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Ringing The Alarm For Civil Rights Data In Schools 

As advocates worry that critical data is on the chopping block, Catherine E. Lhamon, former assistant secretary for the Office for Civil Rights, tells us why it matters and how we can fight for it. (Photo Credit: Rob Dobi / gettyimages)
As advocates worry that critical data is on the chopping block, Catherine E. Lhamon, former assistant secretary for the Office for Civil Rights, tells us why it matters and how we can fight for it. (Photo Credit: Rob Dobi / gettyimages)

by Quintessa Williams

This article is one of a series of articles produced by Word in Black through support provided by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Word In Black is  a collaborative of 10 Black-owned media outlets across the country.

In 1968, at the height of the civil rights movement, the U.S. Department of Education launched a groundbreaking initiative: the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). Designed to track disparities in educational access, the CRDC has since become a cornerstone of efforts to ensure equity in America’s schools. 

Without the CRDC, schools would lose a critical tool for identifying and addressing disparities. Federal enforcement of civil rights would be hampered, and advocates would struggle to hold institutions accountable. And as the Trump administration moves to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government, advocates worry this vital tool could be next on the chopping block.

“I think about it every day,” says Catherine E. Lhamon, who served as the DOE’s assistant secretary for civil rights under both the Obama and Biden administrations and is a former chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. “I always worry about the direction a new administration may take regarding civil rights,” Lhamon says.

Trump’s flurry of executive orders includes removing critical information from federal agencies — such as documents related to DEI, public health data resources concerning LGBTQ+ communitiesSpanish language content, and the U.S. Constitution webpage. But Lhamon says data on race and equity is needed now more than ever.

“In the first Trump administration, the Office of Civil Rights deleted important data about student access to high-rigor courses in schools and narrowed the scope of the data collection,” Lhamon tells us. “When we returned, it was important to reinstate those data indicators because I know how we use them.”

The Data Reflects Student Experiences

The CRDC has long been a lifeline for exposing inequities in education. “It’s not only a statutory obligation to collect this data — it reflects a kid’s experience,” Lhamon says. “It would be a travesty to diminish or discontinue that important collection.”

For example, the January 2025 CRDC report from the 2021-22 collection revealed that while Black students make up 15% of K-12 enrollment, they account for just 12% of students enrolled in calculus courses. 

“Right now, we know that fewer than 50% of the nation’s high schools offer calculus,” Lhamon says. “We should all be aghast at that data point alone. However, when we find out that if you’re Black, you are least likely to be in a school that offers calculus, then we are more aghast,” she says. 

The same report found that Black students are overrepresented in special education programs and disciplinary actions, comprising 33% of school-related arrests and 20% of corporal punishment cases.

“Constricting that data point or other ones about what kids have access to at their schools, what it is to be in their schools, that’s very damaging because it means we can’t make comparisons across time. It means we can’t worry about the kids who are in class right now and what’s happening to them,” she adds.

Lhamon also recounted an investigation where data revealed that a particular school district had an “alarmingly low number of students with disabilities” enrolled in “gifted and talented” advanced academic programs. This insight, she says, “led to corrective actions ensuring equitable access to advanced courses for all students.”

Will the Trump Administration Stop Collecting Data?

The absence of CRDC data would not only hinder federal enforcement of civil rights, but also limit the ability of schools to implement interventions or hold them accountable. 

“The Office of Civil Rights is required by statute to collect the data,” Lhamon says. “It’s been collected generally every two years since 1968, so if they were instructed not to do that moving forward, it would be a violation of law.”

Lhamon says the Trump administration could end up following the law and collecting the data but refuse to release it entirely. 

“Not making the data public would be really hard because then educators doing research wouldn’t have access to it,” she says. “Researchers working on reports wouldn’t have access to it. Journalists wouldn’t have access to it. And parents and advocates wouldn’t have access to it to be able to call on their school communities to improve practices.”

Lhamon also pointed out that the new administration could constrain the data by collecting less or collecting it from fewer communities. 

“This would hurt data knowledge and damage civil rights enforcement and our national understanding of opportunity in schools,” she says. “It would be really harmful to discontinue that transparency.”

Advocating for the Continuation of the CRDC

In light of potential threats to the CRDC, Lhamon says its preservation is not just important — it’s urgent. She offers a three-point roadmap for those who want to fight for its survival:

  • Use the data that already exists: Dive into the CRDC’s findings, identify the gaps and inequities in your local schools, and push for change. The numbers tell a story, but it’s up to communities to demand action.
  • Make your voice heard at the Department of Education: Respond to requests for public input, share how the CRDC has shaped your understanding of educational inequities, and remind officials why this data matters. 
  • Take the message public: Use community forums, social media, and partnerships with advocacy groups to amplify the importance of the CRDC.

