EXCLUSIVE
ALBANY – One of the nation’s leading black businessmen has angrily accused U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer of favoring white-owned companies over his firm.
Black Entertainment Television founder Robert Johnson, the nation’s first African-American billionaire, made the explosive allegations in a Jan. 17 letter to Schumer, a copy of which was obtained by The Post.
Johnson accused Schumer of trying to get the U.S. Justice Department to derail his efforts to create what he said would be the nation’s first minority-owned airline in more than 30 years.
Johnson’s proposed company, DC Air, would offer discount fairs to many of upstate New York’s economically hard-pressed cities in a partnership arrangement with long-established carrier American Airlines.
“As an African-American businessperson who has a personal net worth significantly greater than the market capitalization of [rival companies] Jet Blue and Air Tran combined, I am offended that you could argue that these two companies deserve an opportunity that should be denied to me,” Johnson told Schumer.
“It cannot be that you believe that they are better businesspersons; perhaps it is because they are white businesspersons.”
Johnson, in an interview with The Post, said, “If Schumer was a Republican and not a Democrat, everyone would be jumping up and down saying, ‘How dare you not support us?’
“I’m trying to figure out what the rationale is for someone who is a member of the liberal Democratic Party to oppose DC Air – when that party has a fundamental commitment to minority ownership and equal opportunities for minorities,” Johnson said.
Asked if he was accusing Schumer of racism, Johnson responded, “If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck and quacks like a duck . . . “
Schumer told The Post that his opposition to DC Air is “based solely on how it would benefit the people of New York, not on the basis of any political or racial consideration.”
“I oppose the deal for one simple reason,” Schumer said. “I do not believe it will result in lower fares or better service for New York state, either in New York City or the underserved cities of upstate, which face so much economic hardship.”
Schumer said “all things being equal,” he’d back a minority-owned airline.
But he said that was not the case with DC Air.
“Under the proposed deal, American Airlines will have the opportunity to buy out DC Air at any time, resulting in a windfall of [airport] slots for American and not the creation of a new minority airline competitor,” Schumer said.
“Had DC Air shown any willingness to partner with a low-cost carrier instead of with one of the major airlines, which have shown no commitment to providing low-cost service, I would have been happy to support it.”
The Post was contacted by two of the state’s most powerful black Democratic elected officials within an hour of asking Schumer to respond to Johnson’s charges, and they insisted Schumer’s position was not motivated by racism.
State Comptroller Carl McCall said, “I think Bob Johnson is terribly frustrated, but I dismiss the idea that there’s a racial issue in this.
“I don’t think Chuck in this instance, or any other, is operating from the basis of any kind of racial motive.”
Rep. Charles Rangel of Harlem said, “Notwithstanding the differences, it never entered my mind that the color of Bob Johnson had influenced the decision that Sen. Schumer has made.
“I don’t think Chuck really needs anyone calling on his behalf as it relates to rational equality and his not being a bigot.”