Pa 07 Congressional Candidate Bob Brooks Accused of Racism During Tenure as Hecktown Social Club Stewart

Blogger's Note: Last night, I received the news release you see below, from Lehigh Latino Republicans, accusing Pa.07 Congressional candidate Bob Brooks of racism during his tenure as steward at Hecktown Social Club. I have received several comments making this allegation as well, but they are all anonymous. 

I've never visited social clubs, not even during my drinking days. But I have spoken to people who have been members of numerous clubs for many years. One tells me that, in the early 70s, a black person was denied membership pretty much because of the color of his skin. Members tell me that they never hear racial remarks at these clubs but acknowledge there are few minority members at most of them. 

Brooks would have been Hecktown's steward in the early '00s, when there were lots of gambling machines and raffles that once included a Harley that just happened to be won by Brooks' best friend. I heard this from a member at that time.  I personally have been unable to find any examples of overt racism. 

Now Brooks the Everyman is portraying himself as "Bombero Bob" in the Latin community. For some reason, a national news organization, Politico, has strangely published a puff piece about his "Bombero Bob" coalition. 

Lehigh Latino Republicans claim to have spoken to several people who were members of the club and were aware of the racism, including a former member named "Louie" who supplied beer for the club. 

These allegations are troubling enough for me to post them, but without people willing to take responsibility for their accusations, they are entitled to little weight. 

What is entitled to weight is Brooks' tone-deaf remark about Latinos being good at baseball. He's promoting a stereotype. 

Allentown, PA — The Lehigh Latino Republican Alliance (LLRA) — is calling on Democrat congressional candidate Bob Brooks (PA-07) to answer for his track record of disrespect and insults directed towards the Latino community in the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos.

On Wednesday, September 2nd, just two months before the election, Brooks announced his campaign’s Latinos coalition. This comes after Bob Brooks “shrugged off” a terrorist attack targeting Latinos, skipped the biggest Latino event of the year, and ignored the community throughout the campaign. During the rollout, Brooks doubled down on this track record, unveiling his big pitch for Latinos: baseball.

From Politico: “To reach Latinos, the ‘bombero’ is eager to tout yet another hat he wears — as a baseball coach of 30 years — making it an entry point in conversation with Allentown’s community of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. ‘I watch the Red Sox. I watch the Phillies. They’re loaded with Latino baseball players, and they’re good,’ Brooks said...”

“Bob Brooks is embarrassing himself with this latest attempt to paper over his past,” said LLRA spokesman George Rivera. “Instead of apologizing for his repeated insults against the Latino community, Bob is doubling down with racist pandering. It’s time for Bob Brooks to own up to his record of ignoring, insulting, and avoiding the Latino community in the Lehigh Valley.”

Most concerning of all are new allegations that during Brooks’ time as a steward at the Hecktown Social Club in the early 2000s, the club operated with an unofficial “whites only” policy. This accusation is supported by a former member and beer distributor at the Club. The individual, whose first name is Louie, alleges that Black and Latino people were known to be unwelcome at the club and that prospective minority members were deterred from obtaining membership. The individual further alleges that Brooks was actively involved in this scheme.

From Louie: “In the early 2000's, I was a beer distributor for Hecktown social club, and I was a club member while Robert Brooks worked there. Robert Brooks was the club steward in charge of the bar at the club.

“While Brooks was the steward of the club, they deterred minorities from joining. This was known from conversations with Brooks and other Club members. They claimed the charter was closed to new members but in fact allowed new applicants through referrals through existing 

members.

“Many knew the “rule" that minority membership was not a welcoming place to Black and Latino people while Bob Brooks was the steward at the club.

“This was so known that if we had a minority friend with us, we had to go somewhere else for beers and wings because we knew our friend would not be welcome at the Hecktown.”

“This accusation is extremely serious, especially in the context of Bob Brooks’ demonstrated pattern of behavior," continued Rivera. “Brooks must directly address these allegations and provide evidence that he served minorities at the Hecktown Social Club.”

This is a pattern that we have heard from several people that were members of the club in the early 2000s. According to the research provided to the committee, Brooks has been asked about these allegations multiple times and has not responded.

BROOKS ASKED 3 TIMES and won't respond

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SeVJomfFsLKE1Rt2lJ7vXHxSHSYlv-qL/view?usp=sharing