Baltimore bridge collapse caused by DEI efforts, Utah Rep. Phil Lyman says

Lyman, who is also running for Utah governor, later said his social media team had posted the comment without his approval. He also took responsibility for the post.



(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rep. Phil Lyman, R-Blanding, running for Utah governor, talks to delegates before the Davis County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner in Layton, on Saturday, February. 24, 2024.

By Bryan Schott | March 26, 2024, 3:45 p.m.
| Updated: 6:21 p.m.

Phil Lyman, a Utah Republican lawmaker and candidate for governor, quickly used Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse to boost his gubernatorial campaign by blaming the accident on efforts to make workplaces more diverse. … He later said he had not authorized the comment before it was posted by his social media team.

A cargo ship reportedly lost control and rammed into a support structure for the bridge early Tuesday morning, destroying the structure. As rescue crews were searching for possible victims, Lyman blamed the tragedy on the culture wars over diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Lyman was responding to a post from the Young Conservative Federation attacking Port of Baltimore Commissioner Karenthia Barber, a Black woman who, according to her professional biography, owns a consulting firm that includes “diversity, equity and inclusion audits and consulting.”

“This is what happens when you have Governors who prioritize diversity over the wellbeing [sic] and security of citizens,” Lyman posted Tuesday morning.

Link to tweet

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NBCBLK
Utah lawmaker blames 'diversity' for Baltimore bridge collapse

Phil Lyman, a state representative, retweeted and commented on a post that focused on a commissioner for the Port of Baltimore who is a Black woman.



— Utah Republican state Rep. Phil Lyman bashed diversity initiatives in posts on X.Rick Bowmer / AP file

March 27, 2024, 4:27 PM EDT
By Curtis Bunn

Diversity, equity and inclusion has become such a flashpoint across the country that a politician in Utah, state Rep. Phil Lyman, inferred it was the reason a huge container ship plowed into and knocked down the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, leaving six people presumed dead.

“This is what happens when you have governors who prioritize diversity over the wellbeing and security of citizens,” said Lyman, a Republican running for governor, said in a post on X. … Lyman’s post included a retweet of the Young Conservative Federation, which wrote: “Let’s meet the Commissioners for the Port of Baltimore, starting with Karenthia A. Barber. She knows nothing about Ports, but she is a ‘diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) auditor and consultant.’”

{snip}

Neither Lyman’s office nor the Baltimore Port Authority responded to requests for comment from NBC News. … But Lyman, in talking to The Salt Lake City Tribune, blamed the posts on his social media staff, saying he did not approve the post before it went live.

“It was not our best moment,” he told the newspaper. “The post was a knee-jerk reaction to some of the things others were putting out there.” … “I prefer a dignified approach and sometimes the people who handle the social media are more provocative than what I’m comfortable with,” Lyman said. … The posts were still visible on Lyman’s account as of Wednesday afternoon, including one that called DEI “poison” and another retweet stating “DEI = Didn’t Earn It.”