On Sunday, the Republican National Committee (@GOP) tweeted a video that was (presumably) meant to showcase low unemployment numbers in the black community. The thing is, the person featured in the video is a felon, and appears to be unemployed too.
Here’s the original tweet from @GOP on Sunday:
Bernadette in Michigan: “I want to thank you President Trump…Unemployment for African Americans is at the lowest it’s ever been. Again, we want you to know that we are in full support of you.” Tell your story at https://t.co/zZfrUE32Zy pic.twitter.com/2Jcqv6yPw7
— GOP (@GOP) May 6, 2018
The person in the video referred to herself as “Bernadette Smith.” Independent Press Journal (IPJ) has identified the woman as 54-year old Bernadette Elizabeth Smith, also known as Bernadette Elizabeth Ellis of Grandville, Michigan.
The GOP’s use of Smith to showcase low “unemployment” is notable for many reasons, among them, that Smith herself does not appear to be actively employed. According to her LinkedIn profile (which has only 1 connection), she claims to work as an Independent Religious Institutions Professional in the Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Area. No recent employment history could be found for Smith, and no businesses were found to be registered in Smith’s name.
In June 2005, Smith and her husband filed for bankruptcy (chapter 13), but their request was dismissed. They later filed for bankruptcy again in August 2006, this time chapter 7, which was ultimately discharged.
On April 30, 2010, a few years after filing bankruptcy, Smith was charged with a class H felony in Kent, Michigan:
[400.602B] Fraud – Welfare – Failure to Inform – $500 or More
Smith was discharged and sentenced on May 19, 2011, and spent the following 4-years on probation.
Republicans have long been critical of public assistance programs, citing “fraud” as a major reason for their lack of support for funding. Last year, Trump himself said that he would take a serious stand against welfare fraud, suggesting that too many people were taking advantage of the system. Nevertheless, Smith’s apparent unemployment and felony conviction on welfare fraud did not prevent the GOP from using her video as a testimonial on low “African American Unemployment” in their tweet on Sunday.
in July, 2013, while on probation for the welfare fraud charges, Smith crashed her vehicle into another vehicle, causing serious brain injury to a 10-year old child in the other car. In 2014, Smith was found guilty of two misdemeanor counts of “moving violation causing serious impairment of a body function.”
In 2015, shortly after Smith was released from probation for the welfare fraud charges, Donald Trump announced his candidacy for President of the United States. Trump later infamously referred to Mexicans as “criminals” and “rapists.”
Smith’s husband, Philip Ricardo Smith, is a Pastor at Eternal Word Church in Grandville, MI. A few months after Trump announced his candidacy (and made his comments about Mexicans), Mr. Smith tweeted:
How do we know if the illegal Mexican immigrants aren’t a Trojan Horse sending their army ahead for a future conquest? (Destroy from within)
— Philip Ricardo Smith (@PhilipRicardoSm) October 8, 2015
Mr. Smith’s tweet implies that Mexican immigrants are trying to “destroy” the United States “from within.” It’s worth mentioning that Mr. Smith’s middle-name, “Ricardo,” is the Latin/Spanish variation of “Richard.”
Despite Mr. Smith’s prejudiced statements towards Mexican immigrants, his church’s website lists “love, acceptance, and forgiveness” among their core-values. It is unclear if those core-values were listed in-error, as they do not seem to fall in-line with the pastor’s public statements.
The Smith’s are long-time Republicans who have supported Donald Trump since the beginning. Philip Smith gave the invocation prayer at a Trump Rally in Grand Rapids in 2016, and as recently as 2012, Bernadette Smith served as the president of a local Republican club called the “Gerald R. Ford Republican Women’s Club.” Smith has not been president of the club since 2014, and the club itself seems to have become inactive since 2015.
Trump has struggled getting many cabinet nominees confirmed, many politicians (including Republicans) expressing frustration at Trump’s controversial nominee choices, many of whom have not been property vetted for the positions.
Similarly, Bernadette Smith, the woman featured in the GOP tweet about “unemployment,” does not appear to have been vetted before being featured in the GOP’s tweet. Smith is apparently unemployed, has filed bankruptcy (twice), was convicted of a class H felony for welfare fraud, and while on probation, was found guilty for 2 misdemeanors that resulted in injury to a 10-year old child’s brain. Smith is also married to a “Pastor” who has publicly posted prejudiced statements about Mexicans.
The Republicans may also benefit from (at least minimally) vetting the supporters they consider featuring in their tweets.
This article does not understand Rev. Smiths biblical point of view. We see what yours is. Like CAs. Sad
I live in the area. It looks like their “church” is a condo on a residential street. Perhaps you could look into this further. I’ve never heard of this church and their mailing address is a PO box. Sounds like another fraud.