Federal prosecutors on Wednesday charged former Cuban President Raúl Castro with ordering the 1996 shootdown of civilian planes operated by Miami-based exiles, a major escalation of pressure by the Trump administration on the socialist government.

Rep. Mike Collins and Derek Dooley will compete for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in a June 16 runoff, as neither received at least 50% of the vote in Tuesday’s primary to win outright.

Voting will conclude in the swing state of Georgia in competitive primaries for governor and a U.S. Senate seat that could decide control of the closely divided chamber.

Democrats running for governor in Georgia are scrambling for attention and cash.

Republicans have had some setbacks this election year, with recent Democratic wins Wisconsin and Georgia.

Democrats are pushing new tax-cut plans to ease voters’ affordability worries and blunt Republicans’ advantage on the issue.

Burt Jones is Georgia's lieutenant governor and he seemed to have a clear path to be the Republican nominee for governor this year with President Donald Trump's endorsement, But then health care tycoon Rick Jackson got into the race in February and he's already spent more than $30 million of his own money on television campaign ads.

Georgia’s races for governor and U.S. Senate are taking shape as candidates qualify and begin their sprint to the May 19 party primaries.

Georgia's Geoff Duncan was once a conservative Republican.

Democratic governors who met over the weekend in Arizona say the party must focus on affordability in next year's midterm elections.

Keisha Lance Bottoms is bidding to become the first former Atlanta mayor to be elected governor of Georgia.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is running for reelection against three lesser-known candidates, arguing that the city has seen major improvements during his first term in office.

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she won't run for governor in Georgia.

Georgia U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath says she’s suspending her exploratory 2026 bid for governor, casting uncertainty on the Democratic field.

Georgia U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath has filed paperwork to raise money for a run for governor in 2026, becoming the first Democrat to take that step.

President Donald Trump has defended his decision to pardon people convicted of assaulting police officers during the attack on the Capitol and suggests there could be a place in U.S. politics for the Proud Boys extremist group, quickly evoking some of the controversies of his first term.

President Joe Biden has appointed a former Columbia, South Carolina, mayor to be a top White House adviser.

President Joe Biden has made a historical pilgrimage to what he calls “America’s freedom church” to mark Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

During the 2022 midterm campaign, President Joe Biden steered clear of Georgia as Sen. Raphael Warnock, like other battleground-state Democrats, sought to distance himself from the White House amid an inflationary economy and the president’s lagging approval ratings.

Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, says he's pained by a rise in antisemitism in the United States.

The White House says Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, will host Jewish leaders for a discussion about a rise in antisemitism and efforts to fight hate in the United States.

The White House is reaching out to local governments.

Mayor Muriel Bowser cruised to reelection in the nation’s capital four years ago without serious opposition.

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is joining the White House as a senior adviser to President Joe Biden.

There’s a problem with putting someone on a pedestal: Exposed on all sides, a hero to some can be seen as a traitor to others.

The official seal of the City of Atlanta shows a phoenix rising from the ashes of the Civil War.

City Council member Andre Dickens has won the runoff to become Atlanta’s next mayor.

President Joe Biden is framing the Virginia governor’s race as a repudiation of his predecessor, tying the Republican candidate to former President Donald Trump.

Former President Barack Obama has offered a sharp rebuke of the Republican candidate for Virginia governor while campaigning for the Democrat in the closely contested race.

Vice President Kamala Harris has traveled to the Washington suburbs to campaign for Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe in a Virginia governor’s race that she acknowledges looks closer than once expected.

Polls have consistently shown Democrat Terry McAuliffe with the overwhelming support of Black Virginians in the gubernatorial race.

Voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams was in Norfolk, Virginia, on Sunday to urge Black churchgoers to turn out for Democrat Terry McAuliffe in next month’s Virginia governor’s election.

Atlanta mayoral candidates are talking about affordable housing, hoping to stave off a secession movement in a wealthy neighborhood and trading increasingly pointed jabs.

Atlanta's mayor says the “monster" who stabbed a woman to death and also killed her dog in a popular Atlanta park must be taken off the streets.

The Biden administration has convened the first meeting of its community violence intervention collaborative, a group of mayors and administration officials that will share best practices and work closely with the federal government to reduce gun violence.

Brian Kemp often tells supporters to “keep choppin’ wood,” his way of urging a calm, deliberate approach — even in politics.

Attorneys say two students pulled from their car and hit with stun guns by Atlanta police while they were stuck in traffic caused by protests over George Floyd’s death have sued the city.

