Congressional Black Caucus blocks Donalds from joining

Reporter: Morgan Rynor Writer: Jackie Winchester
Published: Updated:
Rep. Byron Donalds (Credit: WINK News)

A bipartisan group that’s supposed to represent a community is cutting our congressman out.

The Congressional Black Caucus only has Democratic members and Rep. Byron Donalds, a Republican, wants to join.

Donalds campaigned on his uniqueness. Now, he’s one of two Black Republican congressmen and the CBC is ignoring his attempts to join.

“My gut reaction’s disappointment,” he said.

I was actually looking forward to it. I understand that there are going to be issues we’re not going to agree on. But iron sharpens iron. And I think having those discussions are important. And it’s unfortunate that it appears those aren’t going to happen.”

Why is this happening? Sources told BuzzFeed News the move to exclude Donalds comes from his voting against certifying President Joe Biden’s electoral college victory.

Donalds pointed to this line from Biden on the campaign trail: “I’ll tell you, if you have a problem figuring out if you’re for me or Trump, you ain’t Black.”

Donalds said he uses those words to motivate him.

“What I don’t think is appropriate is that everybody has to be in his monolithic groupthink. That’s actually destructive of a country like ours; people should have the freedom and the ability to express their views, they shouldn’t be excluded for those views.”

Donalds said race does not define party lines.

WINK News reached out to the CBC for comment but they have not gotten back to us.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.