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Ahead of Mike Pence's visit to Rossford on Friday, October
7, northwest Ohio leaders State Representative Teresa Fedor,
Wood County Democratic Party Chairman Mike Zickar, Laborers
Local 500 Business Manager David Fleetwood and United
Steelworker Randie Pearson came together to assail the
apparent fact that Donald Trump imported steel and
aluminum from China, instead of using Ohio or U.S.-made
products, in his construction projects, as discovered in a Newsweek investigation
last week.
The investigation found that Trump opted to
purchase steel and aluminum for at least two of his last
three construction projects from Chinese manufacturers
rather than United States companies. Northwest Ohio leaders
contrasted Hillary Clinton's record as a lifelong champion
of American workers with Trump's history of stiffing working
class families to make a personal profit.
“For Donald Trump, it’s always Trump first and everyone else
last. Trump himself has pretended to express concern about
Chinese steel in our markets--but now it sounds like Trump
has been buying Chinese steel for his buildings," said Laborers
Local 500 Business Manager David Fleetwood. "This is just
the latest example of Trump's craven hypocrisy when it comes
to standing up for American workers. How can Donald Trump
'make America great again' when he won't even make things in
America?”
"While Trump has been buying up Chinese Steel, Hillary
Clinton has actually been fighting to protect American jobs.
As Senator, Hillary Clinton went before the International
Trade Commission on behalf of steelworkers in New York. As
Secretary of State, she went toe-to-toe with the Chinese,"
said Ohio State Rep Teresa Fedor. "And in this campaign, she
has spoken aggressively about the need to hold China
accountable for its illegal trade practices. Unlike Trump,
Hillary Clinton actually has a plan to support jobs in
American infrastructure.”
“As a steelworker, Trump’s decision to buy Chinese steel and
aluminum is personal to me. Every day, I work alongside men
and women who can afford to pay their rent, put food on the
table and support their families because companies are still
buying American-made steel," said United Steelworker Randie
Pearson. "So when Trump pretends to care about working
families, and then turns around and sends his money to
China, he’s turning his back on me--and the millions of
manufacturing workers across our country. We can’t send a
President to the White House who sends his money overseas
and stiffs America’s workers.”
“Trump’s decision to use steel and aluminum from Chinese
manufacturers is just the latest in a long record of
stiffing hardworking Americans. Back when the auto industry
was struggling, Trump said he would’ve been fine if the
industry went bankrupt--and his running mate Pence flat out
opposed the auto rescue," said Wood County Democratic Party
Chair Mike Zickar. "Trump and Pence have never been a friend
to working families. In Hillary Clinton, we have a lifelong
champion of American workers with a track record of going
toe-to-toe with China and coming out on top.” |