A Critical Tool for Everyone

Under the Biden-Harris administration, making the CRDC data accessible and user-friendly became a priority — a move Lhamon calls essential for ensuring equity in schools. She hopes the Office for Civil Rights will continue this work because the data is a “critical tool for everyone.”

The data should “be a starting point for someone’s mom or community members, and of course,  the schools,” she says. “Everyone should have the right to use this data to ask themselves whether schools are, in fact, offering equal opportunity to all students.”

Black Marriage On The Decline? These Pastors Have Another Opinion

A new generation of married pastors is not only setting an example, but also guiding couples to embrace partnership over rivalry. (Credit: Getty/Cecilie_Arcurs)
A new generation of married pastors is not only setting an example, but also guiding couples to embrace partnership over rivalry. (Credit: Getty/Cecilie_Arcurs)

by Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware

With a few weeks left of winter and springtime just around the corner, Valentine’s Day is a time when  thoughts often turn to love and romance. If recent trends in the Black community are to be believed, however, what often follows — marriage — is on the rocks. 

Consider: the marriage rate for all Americans is around 50%, but the matrimonial rate for Black people is about 30%. That means roughly 60% of Black men and women, including members of the millennial generation, have never jumped the broom. 

But there is one place where marriage among Black people is thriving: the church. A new generation of married pastors is not only setting an example for their congregants but also offering advice, lessons, and a tried-and-true philosophy to help newly married couples: consider yourselves partners or teammates, not lovers or rivals.

A Marriage Champion 

Dr. Derren Thompson, lead pastor of Conquerors Church in Edgewood, Maryland, is bullish on marriage, and his schedule reflects it.

“I have three [this year] that were planned last year, and I just got one for 2026,” says Thompson. “I usually perform seven to 10 weddings a year.” 

Perhaps more impressive is the fact that most of those ceremonies tend to take place outside of his congregation — because most of the Conquerors Church members are already married.

Marriage as a Partnership

Pastor Corey Cunningham, lead pastor of The Inspiration Church in Dayton, Ohio, says the key to making marriage work is to ditch antiquated notions that marriage is a power struggle between individuals. 

“A common struggle in marriage is conflict, but we’ve learned that husbands and wives aren’t opposing teams, fighting against each other,” says Cunningham, who runs the church with his wife, Stephanie Cunningham. “We’re on the same team, fighting together and for each other, because when only one wins, both lose.”

While the marriage rate for Black people is roughly 20 points below whites, there are indicators that it is on the rebound in the Black community. In 2023, for example, there were 5.18 million Black married-couple households living in the U.S. That’s a significant increase from 1990, when there were 3.57 million Black married-couple homes nationwide. 

Still, there are historic, cultural and economic headwinds for Black marriage 

Signs of a Rebound in Black Marriage Rates

In 1970, for example, 35.6% of Black men and 27.7% of Black women were never married, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By 2020, however, those percentages had jumped to 51.4% for Black men and 47.5% for Black women. Echoes of slavery, as well as poverty, relatively lower economic attainment and high incarceration rates among Black men are all factors in keeping the Black marriage rate low compared with whites. 

Yet Cunningham and Thompson both say they believe marriage has gotten a bad rap among older generations, and they’ve seen younger couples more receptive to giving it a try. But they both make sure the couples know they may have to change how they think about the institution.

Thompson says marriages often suffer because couples don’t think of each other as partners. They often hold on to archaic notions and practices, he says, rather than setting their own standards and practices — something he understands first-hand.

‘I Was a Trip!’

In 1988 Thompson met his now-wife Chalon Thompson in church. He served as a youth minister and she assisted them. After one session the young couple bypassed premarital counseling, but the church marriage counselors gave them their blessings. They married in 1997. But like a sixth grader promoted to high school, however, the couple soon realized they were unprepared for the challenges that came their way.

Derren Thompson tells part of their story on his website. Although Chalon “has had my back from Day One,” he describes himself as “selfish and arrogant” and he “had an attitude. I would not speak to her for days and would not respond to pager messages. I was a trip!!!”

So they sought help from another couple whose marriage was steady and strong. From it, the Thompsons learned how to strengthen their own marriage and found a collective knack for helping others. And they co-authored a book, “Redefined Love: Discovering Love’s True Essence.”

