The Choice Is Clear: Hillary’s Vision for An America That Is Hopeful and Inclusive

On Thursday in North Carolina, Hillary Clinton continued to make her closing argument for the presidency, outlining her record of championing the interests of people of color throughout her career–in contrast with Donald Trump’s history of racial discrimination and divisive rhetoric. Throughout her professional life and candidacy, Hillary has pledged to take on social injustice, including systemic racism and sexism. If elected president, Hillary has vowed to pass end-to-end criminal justice reform and implement common sense gun reform, priorities of great concern to communities of color.

Trump, on the other hand, has throughout his life and this campaign repeatedly instilled division and hate–from championing the racist birther movement and courting conspiracy theorists, to calling for a deportation force for immigrant families and banning Muslims.

Long before Trump ran for president, he was sued by the Department of Justice for racial discrimination at his family’s housing developments in Brooklyn and Queens–in addition to discrimination at properties in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Norfolk, Virginia. Federal investigators were told that Trump employees would mark applications of prospective renters with “C” for “colored” and refused to rent to African Americans. At her event in Winterville today, Mae Brown Wiggins, a registered nurse who was turned away from an apartment Trump managed because of her skin color, introduced Hillary, describing the impact Trump’s actions had on her life.

Years later, in the 1980’s, Trump took out full-page ads in four newspapers calling for the death penalty for a group of black and Latino teenagers who were wrongly convicted of a crime, some as young as 14 years old. Just recently, Trump doubled down on his view that the five men, who were exonerated based on DNA evidence, are still guilty and should go to jail. Trump’s refusal to accept the evidence and admit he was wrong about the Central Park 5 is deeply disturbing, and continues to exacerbate deep and painful wounds borne by the men and their families.

The choice is clear. Americans deserve a president who believes Americans are stronger together, not one whose dark and divisive vision is fundamentally at odds with who we are as Americans.

As the presidential election draws to a close, here’s a recap of Trump’s pattern of discrimination and divisiveness:

A History of Housing Discrimination

• Trump was twice sued by the Department of Justice for discrimination in housing.
• Despite Trump’s claim that many companies were sued for discrimination when he was, the truth is that Fred and Donald Trump’s violation of the law was so egregious that the case made against them was “one of the strongest”
• At the first presidential debate, Trump admitted he was sued for housing discrimination saying, “we settled… it was very easy.”
• Trump’s real estate company had a disturbing practice of marking applications from black families with the letter “‘C’, for ‘Colored.”
• A Trump building manager had the rental application of a black woman and was instructed to “‘Take the application and put it in a drawer and leave it there,’ Mr. Leibowitz, now 88, recalled in an interview.”
• The N-word was used Trump offices and Donald was reportedly was in the room when it happened.
• Black families made up a tiny percentage of renters in Trump-owned buildings.

Trump vs. Central Park 5

• Trump paid for a racially provocative ad calling on New York lawmakers to reinstate the death penalty for five teenage Latino and African American men who were wrongfully accused of raping a woman.
• Trump refused to acknowledge the innocence of The Central Park 5 even after their 2014 exoneration.

The Birtherism Conspiracy Theory

• Trump led the birther movement in an attempt to delegitimize America’s first black president
• Trump continued pushing his birtherism theory to delegitimize President Barack Obama every Trump’s conspiracy theory: President Obama is a Muslim and rendered ineligible for the presidency because he was born in Kenya.
• When asked what he would say to people of color who were hurt by his remarks Trump repeatedly said, “I say nothing.”

Trump’s Hateful Rhetoric

• Trump has failed to appropriately disavow racists and white supremacists like David Duke supporting his campaign.
• Trump said African Americans have “nothing to lose” by voting for him because: “You’re living in poverty. Your schools are no good. You have no jobs.”
• Trump continues to ignore history and disparage black Americans, saying the African American community is in the worst shape “ever, ever, ever” and African Americans in cities are “living in hell” and living in “war zones.”
• Trump retweeted “racially loaded” and “wildly inaccurate” statistics claiming Blacks were responsible for 81 percent of White homicides.

Hateful Movements

• Trump’s campaign shared an anti-Semitic image on his twitter that first appeared on white supremacist websites.
• Trump has received an outpouring of support from hate movements like the alt-right.
• White Supremacists used Trump’s candidacy as a recruiting tool.
• White Supremacists and Klan members supported Trump, comparing his views to their views.
• David Duke said Trump has “Made it OK to talk about these incredible concerns of European Americans today, because I think European Americans know they are the only group that can’t defend their own essential interests and their point of view.
• “Virginia KKK Leader Endorses Trump: ‘What He Believes In, We Believe In.’”
• Trump on being supported by White Supremacists: “A lot of people like me.”

