A conservative ethicist chosen by Republican Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma to guide value policies has a history of critiquing President Donald Trump and backing left-leaning causes.
Matthew Albo, a bioethicist and former theology professor, shared on Wednesday that he will be joining Lankford’s Senate office as part of the Senate Value Action Team.
“I am excited to assist Senator Lankford and his constituents, and grateful for the chance to advance crucial issues related to public goods,” Albo tweeted.
Albo has simply reframed his role to help lead the value policy portfolio, though reports suggest he will be in charge of the Senate Value Action Team, which focuses on advancing traditional values.
However, some critics are voicing concerns that his past may hinder his effectiveness in this role.
The American Accountability Foundation, branding itself as a pro-American watchdog, expressed disappointment in the hiring, dubbing Albo as an “apologist” for Critical Race Theory (CRT). They shared a screenshot of a tweet from 2020 where Albo downplayed conservative objections to CRT.
“The fears surrounding CRT are a bit laughable at this point,” Albo stated.
In response, the foundation called it “embarrassing” for Lankford to hire someone with such a background.
William E. Wolf, who heads the Baptist Leadership Centre, also criticized Lankford’s decision. He pointed out that Albo has frequently defended liberal positions within the Southern Baptist Convention.
“It’s unfortunate what Senator Lankford has done. Albo has consistently shown a liberal stance,” Wolf tweeted, highlighting that Albo dismissed concerns about CRT and opposed the religious exemption for the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Screenshots shared by Wolf show Albo advising Christians against pursuing religious exemptions from the vaccine mandate.
Additionally, reports indicate that Albo has demonstrated ongoing hostility toward Trump. In a 2019 op-ed, he mentioned blocking Trump on Twitter, calling the president’s actions “cruel and mean.” “I didn’t want to witness a president embarrass the office nearly every day,” he reflected.
The Lankford office has not yet commented on this matter.
