The minority is becoming the majority. And together, we are remaking the mainstream. Americas story. Amy then we turn to the s lee fang. And they South Carolina democratic primary is saturday. We will stick with black lives matter activist who interrupted democratic president ial candidate Hillary Clinton during a private fundraiser in charleston. During the event, Ashley Williams held a banner reading we have to bring them to heel. A reference to clintons statements in 1996 among young people whom she called super predators. I am not a super predator, Hillary Clinton. Writertive american gyasi ross, his recent article for Indian Country today, a few notes for native people about the president ial elections. Neither democrat deserves our vote yet. All of that and more coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. In kansas, a man killed three people at a manufacturing plant thursday in a shooting spree that also left 14 people wounded. Authorities say the suspected shooter cedric ford drove around firing on people on his way to his worksite, excel industries, where he killed three people. The shooter was killed by police. Excel industrys employee dylan spoke out. We heard a pop cop and thought it was metal on the ground. We heard people screaming, go to the front. They said, no, he is out front so everyone started going to act boss,ere and then me, my another employee, we were standing back there. We do not know what was going on. Amy this comes less than a week after six people were killed and two injured in michigan when an uber driver went on a fourhourlong shooting rampage, opening fire on people seemingly at random. The five remaining republican president ial candidates debated in houston, texas, thursday night in their final showdown before super tuesday. Marco rubio, ted cruz, john kasich and ben carson all attacked frontrunner donald trump, who has won three out of the four primaries and caucuses to date. This comes as former mexican president vicente fox spoke out in an interview with univision and fusion host jorge ramos about trumps repeated calls to build a wall on the u. S. Mexico border which trump says he would , make mexico pay for. Ipay for that [bleep] wall. He should pay for it. He has the money. Are you afraid he is going to be the next president of the United States . Not at all. Democracy cannot take us to people who dont know what is going on in the world today. Amy meanwhile, White Nationalist and former ku klux klan grand wizard david duke is using his Radio Program to urge listeners to support trump, saying wednesday voting against donald trump at this point is really treason to your heritage. David duke went on to encourage listeners to go to trumps headquarters to volunteer, saying go in there, youre going to meet people who are going to have the same kind of mindset that you have. Meanwhile, republican president ial candidate ted cruz has said he would pardon david daleiden, an antichoice activist who was indicted by a Texas Task Force last month on charges stemming from the highlyedited videos he shot undercover at planned parenthood. Cruz made the remarks in response to an audience members question during a special edition of fox news the kelly file wednesday night. As the case became a federal one, would you pardon him . Thank you for asking that question. The answer is yes. And i will tell you this. I placed is elected president , on the very first day in office, i intend to instruct u. S. Department of justice to open an investigation into planned parenthood and to prosecute any and all, will conduct by that organization. Amy meanwhile, in louisiana, the fifth Circuit Court of appeals has allowed an antichoice law to take effect, shuttering nearly all abortion clinics in the state. Louisiana is one of multiple states that have passed laws requiring abortion providers to obtain admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Such privileges are often impossible for abortion providers to obtain, due to antichoice sentiment or because they dont admit enough patients to meet hospital minimums. Speaking on a Conference Call with reporters thursday, attorney david brown of the center for reproductive rights said the ruling will likely shut down all but one clinic. Passed, thelaw was were five abortion clinics throughout the state Offering Services to women. Three of those clinics have closed because they cannot meet the admitting requirements that took effect last night. The fourth clinic is hanging on by a thread. We will have to see about continuing services. The fifth circuit, the decision yesterday has poised us to go from five clinics down to one. Amy the center for reproductive rights said it would seek emergency relief from the Supreme Court. The decision came a week before the Supreme Court hears arguments wednesday concerning another ruling by the fifth Circuit Court of appeals that upheld antichoice restrictions in texas, including a similar admitting privileges rule that has shuttered about half of texas roughly 40 clinics. The pentagon says its planning to send dozens of u. S. Special operations troops to the front lines of nigerias fight against the Extremist Group boko haram. The pentagon says the u. S. Soldiers would serve only in noncombat advisory roles helping the nigeria military. Human rights watch and other groups have accused the Nigerian Military of burning hundreds of homes and committing other abuses in the fight against boko haram. The syrian observatory for human rights says at least 10 rounds of airstrikes hit the rebelheld town of douma to the east of damascus friday morning, only hours before a u. S. And russian brokered plan to stop the fighting is slated to take effect. The twoweek cessation of hostilities is set to begin at midnight. The assad regime, a coalition of opposition groups, and the u. S. And russia have all agreed to the twoweek halt to the fighting. Groups like isil and alnusra are not included in the brokered agreement. On thursday, president obama said the u. S. Is committed to the plan to ease fighting, but that there are plenty of reasons for