Make the Road Action Condemns Hugin’s Silence in the Face of Racist Remarks at MacArthur Campaign Rally in Berkeley Township

In response to recent statements by Councilman James Byrnes at a Hugin/MacArthur rally, Sara Cullinane, state director of Make the Road Action issued the following statement on behalf of the organization’s membership:

“Despite spending millions of dollars in television commercials in an attempt to portray himself as a ‘different’ kind of Republican, time and time again Bob Hugin remains silent in the face of racism. What’s more, it is clear that if he were elected to the U.S. Senate, Hugin would simply adhere to Trump’s xenophobic policies. That is not what New Jersey – one of the most diverse states in the country – needs.

Bob Hugin has remained silent in the face of Trump’s hateful, racist rhetoric and as administration pursues draconian policies that separate families and put children into cages. At a recent rally Hugin attended with Tom MacArthur, Councilman James Byrnes was quoted saying, “What about Sweeney? He wants to give licenses to all the Mexicans,” referring to the New Jersey state legislature’s efforts to promote public safety by expanding access to drivers licenses to qualified NJ drivers regardless of immigration status. Earlier this year, Hugin accepted Assemblyman Parker Space’s endorsement despite Parker’s white supremacist history. Now, he has yet to condemn Councilman Byrnes’ racist remarks at an event Hugin himself participated in. What is Hugin waiting for?

Bob Hugin cannot pick and choose when he feels ‘offensive and racist rhetoric has no place in our party or our public discourse’ as he so claims. He must reject divisive and hateful rhetoric at all times – Hugin’s silence is complicity.”