California Republicans called a bluff by Democrats on reparations, and black activists responded by saying they would refuse to vote for the Democratic presidential ticket.
The uproar included a protest by leaders in the black community staging protests at the California legislature while Democrats voted to table their own bill on offering reparations.
‘What we saw was a complete betrayal by the California Legislative Black caucus against their own constituents.’
Videos on social media from the protest captured protesters directly addressing Democrats.
“The speaker needs to bring the bills up now, now, now. These are their bills. They have their names on the bills. They’re killing their own bills because they’re scared of the governor,” said a black member of Coalition for a Just and Equitable California.
The black caucus tabled the reparations bill and said that more work was needed, but critics accused the caucus of shirking its responsibility in order to keep Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s presidential hopes alive.
“Now listen, they’re gonna see this, and they’re gonna get mad at us,” he continued. “They killing their own bills, and then they’re gonna get mad at us. They’re killing their own bills because they’re scared of the governor. We don’t care. Bring the [expletive] bills up now, now, now.”
State Sen. Steven Bradford, who introduced the reparations bill, said that the bill would likely be vetoed by Newsom after the group refused to include changes that his office suggested.
Other members of the group said the decision would negatively impact black support for the Harris presidential campaign.
“The governor needs to understand the world is watching California and this is gonna have a direct impact on your friend Kamala Harris who is running for president,” said a black woman. “This is going to have a direct impact, so pull up the bills now, vote on them and sign them. We’ve been waiting for over 400 years.”
Kamilah Moore, the chair of California’s Reparations Task Force, told KCRA-TV that the decision was “unconscionable” and joined the protests at the legislature.
“What we saw was a complete betrayal by the California Legislative Black caucus against their own constituents,” said Moore. “They chose to prioritize their own ego and their own self-interest over the people they claim to serve.”
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Black vote against kamala, California reparations fiasco, Black caucus tables reparations, Gavin newsom reparations, Politics
