Rokita’s past statements disqualify him from public office
WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on Todd Rokita, a nominee for the Amtrak Board. In addition to voting twice to defund Amtrak, Rokita has a history of racist, extreme, and bizarre views.
“Todd Rokita is unfit for public office, full stop,” said Lizzy Price, Director of Restore Public Trust. “From comparing African Americans who vote for Democrats to slaves, claiming that migrant children may carry Ebola, and claiming that pilots should not be required to get regular medical exams, it’s clear that Rokita is performing to an audience of one. And while he may satisfy Trump with his racist comments and bigoted views, it would be a political disaster for any senator to support his nomination.”
“A vote for Todd Rokita is a vote against public safety and public decency,” Price continued.
Background:
COMPARED AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS TO SLAVES
Todd Rokita Compared African Americans Who Vote For Democrats To Slaves, Drawing Criticism From African American Lawmakers In Indiana. “An Indiana elected official is under fire after controversial comments he made regarding African-American voters. Many Indiana lawmakers are speaking out against comments made by Secretary of State Todd Rokita. Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita reflected Monday over comments he made last Thursday night in Washington, Indiana. Speaking before the annual Lincoln-Reagan dinner, Rokita was reported in the Washington Times-Herald as saying that African Americans vote 90 percent Democrat and he questioned why. ‘How can that be?’ Rokita said. ‘90 to 10. Who’s the master and who’s the slave in that relationship? How can that be healthy?’ […] Reaction by African-American lawmakers on the floor of the House was swift. ‘I am appalled. I am appalled that a state leader could make a statement like this. I think he needs to be called on the carpet for this one,’ said Rep. Carolene Mays (D-Indianapolis). ‘It would appear that Mr. Rokita attended the Imus school of public relations with African-Americans and other minorities,’ said Rep. Charlie Brown (D-Gary).” [WTHR, 4/16/07]
FACED ACCUSATIONS OF RACISM FROM 2018 AD THAT CRITICIZED COLIN KAEPERNICK
Todd Rokita Faced Accusations Of Racism From An “Inter-Racial Coalition Of Clergy” Due To An Ad Rokita Ran That Focused On Colin Kaepernick Kneeling During The National Anthem. “An inter-racial coalition of clergy will hold a press conference to denounce the ‘racial tone advertising that has taken on in the Republican primary.’ The press conference, held by Imani Baptist Temple Rev. Bill McGill, will be held at the North end of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge at 1:15 p.m. Friday. The event is a direct response to a recent political ad released by Indiana representative Todd Rokita (R-4th) that says, ‘liberal elites disrespect our flag and the sacrifice of our soldiers.’ The ad has an image of NFL player Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem at an NFL football game, as well as images of protesters who ‘attack our police’. McGill believes the ad depicts people of color as dangerous, irresponsible, and unpatriotic.” [WANE, 4/21/18]
AS INDIANA SECRETARY STATE, ROKITA DIDN’T CONSIDER MINORITY POPULATIONS DURING REDISTRICTING, FALSELY CLAIMING THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT PROHIBITED HIM FROM DOING SO
2009: Rokita Claimed He Did Not View “Minority Populations” As “A Primary Criteria” In Redistricting, Falsely Claiming The Voting Rights Act Prohibited Him From Taking Race Into Account In Redistricting. “Secretary of State Todd Rokita spent $110,000 in tax money to convince Hoosiers to make the decennial exercise of redrawing legislative maps less political and fairer for Hoosiers. […] Especially important to our African-American community, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and subsequent U.S. Supreme Court decisions have held that districts must respect the right and ability of racial and ethnic (Hispanic) minorities to be able to elect representatives of their choice. Ominously, Rokita deliberately failed to include that part of the legal mandates of redistricting in his efforts to educate Hoosiers about improving the redistricting process. […] Rokita spokesperson Jim Gavin told me ‘Minority populations were not a primary criteria used when drawing these maps because the courts have said when construing the Voting Rights Act that you’re not supposed to consider these factors (race) when drawing maps’ Gavin and Rokita haven’t researched current Supreme Court decisions.” [Indianapolis Recorder Op-Ed — Amos Brown III, Columnist and Community Activist, 9/17/09]
HELPED WRITE INDIANA’S VOTER ID LAW, ONE OF THE STRICTEST IN THE COUNTRY
Todd Rokita Helped Write The Legislation Requiring A Government-Issued Photo ID To Vote, Considered “One Of The Strictest [Voter ID Laws] In The Nation At The Time” It Was Passed. “In 2005, Rokita, who helped write the original legislation, implemented one of the first photo identification laws in the country, and defended it before the Supreme Court. […] Indiana’s law, considered one of the strictest in the nation at the time, requires people present at a polling station on election day to provide a government-issued identification. Accepted forms of identification include an Indiana driver’s license, an Indiana state ID card, and a U.S. passport. Photo identification issued by the military also qualifies. The state provides free photo identification to those who can’t afford to pay for one, but a potential voter still has to provide documentation, like a birth certificate, to prove who they are.” [Daily Signal, 8/7/16]
