Black women in public office face harsh scrutiny

Two years ago, I published this blog that seems relevant today in the cases of Fulton County (GA) District Attorney Fani Willis and former Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

Efforts by former president Donald Trump and Georgia Republicans to remove Willis from office continue despite Judge Scott McAfee’s ruling that she was guilty of “ a tremendous lapse in judgement” and had created an “appearance of impropriety” when she had an affair with the lead prosecutor in the case, Nathan Wade.

Despite this, the judge decided she could remain on the case if Wade was removed.

Willis is prosecuting former president Donald Trump for attempting to overturn Gorgia election results.

Meanwhile, according to BBC News, “Georgia Republicans have enacted a law … to remove rogue and incompetent prosecutors. Although Willis’s actions were ill-advised, she certainly cannot be considered “rogue” or “incompetent.”

What seems evident is that her prosecution of Trump for election tampering, has put her in the crosshairs of Trump lawyers and supporters.

In February 2024, a federal jury convicted former Baltimore City State’s Attorney, Marilyn J. Mosby, of making a false mortgage application and (she was) previously convicted on two counts of perjury. She faces a maximum of five years in prison.

Mosby gained national prominence in 2015 for prosecuting police officers in the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year old black man who died while in custody. Could her prosecution and conviction be payback for taking on the Baltimore police department?

No public servant is exempt from public scrutiny, however, Black women in public office too often are viewed as incompetent, less-qualified, or biased, especially if they go up against powerful individuals or interest groups.

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“Are you a liar or incompetent?”

Journalist William J. Kelly posed this bodacious question during a March 2022 press conference held by Chicago’s first Black lesbian mayor, Lori Lightfoot.

On YouTube, reactions to what I viewed as Kelly’s aggressive questioning elicited predominantly negative comments: “She’s a terrible person and horrible politician!”

“Awesome journalist. She is a complete disgrace.”

“Lies, lies, lies; she deserves no respect!”

““She is a perfect example of what happens when you select someone’s (sic) solely based on her race and gender.”

Really.

Lightfoot, a lawyer, has held positions in the city and state, including assistant U.S. attorney, chief administrator for the Chicago police department’s Office of Professional Standards, chief of staff and general counsel for Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications, and president of the Chicago Police Board.

As I watched the video, I thought that Lightfoot exercised considerable restraint with Kelly, who sparred with an off-camera staffer for several seconds before turning his attention to her.

Kelly: “Excuse me, sir. Don’t hit me with the microphone. Every other reporter held the mike. Can you hand me the microphone? I have a lot of questions.”

He began, however, by making a statement.

Kelly: “Every time I ask you about crime, you say crime is down. Real Chicagoans know that is not true. Crime is up. Violent sexual assault …. (is) on the news every day …. Violent carjackings everyday …. Hit and runs every day.”

Lightfoot: Sir, do you have a question?

 This prompted Kelly’s question about the mayor’s veracity and competence.

With surprising equanimity, Lightfoot responds, “Homicides, shooting, and car jackings are down this year. Sorry to disappoint you …. No one is taking a victory lap; we still have a lot of work to do.”

Who is William J. Kelly?

According to his Newsmax bio, Kelly is “an American producer, television and radio host, commentator, media strategist and critic….” He is a frequent contributor to conservative media outlets, including Fox TV, The Washington Times, American Spectator, and Breitbart.com.

Last month, Lightfoot barred Kelly from a press conference because of alleged “discrepancies in his media credentials.”

In response, he set up a GoFundMe legal defense fund at Remember America Foundation, a private charity that lists Kelly as president of the board. The funds will finance his lawsuit against the mayor.

Because of his on-going battle with Lightfoot, Kelly has gained prominence among right wing organizations.

Mr. Kelly, a “Thank you” is in order.

Kicking Kamala

Vice-President Kamala Devi Harris ain’t no lightweight.

She is the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, as well as the first African American and first Asian American vice president. Her public positions include serving as District Attorney of San Francisco, California Attorney General, and United States Senator.

Nonetheless, despite a considerable resumé in government, her critics have included Black activists (who criticize her positions on criminal justice policies as San Francisco DA); some Democrats (who do not want her as the standard bearer for the party); and the alt-right media (for any number of scurrilous reasons).

In a February 2022 article for Diverse Issues in Higher Education, Pamela Stewart writes, “As a politician and a woman of color, Harris has experienced both overt barbs and subtle microaggressions throughout her ascent to the vice presidency …. political strategists (have) offered divergent solutions to her challenges, ranging from continuing to be herself, to increasing likeability by being more authentic, to tackling a major project, to just doing her job the best she can.”

On August 8, 2022, Newsweek, reported, “Harris had an approval rating of 36.3 percent as of August 2, based on that analysis, while 48.6 percent disapproved of the job she's doing.”

In the same article, Robert Singh, a professor at the Department of Politics at Birkbeck, University of London, said, “Harris …. has been notable for the lack of responsibilities Biden has felt able or willing to give her. The major one, on immigration reform, has proven a dead duck, with an on-going crisis on the southern border and no feasible measures to deal with it on the agenda," he said.

"Moreover, she is in her current office not because of any substantive achievements but because the Democratic Party has become so preoccupied by with identity politics, gender, and race," Singh went on.

