Monday on CNN’s “Newsroom,” addressing the controversy over former president Bill Clinton’s 1994 crime bill and his wife Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton’s use of the term super predator, Congressional Black Caucus chairman Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) said Sanders is trying to “exploit black people.”
Meeks said, “Look, I think you had it exactly right in your interview just a few seconds ago. People need to look at what was taking place in the 90s. in fact, when I listen to what was just said, some of what I think is insulting to African-Americans, you’re saying that African-Americans don’t know who or why they vote for individuals. You go back to 1994 and 1996, African-Americans voted for Bill Clinton 88% of us. Are you saying that black people don’t know who talk and move in their best interest? It’s almost insulting. And so to come some 20 years, almost to years later, I think what they are doing and what he’s trying to do is exploit black people to say either you all did not know what you were doing 20 years ago in the 9o’s.”
When asked if he thinks Bernie Sanders is exploiting African-Americans, Meeks continued, “I’m saying that if what they’re trying to do is cherry pick issues, and a statement that was, I think, that clearly that Hillary Clinton has said she wished had used another word. It’s clear, but it’s clear also in the 90s who was doing more. When you look at the African-American community, if you look at the wage gap, it was decrease decrease decreasing under Bill Clinton. If you look at the unemployment gap, it was decreasing under Bill Clinton. the wealth gap, more African-Americans were gaining. Look at participation in American society as African-Americans in the Clinton administration at that time, more than anybody in history. I don’t hear them talking about that. what he’s trying to do is to pick certain things out and imply that African-Americans were being taken advantage of by the Clinton administration. That’s not the case.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN