Trade Minister Wilbur Ross today on CNBC, answering a question of the viewer, said that he was surprised and disappointed that some Federal workers affected by the closure of the government not come to work. No salaries, in his opinion, is not a worthy excuse. Those who do not have enough money, the Minister advised to borrow in banks or credit unions.
Wilbur Ross is @realDonaldTrump’s Secretary of Commerce.
Wilbur Ross is a billionaire.
And this is billionaire Wilbur Ross saying he doesn’t understand why federal workers not getting paid during the #TrumpShutdown don’t just take out loans *to feed their families*.
Unreal. pic.twitter.com/YHHZqKa8sx
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 24, 2019
During the interview, the Minister of trade was asked about his attitude to the fact that Federal workers are forced to go to homeless shelters or to seek food assistance, a billionaire who earned a fortune by buying up «bad» assets, shared his opinion:
«I know what it is, but I don’t quite understand why they don’t take, say, loans from a Bank or credit Union. Their salaries are guaranteed by the Federal government, so the 30-day salary, which some people do not get, is not a real reason why they will not give a loan loan secured» and added «it is True that people may have to pay a bit of interest… «.
Schumer responds to Wilbur Ross: «Those comments are appalling and reveal the administration»s callous indifference towards the federal workers it is treating as pawns … Secretary Ross, they just can’t call their stock broker and ask them to sell some of their shares.» Via ABC pic.twitter.com/hWNhI77rgL
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 24, 2019
The Minister’s words evoked sharp comments from Democrats. Chuck Schumer said that the words of Ross «reveal the callous indifference of the administration to Federal employees and treat them like pawns… Secretary Ross, they just can’t call his stockbroker and ask them to sell part of its shares».
The speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi compared the review with Ross is often referred to the French saying, attributed to French Queen Marie-Antoinette: «If they have no bread, let them eat cake».
Nancy Pelosi responds to Wilbur Ross: «Is this the ‘let them eat cake’ kind of attitude, or ‘call your father for money?’» Via ABC pic.twitter.com/2qOpT4472P
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 24, 2019
After hearing the comments of Ross again today, appeared on the screen on Bloomberg TV and tried to explain again the meaning of his words: «We are painfully aware that individual employees face difficulties. All I was trying to do is make sure that they know that there are other possibilities which could help to somewhat mitigate their problem.»
Donald Trump, defending Wilbur Ross, says government workers not receiving a paycheck because of the #TrumpShutdown can simply convince their local grocery stores to “work along” with them. pic.twitter.com/bIvu2CJxHb
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) January 24, 2019
Donald trump was forced to defend his Minister, noting that he understands what I wanted to say Ross, but «apparently, he had otherwise expressed,» and then added his advice to Federal employees: «government employees have not been paid, you can just convince your local grocery stores to «work together» with them.»
