On Monday, Lynne Patton, a regional administrator for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, blasted Baltimore Mayor Bernard Young, former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele, and Reverend Al Sharpton for ripping President Trump for his comments about the horrible conditions in the city of Baltimore, and Young for his comments in an interview with CNN in which he stated, “Do we have problems? Yeah. We have problems with crime just like every other major city. If you want to help us, help us. You talk about wanting to make America great again, put money into cities that need it most.”
Patton fired back, “I want to say this expressly to Mayor Young and Michael Steele, and Al Sharpton, who today called out the president and said, ‘Let President Trump put his money where his mouth is’: Well, boys and girls, I have a message for you: President Trump has given $16 billion in 2018 alone to Elijah Cummings’s district in federal grants. We have given more money in homeless funds to Baltimore than the last administration; we have given more money in community development grants than the last administration to Baltimore.” Then she added one more salvo, snapping, “My question to you guys is this: What are you actually doing with the money so that it benefits residents in the community instead of deep-pocketed American politicians?” In June 2017, Patton was appointed by President Trump to head Region II of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, which oversees New York and New Jersey.
On Monday, Young, Sharpton and Steele spoke at a news conference at which Steele referred to Trump’s “reprehensible comments.”
According to the Baltimore Sun, Cummings’ district received roughly $15.7 billion in grants, benefits, and other aid from the federal government during fiscal year 2018.
The war of words flared up on Saturday, when Trump tweeted, “Elijah Cummings spends all of his time trying to hurt innocent people through “Oversight.” He does NOTHING for his very poor, very dangerous and very badly run district! Take a look..” He added, “.@RepCummings, why don’t you focus on your district!?”
He retweeted this from Kimberley Klacik, a member of the Baltimore County Central Republican Committee:
As well as this:
He targeted Cummings again: “So sad that Elijah Cummings has been able to do so little for the people of Baltimore. Statistically, Baltimore ranks last in almost every major category. Cummings has done nothing but milk Baltimore dry, but the public is getting wise to the bad job that he is doing!”
He continued on Sunday, “Someone please explain to Nancy Pelosi, who was recently called racist by those in her own party, that there is nothing wrong with bringing out the very obvious fact that Congressman Elijah Cummings has done a very poor job for his district and the City of Baltimore. Just take a look, the facts speak far louder than words! The Democrats always play the Race Card, when in fact they have done so little for our Nation’s great African American people. Now, lowest unemployment in U.S. history, and only getting better. Elijah Cummings has failed badly! There is nothing racist in stating plainly what most people already know, that Elijah Cummings has done a terrible job for the people of his district, and of Baltimore itself. Dems always play the race card when they are unable to win with facts. Shame! If racist Elijah Cummings would focus more of his energy on helping the good people of his district, and Baltimore itself, perhaps progress could be made in fixing the mess that he has helped to create over many years of incompetent leadership. His radical ‘oversight’ is a joke!”
He concluded, “Under the Trump Administration, African American unemployment is the lowest (best) in the history of the United States. No President has come close to doing this before! I also created successful Opportunity Zones. Waiting for Nancy and Elijah to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. President!'”
On Monday, Sharpton hosted a press conference in Baltimore with Steele. Sharpton blasted Trump for his comments about Baltimore, sniping, “He attacks everybody. I know Donald Trump. He’s not mature enough to take criticism. He’s like a child. But he has a particular venom for blacks and people of color. He doesn’t refer to any of his other opponents or critics as ‘infested.’ He does not attack their districts. He attacks Nancy Pelosi. He attacks Chuck Schumer. He attacks other whites but never said their districts or states are places no human being wants to live.”
Trump tweeted on Monday, “I have known Al for 25 years. Went to fights with him & Don King, always got along well. He ‘loved Trump!’ He would ask me for favors often. Al is a con man, a troublemaker, always looking for a score. Just doing his thing. Must have intimidated Comcast/NBC. Hates Whites & Cops!”
He also went after Cummings again, tweeting, “Baltimore, under the leadership of Elijah Cummings, has the worst Crime Statistics in the Nation. 25 years of all talk, no action! So tired of listening to the same old Bull…Next, Reverend Al will show up to complain & protest. Nothing will get done for the people in need. Sad!” He added later, “Baltimore’s numbers are the worst in the United States on Crime and the Economy. Billions of dollars have been pumped in over the years, but to no avail. The money was stolen or wasted. Ask Elijah Cummings where it went. He should investigate himself with his Oversight Committee!”
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