil rights movement. 11:58:08 And I want to say thank you to them, and thank you to all of you. And I also want to make a promise to you. As somebody of a younger generation of Americans, I want to promise you that all of the struggles and all of the fights and all of the work and all of the years that you put in to making our country a better place, to helping our leaders understand that freedom and democracy are prerequisites to opportunity, I want you to know that this generation of Americans will not let that dream go. That we will carry on, and make sure that this country lives up to the values and principles for which you fought so hard. Thank you very much. 11:58:53 The Right Honorable Perry Christie, Prime Minister of the Bahamas CHRISTIE: Greetings from the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, your closest neighbor to the south. Martin Luther King, Jr., holds a very special place in the hearts and minds of Bahamians, not least because he spent time amongst us, both in Nassau and in the tiny island of Bimini, where in 1964, while on a brief vacation, he composed his Nobel Prize acceptance speech. On a clear night, the lights of metropolitan Miami are, in fact, visible from the shores of Bimini, dramatizing the closeness between our two nations. We are, after all, less than 50 miles apart. But however close that may be in the literal sense, we are in the geography of the soul even closer than that. The common ties of history, of ethnicity and culture, of migration, of a common heritage of struggle bind us together not just as neighbors, not even only as friends, but as true brothers and sisters. The message I bring to you today can be briefly stated, and it is this. As momentous as this occasion is, we do a grave injustice to ourselves and to all humanity if we leave here unresolved to carry on the greater noble struggle for which Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his life. The blood of this good man shed in Memphis still cries out across the years, cries out to each and every one of us, wherever we may be, all across the world, to stand up for freedom, to stand up for human dignity, to stand up for equality, to stand up for social justice, to stand up for right and not for wrong, for peace and not for war, for love and not for hate. It is the timelessness and universality of the message that he proclaimed and the heroic majesty of his personal example that explains why Martin Luther King, Jr., is as relevant today, as compelling today, as inspirational today as he was 50 years ago, when from the very precincts he delivered the oration that rocked the conscience of America and the world. When he spoke as he did that day, we somehow knew, we somehow felt that his message was coming from a place that was not only deeper than himself, but deep within us all. He had awakened to the call of that place and was rousing us from our slumber so that we could take our own inner soundings and hear it, too. In so doing, he gave language to our deepest yearning for a better life. Martin Luther King's work remains unfinished. This then must be for all of us a time not only for renewal, but above all, a profoundly personal level and the most authentic way possible, a time for rededication to the dream that Martin Luther King championed throughout his life. May the light of the flame continue to guide us as we go forward, each in his own way, each in his own nation to continue the work of Martin Luther King. In that way, and in no other way, we keep his dream alive and make it our own. 12:00 -1:00 p.m. 12:02:42 Junkaroo performance 12:07:08 Myrlie Evers Williams 12:07:19 50 years ago we gathered in this very same spot. We felt in the words of another Mississippian, fannie lou hamer, I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. And I do believe that's what the crowd was saying to all of our leaders. Dr king took the helm, and under his leadership, said enough is enough America. This is our country. All of us, we belong here, and here we are, some 50 years later, assessing what has happened. Where we are 12:08:39 for a brief period of time I think we fell asleep and said everything is ok, but we know today everything is not ok, there has been a retrenchment in this country as far as equal rights is concerned. 12:09:09 the triumphs and defeats belong to us all. Dr king told us he might not get to mountaintop with us but there is a promised land. America is that land for all of us. 12:09:45 today's world, there's emphasis on individuality. How can I reach my top? No matter how strong any 1 person may be, they may be strengthened with support from each other 12:10:11 the movement can no longer afford an individual approach to justice 12:10:34 at times it is necessary that we let those who represent us know that we are a force to be reckoned with. Many of our messages today target youth and elders. I look at those in middle, they are young enough to relate but established enough in our community, I ask you what are our next steps 12:11:25 this country in the area of civil rights has taken a turn backward. I am energized to move forward and to be sure to see the gains we have encountered are not lost. So I do ask you what are our next steps. 12:11:58 many of our civil rights leaders like my husband and dr martin luther king 12:12:12 I challenge you to get back to community building, these are our children. You are the parents. The victory will be a collective one. It is with clear conscience that we will reach that mountaintop and we will overcome 12:12:46 it will take each and every one of us, letting those who say they manage America it's the voice and actions of people who say we must overcome and will eventually say we have overcome because of the involvement of each and every one 12:14:01 Kristin Stoneking, executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation 12:16:29 Mee Moua, president and executive director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice 12:18:40 The Honorable Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland 12:18:42 O'MALLEY: The work of justice is urgent. It is real, and it is needed. Let there be no comfort in our country for the bigotry of cold indifference. For there are still too many lives in America taken from us by violence, still too many children in America who go to bed hungry, who go to school hungry. Still too much apathy when the lives of people of color are too often valued less than the lives of white people. 12:19:09 And so, the responsibility we consecrate today is not rooted in nostalgia or memory. It is rooted in something far deeper. It is rooted in the calling of conscious to action, actions that protect every individual's right to vote; action that safeguards and keeps guns out of the hands of violent offenders; action makes quality education and the opportunity of college a reality for more families; action that protects the dignity of every child's home with civil marriage equality; action that strengthens our country with the hopes and dreams and hard work of our newest generation of new American immigrants; action that abolishes the death penalty and improves public safety in every neighborhood regardless of income or color; actions that create jobs and raises the minimum wage for every mom and dad that's willing to work hard and play by the rules. 12:20:25 Yes, thanks to Dr. King, America's best days are still ahead of us. Love remains the strongest power in our country. Forward we shall walk, hand in hand. And in this great work, we are not afraid. Thank you. 12:21:00 Natalie Grant 12:24:39 Fred Maahs, chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities 12:29:19 Reverend Roslyn Brock, chairman of the NAACP 12:29:24 the march on Washington was for equality and opportunity. We of NAACP acknowledge our organizing days are beginning anew 12:29:52 the power and depth of their witness is magnified by the fact that they returned home and organized 12:30:08 in a 1966 speech to medical committee for human rights, dr king said injustice in healthcare is most inhumane inequality. One of the most pressing issues for this generation 12:30:38 supreme court and people have spoken. Affordable Care Act is the law of the land. 12:30:58 we must ensure all Americans are aware we can change the face of health in this nation. We are determined and clear to the world, when it comes to healthj equity, courage will not skip this generation. 12:31:37 Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP BENJAMIN JEALOUS: Fired up! (Cheers.) Come on. Fired up! AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Ready to go! MR. JEALOUS: Fired up! AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Ready to go! MR. JEALOUS: Fired up! AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Ready to go! MR. JEALOUS: Ladies and gentlemen, as we stand here 50 years after the March on Washington, let us remember that Dr. King's last march was never finished. The Poor People's Campaign was never finished. Some 50 years after the March on Washington, while fewer people as a percentage in our country are poor, more as a number in our country are poor. And while the ladder of opportunity extends to the heavens for our people today, more are tethered at the bottom and falling off every day. 12:32:00 Indeed, one could say that the distance between a child's aspiration represented by the top of that ladder and a family's situation at the bottom of that ladder is the exact measurement of that parent's level of frustration. 12:32:44 And so as we go home today, let us remember that the dreamer was also a doer. And as we turn on our TVs tomorrow and see people walking out of places where they're being forced to survive on $7.25 by the thousands, let us commit to join them in fighting to lift up the bottom, because as the top of that ladder has extended, the tethers at the bottom must be unleashed. Let us not just be dreamers this day; let us recommit to be doers. Thank you, and God bless. (Cheers, applause.) 12:33:52 Maori Dancers performance 12:38:41 Reverend Joseph Lowery 12:42:26 Laura Turner Seydel, aka "Captain Planet" 12:45:42 Dr. Eliza Byard, executive director, Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network 12:48:19 Bill Russell 12:48:29 good afternoon, it's nice to be here. 12:48:39 it's nice to be anywhere after 50 years. 