* Bernie and I apparently got the same info from an anonymous source yesterday…
The chairman of the Illinois Lottery Control Board used a disparaging term to describe East St. Louis following the recent controversy over allegations that President Donald Trump used profanity when talking about African nations.
Blair Garber of Evanston, who is also a member of the Republican State Central Committee, tweeted on Jan. 17 about the issue that arose from a White House meeting on Jan. 11. […]
The Lottery Control Board advises the lottery superintendent regarding operations, conducts hearings concerning complaints or violations and establishes advertising policy. Garber was appointed to the board in May 2016 by Gov. Bruce Rauner, and the Senate confirmed the appointment unanimously that month. The appointment letter said the post pays expenses, but comptroller’s records don’t show any payments to Garber for his service.
Garber represents the 9th Congressional District on the GOP State Central Committee. That district includes Rauner’s Winnetka home.
* The tweet in question, edited slightly by me…
* The governor’s office gave Bernie and me the same response…
There is no place for this kind of language in our political discourse.
* Ah, but there’s more, and I shared it with the Rauner administration as well. This one has since been deleted…
* And from his Facebook page, with a slight edit by me…
* Garber was also bragging about how well he knows the governor on Facebook this week during an online spat…
* Indeed, Garber’s Evanston Township GOP recently endorsed Rauner in the Republican primary and sent out this press release…
In advance of the March 20th Republican Primary, the Evanston Township Republican Organization announced its endorsements across the ticket. “We’re proud to support such an outstanding slate of Republican candidates who will push hard for conservative principles on behalf of Illinoisans,” said Evanston Township GOP Committeeman Blair Garber.
Committeeman Garber added, “Illinoisans agree that Mike Madigan’s reign of terror must come to an end. We need candidates who will stand up to the Madigan Machine and politics as usual. These men and women will be effective and tough citizen legislators. It’s high time we had some leaders with a backbone in Springfield.”
* From today’s Daily Northwestern…
Rauner passed HB40, which ensured access to legal and safe abortions in Illinois should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn its ruling in Roe v. Wade. It also repealed provisions that limit health care options for women who receive coverage under Medicaid and in-state worker health plans. […]
Garber said he feels the bill created a lot of turmoil because Madigan designed it to do so. He added that Madigan chose to put forth the bill at a time that would “manipulate pro-life voters in Illinois.” […]
“If Bruce is not (reelected), then the state will be in complete Democratic control,” he said. “We will lose all the donors. We will lose all the financing. … That’ll be the end of it. Illinois will be a one-party state run by Democrats.”
* From one of Dan Proft’s newspapers…
Garber is a staunch ally of Governor Bruce Rauner of Winnetka. He is one of a handful of township committeemen who has endorsed Rauner in the March 20 GOP primary, in which he is squaring off with State Representative Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton).
Rauner appointed Garber to the Illinois Lottery Control Board in May 2016.
Garber also serves as the representative from the 9th U.S. Congressional District to the Illinois Republican State Central Committee. Rauner lives in the 9th Congressional District.
Durbin graduated from East St. Louis Assumption High School in 1962.
East St. Louis then had more than 80,000 population and was 55 percent white and 45 percent black. In 2016, the U.S. Census reported it had just under 27,000 population, 98 percent black currently.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Rep. Dave McSweeney, who is supporting Rep. Jeanne Ives’ candidacy…
Governor Rauner should immediately fire Blair Garber, his handpicked Chairman of the Lottery Control Board. Garber is also a top Rauner political operative. In addition to firing Garber, the Governor should immediately apologize to the citizens of East St. Louis and all Illinois citizens for the disgusting comments made by his political appointee.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Sen. Clayborne…
The Chair of the Illinois Lottery Control Board is under fire for comments he made about East St. Louis earlier this month. Evanston resident Blair Garber used the same disgusting remarks used by President Trump to describe third world countries to describe East St. Louis in a tweet.
Garber was appointed by Governor Bruce Rauner to the board that oversees the state lottery in May of 2016.
State Senator James F. Clayborne, Jr. (D-Belleville) represents East St. Louis in the Illinois Senate and is calling on the governor to ask for Garber’s resignation from the board.
“For someone who claims to love the entire state, Governor Rauner seems to surround himself with people who care little for communities besides their own,” the Senate’s Majority Leader said. “If the governor does not ask for Mr. Garber’s resignation then I think it is obvious how the governor feels about places like East St. Louis.”
Clayborne says the comments made by Garber are insulting to the many East St. Louisans who have made great contributions to Illinois and the United States.
