*Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) was among Joe Biden’s earliest endorsers, and she was expected to be offered a White House role in return. As many of supporters have noted, she was on Biden’s long list for VP and short list to head HUD and SBA. Instead, she was reportedly offered a role as the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, which she declined.
As reported by News One, Charles Bethea, a reporter with the New Yorker, on Friday tweeted about Biden’s offer, which he attributed to “sources.”
A spokesperson for Biden’s transition team denied Bethea’s report.
“This is not true,” Sean Savett quote-tweeted Bethea Friday afternoon. “No decisions on ambassadorships outside of UN have been made.”
Bethea fired back: “Standing by my sourcing on this,” he replied on Twitter.
READ MORE: ‘He’s Overstepped’: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Gov Suing to Stop Her Mask Mandate (Watch)
SOURCES: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was offered — and declined — the Ambassadorship to the Bahamas.
Among Joe Biden’s earliest endorsers, Bottoms was on his long list for VP & shorter lists to head HUD, SBA. The Bahamas job is clearly not in same ballpark. #gapol (1/2)
— Charles Bethea (@charlesbethea) December 11, 2020
Mayor Bottoms’ Press Secretary did not immediately offer comment when reached this morning. #gapol (2/2)
— Charles Bethea (@charlesbethea) December 11, 2020
A statement from Bottoms’ senior advisor Rashad Taylor also shot down the report.
“Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was honored to have been offered a role in the Cabinet, which she respectfully declined,” Taylor said in a statement. “Out of respect for the process, and the other candidates under consideration, no additional comment will be forthcoming on this matter at this time.”
“Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was honored to have been offered a role in the Cabinet, which she respectfully declined. She was never offered an Ambassadorship.” — Rashad Taylor, senior adviser to Atlanta Mayor @KeishaBottoms. #gapol pic.twitter.com/IppOvz7m9t
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) December 12, 2020
Meanwhile, Rep. Marcia Fudge has been announced as Biden’s pick for HUD.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) issued the following statement on President-elect Joe Biden’s selection of the congresswoman.
“The nation’s mayors applaud President-elect Joe Biden’s selection of Congresswoman Marcia Fudge as the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Conference helped to establish the Department in 1965 and we are encouraged that as a former mayor, Congresswoman Fudge will be attuned to the challenges facing cities, especially as the coronavirus continues to devastate communities across the country. We all stand to benefit from her steadfast commitment to fighting poverty and inequality as well as her continued support of affordable housing and increased funding for the Community Development Block Grant program. In the months ahead, we look forward to working with Congresswoman Fudge to strengthen these programs and improve the lives of all Americans.”
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