INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Democratic Party Vice Chair Alex Nyirendah released the following statement today on Governor Mike Braun’s appointment of Philip Clay as the Executive Director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission.

“Hoosiers deserve to know the truth: Governor Braun’s latest appointment exposes a glaring gap between his words and his actions,” Nyirendah said.

“He promised to end DEI programs in favor of so-called “merit-based hiring,” claiming that only the most qualified candidates would lead Indiana forward. But his choice of Philip Clay as Executive Director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission proves the opposite.

“This role demands expertise in civil rights law, impartial leadership, and the ability to earn trust from communities who have faced generations of discrimination. Mr. Clay brings none of that experience. Instead, his record shows a career in real estate and investor relations – skills far removed from the mission of enforcing civil rights.

“Even more troubling are his own words. In a 2023 op-ed, he dismissed concerns about racist policing as nothing more than “race-baiting” and questioned the legitimacy of Black communities’ calls for justice. That kind of bias is not just out of step with the Commission’s purpose – it actively undermines it.

“This appointment is not about merit. It is not about leadership. It is a direct contradiction of the governor’s own pledge and a betrayal of the very mission of the Civil Rights Commission.

“Hoosiers should be alarmed. If the governor is willing to place ideology above qualifications here, what other critical protections will be weakened next?”

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