Republican Gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin, who profits from the sale of military grade weapons often used by police officers, will destroy the black and brown communities in Virginia if elected in November. Recently, Youngkin has spoken out in opposition of banning qualified immunity, despite performative unity with Black Americans who have routinely fallen victim to racist police violence.  During the summer of 2020, after the cold-hearted killing of yet another black man at the hands of racist police officers, organizations worldwide were putting on a show of solidarity regarding fighting racism and ending police brutality. Not one to be left out, the Carlyle Group’s co-CEO, Glenn Youngkin, jumped on the bandwagon of fake solidarity. In the most insincere released statement to date, Glenn and his co-CEO denounced racism, committed their private equity company to matching contributions made from other organizations, and encouraged staff to donate to three nonprofits, Equal Justice Initiative, Southern Poverty Law Center, and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. 

“It’s completely hypocritical for Glenn Youngkin to pretend to stand in solidarity with the Black community against racist policing while at the same time selling and profiting off the sale of military-grade weapons to police departments. Those police departments used those weapons against Black community members exercising their right to protest racist policing.”Vanessa Clinton, Press Secretary at Progress Virginia said. “Glenn Youngkin had dollar signs in his eyes as he steered his company towards corrupt profits by intensifying unrest in highly policed communities through the sale of flash bangs, rubber bullets, and tear gas used disproportionately on and in black and brown communities. Glenn Youngkin’s level of hypocrisy here is frightening. We cannot have a governor in Virginia who profits from the over policing of our black and brown communities. Voting for Terry McAulliffe, Hala Ayala, and Mark Herring ensures safety and fairness for all of Virginia’s community members.” 

In the release full of hollow words about solidarity with the movement to protect the basic human rights to the most vulnerable people in American society, Glenn and his partner stated, “Carlyle has grown and prospered by deliberately building a fabric of partnership with diversity of experiences and perspectives.” The statement ends with “During these difficult times, please remember who we are.” 

We know who you are. You are a company who benefits financially from the sowing of racism and discrimination in our black and brown communities. 

Background:

• Private equity firms, like Carlyle, “often profit from extracting wealth from communities of color and exacerbating racial inequalities.”

• Carlyle is a co-investor in Combined Systems, which according to Americans for Financial Reform: “produc[es…] flash bangs and rubber bullet-spraying sting grenades, reportedly [the same ones] used against peaceful protesters in Washington, DC.”
•  In addition to flash bangs and rubber bullets, Glenn’s former private equity group invested in the purchase of one of the largest tear gas producers. 
• “The PE (private equity) owners expanded tear gas and rubber bullet making company, by buying a manufacturer of handcuffs and other restraints widely used by law enforcement and correctional facilities.”
• While profiting from the sale of flash bangs, rubber-bullet sting grenades, tear gas, and handcuffs used by police officers against black and brown communities, Glenn Youngkin opposes banning qualified immunity. This means community members will continue to be unable to hold police officers accountable for their actions.