Washington, DC – The following is a statement from Scott Simpson, Public Advocacy Director of Muslim Advocates, regarding the disbanding of Trump’s Business Advisory Councils. Muslim Advocates and Color of Change spearheaded an initial campaign to pressure the members of these councils to step down in the aftermath of the Muslim ban.

“The dominoes have fallen. This dissolution shows the power of grassroots advocacy in the Trump era.

Since the Muslim ban was first put in place, we and our partners in the civil rights and progressive movements like Color of Change, CREDO, Bend the Arc, and people of conscience have been sending the clear and unmistakable message to the CEOs advising Trump: Until you step down, you are an accomplice to his bigotry.

First it was Travis Kalanick and, as the Trump Administration continued its spiral to the extremes, others joined. We applaud the CEOs of conscience who have since stepped down.

But, this was never about the council, this was about the unqualified bigotry that pervades this White House.

Instead of purging the likes of Bannon, Gorka, and Miller, Trump took the easy way out. We will not yield on pressuring this administration to come out of the gutter. Disbanding these councils was ultimately a cowardly decision on his part, and he must change the course of his presidency sharply and immediately.

When communities organize, we can win and today is an unqualified victory for all Americans who care about equality and civility in this country.”

Muslim Advocates is a national legal advocacy and educational organization that works on the frontlines of civil rights to guarantee freedom and justice for Americans of all faiths.

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