NYC ELECTED OFFICIALS BLAST TRUMP FOR ZERO LATINOS, FEW PEOPLE OF COLOR IN CABINET
2016 or 1956? Cabinet Appointments Reminiscent of Earlier, Exclusionary Age in America
New York, NY -- NYC Council Members Ydanis Rodriguez and Carlos Menchaca and Assembly Member-Elect Carmen De La Rosa stood at Trump Tower today to denounce President-Elect Donald Trump for his insistence to not appoint a single Latino to his cabinet, a body that will consist of just 3 non-white men.
The elected officials pointed out that this is an utter disregard for people of color at the highest levels of government. It is a deeply troubling sign of what the next four years could be like under the Trump Administration.
"The blatant disrespect shown by President-Elect Trump to people of color continues to play out in his choices for high level posts in government," said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez. "With not a single Latino, and just 3 people who aren't white men, this looks more like 1960 than 2016. Latinos and other people of color will not sit quietly for these next four years. We're not going back. It's up to President-Elect Trump to show he's president of all America if he would like a successful presidency.
"The growing list of Trump appointees and cabinet members is a rogues gallery of climate change deniers, xenophobes, misogynists, homophobes, racists, military has-beens and anti-government cranks," said Council Member Carlos Menchaca. "Trump promised he'd 'drain the swamp.' It looks more like he's building a pit of incompetence. I'm incensed by the lack of diversity among proposed appointees. I'm even more concerned about selecting incompetent people who are well documented as wanting to destroy the very agencies and government functions they may come to lead."
"This might be a wake-up call to Mr. Trump, but America is far from a nation of white men in 2016," said Assembly Member-Elect Carmen De La Rosa. "Women, Latinos, people of color from across this nation, have made major strides in representation across industries. There are countless individuals capable of working at the highest levels of government and this cabinet fails to recognize that. I continue to be disappointed in President-Elect Trump and his insistence in disrespecting people of color."
"While we are eager to see President-Elect Trump deliver on the promise of continuing on the path of President Obama to improve America; America is only great when you have representation on your administration that reflects the people you are serving. We're calling on President-Elect Trump to recognize the diversity of America and to deliver an administration that reflects America," said Council Member Andy King, Ex-Officio Past Chair of the Black, Latino, Asian Caucus.
Council Member Rodriguez also spoke about the letter he drafted to U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions, appointee to become Attorney General, who has made comments to disparage people from the Dominican Republic. The letter is meant to educate Senator Sessions about the many contributions Dominican-Americans have made to the United States. That letter can be found here.
