New York Post

No seat at caucus table for GOPer

- By EMILY JACOBS

Rep. Byron Donalds, a black Republican from Florida, is taking up arms against the Congressio­nal Black Caucus after they rejected his bid to join the group — accusing them of ideologica­l in- tolerance in an interview before a meeting with ex-President Donald Trump.

The freshman congressma­n (inset) was among the members of the Republican Study Committee to meet with Trump at his Bedminster, NJ, golf club on Thursday to discuss the party’s agenda.

In a tweet on Friday, which included a picture of the two men, Donalds said he and Trump discussed “many of the issues America is facing now that he is out of office.”

“Under Biden, we have rising inflation, open borders, an energy crisis, a stagnant economy, & weak foreign policy,” he added. “We miss your leadership, sir.”

In a statement to The Post on Thursday, Donalds expressed his disappoint­ment about the CBC rejection.

“As a newly elected black member of Congress, my political party should not exempt me from a seat at the table dedicated to achieving this goal,” he said.

“As a young black man who grew up in the inner city of Brooklyn in a singlepare­nt household, my achieving of the American dream would be a valued addition to the CBC and one that should transcend politics.”

A CBC rep declined to comment to The Post on Donalds.

BuzzFeed reported that his challenge of the presidenti­al election results played a role in the CBC’s exclusion of him.

On CNN Thursday, Donalds said, “If my positions and my support of President Trump is a problem for them, let them state that on the record.”

“I have a perspectiv­e being a 42-year-old black man who’s come up in America after a lot of the battles through the civil-rights movement that I think would actually be helpful and a helpful perspectiv­e to the CBC.”

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