12:49:41 from my point of view, you only register progress by how far you have to go 12:50:46 progress can only be measured by how far we have to go 12:51:07 as we used to say in the projects, keep on keeping on 12:51:58 Clayola Brown, president of the A. Philip Randolph Institute 12:53:47 Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO 12:53:50 good afternoon. I'm so proud to represent 1.6 tril members 12:54:16 and 5 years later, dr king stood with sanitation workers of local 1733 12:54:38 new momentum on these steps 50 years ago, advances whenever disenfranchised stand up 12:54:52 because our struggle continues12:55:08 we come to commemorate past and shape future 12:55:10 we must also have the courage in the name of dr king, a phillip ranolph, rep john lewis, we must recommit to struggle as stewards of nation that belongs to rich and poor, those with and those without 12:55:44 we have to build on legacy left to us all, protect fundamental rights, ensure workers voices never silenced, fight for good jobs and decent pay. Above all, we must uphold principle that everyone who contributes to prosperity of nation should share in prosperity 12:56:31 U.S. Congresswoman Donna Edwards, Maryland (4th District) 12:56:43 REPRESENTATIVE DONNA EDWARDS (D-MD): On behalf of the members of Congress, I represent Maryland's 4th Congressional District. As the first African-American woman to represent Maryland in the House of Representatives, and on behalf of my sisters in Congress, I'm proud to stand here with you today on the shoulders of women, courageous women like Fannie Lou Hamer and Dorothy Height and Vivian Malone and Rosa Parks and so many others. I'm proud to stand on the shoulders of our domestic workers and to be wrapped in the arms of three, four little girls in a Birmingham church and a Chicago teenager on vacation in Mississippi. 12:57:05 It's a new day 50 years later and a better day. But the day is not over. Today's struggle for civil rights, social justice and economic opportunity demand our engagement and our voice. To realize fully the dream we must both raise our voices and take action. We must lift our voices to challenge government and our community and our neighbors to be better. We must lift our voices for wages that enable families to take care of themselves, for a health care system that erases disparities, for communities and homes without violence, for clean air and water to protect our environment for future generations and for a just justice system. We must lift our voice for the value of our vote and have our votes counted without interference. As we stand here today, Dr. King would know and my dear colleague John Lewis certainly does know that today is not just a commemoration or a celebration; it's a call to action for the work that remains undone and the communities that remain unchanged. Our foremothers and forefathers, 50 years ago they closed a book on the last century. Well, when the book closes on the 21st century and civil rights, which chapter will you have written? What fight will you have fought in the halls of Congress or in the town halls of your community? For men and women, black and white, Latino and Asian, Muslim, Christian and Jew, gay and straight, I hope this book includes you. We need you to act. The final chapter must include your voice to achieve Dr. King's dream. They cannot be written without you. 12:58:50 Alan van Capelle - CEO Bend the Arc 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. 13:02:43 Ingrid Saunders Jones, chair of the National Council of Negro Women SAUNDERS: Good afternoon. I'm so proud to represent the 1.6 million members of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFSCME, public service workers whose labor touches communities throughout this nation. You know, AFSCME stood with Dr. King in 1963 when he called on America to be true to its principles. And five years later Dr. King stood with AFSCME when the sanitation workers of Local 1733 demanded justice, dignity, and respect. The journey for civil rights, workers' rights and economic rights began almost from the moment America was born. It gained new momentum on these steps 50 years ago. And it advances whenever the disenfranchised and disillusioned stand up, fight back and march forward. Because our struggle continues, we come to this memorial not only to commemorate the past, but to shape the future. We have the power to carry the determination, the hope and passion of the March on Washington forward. We must also have had the courage. We must also have the courage. SAUNDERS: In the name of Dr. King, A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, Dorothy Height, Ella Baker and Congressman John Lewis, on behalf of those whose names will never be known, we must recommit to the struggle as stewards of a nation that belongs to the rich and the poor, to the CEO and the sanitation worker, those with and those without. We have the responsibility to build on the legacy that has been left -- left to us all. We must protect the most fundamental rights we have -- the right to vote. We must be sure that workers' voices will never be silenced. We must fight for good jobs and decent pay. And we must become the just and fair society of our ideals. Above all -- above all -- we must uphold the principle that everyone who contributes to the prosperity of this nation should share in the prosperity of our nation. Thank you. 13:05:19 Mark Tillman, president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. 13:07:57 Delores Huerta DOLORES HUERTA: We're being blessed with the rain. Yes, we are. 13:08:14 You know, we're here to celebrate all of the wonderful benefits that we all received from the civil rights movement and the Chicano movement. We honor the sacrifices and the lives of those that gave their lives so that we could have these benefits. We want to honor Coretta Scott King -- (cheers) -- for all of the work that she did to get that Martin Luther King holiday, the national holiday. We want to honor Yolanda King for all that she did on behalf of women and children to stop abuses of both. 13:08:45 But you know, Dr. King said, on this very stage, go back to your communities, go back to the South, go back to the North. And I'm saying also to the West, because we've got to continue to organize to fulfill that dream, because you know what? If we don't do it, it's not going to happen. The only way that discrimination is going to end against women of -- people of color, against women, against our LGBT community is if we do it, which means that we've got to outreach to those that are not with us. We've got to educate them. We've got to mobilize them. We've got to motivate them. That's the only way it can happen. So I'm going to ask all of you, who's got the power? AUDIENCE MEMBERS: We do! MS. HUERTA: Let's hear it loud and clear. We've got the power. I'm going to say, who's got the power? I want you to say, we've got the power. Who's got the power? AUDIENCE MEMBERS: We've got the power! MS. HUERTA: And I'm going to say, what kind of power? I want you to say, people power. What kind of power? AUDIENCE MEMBERS: People power! MS. HUERTA: All right! So we can do it. Yes, we can. "Si, se puede." Let's all say this all together. Yes, we can. "Si, se puede." Put your hands up, everybody, like this. We're going to all clap together and in Spanish we're going to say, "Si, se puede," which means, "Yes, we can." Let's do it. (Chanting.) "Si, se puede." AUDIENCE MEMBERS: (Chanting and clapping.) "Si, se puede! Si, se puede! Si, se puede!" 13:10:09 CUT OFF for LeAnn Rimes 13:10:34 LeAnn Rimes performs "Amazing Grace" 13:13:19 Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League MARC MORIAL: Good afternoon, fellow Americans. I stand today on the shoulders of Martin Luther King, Whitney Young, John Lewis, A. Philip Randolph and the many great leaders of 1963 who sacrificed, who marched, who demonstrated courage and bravery in the face of attack so that we can be here today. 13:14:05 I stand as a representative of the next generation that has had the opportunity to walk into corporate boardrooms, walk into city halls and county halls, into halls of justice, into the Justice Department and, yes, into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue solely because of the sacrifices and the bravery of those whose names we remember and those we don't. 13:14:39 I stand here today to call on this great and mighty nation to wake up, wake up to unfair legality parading as morality; wake up to insensitivity to the poor masked as fiscal austerity; wake up to politics without a positive purpose. It is time, America, to wake up. 13:15:06 Fifty years ago, that sleeping giant was awakened. But somewhere along the way, we've dozed. We've been quelled by the lullaby of false prosperity and the mirage of economic equality. We fell into a slumber. Somewhere along the way, white sheets were traded for buttoned down white shirts. Attack dogs and water hoses were traded for tasers and widespread implementation of stop-and-frisk policies. Nooses were traded for handcuffs. Somewhere along the way, we gained new enemies, cynicism and complacency. Murders from urban America to suburban America. The pursuit of power for power's sake. We stand here today to say it is time to wake up. 13:16:01 So here in 2013, we stand before the statue of the great emancipator. We look toward the statue of the great liberator. We say we have come to wake up a new civil rights movement for economic justice, a new civil rights movement for freedom in these days, a new civil rights movement for jobs, a new civil rights movement for men, for women, for children of all backgrounds, all races, all dispositions, all orientations, all cities, all counties, all towns all across America. 13:16:43 America, it is time for us to wake up. The 21st-century agenda for jobs and freedom comes alive today. We stand on the shoulders of the great men and women of yesterday, and we affirm this new commitment for today and tomorrow. God bless you, God thank you, and God bless this great nation. (Cheers, applause.) 13:17:15 U.S. Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, Ohio (11th District) and chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus FUDGE: Good afternoon. I am Marcia Fudge, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. 13:17:19 And I am the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus because Dr. Martin Luther King acted upon his dream. Dr. King was not just a dreamer, but the voice of a movement. In 1963, there were five members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Today, there are 44 African-American members in Congress. 13:17:44 Dr. King dreamed of an America where every individual -- no matter their race, nationality, or socioeconomic background -- would have the opportunity to achieve dreams of their own. His dream was a call to action. Dr. King advocated for an America where everyone would be afforded their inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, a nation where there would be equal protection under the law and a country where every person's right to vote is protected. He dreamed of an America where every child has access to quality schools and an education that prepares them for their future. And he dreamed that we as a nation would walk together on the swift path towards justice. 