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INTERVIEW: Are Republican Senators in Fear of ‘Don Corleone’ Trump? “Yes!” Says Schumer

NNPA NEWSWIRE — NNPA Newswire interviewed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The discussion covered a wide range of topics, focusing primarily on the impeachment of the president. The Senator also shared some insight on his conversations with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Published

6 years ago

December 21, 2019

Oakland Post

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

NNPA Newswire interviewed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The discussion covered a wide range of topics, focusing primarily on the impeachment of the president. The Senator also shared some insight on his conversations with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Audio of the discussion is included.

Republicans have steadfastly sided with President Donald Trump on impeachment and most other issues, perhaps out of fear that they might wind up sleeping – politically – with the fishes.

At least that’s how Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer views the otherwise hard-to-explain loyalty Republicans have displayed toward the president.

When asked whether he believed the GOP has a “Don Corleone-like” fear of the president, Schumer quickly answered in the affirmative.

“I have never seen anything like this,” Schumer told NNPA Newswire one day after the House voted to impeach the president, and moments after the Democrat met with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to discuss the upcoming impeachment trial in the Senate.

“What motivates these Republicans to just circle the wagons? And, whatever this president says, who is known for having a low moral character, who is known for not telling the truth, why do they rally around him? When I talk to a good number of them privately, they know how bad this guy is. But, there’s one reason they rally around him: Fear.” When asked, “What, is he the Godfather… Corleone here?” the Senator chucked and replied, “Politically speaking, he probably is.”

On Wednesday, December 18, the House voted along party lines to impeach Trump, making him just the third president in U.S. history to face impeachment. Richard Nixon resigned during the impeachment process.

Since the historic impeachment vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she would withhold sending the case to the Senate until Democrats and Republicans can reach a consensus on how a Senate trial would take place.

Based on the Constitution, if the Senate votes to convict Trump, he would be removed from office.

McConnell and other Republicans have said there’s no chance they’d convict the president and GOP leaders have threatened to lock Democrats and the public out of any Senate trial.

“Impeachment of the president is a very solemn and serious moment for our country,” Schumer stated.

“When you have a president who overreaches, the founding fathers put a few tools or checks on him, but the biggest and most important most serious and solemn check is impeachment. And, if the president goes off the rails, the Founding Fathers said the Congress has the ability to remove him,” he noted.

The House voted in favor of two articles of impeachment against Trump, obstruction of Congress and abuse of power.

Schumer said the Founding Fathers listed their top fear as being a president overreaches his authority and that he would get a foreign government to interfere in the U.S. election.

“That’s what this is all about,” Schumer stated.

“So, conducting an impeachment trial in the Senate is a weighty and solemn responsibility and we Democrats in the Senate believe that the trial must be fair and it’s important to let the American people judge it to be fair,” he added.

A fair trial is when the Senate hears all the evidence and can decide the case impartially, and the only way to accomplish that is with witnesses and documents, Schumer stated.

“We will treat every witness with respect and no off-topic questions. We also need documents, and we requested them. Thus far, Mitch McConnell is resisting that, and you have to ask yourself the question, ‘Why don’t they want the truth to come out?’ Do they fear it? Why don’t they want to have a trial in the normal sense where there’s evidence on both sides and, instead, want what seems to be a cover up? So, we feel strongly that this is all about our democracy and protecting it.”

Schumer said the black community especially understands the value of a fair trial.

“The African American community knows when you don’t have fairness, and you don’t have democracy, people with little power get the short end of the stick,” he stated.

Statistics show that most Americans side with the Democrats on impeachment, Schumer noted.

An ABC News poll revealed that 71 percent of Americans expect a fair Senate trial and believe that Trump should allow his top aides to testify. Approximately 64 percent of Republicans agreed, as well as 72 percent of independents, and 79 percent of Democrats.

“We believe when these [Republican] Senators go home to their constituents, they will ask them why don’t you want to have witnesses and documents,” Schumer stated. “Right now, our Republican colleagues are sort of twisting themselves in knots, trying to avoid this, but they don’t have any good arguments.”

Schumer also applauded Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), and six others in Congress who voted in favor of impeachment despite the potential political risks of their decision.

“I have such respect for the seven members of Congress, all of whom served in the military or the CIA. They said what motivated them to serve the country is motivating them to go forward even if they lose the election because if we don’t do it, and here’s the problem this president is more overreached than anyone else and if there’s no fair trial and he can withhold documents and witnesses, that renders impeachment impotent. This president will do even worse things, and the next president will do even worse things, so it’s really our democracy that motivates us.”

In his meeting on Thursday, December 19, with McConnell, Schumer said he told the Leader that witnesses and documents are necessary. “He said, ‘I don’t want to give them.’ I said, ‘well, I hope you and your 52 Republican colleagues will think about this over the holidays,’” Schumer stated.

When asked if there is anything Democrats, who are the minority in the Senate, could do to ensure that the trial would not be a rubberstamp proclaiming Trump’s innocence, Schumer said he’s hoping some Republicans will change their minds and allow testimony from witnesses and to include documents.

“When in the minority, you don’t have many tools. But, the one tool you have in the impeachment trial is the force of vote. All we need is four (GOP) votes because all 47 (Democrats) will be ours [and] to get to that magic number 51. And, if we get 51, we’ll get the witnesses, so I hope your readers, if they agree with us, will talk to their Senators, especially Republican senators,” Schumer stated.

The Minority Leader then praised the African American community for its awareness about the importance of impeachment.

“Thank god the African American community has become very mobilized in New York and around the country because they know of the dangers Donald Trump presents to the African American community in so many different ways,” Schumer stated.

“Reaching out [to their respective Senators] would be important,” he noted. “I urge them to do it if they believe in the future of America. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends in the direction of justice.’ All we’re seeking here is justice,” said Schumer.

The Senator offered a holiday greeting: “I wish your readers a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, Happy Kwanza, and happy everything!” he stated.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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