Republicans Abandon Capitol Riot Investigation After Nancy Pelosi Rejects Reps. Jim Jordan And Jim Banks
by Derek Major

July 21, 2021

Republicans Abandon Capitol Riot Investigation After Nancy Pelosi Rejects Reps. Jim Jordan And Jim Banks

Reuters – The top Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday withdrew his five nominees to serve on the special committee probing the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol Riot after Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected two of them.

Pelosi had earlier rejected Representatives Jim Jordan and Jim Banks, staunch defenders of former President Donald Trump, from serving on the panel investigating the Trump supporters who assaulted Congress in an attempt to stop it from certifying President Joe Biden’s election.

“With respect for the integrity of the investigation, with an insistence on the truth and with concern about statements made and actions taken by these Members, I must reject the recommendations of Representatives Banks and Jordan to the Select Committee,” Pelosi said in a statement. “The unprecedented nature of January 6th demands this unprecedented decision.”

Pelosi created the 13-member panel after House Republicans rejected an earlier attempt to create a bipartisan panel to probe the violence, which saw hundreds of Trump supporters storm the building, assaulting police, smashing windows and sending lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence scrambling for safety.

“Republicans will not be party to their sham process and will instead pursue our own investigation of the facts,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said in a statement withdrawing his nominees.

Pelosi had previously appointed one Republican, Liz Cheney, to the panel. Pelosi had said she would accept McCarthy’s other three nominees — Representatives Rodney Davis, Kelly Armstrong and Troy Nehls — and had asked him to pick two new members.

Jordan is an ardent Trump supporter who served as one of his main defenders during his two impeachment trials, the latter of which was on a charge of inciting the Capitol riot. The then-Republican-controlled Senate acquitted Trump both times.

Four people died on the day of the violence, one shot dead by police and the other three of natural causes. A Capitol Police officer who had been attacked by protesters died the following day. Two police officers who responded to the assault on the Capitol later took their own lives. More than a hundred police officers were injured.

(Reporting by Jan Wolfe and David Morgan; Editing by Scott Malone, Susan Heavey and Aurora Ellis)

Channing Capital Management Launches First Publicly Traded Mutual Fund
by Jeffrey McKinney

July 21, 2021

Channing Capital Management Launches First Publicly Traded Mutual Fund

One of the nation’s largest black-owned asset managers, Channing Capital Management has launched its first publicly traded mutual fund.

The new investment vehicle is called the Channing Intrinsic Value Small-Cap Fund (Ticker: OWLLX).

The investable universe is primarily domestic small capitalization stocks. The fund focuses on quality companies that the portfolio management team believes to be attractively valued, per a news release.

Channing reports it has built a solid 16-year track record for its flagship small-cap strategy within the institutional marketplace. The Chicago-based firm says it currently manages over $3.4 billion in total assets under management as of June 30, 2021. It was No. 10 on the most recent BE Asset Managers list. Established in 2003, the investment management boutique provides investment advisory services for institutional investors, its website shows.

Channing’s founder and co-CEO Rodney Herenton added this in a statement:

“The mutual fund provides both institutional and retail investors access to Channing’s small-cap strategy, enabling us to further diversify our distribution and channel mix. Furthermore, the mutual fund helps to strengthen our brand awareness and identification in the marketplace, something I’m very excited about as we continue to expand our product offerings and scale our business as a boutique investment firm.”

With approximately $2.2 billion in assets in the small-cap strategy, Channing declares it is looking to further expand its client base among corporations, foundations, and endowments , along with sub-advisory and platform opportunities.

Channing’s founder, co-CEO, and chief investment officer Wendell Mackey added this statement:

“The launch of our mutual fund allows us to bring our time tested, small company, distinctive, intrinsic value approach to a broader marketplace. We look forward to our mutual fund serving our clients, and prospective clients for their various channel needs.”

Herenton provided this email response to Black Enterprise on why his firm launched the mutual fund now based on how the stock market has performed this year:

“Institutional prospects have been asking us if we offer a public mutual fund as there has been interest from them in our small-cap value strategy. As long-term investors, we are less concerned about near-term market shocks and decided to launch our own fund to take advantage of the demand for small-cap capacity while also diversifying our channel mix.”

