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Kamala Harris’ decision to snub a Catholic charity event has drawn criticism, including from a “disappointed” Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York.

The vice president became the first Democrat in 40 years to skip the prestigious Al Smith Dinner which raises money for New York City’s most vulnerable residents, including women and underprivileged children, but since the white tie event that has historically featured the two major candidates isn’t a controlled setting, Harris’ handlers declined the invitation.

“We’re disappointed,” Dolan told reporters during a Monday press briefing at the Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center in Yonkers. “We were looking forward to giving the vice president an enthusiastic welcome, and we were confident that she would find this – you know, she speaks very much about the high ideals and how it’s good to get away from division and come together in unity and all and that’s what the Al Smith dinner is all about.”

The archbishop also suggested that Harris could meet the same fate as the last Democrat nominee who was a no-show, Walter Mondale who was on the receiving end of a 49-state electoral beatdown, losing 525-13 to then-President Ronald Reagan.

“We’re not used to this. We don’t know how to handle it,” Dolan continued. “This hasn’t happened in 40 years, since Walter Mondale turned down the invitation. And remember, he lost 49 out of 50 states. I don’t want to say there’s a direct connection there, but … we’re not giving up.”

Dolan added that the state’s top two Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Governor Kathy Hochul are “working hard” to convince Harris to change her mind.

“Sen. Schumer said to me, ‘I don’t think she made the decision, I think her scheduler was saying she can’t make it.’ So we’re not giving up, I hope she’s here,” he said.

One reason why Harris’ handlers may have chosen to snub the event could be Trump’s skewering of a visibly uncomfortable Hillary Clinton in 2016 during his remarks.

The 79th edition of the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner will be held on October 17 at the New York Hilton in midtown Manhattan, GOP nominee Donald J. Trump has confirmed that he’ll be in attendance at the sold-out event.

The dinner is named after former Democrat New York Governor Alfred E. Smith who grew up in poverty and went on to be the first Roman Catholic presidential nominee for a major party, losing the 1928 election to Herbert Hoover. It was first held in 1946 and has been a Big Apple institution ever since.

“It’s sad, but not surprising, that Kamala has decided not to attend. I don’t know what she has against our Catholic friends, but it must be a lot, because she certainly hasn’t been very nice to them, in fact, Catholics are literally being persecuted by this Administration. Any Catholic that votes for Comrade Kamala Harris should have their head examined…,” Trump said in a post to Truth Social.

Chris Donaldson
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