Former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has filed paperwork to enter the race for his old job four years after he left City Hall.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms confirmed Friday that she will not seek a second term, an election-year surprise that marks a sharp turnabout for the city’s second Black woman executive.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has announced she will not seek a second term, an election-year surprise that marks a sharp turnabout for the city’s second Black woman executive.

The firing of the former Atlanta police officer who’s charged with murder in the shooting death of Rayshard Brooks has been reversed.

Along with writing books, podcasts have become a family project for the Clintons.

President Joe Biden speaks after meeting with leaders from Georgia's Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, Friday, March 19, 2021, at Emory University in Atlanta, as Vice President Kamala Harris listens. We cannot be complicit.”“They’ve been attacked, blamed, scapegoated and harassed; they’ve been verbally assaulted, physically assaulted, killed," Biden said of Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. But Biden and Harris instead spent much of their visit consoling a community whose growing voting power helped secure their victory in Georgia and beyond. As the fastest-growing racial demographic in the U.S. electorate, Asian Americans are gaining political influence across the country. The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, typically dominated by Democrats, has its largest roster ever, including Asian American and Pacific Islander members and others who represent significant numbers of Asian Americans.

(AP Photo/Candice Choi)ATLANTA – Two Atlanta area massage businesses where a gunman waged a deadly assault this week had been repeatedly targeted in police prostitution investigations over the years, raising questions about the mayor's earlier comments that the spas operated legally. Seven of the victims were women — six of Asian descent — and the gunman targeted the massage businesses despite a strip club and lingerie stores nearby. Police records released by the city Friday show 10 people were arrested at the two Atlanta massage businesses on prostitution charges, but none since 2013. Four people were killed and a fifth wounded at Youngs Asian Massage near Woodstock, in Atlanta’s northwestern suburbs. It was updated on March 20, 2021 to correct that there were 10 prostitution-related arrests at the two Atlanta businesses, and police were called to them repeatedly.

(AP Photo/Jim Mone)The voters have spoken: They wanted LeBron James of the reigning champion Los Angeles Lakers to be an All-Star captain, again. James and Durant were revealed Thursday as the leading fan votegetters in the Western and Eastern Conferences for the All-Star Game, meaning they’ll be captains for the matchup in Atlanta on March 7. James will start for the 17th time, extending his record, and Durant is an All-Star for the 11th time. James — the leading overall votegetter this year, with more than 5.9 million votes from fans — and Durant will then pick their teams, with the rosters for Team LeBron and Team Durant to be revealed March 4. The game has been criticized by some of the league’s top players, James included, who voiced concerns about having it during a pandemic.

Meanwhile, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms — whose city was picked to play host to the NBA All-Star Game and skills competitions on March 7 — raised major concerns about the notion of fans coming to the city for the events. Their games have been halted because they were the last team to play the Spurs, losing to them on Sunday. AdThe NBA does not reveal which players tested positive, but its announcement of the latest postponements said the Spurs had positive tests among players — and did not mention coaches. “Under normal circumstances, we would be extremely grateful for the opportunity to host the NBA All-Star game, but this is not a typical year," Bottoms said. “I have shared my concerns related to public health and safety with the NBA and Atlanta Hawks.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan joined leaders across to country Friday morning to meet with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House. It was a part of a group to discuss the American Rescue Plan, a nearly $2 trillion economic stimulus plan. The hope is that Congress can get something finished in March, but there is a lot to do. AdIn addition to expediting vaccine supply, Biden said he aims to help states with unemployment benefits and reopening schools. The White House will be holding a press conference to cover the meeting at 1:30 p.m.

Harrison, the longtime Democratic Party official, is President-elect Joe Bidens choice to lead the national party, according to multiple party officials. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro, File)COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Democratic National Committee is set to formally elect Jaime Harrison of South Carolina as chairman on Thursday, signifying an early alignment between newly inaugurated President Joe Biden and state party leaders around the country. Harrison was a key liaison with state party leaders with whom Perez sometimes had rocky relationships. Harrison, 44, comes into the job with overwhelming support from state party leaders, making his elevation a sign of relative unity in a party organization often beset by infighting among state leaders and Washington power players. Some party leaders, including Clyburn, have also argued a more diverse state like South Carolina should be first to vote.

