Office of Congressman Gregory Meeks
Rep. Gregory Meeks started off the year with a new role on the world stage. Just weeks before 2020 ended, he was elected to chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee – the first Black man ever to hold the position. Since then, Meeks has opposed a constitutional referendum in Haiti, passed a resolution condemning China’s actions in Hong Kong and proposed strengthening economic ties between Africa and the U.S., all while managing local politics back in the world’s borough in his continued role as chair of the Queens County Democratic Party.
4. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
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(Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images)
New York Attorney General Letitia James has introduced a new bill that would limit the use of force by police officers. James hopes to change the state’s use of force law “from one of simple necessity to one of absolute last resort.” In addition, James hopes to punish officers who use “far more force [than] is necessary.”
“In New York, our laws have essentially given police blanket defense to use force in interactions with the public, making it exceedingly difficult for prosecutors to go after officers who have abused this power,” Gwen Carr, Eric Garner‘s mother, said at a press conference alongside James.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has proposed legislation that would limit the use of force legally allowed by police in New York.
James recently unveiled her Police Accountability Act, which would only allow for a use of lethal force as a last resort after an officer has made attempts at de-escalation and issued verbal warnings.
She said the recent racial justice movement started by the death of George Floyd is only a part of the motivation for the proposal.
“I don’t need to tell you the names. The death of George Floyd, Daniel Prude, Duante Wright, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, and the list goes on,” James said.
"This has rekindled a flame of righteousness, and righteous indignation that has been smoldering for centuries. We are in the midst of a racial reckoning in this country."