“When you make comments like that, you disparage the legacies and accomplishments of people like jazz legend Miles Davis, Senator Dick Durbin, Congressman Jerry Costello, Poet Laureate Eugene Redmond, Major General Marcia Anderson, Olympic gold medalists Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Al Joyner, United Nations Ambassador Donald McHenry, United States Ambassador to Morocco Dwight L. Bush and the thousands of unsung heroes who have called East St. Louis home.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** Rep. Jeanne Ives…
“It’s a disgusting remark. Those kinds of statements from a person in a position of service to the State of Illinois cannot be tolerated. There are a lot of families and a lot of communities struggling in Illinois because of terrible public policy choices made by ruling class politicians in both parties, including Gov. Rauner. The people suffering under the rule of craven, career politicians don’t deserve to be ridiculed, the craven, career politicians do.
“Rauner will have to decide if his loyalties lie with people supporting him politically or the people he was elected to serve.
“Rauner should immediately remove Blair Garber from the Lottery Control Board.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** Sen. Kwame Raoul’s campaign…
Sen. Raoul is calling for the resignation of the chairman of the Illinois Lottery Control Board after he called the city of East St. Louis “the sh*thole of the universe.”
“Today, I’m calling on Blair Garber to resign since Gov. Rauner refuses to publicly do so. Whether hateful comments come from President Trump or Gov. Rauner’s handpicked lottery chief, Governor Rauner continues to describe the tone of hateful rhetoric instead of declaring that these individuals are unfit to serve.
Last night, I was in Washington D.C. for the State of the Union Address to stand up on behalf of those who often don’t have a voice. As Attorney General, I’ll be right here in the trenches and will be the voice of the voiceless. To the people of East St. Louis: I’ve got your back,” Raoul said.
Democrats from across the Metro East are formally endorsing State Senator Kwame Raoul’s candidacy for Attorney General.
“We’re pleased to offer our support for Sen. Kwame Raoul’s campaign to be this state’s next Attorney General. Kwame has taken the time to listen to voters from across the Metro East and downstate Illinois. He knows we need a fighter and we know we can depend on him,” said St. Clair County Democratic Central Committee Chair Bob Sprague.
“I’ve been in the trenches with Kwame and I can tell you that he’s tough and has what it takes to be the people’s attorney. He’s the only candidate in this race who has stood toe to toe with Bruce Rauner and won. He’s been my partner in protecting Illinois workers from Bruce Rauner’s Turnaround Agenda and now I want him to be the Metro East’s partner in the attorney general’s office,” Rep. Jay Hoffman added.
Raoul has previously been endorsed by Sen. Bill Haine of Alton and Sen. Andy Manar of Bunker Hill along with the Madison County Democrats.
*** UPDATE 5 *** Comptroller Mendoza…
East St. Louis struggles with many challenges, including neglect from the Governor’s office. Governor Rauner should stand up for the people of East St. Louis by immediately rescinding the appointment of his Lottery Control Board Chairman, Republican State Committeeman Blair Garber. Governor Rauner and his hand-picked appointee should both apologize to the people of East St. Louis and the victims of Garber’s other racist and bigoted statements. How about a plan from the Governor to jump-start East St. Louis’ economy?
*** UPDATE 6 *** From the governor’s press office…
Mr. Garber has apologized for his comments and is resigning from the Illinois Lottery Control Board effective immediately.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:23 am:
“There is no place for this kind of language in our political discourse.”
Language… really, that’s all you got??? What about the person who spouted it off not once but at least twice??? Is he just gonna get a dunce cap and a time out for a while, or is Rauner actually going to stand up for the people of the State of Illinois and defend them for a change. Silence and inaction could lead to complicity.
- Scott Cross for President - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:25 am:
The only sh!thole in Illinois is Blair Garber’s mouth.
- Annonin' - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:27 am:
3-2-1 CommandoIves calls for Raunver pig/bigot Lottery Boss to step down.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:28 am:
–“There is no place for this kind of language in our political discourse.”–
Seems like there are lots of places for it lately. Rauner thought enough of this guy to solicit his support and appoint him to a state board.
Who knew Timothy McVeigh was a Democrat, and not a right-wing extremist?
- Rutro - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:30 am:
“As a white male, the gov. will soon take foot out of his mouth, say Madigan three times, and then put his foot back in, he will repeat this up until the primary.”
- ste_with_a_v_en - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:30 am:
Ives has no place to call out someone on ignorant remarks. IFI alone will sink her.