Harrison, the longtime Democratic Party official, is President-elect Joe Bidens choice to lead the national party, according to multiple party officials. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro, File)COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Democratic National Committee elected Jaime Harrison of South Carolina as chair on Thursday, signifying an early alignment between newly inaugurated President Joe Biden and state party leaders around the country. Harrison was a key liaison with state party leaders with whom Perez sometimes had rocky relationships. Harrison, 44, comes into the job with overwhelming support from state party leaders, making his elevation a sign of relative unity in a party organization often beset by infighting among state leaders and Washington power players. Thursday's meeting also included a video tribute to Don Fowler, a former national party chair and mainstay of South Carolina politics, who died last month at age 85.

Richmond, who is set to resign from Congress to join the incoming Biden administration as a senior adviser, tested positive on Thursday, Dec. 17, for the coronavirus, according to the Biden transition. – One of President-elect Joe Biden’s closest advisers tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, according to his transition team. Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond, who is set to resign from Congress to join the incoming Biden administration as a senior adviser, tested positive two days after traveling to Atlanta to attend a campaign rally that Biden headlined for Democratic Senate candidates Jon Ossoff and the Rev. Raphael Warnock, Biden transition spokesperson Kate Bedingfield said in a statement. Bedingfield said Richmond was not in close contact with Biden, Ossoff or Warnock, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

She soundly defeated Tipton, a co-chair of President Donald Trump’s Colorado reelection campaign, in the Republican primary in June. Republican state Sen. Stephanie Bice earned a reputation as a political moderate in her two terms in the Oklahoma Senate. ___11:20 p.m. TuesdayRepublican Maria Elvira Salazar has defeated Democrat Donna Shalala for a House seat in Florida. Republican Ronny Jackson has won a House seat in West Texas, where he moved after leaving the White House in 2018. The solidly Republican district is currently held by Mac Thornberry, one of six GOP congressmen in Texas retiring this year.

Masks are required at some polling places around the country and strongly encouraged in most others as a basic precaution to help keep poll works and others safe from the fast-spreading coronavirus. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)America's fight over masks has reached a new front: polling places. Wendy Weiser, director of the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice, said governments should be able to require masks at polling places during the coronavirus pandemic. With Election Day looming, most places have settled on a strategy of strongly encouraging voters to wear masks. “I would have been more inclined to work if they had a mask mandate.”Virginia Elections Commissioner Chris Piper said voters who walk into polling places without wearing face coverings will be offered masks by poll workers.

NEW YORK – Grammy-winning rapper and social-political activist Killer Mike will receive the first Billboard Change Maker Award at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards. Atlanta-born Killer Mike first made waves in music with his appearance on Outkast's 2000 album, “Stankonia." But Killer Mike has made noise outside of music, too. Last year he hosted Netflix's “Trigger Warning with Killer Mike," a 2019 documentary series about issues affected the Black community. The Billboard Change Maker Award will be presented by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms at the African American Panoramic Experience Museum in Atlanta.

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)LAS VEGAS Democratic Party luminaries, rising stars, former presidents and presidential contenders have been making a pitch for Joe Biden over three days of an atypical convention. Biden will speak Thursday night from Wilmington, Delaware, as he closes out the fourth night of the all-virtual Democratic National Convention, starting at 9 p.m. The 78-year-old moderate and former Republican being given a spot to help to close out the Democratic convention is striking. The convention is also available to watch on Twitch, Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV. A celebrity-studded afterparty hosted by Andy Cohen is scheduled to be shown immediately after Bidens speech on the official livestream.

The Democratic National Convention, which formally begins Monday, is not a convention in the traditional sense. Along the way, Biden's party will make history by unveiling the nation's first Black vice presidential nominee, Kamala Harris. Im glad that John and other moderate-type Republicans understand that it is wrong to be supporting Trump, Sanders told The Associated Press. Al Sharpton, a civil rights activist, predicted next week's convention would lack excitement. He said it likely doesn't matter, however, especially as Trump and his party prepare for their convention the following week. As excited as I am about Kamala Harris, the best weapon Democrats have is Donald Trump, Sharpton said.

FILE - In this Nov. 8, 2019, file photo, then-Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., reacts as she speaks at a town hall event at the Culinary Workers Union in Las Vegas. Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden has chosen Harris as his running mate. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

Whitmer sent word to Bidens team that while she was flattered, she no longer wanted to be considered for the running mate slot, according to a high-ranking Democrat familiar with the process. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Florida Rep. Val Demings impressed Bidens team with their leadership during the police brutality protests. The public disclosure of Dodds comments angered some of the highest-ranking women on Bidens campaign team. Eleni Kounalakis, who organized a call with Bidens vetting team about two weeks ago to assuage any doubts about whether the senator was the right choice for the ticket. The call ended with Bidens vetting team telling the Harris supporters that they had all recommended her as one of the top candidates for the job.