More Discrimination in Trump Organization

• Trump Plaza was fined $200,000 for shuffling Black and female dealers away from a high-rollers table to accommodate the preferences of patron and “reputed mob figure” Robert LiButti.
• Trump Marina was fined for requesting non-Black driver.
• When Trump came to his casino, Black people were allegedly ordered off the floor, according to a former employee in a report by The New Yorker.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Hillary Clinton Campaigns in North Carolina

Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign rally at Pitt Community College in Winterville, North Carolina, U.S., November 3, 2016. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Hillary Clinton returned to North Carolina on Thursday where she spoke at two events. Her first event was on the campus of Pitt Community College in Winterville. Clinton spoke for over half an hour about a number of her platform points including criminal justice reform, creating new jobs, making college more affordable, and creating an economy that works for everyone and does not favor those at the top. She also went after Donald Trump for his divisive rhetoric and his comments about various groups including women, Muslims, immigrants, and African Americans. Clinton said that Trump’s comments are encouraging others adding, “He’s giving a dog whistle to his supporters. [He’s] endorsed by the official paper of the KKK.” Clinton concluded her speech by asking everyone for their vote and encouraged them to take advantage of early voting or turn out next Tuesday. A video from the event is below.

Clinton then traveled to Raleigh where she was joined by Senator Bernie Sanders and singer Pharrell Williams. Williams and Sanders spoke first talking about the stakes of the election and encouraging everyone to vote. When Clinton took the stage, she spoke about a number of her platform points including her plans to create more jobs by investing in infrastructure and American manufacturing, continuing to update the health care system to ensure universal coverage, and making college more affordable for families and students. Clinton concluded her speech by encouraging everyone to take advantage of early voting or to vote next Tuesday. A video of the event is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: WNCT, The Washington Post, The News & Observer, The Boston Globe

Hillary Clinton Campaigns in Arizona and Nevada

Hillary Clinton campaigned in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday where she spoke about the importance of the election and electing down ballot Democrats such as Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto. During her speech, Clinton outlined a number of her key platform points including her plans to create jobs, pass comprehensive immigration reform, and build an economy that works for everyone. Clinton attacked rival Donald Trump for admitting that he would only accept the results of the election if he won and for his divisive comments and policies. She concluded her speech by asking everyone to vote. “The question is what kind of change are we going to have? Are we going to build a fairer stronger better America or are we going to fear the future and each other?” she said. A video of Clinton’s speech is below.

Clinton then spoke at a rally in Tempe, Arizona. She appeared at the event with former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly. During her speech, Clinton spoke about a number of platform points including passing common sense control, creating jobs, and building an economy that works for everyone. She also went after Trump saying, “Imagine a president who demeans women, mocks the disabled, insults Latinos, African Americans, Muslims, POWs, who pits people against each other, instead of pulling us together. Someone with a very thin skin, who lashes out at anyone who challenges him, who praises adversaries like Vladimir Putin and picks fights with our allies and even insults the Pope.” Clinton concluded by asking everyone to vote on November 8th turn “turn Arizona blue.” A video from the event is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal, The Arizona Republic

HFA Releases Series of Ads as Election Nears

On Tuesday, Hillary for America released a series of ads targeting Donald Trump a week before the election on November 8th. The first three ads feature Republicans and one former Trump supporter who have vowed to support Hillary Clinton in light of Trump’s comments about women. The final video highlights a number of comment Trump has made about women over the decades. Next is a video titled “27 million Strong” about how the Latino immigrants in the United States can send Trump a message on election day. The ad is being released in both English and Spanish. Then, the Briefing has a video called “The Trump Effect” which looks at how Trump’s divisive statements affect Americans. Then, an ad that encourages African American voters to get out and reject Trump’s divisive platform. Next is an ad titled “We are America” and outlines the dangers a Trump presidency would present to the American democracy. Then, the next video features Katy Perry’s song Roar and outlines a number of reasons to vote for Clinton. The next video imagines what life in America will be like after a year of a Trump presidency. The final ad is a radio ad talking about Trump’s history of demeaning African Americans. Watch the videos below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Bill Clinton Encourages Ohio Voters

Bill Clinton campaigned on behalf of Hillary Clinton in Ohio today with his first event being in Cleveland. He spoke about a variety of Hillary’s platform plans including her proposals to boost manufacturing, invest in infrastructure improvements, and make college more affordable. Bill also contrasted the tone of Hillary’s campaign from that of Republican Donald Trump’s saying, “Her theme is ‘Stronger Together’ and her opponent’s theme is ‘No we’re not.'” He attacked Trump for his negative, “us vs. them” message adding, “I spent a lot of my childhood in an us-versus-them environment. It doesn’t work.” He concluded the event by urging Ohioans to get out and vote.