13:18:31 Now it is up to us, the Congress of the United States of America, to work together to pass a jobs bill that ensures decent jobs for all of our citizens. Now it is up to us to ensure that we have a criminal justice system that does not value one life more than another. Now it is up to us to make sure that no child goes hungry to school or to bed. 13:19:10 In Dr. King's words, we cannot and we must not be satisfied with anything less. It is our time to make Dr. King's dream our reality. Dr. King said that 1963 was not an end, but a new beginning. Let us make today the start of a new chapter in the history of this country, and let us march forward towards justice together. Thank you. 13:19:39 Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union HENRY: Brothers and sisters, the members of the Service Employees International Union are proud to join the freedom fighters across this country in insisting on the three freedoms that are on the back of your program. And in the spirit of the civil rights economic leadership whose shoulders we stand, I want you to join me in repeating the pledges of the freedoms we are committing ourselves here today: The freedom to participate in government, the freedom to prosper in life, the freedom to peacefully coexist. Our members are proud to join with working people, faith leaders, community leaders all across this country in joining our hands in a renewed commitment to bending the arc toward justice and continuing the struggle to achieve racial equality and economic equality for all by delivering on the promise of the Affordable Care Act, by insisting that we prevail in winning common sense immigration reform now, and by joining together to create good jobs by supporting workers all across this country who have the guts to stand up, join together, and demand a living wage from their employers. The fight continues. We want to work for a just society where all work is valued, every human being is respected, where every family and community can thrive, and where we, brothers and sisters, join together in pursuing the freedom to have a better and more equal society for the next generation. Thank you. 13:21:43 Jamie Foxx 13:21:44 FOXX: How we doing? Make some noise for 50 years. Right now let's make some noise. Listen, I don't have much time. I'm here to celebrate what Dr. King did 50 years -- I'm not even probably going to read from the teleprompter because I'm just going to speak from my heart. I'm going to tell you right now that everybody my age and all the entertainers, it's time for us to stand up now and renew this dream. That's what we got to do. I was affected by -- I was affected by the Trayvon Martin situation. I was affected by -- by Newtown. I was affected by Sandy Hook. I'm affected by those things. So it's time for us now to pick up. Harry Belafonte saw me at the Image Awards and he asked me what am I willing to do. He took it a step further and we went to dinner. And my daughter, who's 19 years old, I said listen, if you want to get inspired, come listen to this man speak. When I sat with Mr. Belafonte, he asked my daughter, how old are you? And my daughter said 19. 13:22:48 And I said, Mr. Belafonte, what were you doing at 19? He said, I was coming home from World War II. And when I got back to America, I wasn't allowed to vote. So I love my country. I love America. But I realized that I had more work to do. So myself, Al, Jesse and Martin, we marched. And I said, wait a minute, man. You sound like you're naming a boy band group. What do you mean? Who are these guys' names? And he looked at my daughter and he said, Martin Luther King. Have you heard of him? And we sat there and we cried. What we need to do now is the young folks pick it up now so that when we're 87 years old talking to the other young folks we can say it was me, Will Smith, Jay Z, Kanye, Alicia Keys, Kerry Washington. The list goes on and on. Don't make me start preaching up here. 13:23:38 Last but not least, I have to recognize Mr. Berry Gordy. And not only -- not only did Harry Belafonte bail Martin Luther King out of jail so that he could march, he also paid for all of Coretta Scott King's bills as long as she was on this planet. Young folks, let's have some respect to our elders. That's the first thing. Last thing is this and I'm out. I know they're telling me to get out of here. We have to salute Mr. Berry Gordy because Mr. Berry Gordy put Dr. King's speech on an album and put it out on Motown Records. And then after he did that, he turned around gave those -- those reels and those -- those tapes back to the King family. Thank you so much. Do not forget 50 years. I'm out. 13:24:59 Reverend Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network 13:25:05 REVEREND AL SHARPTON: Fifty years ago, when they came to Washington, it was not for an event. It was in the middle of struggles. It was in the middle of battles to break down the walls of apartheid in America. And Dr. King and those that fought with him, they fought and they beat Jim Crow. We come today to not only celebrate and commemorate, but we come as the children of Dr. King to say that we are going to face Jim Crow's children, because Jim Crow had a son called James Crow Jr. Esquire. (Laughter.) He writes voting suppression laws and puts it in language that looks different, but the results are the same. They come with laws that tell people to stand their ground, they come with laws to tell people to stop and frisk, but I've come to tell you, just like our mothers and fathers beat Jim Crow, we will beat James Crow Jr., Esq. (Cheers, applause.) 13:26:24 They called the generation of Dr. King the Moses generation, and those out here are now Joshua. But if Joshua does not fight the fights of Moses, they're not really Joshua. We saw Dr. King and the dream cross the Red Sea of apartheid and segregation, but we have to cross the Jordan of unequal economic (parity ?). We have to cross the Jordan of continued discrimination and mass incarceration. We've got to keep on fighting, and we've got to vindicate and stand up and substantiate that the dream was not for one generation, the dream goes on until the dream is achieved. 13:27:17 Lastly, we made it this far not because of what we had in our pockets but we had in our hearts, not because of what we owned but because who owned us. And we thank a mighty God for giving us a Martin Luther King. We thank a mighty God that brought us a long way. He brought us from disgrace to amazing grace. He brought us from the butler to the president. (Cheers, applause.) He brought us from Beulah to Oprah. (Cheers, applause.) He brought us a mighty long way, and we thank God for the dream, and we're going to keep on fighting until the dream is a reality. Thank you, and God bless you. 13:28:10 Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers 13:28:18 RANDI WEINGARTEN: Ladies and gentlemen, sisters and brothers, I am the president of the 1.5 million-member American Federation of Teachers. (Cheers, applause.) We have come so far -- King, Rustin, Evers, Parks, Chavez and so many others who have summoned our nation to confront the malignancy of prejudice and discrimination. And many of our afflictions have been healed, but we have far to go. Because the Supreme Court has turned its back on voter suppression, many will once again be denied the right to vote. Children born today poor will stay poor. Millions of Americans work hard every day but can't earn a living wage or exercise their right to collectively bargain. Public schools where kids need the most often get the least. And discrimination based on the color of your skin or the person you love may not be legal in many arenas, but it is still lethal in many times. 13:29:18 Leaders this day 50 years ago understood that the struggle for civil right and racial equality is a struggle for good jobs and decent wages. They understood, as we do today, that public education is an economic necessity, an anchor of democracy and a fundamental right. So we celebrate today that we have become a country that believes in equality, and we recommit ourselves to be a country that acts on that belief. And that start with reclaiming the promise of public education, not as it is today or was in the past, but what we need it to be to fulfill our collective responsibility to all of God's children. 13:30:06 A great nation ensures that every neighborhood public school is a good school. It takes great pains to make the working poor and child hunger conditions of the past. It honors the rights of workers. It takes its immigrants out of its shadows. And it makes the franchise sacrosanct. A great nation is one that acts to lifting us towards opportunity and justice. 13:30:32 The King family has brought us together these five days, not simply to reflect but to act. And we at the AFT will act to keep the dream alive. Thank you. 13:31:06 Julian Bond JULIAN BOND: This is a special day and a special place for all of us. Not only do we pay homage to those who gathered here 50 years ago to tell the nation that they too were Americans, we also celebrate the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation. This is personal for me. Like many of you, I was privileged to be here 50 years ago. And like many of you, I am the grandson of a slave. My grandfather and his mother were property, like a horse or a chair. As a young girl, she'd been given away as a wedding present to a new bride. And when that bride became pregnant, her husband -- that's my great-grandmother's owner and master -- exercised his right to take his wife's slave as his mistress. That union produced two children, one of them my grandfather. At age 15, barely able to read or write, he hitched his tuition to a steer and walked across Kentucky to Berea College, and the college let him in. He belonged to a transcendent generation of black Americans, a generation born in slavery, freed by the Civil War, determined to make their way as free women and men. Martin Luther King belonged to a transcendent generation of black Americans too, a generation born in segregation, determined to make their way as free women and men. When my grandfather graduated from Berea, the college asked him to deliver the commencement address. He said then: The pessimist, from his corner, looks out on a world of wickedness and sin, and, blinded by all that is good or hopeful in the condition and the progress of the human race, bewails the present state of affairs and predicts woeful things for the future. In every cloud, he beholds a destructive storm; in every flash of lightning, an omen of evil; in every shadow that falls across his path, a lurking foe. But he forgets that the clouds also bring life and hope, that the lightning purifies the atmosphere, that shadow and darkness prepare for sunshine and growth, and that hardships and adversity nerve the race, as the individuals, for greater efforts and grander victories. We're still being tested by hardships and adversity, from the elevation of "stand your ground" laws to the evisceration of the Voting Rights Act. But today we commit ourselves, as we did 50 years ago, to greater efforts and grander victories. Thank you. 13:33:43 Reverend Shirley Caesar performs "How I Got Over" 13:39:12 Lynda Bird Johnson Robb JOHNSON ROBB: (OFF-MIKE) my father, Lyndon Johnson, a passionate believer in equality, spoke these words: "One hundred years ago, the slaved was freed. One hundred years later, the Negro remained in bondage to the color of his skin. "The Negro today asks justice. We do not answer him -- we do not answer those who lie beneath this soil -- when we reply to the Negro by asking, 'Patience.'" 13:39:39 The Place was Gettysburg, and I was there with him when he spoke on Memorial Day, 1963, at the 100th Anniversary of the Civil War. He was vice president at that time, and it was three months before the historical march on Washington that we commemorate today. 