Ivanka Trump took to Twitter on 14 July to pitch products from Goya Foods, America's largest Hispanic-owned food company, touted as a premier source for authentic Latin cuisine.
Trump, a senior White House advisor to her father, US President Donald Trump, had weighed in on the controversy surrounding the food company of late, tweeting the company’s slogan in English and Spanish.
If it’s Goya, it has to be good.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) July 15, 2020
Si es Goya, tiene que ser bueno. pic.twitter.com/9tjVrfmo9z
Critics wasted no time raising concerns that the First Daughter was using her government position to boost a business, supposedly violating the federal ethics law – the Hatch Act - whose main provision prohibits employees in the executive branch of the federal government from engaging in some forms of political activity.
Some referenced the law that states “An employee shall not use or permit the use of his Government position or title or any authority associated with his public office to endorse any product, service or enterprise.”
GOP operative Liz Mair warned Ivanka Trump that she was "in violation of ethics rules".
You’re about to get dinged for a violation of ethics rules that apply to you as a White House staffer. https://t.co/jizoiS8Nja
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) July 15, 2020
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called the White House adviser corrupt in a tweet in Spanish.
Many other users slammed Ivanka Trump’s tweet as a violation of her position.
Um you just broke the law Senior Advisor to the President. Not like you care or anything
— John Jingleheimersch (@jjingleheimer99) July 15, 2020
Dear @US_OSC
— File411 (@File411) July 15, 2020
I think you might have a hatch act violation here
Signed
An annoyed tax payer
This is a Hatch Act Violation. LOCK HER UP!
— HawaiiDelilah™ (@HawaiiDelilah) July 15, 2020
Others ridiculed her for “pretending” to eat Goya food.
FFS! These people have no shame. When exactly has a Trump eaten Goya Food? - NEVER! 🤦🏿
— Chidi®️ (@ChidiNwatu) July 15, 2020
Who are you kidding? You know you don’t eat that. This is a political stance to attract Latino’s.
— CoCo Bonita-“Don’t mess with me” (@cobonita) July 15, 2020
I imagine Ivanka sent her maid out to get this can as a prop.
— JeremyNewberger (@jeremynewberger) July 15, 2020
Some Twitter users availed themselves of the opportunity to underscore that Ivanka Trump was “unqualified” to be an adviser to the US President.
If it's Ivanka, it has to be vapid, feckless, insincere, and complicit. You never even held a can of Goya before your racist dad #RecklessTrump decided he needed a distraction.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) July 15, 2020
Stop worrying about the Goya.
Start worrying about the DEAD.pic.twitter.com/dDcc9Sb6IW
The Narcissist’s Unqualified Daughter pic.twitter.com/vqadYMTcpk
— ElElegante101 (@skolanach) July 15, 2020
Ivanka Trump’s tweet comes as Goya Foods was forced to fend off a flood of criticism after its CEO extolled US President Donald Trump at a White House event last week.
Goya was founded in Manhattan in 1936 by Don Prudencio Unanue and his wife Carolina, immigrants from Spain. It is currently the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the US, but found itself in hot water after recent comments made by Robert Unanue, the grandson of the founders and now Goya CEO.
At a Rose Garden event announcing a “Hispanic Prosperity Initiative” on 10 July Unanue said, while standing alongside Trump:
“We all truly blessed, at the same time, to have a leader like President Trump who is a builder.”
Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue: "We're all truly blessed... to have a leader like President Trump who is a builder." pic.twitter.com/2VdG4qAnpK
— The Hill (@thehill) July 9, 2020
The words set off a Twitter avalanche, with the hashtags #BoycottGoya, #GoyaFoods and #Goyaway trending on social media platforms.
Julian Castro, the housing secretary under former President Barack Obama, and former Democratic presidential contender, slammed Bob Unanue for praising a president who “villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain."
.@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations.
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) July 9, 2020
Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain. Americans should think twice before buying their products. #Goyaway https://t.co/lZDQlK6TcU
There was no official comment from Goya Foods.
