No perjury charge for Burris
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois < AP) - An Illinois prosecutor says
the U.S. Senator appointed to fill President Barack Obama's
vacant Senate seat will not be charged with perjury.
State's Attorney John Schmidt said Sen. Roland Burris will
Harris
not be charged because while the circum
stances surrounding his controversial
appointment to the Senate by then-Gov.
Rod Blagojevich were vague, they would
n't support a peijury charge
The Illinois Democrat still faces an
investigation by the Senate Ethics
Committee, which is looking into the cir
cumstances of Bums' appointment to the
Senate. That committee, however, hasn't
voted to oust a sitting member since the
Civil War era,
Burris, 71, was appointed by former
Gov . Rod Blagojevich after the FBI arrest
ed the governor on corruption charges, including allegations he
tried to sell the seat for political donations.
"1 am obviously very pleased with today 's decision by State's
Attorney John Schmidt. His investigation was both thorough and
fair, and 1 am glad that the truth has prevailed." Burris said in a
statement,
Burris initially told the committee he had no contact with
Blagojevicb or his supporters, but later revealed he had talked to
several aides and had discussed hosting a fundraiser.
ACLU, city settle over slur citation
NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? A Louisiana city agreed to pay
damages to an author who claims police violated his civil rights
when they cited him for having a sign with a racial slur on his car.
officials saici last Thursday.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana Executive
Director Maijorie Esman said the" financial terms of it's settlement
with the city of Amite wouldn't be disclosed. The city also agreed
to reimburse the ACLU for its costs of representing Jtihnny
Dpne aft. Esman -said ? .- . ? " ? " . ? ?
Duncan, an Amite resident, sued the city and its police depart
ment after officers ticketed him tor violating the state's obscenity
law.
. The lawsuit says Duncan, who is black, was parked outside a
restaurant in August 2007 when officers confronted him about a
sign on his car advertising a book he wrote called "You Might Be
a N Duncan wasn't arrested, and the ticket was later dis
missed.
"Free speech in this country means that the police are not
allowed to arrest or detain someone simply because they do not
like what the person says," Esman said in a statement. "Johnny
Duncan, like anyone else, has the right to advertise a book in
words that, whether or not they may offend, are not illegal or
obscene."
Christopher Moody, a lawyer for Amite, said the qttv agreed*
to the settlement to avoid costly litigation.
Staffer reprimanded for racist e-mail
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey
said last week that a "strong letter of reprimand" was the proper
action to take against an employee: of a Republican lawmaker who
* used a state computer to send a racist e-mail about President
Barack Obama.
Sherri Goforth. a legislative aide for Senate Republican
Caucus Chairwoman Diane Black, sent the e-mail last month to
other staff for Republican senators. It shows a portrait or photo of
each U.S: president except Obama, who is depicted with wide
eyes in a black background.
Black acknowledged that Goforth 's action was a policy viola
tion and that a letter of reprimand was placed in the aide's file.
However, Democratic legislators say Goforth should be fired.
Goforth said she was forwarded the e-mail by an acquaintance
with no political ties.
"1 should have deleted it upon receipt." she said. "Again, I am
deeply sorry and offer a sincere apology to anyone offended."
Black said she didn't know about the e-mail until another
staffer informed her. She said it does not reflect her opinions or
beliefs. She said she decided after consulting with state human
resources staff to reprimand Goforth verbally and place a written
reprimand in her file, adding that Goforth is a 20-year employee
who has had a good record.
Democratic Sen. Thelma Harper of Nashville said a repri
mand was not enough.
"I can't speak for other senators ... but she would no longer be
a state employee in my office Harper said .
HUD receives record number
of discrimination claims
WASHINGTON (Afro- American Newspapers/ NNPA)
- More than 10,000 housing discrimination complaints were
I i n (i ? r\ r% raiwrt
iiicu ill ?.\j\)n. actuiuiu^ i \j a iv^pvrn
released last week by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban
Development.