13:40:03 At a superficial glance, my father, the grandson of a Confederate soldier, may not have seen the most obvious ally to the movement, a white Southerner from (inaudible), he was no young idealist fresh out of college, nor was racial equality a pressing goal of the majority of his Texas constituents; rather, the opposite. But as a teacher, he had seen the plight of his Mexican-American students. And Dr. King's powerful dream found a kindred spirit in my father, who cared deeply about fairness and equality. 13:40:40 When the tragedy of President Kennedy's assassination propelled him to the presidency, he used every power at his disposal, including this considerable legislative muscle, to push through the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. In Daddy's last year in the White House, signing the third Civil Rights bill, he wrote, "I do not exaggerate when I say that the proudest moments of my presidency have been times such as this, when I have signed into law the promises of a century." Recently, the Supreme Court struck down part of the Voting Rights Act, which did so much to combat voting inequality in our country. Now, 50 years later, there are still many examples from current events on how much farther we have yet to go to achieve that promise of a colorblind America. 13:41:56 But remember, too, that fairness and equality are powerful ideas that resonate with all Americans. And with a message as inspiring and timeless as the dream of Dr. King, there will be unexpected allies, if only we look for them. And you know what his wife said? Coretta Scott King said, "Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation." And she was right. So let's go forth, like Jimmie Foxx (ph) said. Thank you. 13:42:50 Ambassador Caroline Kennedy KENNEDY: Good afternoon. Fifty years ago, my father watched from the White House as Dr. King and thousands of others recommitted America to our highest ideals. Over the preceding months, President Kennedy has put the full force of the federal government on the side of the movement, calling on all Americans to recognize that we faced a moral crisis, as old as the Scriptures and as clear as the American Constitution. 13:43:24 His brothers, my Uncle Bobby and Teddy, my Aunt Eunice, continued his committed, working to expand the promises made here to others suffering from discrimination and exclusion. A few months ago, after the Trayvon Martin verdict was handed down, and the Supreme Court eviscerated the Voting Rights Act, President Obama did the same, reminding us all that despite our remarkable progress, each generation must rededicate itself to the unfinished work of building a free and just America. 13:44:03 Fifty years ago, our parents and grandparents marched for jobs and freedom. We have suffered and sacrificed too much to let their dream become a memory. 13:44:13 The children in our failing schools are all of our children. The victims of hate crimes and gun violence are our brothers and sisters. 13:44:23 In the words of an old Japanese proverb, "the water flows on, but the river remains." Now is our turn to live up to our parents' dream, to draw renewed strength from what happened here 50 years ago, and work together for a better world. Thank you. 13:44:52 Forest Whitaker 13:44:59 it's a great honor to be here on 50th anniversary 13:45:10 each of you came here with individual goals but we all share common bond. Your presence says you care and want to bring more peace love and harmony. Together we must embrace this moment. I've observed revolutions, social change firsthand 13:45:53 I am often reminded of the marches and sit ins we've experienced here. Hate is too great a burden 13:46:15 we've all see images of those days. Pictures of segregated water fountains. 13:46:33 many remain nameless but their heroic faces captured in portraits of the past. They risked their lives to bring about change 13:47:00 I want you to recognize the hero that exist inside yourselves. Every step you take around an unknown corner marks your bravery. 13:47:27 and if I were to take a picture of this crowd right now, people would see some of your faces in the movements of today. Individuals who stood in the very spot you stand today, you have responsibility to carry the torch 13:48:04 let's be the generation to make a true difference in the world. 13:48:43 so as the bell rings today, my dream is something will resonate inside you and me that will remind us each of our common bond. 13:49:42 BeBe, Marvin and Carvin Winans perform "God Before Us" 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. 14:05:35 Oprah Winfrey 14:05:45 OPRAH WINFREY: Hello everybody. I am absolutely thrilled to be here. I remember when I was 9 years old and the march was occurring and I asked my mama, can I go to the march? It took me 50 years, but I'm here. On this date in this place at this time, 50 years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King shared his dream for America with America. Took me 50 years, but I'm here. 14:06:05 On this date, in this place at this time, 50 years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King shared his dream for America with America. Dr. King was the passionate voice that awakened the (conscience ?) of a nation and inspired people all over the world. The power of his words resonated because they were spoken out of an unwavering belief in freedom and justice, equality and opportunity for all. "Let Freedom Ring" was Dr. King's closing call for a better and more just America. 14:06:47 So today, people from all walks of life will gather at 3 p.m. for bell-ringing events across our great country and around the world as we re-affirm our commitment to Dr. King's ideals. Dr. King believed that our destinies are all intertwined, and he knew that our hopes and our dreams are really all the same. He challenged us to see how we all are more alike than we are different. 14:07:29 So as the bells of freedom ring today, we're hoping that it's a time for all of us to reflect on not only the progress that has been made -- and we've made a lot -- but on what we have accomplished and also on the work that still remains before us. It's an opportunity today to recall where we once were in this nation and to think about that young man, who, at 34 years old, stood up here and was able to force an entire country to wake up, to look at itself and to eventually change. 14:08:04 And as we, the people continue to honor the dream of a man and a movement, a man who in his short life saw suffering and injustice and refused to look the other way, we can be inspired and we too can be courageous by continuing to walk in the footsteps in the path that he forged. He is the one who reminded us that we will never walk alone. He was, after all, a drum major for justice. So as the bells toll today, let us reflect on the bravery, let us reflect on the sacrifice of those who stood up for freedom, who stood up for us, whose shoulders we now stand on. And as the bells toll today at 3:00, let us ask ourselves: How will the dream live in me, in you, in all of us? As the bells toll, let us remind ourselves: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." As the bells toll, we commit to a life of service because Dr. King, one of my favorite quotes from him is, "Not everybody can be famous, but everybody can be great because greatness is determined by service." 14:09:36 So we ask ourselves, what are we doing for others to lift others up? And as the bells toll, we must recommit to let the love that abides and connects each of us to shine through and let freedom ring. 14:11:47 President Barack Obama walking out with First Lady Michelle Obama, Former President Bill Clinton, and Former President Jimmy Carter 14:12:52 Identity4Pop performs "The Star Spangled Banner" 14:10:28 U.S. Congressman John Lewis, Georgia (5th District) 14:15:01 LEWIS: President and Mrs. Obama, President Clinton, President Carter. I want to thank Bernice King, the King family, and the National Park Service for inviting me here to speak today. 14:15:30 When I look out over this diverse crowd and survey the guests on this platform, it seems to realize what Otis Redding was singing about and what Martin Luther King Jr. preached about, this moment in our history has been a long time coming, but a change has come. We are standing here in the shadow of Abraham Lincoln 150 years after he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and only 50 years after the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 14:16:07 We have come a great distance in this country in the 50 years, but we still have a great distance to go before we fulfill the dream of Martin Luther King. Sometimes I hear people saying, nothing has changed, but for someone to grow up the way I grew up in the cotton fields of Alabama to now be serving in the United States Congress, makes me want to tell them, come and walk in my shoes. 14:17:00 Come walk in the shoes of those who were attacked by police dogs, fire hoses, and nightsticks, arrested and taken to jail. I first came to Washington in the same year that President Barack Obama was born to participate in a Freedom Ride. In 1961, black and white people could not be seated together on a Greyhound bus. So we decided to take an integrated-fashion ride from here to New Orleans. But we never made it there. Over 400 of us were arrested and jailed in Mississippi during the Freedom Rides. A bus was set on fire in Anderson, Alabama. We were beaten, and arrested, and jailed. But we helped bring an end to segregation in public transportation. I came back here again in June of 1963 (inaudible) as the new chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. We met with President Kennedy, who said the fires of frustration were burning throughout America. 14:18:16 In 1963, we could not register to vote simply because of the color of our skin. We had to pay a poll tax, pass a so-called literacy test, count the number of bubbles in a bar of soap, or the number of jelly beans in a jar. Hundreds of thousands of people were arrested and jailed throughout the South for trying to participate in the democratic process. Medgar Evers had been killed in Mississippi. And that is why we told President Kennedy we intended to March on Washington, to demonstrate the need for equal justice and equal opportunity in America. 14:18:53 On August 28th, 1963, the nation's capital was in a state of emergency. Thousands of troops surrounded the city. Workers were told to stay home that day. Liquor stores were closed. But the march was so orderly, so peaceful, it was filled with dignity and self- respect. Because we believe in the way of peace, the way of love, the way of nonviolence. People came that day to that march dressed like they were on their way to a religious service. As Mahalia Jackson sang, "How We Got Over." "How We Got Over." She drew thousands of us together in a strange sense, it seemed like the whole place started rocking. 