Whitmer sent word to Bidens team that while she was flattered, she no longer wanted to be considered for the running mate slot, according to a high-ranking Democrat familiar with the process. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Florida Rep. Val Demings impressed Bidens team with their leadership during the police brutality protests. The public disclosure of Dodds comments angered some of the highest-ranking women on Bidens campaign team. Eleni Kounalakis, who organized a call with Bidens vetting team about two weeks ago to assuage any doubts about whether the senator was the right choice for the ticket. The call ended with Bidens vetting team telling the Harris supporters that they had all recommended her as one of the top candidates for the job.

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden has chosen Harris as his running mate. In choosing Harris, Biden embraced a former rival from the Democratic primary who is familiar with the unique rigor of a national campaign. A woman has never served as president or vice president in the United States. Harris launched her presidential campaign in early 2019 with the slogan Kamala Harris For the People, a reference to her courtroom work. Some Biden confidants said Harris debate attack did irritate the former vice president, who had a friendly relationship with her.

Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., right, as they arrive at the House Democratic Issues Conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Who's setting the stage for Biden's decision:THE CO-CHAIRSLISA BLUNT ROCHESTER: The Delaware congresswoman connects the vetting team to Biden's home state. After leaving the Obama White House, Hogan served in executive positions for the National Football League and for Apple. She left the tech giant shortly after being named to Bidens search committee. Remus is married to Brett Holmgren, a special assistant and national security aide in the Obama White House.

Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., right, as they arrive at the House Democratic Issues Conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. After leaving the Obama White House, Hogan served in executive positions for the National Football League and for Apple. She left the tech giant shortly after being named to Bidens search committee. Extending the ties, Bauer is married to Anita Dunn, Bidens senior adviser who was one of Obamas White House communications directors. Remus is married to Brett Holmgren, a special assistant and national security aide in the Obama White House.

Brian Kemp earlier this month sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the City Council. The Republican governor argues local leaders cannot impose measures that are more or less restrictive than those in his executive orders. Bottoms office did not immediately have a comment late Monday night on the governor's plan to withdraw the request for a hearing. The order also suspends any local laws or rules that are more restrictive than his order, including local rules or ordinances requiring people to wear masks, even on public property or in public buildings. In the absence of state leadership on this issue, local governments have stepped in to protect their citizens, the citys filing says.

FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2010, file photo Vice President Joe Biden, center, and Susan Rice, the U.S. The 55-year-old has a long pedigree in foreign policy, but has never held elected office. She has also been a lightning rod for criticism from Republicans, who contend she put politics ahead of national security. 2 who could shoulder much of the early workload on foreign policy while Biden focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and reviving the economy. His entire theory of politics is personal relationships, Ben Rhodes, who served as Obamas deputy national security adviser, said of Biden.

Democratic officials are moving toward a 2020 platform that promises universal access to health care, an overhaul to the U.S. criminal justice system and sharp reductions in carbon pollution driving the climate crisis, but it stops short of many goals pursued by the party's left flank. An 80-page draft platform obtained Tuesday evening by The Associated Press presents a broadly liberal program for the country. Convention delegates will vote on the platform by mail ballot ahead of the party's nearly all-virtual convention set to begin Aug. 17. Still, the draft as written has key marks of Biden's victory, chiefly on health care and climate issues. The draft calls for rejoining international alliances of nations agreeing to sharp reductions in carbon pollution.

WASHINGTON Democrat Joe Biden said Monday that he is getting extensive briefings from lawyers vetting candidates for vice president and plans to have personal discussions with his final choices for running mate. The presumptive presidential nominee said on MSNBCs The ReidOut that he is getting a "two-hour vetting report" on his VP contenders. Biden has been under some pressure to choose a Black woman as his vice presidential candidate in a nod to the constituency's role as the most dependable Democratic base of voters. He would not commit Monday to selecting a Black woman when asked on MSNBC, saying only, "I am not committed to naming any but the people I have named, and among them there are four Black women. So, that decision is underway right now.Among the Black women Biden is believed to be considering are California Sen. Kamala Harris, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Florida Rep. Val Demings, California Rep. Karen Bass and former Obama administration official Susan Rice.

