Republican Florida Rep. Byron Donalds pushed back against CNN host Abby Phillip’s claims Thursday evening regarding former President Donald Trump’s history with hispanic and black voters.
Donalds appeared on “CNN NewsNight With Abby Phillip” to discuss his support for Trump, honing in on the former president’s growing support from Democratic key voting blocs such as both the hispanic and black vote. Phillip questioned Donalds on Trump’s “character,” asking him about what voters should think in regards to a 1973 federal lawsuit against Trump filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and claims that he didn’t denounce white supremacists and racists in Charlottesville. (RELATED: Ben Carson Says Black Voters Are No Longer ‘Just Following Ideology’ As Many Move From Dem Party)
“Now Abby, we gotta be truthful. If you go back and watch the entire clip, it‘s a 17 minute clip still on Youtube, of the president talking about what happened in Charlottesville. He denounced all of the white supremacy that was going on in Charlottesville. I‘ve reviewed that tape. I know you and your producers have reviewed that tape multiple times. Let‘s not take one statement out of context. Let‘s be factual now. For 17 minutes he denounced it, that is the history. People — go on YouTube right now. Don‘t listen to my words, go on YouTube right now and watch it,” Donalds stated.
“So what’s the point that you’re making congressmen? What’s the point that you‘re making about Donald Trump and the history that‘s pretty clear. The racial discrimination lawsuit, there’s the Central Park five, I mean there are a lot of examples,” Phillip jumped in.
Within Trump’s 1973 federal case, the DOJ sued the former president, his father, Fred, and Trump Management for alleged racial discrimination claims at Trump owned housing developments in New York, according to NPR. Two years after the lawsuit was filed, the case was settled with no admission of guilt as the former president attempted at the time to counter sue for $100 million over making false statements, but was eventually dismissed by the court, the outlet reported.
Additionally, while the legacy media claimed that Trump didn’t denounce racists or white supremacists within his response to the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, resulting in one death and 19 injuries, full quotes from his statements proved otherwise. Trump’s statements to the nation not only stated “racism is evil and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans,” but the former president noted the need to “love each other, show affection for each other, and unite together in condemnation of hatred, bigotry and violence.”
“Well can also talk about Joe Biden‘s record—” Donalds responded.
“No, but I‘m just wondering Donald Trump is making a pitch to black voters so how does he address that to black voters?” Phillip asked.
“Hold on now, Joe Biden issued the 94′ crime bill. It was devastating to black voters, you know this. It was devastating to black men in particular. Joe Biden did that. Joe Biden didn’t want his own kids to be bused to schools. Joe Biden did that. That was his record as well. So let’s not just focus on what Donald Trump has said a long time ago, look at his record as president of the United States. His record as president is one that actually wanted all Americans to thrive and succeed. He did not pick and choose when he was president,” Donalds stated.
“Don’t you think Donald Trump ought to address some of those things from his own past?” Phillip questioned.
“No, he doesn’t need to do that. Everybody knows Donald Trump‘s entire history. The man has been in the public eye for four decades, if not five decades now in the United States. What Americans are looking for right now is his competency as commander in chief and that is why when people compare 45 versus 46, I mean, look, the choice is clear. The 45th president was significantly better than the 46th — it’s without a doubt,” Donalds stated.
Biden’s author role within the 1994 crime bill, notably known for its contributions to mass incarcerations, began to surface mid 2021 as some experts reportedly suggested the legislation contributed to systemic racism. The legislation implemented a three-strikes provision which would impose a life sentence for anyone with two prior convictions receiving a third. Data from the Center for American Progress within 2016 showed that an estimated 78.5% of Americans who are serving life sentences in federal prisons were people of color.
New polls conducted by the New York Times/Siena College have shown that while Trump and Biden are in a dead heat tie with hispanic voters and young voters between 18 to 29 years old, the former president’s pull of the black vote is increasing. With 20% of support, Trump could potentially win one of the highest levels of support behind the Republican Party since 1964, according to the New York Times.