In Columbus, Bill spoke to a predominantly African American audience about the dangers of Trump and how is “Make American Great Again” theme is a reference to a different time in America. Bill said, “When our opponent says, ‘make America great again,’ hey, I’m a 70-year-old white southerner, I know what that means. Fifty years ago, it wasn’t so great for African-Americans or Hispanic-Americans or first-generation immigrants or women in the workplace. Children with disabilities couldn’t go to school. Nobody saw their abilities. Gay people were confined to a closet.” Bill spoke about Hillary’s plans to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity in America and urged everyone to take advantage of Ohio’s early voting.

Bill’s final event of the day was in Cincinnati where he continued to tout his wife’s plans to create jobs and build on the economic progress of the last eight years. He urged everyone to vote on election day or to take advantage of early voting. Bill also asked everyone to make sure their friends and family members vote saying, “I want to ask you to do two things: Vote today. Vote tomorrow. Vote every day if you haven’t voted. I don’t mean more than one time – don’t do that. Concentrate on getting people who are for Hillary to go vote. Then, if you run into people who are not for her, do not talk about them the way they talk about her.” Videos from today’s events will be added when/if available.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Cleveland.com, Canton Rep, Cincinnati.com

Hillary Clinton Interviewed on The Breakfast Club

Hillary Clinton was interviewed by the morning radio show “The Breakfast Club.” During the interview, Clinton and hosts DJ Envy, Angela Yee & Charlamagne Tha God discussed a number of topics including Clinton’s thoughts on being parodied on Saturday Night Live, her support for the Chicago Cubs, and the presidential debates. The group also discussed a number of Clinton’s campaign points including her plan to combat systemic racism. She said, “It’s something that we have to be honest about. We have to face up to systemic racism. We see it in jobs, we see it in education, we see it in housing. But let’s be really clear; it’s a big part of what we’re facing in the criminal justice system. African American men get arrested, charged, convicted, and incarcerated far more often and for far longer for doing the same thing that white men do.” A video of the full interview is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: NBC News

Recapping Donald’s Day of New Housing Discrimination Revelations

Yesterday, Donald Trump suffered a day of new revelations and reporting on his real estate company’s history of  discrimination against black families. Mother Jones and NBC News published new reports on an additional racial discrimination suit from the 1980’s, as well as a disturbing anecdote in which Trump stood by his  father as he used the “N”-word and directed employees to put applications from aspiring black tenants “in a drawer.” The Las Vegas Sun reported on a local woman who served as a housing discrimination tester who, in her words, was “the right color” for a Trump apartment. And just today, the New York Observer exposed some of the aggressive and troubling tactics Trump’s lawyers used to discredit black individuals who wanted to rent in his buildings, including questioning their political affiliations and sexual activity.

Hillary for America also released a new video telling the story of Mae Brown Wiggins, a registered nurse who was turned away from an apartment Trump managed because of her skin color. The video is narrated by Senator Tim Kaine, who spent 17 years as a civil rights lawyer fighting housing discrimination–a stark contrast with Trump, who got his start managing apartment buildings that discriminated against African American renters.

Contrary to Trump’s claims, this level of discrimination was not common practice. The Department of Justice’s lawsuit against Donald Trump and his father and was “one of the strongest cases the Justice Department had ever seen for violations of the Fair Housing Act.”

Donald Trump must be held to account for his history of racial discrimination.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Mother Jones: Here’s Another Time a Trump Company Was Sued for Discriminating Against Black People: “Nor did [Trump] mention another relevant fact, which has not received prominent coverage during the current presidential campaign: just as the Trumps’ standoff with the Justice Department was winding down, their real estate business was hit by a group of similar lawsuits for again allegedly discriminating against black New Yorkers looking for apartments.”

• “In April 1982, the Open Housing Center, a fair housing advocacy outfit, filed class action lawsuits against several landlords and real estate brokers on behalf of nine African Americans who had been denied apartments in Queens.”

TIME: Hillary Clinton Campaign Video Highlights Trump Housing Discrimination Case: “An emotional new campaign video for Hillary Clinton highlights reports of discriminatory rental practices by Donald Trump’s business that led to a 1973 Justice Department lawsuit. The video, released Tuesday, features Mae Brown Wiggins, who shares her story of being denied an apartment in one of Trump’s New York City buildings ‘based on the color of my skin.’”

• Mae Brown Wiggins: “‘I felt very, very angry,’ Wiggins says in the video, wiping tears from her eyes. ‘So much so that it still evokes—it still evokes anger and hurt. Deep, deep hurt.’”

Las Vegas Sun: Henderson woman shares story as housing discrimination tester at Trump property: “A Henderson woman is coming forward to share her story as a housing discrimination tester at one of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s properties in the 1970s.”

• Sheila Morse: “She said that when she said she would take the apartment, the superintendent was ‘thrilled’ and said he would have the lease ready the next day. ‘I guess I was the right color and the gentleman was the wrong color,’ Morse said.”