Channing Capital co-founder Rodney B. Herenton
Channing Capital co-founder Wendell E. Mackey
Jeff Tribble
by Derek Major

July 21, 2021

Jeff Tribble Jr. Is Changing Lives And The World Through Music

This installment of Black Enterprise’s Empathetic Modern Leaders Series sponsored by Lexus focuses on Jeff Tribble Jr., the President and CEO of Levine Music.

Music has been a part of Tribble’s life since he was three years old when he began learning the drums. Tribble turned his love of percussion instruments into a music scholarship at Howard University and after graduating at the top of his class, attended The George Washington University Law School.

Even when he attended Law School, Tribble’s love of music shined brightly.

During his time at George Washington, Tribble founded the nonprofit organization The MusicianShip, which facilitates music lessons, experiences and opportunities to benefit those who need it most. Under Jeffery’s direction as CEO, The MusicianShip has grown from serving 2 students in 2009 to nearly 2000 in this year.

In June 2021, Tribble was appointed as the President and CEO of Levine Music, a 45-year-old music education institution with five campuses across DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The $10 million organization has 200 employees who serve 3500 students each week. Jeffery is the first Black President and CEO of Levine, whose preceding President and CEO held the position for 18 Years.

Jeff Tribble

“One of my goals is to ensure anyone who wants access to music lessons can receive music lessons,” Tribble told Black Enterprise. “At Levine Music we don’t just focus on music education, we also focus on holistic learning, ensuring that students in our program are benefitted in more than one way.”

Tribble’s success in music and efforts to bring education through music has led to significant recognition by his peers. The HBCU graduate was inducted—as an honorary member—in to Phi Mu Alpha, the largest, oldest, music fraternity in the world.

In 2016, Tribble was named one of Magic Johnson’s 32 Under 32. He has won numerous civic awards, including the NBC4 2020 Community Leadership Award, in addition to being chosen as a featured leader in their NBC Black History Month Series.

Tribble’s dedication of music and educational efforts in the Washington D.C. and Maryland area is why he’s a Black Enterprise Empathetic Modern Leader.

Big Tigger and Rapsody to Launch New Hip-Hop Video Countdown Series on REVOLT TV
by Selena Hill

July 21, 2021

Big Tigger and Rapsody to Launch New Hip-Hop Video Countdown Series on REVOLT TV

REVOLT is kicking off a new series this Friday that promises to give hip-hop fans an exciting blast from the past with a modern-day twist.

On Wednesday, the independent content platform owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs announced the launch of Off Top, a rap video countdown series hosted by veteran hip-hop television and radio personality Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan. While Off Top is a brand new show concept, Morgan says it will be nostalgic of Rap City: Tha Basement, the longest-running, nationally televised hip-hop show, which he hosted from 1999–2005 on BET.

“‘Tha Basement’ went away 15 years ago. In those 15 years, not a single day has gone by without somebody saying, ‘yo, son, you need to bring Rap City back,’” Morgan told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “And while [Off Top] is not that, it is definitely the same energy to a certain degree.”

Off Top will feature video content from today’s hottest artists and music performances, freestyles, and exclusive interviews with legendary rappers and emerging talent. Featured guests include Conway The Machine, Latto, G Herbo, Lil Tjay, Soulja Boy, Young Dolph & Key Glock, King Combs, and Erica Banks. It will also allow rappers to unpack and appreciate the meaning behind their lyrics.

“I’m looking forward to bringing another important production to the fabric of hip-hop culture,” said Morgan, who also hosted the popular video series 106 & Park on BET, in a news release. “I’m excited to shine a light on what the latest wave is bringing to REVOLT.” In addition to hosting Off Top, Morgan is an Emmy Award-winning radio host on Atlanta’s V103 morning show and the house DJ for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks.

Off Top will also be hosted by rapper and artist Marlanna “Rapsody” Evans and media personality DJ Nyla Symone, who will join them for on-the-couch conversations. The 38-year-old Grammy nominated artist says working on a show inspired by Rap City: Tha Basement is an honor.

