The Scoop

Democrat Senator Under Fire For Dismissing Membership Based On Race As ‘Long Tradition In Rhode Island’

By • June 21, 2021 5:56 pm

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), a Democrat, has come under fire for defending his membership at an allegedly “all-white” private beach club in Rhode Island last week, just before Juneteenth.

GoLocalProv reported that “both Whitehouse and his wife Sandra, as well as their families, have been members of [the all-white private Bailey’s Beach Club in Newport] for decades.”

“Whitehouse did transfer his shares in the club to his wife years ago, and she is now one of the largest shareholders in the all-white club. The club’s membership is a who’s who Newport, Palm Beach, and New York wealth,” the outlet found.

When questioned by a reporter on Friday, Whitehouse defended his membership in the all-white club, claiming it had “a long tradition in Rhode Island.”

Whitehouse also told The Washington Post that the club doesn’t quite prohibit against members based on race, and that it “has had and has members of color.”

On Friday, Whitehouse had the following conversation with the reporter:

“Back in 2017, you had expressed concerns about the membership of the all white Bally’s Beach Club, you said that you hoped it would become more diverse. Now your family’s been members, your wife is one of the largest shareholders. Has there been any traction in that? Are there any minority members of the club now?” the reporter asked.

“I think the people who are running the place are still working on that. And I’m sorry, it hasn’t happened yet,” the Dem senator responded.

“Do you have concerns in 2021? I mean, obviously, it’s been four years, you had remarks on the floor following the death of Briana Taylor and George Floyd saying, you know, hoping to root out systemic racism in the country. Your thoughts on an elite all white wealthy club again in this day and age, you know, should these clubs continue to exist?” the reporter questioned again.

“It’s a long tradition in Rhode Island and there are many of them. And I think we just need to work our way through the issues. Thank you,” Sen. Whitehouse concluded.

Watch the video posted to Twitter from RNC Research:

Commentators from all political sides blasted Whitehouse on the internet.

“Has Sheldon Whitehouse resigned from this racist & segregationist beach club yet? Have the media even asked him that simple question? Have the media called the club to ask how these policies could stand in 2021? Are there protests in front of the club? Where’s the outrage?!?” Donald Trump Jr. wrote.

“Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse is a member of a whites-only beach club, the Gov of Virginia either wore black face or a Ku Klux Klan robe, and Joe Biden said he didn’t want his kids to grow up in a racial jungle, but Democrats want to lecture about racism in America…”F ox News contributor Lisa Boothe stated.

“I wouldn’t exactly say Sen. Whitehouse seems particularly concerned or even interested about the fact he continues to belong an all-white club (which his wife owns a large part of). As always, judge a person by the acts that compose their life, not the public rhetoric they spew,” left-leaning Glenn Greenwald said.

“So Dem senators defend their all-white private beach clubs, but we America First nationalists — we’re the racists — for insisting on protecting the American working class (much of which is black and brown citizens) against illegal immigrant workers?” Newsmax host Steve Cortes said.

Former White House Senior Adviser Stephen Miller wrote, “Nothing is preventing @SenWhitehouse from voluntarily giving up his membership in favor of a deserving minority family—unless Whitehouse believes he’s entitled to his membership in a private beach club?”

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