Subject: Read this:
From: "Yvette Lewis" <[email-masked]>
To: "Rosemont Seneca Partners LLC" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2015 13:16:08 -0400

Friend,

As an African American woman I watch with sadness as so many African Americans are caught up in a system that often does not deliver justice in an even handed way. 

It takes courage to step out first with a plan that addresses these hard issues, that we as a country must face. Today, Governor Martin O'Malley has done exactly that: he has laid out a bold, thoughtful and comprehensive plan for criminal justice reform. 

Governor O'Malley understands that the relationship between citizens and law enforcement must be healed in order for all of us to move to that more perfect society we so desperately want and need. 

As Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party, I was able to see first-hand his commitment to these issues. He is known in our state for his willingness to go against conventional wisdom and the establishment to do not what is popular, but what is right. Governor O'Malley offers the kind of new leadership our country needs, and I hope you'll take a few minutes to read his plan now.

Here are just a few things Governor O'Malley would do as President:

1. Ensure transparency and accountability in law enforcement. This is a big one. Martin's plan will require regular reporting on all police-involved shootings, custodial deaths, discourtesy complaints, and use of excessive force, in a publicly accessible database.

Read the full section on transparency and accountability here.

2. Reduce recidivism through investments in reentry. By investing in jobs programs, Martin would work to reduce recidivism, provide pathways to full restoration of rights like voting, and support legislation that provides paths to recourse for people with criminal records to ensure young men and women have a chance at a better future.

Read the full section on recidivism here.

3. Reform mandatory minimum sentencing: these sentences have often led to punishments that do not fit the crime. Unnecessarily harsh sentences for non-violent offenses have not deterred crime, and have disproportionately impacted communities of color. 

Read more about mandatory minimums in Martin's plan here.

4. Reinvest to ensure justice. “Underinvestment in public education has left too little funding for counselors, special education teachers and social workers in many districts." One aspect of Martin’s plan is to invest more in federal rants to help deploy counselors and other staff, reprioritizing current funding used to put law enforcement officers in schools. 

Read more about reinvesting to ensure justice in the plan, here.

Look, I know there's a lot to dig through here. But we can either keep talking about it or we can do something. Martin O'Malley has taken a big step towards real action on what is a complex and critical issue and I'm happy to share his plan with you today. 

Thanks for your support,

Yvette Lewis

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O'Malley for President
1501 St. Paul Street, Suite 115
Baltimore, MD 21202
O'Malley for President
1501 St. Paul Street
Ste 115
Baltimore MD 21202 United Stat