FEATURING KEVIN KUMASHIRO – The nation’s third largest school district has come to a standstill as 25,000 teachers in Chicago, Illinois, began a strike on Thursday demanding better wages and more school support staff. The Chicago Teachers Union has organized picket lines and marches throughout this week. About 300,000 children are out of school. 

The strike is a major test for Chicago’s recently elected mayor Lori Lightfoot, who says the district simply cannot afford to meet the teachers’ demands. There has been wave of teachers strikes around the US over the past few years unifying their struggle under the slogan, “Red for Ed,” as picketing educators don red clothing together in solidarity.

Read the Op-ed by CReATE in support of Chicago teachers, HERE.

Read the Washington Post article, ‘Yes, teacher-preparation programs need to be fixed — but more than 350 education leaders say reforms are ‘making things worse’, HERE.   

Kevin Kumashiro is the education correspondent for Rising Up With Sonali. He’s the former dean of the School of Education at the University of San Francisco, a leading expert on educational policy, school reform, teacher preparation, and educational equity and social justice.

FEATURING JEFFREY STERLING – In early 2015, the Obama administration pursued the conviction of a former CIA analyst named Jeffrey Sterling, who oversaw a controversial US plan to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions by planting flawed documents through a Russian double agent.

The details of Project Merlin, as it was called, were revealed in a chapter of a book by New York Times reporter James Risen. The Obama administration aggressively pursued the case against Sterling, alleging that he had leaked the plan to Risen even though Risen refused to testify or confirm that Sterling was his source.

US Attorney General Eric Holder called the verdict against Sterling, “a just and appropriate outcome.” President Obama used the Espionage act to pursue cases against whistleblowers more often than any other President in US history. Today, as the Democratic Party hails as a “hero,” the unnamed whistleblower at the heart of the Trump Ukraine scandal, we speak with Jeffrey Sterling himself who was released from federal prison in January 2018 and has written a book about his experiences. 

For more information about the book and speaking engagements, visit: https://www.boldtypebooks.com.

Jeffrey Sterling, lawyer and former CIA case officer who was convicted of violating the Espionage Act and sentenced to prison. His book is called Unwanted Spy: The Persecution of an American Whistleblower.

Maryland representative and prominent political figure Elijah Cummings has passed away. He was 68. According to a statement from his office, Mr. Cummings died from “complications concerning long-standing health challenges.” Cummings’s political career began in the Maryland House of Delegates where he became the youngest chairperson of the Legislative Black Caucus. He went on to represent Baltimore in the US House of Representatives and became chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Cummings was Chair of the House Oversight and Reform committee, and one of the Democratic leaders spearheading the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, when he passed away. Four years ago when Freddie Gray was killed by police in Baltimore, Mr. Cummings spoke at his funeral. That’s the late Elijah Cummings in 2015 at Freddie Gray’s funeral. His fellow Democrats mourned his death with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling Cummings, “our North Star,” and saying that she was, “personally devastated.” President Trump, who had gotten into an ugly online feud with Cummings just months ago, insulting his city as “rat infested,” issued a proclamation in his honor. 

In news from the impeachment inquiry, In news from the impeachment inquiry, White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney admitted in a press briefing on Thursday that the Trump administration held up US military aid to Ukraine until they agreed to help the President investigate his Democratic rivals. Mulvaney also announced that the next G7 meeting would be held at Trump’s resort in Doral, Florida, that the President still owns and profits from. 

Meanwhile, Gordon Sondland, the US Ambassador to the European Union testified behind closed doors on Thursday and reportedly broke with Trump on the Ukraine scandal. According to reports, Sondland testified that Trump delegated the US’s foreign policy on Ukraine to his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and he was not aware initially that Giuliani’s goal may have been, “to involve Ukrainians, directly or indirectly, in the president’s 2020 re-election campaign.” In his opening remarks Sondland said he was “disappointed” by the decision to involve Giuliani and that, “Our view was that the men and women of the State Department, not the president’s personal lawyer, should take responsibility for all aspects of U.S. foreign policy toward Ukraine.” Meanwhile the Washington Post reported that Sondland was in the middle of a taxpayer funded renovation to the government-provided home he is living in, to the tune of $1 million. The renovations involve “$30,000 for a new sound system and $95,000 for an outdoor “living pod” with a pergola and electric heating, LED lighting strips and a remote-control system.” Taxpayers also paid $100,000 for Sondland to live elsewhere while the remodeling was being done. 