skepticism. Played a role in at least eight deaths inside u. S. Immigrant detention facilities between 2010 and 2012. The report included cases in which one man died of a heart attack after officials waited more than an hour to call 911, while another died of a preventable Heart Disease after his pleas for medical care were ignored for four months. In another case, a woman died after authorities gave her the incorrect dose of her medicine, even though she submitted multiple healthservices requests before her death including one in which she , wrote, i am not being given the full dosage of my medications. The animal theme park seaworld has acknowledged that it sent an employee to pose as an animalrights activist nearly six months after the group peta, the people for the ethical treatment of animals, accused the sea world employee of spying. Writing in a blog post on thursday, seaworlds chief executive joel manby said that the board has directed that the companys Management Team end a practice in which certain employees posed as animalrights activists. Seaworld also acknowledged that the employee, paul mccomb, has returned to work. According to peta, mccomb took part in numerous peta protests against seaworld while undercover, and repeatedly used social media in an effort to incite other activists, stating that its time to grab pitchforks and torches and time to burn seaworld to the ground. In washington, d. C. , Cancer PatientsZahara Heckscher and hannah lyon were arraigned thursday in a charge stemming from their february protest against the transpacific partnership, known as the tpp, and its socalled death sentence clause, which would extend drug company monopolies on medicines. Zahara heckscher spoke after their arraignment. We are going to keep fighting against gbp, keep fighting to get the word out about the danger of the tpp for people with cancer, people who need access to medicine in the u. S. And around the world. Were going to keep fighting, even though we have to deal with the criminal justice system, that is ok. Were going to keep the struggle going. Amy and the nonprofit News Organization inside climate news and independent journalists jamie kalven and Brandon Smith have won this years izzy award, presented by the park center for independent media, and named for legendary dissident journalist, i. F. Stone. Inside climate news for its investigative series, exxon the road not taken, which chronicles how exxon knew about Climate Change as early as 1970. Jamie kalven of the chicagobased news outlet the invisible institute, and freelance journalist brendan smith, one for the reporting on the Chicago Police departments killing of laquan mcdonald. Juan and democracy now s host amy goodman will be inducted into the i. F. Stone hall of fame. Amy goodman joins prior i. F. Stone hall of fame inductees Glenn Greenwald and jeremy scahill. Congratulations, amy. Amy thank you. And to all of the listeners and viewers and the whole team at democracy now , it is been an honor being here for these 20 years. Lets move forward for many, many more decades. Those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. Juan welcome to all of our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. Florida senator marco rubio went on the offensive against republican president ial frontrunner donald trump during a spirited debate last night in houston, texas. It was the final showdown for the five remaining republican candidates before super tuesday, when about a dozen states will hold contests to choose a nominee. The debate came just days after business mogul donald trump won the nevada caucuses in his third consecutive victory. With former Florida Governor jeb bush no longer on stage, the five remaining candidates were trump, rubio, texas senator ted cruz, Ohio Governor john kasich and retired neurosurgeon , ben carson. Rubio sought to chip away at trumps frontrunner status, landing a series of jabs on everything from trumps stance on israel to his partial support of planned parenthood. But rubio began by attacking trump on immigration. In 2011, he talked about a pathway for citizenship and in 2012, donald criticized mitt romney saying met lost his election because of self deportation. Even today, we sorry report one of the newspapers that donald hired a significant number of people from other countries to take jobs that americans could have filled. At a hotel. Maid instead of hiring an american like her, you brought in over 1000 people from all over the world to fill those jobs instead. So i think this is an important issue and i think we all realize we are realizing increasingly it is important issue for the country that needs to be solved once and for all. First of all, self deportation is people are going to leave as soon as they see others owing out. If you look at Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s, they started moving people out in the last rest of them left. , the way i define it, youre going to get some to go and the rest are going to go out. As far as people i have hired in very sports of florida during the absolute prime season like palm beach and other locations, you cannot get help. People did not want to have parttime jobs. There were parttime jobs, very seasonal. 