Sen. Ed Markey's Boston Internship Listing Draws Scrutiny Over Equal-Opportunity Rules
Markey’s Boston internship deadline is November 9; his named-group invitation has prompted questions about how it fits his office’s equal-opportunity pledge under Senate rules and federal law.
Mollie Hemingway asked on X on Oct. 13 whether senators are exempt from laws and regulations against discriminatory hiring practices. She was quoting Sen. Ed Markey’s post1 seeking Spring 2027 interns for his Boston office2, with applications due November 9, 20263.
Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, posted the invitation at 2:58 p.m. on Oct. 13. Parents whose sons and daughters apply for Senate internships have a direct stake in the answer, because that standard decides who gets a fair look at the door.
“BIPOC, LGBTQ+, working class, veterans, and other underrepresented candidates with Massachusetts ties are encouraged to apply.”
Her post quotes Sen. Ed Markey's own announcement from the same day, which opens: "I’m hiring motivated and eager interns for the Spring 2027 semester in my Boston office1."
Markey’s post said that “BIPOC, LGBTQ+, working class, veterans, and other underrepresented candidates with Massachusetts ties are encouraged to apply. ”2 His official Boston internship listing carries the same invitation to candidates from BIPOC, LGBT+, working class, veteran and other underrepresented communities3.
The same listing states that the office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, gender, family status or military status3. It also calls Markey’s office an equal employment opportunity employer “in accordance with the requirements of Senate Rules and Regulations and applicable federal laws.”4
The post drew sharp criticism, with Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) asking on X whether white men were allowed to apply. City Journal’s Christopher Rufo wrote that a United States senator can openly violate civil rights law on Twitter. Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton wrote that the senator “makes it clear who he will not hire.” Journalist Nick Sortor asked whether it would have been easier to say “straight White men need not apply.”4
The Daily Caller News Foundation reports that the posting raised concerns about whether Markey violated discrimination laws, and that he made a similar call to these groups in a July 9, 2025, job listing. The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission did not respond to its requests for comment on potential legal problems, and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon’s office declined to comment5.
The Daily Caller News Foundation reports that the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights and the EEOC did not respond to its inquiry5. Families considering the Boston internship should submit applications before the deadline.
Sources
- @MZHemingway on X, 2026-10-13: Serious question: are senators exempt from laws and regulations against brazenly racist/sexist/otherwise discriminatory hiring practices?, 2026-10-13
- Ed Markey on X: "I’m hiring motivated and eager interns for the Spring 2027 semester in my Boston office. BIPOC, LGBTQ+, working class, veterans, and other underrepresented candidates with Massachusetts ties are encouraged to apply. Applications are due Monday, November 9th." / X
- Internships | Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts
- Dem Sen. Ed Markey Criticized for Post Seeking 'BIPOC, LGBTQ+' Interns
- Democrat Senator Ed Markey Goes Fishing For DEI Interns - AOL
FAMILY BRIEF The news and network for the American family.