14:19:58 We truly believe that in every human being, even those who were violent toward us, there was a spark of the divine. And no person had the right to scar or destroy that spark. Martin Luther King Jr. taught us the way of peace, the way of love, the way of nonviolence. 14:20:22 He taught us to have the power to forgive, the capacity to be reconciled. He taught us to stand up, to speak up, to speak out, to find a way to get in the way. 14:20:43 People were advised by their vision of justice and equality, and they were willing to put their bodies on the line for a greater cause, greater than themselves. Not one incident of violence was reported that day. A spirit had engulfed the leadership of the movement and all of its participants. The spirit of Dr. King's words captured the hearts of people not just around America but around the world. 14:21:28 On that day, Martin Luther King Jr. made a speech, but he also delivered a sermon. He transformed these marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial into a modern-day pulpit. He changed us forever. After the ceremony was over, President Kennedy invited us back down to the White House. He met us standing in the door of the Oval Office. And he was beaming like a proud father, As he shook the hand of each one of us, he said, "You did a good job. You did a good job." And he said to Dr. King, "And you have a dream." 14:22:13 Fifty years later, we can ride anywhere we want to ride. We can stay where we want to stay. Those signs that said "white" and "colored" are gone. And you won't see them any more... ... except in a museum, in a book, or on a video. 14:22:35 But there are still invisible signs, barriers in the heart of humankind that form a gulf between us. Too many of us still believe our differences define us instead of the divine spark that runs through all of human creation. 14:22:55 The scars and stains of racism still remain deeply embedded in American society, whether it is stop-and-frisk in New York or injustice in Trayvon Martin's case in Florida. The mass incarceration of millions of Americans. Immigrants hiding in fear in the shadow of our society. Unemployment. Homelessness. Poverty. Hunger. Or the renewed struggle for voting rights. So I say to each one of us today, we must never, ever give up. We must never ever give in. We must keep the faith and keep our eyes on the prize. 14:23:46 We did go to jail. But we got the Civil Rights Act. We got a Voting Rights Act. We got a Fair Housing Act. But we must continue to push. We must continue to work. As the late A. Philip Randolph (ph) said, the organizer for the march in 1963, and the dean of the civil rights movement once said, we may have come here on different ships, but we all are in the same boat now. 14:24:27 So, it doesn't matter whether we're black or white, Latino, Asian American or Native American, whether we are gay or straight. We're one people. We are one family. We all live in the same house, not just the American house but the world's house. 14:24:46 And when we finally accept these truths, then we will be able to fulfill Dr. King's dreams to build a beloved community, a nation and a world at peace with itself. Thank you very much. 14:25:20 President Jimmy Carter PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER: Well, I'm greatly honored to be here. And I realize that most people know that it's highly unlikely that any of us three over on my right would have served in the White House or be on this platform had it not been for Martin Luther King Jr. and his movement and his crusade for civil rights. So we are grateful to him for us being here. (Applause.) 14:25:57 I'm also proud that I came from the same part of the South as he did. He never lost contact with the folks back home. He was helping Tennessee garbage workers, as you know, when he gave his life to a racist bullet. 14:26:14 I remember how it was, back in those days. I left Georgia in 1943 for college and the Navy. And when I came home from submarine duty, I was put on the Board of Education. I suggested to the other members that we visit all the schools in the county. They had never done this before, and they were reluctant to go with me. 14:26:40 But we finally did it, and we found that white children had three nice brick buildings, but the African-American children had 26 different elementary schools in the county. They were in churches, in front living rooms and a few in barns. They had so many because there were no school buses for African-American children, and they had to be within walking distance of where they went to class. Their schoolbooks were outdated and worn out, and every one of them had a white child's name in the front of the book. We finally obtained some buses. And then the state legislature ordained that the front fenders be painted black. Not even the school buses could be equal to each other. One of the finest moments of my life was 10 months after Dr. King's famous speech right here, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. I was really grateful when the King family adopted me as their presidential candidate in 1976. (Cheers.) Every handshake from Dr. King, from Daddy King, every hug from Coretta got me a million Yankee votes. (Laughter.) Daddy King prayed at the Democratic Convention -- for quite a while, I might say -- (laughter) -- and Coretta was in the hotel room with me and Rosalyn when I was elected president. My Presidential Medal of Freedom citation to Coretta for Dr. King said, and I quote, "He gazed at the great wall of segregation and saw that the power of love could bring it down. He made our nation stronger because he made it better." 14:28:47 We were able to create a national historic site where Dr. King lived, worked and worshipped. It's next door to the Carter Center, linked together just by a walking path. And at the Carter Center, we try to make the (principles ?) that we follow the same as his, emphasizing peace and human rights. I remember that Daddy King said, too many people think Martin freed only black people; in truth, he helped to free all people. (Applause.) And Daddy King added, it's not enough to have a right to sit at a lunch counter if you can't afford to buy a meal. And he also said, the ghetto still looks the same even from the front seat of a bus. Perhaps the most challenging statement of Martin Luther King Jr. was, and I quote: "The crucial question of our time is how to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence." In the Nobel Prize ceremony of 2002, I said that my fellow Georgian was, and I quote again, "the greatest leader that my native state, and perhaps my native country, has ever produced." And I was not excluding presidents and even the Founding Fathers when I said this. I believe we all know how Dr. King would have reacted to the new ID requirements to exclude certain voters, especially African- Americans. I think we all know how Dr. King would have reacted to the Supreme Court striking down a crucial part of the Voters' Rights Act just recently passed overwhelmingly by Congress. I think we all know how Dr. King would have reacted to unemployment among African- Americans being almost twice the rate of white people and for teenagers at 42 percent. I think we would all know how Dr. King would have reacted to our country being awash in guns and for more and more states passing "stand your ground" laws. I think we know how Dr. King would have reacted for people of District of Columbia still not having full citizenship rights. (Cheers, applause.) And I think we all know how Dr. King would have reacted to have more than 835,000 African-American men in prison, five times as many as when I left office, and with one-third of all African-American males being destined to be in prison in their lifetimes. 14:31:44 Well, there's a tremendous agenda ahead of us, and I'm thankful to Martin Luther King Jr. that his dream is still alive. Thank you. 14:32:00 President Bill Clinton 14:32:11 CLINTON: Thank you, Mr. President, Mrs. Obama, President Carter, Vice President Biden (inaudible) Biden. I want to thank my great friend, Reverend Bernice King, and the King family for inviting me to be part of this 50th observation of one of the most important days in American history. Dr. King and A. Philip Randolph, John Lewis and Bayard Rustin, Dorothy Height, Myrlie Evers, Daisy Bates (ph), and all the others who led there massive march knew what they were doing on this hallowed ground, in the shadow of Lincoln's statue the burning memory of the fact that he gave his life to preserve the Union and end slavery. 14:33:27 Martin Luther King urged his crowd not to drink from the cup of bitterness, but to reach across the racial divide, because, he said, we cannot walk alone. Their destiny is tied up with our destiny. Their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. He urged the victims of racial violence to meet white Americans with an outstretched hand, not a clenched fist, and in so doing to prove the redeeming power of unearned suffering. 14:33:52 And then he dreamed of an America where all citizens would sit together at a table of brotherhood where little white boys and girls and little black boys and girls would hold hands across the color lines, where his own children would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. 14:34:29 This march and that speech changed America. They opened minds, they melted hearts, and they moved millions, including a 17-year-old boy watching alone in his home in Arkansas. 14:34:43 It was an empowering moment but also an empowered moment. As the great chronicler of those years Taylor Branch wrote, the movement here gained a force to open, quote, "the stubborn gates of freedom." And out flowed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, immigration reform, Medicare, Medicaid, open housing. 14:35:09 It is well to remember that the leaders and foot soldiers here were both idealists and tough realists. They had to be. It was a violent time. Just three months later we lost President Kennedy. And we thank God that President Johnson came in and fought for all those issues I just mentioned. Just five years later, we lost Senator Kennedy. And in between, there was the carnage of the fights for jobs, freedom and equality. Just 18 days after this march, four little children were killed in the Birmingham church bombing. Then there were the Ku Klux Klan murders, the Mississippi lynching and a dozen others until in 1968, Dr. King was martyred, still marching for jobs and freedom. What a debt we owe to those people who came here 50 years ago. The martyrs paid it all for a dream, a dream as John Lewis said that millions have now actually lived. So how are we gonna repay the debt? Dr. King's dream of interdependence, his prescription of whole- hearted cooperation across racial lines, they ring as true today as they did 50 years ago. Oh, yes, we face terrible political gridlock now. Read a little history. It's nothing new. Yes, there remain racial inequalities in employment, income, health, wealth, incarceration and in the victims and perpetrators of violent crime. But we don't face beatings, lynchings and shootings for our political beliefs anymore. And I would respectfully suggest that Martin Luther King did not live and die to hear his heirs whine about political gridlock. It is time to stop complaining and put our shoulders against the stubborn gates... ... holding the American people back. We cannot be disheartened by the forces of resistance to building a modern economy of good jobs and rising incomes or to rebuilding our education system to give all our children a common core of knowledge necessary to ensure success, or to give Americans of all ages access to affordable college and training programs. And we thank the president for his efforts in those regards. 