The report, which is produced for
Congress each year, shows 44 percent
of the 10,552 cases were filed by per
sons with disabilities. Thirty-five per
cent, or 3.699. of the complaints alleged
discrimination against African
Americans and other people of color
based on race.
"Despite progress, housing discrim
Trasvina
ination continues in America.-We must put a stop to it and
stand up for anyone who is unlawfully denied a home of their
own," said John Trasvina. HUD assistant secretary for Fair
Housing and Equal Opportunity. "Fighting against housing
discrimination and affirmatively furthering fair housing are
twin priorities of HUD and the Obama administration."
A copy of the report can be found at HUD.Gov.
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
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Slain Holocaust Museum
guard remembered at funeral
BY DOROTHY ROWLEY AND 1 VtOYA TOOLfcS
AFRO \MI Kll \\ \t WNl'XPI RN
WASHINGTON (NNPA j - In an emotion
ally-charged eulogy that took place on a radi
ant afternoon. Stephen Tyrone Johns, the spe
cial pojice officer who was recently slain at
the U.S. Holocaust Museum, was remembered
as.J gentle giant wuh a big heart and warm
smile.
Hundreds of mourners, including local and
.national dignitaries, museum staff, law
enforcement officers, and
a host of holocaust sur
Johns "
vivors, poured into the
massive Ebenezcr
A.M.E Church in Fort
Washington, Md., to pay
their final respects to a
man also described as
having uncommon valor
and compassion.
In the hour-long eulo
gy, delivered by the Rev.
Dr. John L. McCoy, sen
ior pastor at The Word of
God Baptist Church in Washington, mourners
Aere encouraged to live in racial harmony and
to not tolerate blatant acts of racism such as
that which claimed Johns' life.
"Tolerance isn't a valid or godly response
to racism, polite silence is no longer a viable
action." said McCoy, who reminded the con
gregation that Johns' lasi act was one of kind
ness.
"He fe+1 victim to a senseless and barbaric
act as he extended act of kindness," said
McCoy. "[Butj don't retaliate against racist
acts with racism |asj we must not stoop to hat
ing the racist.*'
Referring to the holocaust, McCoy added
that the hope of the museum is that the world
never agairrexperiences such crimes as those
of World War II.
- He went oh to say that Johns "was a victim
See JofinsonAl 1
. . * Photo by KhalwJ Naji-Aflah
Stephen Johns Jr., son of slain guard Stephen Johns Sr., holds the
American flag prfStntnbto him at his father's funeral on June 19.
U.S. soccer star suing another player over racist taunts
SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM
GIN ?
During eight years of
professional soccer in
Europe, American-born
Ogtichi (pronounced Gooch)
Onyewu had grown accus
tomed to monkey noises and
racial remarks made by fans
toward
~in~a-e k
players.
B u t
racist
taunts at
a recent
match in
Belgium
finally
pushed
the for
m e r
Onyewu
Howard University student
to action. In what many con
sider an overdue reaction to
racism in sports, Onyewu is
suing his
White
opponent
Jelle Van
Damme
over
inflam
matory
remarks
made on
May 21.
w h e n
Van
Van Damme
Damme allegedly called
Onyewu a "dirty ape."
In a legal complaint filed
in a Belgian court, Onyewu
claims Van Damme violated
the country's laws against
public insult and criminal
defamation.
"I just wanted to make it
public," Onyewu, 27. said in
an interview. "People have
got to be aware that certain
things in sport are not
acceptable."
Onyewu is not seeking
.monetary damages but sim
ply "moral compensation" -
in other words, a public
apology.
Van Damme has denied
making any racial remarks
during the match and has
said he is not a racist.
Said Onyewu's lawyer:
"You have players of
African origin who are regu
larly pushed by opponents
with words to provoke or
unsettle them. Most don't
have the professional status
to come in the open and say.
'I've had enough of that."
Oguchi is a big guy, mental
ly and physically. He's well
established. With this action,
he is saying, 'If I don't do it.
who is going to do it?' "
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