SUGGESTED MIGRANT CHILDREN SHOULDN’T BE PLACED IN AMERICAN HOMES BECAUSE THEY MAY CARRY THE EBOLA VIRUS
Rokita Expressed Hesitancy Over Placing Migrant Children In U.S. Homes, Claiming The Children Might Carry The Ebola Virus. ”U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Ind., suggested Monday that immigrant children from Central America could be carrying the Ebola virus that has killed some 800 people this year in West Africa. The Munster native, whose district includes Newton and Jasper counties, made the unsubstantiated claim during an interview on Indianapolis’ WIBC-FM “Garrison” radio program. Referencing a conversation he had with U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon, R-Newburgh, who is a heart surgeon, Rokita said they agreed there is a public health risk associated with the federal refugee agency placing immigrant children in the homes of U.S. relatives or sponsors. ‘He said, look, we need to know just from a public-health standpoint, with Ebola circulating and everything else — no, that’s my addition to it, not necessarily his — but he said we need to know the condition of these kids,’ Rokita said. No human Ebola illness ever has been contracted in the Western Hemisphere and none of the 30,340 unaccompanied minors released this year to relatives or sponsors, including the 245 children placed in Indiana homes, have Ebola, according to the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement.” [NW Times, 8/4/14]
OPPOSED ABORTION, EVEN IN CASES OF RAPE, INCEST, AND LIFE OF THE MOTHER
2018: Todd Rokita Opposed Abortion In Cases Of Rape, Incest, And When The Life Of The Mother Was At Risk. In a voter guide provided by Right to Life of North Central Indiana, Todd Rokita was asked ‘Under what circumstances do you believe abortion should be legal?’ He replied ‘Abortion should never be legal’ despite being given the option to answer ‘Life of the mother only’, ‘Rape and/or incest’ or any combination of those answers. [Right to Life of North Central Indiana, 2018]
OPPOSED EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK FOR WOMEN
Todd Rokita Did Not Support Equal Wages For Equal Work For Women. “NUVO found that Rokita does not support equal wages for equal work for women, does not believe in climate change and does not believe that immigration reform should have a path to citizenship.” [Nuvo, 11/8/16]
HISTORY OF ABUSING STAFF
Ten Former Rokita Staffers Accused Him Of Maintaining A Toxic Work Environment; One Staffer Was Allegedly Forced To Clean Rokita’s Car After A Volunteer Left Body Odor Behind. ”Staffers in tears. Pay cuts for small mistakes. Aides who walked out of the office — and never came back. Working for four-term Republican Rep. Todd Rokita of Indiana is an exacting job with long hours, made more difficult by a boss known for micromanaging and yelling at his staff, according to 10 former aides who spoke to The Associated Press. […] ‘Todd’s a hard boss to work for. He’s got some staff turnover issues,’ said Tony Will, who was a constituent service representative for Rokita for nearly three years. ‘But he is a very hard worker.’ During the 2010 campaign, a worker was booted from a staff meeting and instructed to clean Rokita’s vehicle, which included scrubbing the carpets, according to two people with direct knowledge of the incident. The reason? A volunteer driver had body odor the night before, they say. Rokita’s campaign said the congressman did not recall the incident.” [Chicago Tribune, 9/1/17]
Todd Rokita Would Yell At Staff, “Belittle His Aides,” And Allegedly “[Reduce Workers] To Tears After He Yelled At Them.” “Some aides witnessed fellow workers reduced to tears after he yelled at them. Others said they were expected to work late nights and weekends and regularly worried about angering their boss if they did not quickly respond to an email or phone call during off hours… One moment Rokita could charm at a GOP fundraiser. The next he would belittle his aides or question their competence over the route they took to the next event, or their choice of parking spot, three former staffers said. Some say he turned angry over small details, like the kind of letterhead used on office or campaign documents.” [Chicago Tribune, 9/1/17]
A Leaked Memo Showed That Staffing Todd Rokita Was A “Full-Stage Production” That Included Drivers Having Coffee, Hand Sanitizer, And Gum Ready For Rokita And Emptying His Trash. “Empty his trash. Always have hand sanitizer and gum at the ready. And don’t bother with ‘unnecessary conversation’ — the congressman doesn’t have time for your chitchat. […] The missive opens by listing basic details any driver would need to know before a day of district events: locations, times, directions and points of contact on the ground. But it quickly morphs into a full-stage production, tasking drivers with doing in-depth research on each event, including knowing each event’s ‘greeter’ and how Rokita will recognize him or her. Also make sure Rokita has ‘at least 10 percent more handouts than we anticipate attendees.’…Picking up Rokita from his home is a chore, to say the least. Drivers are asked to ‘please have a cup of black coffee available for him’ and to ‘empty the trash bin if there’s anything in it.’” [POLITICO, 8/18/17]
POTENTIALLY VIOLATED ETHICS LAWS IN 2018
