After a recent spate of public faux pas, the loyal voter base of Delaware Governor Jackson Flack has begun to question his leadership. Flack, a Democrat now in his seventh of a maximum eight years in office, has been harshly criticized for a series of comments journalists and activists have called “jarring,” “out of character” and even “stone-cold racist.”
The controversy began during Flack’s appearance on The Turner Hour, a podcast hosted by former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Lyle Turner. Turner, who is known for his hard-hitting and to-the-point approach, asked Flack if he thought gubernatorial hopeful Julian Sapolsky would be able to secure support from Delaware’s racial minorities. “I just don’t get the sense that Delawareans of color find much value in him,” said Turner, “so here’s my question: Considering his aversion to police reform and known dealings with the NRA, do you think there’s any hope for him there?” Flack, who is of white, Irish ancestry, admitted that he too was suspicious of Sapolsky’s standing with nonwhite voters before boasting that, on the contrary, “my name is good in the hood, though.” “The hood?” repeated Turner after laughing uncomfortably. “Excuse me. I apologize,” replied Flack. “I suppose I meant to say the ‘African American voting bloc.’ Look, we should all know by now that if it ain’t Flack, it ain’t black.” The governor’s comments were instantly panned following the episode’s release.
“For seven years, me, my family and my friends have viewed Governor Flack as a beacon of hope in our increasingly divided world,” said Sheila Greene, president of civil rights advocacy group Delaware in Color. “His tireless commitment to empowering the Black and Brown residents of our state is beyond commendable, and my organization has consistently praised his efforts. It’s for this reason that his recent behavior has been so shocking and painful
to witness. The things Governor Flack has been saying are simply inexcusable, and I fear that they may mark the beginning of his journey down a path Delaware in Color cannot follow.” “They buggin,” tweeted the governor regarding his critics. “Frankly, you hate me cause you ain’t me. Free da real!”
Johnathan Cooper, Delaware’s incumbent and first African American attorney general, admitted that he was “appalled” by Flack’s comments. “I would like to make it perfectly clear to the rest of the country and world that Governor Flack’s recent actions are by no means representative of the state of Delaware, its people, and our values. I cannot describe how shocked and saddened I am by his tactlessness. This should go without saying, but ‘free the real’ is hardly
an appropriate choice of words when we consider that the governor signed off on sweeping anti-crime legislation just three days ago. What kind of message does that send? I sincerely hope that Governor Flack will apologize for his behavior and return to being the diligent professional I’ve known him to be.” “It really be your own people sometimes,” tweeted Flack in response.
Featured image courtesy of NoName_13 on Pixabay.