BET Wire: Washington Responds to George Zimmerman Verdict

Attorney General Eric Holder slams Stand Your Ground laws.

In Case You Missed It - Republicans leave President Obama scratching his head; Ben Carson kind of blames the spread of measles on immigrants; one lawmaker thinks it's OK if your food service worker doesn't wash his hands after a bathroom break — and more. — Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick)

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In Case You Missed It - Attorney General Eric Holder wants to end Stand Your Ground Laws; Newark Mayor Cory Booker's raking in big campaign bucks; Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick won't run for president – and more. – Joyce Jones

Holder Stands His Ground - The Justice Department faces an uphill battle on the possible prosecution of George Zimmerman. Attorney General Eric Holder will, however, challenge Stand Your Ground laws, which he said in a speech before the NAACP, "contribute to more violence than they prevent."  (Photo: Tim Boyles/Getty Images)

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Holder Stands His Ground - The Justice Department faces an uphill battle on the possible prosecution of George Zimmerman. Attorney General Eric Holder will, however, challenge Stand Your Ground laws, which he said in a speech before the NAACP, "contribute to more violence than they prevent." (Photo: Tim Boyles/Getty Images)

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Leading the Charge - In response to the George Zimmerman not-guilty verdict, Congressional Black Caucus members are preparing an anti-racial profiling bill, The Hill reports. In addition to barring law enforcement agents from targeting people based on race, gender or religion, it would mandate race-sensitivity training as a condition for receiving federal funding. The Justice Department also would be required to provide Congress with periodic reports on discriminatory profiling practices. (Photo: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Thanks, But No Thanks - Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has ruled out a 2016 presidential bid. “I am not running for president in 2016,” Patrick told reporters on July 16. “I’m going to finish this second term, I’m going to go back into the private sector. And as Diane, my wife says, pay some attention to our family and friends while they are still willing to have us pay some attention.”   (Photo: REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi)

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Thanks, But No Thanks - Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has ruled out a 2016 presidential bid. “I am not running for president in 2016,” Patrick told reporters on July 16. “I’m going to finish this second term, I’m going to go back into the private sector. And as Diane, my wife says, pay some attention to our family and friends while they are still willing to have us pay some attention.”  (Photo: REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi)

Obama Defends Obamacare - The day after the House voted to delay the Affordable Care Act's mandate requiring individuals to have health insurance, Obama defended his signature legislation. "Generally speaking, what we've seen is that health care costs have slowed drastically in a lot of areas since we passed the Affordable Care Act," he said in a White House press conference.  (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

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Obama Defends Obamacare - The day after the House voted to delay the Affordable Care Act's mandate requiring individuals to have health insurance, Obama defended his signature legislation. "Generally speaking, what we've seen is that health care costs have slowed drastically in a lot of areas since we passed the Affordable Care Act," he said in a White House press conference. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

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Booker's Bucks - A-listers are using their influence to financially boost Newark Mayor Cory Booker's Senate bid. Supporters include Ivanka Trump, daughter of Republican mogul Donald Trump and veteran rainmaker Vernon Jordan. Washington lawyers and lobbyists are hosting five fundraisers for Booker on July 18.  (Photo: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz)

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Booker's Bucks - A-listers are using their influence to financially boost Newark Mayor Cory Booker's Senate bid. Supporters include Ivanka Trump, daughter of Republican mogul Donald Trump and veteran rainmaker Vernon Jordan. Washington lawyers and lobbyists are hosting five fundraisers for Booker on July 18. (Photo: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz)

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Moral Monday or General Assembly? - A Public Policy Polling survey released July 16 finds that North Carolinians have a higher opinion of Moral Monday than they do of the state's legislature. Each week protesters have risked arrest to demonstrate against GOP-led policies. PPP reports that 47 percent of respondents supported the protesters in the poll, compared to 41 percent who chose the General Assembly.  (Photo: AP Photo/The News & Observer, Travis Long)

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Do the Right Thing - The CBC is calling on Senate Republicans to stop blocking confirmation of Obama's African-American judicial nominees. Currently, 30 percent of judicial nominees awaiting confirmation are African-American. They also accused Sen. Marco Rubio of "negligence and obstruction" for blocking two Florida-based judges, one of whom he previously supported. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Seriously? - Pat Robertson is still suggesting that President Obama is a Muslim. On the July 16 broadcast of the 700 Club, he asked Christian Broadcast Network reporter Erick Stackelbeck, "Do you think Obama is a crypto-Muslim?" According to Stackelbeck, the president is a "revolutionary leftist" working with "hardcore Islamists" to end "Judeo-Christian western civilization" and "traditional America."  (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Seriously? - Pat Robertson is still suggesting that President Obama is a Muslim. On the July 16 broadcast of the 700 Club, he asked Christian Broadcast Network reporter Erick Stackelbeck, "Do you think Obama is a crypto-Muslim?" According to Stackelbeck, the president is a "revolutionary leftist" working with "hardcore Islamists" to end "Judeo-Christian western civilization" and "traditional America." (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)