Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown (D-11), a Warrensville Hts. Democrat

clevelandurbannews.com and www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com

By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor, associate publisher

Washington, DC – A Warrensville Hts Democrat whose 11th congressional district includes Cleveland and most of the eastern suburbs of Cuyahoga County, Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown on Monday responded to the Jan. 20 inauguration events in Washington, D.C. The events coincided with a national holiday remembering the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., an annual holiday observed each year on the third Monday in January.

President-elect Donald Trump, a Republican who served a controversial first term but lost reelection in 2020, took the oath of office for a second term Monday, after defeating Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris in the November general election where he won both the popular vote and the electoral college.

As the Dems seek to regroup from the tragic election lost, Republicans are elated and now control the White House and both chambers of Congress. Meanwhile, Trump is aggressively moving forward with his agenda, which is ripe with unconditional pardons of Capitol rioters, controversial cabinet picks, massive deportations of immigrants, and rambling executive orders designed to override some 80 of Biden's policies.

Brown said in a statement that the Democrats, under the leadership of outgoing President Joe Biden, were diplomatic and did not attempt to stop a peaceful transfer of power as Trump did relative to his 2020 election loss to Biden. It culminated in a Jan 6, 2021 Capitol riot followed by a criminal charge of election diversion against Trump, a case that has since been dismissed.

One of three Black women in Congress from Ohio, Congresswoman Brown released the following statement to

clevelandurbannews.com and www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com on Monday:

"Today, the United States again conducted the peaceful transfer of power with the swearing-in of President Trump and Vice President Vance. I hope that every American has noticed the stark difference between how Democrats respected the will of the voters this time around compared to the chaotic and anti-democratic behavior we saw from President Trump four years ago.

"Let me be clear: I am ready to work with anyone who is serious about lowering the costs of groceries and housing, improving the lives of working families, and uplifting those who have too often been left out or left behind. At the same time, I will use my voice and my vote to oppose any effort to pad the pockets of the rich on the backs of the American people.

"I know a lot of the people I represent are worried about what this new administration might do — and honestly, I am too. For a grandmother in Cleveland, Social Security isn't just a check — it's what ensures a secure retirement. For kids in Euclid, Head Start programs aren't a luxury — they're pathways to success. For parents in Bedford and Warrensville Heights, Medicaid and SNAP aren't waste — they're lifelines that help families make ends meet.

The congresswoman concluded her remarks by saying "On this day honouring the great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., let us remember that voting and civil rights are not mistakes to undo—they are the backbone of a fair and just society."

Whether Trump will seek to unravel the gains of Dr King during the civil rights movement, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which have been consistently under attack by a U.S. Supreme Court stacked with three conservative Trump appointees, remains to be seen.

clevelandurbannews.com and www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com the most-read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.