Whatever the reason that President Joe Biden, a career politician, chose Harris as his running mate, he certainly would not commit political suicide by aligning himself with a vice-president without any bona fide credentials, who is one step away from the American presidency.

In 2017, vox.com, reported, “There has never been a president who lacked both political and military service. Donald Trump has broken this barrier.”

Harris is no less qualified to assume the U.S. presidency than former president, Donald J. Trump, whose political experience was zero.

The difference: She is Black and female.

Jones’ Town

The small town in North Carolina (population 2,000) garnered national attention in late July, when white Police Chief Josh Gibson, and all his full-time officers, resigned in protest because of what they deemed “the hostile work environment now present in the Town of Kenly ….”

Officer G.W. Strong lamented “decisions being made that jeopardize my safety and make me question what the future will hold for a Kenly Police Officer.”

Christy Thomas, utility clerk for the town of Kenly, wrote in her resignation letter, “Due to the current situations and the stress in the work area lately, my main concern is my health, and right now I need to focus on my wellbeing.”

These resignations are in protest over the newly hired Black town manager, Justine Jones’ so-called progressive leadership in a town that is 54.9 percent white and 33.9 percent Black.

Interestingly, no news article has delineated the specific policies, situations, or issues that supposedly contributed to a “hostile” work environment and “dissatisfaction with the culture Jones had built at work.”

On a recent episode of Roland Martin’s “Unfiltered” on YouTube, journalist Torrance Walker, founder of Context Media Group, stated, “There is this thing that happens in America, that’s embedded in its DNA, where certain white people who have a serious issue with anybody Black having positions of authority over them ….

“When you factor in that (Jones) is a Black person and a Black woman. This is something that Black people in positions of authority in the workplace, in executive positions, in legislative positions …. have had to deal with from one extreme to another.”

To-date, Jones has not publicly defended her position or addressed the resignations, which her supporters believe is a mistake.

In July, the Kenly Town Council told cbs13.com, “The Council has instructed the Town Attorney to oversee thorough investigations …. to determine the facts and circumstances relating to the resignations and the allegations of a hostile work environment.”

Racism, misogyny, or both?

Do racism and misogyny underlie the oftentimes harsh opposition from politicians, law enforcement, and media faced by highly competent Black women?

I believe so.

Critics of U.S. House of Representative Speaker Nancy Pelosi might vigorously oppose her political actions or decisions, yet her credentials or competence is seldom questioned, which too often is the case for Black women in public office.

Me, too.

I have never held public office (nor wanted to), yet as I prepared this article, I recalled my experiences in media, administration, and education; oftentimes, I was the only Black woman at the table. My competence and/or experiences were often underutilized, underestimated, or undervalued in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

For example, white colleagues who attended meetings with me on a regular basis, rendered me “invisible” by passing me in halls or on the street without a word.

When I taught adult education at a community college, a white female instructor often would enter my classroom in the middle of a lesson and express her opinion about the topic at hand. She never felt the need to ask my permission, nor did she see her actions as potentially undermining.

As assistant editor (and only Black) for a national food magazine in New York City, I sat in my office for my first days on the job with nothing to do. No senior editor ever stopped by with an assignment.

Eventually, I approached the editor-in-chief about the situation, who assigned me to work with the wine editors, a husband, and wife. I did no writing or editing for them. Mostly, they assigned me tasks—i.e., double-checking facts--normally done by college interns.

Ironically, I probably had more overall experience in print media than the other editors.

As an editor for various Black newspapers in New York City, I wore several hats—reporter, copy editor, columnist, assignments editor. I even traveled to the printing presses and observed the (defunct practice) of typesetting.

After much persistence on my part, the editor-in-chief gave me real assignments.

After my hiring as city editor for a well-known progressive newspaper, I eagerly approached the editor-in-chief with ideas for re-vamping my section. He summarily dismissed my suggestions. “Don’t worry about making changes; just produce good stories.”

It comes with the job.

Any Black woman who runs for or holds public office can expect criticism or opposition to their political views, but should not endure barbs about their appearance, qualifications, or competence.

Mayor Lightfoot, VP Kamala Harris, Town Manager Jones would not have gained their positions without merit.

Now, and later.

In May 2018, re-wire.com noted, “Too often, Black women seeking leadership are labeled with false narratives that paint them as angry instead of impassioned, financially irresponsible instead of willing to stretch their resources to help others, or young and inexperienced instead of ambitious and trailblazing.” 

In 2021, the Higher Heights Leadership Fund, in conjunction with the Center for American Women and Politics, released a report which states, “despite being 7.8 percent of the population, Black women are less than 5 percent of officeholders elected to statewide executive offices, Congress, and state legislatures.

“Less than 2 percent of all statewide elected executive officials are Black women.

“They are 8 of the mayors in the nations 100 most populous cities.

“(No) black woman has ever been elected governor.”

Nonetheless, in November 2021 Forbes reported “In addition to Kamala Harris being the first woman, the first Black person and the first South Asian person to win the vice presidency, Black women found success across other levels of office and played pivotal roles in voter mobilization and voter turnout. More than two-thirds of Black women turned out to vote in the 2020 presidential election—the third highest rate of any race-gender group.”

Good news for the next generation of Black women in politics.

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