Dear Chairman Risch and Ranking Member Shaheen:
On behalf of the AFL-CIO, a federation of 64 affiliate unions representing 15 million working people across our economy, I am writing to strongly oppose the nomination of Jeremy Carl to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations. Mr. Carl's track record of making inflammatory, racist, and divisive public statements raise profound concerns about his ability to represent the United States effectively in this important role.
The portfolio of the Assistant Secretary for International Organizations includes U.S. engagement in the United Nations and other multilateral bodies addressing human rights, labor rights, refugees, international migration, race and equity, and global development. Any nominee for this post should have a commitment to these issues along with the ability to engage with international partners across diverse cultural, racial, and national backgrounds.
Mr. Carl’s repeated inflammatory public statements about immigration, race, and non-white populations in the United States are alarming and suggest he will not be an effective advocate in this diplomatic position. According to a CNN report, he has promoted the discredited and racist “replacement theory” of immigration into the United States which portrays non-white populations and immigrants as threats to our nation’s future. On other occasions, he has praised the rioters who stormed the U.S. capitol on January 6, 2021, and has used inciteful language against a U.S. labor leader. Needless to say, this type of unhinged, inflammatory rhetoric should disqualify him from consideration for such an important diplomatic position.
For these reasons, the AFL-CIO respectfully urges the Committee to reject Mr. Carl’s nomination.
Thank you for your consideration and we appreciate your leadership in ensuring that U.S. foreign policy reflects our highest ideals of equality, justice, and human dignity.
Sincerely,
Jody Calemine
Director, Government Affairs