WASHINGTON (AP) – After criticism over her muted response to the violence in Charlottesville, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has written a letter to her staff condemning the “tragic and unthinkable” events and blasting “neo-Nazis and other racist bigots.”
DeVos’ email to Education Department employees came after she was criticized publicly for insufficiently condemning the violence. DeVos had published two posts on Twitter and retweeted another post by Melania Trump.
In the email Thursday afternoon, DeVos said: “The views of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other racist bigots are totally abhorrent to the American ideal.”
She added: “Such views are cowardly, hateful and just plain wrong.”
A department spokeswoman said DeVos’ email was an open letter, but she would not explain why no separate public statement was issued.