DOJ to monitor Darrius Stewart investigation
Washington, D.C. — Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), ranking member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, on Monday announced the Department of Justice (DOJ) is monitoring the state investigation of the death of Darrius Stewart. He was an African-American Memphis man, 19, who a Memphis Police officer shot following a routine traffic stop last summer. The Department of Justice also indicated it would take appropriate action if civil rights violations occurred.
“I am pleased the Department of Justice is monitoring the investigation,” Cohen said. “The shooting of Darrius Stewart by a Memphis police officer raised serious questions that must be answered. With the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s records regarding this incident sealed under state law, we need the Department of Justice to ensure the case is handled appropriately at the state level.”
The Department of Justice’s announcement came in response to a letter Cohen sent to Attorney General Loretta Lynch in July, shortly after the shooting. See the letter online at http://bit.ly/ cohen-July-2015-letter.
The DOJ’s response can be found at http://bit.ly/DOJ-response-Oct2015.
Fincher to NCUA: Don’t risk U.S. financial system
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressmen Stephen Fincher (TN-08) and Bill Posey (FL-08) responded last week to the National Credit Union Association (NCUA) board’s decision to move forward with the final risk-based capital rule.
The Risk-Based Capital Study Act of 2015 (H.R. 2769), bipartisan legislation Reps. Fincher and Posey introduced in June along with Rep. Denny Heck, has strong support in the House Financial Services Committee, where it was advanced by a vote of 50-9 last month.
This legislation would require a comprehensive study of the NCUA’s proposed rule to ensure that financial institutions are not subjected to excessive and undue burdens that ultimately cause harm to communities.
Fincher said, “Last week, along with Representatives Posey and Heck, I sent a letter to Chairman Debbie Matz calling on the NCUA to utilize the study outlined in our bill before finalizing the risk-based capital rule. Our bill would serve to foster a better understanding of the proposed rule among the credit unions that the NCUA regulates by putting appropriate requirements in place to ensure that local communities are not harmed by overregulation. In light of our request and the Committee’s recent advancement of our legislation, I am disappointed that the NCUA has decided to proceed with implementing the final rule before considering its potential effects on our financial system.”
Bill on teaching religious doctrine raises questions
Limiting Tennessee educators from teaching about religious doctrine before the 10th grade could cause unforeseen problems, according to Governor Bill Haslam. He raised questions about House Bill 1418 sponsored on Oct. 15 by Rep. Sheila Butt (R-Columbia).
“I don’t know how you talk about the founding of America, and what became of the United States, without talking about religious doctrine,” Haslam said. “Now, that’s very different than indoctrinating, or teaching that doctrine as truth.”
The Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim advocacy group, also has sharply criticized the bill and its potential impact.
The original version of HB 1418 can be read online at http://bit.ly/TN-HB1418-original. Updates will be posted at http://bit.ly/TN-HB1418.