90 day jobs, 120 day jobs, and you could not get. Everybody agrees with me on that. They were parttime jobs. You needed them, or we might as will close the doors because you cannot get help in those hot, hot sections of florida. My point that i made, you had criticized mitt romney for self deportation. You said his strategy is why he lost the election. And i think people in florida would be surprised because the article that was today, the interviewed a number of people that would have been willing to do those jobs if you had been willing to hire them. I think if youre going to claim that youre the old one that lifted this in the campaign, you know what youre the only one who has been fined for hiring people to work on your projects illegally. I am the only one on stage that is hired people. You have not hired anybody. Juan that was donald trump and before that florida senator marco rubio, moderated by Cnns Wolf Blitzer. Texas senator ted cruz joined rubios attack on donald trump, accusing trump of donating to members of the gang of eight a group of senators, including marco rubio, who came together to draft bipartisan immigration reform. Let me say, i find it amazing that donald believes he is the one who discovered the issue of illegal immigration. When i ran for senate in the state of texas, iran promising to lead the fight against amnesty, promising to fight to build a wall and in 2013, when i was leading the fight against the gang of eight amnesty bill, where was donald . He was firing Dennis Rodman on celebrity apprentice. And indeed, if you look at the gang of eight, one individual on this stage broke his promise to the men and women who elected him and wrote the amnesty bill. Of donald funded the gang eight. If you look at the eight members of the gang of eight, donald gave over 50,000 to three democrats and two republicans. And when youre funding open border politicians, you should not be surprised when they fight for open borders. And i think if you want to know who actually will secure the borders and follow through, you ought to ask who has a record before they were a candidate for president of fighting to secure the borders and stop amnesty. And i mailed one on this stage that has that record. By the way, marco is exactly right, a federal court found donald guilty of being part of a conspiracy dire people illegally and entered a 1 million judgment against him. Collects i can only say this, and ive said it loud and clear and ive said it for years, and many of these people are sitting right in the audience right now, your lobbyist and special interests and donors, because the audience is packed with them, and theyre packed with you. Ive had an amazing relationship with politicians with politicians both democrat, republican, because i was a businessman. Said, hes ane worldclass businessman. He was really with everybody. I got along with everybody. You get along with nobody. You dont have one republican you dont have one republican senator, and you work with them every day of your life come although use get a lot of time. These are minor details. You dont have one republican senator backing you. Not one. You dont have the endorsement of one republican senator and you work with these people. You should be ashamed of yourself. Amy that is donald trump responding to texas senator ted cruz, in an exchange moderated by Cnns Wolf Blitzer at last nights debate, which was hosted by cnn, telemundo, and the salem media group. Book with the New York Times shows how Donald Trumps club in palm beach florida has hired hundreds of Foreign Workers re usbornn hig workers. Since 2010, nearly 300 is residents have applied for jobs at trumps exclusive club but instead, the club has sought more than 500 visas for Foreign Workers. To talk more about immigration and how the candidates addressed it last night in the oral issue in this country, we are joined by jose Antonio Vargas, pulitzer prizewinning journalist and filmmaker. Hes the founder and editor of emergingus and founder of define american. Hes the producer and director of two documentary films, one called documented, and the other titled white people. He was writing for the Washington Post when he came out as undocumented. Jose Antonio Vargas , great to have you with us. Respond to what you just heard in the debate. Im having a hard time hearing you. Amy can you hear us . Yes, can you hear me . Amy yes. Can you respond to what you just heard in the debate, were donald trump and marcorubio and ted cruz going at it over the issue of immigration. Journalist, it is rather frustrating to hear candidates debate immigration and even more s,ustrating to hear journalist people like wolf blitzer and chuck todd, marcorubio made a claim last night about, we are not going to do anything until we secure the border. This is what marco rubio has been same for months. It is hard to get a reporter to say, wait a second, according to fax, the Pew Research Center says undocumented immigration in this country has been at the same level for five years. The center for migration studies said it is actually down i think 10. 3 undocumented immigrants are the lowest ever since 2003. These are facts. Why could it will berlin wolf blitzer say that last night yet the white get chuck todd called marco rubio out when he says that . I dont understand the vast majority of misinformation that is out there when it comes to an issue like immigration, which has been central to this campaign and why a lot of journalists dont know the facts and oh clout the candidates for not knowing the facts. Juan what about the issue of virtually all the republican candidates seeking to outdo each other and how tough theyre going to be on the undocumented or illegal immigration into the United States . Isnt it incredible to see . If you have to put this in a context last night, he was really wonderful in a way to see marco rubio called donald trump out. The same time, youre looking at marco rubio and with his own record on this issue, and you look at the two hispanic candidates for president who are trying to out trump trump when it comes to illegal immigration in this country. Look, they are free to think what they want and promote policy that they want, but given their own immigration history in this country, where is compassion . Where is it with the yet the where is the sense of humanity what it comes to talking about this issue . Amy during thursday nights debate cnn moderator wolf , blitzer asked donald trump about mexicos refusal to pay for the wall trump has promised to build on the border. The spokesman for the current president of mexico says that will never happen. The last two president s of mexico say that will never happen. In fact, the former president of i am not going to pay for that effing wall. So if you dont get an actual check from the mexican or 10ent for 8 billion million or 12 billion, whatever it will cost, how are you going to make them pay for the wall . I will, and the wall just got 