PHOENIX – Today, as Vice President Joe Biden unveiled his plan to invest in our nation’s infrastructure while creating millions of clean energy jobs, Congressman Ruben Gallego called out Donald Trump’s long record of enriching himself while hurting Arizona’s economy and working families.

Congressman Gallego: “Four years ago, Donald Trump promised to fix our nation’s crumbling infrastructure and bring back American jobs. In reality, Trump has proven himself to be a con artist intent on enriching himself and his wealthy, well-connected supporters while leaving working families behind. As Arizona continues to face record unemployment thanks to the Administration’s failed pandemic response, it’s clear that Trump lacks the competence and compassion to lead us out of this economic disaster of his own making. Arizonans are in desperate need of new leadership that will create good-paying jobs, invest in infrastructure, and lead the way to the clean energy economy of the future. That’s why come November, Joe Biden will be our next President.”

BACKGROUND ON TRUMP’S BROKEN PROMISES TO ARIZONA

Promise: “I know how the tax code works better than anyone and I’m going to fix it so it’s fair and just works for you, works for you.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Prescott AZ, 10/4/16]

Reality: Trump’s tax scam proved to be a windfall for massive corporations while leaving Arizona’s working families with the short end of the stick. According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), the Trump tax cuts are “tilted dramatically in favor of the richest Arizona residents while the tax increases fall more heavily on lower-income Arizona families.”

Promise:  During his campaign, Trump promised to “build the next generation of roads, bridges, railways, tunnels, seaports and airports that our country deserves.” He even signed a contract with American voters to act on infrastructure within the first 100 days of a Trump administration.

Reality: Four years later, Trump has failed to deliver on infrastructure at every turn and continues to make empty promises on the trail, but has “yet to show specific results.”

Reality: In 2019, a bipartisan deal on infrastructure fell apart after Trump stormed out of a meeting on the topic and declared that he couldn’t work with Democrats until they stopped investigating him.

Promise: “We built the strongest and most prosperous economy in the history of the world. And we will do it again very, very quickly. It’s happening already […] Together we will restore our economy quickly.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Phoenix AZ, 6/23/20]

Reality: Trump’s chaotic pandemic response has made the economic fallout in Arizona much worse than it had to be, and his failure to contain the coronavirus is holding the economy hostage.

Reality: Arizona’s unemployment rate reached a record high of 13.4% in April, and stayed at the highest level in 9 years in May at 8.9%.

Reality: As of June, more than 1.6 million Arizonans were collecting some form of unemployment benefits. Despite this, Trump and his Republican enablers are refusing to extend enhanced unemployment benefits that expire at the end of the month, even though assistance will end earlier for Arizonans.

Promise: “When I’m President, we will start making things in America again.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Prescott AZ, 10/4/16]

Reality: The Trump Administration has consistently been hostile towards programs that support jobs training and the manufacturing sector. In fact, Trump’s FY19 budget proposal cut funding by nearly half for adult employment and training activities, which serve veterans, Native Americans, and young people who have dropped out of high school.

###