Alvin Bragg divides Internet as he faces professional conduct complaint over diversity hiring policies
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been slammed with a professional conduct complaint alleging that his office's diversity-hiring practices constitute "unlawful discrimination" against white, straight men.
The Attorney Grievance Committee of New York received complaints against DA Alvin Bragg and his associates from America First Legal (AFL), a conservative advocacy group run by former members of the Trump administration, according to DailyMail.
In a 10-page letter, the group claims that Bragg's office discriminates against white male job seekers in favor of applicants from "diverse" backgrounds, such as women, LGBTQ individuals, or ethnic minorities.
It follows DA Alvin Bragg's successful prosecution of Donald Trump for hush money payments to a porn star, for which the former president is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11.
What did America First Legal allege against DA Alvin Bragg and his colleagues
AFL Vice President Dan Epstein claimed that by using race or sex as criteria for recruitment, Bragg's office appears to have "unlawfully discriminated against employment applicants to his office."
“We should expect that those who carry out law enforcement are held to the highest legal compliance standards,” Epstein stated.
The grievance committee explained that due to the confidential nature of its assessment and investigation process, it is unable to comment on the complaint.
Recently, a number of lawsuits and complaints have been filed targeting the policies of diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) in American institutions.
Supporters of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) argue that it facilitates the entrance of more women and minorities into educational institutions and workplaces.
However, its critics contend that it disproportionately ends up harming the prospects of heterosexual, white men.
Per the AFL's complaint, Bragg's office gives preferential treatment to minorities when hiring approximately 50 employees annually.
The objection focuses on excerpts from the Manhattan District Attorney's website and other documents that demonstrate its DEI initiative.
One section declares that the office is "committed to the recruitment, hiring, retention, and promotion of a diverse staff."
Another section states that it is "dedicated to building a diverse workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve."
According to the AFL complaint, individuals applying for law clerk positions at DA Bragg’s office must disclose their race, ethnicity, and gender.
The letter claims that applicants are presented with a drop-down menu inquiring about their "LGBT" status, featuring only "bisexual," "gay," "lesbian," and "trans" as options.
It further notes the absence of options to indicate "straight" or "heterosexual." The complaint does not provide data concerning the actual hires' backgrounds and identities at the office.
All complaints lodged with the grievance committee are reviewed, and some are investigated.
These grievances can result in attorneys being dismissed or reprimanded, although complaints usually do not pertain to hiring practices.
Conservative backlash and legal challenges mount against Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's DEI policies
AFL, led by former Trump adviser Stephen Miller, filed a similar complaint against Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's DEI policies with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the New York Department of Labor earlier this month.
Conservatives have targeted DA Alvin Bragg for his successful prosecution against former US President Donald Trump.
The progressive DA faced backlash again last week for dropping criminal charges against dozens of anti-Israel protesters arrested at Columbia University in April.
Bragg is viewed as a key figure in the “progressive DA” movement, which is supported by left-wing billionaire George Soros.
Reports indicate that Bragg has downgraded 60% of felony cases to lesser charges in the last year, a figure higher than the 53% under his predecessor.
His team defended the figures, asserting that the office's performance matches that of other New York boroughs and maintains a higher rate of felony convictions.
Bragg, who campaigned on a platform of criminal justice reform, issued a controversial 'Day One' memo stating that he would prioritize seeking prison time only in the most severe cases.
MAGA operatives have accused Bragg of having a political agenda, and victims of crime have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of justice.
The AFL complaint is among several legal actions and filings challenging DEI practices, particularly following the US Supreme Court's decision to end affirmative action in college admissions.
The conservative legal action group has filed more than 15 lawsuits and over 30 complaints with a US civil rights agency, alleging bias against white workers in hiring and recruitment decisions.
Advocates of DEI initiatives argue that they bring more diverse talent into offices and colleges and boost morale, while critics argue they foster backlash discrimination against straight, white men as a form of "woke" virtue-signaling.
Internet divided as Alvin Bragg faces professional conduct complaint over diversity-hiring policies
People online expressed their views as Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg faces a professional standards probe over diversity hiring at his office.
One person commented, "The bottom line is trump is still guilty and that hasn’t changed."
Another person said, "He needs to hire more Leticia James types to go after the orange man."
Another person remarked, "Bragg should be given a raise after dealing with the Trump crime syndicate."
One person wrote, "Give it a rest Retrumplican it's tiring listening to the complaints... its boring now."
Another person argued, "With regard to asking LGBTQ status, it presents a problem, because, a lot of people are reluctant to disclose their status and/or 'out' themselves in order to apply for a job. Revealing their status on this particular NY State document could be accessed by anyone who has access to that data beyond just other NY State offices."
"Notice how all the telemarketers are able to get you cell phone numbers off the DMV and Voter Registration documents and bombard you with sales calls. Once that information is out there it will likely be used against you in hiring as well. Hence, that's why age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status are not supposed to be a part of any hiring application," the person added. [sic]
Finally, this person suggested, "Honestly, should take race, gender and sexuality off of job applications. Should be based on qualifications. That’s truly all that matters." [sic]
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
