WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after the Trump Administration announced it would replace the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s (MCC) Acting Chief Executive Officer, John Nash, a career civil servant, with Robert Blau, President Trump’s appointed Vice President for the Department of Compact Operations at the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
Menendez has led the charge in Congress in raising concerns about MCC’s diminishing diversity and troubled workplace culture under the Trump Administration, specifically citing Mr. Blau’s disturbing treatment of employees based on their political leanings, sexual orientation and national origin.
“The elevation of Robert Blau to act as CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation is insulting to the dedicated civil servants at MCC and demeans the independent agency’s important and unique international development mission.
“Mr Blau’s disturbing record at MCC, including his shunning of diversity, racially insensitive comments to minority staff members, and encouraging staff to only get their news from ultra-conservative media outlets, is not something that should merit a promotion.
“As a lifelong advocate for diversity and tolerance at all levels of our economic, political and social sectors, I find it unconscionable that the White House would put someone in charge of MCC that has demonstrated such blatant disregard for the values and mission of the agency. Our governmental institutions, particularly those that represent the United States abroad, should reflect the rich diversity that defines our nation. I am deeply troubled by this decision and strongly urge the White House to reverse this decision.”
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