Congressman Bennie Thompson is demanding Democrat Presidential candidate Joe Biden name minorities, namely blacks, to top-tier cabinet posts in his Administration should he defeat President Donald Trump come November 3rd.
According to Axios, Thompson is “spearheading the effort” to have Biden name a black person to head the Department of Treasury.
“We all know that minorities have been mistreated historically by the fiscal policies of this country,” Thompson is quoted as saying. “There’s no substitute for being in charge.”
Notably, Axios quotes Thompson as pointing to such a move as a reward for the black vote’s loyalty to the Democratic Party.
“This is the right time to recognize the most loyal voice of people that the Democratic Party has ever had,” Thompson said. “And that’s the African American vote.”
In the article, Thompson is noted as wanting Biden to look at candidates with different backgrounds. “Everybody couldn’t go to Yale and Harvard and Princeton,” he said. “We don’t want any artificial barriers.”
Congressman Thompson and other senior black lawmakers told Axios that they “will not settle for departments like Housing and Urban Development or Health and Human Services that have traditionally gone to minorities.”
Thompson was on the campaign trail last weekend with fellow Democrat Mike Espy who is running for the U.S Senate, sitting on stage as Espy told the crowd, “You need to get Cindy Hyde-Smith and send her back to that museum.” It was a reference to Espy’s Republican General Election opponent, incumbent Senator Hyde-Smith.
Congressman Thompson recently released his “sample ballot” highlighting those who he is supporting this cycle, including Biden, Espy and others.
Frank Corder
