Thursday, May 14, 2009 12:13 PM
From: "Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote" {info@apiavote.org} View contact details To: tojulei@yahoo.com
May 14, 2009

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Dear Tony,

Happy Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month! As we look back on 2008, we are truly enthusiastic about this month of May and the celebration of our history and heritage here in the United States. We hope you are taking the time to get involved in all the events and activities in honor of AAPI Heritage Month.

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APIAVote would like to congratulate the following individuals on their appointments within the Obama-Biden administration (listed in alphabetical order).

Preeta Bansal - General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor for the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Anju Bhargava - Member of Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Steven Chu - Secretary of Energy

Nancy-Ann DeParle - Director, White House Office of Health Reform

Tammy Duckworth - Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs

Ivan K. Fong - General Counsel, Department of Homeland Security

Neal Katyal - Principal Deputy Solicitor General of the United States

Betsy Kim - White House Liason, Department of Defense

Harold Koh - nominee, Legal Advisor, Department of State

Howard Koh - nominee, Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services

Vivek Kundra - Federal Chief Information Officer

Gary Locke - Secretary of Commerce

Chris Lu - Cabinet Secretary

Florence Y. Pan - Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia

Eboo Patel - Member of Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Nicholas Rathod - Deputy Associate Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

Pete Rouse - Senior Advisor to the President

Meena Seshamani, Director of Policy Analysis Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Health Reform

Rajiv Shah - Nominee, Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, United States Department of Agriculture

Sonal Shah - White House Office of Social Innovation

Rhea Suh - Nominee, Assistant Secretary for Policy Management and Budget, Department of Interior

Neera Tanden, Senior Advisor Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Health Reform

Tina Tchen - Director, Office of Public Engagement

Kal Penn - Associate Director, Office of Public Engagement

The Origins of AAPI Heritage Month & a Timeline of its Evolution

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month by exercising your electoral and political power in your next local election, and in the next presidential election as well! In the meantime, participate in celebrations nationwide. Visit our calendar for a listing of events nationwide.

AAPI Heritage Month History

October 5, 1978: President Carter signed a joint resolution declaring the first week in May of as "Asian/Pacific Heritage Week."
1980-1990: Presidents Carter, Reagan and George H.W. Bush continue to issue yearly proclamations about the week-long commemoration.
May 1990: President George H.W. Bush proclaimed the first-ever "Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month."
October 1992: Through the continued efforts of Congressman Frank Horton (NY) , Congress passed a law, designating May as "Asian/Pacific Heritage Month."
1991-2008: Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush continue to issue annual proclamations.
2009: President Obama issues proclamation naming May "Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month."

"The vast diversity of languages, religions, and cultural traditions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders continues to strengthen the fabric of American society....During Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we remember the challenges and celebrate the achievements that define our history." - President Obama, Proclamation on AAPI Heritage Month

What Moves You?: aapimomentum.org

What are you doing to celebrate this month? Promote your events, share your photos and videos at the new online portal for the AAPI community: www.aapimomentum.org. A project of the National Coalition for APA Community Development (National CAPACD), www.aapimomentum.org aims to reengage and energize AAPI community groups and to participate in AAPI Heritage Month. The focal point of the website is a National AAPI Week of Service from May 24-31. Organize or attend an event or service opportunity in your city!

Also, the APIAVote events page is constantly updated with events from our partners as well as national events.
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Editors' notes
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This information has been posted through the courtesy of AP, Yahoo! Mail, Reviewjournal.com, and among others.

WASHINGTON ¡V Under strong attack from Republicans, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused the CIA and Bush administration of misleading her about waterboarding detainees in the war on terror and sharply rebutted claims she was complicit in its use.

"To the contrary ... we were told explicitly that waterboarding was not being used," she told reporters, referring to a formal CIA briefing she received in the fall of 2002.

Pelosi said she subsequently learned that other lawmakers were told several months later by the CIA about the use of waterboarding.

"I wasn't briefed, I was informed that somebody else had been briefed about it," she said.

The House's top Democrat made her comments at a news conference where she was peppered with questions about her knowledge of a technique she and others have called torture. Republicans have insisted in recent weeks that Pelosi and other Democrats knew waterboarding was in use, but made no attempt to protest.

In a written response issued moments after Pelosi spoke, an official at the CIA neither disputed nor accepted the California Democrat's statements.