What Makes a Successful Marriage?

When asked what signals a couple can be successful, Thompson eagerly responded.

“The biggest thing I look for is their energy. Many of them will come to the table and they’re just like, look, we really want to do this. We’re interested in this, but we struggle here,” Thompson says. “I love it when people come to the table that way, ready to work. I often want to hear about those things that excite them and drive them.”

 But Thompson says he also appreciates blunt honesty, particularly from men. 

“When they come to the table saying, ‘Look, this is where I’ve been. This is what I’ve done. I’m horrible at this. I probably won’t be the best at this. And I need some help,’. I’m just like, ‘Yes!’” Thompson says. “Especially when men come to the table this way.”

Positivity and Perseverance

With a positive attitude and willingness to put in the work, “there’s nothing that can’t be accomplished,” Thompson says. His own marriage is proof.  

”We hadn’t thought of each other as partners, and many couples don’t. The scripture says, How can two walk together unless they be agreed? We learned to ask each other to support us as partners in whatever we did.” 

Potential couples are excited when they find the Thompsons have been married so long because they don’t often see that kind of longevity. 

And we tell them, we listen, but we don’t judge. That’s especially important for the men because the entire world judges Black men in every area.

“It’s so important to address the issues, whatever they might be. It’s not as if they’re just going to disappear after premarital counseling, or even after the wedding,” Thompson says. “There’s going to be some sprinkles of some stuff that resembles what it was they were trying to run away from. So the issue is to equip them to handle them when they resurface.”

YouTube At 20: From Cat Videos To Virtual Pulpits

More commonly known for cat videos and makeup tutorials, YouTube has quietly transformed into a valuable tool for churches since faith leaders began using it during the pandemic. YouTube first went online Feb. 14, 2005. Credit: Getty Images
More commonly known for cat videos and makeup tutorials, YouTube has quietly transformed into a valuable tool for churches since faith leaders began using it during the pandemic. YouTube first went online Feb. 14, 2005. Credit: Getty Images

by Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware

In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic sent most of the country into lockdown, familiar places adopted new practices to check the spread of the virus. Hospitals turned away patient visitors, stores restricted shoppers to a few at a time and restaurants transformed curbside parking into open-air dining rooms. 

But for churches — community cornerstones that depend on the faithful, gathering together in fellowship and worship — social distancing created an existential crisis. 

Like schools and libraries, houses of worship had to close their doors to protect people from a potentially deadly virus. But without worshippers praying and singing in the pews, faith leaders wondered if they could fulfil their spiritual mission while keeping their congregants safe. Their survival depended on it.

Enter YouTube. 

Twenty years after it launched as a dating site on Feb. 14, 2005, the world’s most popular content-sharing platform has quietly become something else: a vital tool for houses of worship across the U.S.

Pandemic Pivot

Church YouTube channels that began as a short term solution have since transformed into a lasting shift in how faith communities worship, engage, and even grow their congregations.

Religious communities turned to the platform to stay safe and connected. Churches that once feared closure began to grow an entirely new congregation online. Virtual worship services, Bible studies, and even virtual tithes became the norm. 

Dr. Beryl Whipple, pastor of Mt. Hebron Baptist Church in Baltimore, says they’ve had a YouTube channel since he came to the church in 2014 and used it here and there before the shutdown.

While it’s streaming, I can engage with the people as they’re commenting and talking. That aspect has helped tremendously.

Rev. Jamal Brown, Philadelphia MINSTER

After the pandemic hit, he took a DIY approach to the platform. With no staff to rely on, he enlisted musicians and tech-savvy young members to pre-record services on Thursday nights. His then-fiancée, Andrea, edited the videos, and on Sunday they streamed them on Facebook and then uploaded them to YouTube.

“When I look back on YouTube, I see how we’ve accumulated over 400 videos,” Whipple says. “Not only does that include full worship services, but also little prayers from various seasons.”

According to a November 2022  according to a Pew Research Center  survey, about a quarter of U.S. adults now regularly watch religious services online or on TV, and two-thirds of them are highly satisfied with the experience.

Nevertheless, there were drawbacks to preparing a pandemic-era service to stream on YouTube. 

It was lonely preaching by oneself, and it was dangerous for those choirs that gathered to rehearse in masks. Whipple says he quickly got some pushback from congregation members who weren’t on Facebook, and who had to go to YouTube for the replay. Even now, Whipple’s congregation wants, more than anything, to be in a brick and mortar sanctuary. 