NBC News: ‘Not Wanted’: Black Applicants Rejected for Trump Housing Speak Out

• Annette Gandy Fortt: “In 1973, New York City school teacher Annette Gandy Fortt was looking for a decent place to live. A listing for an apartment in a building owned by Donald Trump’s father, Fred, caught her eye — but she says the super told her there were no units available. ‘I was black,’ Fortt said recently. ‘I was not wanted.’”
• Maxine Brown: “The breadth of the allegations doesn’t surprise Maxine Brown, who applied for an apartment in a Queens building owned by Fred Trump in 1963. ‘I was turned away because of my color,’ said Brown, 86, whose account was first reported by the New York Times in August.”
• Stanley Leibowitz, former Trump rental agent who took Ms. Brown’s application: “‘Mr. Trump and his son Donald came into the office. I asked what I should do with this application because she’s calling constantly and his response to me was, ‘You know I don’t rent to the N-word. Put it in a drawer and forget about it,’’ Leibowitz, 89, told NBC News.”

WATCH the segment on NBC News’ reporting on last night’s Rachel Maddow Show.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

HFA Releases New Campaign Ads

Throughout the week, Hillary for America has continued to release new campaign ads and videos. The first video they released is entitled “Barbershop” and includes African American voters making the case for electing Hillary Clinton. Then a video featuring President Barack Obama making the case for Hillary entitled “On the Ballot.” The next video features the story of Mae Brown Wiggins and how she was a victim of discrimination in an apartment building owned by Donald Trump. The next video is also about Trump and attacks his comments about women. The next ad features retired General John Allen. In the video, he makes the case for electing Clinton over Trump. Next is a series of two ads that are part of the final push before election day. Both ads ask what kind of country we want for our children? Then a short video featuring a conversation with Tim Kaine and rapper Pusha-T. Next is a video called “One Vote at a Time” that is the first in a series of videos featuring YouTube stars. The final video is a Spanish language ad that features the story of U.S. Army Pvt. Damián López Rodriguez, a soldier killed in Iraq. Watch the videos below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

HFA Releases Issue Based Video Series

Earlier this week, Hillary for America released a series of issue based videos featuring African Americans talking about issues that are important to them. Topics covered include education, voting rights, criminal justice, health care, racial justice, LGBT rights, mental health, income inequality, and more. Each video is a powerful reminder about why the election is important. Watch the video series below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Hillary Clinton Endorsed by More Local Newspapers

This weekend, Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of four major prominent newspapers from across the country. The first was Nebraska’s Omaha World-Herald, the first time the paper has endorsed a Democrat since President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. The paper’s editorial board says that while Clinton has political faults, she is by far more qualified than Republican Donald Trump. The board concludes, “Clinton’s legislative experience and decades of political involvement — as first lady of Arkansas, first lady of the United States, U.S. senator from New York, secretary of state and two-time presidential candidate — make her the better prepared of the two major candidates for the office of president of the United States.” Read the full endorsement HERE.

The Wisconsin State Journal also published their endorsement of Clinton concluding that the country cannot risk a Trump presidency. The paper’s board said, “Trump’s scandal-a-day campaign has shown he would distract, isolate and embarrass our nation. The world doesn’t need a United States in retreat, nor a stark reset of America’s politics and international posture. The world needs a U.S. president who can actually lead. Clinton is that leader, and the world needs America to get this right.” Read the full article HERE.

Clinton has also earned the endorsement of the New Orleans newspaper The Times-Picayune. The paper’s editorial board says that Clinton is the better choice for New Orleans and Louisiana saying, “As for which candidate is better for Louisiana, there is no contest. Mrs. Clinton is committed to investments in infrastructure, including ports, that would benefit our state. She also wants to offer preschool to every 4-year-old, something that fits Louisiana’s goal of expanding and improving the quality of early childhood education. But for New Orleanians, perhaps the most compelling contrast between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton is his intolerance and her inclusiveness. New Orleans has diversity in its DNA. A president who routinely degrades African-Americans, Hispanics, Muslims and women could not, and would not, represent us.” Click HERE to read the full endorsement.

In Iowa, The Des Moines Register’s editorial board asked what message Americas wanted to send to a ever interested global community. Do we want to pick the candidate that has run a divisive campaign or one that still believes in the promise of America? The board believes it is important that the American citizens elect a leader that represents our values, and for them that is Clinton. They conclude, “On Election Day, all of us share the privilege and responsibility of protecting the principles on which this country was founded and for which so many others have died: justice, liberty, equality and opportunity for all. In this particular election, only one of the two major-party candidates stands prepared to honor America and uphold its highest ideals. The Des Moines Register endorses Hillary Clinton for president.” Read the full editorial HERE.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Omaha World-Herald, Wisconsin State Journal, The Times-Picayune, The Des Moines Register