Instead, George Little, head of the CIA office of public affairs, said it would be up to Congress to determine whether notes made by agency personnel at the time they briefed lawmakers were accurate. He said the notes could be made available at the CIA "for staff review."

Pelosi renewed her call for a so-called truth commission to investigate the events in the Bush administration that led to the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques. While President Barack Obama has banned waterboarding, calling it torture, he has been notably cool toward an independent inquiry that might distract attention from his domestic agenda.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., also has expressed opposition, as have congressional Republicans.

Pelosi was particularly harsh in describing the CIA.

"They mislead us all the time," she said. And when a reporter asked whether the agency lied, she did not disagree.

She also suggested that the current Republican criticism marked an attempt to divert attention from the Bush administration's actions.

"They misrepresented every step of the way, and they don't want that focus on them, so they try to turn the attention on us," she said.

Pelosi contended that Democrats did what they could to stop the use of waterboarding. The senior Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, who received the 2003 briefing on the practice, sent the CIA a formal letter of protest, she said.

But Pelosi defended her own lack of action on the issue, saying her focus at the time was on wresting congressional control from Republicans so her party could change course.

"No letter could change the policy. It was clear we had to change the leadership in Congress and in the White House. That was my job ¡X the Congress part," Pelosi said.
*** This information has been posted by AP, Yahoo! Mail, Reviewjournal.com, and among others early in the morning at 9:58 a.m.(LV) in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.

May 13, 2009
Senator Harry Reid -- Putting Nevada First

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Dear Fellow Nevadan:

Hundreds of Nevadans have written to me this year with some alarming news. Even though they¡¦ve played by the rules and paid their bills on time, credit card companies are doubling their interest rates without notice, charging ridiculous fees and creating a cycle of debt that is nearly impossible for struggling families to escape. Some loyal consumers have even had their accounts cancelled unexpectedly. Adding insult to injury, some of these credit card companies are part of the very same banks taxpayers helped keep afloat in order to prevent an economic disaster. As one Las Vegas lady told me: ¡§I feel like I am being robbed by a company that my tax dollars are trying to bail out.¡¨

***** "....... ... ." ---??? *1017

Nevadans are mad, and they have every right to be. That¡¦s why I am working to ensure the Senate passes the Credit Card Consumer Protection Bill.

This bill protects consumers by establishing fair and sensible rules for how and when credit card companies can raise interest rates. Under this legislation, card companies must give 45 days¡¦ notice before increasing rates -- and they can no longer increase rates on existing balances. The bill cracks down on abusive fees, which sometimes require consumers to pay a fee just to pay a bill. And credit card companies must mail statements 21 days before the bill is due, so cardholders can avoid hefty late fees. To learn more, CLICK HERE.

In short, this bill cleans up the fine print so consumers can¡¦t get blind-sided by their credit card companies. It not only levels the playing field and keeps the rules consistent from beginning to end ¡V it can also save Nevada¡¦s families thousands of dollars a year.

Thank you for reading this important update. Please visit my website for more information.

Editors' notes
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009 4:02 PM
From: "Nevada State Democratic Party" {news@nvdems.com}
Add sender to ContactsTo: "Tony Lei" **__**

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Dear Tony Lei,

REMINDER: Early voting begins Saturday, May 16. It is very important that you get out and vote for Democrats in Henderson and North Las Vegas.

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CLICK HERE for a list of North Las Vegas Early Vote sites.

CLICK HERE for a list of Henderson Early Vote sites.

Walk with Democratic mayoral candidates

Walk for Henderson
WHO: Andy Hafen, candidate for Henderson Mayor
WHEN: Saturday May 16th at 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: Discovery Park, 2011 Paseo Verde Pkwy., Henderson, NV 89102

For more information contact Adrian Matanza at 702-809-4344. Pizza and soda will be served at 11:30 a.m., following the walk.

Walk for North Las Vegas
WHO: William Robinson, candidate for North Las Vegas Mayor, and Anita Wood, candidate for North Las Vegas City Council Ward 3
WHEN: Saturday, May 16 at 10 a.m.
WHERE: William Robinson for North Las Vegas Mayor Campaign Headquarters, 2115 Civic Center Dr., North Las Vegas, NV 89030

For more information contact Leora Olivas at 702-499-2591.