But through thick and thin, YouTube has been a stalwart partner, including for those who embraced long distance members. Some of those members stayed online, while others came to be baptized into their newly chosen fellowship.

Engaging the Church

Rev. Jamal Brown, pastor of Family Restoration Worship Center in Philadelphia, recalls the early days of the pandemic. “We first went to Zoom to try to engage the church,” he says. It had its limitations, though — like the inability to sing together in real time.

“Zoom was awkward. It was clunky. And it was challenging in the beginning. We got push back from people saying that it wasn’t real ministry, and so they refused to join,” Brown says.

Eventually, Brown’s congregation embraced YouTube, where they could pre-record services and stream them live while engaging with viewers through comments. “That aspect has helped tremendously,” he says.

Brown’s congregation is totally digital now, so he takes into account issues like listener fatigue and times his services to the minute. He communicates with them through texting and online chat.

As for his sermons, he streams them live. ”While it’s streaming, I can engage with the people as they’re commenting and talking. That aspect has helped tremendously,” Brown says.

Cruelty Met With Complicity And Fear

by David W. Marshall

(Trice Edney Wire) – Seven years after he survived the Parkland school shooting, David Hogg may be on the verge of becoming a rising star within the Democratic Party. While the 24-year-old Harvard graduate is not widely known, that may no longer be the case given the trajectory of his young career. Hogg is president of Leaders We Deserve, a grassroot organization dedicated to electing young progressive candidates to Congress and state legislatures.

Typically, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has a vice chair for civic engagement and voter participation, along with three general vice chair positions. Whenever a Democratic president is in office, it is customary for DNC members to approve the president’s appointments. But this year, with the Democratic Party out of power, the selections of the vice chair positions were not appointed, but rather selected through competition. Hogg announced his bid for one of the vice-chair positions by making the argument that the party needs to move in a bolder and more anti-establishment direction.

The gun safety and youth leadership advocate believe the Democratic Party is in need of fresh voices at the decision-making table in order to win back voters who moved sharply to the political right during the 2024 presidential election. In 2018, young voters preferred Democrats by a 35-point margin, according to an analysis from Tufts University’s Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. In 2024, that margin fell to just four points.

Hogg chose to run because he thinks it is important for Democrats to take age diversity seriously. “If we’re a party that claims to champion diversity, we need to have diversity of age as well at the table, and not just in a symbolic way, but in a real way that give us the authority to speak out and be in these meetings,” Hogg said. Hogg faults Democrats for failing to express more empathy for people experiencing economic hardship. He is critical of Democratic leaders for creating an echo chamber within the party, leaving them disconnected from voter’s top concerns and priorities like inflation. Calling Hogg “one of the most compelling voices” of his generation, the DNC recently elected him to become the first member of Gen Z to serve as vice chair.

In many ways, David Hogg is correct in wanting to connect with younger voters. He is also correct on the issue of age diversity within the party leadership and being sensitive to the concerns of young voters.  During the 2018 midterm election, Republican pollster Whit Ayers said for most voters, as a motivating issue, democratic erosion isn’t as tangible as things like the price of gas. “Most voters are moved by things that affect them personally and directly,” Ayers said. That proved to be true during the 2024 presidential election. As we know, the 2024 election was not a typical election and Donald Trump was not a typical candidate.

Trump’s threat is not only political, but inhumane. Trump is emboldened and his second stint as president has proven that our worst fears are realized by the degree of cruelty he has unleashed. The target of his aggression is toward those who both willingly and blindly returned him to office. My prayer is that type of young voters who David Hogg and the DNC are targeting persuadable and will no longer be blind to the real threat to their futures.

Long before the election, Donald Trump and the MAGA movement showed their true colors, and young people en masse still gave them their trust and support. Should it be any surprise that the trust was betrayed? Regardless of what people may think of Joe Biden, he was speaking as an elder statesman when he said we are in the “battle for the soul of the nation”.  He told a divided nation what it needed to hear rather than what it wanted to hear. Many voters have fallen into the comfortable conclusion that the MAGA movement may be bad for the country, but they have not reached the uncomfortable reality of how serious the true threat has become.

Young people who understand that the war is on multiple fronts can become a formidable force in future elections. While the economy is one battle that hits the most vulnerable individuals and households the hardest, so too will the unleashed cruelty. The “battle for the soul of the nation” pushes back the acts of cruelty. We are witnessing Republican senators responding to the cruelty with complicity and fear.

