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Lynne Patton reacts to NYCHA video played at RNC
HUD official Lynne Patton says the NYC residents featured in a promotional video say they all knew it was being played at the Republican National Convention but admits the version played was not the one they had approved.
NEW YORK - Longtime Trump family aide and current HUD official Lynne Patton is pushing back on claims that New York City public housing residents featured in a promotional video shown during the Republican National Convention did know how the video was being used but says she wouldn't do it again.
The New York Times reported that three of the four residents of NYCHA whose criticisms of Mayor Bill de Blasio were used in a video said they were never told their comments were to be showcased in support of President Donald Trump.
In an interview with Good Day New York on Monday, Patton says the problem arose because the entire video was not shown during the convention.
Patton said that one of the residents pre-approved a version of the video but that was not the final version that ended up airing during the event.
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Patton says she was originally told by the RNC that the video was going to be 10-minutes long. She says it got cut to 8 minutes and then 6 minutes and then 4 minutes. The version that aired ended up being less than 3 minutes long.
"I'm equally upset that's not the version that aired," Patton said.
She said the video got cut so they could add an opera singer at President Trump's request.
"I flipped out. I was very upset because I had promised these residents that they would be properly represented," Patton.
Patton says that the residents are owed an apology because the version that aired was not the full version.
She says that she told the residents that participation in the video was not an endorsement of President Trump.
"Personally, I think these residents should be heralded for being willing to cross the aisle and use an RNC platform to highlight the inhumane conditions," Patton said. "I never tricked anyone despite what the New York Times article is saying. One resident even called that article a hatchet-job."
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But Patton offered the people in the video her own apology and said she has learned a lesson.
"I would never do that again. I love this president, I love this administration, but I don't love them more than I love the human beings and how they feel. I would never falsely manipulate anyone to benefit President Trump, Patton said.