Syracuse.com reports:
Matt Roberts stood in a corner of the State Dining Room at the White House on Monday, showing samples of his company’s Liberty Tabletop stainless steel silverware, when Rep. Claudia Tenney rushed over with a spoon in her hand.
Roberts, president of Sherrill Manufacturing, the Upstate New York firm that’s America’s last flatware maker, looked closely at the spoon with the eye of an experienced craftsman. Tenney, R-New Hartford, asked if he could make out the brand and where it was made. “It says Oneida Ltd.,” Roberts said, shaking his head in disappointment. “It’s made in China.”
Tenney had just taken the spoon off a table where the White House served refreshments at its annual “Made in America Product Showcase.” President Donald Trump established the annual event to show off American-made products.
Last year Trump promised Tenney that the White House would purchase flatware from Liberty Tabletop.
CNY flatware company to participate in the ‘Made in America Product Showcase’ at the White House…https://t.co/QJz5U8G4rJ pic.twitter.com/QwTXNHzIvk
— Liberty Tabletop (@LibertyTabletop) July 23, 2018
Our district is the proud home of @LibertyTabletop, the only flatware manufacturer producing 100 percent Made in America flatware. Today, they will represent New York at the @WhiteHouse Made in America Showcase.
Watch the event live, here: https://t.co/i2iRJdAgBz— Congresswoman Tenney (@RepTenney) July 23, 2018
White House uses Chinese flatware at Made in USA event https://t.co/Po1lB5OhTl pic.twitter.com/6k1wmbSIaP
— James Gleason (@Duke63) July 24, 2018
America’s last flatware maker invited to White House; guests dine with spoons from China https://t.co/BtCaQ3MD5B
— Not The Onion (@_NotTheOnion_) July 24, 2018