Kamala Harris event's lack of clergy 'an insult to the Black community,' pastor says
White House official says VP's event was 'a small roundtable that did not have any guests'
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A pastor in Connecticut said the lack of clergy at a local event hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris is "an insult to the Black community."
The Rev. Boise Kimber, speaking on behalf of the Greater New Haven Clergy Association at a Monday press conference, said it was insulting that he and other faith leaders were not invited to Harris’ event at the Boys and Girls Club of New Haven, the New Haven Register reported.
"New Haven is predominantly Black and Hispanic," said Kimber. "Not to have our leadership present at this visit was certainly an insult to the Black community that worked so diligently across this country to elect the first female vice president."
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"We will not continue to be insulted by individuals that organize events and leave out the Black community," Kimber continued.
Kimber also said the vice president and her boss should always meet with faith leaders and people of faith in the cities they visit, including New Haven.
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"The bottom line is, [neither] President Biden nor Vice President Harris should ever go into a city without talking to faith-based people," said Kimber. "You can’t come into this city, or any other city, and not pay some attention to individuals who helped you to get where you are today."
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"Of course we are committed to robust engagement when it comes to groups and folks in different cities," a White House official told Fox News. "Just to be clear, this was a small roundtable that did not have any guests and there was not an audience there."
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The clergyman said he was unsure of the contents of the guest list, but questioned who was invited to the veep’s event by the office of Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn.
DeLauro’s office said the congresswoman was not involved with inviting guests and that the Connecticut Democrat wasn’t at the event.
Harris has drawn scrutiny from both sides of the aisle in her tenure as vice president.
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She was lambasted online for laughing at a reporter’s question last week on whether or not she’d travel to see the growing crisis at the southern border.
"Kamala Harris laughs at a reporter who asked her if she has plans to visit the border. Don’t believe this administration when they say they are serious about solving this crisis," Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., wrote on Twitter last week.