Democrat congressman says he 'won't take lectures from a man who couldn't succeed without family money' after Harvard classmate Jared Kushner said black Americans must 'want to be successful'
Democrat congressman Ruben Gallego on Monday ripped his Harvard classmate Jared Kushner, tweeting that he 'won't take lectures from a man who couldn't succeed without family money'.
Donald Trump's son-in-law had earlier said the president wants to help black people in America, but they have to 'want to be successful' for his policies to work.
'President Trump's policies are the policies that can help people break out of the problems that they're complaining about, but he can't want them to be successful more than they want to be successful,' Kushner said on 'Fox & Friends.'
Gallego hit back, writing: 'His [Kushner's] parents paid millions of dollars to get him there. So I won’t take lectures about who wants to succeed more from a man who couldn’t do it without $$ from his parents.'
The Iraq war veteran posted a lengthy thread to Twitter in which he detailed the hard work that went into getting him into Harvard.
He wrote: 'This how the 1% look at minorities. I was a classmate of Kushner let me tell you what I did to get into Harvard compared to what he did.'
Democrat congressman Ruben Gallego, left, on Monday ripped his Harvard classmate Jared Kushner, right, tweeting that he won't 'take lectures from a man who couldn't succeed without family money'
The Iraq war veteran posted a lengthy thread to Twitter in which he detailed the hard work that went into getting him into Harvard
Gallego said he began buying 'used prep exam books and copying exams from the library' in his freshman year of high school, got a job 'flipping burgers to pay for extra curriculars' and 'used a friends computer to apply'.
He added: 'Not knowing anyone that went to Harvard let along college, I looked up students in the student directory.'
'My interviewer hadn’t ever had an applicant take public transportation to see her. Was surprised when I told her I was taking it back home. She was kind enough to drop me off at the CTA stop.'
By comparison, Gallego argues, Kushner, who comes from a wealthy New York family and is estimated to be worth around $800 million, got into the Ivy League school after his parents donated money.
He wrote: 'Now let me tell you what Jared did to get in to Harvard. His parents paid millions of dollars to get him there. So I won’t take lectures about who wants to succeed more from a man who couldn’t do it without $$ from his parents.'
Kushner was admitted to Harvard shortly after his father pledged a $2.5million donation to the university. It has always been denied that the donation played any role in his acceptance.
Kushner had also criticized prominent people who raised their voices after the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody, but then didn't follow through and work to find ways to improve the lives of black people in America.
'You saw a lot of people who were just virtue signaling — they go on Instagram and cry, or they would, you know, put a slogan on their jersey or write something on a basketball court,' Kushner said. 'Quite frankly, that was doing more to polarize the country than it was to bring people forward. You solve problems with solutions.'
The presidential adviser was accused of 'casual racism' by Rep. Don Beyer.
Former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile wrote on Twitter: 'He's talking to folks who have suffered and endured systemic racism and historic tokenism.'
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended Kushner, saying that 'internet trolls' took Kushner's words out of context. She said they were trying to distract from Trump's 'undeniable record of accomplishment' for black people.
Ja'Ron Smith, a deputy assistant to the president who works with Kushner as deputy director of the Office of American Innovation, also rose to Kushner's defense. Smith, who is black, tweeted a photo of himself with Kushner and Vice President Mike Pence.
Smith said Kushner has been 'a huge advocate' for the issues that affect black America, and named criminal justice reform, opportunity zones, trade and jobs.
'I will always stand with you Brother!!!' Smith said.
Trump, who has been trying to appeal to the black community, has been promoting his attempts to set up economic opportunity zones, provide steady funding for historically black colleges and universities, and institute criminal justice reforms.
Kushner had been talking to Fox News about his sit-down with rapper Ice Cube, who has pitched his 'Contract with Black America' to members of both political parties.
Attorney Ben Crump, who's had the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor as clients, said the Kushner 'speaks as if Black people are lazy complainers who don't want to be successful.' Crump called this 'blatant DISRESPECT'
George Conway, the husband of former White House official Kellyanne Conway, mocked Jared Kushner Monday morning saying, 'I think he really wants another billboard'
'It was a really in-depth and respectful policy discussion - there were some things we didn't agree on, but there were a lot of things we did agree on,' Kushner said. 'I think he helped make our plan better and we appreciated it.'
Ice Cube's plan - called the 'Contract with Black America' - asks for banking, prison and police reform, and federally-funded 'baby bonds' starting at $1,000 for black children. Ice Cube also wants Confederate statues removed.
Trump has been trying to appeal to African Americans
'Jared Kushner speaks as if Black people are lazy complainers who don't want to be successful. This blatant DISRESPECT shows he has NO understanding of the Black community and its challenges that have spanned centuries. You can't 'fix' these problems from this level of ego,' tweeted Ben Crump, the civil rights attorney who's worked for the families of Floyd, Breonna Taylor and shooting victim Blake.
George Conway, the husband of former White House official Kellyanne Conway, tweeted, 'I think he really wants another billboard.'
The Lincoln Project, a Republican-led anti-Trump group, put up a billboard in Manhattan pillorying Kushner and Ivanka Trump's coronavirus response.
'Jared Kushner - son and husband of privilege - has a message for the black community: You would have more wealth if you just wanted it more,' commented Jason Kander, a former Democratic U.S. Senate candidate from Missouri.
The Democratic National Committee also issued a statement.
'According to the Trump administration, when African Americans find fault in policies that have led to historic unemployment for Black families, an explosion of racial inequities and wealth gaps, and an uncontained global pandemic that has taken the lives of over 45,000 Black Americans, it means that we just don't want to be successful badly enough,' said DNC spokesman Brandon Gassaway.
'In the eyes of this White House, demanding accountability for the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, and countless other Black men and women who have lost their lives at the hands of law enforcement is just 'complaining.''
