A taxpayer-funded gathering…
The mayor of one of America's largest cities hosted a taxpayer-funded Christmas party for its 13-member city council – minus its seven white council members.
Controversy erupted after Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's noninclusive event became public knowledge. It came to light after the mayor's office accidentally emailed invitations for an “Electeds of Color Holiday Party” to white city officials. Their invitations were revoked around 15 minutes later. For her part, Mayor Wu called it an “honest mistake.”
“We had individual conversations with everyone so people understand that it was truly just an honest mistake that went out in typing the email field,” Wu told reporters.
The mayor said she looked forward to “celebrating with everyone at another holiday event.”
“It is my intention that we can, again, be a city that lives our values and create space for all kinds of communities to come together,” she added.
Despite the scandal, the minority-only gathering took place as scheduled last night, as Fox News reports:
The city's first Asian-American mayor defended the event, saying, “I've been a part of a group that gathers, representing elected officials of color across all different levels of government in Massachusetts. A group that has been in place for more than a decade, and the opportunity to create a space for people to celebrate and rotate who hosts.”
Wu's aide Denise DosSantos, who sent out the invite, tried to smooth things over in a follow-up email prior to the party.
“I wanted to apologize for my previous email regarding a Holiday Party for tomorrow,” DosSantos wrote to city council members. “I did send that to everyone by accident, and I apologize if my email may have offended or came across as so. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused.”
The exclusionary invite was criticized Wednesday, by one White member of the city council as “unfortunate and divisive,” according to the Boston Herald.
When asked shortly before the party if she thought the gathering was divisive, Wu quickly replied: “No.”
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