MSNBC Interview - Transcript

Interview

MSNBC Interview - Transcript

MSNBC INTERVIEW WITH REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D-SC)
SUBJECT: ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE INTERVIEWER: NORAH O'DONNELL

Copyright ©2009 by Federal News Service, Inc., Ste. 500, 1000 Vermont Ave, Washington, DC 20005 USA. Federal News Service is a private firm not affiliated with the federal government. No portion of this transcript may be copied, sold or retransmitted without the written authority of Federal News Service, Inc. Copyright is not claimed as to any part of the original work prepared by a United States government officer or employee as a part of that person's official duties. For information on subscribing to the FNS Internet Service at www.fednews.com, please email Carina Nyberg at cnyberg@fednews.com or call 1-202-216-2706.

MS. O'DONNELL: Of course with this economy in crisis, also the states are financially struggling to provide essential services to their people, and yet, we've got a handful of Republican governors coming here to Washington this weekend saying, oh, we might refuse to take some of this federal money from President Obama's stimulus plan and that has brought the ire of the highest ranking African American Congressman James Clyburn, in fact, he's outraged. He says, quote, "These four governors of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and South Carolina, represent states that are in the black belt. I was insulted by their opposition. All of this was a slap in the face of African Americans."

Well, the Congressman James Clyburn now joins me on the phone.

Congressman, explain what you mean. How is this is a slap in the face of African Americans?

REP. CLYBURN: Well, I think all of us know, Ms. O'Donnell, first of all, thank you so much for having me, but you know, we know where these Census tracts are where we've had real problems with chronic unemployment, in fact, this legislation dictates that for the last 30 years you've had more than 20 percent of your population living below the poverty level, at least ten percent of this money must be directed to those Census tracts.

So if you are representing a state where the proliferation of these Census tracts are, in my state of South Carolina, for instance, 12 of the counties will be covered by this stipulation. We only have but 46 counties, so that more than 25 percent of my state will get this added attention. So when the governor tells me that he's not going to accept the money, he's saying that more than 25 percent of our counties stay as you are, stay as you've been for the last 30 years, over 20 percent of your population living below the poverty level.

That's why it's a slap in the face.

MS. O'DONNELL: Congressman, you know, the governor of your state, Mark Sanford, who is exactly suggesting that he wouldn't take the money; he's now accusing you of playing the race card. Let me read from his statement and then get you to respond. He says, "Spending money at the federal level that we do not have represents a future tax increase on all South Carolinians, regardless of their color and in the process of doing so, Clyburn is ripping off everyone he claims to represent."

So are you playing the race card, according to what the governor says, Congressman?

REP. CLYBURN: Well, here is the deal. This money has been appropriated by the United States Government. Four governors have said we aren't going to accept the money. All the other governors have said we will accept the money. So the money is appropriated. The money will be going out of Washington, will be going into these states. It's a slap in the face for the governors of these four states to say I'm not going to accept the money because the money is out there, it's gone, it's out of the door, it's not going back. That's why it's a slap in the face.

If you happen to represent South Carolina and Mississippi, Louisiana, where all of these high, chronically unemployed communities are, you are, in fact, slapping them in the face. Now, that is not playing the race card; it's a little bit like Eric Holder who said a couple of days ago, for some strange reason, we don't want to discuss the impact of what our decisions are. That's why we've got a Voting Rights Act right now that says we aren't going to worry about whether or not you intended to take away peoples' voting rights, we're going to worry about what the effect of your decisions are.

So the effect of these governors' decisions will be to render these communities underserved.

MS. O'DONNELL: Congressman, making a great deal of news today accusing these Republicans of a slap in the face at African Americans, and as you just said, that's not playing the race card.

Congressman, thank you for your time.

REP. CLYBURN: Well, thank you so much for having me.

END.

Source