Politicsnation. Tonights lead destination, georgia. All political roads are leading the states controversialeek. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor greene made good on her threat to challenge Mike Johnsons speakership yet begun. While Many Democrats followed through on their vow to join republicans in defeating that effort, but not every democrat was on board with saving the speakers skin. Atlanta congress wam Williams Joins me shortly. Meantime in atlanta, georgia governor mike kemp signed three new Voter Repression Bills into law ahead of the 2024 election, making it even harder for black and brown voters to exercise their right to vote. And theres anticipation mixed with controversy on the campus of Morehouse College where President Biden is due to deliver the Commencement Address this weekend. Hell be speaking to the student body deeply divided over to war in gaza as mass protests continue in colleges and universities across the country. All of that tonight plus were 100 days away from the Democratic National convention. Weve got chicago mayor Brandon Johnson standing by to talk about the preparations there. But joining me now, congresswoman Nikema Williams, democrat of georgia. Congresswoman, thank you for joining us tonight. Lets start with the speaker Fight On The Hill this week. 163 democrats joined republicans to shoot down congresswoman greenes motion to vacate speaker mike johnson, but you were not among them. Can you tell us why . Well, first, reverend al, thank you for having this conversation, because i want to be clear, i was not voting with Marjorie Taylor greene. My job is to represent the people of georgias fifth congressional district, and the very day that this motion was brought to the floor to table Mike Johnsons motion to vacate, he held a press conference, reverend al, and could not even affirm that he would accept the results of the 2024 election. So i could not in good faith representing this seat that was once held by john lewis, representing atlanta, georgia, steeped in our civils rights history and Voting Rights, i couldnt stand there and vote to save his speakership knowing that he could notch affirm he could accept the 2024 Election Results and was one of the architects of the plan to overturn the 2020 Election Results. Let me make it clear, youre saying that this was an the very same day of the vote he refused the same day, reverend al. Imagine that. Wow. Okay. There is no way i could vote to save his speakership. Not on that day and not on any day when he steps into that Office Every Day and is doing nothing to uplift the people that i represent right here in georgia. Let me go to this, civil and Voting Rights groups are preparing their response to georgias new voting law signed this week by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp making mass voter challenges in the state easier to pursue, limiting drop boxes and imposing stricter requirements for absentee and unhoused voters. Republican activists claim the legislation tamps down on voter fraud, but its detractors say its suppresses georgias black and brown voters. Some call it jim crow 2. 0. You condemned the legislation before it was signed, what needs to happen next . So, reverend al, we need to be clear that part of the legislation that brian kemp signed into law is in violation of the National Voter registration act which requires that you cant make these changes within 90 days of a federal election, and this law would give georgians the ability to challenge people on the roads within 45 days of an election. But brian kemp does not care. He is, no matter what he says publicly, he is quietly doing everything that donald trump wants him to do to get in the way of people casting their free and fair access to the ballot. And what we are seeing here in georgia is people are paying attention. Andrea young, who is the Executive Director of the aclu of georgia, her family is steeped in the civil rights movement. Her father was an ambassador, and she has already said that we will see the governor in court. They will be challenging this law, because you cannot just sit idly by while we have a governor in the state of georgia who is continuing to roll back the rights of voters in our state. We know who its impacting, and its black and brown voter, just as you said. I might add, andreas father was directly involved in the marches and other matters to get the Voting Rights act you referred to in 1965. Absolutely. We mentioned. Before me. Absolutely. We mentioned President Bidens upcoming Commencement Address at morehouse. The white house is reportedly anticipating possible demonstrations with some students and faculty opposing the visit. The New York Times reports that while the gaza war has been a hot topic on hbcu campuses, there have been far fewer protests and demonstrations at hbcu campuses than weve seen at other institutions. Your thoughts on that, congresswoman . Reverend, al, im a Third Generation hbcu alum, and what i know is our campuses are steeped in activism and nonviolent peaceful protest. And thats whey expect for anyone seeking to engage in protest at the Atlanta University center, at Morehouse College. We welcome visitors to our campuses. Our students are not a monolith. So we have people coming in with all sorts of thoughts and viewpoints. Harmon cane is a morehouse alum, and so that shows you the vast array of where the students fall when we walk on to our college campuses. But students have a right to peacefully protest, and i will always stand by their right to do that. But also i know that we have a lot of students who are ready and willing to welcome the president to campus. Its a great honor to have a sitting president of the United States to address your student body as a commencement speaker, and we get to see that right here in atlanta. And President Biden will spend time with these students talking about the achievements that they have had for the last four years that have resulted in them graduating from Morehouse College. So i would expect nothing less than people showing their pride and having the president speak at their institution for commencement but also those who want to engage in peaceful protests, i stand by them and such port their decision to do so. New data from the Association Of American Medical Colleges has found that since the fall of roe and the institution of georgias sixweek abortion ban, the state has attracted fewer medical residents. A nearly 10 decrease across all specialties from 2023 to 2024, which tracks with decreases in other states with postroe Abortion Bans. The u. S. Is already wrestling with a nationwide doctor shortage, which georgias trying to cope with. Now theres this data. Whats your reaction . Reverend, al, i live in a state right now where over half of our counties already dont have an obgyn, and what were looking at is one of the worst Maternal Mortality crises weve ever seen in this country. What were seeing is more black women die within one year of childbirth in georgia than they do in third world countries. Three times likely to die from preg schiff related complications than our white counterparts. This is unacceptable. These are things that our Republican Leadership here in gha and across the country have put into law with these Abortion Bans where theyre restricting our reproductive freedoms and we have Policy Choices on the ballot. We are seeing states like florida who