10 feet taller. Believe me. It just got 10 feet taller. I saw him make that i saw him make the statement. I saw him use the word that he used. I can only tell you, if i would have used even half of that word, it would have been national scandal. This guy used a filthy, disgusting word on television, and he should be ashamed of himself and he should apologize, ok eco number one. Number two, were a trade deficit with mexico of 58 billion a year. And that does not include all of the drugs that are pouring across and destroying our country. Were going to make them pay for that wall. If the mexicans dont pay for the wall, will you start a trade war with mexico . I dont mind trade wars. Were losing 58 billion a year, if you want to know the truth. Amy there was donald trump responding to Cnns Wolf Blitzer. I dont know why wolf jose Antonio Vargas, your response . His response to the former president and mexico that he would not pay for the effing wall, donald trump said, then we will build it 10 feet higher . Look, again, 40 of the undocumented population in this country overstay their visa. They did not go through the wall. The fastestgrowing undocumented population in this country are asian undocumented immigrants, not latino immigrants. I know you mentioned emergingus. We need more original, independent reporting on immigration and race in america identity in this country. I have to tell you, im really proud to talk about this at democracy now given how much of a fan i am of this program. We need more independent News Organizations to do this kind of reporting and this kind of work. We launched this this to her funding campaign. Merginus. Com. O e we need more reporting on this issue, especially in this campaign. The you mentioned fastgrowing asian immigrant population in the United States, but in this election cycle, theres been virtually no discussion of the asianamerican community, it is all been either the response of africanamerican voters or latino voters, most of the polls dont show any sense of what is going on in the asianamerican community. Your sense as originally born in the philippines about that . Isnt it kind of incredible . Peoplelmost like asia dont even exist. According to the entrance polls in the Nevada Democratic caucus, at least 5 of the voters in the Nevada Democratic caucus or asian, many of them filipinos, by the way. That did not get any mention. I think on msnbc they called asian people other [captioning made possible by democracy now ] asia people are the fastestgrowing immigrant population, the fastestgrowing racial group in the fastestgrowing undocumented population. In texas where part of super tuesday, there is about one million asian residents in texas alone, right . About 10 million latinos and about one million asians. But we are not at all part of the conversation. I was talking about this with a few asian journalists who are working in newsrooms who have to keep fighting saying, hey, should we be part of the polls . We should be part of the conversation. I am really sad to say, i started in journalism and 1999 in high school. There are less journalists of color now in american newsrooms than there were when i was starting in 1999. Democracy now is an exception to this. This is a diverse program. That is not the case and apparently many, many his rooms in the country. Amy your own story. Can you talk about when you came as if youocumented, look to prizewinning reporter at the Washington Post . I prepared for the worst when i outed myself a must five years ago now. I was not sure with the government was going to do. I surely did i prepare for perpetual limbo and i do not think i would be an entrepreneur, which is what i have been. I just started a Media Company called emergingus. Com. As long as im here, im not going to sell support from a mr. Trump the mr. Rubio and mr. Cruz. Theres not going to be any selfdeprecation. What is going to happen, we are going to have a more honest conversation about immigration and racism. Amy is interesting you say that because it was mitt romney who talked about self deportation and now he is attacking donald trump. I want to turn to your trailer for your new project emergingus. , a new chapter in American History has begun. The minority is becoming the majority. It is time to talk about us all of us. Help us tell americas story. Amy just a highlight of emergingus. Your final comments on in this president ial election year, what you feel is missing from the conversation, jose . What is missing is a more truthful conversation about where this country is going. Look, the country is only going to get gayer than only working people coming out, more asian, or latino, more black, right . And women will break every possible barrier there is an should be broken. What is at stake in this country in many ways is the soul of a lot of heterosexual white men. We are seeing in some ways kind of eight and eight happening. You see that in the donald trump campaign. David duke telling people, they should support donald trump a value racism. In california where i am right now, white americans are part of an emerging racial minority. We need to have a more honest conversation about race, immigration, and identity in this country. That is why we started emergingus. Com. Amy jose Antonio Vargas, i want to i hope people visit our site and i would like to figure out how to work with democracy now so we can get more honest reports out. Amy jose Antonio Vargas, look forward to that, pulitzer prizewinning journalist, founder and editor of emergingus. When we come back, we go to lee fang in San Francisco and then we will talk to a young woman who interrupted a private fundraiser for Hillary Clinton in charleston, South Carolina, the democratic primary takes place in South Carolina on saturday. Stay with us. [music break] amy nunca mas by la santa cecilia, performing here in the democracy now studio. The song is on their new album, buenaventura, which comes out today. