(Douglas Ernst) Hassan Giordano, a leader of a Baltimore branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), said he was told that hosting Republican outreach in his office is off limits.
Mr. Giordano, who calls himself “not the average conservative” because of his Muslim faith and criminal record, told The Daily Caller of irate phone calls he received for trying to work with Republicans.
“When National found out that I was bringing the governor [Larry Hogan, a Republican], the lieutenant governor [Boyd Rutherford, a Republican], and Dr. [Alveda] King to Baltimore and the Sandtown NAACP office, they literally called and said, ‘There’s no way in the world they can come into our office,’ ” Mr. Giordano told The Daily Caller on Friday. “Then the Mayor [Democrat, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake] — who kind of gave the us the NAACP office in Sandtown — called and said, ‘No, you’re not allowed. And then, the president [of the Baltimore NAACP branch, Tessa Hill-Aston] called me and she said, ‘You know they’re having a fit because you’re bringing in too many Republicans.’ “
Howard Libit, Director of Strategic Planning and Policy for the mayor’s office, told The Washington Times that Mrs. Rawlings-Blake “absolutely denies having any conversation as described” by Mr. Giordano.
Tessa Hill-Aston, President of the Baltimore City Branch NAACP, also denied that any such conversation took place. She told The Washington Times that the governor and and lieutenant governor walked with her through the community during a visit and were wholeheartedly welcomed.
Mr. Giorgano told The Daily Caller that the organization bows down to a “liberal machine
” at the national level instead of looking for areas of agreement between different ideologies.
“[This] is what I hate about NAACP national: It’s more media-driven than being productive to help people,” Mr. Giordano said, The Daily Caller reported. “I’ve always stayed away from it because of that. And even being a part of it now kind of turns my stomach at times.”
Mr. Giordano has been an elected official on the executive board of the Baltimore NAACP for three years. He told the website he wants to foster an environment where it’s believed that “people are people regardless of party affiliation,” and that everyone can find a way to help protect civil rights.