A prominent black member of Congress and a longtime civil rights leader accused the Clinton White House of racially profiling him when he tried to meet Vice President Al Gore in 1993.
As documents the Clinton Library released on Friday revealed, an October 5, 1993, memo noted that the Secret Service asked Rep. Louis Stokes (D-OH) “for identification, although his white driver was not.”
Stokes, who served in Congress for 30 years and was a Clinton ally on domestic initiatives, was “understandably furious.”
“Furthermore, before Rep. Stokes was allowed in the gate, a K-9 detail searched his car,” the memo said. “Rep. Stokes is understandably furious and believes the search to be racially motivated.”
White House officials, according to the memo, “spoke at length” with David Watkins, the White House director of administration, about the matter.
“David has taken steps to insure that in the future members of Congress driving into the White House will be admitted expeditiously and will be treated with respect,” the memo stated.
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