Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Releases Powerful New Ad, “Sharpton,” Places Massive $550,000 Ad Buy Over Three Weeks - with More To Follow - To Promote Diversity on Delaware’s Courts

New TV Ad with Civil Rights Activist Reverend Al Sharpton Contrasts President Biden’s Commitment to Federal Judicial Diversity with Delaware’s Failure To Appoint Black Judges

The Ad Comes As Delaware’s Leaders - Including the Bench and Bar Judicial Diversity Project - Have Repeatedly Refused To Meet with Reverend Sharpton

The Ad Will Air on Broadcast and Cable Television in Delaware, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C., and Be Supplemented by $50,000+ in Print, Digital, and Social Media Advertising

Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Has Pledged To Redouble Efforts To Expose Hypocrisy of Delaware’s Leadership and Push for Lasting Change to Delaware’s Courts and Government

WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware (CPBD) released a new TV advertisement featuring legendary Civil Rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton demanding diverse courts to deliver justice for Delaware’s communities of color. Sharpton contrasts President Joe Biden’s commitment to appointing people of color to the federal judiciary with the failure of Delaware’s leaders, including Governor John Carney, to prioritize diversity.

Said Reverend Al Sharpton, “We’ve been fighting for years to put Black people on Delaware’s courts, but the Chancery Court is still all white. I commend President Biden for putting court diversity front and center on the national stage, but his home state of Delaware continues to lag behind and its leaders - including its judicial diversity task force - have repeatedly refused to meet with me. I’m proud to lend my voice to this crucial fight and activate Delaware residents to demand that their leaders act now to put Black people on the state’s top courts.”

CPBD has placed an initial three-week, $550,000+ TV advertising buy to run the ad on broadcast and cable television throughout Delaware and in Washington, D.C.. Additional ad buys will follow.

The ad will complement $50,000+ print, digital, and social media buys targeting Delawareans to build awareness of the issue, and urge the state’s residents to make their voices heard by demanding Governor Carney prioritize judicial diversity. CPBD has already executed public awareness and door-knocking campaigns that have recruited thousands of Delaware residents to email their elected officials to appoint people of color to the courts.

Said Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Campaign Manager Chris Coffey, “Reverend Al Sharpton is a towering figure in the American civil rights movement. It’s an outrage that Delaware’s leaders have failed to meet with him and local activists like Pastor Blaine Hackett to hear their insights on making Delaware’s courts work for communities of color, while President Biden has repeatedly met with Sharpton and taken tangible steps to diversify the federal courts.

“We’re proud to amplify Reverend Sharpton’s voice as we continue this fight - and it is a fight. We have witnessed thousands of Delaware residents respond to our calls for action and demand real change - but the lack of concrete action from Delaware’s leaders has been disheartening. We won’t stop until Delaware’s leaders heed the calls of the thousands of Delawareans who are demanding diverse courts now.”

CPBD will once again offer a platform for Delaware residents to urge Governor Carney to commit to diversifying Delaware’s courts.

The full script of the ad, voiced by Reverend Sharpton, is below:

Look closely. Does anything jump out?

We’ve been fighting for years - in the streets, in our communities - to put Black people on Delaware’s courts.

But the Chancery Court is still all white.

When I talked to President Biden, he told me he would put court diversity front and center on the national stage - and he has.

But in Biden’s home state of Delaware, leaders talk about diversity, while nothing actually changes.

I've offered to meet with the government, and state leaders, over and over with no success.

Even the state’s judicial diversity taskforce refuses to meet with me.

Because in Delaware, who you know still matters more than what you bring to the table.

So I’m bringing my message to you, the people: no more talking, we need action. We need diverse courts now.

Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware is a group made up of more than 5,000 members including employees of the global translation services company TransPerfect, as well as concerned Delaware residents, business executives, and others. They formed in April of 2016 to focus on raising awareness with Delaware residents, elected officials, and other stakeholders about the unprecedented forced sale of TransPerfect. While their primary goal of saving the company has been accomplished, they continue their efforts to fight for more transparency in the Delaware Chancery Court. For more information on Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware or to join the cause, visit DelawareForBusiness.org.