14:38:13 We cannot relax in our efforts to implement health care reform in a way that ends discrimination against those with preexisting conditions, one of which is inadequate income to pay for rising health care. A health care reform that will lower costs and lengthen lives. Nor can we stop investing in science and technology to train our young people of all races for the jobs of tomorrow and to act on what we learned about our bodies, our businesses and our climate. We must push open those stubborn gates. We cannot be discouraged by a Supreme Court decision that said we don't need this critical provision of the Voting Rights Act because -- look at the states (ph). It made it harder for African-Americans and Hispanics and students and the elderly and the infirm and poor working folks to vote. What do you know? They showed up, stood in line for hours and voted anyway. So obviously, we don't need any kind of law. 14:39:27 But a great democracy does not make it harder to vote than to buy an assault weapon. We must open those stubborn gates. And let us not forget that while racial divides persist and must not be denied, the whole American landscape is littered with the lost dreams and dashed hopes of people of all races. And the great irony of the current moment is that the future has never brimmed with more possibilities. It has never burned brighter in what we could become if we push open those stubborn gates and if we do it together. 14:40:20 The choice remains as it was on that distant summer day 50 years ago. Cooperate and thrive, or fight with each other and fall behind. We should all thank God for Dr. King and John Lewis, and all those who gave us a dream to guide it -- a dream they paid for, like our founders, with their lives, their fortune, their sacred honor. And we thank them for reminding us that America is always becoming, always on a journey. And we all, every single citizen among us, have to run our lap. God bless them and God bless America. 14:41:22 Martin L. King III 14:41:26 MARTIN LUTHER KING III: Mr. President, Madam First Lady, President Carter, President Clinton, Congressman Lewis, and to all program participants, this is an unusual moment in our world history as we observe this 50th anniversary. And I'm so thankful for the opportunity to really thank America for helping to realize the dream, although I must say it is not yet realized. And so we must redouble and quadruple our efforts. So much has been said today, and I was 5 years old in 1963, when dad delivered his message. And so I'm blessed that we were able to bring our daughter, who's hopefully paying attention, 5 -- 3 years -- 5 years old, so that she can appreciate this history and continue to participate. There are two quick other things that I want to say. I've been speaking all week, as many of us have. But I'm reminded that Dad challenged us. That's what he did, challenged our nation to be a better nation for all God's children. I'm reminded that he taught us the power of love, agape love, the love that is totally unselfish; you love someone if you're old or young, rich or poor, black or white, Native America or Hispanic- American or Latino. It does not matter. You love them because God calls us to do that. Love and forgiveness is what we need more of, not just in our nation but really throughout the world. And so I want to rush to tell you Dad said the ultimate measure of a human being is where one stands not in times of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy. He went on to say that on some questions, cowardice asks, is a position safe; expediency asks, is a position politic; vanity asks, is a position popular, but that something deep inside called conscience asks, is a position right. So he often talked about sometimes we must take positions that are neither safe nor popular nor politic, but we must take those position because our conscience tells us they are right. (Applause.) I'd finally say this afternoon, we've got a lot of work to do. But none of us should be (in any ways tired ?). Why? Because we've come much too far from where we started. You see, no one ever told any of us that our roads would be easy. But I know our God -- our God -- our God did not bring any of us this far to leave us. Thank you. God bless you. 14:44:57 Christine King Farris 14:45:05 CHRISTINE KING FARRIS: Thank you. President Obama and Mrs. Obama, former Presidents Clinton and Carter, other distinguished program participants, I am honored to be among you today and to address this historic gathering. I don't know if I am the most senior speaker to address this assemblage today, but I am certainly and surely the only person alive who knew Martin Luther King Jr. when he was a baby. (Laughter, applause.) It has been my great privilege to watch my little brother grow and thrive and develop into a fine man and then a great leader whose legacy continues to inspire countless millions around the world. Unfortunately, a bout with a flu virus 50 years ago prevented me from attending the original march. But I was able to watch it on television, and I was as awestruck as everyone else. I knew Martin was an excellent preacher, because I had seen him deliver, on many occasions. But on that day, Martin achieved greatness because he melded the hope and dreams of millions into a grand vision of healing, reconciliation and brotherhood. The dream my brother shared with our nation and world on that sweltering day of days 50 years ago continues to nurture and sustain nonviolent activists worldwide in their struggle for freedom and human rights. Indeed, this gathering provides a powerful testament of hope and proof positive that Martin's great dream will live on in the hearts of humanity for generations to come. Our challenge, then, as followers of Martin Luther King, Jr. is to now honor his life, leadership and legacy by living our lives in a way that carries forward the unfinished work. There is no better way to honor his sacrifices and contributions than by becoming champions of nonviolence in our homes and communities, in our places of work, worship and learning. Everywhere, every day, the dream Martin shared on that day a half century ago remains a definitive statement of the American dream, the beautiful vision of a diverse freedom-loving people united in our love for justice, brotherhood and sisterhood. Yes, they can slay the dreamer, but no, they cannot destroy his immortal dream. 14:49:18 But Martin's dream is a vision not yet to be realized, a dream yet unfilled, and we have much to do before we can celebrate the dream as reality, as the suppression of voting rights and horrific violence that has taken the lives of Trayvon Martin and young people all across America has so painfully demonstrated. But despite the influences and challenges we face, we are here today to affirm the dream. We are not going to be discouraged, we are not going to be distracted, we are not going to be defeated. Instead, we are going forward into this uncertain future, with courage and determination, to make the dream a vibrant reality. And so the work to fulfill the dream goes on, and despite the daunting challenges we face on the road to the beloved community, I feel that the dream is sinking deep and nourishing roots all across America and around the world. May it continue to thrive and spread and help bring justice, peace and liberation to all humanity. Thank you, and God bless you all. 14:51:40 Rev. Dr. Bernice King, CEO of The King Center for Non-Violent Social Change 14:51:30 REVEREND BERNICE KING: President Obama, Mrs. Obama, Presidents Carter and Clinton, Congressman Lewis, Ambassador Young, my brother Martin III, Dexter Scott King, to my entire family, I was five months old when my father delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech, and I probably was somewhere crawling on the floor or taking a nap after having a meal. But today is a glorious day because on this program today we have witnessed a manifestation of the beloved community. And we thank everyone for their presence here today. 14:52:21 Today we have been honored to have three presidents of the United States. Fifty years ago, the president did not attend. Today we are honored to have many women in the planning and mobilization of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. (Cheers, applause.) And 50 years ago, there was not a single woman on the program. Today we are honored to have not just one young person, but several young people on the program today. It is certainly a tribute to the work and the legacy of so many people that have gone on before us. Fifty years ago today, in the symbolic shadow of this great emancipator Abraham Lincoln, my father the great liberator stood in this very spot and declared to this nation his dream to let freedom ring for all people who were being manacled by a system of segregation and discrimination. Fifty years ago, he commissioned us to go back to our various cities, towns, hamlets, states and villages and let freedom ring. The reverberation of the sound of that freedom message has amplified and echoed since 1963, through the decades and coast to coast throughout this nation and even around the world and has summoned us once again back to these hallowed grounds to send out a clarion call to let freedom ring. Since that time, as a result of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act in 1968, we have witnessed great strides toward freedom for all, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, class or sexual orientation. 14:54:15 Fifty years later, in this year of jubilee, we're standing once again in the shadow of that "Great Emancipator," having been summoned to these hallowed grounds to reverberate the message of that great liberator, for there's a remnant from 1963, Congressman Lewis, Ambassador Young, that still remains, who has come to bequeath that message of freedom to a new generation of people who must now carry that message -- (cheers) -- in their time, in their community, amongst their tribes and amongst their nations of the world. We must keep the sound and the message of freedom and justice going. It was my mother, as has been said previously, Coretta Scott King, who in fact 30 years ago assembled a Coalition of Conscience that started us on this whole path of remembering the anniversary of the March on Washington. She reminded that struggle is a never-ending process; freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation. And so we come once again to let freedom ring, because if freedom stops ringing, then the sound will disappear, and the atmosphere will be charged with something else. Fifty years later, we come once again to this special landing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to reflect, to renew and to rejuvenate for the continued struggle of freedom and justice. 