Al Sharpton trolled for 'playing the race card' as he slams Byron Donalds' 'positive spin' on Jim Crow

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: MSNBC host Rev Al Sharpton got involved in a heated argument with Rep Byron Donalds (R-Fla) for the latter's comments on the Jim Crow era at a GOP event in Philadelphia, reported Fox News.

According to the publication, Donalds said earlier in June, "During Jim Crow, the Black family was together. During Jim Crow, more Black people were not just conservative – Black people have always been conservative-minded – but more Black people voted conservatively."

The Jim Crow era of the 1950s-60s was infamous for racial segregation, and the remarks of the Congressman, who is reportedly on presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump's shortlist of running mates, have thus given rise to a major controversy.

The argument between Al Sharpton and Byron Donalds

Donalds tried to brush off the controversy during his appearance on the Saturday, June 8 episode of 'Politics Nation,' where he accused Democrats of lying and mischaracterizing his comments.

He claimed to have been noting a simple "empirical fact" that Black marriage rates were better during the Jim Crow era, and not suggesting that the era itself was "better" for Black Americans.

"I never said that," Donalds told Sharpton when the latter claimed that Donalds had "inferred" families, especially Black families, were better off during that period in history.

The host urged him to apologize for having unintentionally "sanitized" a time when Black Americans could not vote.

Taking issue that Donalds mentioned Jim Crow instead of calling the period 1950s, Sharpton later went on to ask the lawmaker how he could "live with himself" for "acting like Jim Crow was a good era or better era for Blacks."

"OK, that's real cute. That's real cute. I did not say that, and I'm not going to sit here and have you insinuate that against me because right now you're lying about what I said," replied Donalds.

He also asked when Sharpton was "going to get it through (his skull)" that he did not suggest Jim Crow was a good or better time, to which the host retorted, "Maybe it's because our skull has ears and we heard what you said."

MAGA supporters call out Al Sharpton on X

"That guy is a pure RACE HUSTLER," a user wrote of Sharpton on the social media platform X responding to the news of the argument.

"Good for Rep. Donalds for calling out Race Baiter in Chief, Al Sharpton," commented another.

"Al Sharpton is nothing but a con man and a grifter," jibed a third.

"Sharpton wants the world to burn, only to line his pockets," slammed a fourth user.

"How about get it thru your skull it is 2024. Stop playing the race card & move on," chided a fifth.

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