FILE - In this Sunday March 4, 2007, file photo, from left, Brown Chapel AME Church Pastor James Jackson, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, and Rev. Two years later, Lewis helped lead the Bloody Sunday voting rights march intended to go from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Saddened to hear the news of civil rights hero John Lewis passing, Trump tweeted. The measure would restore federal oversight of state elections, after the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated much of the 1965 Voting Rights Act in 2013. Harris, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and others urged McConnell to allow a vote, and several said it should be given a new name: the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

Across the U.S., state and local officials are trying to balance the competing priorities of protecting their citizens from the coronavirus while keeping the economy running. President Donald Trump also visited Atlanta on Wednesday, arriving at the airport without a face mask. Edwards' initially had resisted a statewide mask order, but changed his mind as case numbers began rising rapidly in Louisiana. Yale University law professor David Schleicher says in cases like Georgias, where it is the state versus local government, the state almost always wins. Thats not to say it is absolute.Schleicher pointed to Wisconsin where the state Supreme Court voted in May to strike down Democratic Gov.

(Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)ATLANTA Mayors in Atlanta and other Georgia cities deepened their defiance of Gov. He went so far as to say local governments couldn't order masks on their own property, which would include Atlanta's airport. Kemp's stance not only shying away from a statewide order but trying to bar local governments from instituting their own leaves him standing virtually alone. In the South, Republican governors in Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida have resisted calls for a statewide mask mandate but allow local jurisdictions to implement them. Republican governors in Alabama and Texas and Democrats in Kentucky, Louisiana and North Carolina have issued statewide mask requirements.

Still reeling from the coronavirus pandemic and street protests over the police killing of Floyd, exhausted cities around the nation are facing yet another challenge: A surge in recent shootings has left dozens dead, including young children. The recent spasm of violence was captured in a New York Post headline about a crime-ravaged city crying out for help. Davon was murdered after a string of BLM (Black Lives Matter) violence on the Fourth of July," it read. Seventeen people were fatally shot in Chicago and 70 wounded, one of the bloodiest holiday weekends in memory there. Of all the things they are likely to be worried about, COVID is way down the list.___Long reported from Washington.

File- In this Wednesday, June 17, 2020 file photo, Nikita Gleen, raises his hand towards the sky near a Wendy's restaurant, in Atlanta. The Guard troops will provide support at sites including the Capitol and governors mansion, freeing up state law enforcement resources to patrol other areas, according to a statement from Kemp's office. There was no visible presence of Guard troops at either site Tuesday morning. His choice to deploy National Guard troops for todays selfish purpose is outrageous and will endanger lives, she said in a statement. It happened near the Wendys restaurant where a Black man, Rayshard Brooks, was killed by a white police officer June 12.

ATLANTA Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced Monday that she had tested positive for COVID-19. I have had NO symptoms and have tested positive," Bottoms, a potential Democratic vice presidential candidate, tweeted. Brian Kemp on his slowness to order Georgians to shelter in place and his quickness to lift that order. The former vice president has been considering Bottoms as his possible vice presidential running mate in his own presidential bid. Bottoms has supported protests against police brutality and racial injustice that have been widespread in Atlanta, urging protesters to get tested for the virus.

LOS ANGELES Rapper 21 Savage will be launching a free online financial literacy education program for youth sheltered at home during the coronavirus pandemic. His efforts will include a partnership with Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to provide free WiFi and tablets for underserved students in the city. 21 Savage said he wants to empower youth to manage their money. The rapper launched his Bank Account program in 2018 to teach financial literacy to teenage students across the United States. It was updated on July 2, 2020 to fix a reference to the recipients of the program.

LOS ANGELES Rapper 21 Savage will be launching a free online financial literacy education program for youth sheltered at home during the coronavirus pandemic. His efforts will include a partnership with Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to provide free WiFi and tablets for undeserved students in the city. 21 Savage said he wants to empower youth to manage their money. His program will work with mobile banking service provider Chime and EverFi, an education technology platform. The rapper launched his Bank Account program in 2018 to teach financial literacy to teenage students across the United States.

FILE - In this June 16, 2020, file photo District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser wears a mask with the number 51 over a map of the District of Columbia during a news conference on D.C. statehood on Capitol Hill in Washington. Bowser must pull off a public juggling act as the city budget becomes a battleground for the country's debate on overhauling law enforcement. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

An activist collective led by Black Lives Matter is trying to capitalize on shifting public opinion, and the demands include major cuts in funding for the Metropolitan Police Department. Would you trust Mayor Bowser to keep Washington safe if she were given the powers of a governor? Bowser responded by renaming the protest epicenter, within sight of the White House, as Black Lives Matter Plaza. Were here in the streets because we already know we matter.April Goggans, a core organizer with Black Lives Matter DC, rejected Bowser's moves as taking advantage of national attention, and added, She would never even say the words Black Lives Matter until recently." Black Lives Matter is very critical of police.

