DGA Statement on Fung Announcement

Failed Candidate Fung is Donald Trump’s Partner in Rhode Island

 
There he goes again.
Last night, Cranston Mayor Allan Fung announced he is running for governor again in 2018. A failed candidate, Fung already lost the race for governor once back in 2014. Shortly after his loss, the Providence Journal Editorial Board said, “It’s a good thing Fung wasn’t elected governor.”
But he wants another bite at the apple and no one should be happier about it than Donald Trump.
Fung was supportive of Donald Trump during the 2016 election and continues to stand by as his policies threaten Rhode Islanders. Most notably, Fung was completely silent during the Trumpcare debate, which threatened to jack up premiums and devastate Rhode Island’s state budget.
Fung has voiced support for Betsy DeVos’ education policies, and failed to swiftly denounce the Trump travel ban. More recently, he refused to condemn President Trump for his divisive comments on Charlottesville in which he defended white nationalists. Instead, he told minorities to “work harder” to combat racism.
In aggregate, it’s clear that Mayor Fung would be an extension of the Trump administration if he were Rhode Island’s governor. Unfortunately for Fung, Trump’s approval rating has plunged to the mid-thirties and Rhode Island favored Hillary Clinton last year by 15 points.
Meanwhile, under Gov. Gina Raimondo’s leadership, Rhode Island has added nearly 17,000 jobs and the unemployment rate has dropped from 6.5% to 4.3%.
“Failed candidate Allan Fung is Donald Trump’s closest ally in Rhode Island,” said DGA Communications Director Jared Leopold. “Fung has been in virtual lockstep with Trump on policy, and has failed to condemn his dangerous antics. Rhode Island voters already rejected Fung once, and they are prepared to do it again.”

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Background:
After The Senate Voted To Move Forward With Debate To Repeal The ACA, Fung Had No Comment. According to WPRI, “With the help of a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Mike Pence, the U.S. Senate voted 51-50 to move forward with the debate on a health care bill to repeal and possibly replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. […] Rhode Island Republican Party leaders have given a mixed response to the GOP health bill. The party chairman has declined to take a stance on the bill. Possible gubernatorial candidate Joe Trillo said last week he supports the bill, while potential rival Rep. Patricia Morgan said she is undecided. A third potential candidate, Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, has not responded to requests for comment.” [WPRI, 6/25/17]
Fung Said Minorities Needed to ‘Work Harder,’ But Refused to Criticize Trump After Charlottesville. According to WPRI, “Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, who was the Republican nominee for governor in 2014 and is planning to run again in 2018, issued a statement Wednesday that did not reference Trump but said, ‘Let there be no doubt – there is no justification for bigotry expressed by any white supremacist group.’ ‘As a minority, I’ve seen my share of subtle and not so subtle racism over the years,’ Fung said. ‘It’s incumbent on those of us in the minority community to work harder, and by our consistent actions over months and years, truly change stereotypes. Hashtags and vigils are not enough.’ ‘We are looking towards leaders to make sense of the nonsensical and to give us reassurance that what was on display this past weekend isn’t who we really are as Americans,’ he added. ‘Personally acting with kindness and empathy towards all of our neighbors is more powerful than any decree from hundreds of miles away.’” [WPRI, 8/16/17]

• ThinkProgress Headline: Rhode Island gubernatorial hopeful says it’s up to minorities to fix racism displayed in Virginia. According to ThinkProgress, “Fung laid the burden on racial minorities to solve the problem of racism. ‘As a minority, I’ve seen my share of subtle and not so subtle racism over the years.  It’s incumbent on those of us in the minority community to work harder, and by our consistent actions over months and years, truly change stereotypes. Hashtags and vigils are not enough.’” [ThinkProgress, 8/17/17]

Fung Agreed With DeVos On School Choice. From an interview with Rhode Island Public Radio, an NPR affiliate, Q: “How about Betsy DeVos for Education Secretary?” FUNG: “Now I know that’s one everyone, I think, is watching, because people have taken odds whether or not she’s going to go up or down. And, she’s only – I think – one vote away from potentially not having confirmation. I’m not sure of all of her stances. I do support – as you guys know – choice for students. Which is one area where she – you know – aligns with, but I’m not particularly sure about all her other areas.” [Rhode Island Public Radio, 2/3/17]
Fung Said Trump’s Travel Ban Rollout was “Botched” but Did Not Criticize the Policy Until Questioned by Reporters on his Silence.According to the Providence Journal, “The order was met with mass protests and chaos at airports, embassies and elsewhere and sparked a second weekend of demonstrations coast to coast and in other parts of the world. […] Dooley joins a growing list of prominent Rhode Island officials who have thrown down a gauntlet of sorts regarding Trump’s order. On Sunday, Republican Cranston Mayor Allan Fung criticized the policy’s implementation, calling it a ‘botched rollout.’” Later, Rhode Island Public Radio asked Fung, “But your statement seemed to go more to how the executive order was rolled out, rather than the policy.” FUNG: “No, let me correct you there, Ian. Because, it was actually the policy in – reach and breadth of that implementation of that executive order.” [Providence Journal, 2/2/17; Rhode Island Public Radio, 2/3/17]