- Steve - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:33 am:
The fact that the hat is being featured here means it must be having an effect: right or wrong….
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:34 am:
They shouldn’t even have to think about this for a half a second. This person obviously has to go.
- Perrid - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:41 am:
I agree the guy should be let go, both as damage control and just on principle, but the governor needs to apologize for what someone else says? Iffy at best.
- Anon - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:42 am:
I’ve seen a lot of poor areas of the country and East Saint Louis and some of the other surrounding areas are some of the hardest hit areas.
IL has really failed the people of that area. Chicago poor neighborhoods seem to get more state and federal assistance yet down there the state seems to forget about them.
It’s sad because it used to be a much much nicer area.
- Al - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:43 am:
Too bad he did not post Bruce Rauner’s email, since the good governor is on record for not using email.
- Saluki - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:43 am:
Seeing stuff like that makes me nauseated. He should be fired immediately and a press release issued about the firing.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:44 am:
We continue to see an increase in racist statements from students at school. We are a primarily white community but we are near a couple of diverse larger population centers. In past years there was little to none of that kind of speech reported, that has changed here and there has been a marked increase over the last year.
I fear we are moving backwards not forwards.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:46 am:
This has nothing to do with Ives’ beliefs or opinions. This bigot needs to go, now.
- titan - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:46 am:
The language is crude, certainly.
Inappropriate for proper public conversation.
East St. Louis isn’t paradise.
How would others here describe it?
- The Way I See It - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:48 am:
Evanston Township Republicans - that’s gotta be a yyyuuuuge group.
They only need to use his first name, lol
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:50 am:
===How would others here describe it?===
Impoverished.
Neglected
Segregated.
Exploited.
Polluted.
Mismanaged.
East St. Louis deserves better. So does Cairo. And Englewood. And Pembroke. And many other places that we have allowed to sink into despair and disinvestment.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 9:58 am:
FYI:
Lottery Control Board
The Board advises Department of Lottery superintendent regarding operation of State
Lottery; conducts hearings upon complaints or violations; establishes advertising policy
Members, $100 per diem to maximum of $1,200 per year, plus expenses.
http://ilga.gov/commission/lru/Salaries.pdf
- Terry Salad - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:00 am:
The implication in the use of the work from Trump and now Garber is that these places are such because of the people who live there. Not, as 47th Ward correctly points out, how such places should really be described. Bigots now feel free to speak openly and are exposing themselves. They need to go.
===How would others here describe it?===
Impoverished.
Neglected
Segregated.
Exploited.
Polluted.
Mismanaged.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:01 am:
“There is no place for this kind of language in our political discourse.”
Rauner said this boilerplate about Trump and [expletive] countries earlier this month. Nothing about the content, just the language. No condemnation of racism.
The system is broken, over and over. Focus, focus. Just a talking points bot.
- Skeptic - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:09 am:
Didn’t a Body Man get the axe faster than this after similarly incendiary remarks on social media?
- m - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:10 am:
=Bigots now feel free to speak openly and are exposing themselves. They need to go. =
The silver lining for society. They were always there, but now we can see who they are.
- Nuke the Whales - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:14 am:
Perhaps if people like the Blair Garber didn’t prey on the people of East St. Louis by generating false hope via the lottery and instead encourage the state to invest in financial education and generating human capital, it wouldn’t be a quote “shxthole.”
- Blue dog dem - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:20 am:
Apparently, being a politician doesnt require intelligence.
- Thomas Paine - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:22 am:
How much are we paying Mr. Garber to “serve” on the Lottery board, and does the “conduct unbecoming” standard cover him as well as it covers Senator Silverstein?
if so, it seems like an ethics complaint is the next step. Also, the governor is opening up the state to “hostile work place” complaints from Lottery employees every day this guy sits on the board.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:23 am:
I’m glad he said it. Now wait before your itchy fingers head for the keyboard to crucify. The idiot has exposed himself to a large population that now knows what he is….and he will hear what the majority thinks of him. Without that Facebook face plant, he might have avoided what he has coming in return comments. Nice going, Jerk.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:25 am:
A trip to the google on this guy is interesting.
What was the deal with his A Better Evanston PAC that had candidates for local office last year repudiating its support because of his connection to it and him running $10,000 worth of ads without putting any money into the PAC?
His LinkedIn also says he is an advisory board member to Corey Brooks’s Project Hood. Does Corey Brooks agree ESL is the s-hole of the universe?
- West Side the Best Side - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:27 am:
Perhaps an update for the internet age: “Better to remain off social media and be thought a fool than post and remove all doubt.”
