Free Republic

Vice President Kamala Harris swore in former Emily’s List President Laphonza Butler on Tuesday in a touching moment for the two Black women and political allies. Senator Butler is only the third Black woman to serve in the US Senate, and her appointment fills the vacancy left behind by Vice President Harris, whose ascendancy to the White House meant there were no Black women in the Senate. California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Butler to fill the seat the seat of Senator Diane Feinstein, who passed away late last week. “For women and girls, for workers and unions, for struggling parents...

EMILY’s List, the left wing Super PAC which previously employed newly selected California Sen. Laphonza Butler, removed a section of her bio that stated she lived in Maryland. Internet Archives reveal a now-removed section of her biography that said, “She lives in Maryland with her partner Neneki Lee and their daughter Nylah.” Butler, who California Gov. Gavin Newsom selected to fill the seat vacated by Dianne Feinstein’s death, had listed her home address as Silver Springs, Maryland, as recently as August, according to FEC filings. She had also reportedly registered to vote in Maryland in 2022. ... Newsom tapped Butler...

Several leading black Democrats are criticizing California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for nominating Laphonza Butler of Maryland to fill Dianne Feinstein’s Senate vacancy instead of current Senate candidate Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA). Butler has lived in California, and owns a home in the state, but lives in Maryland and must register to vote in the Golden State before becoming constitutionally eligible to replace Feinstein, who died Friday at the age of 90. Lee has been running to replace Feinstein, whose retirement was announced earlier this year. Butler may be able to run for the post as well, once she has...

California Gov. Gavin Newsom will appoint EMILY’s List President Laphonza Butler to fill the seat of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, elevating the head of a fundraising juggernaut that works to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights, according to a person familiar with the decision. Newsom is moving swiftly to name the next senator, two days after Feinstein’s death and just as a perilously split Congress narrowly averted a government shutdown. Senate Democrats are in need of every vote in the closely divided chamber. The announcement was expected to come Monday, and an adviser to the governor, Anthony York,...