NEWS ROUNDUP: Michelle Obama Will Not Run For Elected Office; Cops Spend Millions To Track Protesters On Social Media…AND MORE

Although many people are pushing for First Lady Michelle Obama to run for office in 2020, President Obama says it will never happen. During a recent interview with Rolling Stone, POTUS shared that after his term comes to an end, he and his wife will be involved in politics at a grassroots level. “Michelle will never run for office,” said President Obama. “She is as talented a person as I know. You can see the incredible resonance she has with the American people. But I joke that she’s too sensible to want to be in politics.” He also shared that once he’s out of office, he will focus on penning a book and cultivating his presidential center. “I’ll spend time in my first year out of office writing a book, and I’m gonna be organizing my presidential center, which is gonna be focused on precisely this issue of how do we train and empower the next generation of leadership,” he said. “How do we rethink our storytelling, the messaging and the use of technology and digital media, so that we can make a persuasive case across the country?” Read more.


Donald Trump Eyes Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke to Lead Homeland Security

As President-elect Donald Trump continues to shape his cabinet, several of his picks have been controversial. According to reports, Trump is considering bringing Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke on board to head the Department of Homeland Security. Clarke met with Trump in New York City this week. He is under scrutiny because of the alarming death rate at the Milwaukee County Jail. Since April, there have been four deaths at the facility. Amongst the dead was a newborn baby. The jail has a cap of 960 people and there have been a few deaths reported each year. “Questions certainly can be raised about the occurrence of these four recent deaths and the relationship to officer shortages … as well as the healthcare staffing vacancies and the adequacy of oversight of staff,” said Dr. Ronald Shanksy, who visited the facility. Clarke, who is African-American, has come under fire for making outlandish remarks about Black people. In the past, he has said that African-Americans are “lazy” and “morally bankrupt.” He also equated the Black Lives Matter movement to the KKK. Read more.


Report: Police Have Invested Millions into Tracking Protesters on Social Media

According to reports, police officials are investing millions of dollars into tracking activists and criminals on social media. The data, which was released by the Brennan Center for Justice, examined the spending habits of 151 law enforcement groups and discovered that $4.75 million was invested in buying user data from social media sites that include Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. “The numbers we have are massively understated,” says Faiza Patel, co-director of the Brennan Center for Justice’s liberty and national security program. “But it gives an indication of a phenomenon that is growing rapidly and flying under the radar.” The study shows that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the city of Los Angeles, and the Texas Department of Public Safety were amongst the law enforcement groups that spent the most money. Many people believe that these tactics are problematic since they are giving police officials the ability to target specific groups. The ACLU called out social media sites earlier this year for selling information to law enforcement groups. “Further steps are required if these companies are to live up to their principles and policies by protecting users of all backgrounds engaging in political and social discourse,” said the group in a statement. Read more.


A New Biopic About Prince is in the Works

A documentary that will chronicle the life of the late, legendary singer Prince is in the works. The film, titled Prince: R U Listening, will delve into the beginning of Prince’s career and will highlight his rise in the music industry. Notable musicians that were close to Prince will be featured in the film, including Sheila E, Dez Dickerson, Andre Cymone, Billy Idol, Bono, Mick Jagger, and Lenny Kravitz. The film will be produced by Michael John Kirk. Ascot Elite Entertainment Group has bought the rights to the documentary. Prince: R U Listening is slated to be released in 2017. Read more.


London Newspaper Accused of Copying Solange’s Album Cover

The Evening Standard, a London-based newspaper, is being accused of cultural appropriation. The publication featured a photo of a White woman donning the same hairstyle that songstress Solange wore on her A Seat At The Table album cover. When the image circulated around the web, many people took to social media to express their outrage. “Everyone involved in this can take several seats…and not at the table. @solangeknowles,” posted one user. “I gentrified it awayyy,” posted another user, putting a spin on her “Cranes in the Sky” lyrics. The newspaper is claiming that the image is from a “high fashion store” called Oasis. Read more.

SEE ALSO:

Obama Approvals At Highest Point In Four Years

Twitter Unanimously Agrees: Solange’s New Album Is An Instant Classic

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