Donna Edwards

From KeyWiki

Donna F. Edwards is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 4th district of Maryland.

Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards of Fort Washington represents Maryland’s 4th Congressional District comprising portions of Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties. She was sworn in as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 110th Congress in June 2008, and began her first full-term in the 111th Congress in 2009.^[1]

Education

Rep. Edwards completed undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University and received her Juris Doctor from the University of New Hampshire School of Law (formely the Franklin Pierce Law Center).^[2]

"Community organizer"

Writing in the Huffington Post of September 8, 2008, in an article entitled "From Organizer To Elected Official" Democratic Socialists of America member Peter Dreier listed several serving US politicians who had begun their careers as "community organizers". They were US Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Representatives John Lewis of Georgia, Jan Schakowsky and Danny Davis of Illinois, Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Linda Sanchez of California, and Donna Edwards of Maryland, Washington House of Representatives Speaker Frank Chopp, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, state legislators Beth Low of Missouri, Michael Foley of Ohio, Gilbert Cedillo of California, Tom Hucker of Maryland, Tony Hill of Florida, and Crystal Peoples of New York, Alameda County (California) Supervisor Nate Miley, City Council members Jay Westbrook of Cleveland, Chuck Turner and Sam Yoon of Boston, and Melvin Carter of St. Paul, and San Francisco School Board member Jane Kim. ^[3]

Service

Donna Edwards has served as either a chairperson, trustee, board member, or executive director of the Arca Foundation in Washington, DC; the National Network to End Domestic Violence, which she co-founded; NNEDV; Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington; Common Cause; the League of Conservation Voters; the Center for a New Democracy; the Funders' Committee for Civic Participation; and the Franklin Pierce Law Center in New Hampshire, from which she received her Juris Doctorate. She was a lobbyist for the nonprofit Public Citizen organization.^[4]

Career

Edwards began her career at the United Nations Development Program and was a systems engineer for Lockheed Corporation with NASA's Space Shuttle program.^[5]

Just prior to serving in Congress, she was the executive director of the Arca Foundation in Washington, DC. During her time at Arca, she gained national prominence in her efforts to:^[6]

• Secure a "living wage" for working people
• Ensure the independence of the federal judiciary
• End capital punishment
• Protect Social Security
• Promote labor and human rights both nationally and internationally

House Ethics Committee

Donna Edwards is a member of the Republican chaired House Ethics Committee as of August of 2011. It is well known that she is anti-Israel in her leanings. She voted to bar members of Congress from attending Glenn Beck’s Restoring Courage rally in Jerusalem, Israel on during the week of August 24th, 2011. Also during this time she received substantial campaign cash from the George Soros funded J Street. ^[7]

Supported by Council for a Livable World

The Council for a Livable World, founded in 1962 by long-time socialist activist and alleged Soviet agent, Leo Szilard, is a non-profit advocacy organization that seeks to "reduce the danger of nuclear weapons and increase national security", primarily through supporting progressive, congressional candidates who support their policies. The Council supported Donna Edwards in her successful House of Representatives run as candidate for Maryland.^[8]

Congressional Progressive Caucus

As of November 16, 2009, Edwards was listed as a Vice Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.^[9]

House of Representatives

Edwards serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee where she sits on:

• The Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
• The Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
• The Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management

She serves on the Science and Technology Committee where she sits on:

• The Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight - Ranking Member
• The Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics

She serves on the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.

She also serves as a member of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.^[10]

Abortion

Planned Parenthood

Edwards received $1000 in lobbying funds from Planned Parenthood in 2008.

EMILY's List

Edwards has been supported by EMILY's List during her campaigning.

Progressive agenda?

Writing on the website of the Maoist Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Bill Fletcher Jr of FRSO, Democratic Socialists of America and the Institute for Policy Studies explained^[11];

The radical Left can engage in electoral work to raise issues. This can take place at the level of local or statewide initiatives or referenda, or it can take place in the context of battling over the platform of a particular candidate. Initiatives and referenda are very straight to the point. With candidates such as that of Democratic nominee for Congress Donna Edwards (from Maryland), their candidacy can become a means to push a very progressive agenda--in her case, around the war.

Progressive Democrats of America

Donna Edwards serves on the Advisory Board of Progressive Democrats of America.^[12]

PDA claimed successes

Tim Carpenter claimed that Progressive Democrats of America had chalked up several achievements in its short life, successfully promoting initiatives by PDA board members John Conyers and James McGovern.

PDA was the driving force in the passage of resolutions opposing the war in Iraq by eight state Democratic Party meetings. The organization also was instrumental in the passage of resolutions in 10 states calling for the impeachment of President Bush.