Republican senators are terrified over the prospect of facing primary challengers funded by Elon Musk if they oppose President Trump’s agenda. The White House has signaled that Republicans who thwart Trump’s agenda by voting against controversial nominees or opposing efforts to freeze government funding and purge federal agencies will pay a political price.

This is still Black History Month and it will never go away. Therefore, weak and unpatriotic Republicans should still pay a political price at the hands of voters. Voters of all ages and races have the timeless examples in following the resilient spirit of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman by resisting the cruelty with courage and tenacity.

David W. Marshall is the founder of the faith-based organization, TRB: The Reconciled Body, and author of the book God Bless Our Divided America.

Podcast: Dr. Norward Brooks Releases Memoir Detailing His Legacy And Impact

Dr. Norward Brooks, a distinguished leader in Seattle’s Black community, has released a new book, “A Man of Many Firsts: Memoirs of Norward J. Brooks, PhD.” The book details his journey from modest beginnings in New Iberia, Louisiana, to a trailblazing career in public service, his efforts to uplift the Black community, and his involvement in pivotal moments in Seattle’s history. Accompanying him for a discussion and signing event is his daughter, Cleo Brooks.

Interview by Chris B. Bennett.

Podcast: 2025 Black History Month Awards Celebrate African American Trailblazers

The 2025 Black History Month Awards Ceremony, organized by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Committee, will recognize African American pioneers in labor, education, and public service on Monday, February 17, at the Holgate Street Church of Christ. The event includes a complimentary networking dinner followed by an awards ceremony, and will be hosted by community leaders Eddie Rye and Hayward Evans.

Interview by Chris B. Bennett.

Podcast: Byrd Barr Place Hosts Luncheon Honoring Black Seattle’s Unsung Heroes

Byrd Barr Place is hosting the Unsung Heroes of Black Seattle Luncheon, an event honoring individuals who have significantly impacted the community through education, business, and civic service. The luncheon celebrates the legacy and contributions of Black leaders, activists, and community builders.

Interview by Chris B. Bennett.

Dorothy Hollingsworth: A Lifetime of Service And Advocacy

Dorothy Hollingsworth spent nearly a century advocating for women, children, families, education, housing, and economic opportunities. As a leader in civil rights and public service, she dedicated her life to improving the lives of others, particularly those who faced systemic barriers to success. Though she stood just 5 feet 2 inches tall, her presence and influence were immense. Known for her unwavering commitment to social justice, she became a role model to countless young people who saw in her a tireless advocate for equity and opportunity.

Born on October 29, 1920, in Bishopville, South Carolina, Dorothy Lee Thomas Hollingsworth was the eldest of three children. Her family later moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in search of better opportunities. Tragedy struck early in her life when her sister passed away at 14 from pneumonia and her brother died from injuries sustained in World War II. Despite these losses, Hollingsworth remained determined to uplift those around her. She discovered her passion for social work in eighth grade after learning about the field at a job fair and decided early on that her life’s work would be to help others.

Hollingsworth pursued higher education at Paine College in Augusta, Georgia, where she was awarded a scholarship from missionaries. She graduated in 1941 with degrees in social science and education and immediately began her career as a third-grade teacher. In 1946, she and her husband, Raft Hollingsworth, moved to Seattle to be closer to his mother and to escape the racial injustices of the Jim Crow South. Their family grew with the birth of their daughter, Jacqueline, followed by their son, Raft Jr. As her children became more independent, Hollingsworth became deeply involved in community organizations, including the Seattle Madison Branch YMCA, First African Methodist Episcopal Church, the NAACP, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She also formed supper and bridge clubs with family friends as a way to create social spaces for Black families who were often excluded from public establishments due to segregation.

In 1950, Hollingsworth began working as an investigator for the Washington State Department of Welfare, a role that took her across the state and exposed her to the realities of economic and social inequalities. Committed to continuous learning, she enrolled at the University of Washington and, in 1959, earned her master’s degree in social work. This led to her position as a social worker for Seattle Public Schools, where she worked to address the needs of children and families facing economic hardship and educational disparities.

During the early 1960s, Hollingsworth became an active figure in the civil rights movement, advocating for open housing policies and equitable education in Seattle. Her leadership and reputation as a champion for social change led to her appointment in 1965 as the Director of Head Start in Washington State, part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society initiative aimed at combating poverty. Her effectiveness in the role gained national attention, and she was later appointed to the National Advisory Board for Sesame Street, an innovative educational television program designed to support early childhood learning.