Henderson mayoral candidates to debate

WHAT: Andy Hafen & Steve Kirk debate issues concerning the people of Henderson
WHEN: Monday, May 18 at 7:00pm
WHERE: Midbar Kodesh Temple, 1940 Paseo Verde Parkway

Las Vegas Sun columnist Jon Ralston will moderate the event. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served.

Northern Nevada voter registration drive

WHAT: Assembly District 27 Voter Registration Drive
WHEN: Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
WHERE: Java Jungle Coffee House, 246 West 1st St., Reno, NV 89502

For more information, contact Shaun Gray at the Nevada State Democratic Party at 775-682-0466.

Veterans Barbecue

WHO: Sergeant Major John L. Estrada
WHEN: Saturday, May 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
WHERE: U.S. VETS, 525 East Bonanza Rd. (just north of Maryland Parkway), Las Vegas NV 89101
This event is free. For more information please call 702-366-0456.

John L. Estrada served as Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007. Estrada is originally from the nation of Trinidad and Tobago. He endorsed Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States during a standing-room-only rally at Battery Creek High School in Beaufort, South Carolina on January 24, 2008. On August 28, 2008, Estrada spoke at the Democratic National Convention, echoing his support for Barack Obama over John McCain, citing his "obligation... to protect the Marines, sailors and their families."

Gibbons to hold town hall meetings

Gov. Jim Gibbons will hold a series of town hall meetings to tout his drastic budget cuts with constituents in rural and Northern Nevada next week. Please attend an event near you and ask the governor this:

¡´ How big will he let elementary school classes get?
¡´ Will his cuts to home health care force seniors out of their homes and into nursing homes?
¡´ What will he do for rural residents whose hospitals shut down because of his cuts?
¡´ What will happen to our economy when college students leave the state because of the collapse of our higher education system?

Gibbons town hall locations:

FALLON: Monday, May 18th at 6:00 p.m.
Churchill County Museum, 1050 S. Maine Street, Fallon, NV 89406

EUREKA: Wednesday, May 20th at noon
Eureka Opera House, 31 South Main Street, Eureka, NV 89316

ELY: Wednesday, May 20th at 6 p.m.
East Ely Railroad Museum, 1100 Avenue A, Ely, NV 89301

ELKO: Thursday, May 21st at noon
Northeastern Nevada Museum, 1515 Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801

WINNEMUCCA: Thursday, May 21st at 6 p.m.
Humboldt County Courthouse, 50 West Fifth Street, Winnemucca, NV 89445

This message was intended for: tojulei@yahoo.com

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 6:28 PM
From: "Senator Harry Reid" {senator_harry_reid@enews.senate.gov}
To: "{tojulei@yahoo.com}

May 13, 2009

Senator Harry Reid -- Putting Nevada First

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Dear Fellow Nevadan:

Hundreds of Nevadans have written to me this year with some alarming news. Even though they¡¦ve played by the rules and paid their bills on time, credit card companies are doubling their interest rates without notice, charging ridiculous fees and creating a cycle of debt that is nearly impossible for struggling families to escape. Some loyal consumers have even had their accounts cancelled unexpectedly. Adding insult to injury, some of these credit card companies are part of the very same banks taxpayers helped keep afloat in order to prevent an economic disaster. As one Las Vegas lady told me: ¡§I feel like I am being robbed by a company that my tax dollars are trying to bail out.¡¨

***** "....... ... . " ---??? *1017

Nevadans are mad, and they have every right to be. That¡¦s why I am working to ensure the Senate passes the Credit Card Consumer Protection Bill.

This bill protects consumers by establishing fair and sensible rules for how and when credit card companies can raise interest rates. Under this legislation, card companies must give 45 days¡¦ notice before increasing rates -- and they can no longer increase rates on existing balances. The bill cracks down on abusive fees, which sometimes require consumers to pay a fee just to pay a bill. And credit card companies must mail statements 21 days before the bill is due, so cardholders can avoid hefty late fees. To learn more, CLICK HERE.

In short, this bill cleans up the fine print so consumers can¡¦t get blind-sided by their credit card companies. It not only levels the playing field and keeps the rules consistent from beginning to end ¡V it can also save Nevada¡¦s families thousands of dollars a year.

Thank you for reading this important update. Please visit my website for more information.