have abortion on the ballot this election cycle. We can show up to the poll, voice our concerns, and elect leaders like President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris who are willing to stand on the side of the majority of american who is think that roe v. Wade should be the law of the land. So we are using this opportunity to remind people of who is standing for them and that is on the ballot in november here in georgia and florida and all across this country because make no mistake, if donald trump wins this election, he will institute a federal abortion ban across the country, and thats unacceptable. All right, thank you, congresswoman Nikema Williams from georgia. From georgia to illinois, joining me now is the mayor of chicago, mayor Brandon Johnson. Mayor johnson, thank you for joining us. Thanks for having me back, reverend sharpton. Always good to have you. In 100 days, your city, chicago, will host the Democratic National convention. Some democrats are reportedly concerned about the possibilities of demonstrations inside and outside the event. Events that might echo protests at the Democratic Convention in chicago in 1968 when antiwar protesters clashed violently with police who employed brutal tactics to suppress them. You have said that chicagos a different city and that youre a different mayor and the Police Department is in a much different place. Then that was that was then, now is now. Are you confident the convention will take place successfully and safely . I am. My vision, reverend sharpton, for this convention is to ensure that we have a peaceful but yet energetic and Vibrant Convention. Confident that City Of Chicago will showcase this beauty and, of course, the soul, the soul of chicago is one that is very much tethered to a story, the past. This is a city that said yes, we can. This is the city that said keep hope alive, and im very much confident that were going to have a peaceful, safe, Vibrant Convention thats going to compel President Joe Biden and Vice PresidentKamala Harris back to the white house to continue to serve the people of this country. Now, we followed weeks of protests on college campuses, including chicago, where at Northwestern University students and administrators were able to reach an agreement to voluntarily suspend demonstrations. What is the current status of protests on campuses in chicago . Also considering that it is now commencement season. Well, as you know, reverend al, the, you know, the City Of Chicago has a long history in demonstrations as well as protests. And if there was any mayor that would understand the value of protests and demonstrations, itd certainly be demonstrations and protests challenging the government to fight on behalf of the people of not just this city but the country, whether its for Public Education, public transportation, healthcare. As youve seen earlier, we do have a number of our universities that are working and demonstrating a great deal of care for these students as well as these individuals who are pushing for the government to be responsive to their demands. You know, i made it very clear, particularly in the case of the University Of Chicago that their local Police Department, their campus Police Department, our Police Department did not support that plan. In fact, we are working with campuses all over to City Of Chicago to ensure, again, peaceful demonstrations. But also making sure that were protecting the First Amendment right. Its a fundamental value of this country, and as long as we are committed to protecting free speech but also doing it a safe way, that is the battle stick we are waving here in chicago. But again, what im very confident in is that working with the local Police Department, the secret service, as well as other local law enforcement, were going to ensure that the people who will descend on the greatest city in the world, that theyll see, again, the soul of chicago, which really embodies the full spirit of what the Biden Harris Administration has been about, protecting womens rights, protecting reproductive right, fighting to make sure people have an opportunity to receive education without going into extreme debt. Thats what ive done over the course of my first year in office. Very much aligned with the president of the United States. I know myself from recollection, i was 13 years old when they had the Democratic Convention in chicago and but i remember i was already involved in civil rights and it is a lot different between the mayor then and mayor Brandon Johnson now. Ill just leave it there. People can read into that what they want. But let me go to this. You this week, you met with illinois governor j. B. Pritzker along with other State Lawmakers at the State Capitol of springfield to discuss the city budget. Among the top issue, funding for school, public safety, and a debate over a proposed new stadium for the Chicago Bears. What are your Spending Priorities for the city and where do the negotiations over to budget stand at this point . Yeah, well our spending has been, quite frankly, a very balanced approach. I passed my first budget of, a 16. 7 billion budget, without raising property taxes. Previous administrations had balanced the budget off the backs of working people. We didnt to that. Over a million workers will get double the amount of time off. Which is much needed. We aboll ired the u Subminimum Wage tip workers. As you know, one of the staunch vestiges of slavery, where most of the workers are women, women of color, 100,000 workers will receive a raise as a result of us abolishing this tip wage operation. Weve also invested over a quarter of A Billion Dollars into the unhoused, 100 million for prevention. Over 1 million to build homes and create economic development. With that being said, springfield has an opportunity to fund our Public School system at the rate at which its promised to do. I fought for a Funding Formula that would base our Public Education spending on needs and not just on a per people basis. Springfield agrees with it. The City Of Chicago was owed 1. 1 billion conservatively so that we could make sure that every single child has access to a library, librarian, school counselor, psychiatrists, class sizes that are managed. You know, you mentioned your work, civil rights, theres a long history in the City Of Chicago fighting for equity and justice. Dr. King invited to come to chicago on the west side to fight for housing. He was a Public School teacher teaching social studies just like myself. So youre seeing this full circle of our ancestors fighting for a better, stronger, safer chicago, particularly in some of these public accommodations. Were just simply demanding that springfield do their part and actually fund our education system. Again, webso im moving the City Of Chicago closer towards the Direction Offingty and justice, and we need our partners at springfield to step up and provide the necessary funding to do that. Yeah, when you talk about civil rights and chicago and al rabey, as you know, i was mentored by reverend Jesse Jackson of chicago, but let me ask you this, i remember going to a nonpartisan Get Out The Vote rally in chicago on the west side where you live, reverend Marshall Hatch and ira ackri and the Leadership Network had the rally, and you were the only candidate that showed up and rocked the crowd. So as i look at the calendar, next wednesday, the 15th of may, is your Fi