- Henry Francis - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:36 am:
This Blair fellow is one odd duck. 5 minutes on the Google confirms initial impressions after reading his tweets. The petty insecurities (”I know Bruce better than you do”) seem so prevalent among men in power in the Trump era.
And one doesn’t need to focus on the tweet in question to realize that this guy has been saying plenty of things that have no place in our political discourse. For years.
Yet Bruce still gave him his personal number and appointed him to a government position.
- Pundent - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:40 am:
Nice of Rauner to condemn Garber’s language (as he did with Trump) while all the while avoiding condemning them as individuals. I suppose the takeaway is that it’s ok to believe this, just don’t say it. What a profile in courage our governor is.
- Colin O'Scopy - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:47 am:
I find it ironic that Republicans like Ives and Sweeney are coming to East St. Louis’ rescue because someone said a disparaging remark about them. But heaven forbid these same Republicans support a bill that gives the people of East St. Louis a hand-up.
- Anon - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:48 am:
Jeanne Ives-pot calling the kettle black in this situation.
- old time golfer - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:50 am:
With the dumb stuff Ives has said over the years she might be best served keeping her opinion out of this….
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:51 am:
=Members, $100 per diem to maximum of $1,200 per year, plus expenses.=
Why are they getting paid? Oh, now I remember, they are political appointees. School Board Members get nothing and morons like Skillicorn and Wherli don’t even want them to get a free dinner once a year or go to the school board conference (where they spend their daytime hours getting educated). Yet they get nice per diems and are a hefty salary for their part time work.
And, when one of their bigoted flunkies rears his ignorant head we get “tsk, tsk” at worst or just silence.
I am hopin’ mad!
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:51 am:
I work with the good people of East St.Louis
Every week day.
Good, honest, decent people
Who live in the ruin
Of a once thriving city
under bone crushing poverty
And lack of opportunity.
It’s not a s$&thole.
It’s a ruin
My interactions with its residents
Are 99% pleasant
You treat people with dignity and worth
And you get that mirrored back
Haters like Blair might want to keep
That in mind.
its immoral, in my opinion, to mock and disparage folks for their poverty and poverty of their home.
Just this morning on my way in I had pleasant sight of a kindergarten teacher lining up her students coming off the bus and marching off to their classroom. Cute as could be.
It’s just so ugly to mock that, chances are ,over 80% of those adorable kids need free or reduced price lunch and for a big percentage of them, it might be the best meal they get all day. I know this for fact because when the Teachers went on strike in 2015, the cafeteria stayed open throughout do our precious children could still get that meal.
- flea - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:52 am:
I’d like to get in a high stakes poker game with this dude. You can read him like a book
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 10:55 am:
Maybe Mendoza’s office can shed light on how much the State has paid Garber to date. The Lottery Commission wasn’t listed on the report that can be accessed here-
https://ledger.illinoiscomptroller.gov/salary-database/state-boards-commissions/
- Sir Reel - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:12 am:
Tone deaf on steroids.
- Practical Politics - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:14 am:
This controversy also begs the question as to why the Illinois Republican State Central Committee is composed of members who are NOT elected by primary voters (the Democratic State Central Committee is elected). State Central Committeemen are insiders chosen by insiders. If the positions were elected again, as they were in the past, this person might be ousted by the voters.
- d.p.gumby - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:18 am:
What size are his hands?
- TominChicago - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:21 am:
So is Garber one of the Superstars or a member of the Best Team in America?
- Happy Retiree - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:24 am:
Apologists and deniers will continue to play dumb about our outrage around the —-hole remarks by condemning the use of curse words to misrepresent our outrage.
The false condemnation of the curse word is meant to distract from the ugly bigoted sentiments behind those statements.
Name it and shame it.
- Stewart Stuart - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:28 am:
Garber is one of those guys in Chicago area GOP politics who you see in all the social media posts among the circular firing squad but who never actually help good candidates. Good riddance.
- Retired state guy - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:30 am:
My guess is the man has never set foot in ESL. Passing thru on I70 doesn’t count. If you have to disparage some place, at least pick somewhere you’ve been. I type this as I sit in ESL where I’ve worked since 97.
- Blue dog dem - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:39 am:
47th and others. I have done nothing to bring about the downfall of ESL or Cairo. On the contrary, we used to have a distribution center off hwy 15 but were forced to close it due ro the downturn in the Ameeican steel industry. So please refrain from the term ‘we’. If you feel guilty, use the term ‘I’.