PDA is often referred to by Congressional Progressive Caucus Executive Director Bill Goold as the CPC’s field operation, because PDA has built relationships with members of Congress by delivering grassroots support for their initiatives – from Rep. John Conyers’ investigation of the 2004 Ohio voting fraud to Rep. Jim McGovern’s bill to cut off funding for the war in Iraq, a current priority effort.

The organization worked hard for Marcy Winograd against Jane Harman and for other "progressive " Democrats including Donna Edwards, Christine Cegelis, Jerry McNerney, Tony Trupiano, John Hall, Jeff Latas, Gabby Giffords and Herb Paine.

While PDA is still only a progressive “pup” compared with big liberal dogs like MoveOn, PDA-backed candidates have taken some big bites out of conventional wisdom and centrist Democratic complacency. In Los Angeles, local PDA leader Marcy Winograd won 37 percent of the primary vote against entrenched pro-war Democrat Rep. Jane Harman with only two months of lead time. In Maryland, the dynamic Donna Edwards appears to have come only a few hundred votes short of toppling the multi-term Rep. Al Wynn in her first bid for public office, and she is seen as well-positioned to prevail in 2008. And in Illinois, with strong PDA support, Christine Cegelis, though outspent 8 to 1, nearly beat the candidate of the inside-the- Beltway Party leadership and Illinois party machine, Tammy Duckworth, to vie for the seat being vacated by Rep. Henry Hyde.

This fall, in the House, PDA is focusing attention and effort on several strong progressives worthy of note and support in hopes of flipping several seats from red to blue. In California, Jerry McNerney is running a strong race against an incumbent Republican. In Michigan, Tony Trupiano, with one of the nation’s strongest grassroots efforts, has his sights on an open seat in a Republican-leaning district. And in New York, anti-nuclear activist John Hall has won the Democratic nomination to challenge a four-term incumbent Republican. In Arizona, while the local PDA primary candidate, Jeff Latas, did not prevail, PDA will now enthusiastically join forces with PDA Board Member Rep. Raul Grijalva and support the nominee, the equally progressive Gabby Gifford, as well as PDA-backed Herb Paine, who won a razor-thin primary victory in a neighboring district.

In the United States Senate primary races PDA unsuccessfully backed Jonathan Tasini against Hillary Clinton in New York, In Ohio, PDA backed successful candidate Sherrod Brown. In Connecticut, PDA campaigned to replace pro Iraq War Senator Joe Lieberman with Ned Lamont.^[13]

Calling on Israeli Govt. to lift Gaza Travel Ban

On Dec. 22, 2009, thirty-three U.S. Representatives wrote to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, calling on her to request that the Israeli Government end the ban on student travel from Gaza to the West Bank. Donna Edwards was one of the signatories of the letter.^[14] The entire letter together with a complete list of signatories can be read by clicking here.

Supported Lifting the Gaza Blockade

On Jan. 27, 2010, U.S. Representatives Keith Ellison and Jim McDermott led 52 other members of Congress in signing a letter addressed to President Barack Obama, calling for him to use diplomatic pressure to resolve the blockade affecting Gaza. Donna Edwards was one of the signatories of the letter. ^[15] The entire letter together with a complete list of signatories can be read by clicking here.

Campaign for America's Future

On March 17, 2008, at the Take Back America conference in Washington D.C. Dianne Archer, Robert Borosage, Donna Edwards and Van Jones spoke in the Opening Plenary entitled "The Progressive Plan for Victory".^[16]

Donna Edwards spoke at the America's Future Now 2010 Conference.^[17]

Donna Edwards spoke at the Take Back the American Dream Conference 2011, the annual conference of the Institute for Policy Studies-linked Campaign for America's Future. The conference was held from Oct. 3 - 5 at the Hilton Washington & Towers hotel, 1919 Connecticut Avenue, Washington D.C.^[18] Also speaking at the conference were Deepak Bhargava, Center for Community Change; Leo Gerard, United Steelworkers of America; Stephen Lerner, SEIU; and Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO. ^[19]

Iraq: The Legacy of the 7-Year U.S. Occupation

On Sunday, August 29th 2010. at Busboys and Poets, 5th and K Sts. NW, Washington, D.C., an event "Iraq: The Legacy of the 7-Year U.S. Occupation" was held;

Is the U.S. military really leaving Iraq or just rebranding? What is the toll of seven years of occupation on Iraqis, U.S. soldiers and our economies? What is the status of Iraqi refugees around the world? Is it still possible to hold accountable those who dragged us into the war or committed crimes such as torture? What role did Congress and the media play in facilitating the invasion/occupation? We'll also look at the role of the peace movement -- its strengths and weaknesses -- and draw key lessons to make our work for peace, including in Afghanistan, more effective.