“I always wanted to be on ‘Tha Basement.’ That was a big dream of mine,” Evans told BE. “That was one of the biggest reasons I said yes when I was presented with [this] opportunity,” she continued, adding that Morgan is “a legend in the game.”

Off Top Revolt
Off Top host Big Tigger and Rapsody, with DJ Nyla Symone and rapper Conway

Detavio Samuels, the CEO of REVOLT, aims to position Off Top as the newest must-stop destination for hip-hop emcees to prove why they deserve to be considered among the best lyricists in the game.

“Each rapper gets their own customized booth that is driven by lights and shadows,” he says. “What we’re trying to do is bring a new level, a new visual way to demonstrate and showcase the visual game.”

Off Top will also include a social component to entice young hip hop fans who often defer to apps like TikTok, Spotify, and YouTube to discover and stream music. Each episode includes the artist in music booths that feature live-fan reactions pulled off of Instagram to create an interactive experience.

“We’re trying to merge all of the culture. You’ll see rappers who you will never see on TikTok, and we’re going to bring them into those TikTokers’ world,” said Samuels.

Off Top premieres Friday, July 23, at 9 p.m. ET via the station’s linear TV channel, YouTube, and REVOLT.tv.

‘The Wire’ Actor Gbenga Akinnagbe Accuses Journalist Lola Adesioye of Sexual Abuse
by Kia Morgan Smith

July 21, 2021

‘The Wire’ Actor Gbenga Akinnagbe Accuses Journalist Lola Adesioye of Sexual Abuse

The #MeToo movement is not just for women. Gbenga Akkinagbe has accused journalist Lola Adesioye of sexual abuse.

On Monday, the New York Post reported that the actor who gained fame for his portrayal of Chris Partlow on three seasons of drug crime drama, The Wire, alleged that the journalist sexually abused him on two separate occasions.

According to a criminal complaint, Adesioye grabbedDispatch Operator Under Scrutiny For the Way She Handled the Richard Sherman 911 Call Akkinagbe by his buttocks twice between May and June of last year. Adesioye, a journalist with a number of bylines including The Guardian, was arrested on May 26, 2021, and charged with forcible touching, sexual abuse and harassment.

In response, Adisoye’s attorney, Robert Gottlieb, has claimed that she and Akkinagbe were in a consensual romantic relationship and they have the receipts to prove it. Allegedly, there are three binders worth of flirty text messages between the two since they met at a party in 2019. There are also photos of the two together.

Part of Adisoye’s defense is also that the text messages, which talk about kissing and other romantic activities, and photos happened before Akkinagbe made the claims, between the two claims, and after he made the claims.

If that is not complicated enough, in the midst of the allegation, Adisoye moved into an apartment owned by Akkinagbe and was working on projects on his behalf, apparently for little to no pay.

“They take trips upstate and this is after he alleged that she committed the sexual crimes against him,” said Adisoye’s attorney. “She was working for him 24/7. She was on call every single second of every day — on weekends, writing press releases for him.”

After Adisoye fell behind on her rent to Akkinagbe, she demanded to be paid for her labor. They sued each other in civil court; her for back wages and him for back rent. The cases were settled but then, Akkinagbe filed the criminal complaint alleging sexual abuse.

The trial is set for Aug. 10 because prosecutors were not ready to begin on Monday, the original date. Gottlieb is not accepting any deal for his client but dismissal.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 21, 2021

Dispatch Operator Under Scrutiny For the Way She Handled the Richard Sherman 911 Call

Last week, we reported that current free-agent football player Richard Sherman was arrested and faces several charges, including one on suspicion of burglary domestic violence. The cornerback was arrested at the home of his in-laws located in Redmond, Washington, early Wednesday.

According to KIRO 7, now the 911 operator who handled the call from Sherman’s wife, Ashley, is under scrutiny because of the attitude she had and the tone she used with his wife during the call.