- Lt Guv - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:45 am:
Just saw on the Scribble this jerk is resigning. Good.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:50 am:
- So please refrain from the term ‘we’. -
Your delicate little fee fees are noted.
- Fixer - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:53 am:
I grew up in that area and worked there for a few years before taking a better opportunity up north. Yes, some places there were rougher than others. Some of the best people I have ever met were also there. Honey bear nailed it though. If you treated people with dignity and respect, you received it in kind.
- Flynn's Mom - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:56 am:
Rauner seems to surround himself by arrogance and cluelessness at the same time.
- Chris P. Bacon - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:56 am:
I knew Blair Garber was a buffoon, but that arrogant back and forth with the private citizen takes the cake. Now the “big shot” has thrown it all away. Absolutely he must resign from both state government and the IL GOP.
Garber’s conduct is also not comparable to the President’s. First of all Trump denies he used that word, and more than one in the room has backed up Trump’s account. But whatever Trump said, it was in private and intended to stay private. Garber is so reckless and has such awful judgment that he’s voluntarily barking his buffoonery on the world wide web. Bye bye Blair.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 11:56 am:
===I have done nothing===
Tell yourself whatever you have to if it helps you sleep at night old man.
- Blue dog dem - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 12:00 pm:
47th. Always blame somebody else. That seems to help.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 12:11 pm:
===Always blame somebody else.===
Lol, adjust your reading glasses because I wrote no such thing. If you feel guilty, that’s your problem.
- Black Balled - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 1:13 pm:
Does Erika Herald have any thoughts? She was hand picked by Rauner (according to his own words) just as Garber was. Has she asked for his resignation from the SCC? I am sure I missed this press release.
P.S. Don’t play the card unless you are saying that Clayborne, Raoul and Mendoza are. Which they are not. These are simple questions for someone who wants to be our AG. We just want to know.
- Blue dog dem - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 2:00 pm:
47th. On the lighter side Rauner would blame Madigan…
- dbk - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 2:34 pm:
Honeybear, yes, absolutely. Our fellow-Illinoisans, ALL of them, are deserving of respect and concern and interest. ALL of them.
In the course of a relatively long life, thanks be, it has been my experience that the amount of income one has is not an indication of humaneness, compassion, or empathy.
The fact that Garber was appointed at all - he seems to be a known quantity in the 9th District - is, I’m sorry to say, indicative.
This is an example of “beyond the pale.”
- northsider(the original) - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 2:34 pm:
Isn’t the Board supposed to be independent, per the statute? All that bragging about being first namesies with ‘Bruce’ is a bit troubling,too.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 3:07 pm:
Is he resigning from the Republican State Central Committee too? If not, why not?
- Bob Daiber for Governor - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 3:35 pm:
Bob Daiber, a Democratic candidate for governor, made the following statement:
“It is unseemly to refer to any part of the state with such derogatory comments, especially when this administration has withdrawn support for communities such as East St. Louis, which are so poverty stricken,” Daiber said.
Daiber knows East St. Louis better than any candidate for governor. He knows the political leaders and regular people there, and most recently campaigned there on Friday (Jan. 26). “East St. Louis has suffered from disinvestment, both private-sector and public, and it shows. But insults issuing from the administration, especially from a political toady residing in affluent Evanston, are not constructive,” Daiber said.
…
In Daiber’s view, which should be obvious to everyone, the problem here isn’t the vulgar language, it’s the racist view that it’s OK to demean struggling black communities. “The governor should be careful who he appoints to positions on state boards and commissions,” Daiber said. “And the people of East St. Louis deserve an apology, and a government in Springfield that doesn’t abuse them and despise them.”
- Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 4:23 pm:
Next up, a job in the Trump administration
- Practical Politics - Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 4:46 pm:
Garber was not appointed to the State Central Committee — he was elected by the Ward and Township Committeemen with precincts in the 9th Congressional District. Unlike the Democrats, who allow primary voters to choose State Central Committeemen, the Republicans opted for the alternative method.
- OneWorld - Thursday, Feb 1, 18 @ 11:19 pm:
I went to high school with Garber … this fits his MO. Had to unfriend his abusive ass on FB.
But the issue, something not understood by Charlie Daniels, Blair Garber, or anyone who would defend what Trump said: it’s not about the language, it’s about racism. Haiti, Nigeria, East St. Louis … all populated primarily by black/brown people. Norway? Not so much.
Trump could have skipped the s-hole word and simply said: “We don’t need more immigrants from Haiti and Nigeria, we need more from Norway” and it would have been equally reprehensible.