Far-Left Representative Cries Racism As Stores Close

(WatchDogReport.org) – Massachusetts Democratic Representative Ayanna Pressley recently claimed that the closure of a Walgreens in the Boston area was tied to racism. The member of the Democratic Party’s radical left-wing faction known as “The Squad” accused the Illinois-based company of committing economic and racial discrimination over its decision to close a pharmacy in the Roxbury neighborhood. The area is known for hosting some of the most significant minority communities in the city.

During a speech, Pressley said that the closure was part of a trend of “abandoning” economically disadvantaged people and noted that Warren Street in Roxbury is a community that is 85 percent Latino and black. The congresswoman pointed out that Walgreens disrupts whole communities when they leave a neighborhood, as the company “takes with them” not only jobs but also life-saving medications, asthma inhalers, and even baby formula.

In a statement, Walgreens explained that the closure of Roxbury’s pharmacy was because of “several factors,” including low reimbursement rates, low prescription volume, and the cost of operating. The company said that while it was a difficult decision to take, it was necessary because of Walgreens’ “financial performance.”

In her speech, Pressley also claimed that the company’s “talking points” about underserved communities, equity, and health weren’t enough. She added that the company was known for being a multi-billion-dollar corporation that needs to stop divesting from brown and black communities and start putting their money “where their mouth is.”

Despite her remarks, many personalities took to social media to criticize Pressley for her hypocrisy on the matter. One of these was “Loud Majority Live” podcast host Kevin Smith, who said that the congresswoman should ask her “friends” to stop robbing the store to prevent the company from leaving the neighborhood.

Another public figure who criticized her on Twitter was former CEO and chairman of Overstock Patrick Byrne, who said that Pressley’s “defund the police” stance contributed to the company leaving the neighborhood.