‘You’re lying’: Byron Donalds refutes Al Sharpton’s claims on Jim Crow comments

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., refuted claims made by civil rights activist Al Sharpton regarding his comments on the Black family before and after Jim Crow policies were repealed.

The congressman originally made the comment that Black families were more “together” during the Jim Crow era, while participating in a voter outreach event for former President Donald Trump.

Sharpton attacked Donalds over the remarks later on Saturday on MSNBC.

“It’s very interesting how people can just lie and mischaracterize what I said,” Donalds explained on the show. “The video is on my social media, go to @ByronDonalds, you can listen to it in full.”

“I never said or insinuated anything about Jim Crow being better. Just was talking about the marriage rates of black families in America during that time period,” he said.

Sharpton argued that Donalds should apologize for purportedly “sanitizing” Jim Crow.

“First of all, I never sanitized Jim Crow,” Donalds replied. “I was just talking about the era in which black marriage rates were higher than they were during the Great Society and every other point during American history-“

Sharpton cut him off, pressing him on why he used the term “Jim Crow.”

“Because it was a period of time, reverend,” Donalds answered.

The activist claimed that a “period of time” was something like the “50s,” not “Jim Crow.”

The two exchanged heated dialogue, talking over each other for a few moments, until Sharpton finally argued that if “Jim Crow” is referred to as an era, then it must have race factored into the conversation.

Donalds didn’t disagree with him. He stated how it was important to focus on the discrimination that took place and how black families still persevered and stood united.

Sharpton then commented on Donalds personal life story, questioning how “you could even live with yourself” saying that Jim Crow was a “better” era for black Americans.

“That’s real cute, I did not say that” Donalds said. “Right now you’re lying abut what I said. I did say Jim Crow, I did reference it three times, that’s not to say that it was better, I never said that, those words never came out of my mouth. When are you gonna get that through your skull and everybody else’s skull.”

Once again, the two began to talk over each other with Donalds arguing how he was not going to let people lie about his and with Sharpton continuing to claim that the congressman said Jim Crow was a better time for black Americans.

“This is the problem. You’re trying to say that I said because of Jim Crow, marriages were at a higher rate. I did not say that,” Donalds said.

Sharpton then defended the Great Society platform implemented under President Lyndon B. Johnson, which included programs and policies that many conservative activists and figures have directed at least in part towards the destruction of the Black family, leading to the significant fatherlessness rates within the demographic today.

The activist quickly turned the conversation to a different topic after he made his comments, preventing the congressman an opportunity to respond.

“LBJ’s Great Society was destructive to Black families in America,” Donalds said when he posted on social media the original video if him making the Jim Crow-related comments. “Joe Biden’s ’94 Crime Bill & the War on Drugs were also destructive to Black families.”

“We need economic policy to help ALL AMERICANS thrive & only 1 candidate in ’24 has that policy prescription: President Trump,” he said.

The Florida Democratic Party came out strongly opposing Donalds comments when the news broke, as well as other national Democratic figures.

“Byron Donalds should be ashamed of himself,” state Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried said. “Florida Republicans have been trying to rewrite our shameful history for years, but just like arguing that slavery had ‘personal benefits,’ defending Jim Crow segregation is an insult to the people who lived through it.”

“Hearing one of Donald Trump’s potential VP choices lie about the violent history of segregation tells us everything we need to know about the moral bankruptcy of today’s Republican Party,” she added.