Harris wouldn't comment on her vice presidential prospects, saying her top priority is for Biden to pick someone who will help defeat President Donald Trump. Brian Brokaw, who managed her 2010 campaign for attorney general, said its easier for Harris to be herself outside the scrutiny of a presidential campaign. We need people who are going to be in these offices that will be true champions for the causes of the oppressed, McBride said of Harris' vice presidential prospects. He suggested Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is white, would be a better vice presidential nominee. But DeJear, Harris' Iowa campaign chairwoman, said the vice presidency could provide an opportunity for Harris to drill down on reforming the criminal justice system.

Touting itself for decades as the city too busy to hate, Atlanta has had an unbroken succession of Black mayors since 1973. After hiring its first Black officers in 1948, the Atlanta Police Department is now 60% Black, higher even than the city's Black population of 52%. King's legacy was often evoked in promoting cooperation between the city's Black leaders and white business establishment, Hobson said. Thats what made me mad.She's among more than a dozen owners seeking help from Atlanta Black Owned Business Relief, a group started after the protests. Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry, an embodiment of Black prosperity in Atlanta, is helping pay the bill.

But following the outrage over the police killing of George Floyd last month, many Democratic strategists say there's growing consensus that the pick should be a Black woman. Like it or not, I think the question is starting to become, Well, why not a Black woman? said Karen Finney, a spokesperson for Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign. Finney, who was one of 200 Black women who signed a letter to Biden encouraging him to select a Black woman for his ticket, warned that the former vice president could face a backlash if he chose a white woman. Gretchen Whitmer, said last month that she had opening conversations with Bidens team about potentially serving as vice president. Heitkamp said she's long believed Biden should choose a Black woman, in part because of the current political climate, but also because Black women are some of the Democratic Party's most loyal voters.

This combination of photos provided by the Atlanta Police Department shows Officer Garrett Rolfe, left and Officer Devin Brosnan. I got him! Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard quoted Officer Garrett Rolfe as saying. Rolfe shot Brooks after the 27-year-old black man grabbed a Taser and ran, firing it from too far away to reach the white officer, the prosecutor said. When Mr. Brooks turned and pointed an object at Officer Rolfe, any officer would have reasonably believed that he intended to disarm, disable or seriously injure him, the lawyers said in a statement. The prosecutor said Brooks never presented himself as a threat during a more than 40-minute interaction with officers before the shooting.

Heres what happened leading up to and after the deadly shooting of Rayshard Brooks by police in Atlanta on June 12, 2020. Watch the timeline video above. This week, Atlanta police announced that an officer, Garrett Rolfe, had been fired after he fatally shot Brooks, 27, on Friday night, and another officer, Devin Brosnan, had been placed on administrative duty. On Saturday, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms had called for the immediate firing of the officer who opened fire on Brooks and announced that she had accepted the resignation of Police Chief Erika Shields.

The family wants the officers involved in Brooks' death arrested and prosecuted. The mayor said she'll also require officers to intervene if they see a colleague using excessive force. Two white officers had responded to calls about a man who was asleep at the wheel in a Wendy's drive-thru lane. Brooks broke free and took off with a stun gun; a white officer shot him as he tried to run away. In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said a panel of residents, activists and one police official will review the Police Departments policy on when officers can use force.

But some black leaders say Warren's progressive politics, economic populism and specific policy proposals addressing everything from maternal mortality to the coronavirus could put her in a strong position. But some black leaders say Warren's progressive politics, economic populism and specific policy proposals addressing everything from maternal mortality to the coronavirus could put her in a strong position. She gave a memorable speech in Atlanta in November on empowering black women and combating institutional racism that some African American leaders laud as prescient. I think that she could be an interesting and compelling pick for Vice President Biden in regards to reaching out to African American voters, Garvin said. Some 61% of African American voters supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast surveys in 17 states that voted between Feb. 3 and March 17.

