The Republican Party and the Hidden Figures on Capitol Hill

By Raynard Jackson (NNPA Newswire Columnist)

As we prepare to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month this week, the Republican Party continues to show its ineptness in cultivating “real” relationships with the Black community. They continue to hire and highlight Black Democrats at the expense of Black Republicans.

There is not one Black Republican working for the Trump administration in the White House; you have one Black Democrat working for Trump who seems to never miss an opportunity to speak ill of Black Republicans in private meetings, based on phone calls I have received.

To commemorate Black History Month, Republicans on Capitol Hill and in The White House will probably issue a perfunctory press statement written by a White aide that communicates absolutely nothing.

It wasn’t until I created the “Black Republican Trailblazer Awards” five years ago that anything meaningful was ever done under the Republican label to acknowledge Black History Month. Now the party is even trying to steal that from Black folks by way of a lawsuit; which most of you are aware of.

February 11-12, we will continue our tradition of honoring those who have made a significant contribution to America, the Black community and the Republican Party. You can visit our website to see who our honorees are and other plans we have to honor them (http://www.bafbf.org).

The Republican Party and the Trump administration both have compelling stories to tell relative to the Black community; but neither have any Blacks around them who have the institutional knowledge or the communication skills to effectively tell that story.

It’s not enough to have Blacks on your staff; but just as important, you must have the “right” Blacks on your staff. This is where the party has been found woefully inadequate.

Republicans tend to want to hire and showcase Blacks that make them feel “comfortable” versus Blacks who have credibility within the Black community and who also know what the hell they are doing.

Republicans constantly allow liberals to brand them as a party of racists and yet they refuse to put a strategy in place to refute these same old tired liberal diatribes. A lie that is oft repeated becomes the truth. If they spent the same amount of vigor and money fighting liberal lies as they are in their attempts to sue me over initiatives that I have created to benefit the party, we would be getting north of 25 percent of the Black vote in presidential elections.

We all know the Democratic play book; but the party is not serious enough about the Black vote to devote the time or money to challenge these liberal lies.

As I always say, when all is said and done; there is more said than done.
Republicans need only talk about what they have done lately with the hiring of very talented Black staffers; and then to effectively communicate that message directly to the public.

We all know things like Republican President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, yada, yada, yada, but in the immortal words of Janet Jackson, “what have you done for me lately?”

Well, I am so glad she asked that question.

Last month, I wrote a column excoriating the Democratic Party for their lack of diversity when it came to hiring congressional staffers.

Let’s take a look at the Congressional Republicans have done just in this month alone relative to staff hiring.

Just check out this list of high level Blacks who work for Republicans in Congress.

Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) has long time aide Jennifer DeCasper as his chief of staff; Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) just promoted Brennen Britton from state director in Kansas to chief of staff in D.C.; D.J. Jordan is communications director for Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.); Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) just hired Courtney Temple as his legislative director and that’s just on the Senate side.

On the House side, Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan just promoted his budget committee staffer, Jonathan Burke to be his chief of staff. No Black has ever served in this positon for either party in the history of the U.S. Congressman Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) has Stacy Barton as his chief of staff.

I know most of these staffers and find them not only to be well respected within Congress, but they also have great standing within the Black community. They don’t view their Blackness as a burden to be borne; but rather as an asset to be cherished.

If the Republican Party is supposed to be so racist, can someone please explain to me why they have more Blacks in decision-making positions on their congressional Senate staffs than Democrats?

When it comes to the Black community, Republicans have become as the sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal; full of sound and fury, but signifying nothing.

I will continue to be a one-man wrecking crew on my quest to totally destroy and defeat liberalism. It would be nice to have my party join me in my quest, but in the immortal words of the reformer, Martin Luther; “I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God, Amen.”

Raynard Jackson is founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered 527 Super PAC established to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party. BAFBF focuses on the Black entrepreneur. For more information about BAFBF, visit http://www.bafbf.org. You can follow Raynard on Twitter @Raynard1223.