Senate Majority Leader

FEATURING JEET HEER – The fourth Democratic Presidential candidate debate took place on Tuesday night with a slight shift in rankings among the front-runners. Senator Elizabeth Warren faced the most attacks from her colleagues, a sign that she is being seen as the one to beat. 

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s performance was lack-luster, in line with his slipping poll numbers. 

All eyes were on Senator Bernie Sanders who had just recovered from a stent procedure following a heart attack. But Sanders dismissed concerns saying that he felt great, and focused instead on policies and “the rigged economy.” 

Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg, and Beto O’Rourke maintained their moderate stances, while Kamala Harris made one splash with a remark on women’s reproductive rights.

Jeet Heer, national-affairs correspondent at The Nation.

12 Democratic Presidential candidates gathered on stage in Westerville, Ohio on Tuesday night for a fourth debate that ran more than 3 hours long. Senator Elizabeth Warren faced a barrage of attacks from her rivals, in an indication that for now she has achieved the front runner status. Senator Bernie Sanders made his first national appearance on stage after his recent heart attack but appeared energized as ever. Among the issues that the candidates most agreed on was the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. Former Vice President Joe Biden was questioned about the role of his son Hunter Biden in Ukraine, which has become a national focus after it was revealed that the President was fixated on investigating whether he improperly benefitted from his father’s position.

As the debate ended, news emerged that three members of the 4-member “Squad” of freshmen progressive Congresswomen of color were endorsing Bernie Sanders for President: Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. AOC will be appearing alongside Sanders at a major rally in Queens, New York this Saturday dubbed “Bernie’s Back.” After the Democratic Debate on Tuesday night, CNN anchor John King commented that perhaps the endorsements of the three prominent Congresswomen was, “too urban.” Critics denounced his comments as racist, with journalist Shaun King tweeting, “Shame on you for this bigotry.” In other election-related news, Sanders and Warren have both raised the most campaign donations of the Democratic candidates with Sanders sitting on a $33.7 million pile of campaign cash and Warren having amassed $25.7 million. Both have relied on small donations. 

In news from the impeachment inquiry, a former senior adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be testifying to Congressional committees on Wednesday. Michael McKinley is expected to testify that a number of diplomats at the State Department were mistreated and had their careers derailed to serve political purposes of the Trump administration. Referring to the removal of US Ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, one unnamed source told the Washington Post, “The unwillingness of State Department leadership to defend Yovanovitch or interfere with an obviously partisan effort to intervene in our relationship with Ukraine for the political benefit of the president was too much for [McKinley].” McKinley resigned from the State Department last Friday. 

Meanwhile White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney has emerged as a central figure in the Ukraine scandal spearheading a months-long effort to replace staff working on Ukraine policy with a trio of men being dubbed the “three Amigos” – the US’s EU Ambassador, Gordon Sondland,

FEATURING DR. STEPHEN ZUNES – President Donald Trump’s abrupt decision last week to pull US forces out of Northern Syria has left many people scratching their heads. US troops had been a bulwark of protection for Kurdish fighters who had led the fight to defeat the Islamic State. Turkish air strikes began immediately after the US withdrawal, leading to the freeing of hundreds of ISIS prisoners and to Kurdish fighters being forced to align with the Syrian government. Russian troops are now moving into the military vacuum in a region that appears to be free of US influence – at least for now. 

Dr. Stephen Zunes is a Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of San Francisco, where he serves as coordinator of the program in Middle Eastern Studies. He also serves as a senior policy analyst for Foreign Policy in Focus, a project of the Institute for Policy Studies. He is also an associate editor of Peace Review.

FEATURING MONIQUE MORRIS – In 2016 my next guest had written a powerful book exposing how black girls were criminalized and pushed out of the school system. In her book Pushout, Monique Morris explained how black girls are criminalized starting in the classroom and how the disrespect and marginalization they face can impact their entire lives. 

Now, in an anticipated follow up to that work, Morris has a new book out called Sing A Rhythm, Dance a Blues: Education for the Liberation of Black and Brown Girls. In it she explores the ways in which our educational system can best meet the needs of black and brown girls and help them – and everyone else – thrive – through safety and justice instead of punishment and trauma. 

For more information about the documentary ‘Pushout – The Criminalization of Black Girls in School,’ visit https://pushoutfilm.com or www.MoniqueWMorris.me.

