10th
“You’re Racist!” or “How dare you? I’m black!”
Michael Moynihan precisely captures my own feelings when he wrote:
“Racism is the most powerful and toxic accusation in American discourse, one that derails careers and destroys futures. Yet despite its toxicity it is also the one that requires the least amount of evidence; the racism, we are told, is institutionalized or subterranean, so trust that it’s being divined in good faith”
I had that passage in mind when I spotted this Politico headline: “Ethics Cases Raise Racial Questions”.
I should be careful here, since its entirely possible Wrangle and Waters will be exonerated, but i’ve got my doubts.
There’s a “dual standard, one for most members and one for African-Americans,” said one member of the Congressional Black Caucus, speaking on condition of anonymity.
This isn’t the first time someones wondered aloud about racial disparities in congressional ethics investigations. There have been a number of black congresspersons and Senators investigated, some of which have led to reprimands while others have been dismissed. But the OCE shouldn’t make determinations about its investigative targets on the basis of appearances, that would represent genuine impropriety. Still, some think otherwise:
“House Democrats are paying a price for OCE’s focus on black lawmakers,” added a Democratic insider close to House leaders. “But that doesn’t change the fact that voters are going to see two African-Americans on trial in the House while they see no action against white members with ethical problems.”