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. Juan to you wrote an interesting piece in the New York Daily News about hearings on puerto rico, and issue that did not come up in the republican president ial primary debate, nor the democrats. Juan it has not come up in any of the debates but there were two hearings in the house of representatives, suffer committees yesterday, because speaker ryan has said set a march 31 deadline for a bill to be passed and house of representatives to address the financial crisis in puerto rico. So the two has committees immediately began to work this week, but the problem is, theres a huge divide between the democrats and republicans as to how to address the puerto rico crisis. Antonio weiss, the obama administrations point person in treasury testified that one house hearing and urged two major things that had to be done immediately on puerto rico. Congress passing super pac roxy to allow the territory to consolidate all of its debts and have universal settlement with all of the creditors in a restructuring deal him a something that virtually all of the republicans on the panel question as to whether that would create a huge crisis for the financial industry. And also whether that would mean other states would end up having to have the increased borrowing costs for their bonds as a result of puerto ricos default. The other big issue is, what kind of financial controls will the congress exercise over puerto rico in any kind of assistance that is given to the island . Urged, many republicans want direct financial control boards, Something Like what happened in detroit or what happened in washington, d. C. , where a group takes over financial control financial control board takes over the finances of an entity that is virtually bankrupt. But weiss reminded the congress that puerto rico is a selfgoverning territory and you cannot have the same kind of direct financial control over puerto rico that you would over a city. That is become another major issue. Im not sure any settlement will when thed, but weiss congress that puerto rico has another 400 Million Building may 1 and 2 billion in debt payment due july 1 and it cannot possibly pay those bills as well. The issue is, how quickly will congress act based on reince promise . We will see what happens in the future. Amy thank you for great reporting. Juan we continue our look at thursday nights Republican Debate the last one before the super tuesday primary. This is marco rubio attacking donald trump talking about the trade war. This clip begins with marco rubio. I dont understand because the ties and close you make are made in china, so youre going to be starting a trade war. They devalue their currency. You dont know a thing about business. Make them in america. Quick they devalue their currency. They do it to such an extent that our businesses cannot compete with them. Our workers lose their jobs will step you would not know anything because youre a lousy i dont know anything about bankrupting four companies. A fake university. A fake university. Wanted a time, mr. Trump. Theyre suing him now. 36,000 to go to a university that is a fake school. You know what they got . I want to move on. They did a very good job. Amy that is donald trump and senator marco rubio, the Republican Debate last night in houston, texas. Her more we go to San Francisco where we are joined by the man who follows the money, lee fang covering the intersection of money and politics. His recent pieces are headlines, and abuse on. Illary clinton lets start with we just heard. Trump university. Lee fang, what you know about it . Thank you for having me. The big take away from the debate last night, marco rubio and ted cruz came in swinging and for the very first time in a republican primary, we saw a lot of those hits land on trump and trump thing rattled. I thought what was interesting, the one you just played, marco rubio bringing up a lot of trumps hypocrisy when it comes to immigrant labor compared to his rhetoric on the campaign trail. And the topic of Trump University, which i think is very telling. Trump founded this forprofit School CalledTrump University and promised the people who paid between 5,000 and i believe up to 50,000, they could enroll in this school, meet donald trump, learn the exclusive Real Estate Investing tips and become rich from attending the school. It turns out for multiple investigations and lawsuits that people who paid the fee to enroll, they went to these schools, they were not taught by experts. In fact, they were taught by amateurs, the tips they learned were mostly publicly available information that you could find on the internet. Instead of meeting mr. Trump, people who enrolled in the school were told they could take a picture with a cardboard cutout. The attorney general of new york has investigated this school. Theres a big civil lawsuit that actually could force trump to take time away from the campaign on the standtify about this issue. It is a big scandal and i think it really speaks to who trump is as a person. Previous reporting has shown most of the people who enrolled in the school were low income, hoping for their nests next break. It shows trumps contempt for workingclass people that he would scam people in this way. Juan you have indicated in some of your writing, the republican elite is furious at the rise of trump, but not for the reasons we went think. His antiimmigrant comments, is racism. But more for his liberal positions on a variety of issues that are key to the republican dogma. That is the interesting part of this debate. Republican elite as it were, the big donors, the political leaders, they hate trump i think in large part because they cannot control him and because trump has taken a leftwing position on a whole range of issues. In some cases, taking more leftwing positions than many in the Democratic Party. He wants to renegotiate a lot of these big trade tilde after the Democratic Party has endorsed ,he tpp or going back to nafta trump has promised to take on pharmaceutical companies promising to have medicare negotiate for lower drug prices. On a whole range of issues, trump thomases to bully big corporations. And to be a neutral arbiter on things like digital