Tag: mayor

Boston mayor posts photo of controversial 'electeds of color' party despite criticism

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has proudly posted a photo of all the attendees of her “electeds of color” holiday party despite the gathering coming in for heavy criticism for excluding white lawmakers.

Wu, 38, who is the city’s first Asian-American mayor, posted a photo to Instagram of 17 people smiling and sitting around a dinner table at the exclusive bash which took place Wednesday.

“Last night was my turn to host the annual holiday dinner for Boston’s elected officials of color – a special moment to appreciate that our affinity group now includes leadership across city, state, county, and federal offices,” Wu wrote in the caption alongside the photo. 

BOSTON MAYOR ACCIDENTALLY INVITES EVERYONE TO HOLIDAY PARTY FOR NON-WHITE ELECTED OFFICIALS

Earlier this week, a member of Wu’s staff mistakenly sent the entire city council an invitation to the party at the city-owned Parkman House near the Massachusetts Statehouse.

Having realized the error, the aide sent out a second email about 15 minutes later apologizing for the initial email. The 13-member city council is made up of six minorities and seven White members. It is understood that the White members were not invited. 

While the mayor and her aide apologized for the accidental invite, they did not apologize for planning a party that excluded White city leaders.

BOSTON MAYOR TAKES HEAT FOR ‘ELECTEDS OF COLOR’ HOLIDAY PARTY: ‘GEORGE WALLACE WOULD APPROVE’

Critics have panned the party as being segregationist and anti-White, with Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld accusing Wu of having a history of “blatant racism.”

The exclusionary invite was criticized Wednesday by one White member of the city council as “unfortunate and divisive,” according to the Boston Herald.

However, Black City Councilor Brian Worrell held a different opinion and defended the invitation, suggesting the holiday party was merely a way to represent “all kinds of special groups” in the Boston government. 

On Friday, Wu championed the dinner party as a celebration of diversity, writing that the number of minority lawmakers has grown since she was first elected to the city council in 2014. 

“Not too long ago in Boston, we didn’t need such a big table to fit electeds of color,” Wu wrote in her Instagram post. 

“But over my time as a City Councilor and now Mayor, following so many leaders who have paved the way, I’ve proudly watched this group grow and create space for mentorship and fellowship among many who are breaking down barriers while holding the weight of being the first or only.”

“And at the holidays, we take the time to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company!”

Ricardo Patrón, Wu’s press secretary, said no city funds were used to pay for the party.

The photo sparked a mixed reaction online, although one poster claimed Wu was pulling down unfavorable comments.

“You can delete my comment over and over commies, I will continue to celebrate your segregation efforts!” wrote one poster.

“You’re an absolute disgrace to the city of Boston!!! Shame on you,” wrote another.

Wu did have supporters in the comments section.

“Great to see such diversity! Every American should see themselves represented in their elected officials!” wrote one of them.

“To everyone saying this is segregation, literally every space of prominence and power has been only White people for centuries,” wrote another advocate of Wu’s actions. 

“We are allowed to gather and find solidarity with other POC (people of color) [in] most every other space we are in we are a minority. It is okay for us to TAKE UP SPACE.”

Fox News’ Kristine Parks and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

NYC Mayor Eric Adams slams 'irresponsibility' of White House on immigration

New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday criticized the “irresponsibility” of the White House regarding immigration. 

The comments came during a press conference, where Adams complained his city has taken in a burden of asylum-seekers due to failures by both parties in the nation’s capital.

“It is not about the asylum-seekers and migrants, all of us came from somewhere to pursue the American Dream,” Adams said. “It is the irresponsibility of the Republican Party in Washington for refusing to do real immigration reform, and it’s the irresponsibility of the White House for not addressing this problem.”

The complaint came a day after Adams criticized Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for his latest plan to send asylum-seekers to cities across the nation.

NYC MAYOR ERIC ADAMS ACCUSES TEXAS GOV. GREG ABBOTT OF TARGETING ‘BLACK-RUN CITIES’ WITH MIGRANT BUSES

“Not only is this behavior morally bankrupt and devoid of any concern for the well-being of asylum seekers, but it is also impossible to ignore the fact that Abbott is now targeting five cities run by Black mayors,” Adams said. “Put plainly, Abbott is using this crisis to hurt Black-run cities.”

NYC MAYOR ERIC ADAMS SAYS ‘MIGRANT CRISIS’ UNDER BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS ‘DESTROYED’ CITY 

Adams clarified in an interview on WABC Tuesday he did not think Abbott’s actions make him a racist.

“I didn’t use the term racist,” Adams sad. “What I did was show the facts. We have 108,000 cities in America, 108,000. Many of them are Democratic cities, but where did Abbott send the migrants? To New York, to Chicago, to Denver, to Los Angeles, to Houston, to Washington. Each one of those cities are run by Black mayors.”

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION APPROVES SENDING 1,500 US TROOPS TO MEXICO BORDER AS TITLE 42 DEADLINE LOOMS: SOURCES

The Biden administration approved sending 1,500 active-duty U.S. troops to the southern border in May to prepare for the end of Title 42, sources told Fox News Tuesday.