"RIP Rayshard" is spray painted on a sign as as flames engulf a Wendy's restaurant during protests Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)ATLANTA An Atlanta police officer was fired following the fatal shooting of a black man and another officer was placed on administrative duty, the police department announced early Sunday. The officer draws his gun and fires as the man keeps running, then falls to the ground in the parking lot. The security camera video recorded Brooks running or fleeing from Atlanta police officers, Reynolds said. The shooting of Brooks two weeks later raised further questions about the Atlanta department.

(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)TOP OF THE HOUR: Atlanta police officer fired after fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks. Clemson football team members lead demonstration on campus. ATLANTA An Atlanta police officer has been fired following the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks, and a second officer has been placed on administrative leave. Atlanta police announced the termination of Garrett Rolfe early Sunday, a move that follows the Saturday resignation of Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields. Clemson football alumni and one-time Houston Texans teammates DeAndre Hopkins and Deshaun Watson voiced support for the petition on social media.

(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)Protests initially ignited by the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police continued over the weekend, as anti-racism protesters in the United States sought to call attention to the deaths of two more black men and Black Lives Matter demonstrations unfolded in London and Paris. The protesters marched from where the body was found to a sheriffs station, with many carrying signs that said Justice for Robert Fuller.Authorities said the death appeared to be a suicide, but an autopsy was planned. European protesters sought to show solidarity with their American counterparts and to confront bias in their own countries on Saturday. A Black Lives Matter group in London called off a demonstration, saying the presence of counter-protesters would make it unsafe. A rally in Paris drew 15,000, led by supporters of Adama Traore, a French black man who died in police custody in 2016.

In this June 11, 2020, photo, Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a roundtable on economic reopening with community members in Philadelphia. Bidens search for a running mate is entering a second round of vetting for a dwindling list of potential vice presidential nominees, with several black women in strong contention. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)WASHINGTON Joe Bidens search for a running mate is entering a second round of vetting for a dwindling list of potential vice presidential nominees, with several black women in strong contention. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kamala Harris of California, as well as Susan Rice, who served as President Barack Obama's national security adviser. The campaign's list includes several black women, including Harris and Rice.

WASHINGTON Joe Bidens search for a running mate is entering a second round of vetting for a dwindling list of potential vice presidential nominees, with several black women in strong contention. Democrats with knowledge of the process said Bidens search committee has narrowed the choices to as few as six serious contenders after initial interviews. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kamala Harris of California, as well as Susan Rice, who served as President Barack Obama's national security adviser. Those familiar with Biden's search spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the process. The campaign's short list includes several black women, including Harris and Rice.

FILE - In this June 1, 2020, file photo President Donald Trump arrives to speak in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. Trump has remained largely silent on that, except to argue that a strong economy is the best antidote. Sometimes youll see some horrible things like we witnessed recently," he said, referring to Floyd's death at a White House meeting Monday with law enforcement officials. Before his 2016 run, Trump spent years pushing the false claim that President Barack Obama, the nations only black president, was not born in the United States. The fact is the mainstream media wont give the president the credit he deserves for improving lives in the black community, Scott said.

Many Democrats blamed the Republican secretary of state for hourslong lines, voting machine malfunctions, provisional ballot shortages and absentee ballots failing to arrive in time for Tuesday's elections. We have to learn our lessons, not just from Georgia, and protect the entire process, McMillan said. Its really specifically in one or two counties, in Fulton and DeKalb counties, that had these issues today, Raffensperger said. Its local elections chief, Richard Barron, called Tuesday a learning experience" while alluding to the state's role in the primary process. On absentee ballots, the Republican secretary of state pushed unprecedented no-fault absentee access, paying to send an application to every Georgian on the active voter rolls.

(Fulton County Sheriffs Office via AP)ATLANTA Two more Atlanta police officers were fired Wednesday over an incident in which two college students were pulled from a car in traffic during a large protest against police brutality, authorities said. The four fired officers and two others face criminal charges stemming from the incident. Video shows the officers shouting at the students, firing Tasers at them and dragging them from the car. The two students are rising seniors at historically black colleges near downtown Atlanta, Young at Morehouse College and Pilgrim at Spelman College. All of the charged officers are black except for Claud, whos white.

Atlanta Chief Erika Shields fired two officers and benched three others involved in an incident with two college students during protests in the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020. Former Investigators Mark Gardner and Ivory Streeter sued Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Police Chief Erika Shields on Monday. The lawsuit alleges that the officers were fired in violation of the city's code, without investigation, proper notice or a pre-disciplinary hearing. In their lawsuit, the fired officers seek reinstatement to their jobs, as well as back pay and benefits. The suit states that the officers were denied due process, and that the other officers who engaged in substantially similar conduct were not dismissed.

