Senator James Lankford (R-OK) is reportedly involved as a key figure in a team addressing issues against Donald Trump, immigration debates, vaccine promotion, climate change concerns, and other topics seen as opposing conservative values.
Matthew Albo, who describes himself as a leadership consultant with a background in academics and ethics, joined Lankford’s team in July as a senior advisor. He is tasked with leading the Value Action Team (VAT).
Lankford also serves as a co-chair of the VAT Senate.
Albo, a former associate professor at Oklahoma Baptist University, has gained attention for utilizing his Christian faith to support liberal policies.
William Wolf, the executive director of the Baptist Leadership Center, remarked that Albo has consistently defended liberal viewpoints and criticized legitimate concerns regarding critical race theory (CRT) and the religious exemption for the COVID vaccine, asserting that “Christian values” seem lacking.
Albo previously tweeted in September 2020 about CRT, suggesting that the heightened fears surrounding it were somewhat amusing, which sparked conservative reactions regarding his position within Lankford’s team.
Breitbart News questioned whether Lankford was aware of Albo’s history of criticizing Trump, particularly in relation to the Value Action Team.
The Lankford office did not provide comments to Breitbart and opted to send various tweets from academics instead.
Tom Jones, chairman of the American Accountability Foundation, expressed concern in a statement about Lankford’s hiring practices, questioning if he tends to select staff members who have opposed Trump’s re-election or if Albo is an anomaly. He posed queries about Albo’s views on COVID vaccination and Trump’s policies.
Jones also wondered if there are staff in Lankford’s office who fundamentally disagree with the voters who elected him.
In past statements, Albo criticized Trump’s behavior on social media, suggesting that it embarrassed the presidency. He called for a discussion regarding the president’s moral implications regarding his policies.
Albo argued that support for Trump’s immigration policies should not take precedence over ethical considerations, emphasizing the importance of treating immigrants humanely and ensuring fair asylum processes.
He has also shown support for religious exemptions regarding vaccination requirements and has advocated for stronger climate change actions, indicating that addressing this issue represents a moral obligation for faith communities.
In 2018, Albo criticized Trump’s immigration policy, arguing that individuals should not feel compelled to follow unjust laws. He pointed out the controversial family separation policy and related it to the actions of prior administrations.
Wolf mentioned that Albo made statements against gun rights, highlighting contradictions in his positions.
In collaborative work, Albo previously expressed the view that Christians should not feel obligated to support Trump, stating that they had a moral responsibility to reject him and the rationale that Christians ought to vote for him.
Albo hopes that his perspectives and writings can serve a purpose for others.
