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.

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.

Hillary Clinton Campaigns in Michigan and Ohio

Following last night’s debate, Hillary Clinton returned to the campaign trail with events in Michigan and Ohio. Clinton’s first event was on the campus of Wayne State University in Detroit. While her speech covered a number of platform points, she also spoke about bipartisanship saying that she is “winning more and more support not just from independents but also Republicans.” She then went after Donald Trump for his divisive campaign, name calling, and refusal to release his income tax records. “I believe everyone in this room has paid more income tax than (Trump) has,” she said. Clinton concluded by talking about the importance of voting in the November election. A video of Clinton’s speech is below.

Clinton then spoke at a rally at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The event was by far the largest of the campaign with over 18,000 people filling the oval. During the event, Clinton spoke about a variety of her platform points including reigning in the costs of higher education. She also spoke about her opponent and criticized him for not buying steel made in the United States, but instead buying steel from China. Clinton also spoke about her time as a public servant saying, “When Donald Trump talks about what I have been doing for the last 30 years, I welcome that. Because in the 1970s, I was working to end discrimination and he was being sued by the Justice Department for racial discrimination. In the 1980s, I was working to improve the schools in Arkansas … while he was getting a loan for $14 million from his father to start a business. On the day that I was in the Situation Room watching the raid that brought Osama bin Laden to justice, he was hosting Celebrity Apprentice.” A full video of Clinton’s speech is below.

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News Source: Patch, Detroit Free Press, Cleveland.com

Hillary Clinton Statement on Endorsement by Association of Professional Flight Attendants

Hillary Clinton has received the endorsement of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants. In a press release, APFA president Bob Ross said, “I don’t think there is any question that she stands on the side of working families across this country, including those of over 26,000 American Airlines Flight Attendants.” Clinton responded to the endorsement with the following statement:

“Since 1977, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants has represented nearly 25,000 flight attendants of American Airlines. Through its relentless advocacy and activism, APFA has fought to create better and fairer working conditions both on the ground and in the skies. And I’m proud to have earned their endorsement.

APFA understands what’s at stake in this election. Donald Trump supports a tax system rigged for the rich and powerful. And we just learned he’s likely been exploiting that system to avoid paying taxes for years – even though he’s argued that wages for hardworking Americans are ‘too high.’  

Trump personally hired a union-busting firm to keep workers at his Las Vegas hotel from organizing. He even opposes policies that would make it easier for Americans to balance work and family, like guaranteeing paid leave for all families. And he has said that women can earn the same as men only if they ‘do as good a job.’

In a Clinton-Kaine Administration, working families will always have a champion in the White House. We’ll reject bad trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, stand up to attacks on workers, and fight back against to discriminatory policies. I’m so grateful to APFA for their support, and I look forward to having their spirit and experience at my side as we build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.”

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: Association of Professional Flight Attendants

Hillary Clinton Statement on Endorsement of Association of Flight Attendants

Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of the Association of Flight Attendants adding to the growing list of labor unions supporting Clinton for president. In a release, the group states their support of Clinton stems from their long relationship with her. They said, “We have experience with Hillary Clinton as a champion for Flight Attendants, especially as the leading voice for the technical correction to FMLA and the relentless advocate for 9/11 first responders. Recognizing the importance of this election and our experience with Secretary Clinton, the AFA-CWA Board of Directors endorses Hillary Clinton for the next President of the United States.” Clinton responded to the endorsement with the following statement.

“For over 70 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has helped raise wages, benefits, and working conditions for its members all across – and above – America.  Over the decades, it has brought our nation’s attention to important issues like discrimination, outsourcing, and equal pay. Every American worker deserves an advocate like the AFA in their corner, and I’m honored to have earned their endorsement.

Throughout my career, the AFA and I have partnered to fight for fairer labor standards. In the Senate, I led the effort to ensure AFA members had access to Family and Medical Leave Act benefits. And we’ve always stood up for women who have been treated unequally in the workforce.

The stakes in this election could not be higher. Donald Trump stood on a debate stage and said that wages are ‘too high’ in this country.  He opposes policies that would make it easier for people to balance work and family, including guaranteeing paid leave for all families and working for equal pay for women. He even personally hired a union-busting firm to keep workers at his hotel in Las Vegas from organizing.

If I’m elected in November, labor will always have a champion in the White House. Together, we’ll build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top. We’ll say no to bad trade deals, no to attacks on workers, and no to discriminatory and sexist policies. And I’m glad to know the AFA will be at my side as we stand up for American workers.”

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News Source: AFA-CWA

HFA Statement in Response to Trump’s Speech in Philadelphia

Following Donald Trump’s speech in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Wednesday, Hillary for America Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri released the following statement:

“Like a schoolyard bully who can’t rely on facts or issues, Trump has only one way of responding to legitimate criticism of his own vulnerabilities: ‘I know you are, but what am I?’

Hillary Clinton’s well-founded criticisms of Trump, laid out in meticulous detail, become taunts and insults from Trump with no basis in reality. When she lays out a thoughtful speech outlining why he is unfit to be Commander in Chief, he calls her unhinged.  She gives a speech on his disturbing history of racial discrimination and ties to white supremacists and the alt-right movement, he calls her a bigot.  You could dismiss these actions as insecure schoolyard behavior but this man is running to be President of the United States.  As Hillary Clinton has said, anyone you can bait this easily is not someone you can trust be Commander in Chief.”

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News Source: The Hill

Clinton Statement on National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Endorsement

Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. The group’s co-founder and CEO Chance Mitchell said that “the stakes have never been so high for the future of the LGBT business community. Hillary Clinton is the progressive champion our businesses and our families need to thrive.” Clinton released a statement thanking the group for their endorsement and reinforcing her support for the LGBTQ community. A copy of Clinton’s statement is below.

“I am honored to have earned the first-ever endorsement of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

For nearly 15 years, the NGLCC has paved the way for LGBT-owned and –allied businesses to succeed, grow, and find new clients and partners.  Just this month, they brought together a record-breaking number of LGBT business leaders at their annual convention.

The stakes in this election could not be higher for LGBT Americans. When Donald Trump says he’ll ‘make America great again,’ that’s code for ‘take America backwards.’ He has said he would appoint judges who would overturn marriage equality. The man Trump chose as his running mate signed a law that opened the door for Indiana businesses to discriminate against LGBT people and said marriage equality could cause ‘societal collapse.’  As we’ve seen in North Carolina, discrimination isn’t only wrong – it’s bad for business.  North Carolina’s egregious HB2 measure has caused companies to pull jobs and millions of dollars out of the state.

We have our work cut out for us.  As President, I’ll keep fighting for equality and opportunity for LGBT Americans by passing the Equality Act.  And I want to be the small business president and make things easier for small businesses every step of the way. In America, if you can dream it, you should be able to build it – no matter where you come from, what you look like, or who you love. That’s why I have a comprehensive plan to make it easier to start a business, get the financing to grow, file taxes and work with the federal government, and provide good benefits to workers.

I am proud to stand with the NGLCC in this election and every day.”

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News Source: NBC News

Clinton Campaign Statement on Trump Doubling Down on Insulting African Americans

Hillary for America Director of State Campaigns and Political Engagement Marlon Marshall released the following statement in response to comments made by Donald Trump at a rally in Akron, Ohio.

Today during a rally in Ohio, Donald Trump doubled down on his insults to the African American community, which he leveled during a Friday speech in Michigan. There, he posed the question to African Americans, “What do you have to lose? You’re living in poverty. Your schools are no good. You have no jobs.” Today, in Akron, Trump continued: “You can go to war zones in countries that we’re fighting and it’s safer than living in some of our inner cities… I ask you this. Crime. All of the problems. To the African Americans who I employ so many — so many people… What the hell do you have to lose? … You’ll be able to walk down the street without getting shot. Right now, you walk down the street. You get shot.”

Hillary for America Director of State Campaigns and Political Engagement Marlon Marshall released the following statement in response:

“It could not be clearer how much African Americans have to lose under Donald Trump. He is doubling down on insults, fear and stereotypes that set our community back and further divide our country. But again this is not surprising, this is a man who questions the citizenship of the first African American president, has a disturbing pattern of courting white supremacists, and has been sued for housing discrimination against communities of color.

As demonstrated by his bigotry and actions, Donald Trump is unfit and unqualified to be President. We cannot afford this out of touch and divisive thinking in the White House, which is why we must take nothing for granted and work as hard as we can to make sure Hillary Clinton is our next president.”

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News Source: The Columbus Dispatch

Clinton Statement on Anniversary of Marriage Equality Court Decision

One year ago today, the Supreme Court ruled that it is illegal for states to block LGBT citizens from getting married. The decision came out of two cases (United States v. Windsor and Obergefell v. Hodges), and the rulings proved to be a historic moment in the United States. Hillary Clinton released a statement praising the progress that has been made, and she vowed to continue to fight for equal rights for LGBT Americans under federal law. A copy of Clinton’s statement is below:

“One year ago today, we celebrated a watershed moment for equality in America. Thanks to the bravery of LGBT Americans like Jim Obergefell and Edie Windsor, and the determination and tireless organizing of the LGBT community and their allies, marriage equality became the law of the land in all 50 states.

Over the last year, more barriers to equality have fallen – including, finally, the last state law banning same-sex couples from adopting. Just this month, President Obama designated Stonewall as the first national monument commemorating LGBT history in America.

We’ve also seen how much work is still unfinished.  The attack in Orlando broke our hearts, and reminded us that LGBT people – particularly people of color – are still targets for harassment and violence.  Discriminatory laws in states like North Carolina highlight the need for full federal equality under the law for LGBT Americans. And Donald Trump’s pledge to consider appointing Supreme Court justices who would overturn marriage equality underscores the fact that so much of the progress we’ve made is at stake in November.

But even when the road ahead seems daunting, never forget: on this day in history, love triumphed in the highest court in the land.  Today, our march toward a more perfect union continues—toward equality, dignity, and justice for all.”

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