Trump has remained largely silent on that, except to argue that a strong economy is the best antidote. But those who flooded the streets after Floyds death want to know what he plans to address the systemic racism they believe is at fault and what Trump himself believes. Sometimes youll see some horrible things like we witnessed recently," he said, referring to Floyd's death at a White House meeting Monday with law enforcement officials. Before his 2016 run, Trump spent years pushing the false claim that President Barack Obama, the nations only black president, was not born in the United States. The fact is the mainstream media wont give the president the credit he deserves for improving lives in the black community, Scott said.

Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. Personally, I think you cant riot everyday for almost a week, said Costa Smith, 26, who was protesting in downtown Atlanta. Despite the shift in tone, protesters have shown no sign that they are going away and, if anything, are emboldened to stay on the streets to push for police reforms. And Floyd's brother, Terrence, appeared in Brooklyn to carry on the fight for change, declaring power to the people, all of us." To the white community ... if you want change like you say you do, you must change.

Chief Erika Shields fired two officers and benched three others involved in an incident with two college students who were caught in traffic during the protests Saturday night. But then a prosecutor announced criminal charges against six officers. Shields said in a department-wide email Tuesday that she hadn't expected the criminal charges, and suggested that handling ongoing protests could be more difficult as a result. A few hours later, a group of Atlanta police officers confronted the two college students in a car stuck downtown. But they said other officers also needed to face consequences and justice wouldn't truly be served unless criminal charges were brought.

As the coronavirus and protests against police brutality have swept the nation, black female mayors including Atlanta's Keisha Lance Bottoms and Chicago's Lori Lightfoot have led the charge. Other black mayors including San Francisco's London Breed and Muriel Bowser of Washington have also been recognized for their measured responses and handling of their communities. Black women running for office and winning, it isn't an anomaly. They're also building up the next generation of black women elected officials and black women mayors who they're inspiring to run." Carr noted that black women make up 7.6% of the country's population yet account for just 4.3% of all members of the House and 1% of the Senate.

Biden said Trump "might also want to open the U.S. Constitution. She countered that Biden and other critics had no basis to second-guess what was in the president's heart and his intentions. Biden spoke as upheaval in the wake of George Floyds death has spread around the country. While Biden spoke, the National Guard maintained a visible presence to defend public buildings as Philadelphia continues to face sustained violent protests. But Biden's speech was perhaps most notable for its ferocity, even though his criticism of Trump is common.

Two of the officers were fired Sunday after Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and police Chief Erika Shields determined they had used excessive force. Howard said Young was charged with attempting to elude the officers, and the mayor has said she's ordering his charges dropped. An officer uses a Taser on Pilgrim as shes trying to get out of the car and then officers pull her out. He's also charged with criminal damage for repeatedly hitting and damaging the driver's side window of the car, a warrant says. All of the charged officers are black except for Claud, who's white.

The president demanded an end to the heated protests in remarks from the White House Rose Garden and vowed to use more force to achieve that aim. Were going to keep it safe.A military deployment by Trump to U.S. states would mark a stunning federal intervention rarely seen in modern American history. Yet the message Trump appeared to be sending with the brazen pushback of protesters outside the White House was that he sees few limits to what he is willing to do. Some around the president likened the moment to 1968, when Richard Nixon ran as the law-and-order candidate in the aftermath of a summer of riots, capturing the White House. The scene in and around the White House on Monday night appeared to be carefully orchestrated.

Biden has met the 89% threshold in only two contests since Super Tuesday: Mississippi (94%) and Nebraska (100%). Nearly all of Tuesday's primary balloting will be by mail, just like in most of the states voting in recent weeks amid the vrius outbreak, including Ohio. The violence raging across the nation is likely to increase pressure on Biden to choose an African American woman as his running mate. ___2020 Watch runs every Monday and provides a look at the week ahead in the 2020 election. ___Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, Ground Game.

(Daily Memphian via AP)As protests grip the nation, officers have doused crowds with pepper spray, struck protesters with batons, steered police cars into throngs, shoved demonstrators and screamed curses. Now, some are questioning whether tough police tactics against demonstrators are actually making the violence worse rather than quelling it. Another officer stepped in within seconds to assist the man, as did the officer who knocked him down. As we do everything to stop NYC from burning, all we hear from elected officials is criticism," the group tweeted. Maybe they should try it on the front lines.___Reeves and Stafford are members of the AP's Race and Ethnicity team.