palestine. That is kind of the fascinating part of this election to me that this he is part of appeal that he is a self funder, but also is uniquely outside of the republican donor class, and that special interest cannot control him and force him to be on these orthodox republican issues. Amy i want to ask about your on Hillary Clinton. This is a clip of one of those pundits, Stephanie Cutter, who appeared multiple networks discussing Hillary Clinton, usually introduced as a former Campaign Official for president barack obama. But you revealed the firm she cofounded called decision strategies was retained by the Clinton Campaign for digital consulting. Can you set up this piece for us that we are about to play from meet the press . Certainly. We looked at a number of pundits who appear on television go on cable and network news, and theyre introduced as neutral Campaign Experts come upon its, and they give commentary on the president ial campaign saying hillary is doing well in the debates, has a strong campaign, on the path to victory. But in many cases, these pundits have not been disclosed that they have financial ties to the Hillary Campaign working either directly for the hillary for America Campaign or paid by the Hillary Super pacs. Amy this is a clip from nbcs meet the press. I think every clinton has done everything right. She has run a good campaign. She has outperformed in debates. She has raised money. But was she cannot control is this string of anger that is connecting both parties right now, what has given rise to trump and what has given rise i agree with stephanie republicans have not figured out the rise of Bernie Sanders. It struck me when i was watching the two interviews, he has this sense of anger and injustice and talkingonomy about advanced manufacturing. Theres a difference when youre two weeks out from amy that is Stephanie Cutter being interviewed on meet the press by chuck todd. Lee fang, explain what we dont know when we hear her speak and she is introduced. On meet the press was introduced as a former obama Campaign Official, Democratic Campaign expert. But was not disclosed was that the firm she cofounded, decision strategies, has been retained for consulting work by the Hillary Campaign throughout last year, including the time that she came on meet the press to discuss the campaign and the state of the race. This is just one of many examples. For example, we analyzed transcripts for 50 different segments in which cnn had one of their contributors, maria discuat was not disclosed is tt her lobbying firm has multiple financial ties to the Hillary Clinton campaign, retained by both of the big proHillary Super pacs. Maria is a Campaign Contributor to the Hillary Campaign. She is also a superdelegate that has pledged her support to the Hillary Campaign. Virtually all of these cnn segments, maria has been asked to come onto the year, she has praised the lord campaign represented as an objective pundit who is just there to discuss the state of the race. Amy we willing to your pieces, lee fang, thank you for being with us, investigative journalist at the intercept. When we come back from break, a young woman who interrupted Hillary Clintons private fundraiser this week in charleston, South Carolina. Stay with us. [music break] amy this is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. Juan democrats will also go to the polls on super tuesday am a but before that, the South Carolina democratic primary takes place tomorrow. President ial candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have been campaigning in the state, and on wednesday, a black lives matter activist interrupted democratic president ial candidate clinton during a private fundraiser in charleston. During the event, Ashley Williams held a banner reading, we have to bring them to heel a reference to controversial statements clinton made in 1996 about some youth, whom she called, superpredators. Williams then confronted clinton, saying, i am not a super predator. Im not a predator. Can i talk and then maybe you can listen to what i say . Issues ina lot of this campaign i know you called black people super predators in 1994. Please explain it to us. You owe black people an apology. [inaudible] if youll give me a chance to talk. Nobody has ever asked me before. Youre the first person to ask me and im happy to address it, be your the first person to ask me. Ok, back to the issues. Juan that was black lives matter activist Ashley Williams confronting Hillary Clinton at a private fundraiser wednesday night. She was then escorted away. Williams says a friend contributed 500 so she could attend the private event. The protest was in response to controversial comments that clinton made while speaking at Keene College in New Hampshire in 1996. The kinds of kids that are called super predators, no conscience, no empathy, we can talk about why they ended up that way, but first we have to bring them to heel. On thursday, clinton expressed amy regret for her choice of words. In a statement to the Washington Post, clinton wrote in that speech, i was talking about the impact Violent Crime and vicious drug cartels were having on communities across the country and the particular danger they posed to children and families. Looking back, i shouldnt have used those words, and i wouldnt use them today. Well, Ashley Williams question to clinton, and the candidates response has generated an online discussion about clintons changing stances over the years, using the hashtag which whichhillary. For more Ashley Williams herself , joins us from charlotte, north carolina. Welcome to democracy now describe what took place on wednesday. You went to charleston, South Carolina, was this a private home . Yes, this was someones private home, amy. Amy talk about what you did. So this was a highvalue fundraiser at someones private residence interest in, South Carolina. There was someone who kind of introduced hillary and talked about the ways in which she has shown up for Racial Justice for the state of South Carolina in the past in terms of the walter scott case and the