14:56:06 For today, 50 years later, my friends, we are still crippled by practices and policies steeped in racial pride, hatred and hostility, some of which have us standing our ground rather than finding common ground. We are still chained by economic disparities, income and class inequalities and conditions of poverty for many of God's children around this nation and the world. We're still bound by a cycle of civil unrest and inherent social biases in our nations and worlds that oftentimes degenerate into violence and destruction, especially against women and children. We're at this landing, and now we must break the cycle. The Prophet King spoke the vision. He made it plain, and we must run with it in this generation. His prophetic vision and magnificent dream described the yearning of people all over the world to have the freedom to prosper in life, which is the right to pursue one's aspirations, purpose, dreams, well- being without oppressive, depressive, repressive practices, behaviors, laws and conditions that diminish one's dignity and that denies one life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -- the freedom to participate in government, which is the right to have a voice and a say in how you are represented, regulated and governed without threats of tyranny, disenfranchisement, exclusionary tactics and behaviors, and to have freedom to peacefully coexist, which is the right to be respected in one's selfhood, individuality and uniqueness without fear of attack, assault or abuse. In 1967 my father asked a poignant and critical question: Where do we go from here, chaos or community? And we say, with a resounding voice, no to chaos and yes to community. If we're going to rid ourselves of the chaos, then we must make a necessary shift. Nothing is more tragic than for us to fail to achieve new attitudes and new mental outlooks. We have a tremendous and unprecedented opportunity to reset the very means by which we live, work and enjoy our lives. If we're going to continue the struggle of freedom and create true community, then we will have to be relentless in exposing, confronting and ridding ourselves of the mindset of pride and greed and selfishness and hate and lust and fear and idleness and lack of purpose and lack of love, as my brother said, for our neighbor. We must seize this moment, the dawning of a new day, the emergence of a new generation who is postured to change the world through collaborative power, facilitated by unconditional love. And as I close, I call upon my brother by the name of Nehemiah, who was also in the midst of rebuilding a community. And in the midst of rebuilding a community, he brought the leaders and the rulers and the rest of the people together, and he told them that the work is great and large, and we are widely separated one from another on the wall, but when you hear the sound of the trumpet, and might I say -- (cheers, applause) -- when you hear the sound of the bells today, come to that spot, and our God will fight with us. And so today we're going to let freedom ring all across this nation. We're going to let freedom ring everywhere we go. If freedom is going to ring in Libya, in Syria, in Egypt, in Florida, then we must reach across the table, feed each other and let freedom ring. 15:00:36 Participants gathering around bell 15:01:19 ringing bell 15:02:03 performance by Heather Headley 15:05:31 President Barack Obama takes podium 15:05:54 PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: To the King family, who have sacrificed and inspired so much, to President Clinton, President Carter, Vice President Biden, Jill, fellow Americans, five decades ago today, Americans came to this honored place to lay claim to a promise made at our founding. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 15:07:06 In 1963, almost 200 years after those words were set to paper, a full century after a great war was fought and emancipation proclaimed, that promise, those truths remained unmet. And so they came by the thousands, from every corner of our country -- men and women, young and old, blacks who longed for freedom and whites who could no longer accept freedom for themselves while witnessing the subjugation of others. Across the land, congregations sent them off with food and with prayer. In the middle of the night, entire blocks of Harlem came out to wish them well. With the few dollars they scrimped from their labor, some bought tickets and boarded buses, even if they couldn't always sit where they wanted to sit. Those with less money hitchhiked, or walked. They were seamstresses, and steelworkers, and students, and teachers, maids and pullman porters. They shared simple meals and bunked together on floors. And then, on a hot summer day, they assembled here, in our nation's capital, under the shadow of the great emancipator, to offer testimony of injustice, to petition their government for redress and to awaken America's long-slumbering conscience. 15:09:17 We rightly and best remember Dr. King's soaring oratory that day, how he gave mighty voice to the quiet hopes of millions, how he offered a salvation path for oppressed and oppressors alike. His words belong to the ages, possessing a power and prophecy unmatched in our time. 15:09:51 But we would do well to recall that day itself also belonged to those ordinary people whose names never appeared in the history books, never got on TV. Many had gone to segregated schools and sat at segregated lunch counters, had lived in towns where they couldn't vote, in cities where their votes didn't matter. There were couples in love who couldn't marry, soldiers who fought for freedom abroad that they found denied to them at home. They had seen loved ones beaten and children fire- hosed. And they had every reason to lash out in anger or resign themselves to a bitter fate. 15:10:54 And yet they chose a different path. In the face of hatred, they prayed for their tormentors. In the face of violence, they stood up and sat in with the moral force of nonviolence. Willingly, they went to jail to protest unjust laws, their cells swelling with the sound of freedom songs. A lifetime of indignities had taught them that no man can take away the dignity and grace that God grants us. They had learned through hard experience what Frederick Douglas once taught: that freedom is not given; it must be won through struggle and discipline, persistence and faith. That was the spirit they brought here that day. 15:11:55 That was the spirit young people like John Lewis brought that day. That was the spirit that they carried with them like a torch back to their cities and their neighborhoods, that steady flame of conscience and courage that would sustain them through the campaigns to come, through boycotts and voter registration drives and smaller marches, far from the spotlight, through the loss of four little girls in Birmingham, the carnage of Edmund Pettus Bridge and the agony of Dallas, California, Memphis. Through setbacks and heartbreaks and gnawing doubt, that flame of justice flickered and never died. And because they kept marching, America changed. Because they marched, the civil rights law was passed. Because they marched, the voting rights law was signed. Because they marched, doors of opportunity and education swung open so their daughters and sons could finally imagine a life for themselves beyond washing somebody else's laundry or shining somebody else's shoes. (Applause.) Because they marched, city councils changed and state legislatures changed and Congress changed and, yes, eventually the White House changed. (Cheers, applause.) 15:13:58 Because they marched, America became more free and more fair, not just for African-Americans but for women and Latinos, Asians and Native Americans, for Catholics, Jews and Muslims, for gays, for Americans with disabilities. America changed for you and for me. And the entire world drew strength from that example, whether it be young people who watched from the other side of an Iron Curtain and would eventually tear down that wall, or the young people inside South Africa who would eventually end the scourge of apartheid. (Applause.) Those are the victories they won, with iron wills and hope in their hearts. That is the transformation that they wrought with each step of their well-worn shoes. That's the depth that I and millions of Americans owe those maids, those laborers, those porters, those secretaries -- folks who could have run a company, maybe, if they had ever had a chance; those white students who put themselves in harm's way even though they didn't have to -- (applause) -- those Japanese- Americans who recalled their own interment, those Jewish Americans who had survived the Holocaust, people who could have given up and given in but kept on keeping on, knowing that weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning -- (cheers, applause) -- on the battlefield of justice, men and women without rank or wealth or title or fame would liberate us all, in ways that our children now take for granted as people of all colors and creeds live together and learn together and walk together, and fight alongside one another and love one another, and judge one another by the content of our character in this greatest nation on Earth. 15:16:32 To dismiss the magnitude of this progress, to suggest, as some sometimes do, that little has changed -- that dishonors the courage and the sacrifice of those who paid the price to march in those years. (Applause.) Medgar Evers, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, Martin Luther King Jr., they did not die in vain. (Applause.) Their victory was great. But we would dishonor those heroes as well to suggest that the work of this nation is somehow complete. The arc of the moral universe may bend towards justice, but it doesn't bend on its own. To secure the gains this country has made requires constant vigilance, not complacency. Whether it's by challenging those who erect new barriers to the vote or ensuring that the scales of justice work equally for all in the criminal justice system and not simply a pipeline from underfunded schools to overcrowded jails -- (applause) -- it requires vigilance. 