Hollingsworth continued to expand her influence in public service when, from 1969 to 1971, she served as Deputy Director of Planning for the Model Cities Program, a federal initiative designed to improve urban communities through education, economic development, and social services. She later became Associate Director of Project Planning, overseeing more than 45 programs in areas such as job training, the arts, healthcare, welfare, and legal aid. In 1975, when the program ended, she became Director of Seattle’s Early Childhood Education programs, helping to establish daycare facilities and expand access to early learning programs across the city. That same year, she made history by becoming the first African American woman elected to the Seattle School Board. She served for six years and became board president in 1979, helping to navigate the district through a period of racial tensions following the desegregation of Seattle schools.

In the early 1980s, Hollingsworth was appointed Deputy Director of Seattle’s Department of Human Resources, where she continued her efforts to improve social services and community programs. In 1984, she was elected to the Washington State Board of Education as the representative from the 7th District, serving until her retirement in 1993. Even in retirement, she remained engaged in education, serving as a board trustee for Seattle Community Colleges. In recognition of her lifelong contributions to education and social justice, the Evergreen School District named Hollingsworth Academy in her honor in 2021.

Throughout her career, Hollingsworth received numerous accolades for her leadership and dedication to public service. Among her many honors were the Matrix Table Award (1976), the Edwin T. Pratt Award (1986), Nordstrom’s Cultural Diversity Award (1992), and the Isabel Colman Pierce Award (1994). In 2010, she was recognized by the University of Washington Women’s Center on the 100th anniversary of female suffrage, highlighting her contributions to gender and racial equality.

Dorothy Hollingsworth’s legacy as a trailblazer in education, civil rights, and public service continues to inspire future generations. Her lifelong dedication to advocacy and community empowerment set a precedent for leadership that has left a lasting impact on Seattle, Washington State, and beyond.

U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Collides With Merchant Ship Near Suez Canal

The US warship USS Harry S. Truman is pictured anchored in The Solent on October 8, 2018, near Portsmouth, England. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman was involved in a collision with a merchant ship near Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea, a Navy spokesperson said on February 13. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
The US warship USS Harry S. Truman is pictured anchored in The Solent on October 8, 2018, near Portsmouth, England. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman was involved in a collision with a merchant ship near Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea, a Navy spokesperson said on February 13. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

By Natasha Bertrand and Brad Lendon, CNN

(CNN) — The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman was involved in a collision with a merchant ship near Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday night, a Navy spokesperson said Thursday.

It’s not clear what caused the collision between the US warship and the Panamanian-flagged vessel Besiktas-M, but the spokesperson said it did not result in any flooding on board the Truman and its nuclear propulsion plants were unaffected.

No injuries were reported on either vessel, though the merchant ship sustained some damage, a Navy official said.

An investigation is ongoing to determine how they collided, but the official noted that the area they were in near the Suez Canal is typically very densely packed with ships.

The Besiktas-M, a 617-foot (188-meter) long bulk carrier, had exited the Suez Canal and was heading to Romania, according to tracking website Marine Traffic.

The Truman, a 1,100-foot-long Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, was heading toward the canal, tracking data indicates.

Marine expert Sal Mercogliano, a professor at Campbell University, said in an X Spaces conversation that the area where the collision occurred, near an anchorage off Egypt’s Port Said, had around 100 ships in it at the time of the incident.

Former US Navy captain Carl Schuster, an instructor at Hawaii Pacific University, said such conditions leave little room for error.

“There is not a lot of room for maneuvering in a restricted seaway and both ships require about one nautical mile to stop,” Schuster said.

Small navigation mistakes, misreading of the other ship’s intentions or delayed decision-making from the crew of either ship could have put them in danger quickly “with very few viable options,” Schuster said.

Last week the Truman was in Souda Bay, Greece, for a “working port visit” after two months of combat operations in the Central Command region, a Navy statement said. During that time, it conducted multiple strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen and launched airstrikes against ISIS in Somalia, the Navy said.

The Truman is one of 11 aircraft carriers in the US Navy fleet.

Accidents involving the huge ships and commercial vessels are rare as the carriers usually travel with a strike group, protected by a screen of destroyers.

But ships entering the Suez Canal must travel in single file, which could make them more vulnerable to a collision, experts said.

The last known time a US carrier collided with a merchant vessel was on July 22, 2004, when a dhow, a sailing vessel common in the Middle East, struck the former USS John F. Kennedy in the Persian Gulf, according to maritime outlet USNI News.

