Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno sent a letter last week to Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval threatening possible federal action over a “potentially illegal and wasteful DEI Procurement Ordinance” that City Council adopted in June.
Moreno, a Republican, demanded more information about the ordinance and suggested it could result in the city losing federal funding if the measure violates President Donald Trump’s executive orders banning diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.
Pureval’s spokesman declined to comment Wednesday, saying the mayor would respond to Moreno with a letter of his own in the coming days.
One thing the mayor and the senator may need to discuss is how they define DEI.
The DEI ordinance Moreno cites in his letter refers to the city’s Department of Economic Inclusion, not to diversity, equity and inclusion. And while that department does oversee the city’s efforts to help more minority- and women-owned businesses land city contracts, it also performs unrelated work, such as monitoring the city’s compliance with state and federal prevailing wage laws.
The ordinance, which council approved June 10, also did not create a new initiative or increase spending on existing programs. Instead, it merged two city departments – economic inclusion and procurement – into a new office called the Department of Economic Inclusion and Procurement.
“There is no additional cost associated with this,” said Mollie Lair, the city’s spokeswoman.
City says new department will be more efficient
Lair said city officials believe combining the two departments will make the city’s contracting process faster and more efficient.
The city has been trying for years to involve more minority- and women-owned businesses in the process of applying for city contracts for a wide range of jobs, including construction and professional services. A “disparity study” in 2023 found that 1.6% of city dollars spent on construction work went to Black-owned firms and 1% to firms owned by women.
Under the city’s program, which began a decade ago, businesses must be vetted and certified by the city before they are eligible to apply for a contract. City officials have said the program’s purpose is to give small minority- and women-owned companies a chance to compete for work or to bid as subcontractors alongside larger businesses with more resources.
According to the city’s website, the goal is to “ensure economic opportunity and inclusion for all citizens seeking to do business with the City of Cincinnati.”
Moreno repeats Trump complaints about DEI
In his letter to Pureval, Moreno echoed complaints Trump has been making for years on the campaign trail and in the White House about the unfairness of DEI programs, which the president argues give minorities or women advantages in government contracts and hiring.
“The days of choosing public contract winners based on excellence are back,” Moreno wrote. “The City of Cincinnati must be a better steward of public funds.”
He noted that the Department of Justice under Trump could seek to revoke federal funding from the city if it determines city officials are engaged in work that favors minorities over others. The city receives millions of dollars a year in federal money through programs that provide tax breaks to businesses, housing for the poor and resources to revitalize neighborhoods.
“As an entity that receives significant federal funds, I urge you to review these documents,” Moreno wrote, referring to a memorandum about the new DEI policies that the Department of Justice issued last year.
When asked late Wednesday if Moreno intended to try to revoke the city’s federal funding, the senator’s spokeswoman, Reagan McCarthy, said it was unreasonable to ask Moreno to respond to questions about the letter on short notice because the letter was sent to Pureval last week.
Although the letter to Pureval is dated July 2, The Enquirer did not learn of it until Wednesday.
“Cincinnati Enquirer is a liberal rag that can’t even practice basic journalism,” McCarthy said. “In the City’s own words, the ordinance ‘is intended to strengthen’ DEI initiatives, as Senator Moreno’s letter cites.”
She said it doesn’t matter if the ordinance created a new initiative or not, because any DEI program is inappropriate. “Senator Moreno believes taxpayers should fund ZERO DEI initiatives or policies and instead restore merit and excellence to its decision making instead of using likely illegal racial quotas,” McCarthy said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Moreno threatens Cincinnati federal aid over ‘wasteful DEI’ program
Reporting by Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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By Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