Speakers/performers included:

• Congresswoman Donna Edwards
• Kymone Tecumseh Freeman, playwright, performer, reading Letters from Iraq
• Head-Roc, hip-hop artist
• Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies
• Raed Jarrar, Peace Action
• Manal Omar, author
• Bill Fletcher, Jr., labor leader, scholar
• Josh Stieber, Iraq Veterans Against the War
• Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK and Global Exchange
• Andy Shallal, Iraqi artist, owner Busboys and Poets
• David Swanson, author
• Gene Bruskin, U.S. Labor Against the War
• Felicia Eaves, activist

The event was sponsored by: CODEPINK, Peace Action, Institute for Policy Studies, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Global Exchange, Just Foreign Policy, Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), U.S. Labor Against the War, ANSWER, World Can’t Wait, Voices for Creative Nonviolence, War is a Crime, Rivera Project, Washington Peace Center.^[20]

Contributions

The following is a list of the top 20 contributors to Donna Edwards' campaign committee for the 2008 election.^[21]

Contributor	Total	From Individuals	From PACs
Service Employees International Union	$18,500	$3,500	$15,000
AmeriPAC: The Fund for a Greater America	$15,000	$0	$15,000
Machinists/Aerospace Workers Union	$15,000	$0	$15,000
United Food & Commercial Workers Union	$14,998	$0	$14,998
Leadership that Listens PAC	$13,000	$0	$13,000
EMILY's List	$11,630	$1,700	$9,930
Bauman Foundation	$11,500	$11,500	$0
American Association for Justice	$10,250	$250	$10,000
American Federation of Teachers	$10,000	$0	$10,000
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers	$10,000	$0	$10,000
National Air Traffic Controllers Association	$10,000	$0	$10,000
National Education Association	$10,000	$0	$10,000
United Steelworkers	$10,000	$0	$10,000
Arca Foundation	$9,200	$9,200	$0
Cellular One	$9,200	$9,200	$0
National Association of Realtors	$8,000	$0	$8,000
Park Foundation	$7,650	$7,650	$0
Human Rights Campaign	$7,525	$0	$7,525
American Federation of Government Employees	$7,500	$0	$7,500
UNITE HERE	$6,927	$750	$6,177
TOTAL	$215,880	$43,750	$172,130

The following is a list of the top contributors to Donna Edwards' campaign committee for the 2010 election, as of November 18, 2009.^[22]

Contributor	Total	Indivs	PACs
Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers	$10,000	$0	$10,000
Machinists/Aerospace Workers Union	$10,000	$0	$10,000
Bauman Foundation	$9,200	$9,200	$0
American Federation of Govt Employees	$7,500	$0	$7,500
Service Employees International Union	$7,500	$0	$7,500
Planned Parenthood	$5,035	$0	$5,035
Operating Engineers Union	$5,000	$0	$5,000
Teamsters Union	$5,000	$0	$5,000
Park Foundation	$4,800	$4,800	$0
Wallace Global Fund	$4,800	$4,800	$0
Jobin-Leeds Prtnrshp/Democracy/Education	$4,600	$4,600	$0
United Auto Workers	$4,000	$0	$4,000
JStreet PAC	$3,400	$0	$3,400
Sgt Inc	$2,900	$2,900	$0
United Transportation Union	$2,500	$0	$2,500
Arca Foundation	$2,400	$2,400	$0
Hugo Neu Corp	$2,400	$2,400	$0
Neu Corp	$2,400	$2,400	$0
American Fedn of St/Cnty/Munic Employees	$2,000	$0	$2,000
Communications Workers of America	$2,000	$0	$2,000
Cummings for Congress Campaign Cmte	$2,000	$0	$2,000
National Air Traffic Controllers Assn	$2,000	$0	$2,000
National Assn of Retail Druggists	$2,000	$0	$2,000
TOTAL	$103,435	$33,500	$69,935

Staff

As at August 24, 2010, the following served on Donna Edwards's staff.^[23]

• Adrienne Christian, Chief of Staff
• Angie Jean-Marie, Scheduler
• Terra Sabag, Legislative Director
• Dan Webber, Communications Director

Staff

The following have worked as staff members for Donna Edwards:^[24]

External links

• Edwards' website with the House of Representatives

References