Earlier this month, the story broke about Black Lives Matter spending $6 million on a 6,500 square-foot house in Los Angeles, complete with six bedrooms and bathrooms, a pool, several fireplaces, a soundstage, and a bungalow.
It is not a great look for an organisation that was supposed to fight racism and protect the most vulnerable and poorest black Americans.
On her MSNBC show Saturday morning, Tiffany Cross tried to defend BLM, pushing back against the story. Predictably, Cross and Cross recruited a guest to blame for the story. . . “the right.”
There is one problem. This story was published in the liberal New York magazine. And was written by Sean Kevin Campbell, an investigative reporter at the magazine who happens to be black—and not a black conservative.
Campbell was a person who, in an article about BLM’s “murky financials”, had praise grassroots activists for taking risks. This contrasts with BLM and other organizations that make millions through corporate relationships. Campbell was tweeted The article about BLM’s financial woes was “one of the most difficult I had ever done.” That’s not all. writing the article on the $6 million home was, “heartbreaking. As organizers have fallen homeless, I uncovered a $6 million property purchased with BLMGNF funds.”
Cross believes that Black Lives Matter can’t be scrutinized when black bodies are being harmed. This is a terrible diversion.
Cross also lambasted two journalists for their remorseful statements on behalf of BLM. Cross was furious and asked: “Who asked?” What is the point of being in a position where you can apologize for anything?
A small problem. Two reporters hail from NPR, a notoriously liberal station. And they are also black.
Campbell said it well [emphasis added]:
“The harshest criticisms directed at BLMGNF came from the inside. In 2016 emails, activists voiced concern over how donations were spent.
This campaign to “expose” BLM’s purchase is a bogus one. Cross also challenged Campbell’s headline, which revealed the purchase was “secret.” Cross also criticized what Cross called “shoddy journalism”.
Campbell outlined this fact however [emphasis added]:
“A Dyane Pascall bought the seven-bedroom home that would be known as Campus. . . Pascall, a Delaware-based lawyer from Perkins Coie, transferred the ownership of the house within a matter of days. The maneuver ensured that the ultimate identity of the property’s new owner was not disclosed to the public.“
It sounds not only secretive, but also very shady.
To help make her case, Cross brought on a guest Alicia Garza, a founder of BLM—although she and Cross repeatedly emphasized that she is no longer associated with the organization. Garza stated that the “right”, is trying “discredit” BLM and “delegitimize it.” BLM seems to be doing an excellent job at this, by itself.
Ask a question: Cross chose to support the BLM corporate connections and defend their questionable-at best spending habits, instead of standing up for grassroots activists hurt by BLM’s profligacy.
On her MSNBC show, Tiffany Cross and her guest falsely claiming that the “right” was using “shoddy journalism” to discredit BLM regarding its purchase of a $6 million home in Los Angeles was sponsored in part Intel, Dell, UPS, and AT&T.
The transcript is here.
MSNBC
Cross Connection
4/17/22
11:49 am ETTIFFANY CROOSS: Here’s the story. Black Lives Matter spent $6 MillionIn donations for what they call “a creator’s home” And of course, it is the right that has done with this. It is clear that we continue to see the abuse of black bodies. They prefer to talk about it.
. . .
ALICIA GARZA : This is a much bigger context than we can see in relation to many of the attacks and stories that are being made on the movement. Patrice’s leadership in Black Lives Matter Global Network is certainly at the centre of some stories. However, this article actually aims to achieve two things. This is an attempt to delegitimize and discredit the movement.
If we can do this, we are able do whatever else. The right has tried to accomplish for many years. You’ve always been there. We are trying to uncover many of the wins that we have won.These numbers have increased over the past 20 years.
. . .
These are The right is putting forward messages every day These people are actually trying to undermine the legitimacy of some victories we have won in order to truly represent America in another way.
. . .
CROSS: Right. I’d like to add that I can see the lower-third of our group saying it was a secret home. It’s not clear how secret this was.Sometimes, I see the value in working with organizations. people, you know—depends on who you have running them—don’t always know how to properly file paperwork . . . This story had one challenge: just Poor journalismThe story’s writing style. If you are a journalist and you report like this, how many research hours were involved?
. . .
You seem so eager to jump on the bandwagon now, but I have to wonder if you were ever truly down with Black Lives Matter. Did you look for an excuse? Let me tell you, There were 2 NPR reportersAlicia and me talked about it a bit. Alicia apologized, because we had to say sorry about Black Lives Matter as soon as that story was published. It turned out to be two black reporters.
Now, Alicia was asking me: Who, what, to whom and why are you apologizing? You are in no position to make any apology.
This should not be taken to mean that all black bodies will continue being hurt and may even fall.
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