GOP Congressman Byron Donald’s Comments on Being Blocked from Joining the CBC

by: Tyler Shaw

Over the past 24 hours, Congressman Byron Donalds has made national news. On Wednesday, the story broke reporting that Congressman Byron Donalds of Florida’s 19th congressional district has been blocked from joining the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). 

The CBC is a powerful and “nonpartisan” group made up of black lawmakers currently serving in Congress. It’s been over six months since the first freshman black lawmakers were inducted into the CBC. Donalds, a freshman and one of only two black Republicans in the United States House of Representatives, has not been invited to join.

On Wednesday, Congressman Donald’s aide commented saying, “Congressman Donalds has expressed interest in joining the CBC, but has yet to receive an official invitation.” Donalds’ aide went on to say, “If given, he’d gladly accept.” 

Today the Congressman himself commented on being blocked from the CBC during a live interview with CNN.

Representative Donalds expressed his feelings toward the issue saying, “I think that it’s important, whether you’re talking about the Congressional Black Caucus of the Florida state legislative Black Caucus or the National Caucus of State Black Legislators — organizations I have been a part of in the past — my support of President Donald Trump has been consistent but, at the same time, I’ve had the ability to advocate for issues, ideas, proposals, and funding that have helped the black community in my state.”

The Congressman went on to say, “You’re talking to somebody who, my first three years in college was at Florida A&M, an HBCU, so whether it’s my support for President Trump, whether it’s for or against is irrelevant. It has nothing to do with this discussion. This is whether the ideology of somebody who is conservative is welcome in the Congressional Black Caucus, it’s really that simple.”