Based on the recording obtained by KIRO 7, people are concerned about the way the operator handled the call, citing the unprofessionalism displayed when the King County Sheriff’s Office 911 operator responded to Ashley.

Portions of the phone call can be seen below:

Call operator: 911 what are you reporting?

Ashley Sherman: I need officers to my house now; my husband is drunk and belligerent

Call operator: Stop, stop, what’s the address? Is there a weapon?

Ashley: We took – no, there’s no gun –

Dispatcher: Listen to me!

Ashley: I’m saying there are no weapons, ma’am! There are no weapons —

Dispatcher: You need to stop interrupting me so I can get the information I need.


Fox News reported that the Redmond Police Department, whose officers made the arrest, released a statement about the phone call.

“The Redmond Police Department has received a series of misdirected complaints following the release of 911 audio from last week’s arrest of Richard Sherman. Online petitions and social media comments have raised questions about how the King County Sheriff’s Office handled initial 911 calls from unincorporated King County,” Redmond police said.

“Many have mistakenly associated those calls to the City of Redmond’s Communications Center, which is not connected to the King County Sheriff’s Office. The City of Redmond was not involved in the recordings highlighted by the complaints. The King County Sheriff’s Office, in response to public comment, opened an administrative review of this matter that will take several months to conclude.”

On Friday, Sherman sent an apology for his action via his Twitter account.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 21, 2021

Maria Taylor Departs ESPN After Failure to Agree to Contract Extension

Sports reporter Maria Taylor will no longer be working at ESPN after contract talks failed between the two parties.

As we reported last week, Taylor‘s contract ended on July 20 as the reporter was allegedly entertaining offers from other media outlets such as NBC and Amazon.

According to the New York Post, ESPN offered Taylor a very lucrative contract to place her salary in the $3 million per year arena. This would have given Taylor a raise of about three times the amount she makes currently, but the two parties have parted ways. ESPN and Taylor have jointly announced that they were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension after much discussion.

Taylor’s last assignment for ESPN was last night’s NBA Finals telecast that saw the Milwaukee Bucks defeat the Phoenix Suns.

Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN and Sports Content, said in a written statement:

“Maria’s remarkable success speaks directly to her abilities and work ethic. There is no doubt we will miss Maria, but we remain determined to continue to build a deep and skilled talent roster that thoroughly reflects the athletes we cover and the fans we serve. While she chose to pursue a new opportunity, we are proud of the work we’ve done together.”

Taylor has responded to the news:

“So thankful to Jimmy and all of my great teammates and friends at the SEC Network, College GameDay, Women’s and Men’s college basketball, and the NBA Countdown family — the people who believed in me encouraged me, pushed me, and lifted me up. Words are inadequate to express my boundless appreciation, and I hope to make them proud.”

Taylor has been in the news recently following a white colleague’s unfavorable comments about Taylor in a leaked audio clip. The recording of fellow reporter Rachel Nichols’’ conversation revealed her belief that ESPN only picked Taylor because it was “feeling pressure” about its “crappy longtime record on diversity.”

Community Calls for Councilman’s Resignation After Asking “Do We Have A House N***** In Here?”
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 21, 2021

Community Calls for Councilman’s Resignation After Asking “Do We Have A House N***** In Here?”

Community members in Tarrant, AL, are rallying together and calling for the resignation of Councilman John “Tommy” Bryant after he blurted out a racial slur during a city council meeting.

On Monday night, Bryant, who is White, stood up and loudly asked the crowd, “Do we have a house n***er in here?” Bama Politics reported. Bryant’s racist comment came after someone else at the meeting accused his wife of using the N-word on Facebook.

“The n-word. The n-word. Let’s get to the n-word. Hey. Do we have a house n***** in here? Do we? Hey. Would she please stand up?” Bryant said.

Bryant claimed that he was only repeating the same language used by Tarrant mayor Waymon Newton during a past meeting. But, now many in Tarrant are urging Bryant to resign, CBS42 reported. They say that even if the mayor did use that term, Bryant should not have repeated it.

“We were astonished. No one left, because we were actually very, very in shock as to what he had said,” Tarrant resident Waynette Bonham said.

