Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) has been facing backlash for an alleged blackface incident and for allegedly sidestepping opportunities to condemn racist language in public settings, POLITICO has learned on the heels of a New York Times report that he wore blackface in college. The NAACP sent Black Westchester a statement condemning Lawler, Friday evening. On Saturday The Committee for Justice (CFJ), a Black Civil Rights Group sent Black Westchester their statement Saturday morning standing with the Republican Congressman.
As a leading voice and activist group against racism in Westchester County, The Committee for Justice (CFJ) became aware of a news story making the rounds regarding a photo of Mike Lawler, Representative for the 17th Congressional District, that alleges he is at a party back in his college days, 2006, in blackface, portraying the late entertainer Michael Jackson.
Several leaders of the CFJ looked at the photo in question and have drawn the following conclusions:
First, as an all-Black organization, not one group member was offended by the photo. Apparently, the definition of blackface has been grossly distorted to manipulate Black people into being angry for no other reason than to support a political agenda. While a very young Mike Lawler appeared darker than normal, it was a far cry from blackface.
It is unfortunate that a black candidate for Congress, Mondaire Jones, and a leading civil rights organization, The NAACP, would attempt to manipulate black people’s past and ongoing pain for political ends. Those ends are to vote Mondaire Jones into Mike Lawler’s congressional seat.
We are very disappointed that the NAACP decided to be a part of this Disingenuous campaign against Representative Lawler. Many people pay dues to the NAACP to be a voice for people of color. Members of the Committee for Justice met with the NAACP earlier this year seeking an ally to help save a public housing building, Bohlmann Towers and community center from possible displacement and to protect tenant’s rights. A few of those tenants attended that meeting and spoke. Mr. Wilbur Aldridge, the Regional Director of The NAACP was a part of that meeting. The NAACP refused to help.
Meanwhile, Congressman Mike Lawler, when asked to help, assigned staff to assist the residents, mostly Black and brown people. Congressman Lawler himself wrote several letters to The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the US Attorney Southern District in support of the tenant’s rights. Those letters resulted in top-ranking HUD officials coming to Peekskill to meet with CFJ leaders. And we are happy to say that not only are Bohlmann Towers and our Community Center safe from elimination, the residents are now having a direct say in the policies that affect their lives. An amazing democratic gain.
With regards to the actual photo. The members of the Committee for Justice never met twenty-year-old Michael Jackson super fan, Mike Lawler, who used a very youthful and flawed lens to honor his idol. We know a Mike Lawler who has apologized and made it clear that he is not proud of that past behavior. And has indeed gone on to fight for all of his constituents. That is not the behavior of a racist.
The Committee for Justice stands with Mike Lawler. Because he has stood with the African American community. And in truth, we reached out to Mondaire Jones when he was our congressman. He wouldn’t even meet with Black leaders.
For more information on the Committee for Justice contact Teyana Cowan, Committee for Justice Spokesperson at 914-221-2381 or Darrell Davis, the Committee for Justice Chairman at 914-471-1094
