Black Caucus Chair ‘Utterly Disgusted’ With Trump Handling Of Race Relations

From left, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., Rep. John Lewis, D-Ala., and Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, arrive for a Congressional Tri-Caucus news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017, on injustice and inequality in America. The Congressional Tri-Caucus is comprised of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
From left, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., and Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, arrive for a Congressional Tri-Caucus news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, ... From left, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., and Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, arrive for a Congressional Tri-Caucus news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017, on injustice and inequality in America. The Congressional Tri-Caucus is comprised of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) MORE LESS
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Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA), the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, had some harsh words for President Donald Trump on Thursday in the wake of the President’s continuous criticism of the National Football League and the players who have taken a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial profiling in the U.S.

Richmond wrote a letter to Trump to “express my utter disgust” with the way he has handled race relations in the U.S. in general, but also specifically related to his “divisive response” to NFL protests, according to the letter published by CNN.

As President of the United States, your use of profane, sexually derogatory language in addressing American citizens, or anyone for that matter, is unbecoming of the office you now hold,” he said, referencing Trump’s remarks in Alabama on Friday when he called any player who kneels during the national anthem a “son of a bitch” who deserves to be fired.

He said Trump’s lack of empathy or understanding for the “very painful history and substantive policy concerns” of African Americans is representative of everything black people have to lose under his administration.

He also re-sent Trump a 125 page policy book highlighting the Congressional Black Caucus’ concerns related to the “criminal justice system, racial profiling and police brutality, among many other issues” as well as letters to members of the administration on the topic. He asked the President to actually read the documents, saying he’s it’s “evident” he hasn’t.

“Almost everything you have done and said on the topic of race or on issues that implicate race demonstrate a shocking lack of knowledge for an adult public official in the 21st century,” he wrote.

Read the full letter at CNN.

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Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for sanni sanni says:

    ~Clapping~ Virtual standing ovation for Congressman Richmond.

  2. This needs to be the story in the news cycle today. Along with repetition of the delays in getting help to Puerto Rico.

    Big Donny spent all weekend focused on the NFL and ignored Puerto Rico until Tuesday, after he caught on that they might be Americans.

    But, in the quote is the tell . . .
    “Almost everything you have done and said on the topic of race or on issues that implicate race demonstrate a shocking lack of knowledge for an adult public official in the 21st century,”

    The assumption we are dealing with an adult is the critical problem.

    We are better than this.

    THIS WILL NOT BE OUR NEW NORMAL.

  3. well, just a bit more than 3 years left …

  4. Avatar for paulw paulw says:

    Terrifying thought is that any republican candidate will now be judged by whether they’re as utterly horrific as trump. Evil but not a foreign agent? OK. Corrupt but not jaw-droppingly stupid? Just fine. Sexual predator but not from the east coast? No problem.

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