The drama regarding the apparent discrimination against Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R) by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) continues, this as the group slowly mulls over the prospect of including a member of congress whose political affiliation is not that of the Democratic Party.
Again, the move to deny Curbelo membership to the Hispanic Caucus is political in nation as Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham stated herself last week.
“It’s not true that it’s not happening and it’s also not accurate to say that it’s a done deal…The caucus really has to have a discussion because we talk about legislative strategy that can sometimes be partisan.”- Rep. Lujan Grisham (D-NM) (Source)
In visiting the CHC's official website, not one member is Republican.
During a sit-down conversation with Rep. Curbelo in his Washington, D.C. office, the junior congressman from south Florida is still in disbelief that Grisham and the caucus have taken this long to affirm his application to join the group, saying that “anyone who is a Hispanic I think should be welcomed there.”
Curbelo didn’t mince his words on whether he was being discriminated against by the entirely Democratic caucus, adding that the CHC’s actions “send a horrible message” of racial division across the country.
“For them (Congressional Hispanic Caucus) to then turn around and discriminate against one of their own, it just send a horrible message. I think it takes away a lot of their credibility. As far as I am concerned, I am being denied entry.”-Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R)
The Hispanic Caucus’ communication director Carlos Paz has not yet responded to our request for comment on the matter.
