Cruz Grills Biden Official Over State Dept Email Allegedly Excluding ‘Straight White Men’

Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz pressed the State Department’s chief Diversity and Inclusion officer Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley over an email allegedly excluding “straight, white men” and people of the wrong religion from being hired.

The senator argued Tuesday that the department’s Equity Action Plan, which changed hiring practices at the agency, is “nothing more than brazen discrimination.” An email from a senior department official described reports from candidates claiming to be denied a position for having a disability or for classifying as “white men, straight white men, [or] not [being] of the right religion.”

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“So you’re the chief diversity officer and you are arguing you are certain discrimination is not happening at the state department, is that right? Is that what you’re testifying? It’s what you just said.” {snip}

Abercrombie-Winstanley said the State Department is not intentionally breaking the law {snip}

The senator said she called for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Accessibility hiring practices, though she claimed she was unaware of the instructions in the email.

“What would you say you do around here?” the senator said. “What is your job if not to stop discrimination, and unfortunately, I believe your job, in practice, is encouraging this discrimination. {snip}”

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