A group of 64 Democrats want the Treasury to reconsider removing Alexander Hamilton from the $10 bill — and say President Andrew Jackson should be replaced on the $20 instead.
Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) and Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) spearheaded a letter to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew asking the deparmtent to reconsider its plans to replace Hamilton with a to-be-determined woman.
{mosads}They argue it would be better to get rid of Jackson.
The lawmakers say they “find it disappointing that Alexander Hamilton, one of the most influential interpreters of the U.S. Constitution, a passionate advocate for the abolition of slavery, and the founder of the nation’s financial system, will be removed from our currency while President Andrew Jackson retains his place on the twenty.”
The lawmakers cited Andrew Jackson’s mixed legacy supporting slavery and forcing Native American tribes into mass migrations, along with his opposition to the central banking system. They noted that his opposition to paper currency and the central bank would make him “an ironic choice to be immortalized” on the $20 bill.
“We reiterate our deep concern with the effort to remove Alexander Hamilton from the ten dollar bill while preserving President Jackson on the more heavily-utilized twenty dollar bill. We hope to work with you to preserve Alexander Hamilton’s place on our currency while elevating a woman to a place she deserves,” they wrote.
Pascrell and Plaskett both represent regions where Hamilton lived. The nation’s first Treasury secretary founded Paterson, N.J., which is in Pascrell’s district, and grew up in the Virgin Islands.
The Treasury Department has said it opted to revise the $10 instead of the $20 bill by 2020 because of concerns about counterfeiting. The decision came after a campaign to replace Jackson with a woman on the $20.