White House opens meeting to Democratic governors after snub

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump is inviting all US governors to meet with him after the White House had sought to keep Democrats out of the annual bipartisan gathering, the National Governors Association said.

The change announced on Feb 11 came after Oklahoma Republican Governor Kevin Stitt, the NGA’s chairman, held talks with Mr Trump and the White House.

The group previously said it would not facilitate the meeting if it remained open to only Republican governors. 

Still, Mr Trump on Feb 11 said that he still planned to block Mr Wes Moore and Mr Jared Polis, the Democratic governors of Maryland and Colorado, from a dinner scheduled at the White House.

He also attacked Mr Stitt as a “RINO” – short for a Republican in Name Only – and said it was “false” that he sought to limit invitations to the events to just his fellow Republicans.

Nevertheless, the broader invitation for the meeting suggests the annual tradition is likely to continue.

Mr Stitt informed the governors of the change on Feb 11 in a written message, saying that the meeting is scheduled to take place on Feb 20.

He wrote that it was “always” Mr Trump’s intent to invite all governors and described the initial problem as a “misunderstanding in scheduling.”

“We’re pleased the president will welcome governors from all 55 states and territories to the White House,” Mr Brandon Tatum, chief executive officer of the NGA, said in a statement.

“The bipartisan White House governors meeting is a valued tradition and an important opportunity to build bridges and hold constructive conversations.”

The initial plan to welcome only Republicans to a traditionally bipartisan annual gathering at White House

caused an outcry from Democrats

.

On Feb 10, 18 Democratic governors said they would boycott the dinner with Mr Trump if all were not welcome.

Mr Trump defended his decision not to invite Mr Moore and Mr Polis to the meal.

“The invitations were sent to ALL Governors, other than two, who I feel are not worthy of being there,” the president posted on social media.

“I look forward to seeing the Republican Governors, and some of the Democrats Governors who were worthy of being invited, but most of whom won’t show up.”

The Democratic Governors Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The yearly meeting in Washington has served as a rare bipartisan get-together in the nation’s capital, but recriminations over the plan to exclude Democrats had thrown the conference into chaos.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the invitation list on Feb 10, telling reporters, “It’s the people’s house. It’s also the president’s home, and so he can invite whomever he wants to dinners and events here at the White House.” BLOOMBERG