“I was like this was the person that is supposed to be serving our communities? Like, this is supposed to be our representation, he has his own district in Tarrant? No,” Bonham added.

But Bryant isn’t backing down and said he only repeated what the town’s Black mayor had said during a private meeting, WSFA reported. Not only does Bryant have no plans of resigning, he even is considering a run for mayor.

“Absolutely not. I may even consider running for mayor next time,” Bryant said.

Bryant continued to defend his word choice.

“It is ok for me to repeat it because as I said before, I wanted everybody to know what the mayor had said. He said it in a derogatory manner, I said it so that people would know what the mayor said,” Bryant declared.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 21, 2021

Texas Senate Votes to Remove Required Lessons on Civil Rights And Women’s Suffrage

The state of Texas took its fight against critical race theory to the next level by passing legislation that removes civil and women’s rights from being taught in public schools.

On Friday, Texas passed new legislation that aims to end requirements for public schools to teach students about women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement in social studies classes, Bloomberg Law reported. Among those removed from being taught about include Martin Luther King Jr. and his famous “I Have a Dream” speech and “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”

Susan B. Anthony and Cesar Chavez will also no longer be taught about in public schools across the state of Texas. The Senate-passed bill works to remove most mentions of women and people of color as well as the requirement that students be taught about the history of white supremacy and “the ways in which it is morally wrong.”

The bill was passed by a margin of 18-4, with Texas Democrats speaking out against the new legislation. The bill removes language from a previous bill that condemned white supremacy and the Ku Klux Klan, Fox News reported.

Despite the blatant slap in the face to The 1619 Project and critical race theory being taught in schools, the new Texas bill does prohibit educators from teaching that “one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex.”

Democrats have taken to social media to blast the new legislation.

“Here’s why Governor Abbott added Critical Race Theory to the special session,” Texas Democratic Rep. Jarvis Johnson tweeted. “He doesn’t want our kids to learn that White Supremacy is morally wrong. You read that right. We must trust our teachers. We must defend the truth in our classrooms. SB3 does the opposite #txlege”

The bill is on its way to the Texas House, where the absent Democrats are holding up Republicans from a quorum vote to move the legislation forward.

Jeff Bezos Gives Van Jones $100 Million Dollars After Returning From Space
by Kia Morgan Smith

July 21, 2021

Jeff Bezos Gives Van Jones $100 Million Dollars After Returning From Space

After his historic space flight, billionaire Jeff Bezos decided to gift a couple of his friends $100 million. And one of those lucky friends was Van Jones.

Bezos gave $100 million each to CNN political commentator Jones and chef José Andrés with no stipulations. 

“They can give it all to their own charity,” Bezos said at a press conference after his trip to space. “Or they can share the wealth. It is up to them.”

The magnanimous award was given to those who demonstrated courage.

“We need unifiers and not vilifiers,” Bezos said. “We need people who argue hard and act hard for what they believe. But they do that always with civility and never ad hominem attacks. Unfortunately, we live in a world where this is too often not the case. But we do have role models.”

Jones is a recurring political commentator on CNN who made headlines for crying in 2016 when Donald Trump won the White House and also in 2020 when Joe Biden was elected as president. In between, he rubbed elbows with and helped Donald Trump formulate a police reform bill.

Besides that list of credits, he is also a co-founder of Dream Corps. According to its website, Dream Corps is a bipartisan organization that works toward police reform. Dream Corps also has a tech arm and green divisions. 

“Lauren [Bezos’ partner] and Jeff don’t do nothing small, man, they don’t do anything small, they just don’t do it. They dream big, they love big, and they bet big. And you bet on me, and I appreciate it,” Jones said. 

Bezos also gave chef Jose Andrés the same amount. The gifts were called Courage and Civility Awards.

Speaking to CNN colleague Anderson Cooper, Jones said that Bezos had called him and told him of his plan ahead of time. He said that Bezos wanted to support his efforts to bring people together in spite of political affiliation and race. 

There is no word yet on how Jones plans to use the money, but he did say the money is for him to give to others with a similar spirit. 

 

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