Freshman Rep. Donna Shalala (D) is facing criticism from the National Republican Congressional Committee as the 2020 election inches closer.
After winning the seat vacated by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R), Shalala turned Florida’s 27th congressional district blue, which makes her upcoming reelection a top one in the state.
Last week, Shalala took part in a roundtable discussion with Eulen America, who is a contractor for American and Delta Airlines. Also part of the roundtable were Rep. Frederica Wilson, Miami Dade County’s Commissioner Eileen Higgins and several union leaders.
In the roundtable discussion, Shalala announced that “we must do everything we can, from passing legislation supporting the right to unionize, strengthening worker protections, and simply using our platforms to fight for South Florida.” And, her office also expressed that she's a strong proponent of backing legislation that would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by the year 20204, citing her membership in the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee.
However, the NRCC slammed Shalala, saying that she’s hypocritical for “decrying the miserable working conditions that employees have endured at Miami International Airport.” They added that it’s hypocritical because “when Shalala was president of the University of Miami she wasn’t exactly a champion of the working class.”
The NRCC explained that, “during a labor dispute, the university chaplain called her ‘an enemy of the working poor,’ others referred to her as a union-buster and the school’s janitors went on a hunger strike to protest poor working conditions. And where was Donna during all this? Making more than half-a-million dollars and living in the 9,000 square foot presidential mansion.”
The NRCC also highlighted that Shalala’s “dog, Sweetie, even had four separate beds. What a life!”
Camille, Gallo, the spokeswoman for the NRCC, also slammed the freshman congresswoman, saying that “Donna Shalala isn’t some champion of the working class, she’s just another phony politician.”
