Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) questioned the State Department senior Diversity and Inclusion officer over an internal email suggesting that “straight white men,” as well as those of certain religious backgrounds and those who are disabled, are being discriminated against in hiring practices.
Cruz questioned Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the State Department’s senior Diversity and Inclusion officer, about an internal email that suggested that “straight white men” and those who were not part of the “right religion” are being discriminated against in hiring.
Senator Cruz noted that the email was sent by an unnamed “senior State Department official. He continued, saying that “hiring practices have developed in the State Department … so that certain candidates may not be hired.”
He then quoted directly from the email, saying that candidates who would get discriminated against per the email include those who “have a disability, they are white men, they are straight white men, they are not of the right religion.”
When asked whether or not she signed off on the hiring guidance, Abercrombie-Winstanley responded that she had “never seen that before,” adding that “this is the first time I’m seeing it.”
Senator Cruz continued to press Abercrombie-Winstanley, asking “You’re the chief diversity officer and you are arguing you are certain discrimination is not happening at the state department, is that right? Is that what you’re testifying?”
Abercrombie-Winstanley contended that the email and its contents was not necessarily proof that racial or religious discrimination was taking place at the State Department, remarking “I would say comments do not at all say it is indeed happening.”
Senator Cruz told Abercrombie-Winstanley that she has been “empowered in your position in an unprecedented way,” referring to her role as a Senior Diversity and Inclusion official. The Senator from Texas continued to press the official on her ignorance of the anti-white and religious discrimination. “In your testimony you talked about creating a DEIA data working group about hiring practices… and your testimony is that you didn’t know this discrimination was happening,” he stated.
Senator Cruz asked “What is your job if not to stop discrimination?” before concluding, “Unfortunately, I believe what your job in practice is, is encouraging this discrimination.”
Spencer Lindquist is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerLndqst and reach out at slindquist@breitbart.com