This afternoon, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked about the White House’s response to national outcries for justice in the killings of unarmed black men and women at the hands of law enforcement personnel. She responded that “this is something that is a local matter and that’s something that we feel should be left up to the local authorities at this point in time.” Rep. Cedric Richmond, Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, released the following statement in response:
“This White House continues to stun Americans with its ignorance concerning matters of racial justice. Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere and all Americans should be concerned about the epidemic of state inflicted violence imposed on black bodies at the hands of some police officers. Unarmed black people are killed by police in enough states with enough frequency for this to be examined at the federal level. The Congressional Black Caucus has sadly had to provide leadership on these issues for decades as the rest of Congress drags its feet.
"For the White House to respond to the sadness and anger of millions of Americans as a “local matter” is the very height of immoral analysis. The White House’s statement is at best ignorant and at worst neglectfully dismissive. Families mourning the loss of loved ones in Sacramento, Baton Rouge, Ferguson, St. Paul, North Charleston, Staten Island, Baltimore, Tulsa and other communities would disagree with the White House’s assessment that this is a local matter. Studies have shown that black people are killed by police at rates disproportionate to our composition in the U.S. population. This is shameful and an international embarrassment.
"The White House’s ability to stomach these facts and data and still be dismissive sends the wrong message to America and to the world. I urge the White House staff to look at the facts on the ground and prove that they truly care about all Americans by having a national conversation on policing reforms. Thus far I am just not so sure that the president and his team care about these mournful cries for justice at all.”
