Discrepancy in T-Shirt Origins Raises Questions for Rep. Tom Barrett
Republican Representative Tom Barrett, serving Michigan’s 7th District, is facing scrutiny over the origins of t-shirts he is selling. Although his online store promotes these shirts as being manufactured in the United States, they bear tags indicating they were made in Haiti.
Barrett, who has emphasized the importance of boosting domestic manufacturing as part of his reelection campaign, made statements in April during a tour of a Lansing machine plant supporting U.S. manufacturing. “We really want to onshore more of our own manufacturing,” he commented to WLIX, while attributing some success in this area to former President Donald Trump’s policies, despite a reported increase in offshored jobs last year according to The Guardian.
The campaign merchandise in question includes t-shirts emblazoned with “Barrett Brigade” and a helicopter silhouette, alluding to Barrett’s experience as a Black Hawk pilot in the U.S. Army. The product description highlights these shirts as “100% cotton” and “Made in USA.” However, images from August 2024 reveal tags on the shirts stating “made in Haiti,” produced by Gildan, a Canadian company known for outsourcing its manufacturing.
The extent of overseas production for other campaign items remains unverified. Gildan has faced criticism for its labor practices, including the firing of 64 workers in Port-au-Prince in 2023 for striking over unpaid overtime. Reports from a decade earlier by the Toronto Star noted that Gildan employees in Haiti struggled with wages insufficient for basic expenses.
As Barrett campaigns for a second term, his Democratic opponent will emerge from the Aug. 4 primary, with several contenders already receiving endorsements from labor unions. Currently, Barrett lacks labor union support.
The post Barrett sells Haiti-made t-shirts despite ‘Made in USA’ claim appeared first on American Journal News.
—
Read More Kitchen Table News
