Carmen Quiñones was thrust into the national spotlight days ago with a video about public housing that aired as part of the Republican convention to re-nominate President Trump.


What You Need To Know

  • Four NYCHA tenant leaders were featured at the Republican National Convention to nominate Trump

  • One resident featured in video tells NY1 she knew ahead of time it was for the RNC

  • The regional HUD administrator maintains that she didn't mislead or exploit any tenants

“My name is Carmen Quiñones and I’m the president of Douglass Houses, 3,500 strong residents here," she says in the RNC video.

But the lifelong Democrat isn’t a supporter of Trump.

She said she saw the GOP convention as a platform to discuss problems at NYCHA.

“This is not a Democrat, Republican issue. It is a human issue," she said.

Quiñones grew more impassioned as she detailed conditions, including violence and lead paint.

“This is real. We live this every day. This is real. I saw a chance to get it out. I took it," she said.

"No regrets?" a reporter asked.

"I took it!" Quiñones said.

The New York Times reported that three of four tenants in the video were tricked and didn't know they would be featured at the GOP convention.

Quiñones — also a City Council candidate — told NY1 she was aware.

She did take issue with how the video was edited.

She said that lost in the politics was her message about NYCHA.

“Equity and homeownership is one. Two, Section Three," she said, continuing: “We have qualified people. We’re supposed to be the first ones to get offered any jobs that come to public housing. So, Section Three violation. Civil rights violation.”

The others in the video couldn't be reached for comment.

Council Member Ritchie Torres — a congressional nominee who grew up in public housing — cited ethical violations in its production and said NYCHA was used as a political prop.

“The video shown that the Republican National Convention was pure political propaganda," he said. "It gives a false impression that life in public housing has improved under President Trump.”

Lynne Patton, regional administrator at U.S. Housing and Urban Development, oversaw the video’s filming.

She rejected the idea that the interviewees and other NYCHA residents were exploited.

“I care way too much about them and about the issue of NYCHA itself to throw that all away for two minutes of video at a political convention," Patton said. "I love this president. I love this administration. But I don’t love it more than I love human beings and their feelings.”

Asked about potential Hatch Act violations, Patton said she used leave without pay and said White House counsel cleared the video.