charleston shooting. And then they talked about how she supported by the cameras in the state of South Carolina. Hillary began to speak. Soon after she began to speak, i interrupted her for the purpose of addressing her inconsistencies with her record. I wanted to know which Hillary Clinton kelly trust today . The healer clinton from 1994 . From 2008 . Or the one that allegedly shows up for Racial Justice that we know in 2016 . Im not sure we can trust her in the things that she is saying today. Juan actually, now that you have heard the response of the Washington Post, do you think theres been some recognition on her part or is this just a Public Relations attempt to dampen the impact of your protest . I would like to say that i think her response is insufficient and it does not really address my real concerns. She apologized specifically for her word choice and the words she chose to use, but i want her to apologize to black people for mass incarceration. I want her to apologize to the black communities and other communities of color for supporting the policies. Not just using specific words, but supporting this policies. That is what i want from her, and that is not something ive seen at this point. Amy ashley, what cut of response did you get from other people at the fundraiser or were you taken right out . People were saying i was trespassing. People were saying i was being rude. People were singer was being inappropriate. Juan was there any attempt by anyone in the Clinton Campaign to reach out to you afterwards at all . Not at all. Amy can you talk about what you want these candidates to address right now . Not only Hillary Clinton, but Bernie Sanders can also the republicans . Candidate toh address the inconsistencies that may exist with the record, especially in terms of policies that affect communities of color and black communities, and mass incarceration. But i want to say, amy, i think the voters have a responsibility as well. It is not just the candidates that need to reconcile the records for us or explain themselves to us, it is our job to look for these inconsistencies and the consistencies and to make an informed decision at the polls at some point. Amy Ashley Williams, thank you very much for being with us. Hillary clinton said youre the first person to raise this with her. What exactly was she saying and to that surprise you . Isi dont think what she saying is true. And i dont think im the first thisn to have asked her question. I think black communities and communities of color have been asking her these questions for 20 years, amy, and i also think she is had 20 years to answer these questions. At this point, like i said, we dont have any answers and we dont have an apology, which is what we really deserve. Amy Ashley Williams, likewise matter black lives activist the interrupted her clinton interesting, South Carolina, where the democratic president ial primary will take lace on saturday. Thank you for joining us. As we ended today show in seattle. Juan we ended today show in seattle with native American Writer gyasi ross. His recent article for Indian Country today Media Network is a few notes for native people , about the president ial elections neither democrat deserves our vote. Yet. Amy gyasi ross, welcome to democracy now candidates feel the must address when it comes to native americans in this country and your First Response to the republican president ial debate last night . Good morning. Thank you for having me. Regarding the republican president ial debate last night, you know, i grope watching wrestling. It was very, very interesting and very reminiscent of those nights, staying up late with my dad watching wrestling. And the level of testosterone, the level of big talk, the level of threats. It was ultimately very entertaining television. And ultimately, theres a blackfeet saying that says, lots of thunder, and no lightning. Alternately, it will not make much of a difference. Donald trump, after super tuesday, is going to run away with the republican field and they did not do too much to alter that narrative. It was definitely entertaining tv and i like to watch is very professional, very, very privileged men in suits fight and to lose all amounts of dignity. That was kind of cool to watch. Regarding the democratic candidate, i am obviously a Bernie Sanders supporter. Ive been a supporter for a long time. I do take heart in the fact he is from vermont, from a state that does not have any federally recognized indian tribes. And so for that, he is been on the right set of history, whether youre talking about the oak flats, the transfer of the oak flat site and trying to stop that transfer on behalf of some of the apache nation, or alternatively, the keystone xl pipeline. He is been on the right side of history a lot of times. However, it is going to take more than just general omnibus sort of slush fund positions on behalf of Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton and order to of thea Critical Mass native vote. Native people have been very clear that we want specific policy position, promises, and pledges on behalf of any of these candidates who are going to earn our vote. The early numbers to indicate that we have been supporting Bernie Sanders in iowa, a settlement was very much in favor of bernie according to the numbers at the caucus. Moreover in nevada, the various tribes there were very much in favor of Bernie Sanders. However, the unveiling of either partys position platforms on native communities, bernie has unveiled as of this week at the National Congress of American Indian midyear conference, they unveiled a pretty detailed platform. That is cool, but we want to see what the implementation of those ideas are going to be from either candidate. And to reassure that those candidates are going to in fact earn our vote instead of the way it has been in the past of taking those votes for granted. Juan i cant say i have watched every hour of all of the many debates that have occurred, but democratic and republican side, but those that i have watched i have been struck i the total absence of