Two US Navy destroyers were involved in fatal collisions in 2017. Seven sailors died after the USS Fitzgerald struck a cargo ship off Japan in June that year, and 10 sailors were killed when the USS John S McCain collided with a tanker off Singapore and Malaysia two months later.

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Acting U.S. Attorney In New York And Five Others Quit After Being Told To Drop Eric Adams Case

Danielle Sassoon resigned as the acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York after being pressured to drop the charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams. (Adam Gray/Reuters via CNN Newsource)
Danielle Sassoon resigned as the acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York after being pressured to drop the charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams. (Adam Gray/Reuters via CNN Newsource)

By Kara Scannell, Evan Perez, Hannah Rabinowitz and Jeremy Herb, CNN

New York (CNN) — Three senior Justice Department officials in New York and Washington resigned Thursday instead of complying with orders from the Trump administration to dismiss the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

The flurry of resignations in protest represents the sharpest rebuke to date of the President Donald Trump’s team leading the Justice Department, which has spent its opening weeks in office firing prosecutors connected to the cases against Trump and demanding information about the thousands of FBI agents involved in the investigations of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

In an eight-page letter, Danielle Sassoon quit her post as acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York instead of dropping the Adams case, saying the New York mayor’s attorneys “repeatedly urged what amounted to a quid pro quo” to help Trump on immigration if the case was dropped.

After Sassoon said that no prosecutor in the Adams case would sign the dismissal court filing, acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove – one of Trump’s former personal lawyers – turned to the public integrity section at Justice Department headquarters, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The resignations snowballed – Kevin Driscoll, the top career prosecutor in the public integrity section, and John Keller, the acting head of the office, also resigned Thursday rather than carry out the administration’s order to dismiss the case. As many as three additional public integrity prosecutors also tendered their resignations later Thursday, according to two sources.

The Justice Department’s direction to drop the federal corruption case against Adams challenged the independence of the country’s most prestigious US attorney’s office charged with rooting out wrongdoing in the nation’s biggest city. Matthew Podolsky, a career prosecutor, is now acting US attorney.

Sassoon resigned before Bove could carry out plans to fire her, two people familiar with the matter said.

Bove issued the directive to dismiss the case following a recent meeting in Washington at the Justice Department attended by Adams’ attorneys Alex Spiro and William Burck as well as Sassoon, two prosecutors on the Adams case and the head of appeals.

Bove directed prosecutors to drop the case “as soon as is practicable” in a two-page memo Monday. His memo cited the fact that the prosecution “unduly restricted Mayor Adams’ ability to devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime” – making clear the political motivations behind the decision.

Bove, who called for the meeting, asked pointed questions throughout with a focus on what the Trump administration has dubbed the “weaponization” of political foes and whether the case has impeded Adams’ ability to do his job as mayor, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting.

Adams’ legal team argued the looming criminal charges made it difficult for the mayor to lead the city and prepare for trial, plus as much as two months sitting in a courtroom, meant he couldn’t run city government, the person said. They also focused on recent actions by the former US attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, who launched a website and wrote an op-ed that Adams team construed as a nod that he might seek political office, the person said.

Adams’ attorneys asked for an outright dismissal of the case. Several days later, on Monday, Bove issued his directive ordering a dismissal without prejudice, meaning the case could be revived in the future after the mayoral election in November 2025. By then, Trump’s choice to run the US attorney’s office, Jay Clayton, would be confirmed by the Senate and running the office.

There is no date for Clayton’s confirmation yet.

At the White House on Thursday, Trump denied that he personally directed the Justice Department to dismiss the indictment against Adams.

“No, I didn’t,” Trump said. “I know nothing about it. I did not.”

‘What amounted to a quid pro quo’

In her resignation letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Sassoon wrote that she was “baffled” by the decision to drop the charges against Adams.

“I remain baffled by the rushed and superficial process by which this decision was reached, in seeming collaboration with Adams’s counsel and without my direct input on the ultimate stated rationales for dismissal,” Sassoon wrote. “Mr. Bove admonished me to be mindful of my obligation to zealously defend the interests of the United States and to advance good-faith arguments on behalf of the Administration.”

The US attorney wrote that dismissing the Adams case “will amplify, rather than abate, concerns about weaponization of the Department,” and that Adams is already using the memo to publicly assert his innocence. Sassoon said that her office is prepared to seek a superseding indictment from a new grand jury.

