Sec. Buttigieg’s husband, Democrats attack Rep. Boebert over nightclub sympathies tweet An apparent mischaracterization of a Trump administration ban on accepting U.S. federal funding to groups that engage in political activity pic.twitter.com/dNdMZs8OJH — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 30, 2020
The statement was met with some pushback from right-leaning readers on Twitter, including one who accused Buttigieg of being in favor with far right groups.
Buttigieg was responding to the criticism levied by many on Twitter — including MSNBC’s Ari Melber — after he announced that he was raising money for groups that were deemed “politically active” by the administration.
“I stand with these groups because they support me and I support them,” the South Bend mayor said on Saturday. “I support these groups because they are actively participating in the political process. My administration’s goal is to continue to fund groups that support the work that we need to accomplish here in America.”
Buttigieg, speaking to reporters in Iowa on Sunday morning, said the groups with which he was raising money had been rejected by the federal government.
“No federal grant applications or contracts have come to me from these groups,” he said.
The South Bend mayor’s comments prompted Democrats to launch an ad campaign on his behalf, arguing he should release his tax returns.
Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro responded to Buttigieg’s statement. “Let us all remember the first day that he announced his candidacy, he said he would release his taxes,” Castro said. “He is willing to make tax returns public every day, every year until he is elected president of the United States. We should just take him at his word.”
Buttigieg released his tax returns on Monday.
Buttigieg released his tax returns on Monday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.