15:18:12 And we'll suffer the occasional setback. But we will win these fights. This country has changed too much. (Applause.) People of good will, regardless of party, are too plentiful for those with ill will to change history's currents. (Applause.) In some ways, though, the securing of civil rights, voting rights, the eradication of legalized discrimination -- the very significance of these victories may have obscured a second goal of the march, for the men and women who gathered 50 years ago were not there in search of some abstract idea. They were there seeking jobs as well as justice -- (applause) -- not just the absence of oppression but the presence of economic opportunity. For what does it profit a man, Dr. King would ask, to sit at an integrated lunch counter if he can't afford the meal? This idea that -- that one's liberty is linked to one's livelihood, that the pursuit of happiness requires the dignity of work, the skills to find work, decent pay, some measure of material security -- this idea was not new. 15:20:06 Lincoln himself understood the Declaration of Independence in such terms, as a promise that in due time, the weights should be lifted from the shoulders of all men and that all should have an equal chance. Dr. King explained that the goals of African-Americans were identical to working people of all races: decent wages, fair working conditions, livable housing, old age security, health and welfare measures -- conditions in which families can grow, have education for their children and respect in the community. 15:20:54 What King was describing has been the dream of every American. It's what's lured for centuries new arrivals to our shores. And it's along this second dimension of economic opportunity, the chance through honest toil to advance one's station in life, that the goals of 50 years ago have fallen most short. Yes, there have been examples of success within black America that would have been unimaginable a half-century ago. But as has already been noted, black unemployment has remained almost twice as high as white employment (sic), Latino unemployment close behind. The gap in wealth between races has not lessened, it's grown. 15:21:52 As President Clinton indicated, the position of all working Americans, regardless of color, has eroded, making the dream Dr. King described even more elusive. For over a decade, working Americans of all races have seen their wages and incomes stagnate. Even as corporate profits soar, even as the pay of a fortunate few explodes, inequality has steadily risen over the decades. Upward mobility has become harder. In too many communities across this country in cities and suburbs and rural hamlets, the shadow of poverty casts a pall over our youth, their lives a fortress of substandard schools and diminished prospects, inadequate health care and perennial violence. 15:22:50 And so as we mark this anniversary, we must remind ourselves that the measure of progress for those who marched 50 years ago was not merely how many blacks had joined the ranks of millionaires; it was whether this country would admit all people who were willing to work hard, regardless of race, into the ranks of a middle-class life. (Applause.) The test was not and never has been whether the doors of opportunity are cracked a bit wider for a few. It was whether our economic system provides a fair shot for the many, for the black custodian and the white steelworker, the immigrant dishwasher and the Native American veteran. To win that battle, to answer that call -- this remains our great unfinished business. 15:23:54 We shouldn't fool ourselves. The task will not be easy. Since 1963 the economy's changed. The twin forces of technology and global competition have subtracted those jobs that once provided a foothold into the middle class, reduced the bargaining power of American workers. And our politics has suffered. Entrenched interests -- those who benefit from an unjust status quo resisted any government efforts to give working families a fair deal, marshaling an army of lobbyists and opinion makers to argue that minimum wage increases or stronger labor laws or taxes on the wealthy who could afford it just to fund crumbling schools -- that all these things violated sound economic principles. 15:24:53 We'd be told that growing inequality was the price for a growing economy, a measure of the free market -- that greed was good and compassion ineffective, and those without jobs or health care had only themselves to blame. And then there were those elected officials who found it useful to practice the old politics of division, doing their best to convince middle-class Americans of a great untruth, that government was somehow itself to blame for their growing economic insecurity -- that distant bureaucrats were taking their hard-earned dollars to benefit the welfare cheat or the illegal immigrant. 15:25:46 And then, if we're honest with ourselves, we'll admit that during the course of 50 years, there were times when some of us, claiming to push for change, lost our way. The anguish of assassinations set off self-defeating riots. Legitimate grievances against police brutality tipped into excuse- making for criminal behavior. Racial politics could cut both ways as the transformative message of unity and brotherhood was drowned out by the language of recrimination. And what had once been a call for equality of opportunity, the chance for all Americans to work hard and get ahead was too often framed as a mere desire for government support, as if we had no agency in our own liberation, as if poverty was an excuse for not raising your child and the bigotry of others was reason to give up on yourself. All of that history is how progress stalled. That's how hope was diverted. It's how our country remained divided. But the good news is, just as was true in 1963, we now have a choice. We can continue down our current path in which the gears of this great democracy grind to a halt and our children accept a life of lower expectations, where politics is a zero-sum game, where a few do very well while struggling families of every race fight over a shrinking economic pie. That's one path. Or we can have the courage to change. 15:27:52 The March on Washington teaches us that we are not trapped by the mistakes of history, that we are masters of our fate. But it also teaches us that the promise of this nation will only be kept when we work together. We'll have to reignite the embers of empathy and fellow feeling, the coalition of conscience that found expression in this place 50 years ago. 15:28:26 And I believe that spirit is there, that true force inside each of us. I see it when a white mother recognizes her own daughter in the face of a poor black child. I see it when the black youth thinks of his own grandfather in the dignified steps of an elderly white man. It's there when the native born recognizing that striving spirit of a new immigrant, when the interracial couple connects the pain of a gay couple who were discriminated against and understands it as their own. That's where courage comes from, when we turn not from each other or on each other but towards one another, and we find that we do not walk alone. That's where courage comes from. (Applause.) And with that courage, we can stand together for good jobs and just wages. With that courage, we can stand together for the right to health care in the richest nation on earth for every person. (Applause.) With that courage, we can stand together for the right of every child, from the corners of Anacostia to the hills of Appalachia, to get an education that stirs the mind and captures the spirit and prepares them for the world that awaits them. (Applause.) With that courage, we can feed the hungry and house the homeless and transform bleak wastelands of poverty into fields of commerce and promise. America, I know the road will be long, but I know we can get there. Yes, we will stumble, but I know we'll get back up. That's how a movement happens. That's how history bends. That's how, when somebody is faint of heart, somebody else brings them along and says, come on, we're marching. (Cheers, applause.) There's a reason why so many who marched that day and in the days to come were young, for the young are unconstrained by habits of fear, unconstrained by the conventions of what is. They dared to dream different and to imagine something better. And I am convinced that same imagination, the same hunger of purpose serves in this generation. 15:31:11 We might not face the same dangers as 1963, but the fierce urgency of now remains. We may never duplicate the swelling crowds and dazzling processions of that day so long ago, no one can match King's brilliance, but the same flames that lit the heart of all who are willing to take a first step for justice, I know that flame remains. (Applause.) That tireless teacher who gets to class early and stays late and dips into her own pocket to buy supplies because she believes that every child is her charge -- she's marching. (Applause.) That successful businessman who doesn't have to, but pays his workers a fair wage and then offers a shot to a man, maybe an ex-con, who's down on his luck -- he's marching. 15:32:12 (Cheers, applause.) The mother who pours her love into her daughter so that she grows up with the confidence to walk through the same doors as anybody's son -- she's marching. (Cheers, applause.) The father who realizes the most important job he'll ever have is raising his boy right, even if he didn't have a father, especially if he didn't have a father at home -- he's marching. (Applause.) The battle-scarred veterans who devote themselves not only to helping their fellow warriors stand again and walk again and run again, but to keep serving their country when they come home -- they are marching. (Applause.) Everyone who realizes what those glorious patriots knew on that day, that change does not come from Washington but to Washington, that change has always been built on our willingness, we, the people, to take on the mantle of citizenship -- you are marching. (Applause.) 15:33:16 And that's the lesson of our past, that's the promise of tomorrow, that in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it. And when millions of Americans of every race and every region, every faith and every station can join together in a spirit of brotherhood, then those mountains will be made low, and those rough places will be made plain, and those crooked places, they straighten out towards grace, and we will vindicate the faith of those who sacrificed so much and live up to the true meaning of our creed as one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. (Cheers, applause.) 15:33:56 Obama waving, walking from podium 15:34:59 Barack and Michelle hugging and gladhanding with King family onstage 15:36:12 Obama hugging Oprah 15:37:19 Barack and Michelle walking up steps away from event 15:37:29 Barack and Michelle Obama waving 15:37:50 Obamas with Clinton and Carter waving, walking away from event Today marks the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech. The final refrain of Martin Luther King Jr.'s most famous speech will echo around the world as bells from churches, schools and historical monuments "let freedom ring" in celebration of a powerful moment in civil rights history. Organizers said sites in nearly every state will ring their bells at 3pm today, the hour when King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington. President Obama, and former Presidents Clinton and Carter will deliver speeches at the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the anniversary.

Texas Independence Day blue card, March 2. 4k animation

texas state flag

An iconic old windmill turning and the flag of Texas waving

Lots of Texas US state flag gears spinning and covering the whole frame

Texas starter homes

Close on oil derrick pumping against night sky