Monique Morris, Co-Founder of the National Black Women’s Justice Institute, 2012 Soros Justice Fellow, former Vice President for Economic Programs, Advocacy, and Research at the NAACP. Her earlier books include Black Stats: African Americans By the Numbers in the Twenty-First Century, and Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools and her newest book is ‘Sing A Rhythm, Dance a Blues: Education for the Liberation of Black and Brown Girls.’

Mr. George Kent, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Ukraine is testifying behind closed doors to various House Committees on Tuesday as part of the Democrat-led impeachment effort. Kent is expected to shed light on whether President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giulilani improperly pushed out the US Ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch. Giuliani apparently accused Yovanovitch of trying to protect Joe and Hunter Biden from investigation. The Washington Post explained that, “Giuliani and a columnist for the news outlet the Hill had alleged that Yovanovitch provided a ‘do not prosecute list’ to Ukrainian officials to protect the Bidens and other allies. But Kent, according to the documents, told his colleagues that the list was phony, pointing to incorrect name spellings that longtime officials like Yovanovitch and himself would never have gotten wrong, he said.” On Monday Fiona Hill, the former top White House Russia advisor also testified behind closed doors. Hill apparently had confronted the US Ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland, over Trump’s Ukraine policy and Giuliani’s improper involvement. Sondland was to testify last week but has since decided to appear this week before House committees. Lawmakers are now deciding whether to question Trump’s former National Security Adviser John Bolton. According to people who were present during Hill’s testimony, she alleged that Bolton confronted Sondland over the Ukraine issue, and, according to the New York Times, “Bolton told her to notify the chief lawyer for the National Security Council about a rogue effort by Mr. Sondland, Mr. Giuliani and Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff.” Apparently Bolton said to Hill, “I am not part of whatever drug deal Sondland and Mulvaney are cooking up.” 

Meanwhile, aside from House Representatives looking into Giuliani’s affairs, news emerged that federal prosecutors have been looking into his business dealings in Ukraine for months now. Giuliani said he had not been informed of any investigation and said, “They can look at my Ukraine business all they want.” But Giuliani told the Washington Post that he had been paid a $500,000 consulting fee by a company owned by one of two of his associates arrested last week on charges of funneling Russian money to the Trump reelection campaign. Giuliani maintains that the payment was legitimate. Meanwhile, Hunter Biden, whose business dealings in Ukraine are the focus of Giuliani and Trump’s obsession, has said he did nothing wrong when he served on the board of a Ukrainian natural gas company while his father served as the US Vice President. In an interview with ABC, this is what the younger Biden said.

In other news, another white police officer has killed a black American in the Dallas,

FEATURING ROBERT GREENWALD – It is no secret that Republicans have worked concerted at the state level for years to make it harder for Democratic-leaning voters to cast ballots. People of color and young people have been dramatically impacted by the various voter ID laws that claim to be fighting voter fraud. Except that voter fraud doesn’t really exist in any significant way and the ID laws are clearly aimed at suppressing certain people’s votes. 

Nowhere did that play out more shockingly in recent years than the 2018 election in Georgia where Stacey Abrams was poised to become that state’s first female African American governor. Now a new documentary by Brave New Films explores the facets of voter suppression in Georgia and demands action to restore voting rights. 

For more information about how to screen the film, visit www.BraveNewFilms.org or https://www.bravenewfilms.org/suppressed.

Robert Greenwald, the founder and president of Brave New Films (BNF), is an award-winning television, feature film and documentary filmmaker. He is known for such powerful documentaries as Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism, and Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, Koch Brothers Exposed, Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars, and Making a Killing: Guns, Greed, and the NRA.

With the movie below:

FEATURING MARJORIE COHN – The impeachment inquiry aimed at President Donald Trump is proceeding at breakneck speed with new and incriminating details emerging every day. This week alone, former US Ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch testified to Congress about how Trump pushed her out of her position as he sought information on Joe Biden’s son Hunter. News emerged of at least 4 national security officials expressing concern about Trump’s Ukraine policy before and after his infamous July 25thphone call with President Zelensky. And, perhaps most dramatically, two associates of Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani were arrested at the airport on their way out of the country just hours after they lunched with Giuliani. They have been charged with illegally funneling foreign money into Trump and Republican campaign coffers. In contrast to the secret details and sluggish pace of the Special Counsel’s investigation this Congressional inquiry is moving far more rapidly, and largely in public view. Will this be the thing that finally brings down the most scandalous presidency in modern US history?

Marjorie Cohn, professor emerita at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law, and a writer for Truthout.