As Indiana’s Secretary Of State, Rokita “Likely” Violated Ethics Laws By Repeatedly Accessing A GOP Donor Database From His Government Office. ”U.S. Senate candidate Todd Rokita likely violated ethics laws as Indiana’s secretary of state by repeatedly accessing a Republican donor database from his government office, prompting party officials to lock him out of the system until he angrily complained, three former GOP officials told The Associated Press. […] The alleged ethics flap over Rokita’s use of the Indiana Republican Party’s Salesforce database during work hours occurred in 2009, as he was wrapping up a second term as the state’s chief elections official and angling for higher office. Indiana law prohibits state employees from engaging in political activity while on duty or acting in an official capacity. It also prohibits work on anything outside official duties while on the clock, or ordering others to do so, and from using state resources for political purposes.” [Chicago Tribune, 4/12/18]
WANTED TO PRIVATIZE THE FAA
Rokita Wanted To Privatize The Federal Aviation Association. ”A foundation of conservatism is our belief that the federal government is incapable of doing just about anything more efficiently or innovatively than the private sector. A perfect example is the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) stalled effort to bring our nation’s aviation system into the modern era. […] The status quo is not working, and with each blunder by the FAA it becomes more apparent that the agency is simply not capable of implementing NextGen on its own. It’s time for a better approach. After working extensively over the last 2 years and talking to each stakeholder group, we have learned what best practices to replicate and which to leave behind in regards to air traffic control reform. We continue to be intimately involved in discussions on transitioning air traffic control responsibilities from an ineffective federal bureaucracy to a user-funded, user-governed, not-for-profit organization, all in a manner that protects the small aircraft operators and private pilots who use the system.” [The Hill — Op-Ed — Todd Rokita (R-IND), Sam Graves (R, MO), 1/18/16]
CLAIMED THAT PILOTS SHOULDN’T BE REQUIRED TO GET REGULAR MEDICAL EXAMS
Rokita Did Not Support Requiring Pilots To Get Medical Exams Every Few Years, Claiming “Only The Aviator” Can Decide Whether Or Not They Are Fit To Fly. ”The truth is that no medical exam conducted every few years can determine whether a pilot is healthy enough to fly right now. Only the aviator can do that—and that’s exactly what aviators do every time they approach the flight deck. So why are we forcing them to jump through hoops that discourage thousands of people from flying while contributing nothing to safety? […] That’s why Sam Graves and I, along with many leaders in the General Aviation Caucus, introduced the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act (GAPPA) to expand the already-successful light sport aviator medical standard to apply to general aviators that fly for recreation or private transportation. This legislation will encourage general aviation growth, create jobs, and promote safety. Under the leadership of Senator John Boozman from Arkansas, the Senate recently introduced identical legislation.” [Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association Op-Ed — Todd Rokita, 3/28/14]
ASKED TO LEAVE A HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM AFTER CRITICIZING THE TEACHER FOR NOT INCLUDING “AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM” IN THE CURRICULUM
A High School Teacher Once Asked Rokita To Leave Their Classroom After Rokita Allegedly Criticized The Teacher For Not Including “American Exceptionalism” In The Curriculum. ”His temper has also flared when meeting with students, according to those in attendance. A Jasper County teacher asked Rokita to leave his high school civics class in November 2016 after a talk that was supposed to be about the Constitution got off on the wrong foot, according to two students. Rokita had asked the class if they were taught about ‘American Exceptionalism.’ But when a number of students seemed puzzled by the concept, he had a testy exchange with their teacher, Paul Norwine, whom he criticized for not including it in the curriculum, the students said. Tensions eased and the talk proceeded, but the class was dumbfounded, the students said. ‘Mr. Rokita got very angry and said, ‘You have an American congressman in your class, what are you doing?’ said Marcus Kidwell, 19, a Donald Trump supporter who was a senior at the time. ’He seems like a pretty hot-headed guy. That disappointed me because he’s a Republican and I was pretty excited to meet him.’” [Chicago Tribune, 9/1/17]
AUTHORED A BILL THAT WOULD CUT FEDERALLY SUBSIDIZED LUNCHES FOR CHILDREN
Todd Rokita Authored A Bill That Would Cut Availability Of Federally Subsidized Lunches For Children In Public Schools. “A bill introduced by a Republican in Congress called The Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act does the exact opposite of what it claims to do. In this case, ‘improving’ children’s nutrition means cutting the availability of federally subsidized lunches to hungry children in public schools. Specifically, the bill would tighten eligibility restrictions that govern how many schools can take full advantage of the free and reduced-price lunch program, potentially cutting off food to thousands of schools and millions of students. […] The bill comes from Indiana House Rep. Todd Rokita, a Tea Party Republican with a history of cutting public spending, despite any negative consequences, and diverting money from public schools to alternatives.” [Salon, 5/7/16]
