Millions of dollars in federal and local taxpayer money have been spent on a controversial "diversity" speaker who has made government workers say the "pilgrims were illegal aliens" and excused illegal immigration because the U.S. "took over what used to be Mexico."
Judicial Watch recently revealed that two federal government agencies, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Defense, had hired Dr. Samuel Betances. Both agencies spent more than $3 million on Betances’ training program. Judicial Watch obtained a videotape of Betances’ speech to USDA employees through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
The Washington Free Beacon found other federal government agencies and numerous state agencies have also hired Betances, whose company is Chicago-based Souder, Betances and Associates, Inc.
Additionally, more 200 colleges and universities and dozens of local school districts have hired Betances, according to the firm’s website, government records, and local announcements.
Betances was hired by the Department of Education in August 2011 for a diversity awareness presentation on Oct. 12 of that year. He was paid $9,500 for that presentation to the staff of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, federal contracts records show.
The Department of Health and Human Services also hired Betances and paid him a total of $21,500 for training at the Centers for Disease Control over a five-year period. Records indicate his most recent contract was signed on June 22, 2009 for $6,500.
Betances was also hired by the Department of Homeland Security for a Hispanic Diversity Program for U.S. Customs Border Protection.
Additionally, the IRS paid Betances $9,500 in 2005 and the General Services Administration paid him $243,916 in 2003.
Betances’ program has sparked outrage from conservatives who view his program as "indoctrination."
"Mexicans came to this country last night illegally," Judicial Watch quoted Betances as saying. "Never mind that the United States expanded and took over what used to be Mexico. If the truth be known, in a lot of these circumstances, if you tell some of these Mexicans ‘Go back where you came from,’ they go to Texas, California, Arizona."
"I want you to say, ‘The pilgrims were illegal aliens,’" he said in another session. "Say, ‘The pilgrims never gave their passports to the Indians.’"
"We’ve touched the tip of the iceberg," said Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch.
He said many government employees have come forward after the initial whistleblower.
"It’s racially divisive and abusive to force employees to participate in these programs," Fitton said. "What he’s doing is, he’s attacking people—despite all his rhetoric—as being fundamentally racist and sexist."
The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard both announced Betances’ speeches in newsletters, the Free Beacon found.
"Strengthening the Navy Through Diversity," was announced in the Navy Newsletter in 2009 and indicated Betances would be the trainer. That session was held in Hawaii in October 2009. A seminar featuring Betances in New Jersey was also touted on a government site for Army and Air National Guard personnel.
A Coast Guard newsletter from 2011 showed that Betances was a featured speaker twice.
Not only has federal taxpayer money been spent on Betances. He also lists cities, state agencies, and local school districts across the country as clients.
The city of Chicago and the Chicago Fire Department are just two of the hundreds of cities and local agencies listed as clients of Betances. The Chicago Fire Department paid Betances $130,000 to teach firefighters and paramedics diversity, according to an article in the Chicago Tribune.
Some of Betances’ tapes, which have been available on the Judicial Watch site, are now unavailable for viewing.
"Someone is seeking to suppress the excerpts on YouTube claiming copyright infringement," Fitton said.
Neither Betances nor the Department of Homeland Security returned a request for comment.
Over 200 colleges and universities from Texas to South Carolina to Washington, D.C., have also hired Betances. Local school districts are also listed as clients of Betances. Instances of federal grants being used to hire Betances for schools were also found.
Betances has indicated on videotape that schools are only interested in educating middle class children.
"This is extremely important. I want all of you to say: ‘Schools are middle class places of learning,’ say that. [Audience repeats] ‘But not all students are middle class.’ [Audience repeats]," reported Judicial Watch.
Classified as a minority-owned business, Betances' firm is eligible for special federal tax breaks, incentives, and set-aside contracts.
Betances has told government workers that he does not like the word "minorities" and prefers the term "emerging majorities."