Sassoon, who was chief of appeals before she was put in place by Trump in January, has strong conservative credentials. She is a member of the Federalist Society and clerked for the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. She penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal soon after taking over the top job that was critical of President Joe Biden’s pardons.

In her resignation letter, Sassoon also nodded to the meeting between herself, Bove and Adams’ team in late January, saying that Adams’ attorneys “repeatedly urged what amounted to a quid pro quo, indicating that Adams would be in a position to assist with the Department’s enforcement priorities only if the indictment were dismissed.”

Bove wrote in his memo ordering the dismissal of the case that there was no quid pro quo, but cited the mayors’ need to focus on immigration enforcement as a reason to drop the charges.

During that meeting, Sassoon added, Bove “admonished” someone on her team who took notes and collected those notes when the meeting was over.

Sassoon also said that prosecutors in her office were planning to bring additional charges against Adams for allegedly obstructing the investigation by destroying evidence and instructing others to provide false information to the FBI. A former City Hall official is expected to plead guilty, prosecutors have said in court filings, and a businessman involved in the straw donor scheme has already pleaded guilty.

Spiro denies there was any quid pro quo.

“The idea that there was a quid pro quo is a total lie. We offered nothing and the department asked nothing of us,” Spiro told CNN on Thursday. “I don’t know what ‘amounted to’ means.”

“We were asked if the case had any bearing on national security and immigration enforcement and we truthfully answered it did,” he added.

Bove says prosecutors on Adams case being placed on leave

The day after being directed to drop the charges against Adams, Sassoon informed Bove on the phone and the attorney general in writing that she would not dismiss the case.

On Wednesday, Sassoon called an “all hands” meeting of prosecutors and staff at the office for 11 a.m. ET, but it was abruptly cancelled, people familiar with the matter said.

A little more than 24 hours later, Sassoon submitted her letter to Bondi announcing her resignation. Moments later, around 2 p.m. ET Thursday, Sassoon sent an email to the staff in New York announcing that she tendered her resignation, people familiar with the matter said.

It is not clear if Bove will sign the motion himself asking the judge to dismiss the case. In a letter accepting Sassoon’s resignation sent Thursday, Bove said the case was being transferred to the Justice Department.

“You lost sight of the oath that you took when you started at the Department of Justice by suggesting that you retain discretion to interpret the Constitution in a manner inconsistent with the policies of a democratically elected President and a Senate-confirmed Attorney General,” Bove wrote.

Bove also wrote that two of the attorneys assigned to the case were being placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation, because they were supportive of her refusal to dismiss the case.

“The Justice Department will not tolerate the insubordination and apparent misconduct reflected in the approach that you and your office have taken in this matter,” Bove added.

If the Justice Department does move to dismiss the case, it would require the sign-off of Judge Dale Ho, a Biden appointee. He could hold a hearing and draw out additional information before agreeing to the government’s request.

Bove worked at SDNY as a prosecutor until 2021

Bove spent nearly a decade as a prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, and most recently was co-chief of its National Security and International Narcotics unit before leaving the office in 2021.

“The guy was true blue,” said one former prosecutor surprised by his recent directives. The prosecutor said Bove was tapped for some of the office’s most complex, difficult cases because he was “smart, dogged, with great instincts.”

Several former prosecutors say after Bove left the office there was a falling out involving a dispute over whether he could represent a woman charged with allegedly defrauding victims of more than $1 billion. Bove was chief of the unit that investigated her boss in an unrelated matter involving national security. Prosecutors tried to get him removed from the case, arguing in court filings that he shouldn’t be allowed because of a conflict of interest. The judge overseeing the case ultimately agreed that Bove could represent the woman, but with limitations on her defense. Bove ultimately withdrew from the case.

The Justice Department last year brought public corruption charges against Adams in the first prosecution of a sitting mayor in the city’s modern history. Adams pleaded not guilty, and the case was set to go to trial this spring.

The indictment alleged Adams’ illegal actions stretched back to 2014, when he was Brooklyn Borough president. Prosecutors said Adams received luxury travel benefits – including hotel room upgrades, meals and other perks – from a Turkish official. In exchange, prosecutors say, Adams pressured a New York City Fire Department official to grant permits to open a Turkish consular building that had failed to pass inspection.

Adams, who was registered as a Republican in the 1990s, has frequently said the prosecution was politically motivated by his criticism of the Biden administration’s response to an influx of migrant arrivals in the city beginning in the spring of 2022.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

CNN’s Paula Reid, John Miller, Gloria Pazmino, Kevin Liptak and Eric Levenson contributed to this report.

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