any questions or discussion of the situation of native americans in the country will stop but i want to go to florida senator marco rubio last night calling republicans the party of diversity. Ofthere are two descendents immigrants of cubans, and an African American. We are the diversity. Make, wed point would have to move past this idea that somehow the Hispanic Community only cares about immigration. It is important because we know and love people that have been impacted by it, but im pointedly the most powerful sentiment in the Hispanic Community as in every immigrant community is the burning desire to leave your children better off than yourself and you can only do that through free enterprise. That is what we stand for, not socialism like Bernie Sanders and increasingly, Hillary Clinton. Juan that was marco rubio looking around the stage and sang the Republican Party is the party of diversity. . Our response, gyasi ross to me that was a fascinating part of the debate. If you think about it, he is on some level correct. That is, there are teedo children of immigrants, and African American male standing on stage that was previously an Indian American male that was also in the primaries, and there was a white woman. And that is much more diversity, unfortunately, then the democratic folks have shown on their side during the primaries. However, that sounds cool. Thoser, there is positions that are espoused by ben carson are by marco rubio or ted cruz are generally not consistent or congruent with the hispanic population of the United States, nor of the africanamerican population of the United States. So while there has been a movement for the Republican Party to push those voices to the forefront and to show some diversity on the top end of the republican ticket, there has not been that corresponding invitation and willingness to have inclusiveness within the actual parameters of the Republican Party proper. Rubio is not incorrect in saying that, and i think it is important for people who consider themselves to be democrats to continue to push the Democratic Party to be more inclusive of our voices of people of colors voices, of womens voices, of transgender, lgbtq voices. However, it is important to know the same time and fairness of the Democratic Party has been more inviting and inclusive of our voices to the electorate body. Amy i want to ask you, gyasi ross, about donald trump and his relationship with casinos and casinos and native americans, if you could comment. Whats absolutely. Donald trump, i happen to be one of the folks he was called into question, his republican bona fides was called into question many times during the debate and many times to the campaign. I happen to believe that he is neither republican nor a democrat. He is a ultimately, hes going to do whatever is best for his bottom line into protective capitalist interest. If those things yesterday to protect those capitalist interests happens to be to attack native people and native spirit, nat entrepreneurial as he is done in the past, he will do that. If it happens to be working with native people, he will do that as well. At best, donald trump is a mercenary. I dont believe he is necessarily expressed his racist tendencies, that he does generally have, and relationship to native people, however, i do feel that he will throw us under the bus very quickly in exchange for some dollars. Amy looking at time from 2011, Donald Trumps goebbels dont always go as planned, especially when that gambling is going it so. Trump entertainment resorts file for bankruptcy protection for the third time in a row. We rare feat an american business. Congratulations, donald. , as we wrap up, what you think people around this country should understand about the participation of native americans in this election of 2016. I think what we are shown in the past few elections of what we are going to continue to show is that, our numbers are growing. Our willingness to participate, we have swung elections on a statewide level for national positions, you know, in regards to here in washington state, maria cantwell, in regards those particular legislators will say that very openly and have been open about our meeting the meaning of our votes to their elections. And we do have the power to impact asteroid elections as well. In nevada, have those precincts gone and Bernie Sanders, you know, actively courted the native vote, i suspect there might have been a different outcome because that was a very close election. The point is, although it seems like based upon my experience at Indian Country today Media Network and collecting data for that publication being an editor, that native people have largely supported Bernie Sanders in this campaign. I dont think anybody can take our vote for granted. I think it is when it take a concerted effort for democrats, who we historically vote for, to earn our vote as opposed to just assuming were going to give it site unseen as we have in the past. There is a Younger Generation that is very, very actively involved and very interested in the politics that say that you have to do something affirmatively, proactively, and progressively in order to turn the native vote. Amy gyasi ross, thank you for being with us, author of how to , say i love you in indian. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. We have three job openings. Visit democracynow. Org for more information. Democracy now is looking for feedback from people who appreciate the closed captioning. Email your comments to outreach democracynow. Org or mail them to democracy now p. O. Box 693 new york, new yo ciao. I am Nick Stellino. Today well make a couple of wonderful dishes. We will start with veal chops with port and gorgonzola sauce. And then ricotta cheesecake with coffee and chocolate. Please join me in the kitchen. [lively jazz music] spicy, just right. Male announcer cooking with Nick Stellino is made possible by domino foods, makers of c h sugar, pure cane sugar, and makers of domino sugar. Well always be your sugar. Male announcer Additional Support and appliances provided by electrolux,