Is Chuck Schumer actively trying to blackball progressive candidates?

[denverbill]

Months after the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee formally announced it would blacklist consultants who work with primary challengers against incumbent Democrats, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee — controlled by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — is reportedly taking the policy of its House counterpart "one step further" by undermining progressive candidates attempting to flip Republican-held seats.

The Intercept reported Thursday that Andrew Romanoff, a Medicare for All and Green New Deal supporter running for Republican Sen. Cory Gardner's Colorado seat, has had "multiple consultants" turn down offers to work on his campaign due to "pressure from the DSCC."

...

https://www.salon.com/2019/09/03/is-chuck-schumer-actively-trying-to-blackball-progressive-candidates/

[SHRED]

1. I don't trust Greenwald's The Intercept

[Otto Lidenbrock]

4. Greenwald is a total fraud

For the last two years he has made smug remarks about those who are having their civil liberties taken away from them under Trump from the comfort of his ranch in Brazil. Now Brazil have their own maniacal monster as President he is facing the same persecution fears. You would have thought that would have humbled him at the reality but nope he still is at it excusing the Trump regime.

[SHRED]

8. He is an asshole

I know from personal experience.

[RhodeIslandOne]

19. He wants another 4 years of Trump

He's a piece of crap.

[denverbill]

6. I trust Andrew Romanoff and his campaign.

Andrew Romanoff doesn't take special interest money and never has. Hickenlooper is pals with the frackers and is pretty much a libertarian on everything else. He might be a social progressive but he could pass for a Republican on everything else. He'll be happy to take donations from insurance companies, pharmas, oil companies, whoever.

[PatrickforO]

22. He sure will. I would much rather see Romanoff get that seat.

Interesting how many of the posts express vitriol at the person reporting on the situation. But you know what? I wouldn't put that at all past the powers that be. We're not supposed to criticize Dems on this site, but if Schumer is doing this, then he's wrong.

I implore those of you on this thread who are part of our party's power structure - don't do this. If you despise progressive candidates, ask yourselves why? Do you really disagree with their positions? What is the basis of your disagreement? And, if it is that some donors won't like it, then you'll have to think that one through seriously. Will you take the high road or the low road?

Let's get the dark money out. All we have to do is stand firm against it and keep standing. There are very few people whose greed makes the rest of us miserable through bad policy. Let's STAND UP TO THEM. Let the progressives run.

Now, I don't know if this guy's allegations are true or not, but I can find out. And if that is the case, I will fight hard locally to get someone besides Hick in there against Gardner. Hick wasn't that great a governor. He is an oil and gas guy who as the poster said, could be Republican except for a few socially liberal positions. Hick is your quintessential blue dog.

[saidsimplesimon]

10. He's should be a candidate for the

know nothing Libertarian fantasy.

[Eliot Rosewater]

26. Of course not but it gives ammo to a certain bunch of folks who pretend to be on the left

[Cary]

2. Do real Democrats have a right support candidates of their choice?

[denverbill]

9. Sure but the DSCC will have their thumbs on the scale.

[Cary]

13. I have been involved in helping people to get on the ballot

There is nothing neat or pure about that process. But, you see, the Democratic Party is a private organization. Of course "the DSSC has its thumb on the scales."

[zentrum]

16. You said it!

[W_HAMILTON]

31. Bullshit.

The DSCC doesn't run or control the primaries, therefore they are not "putting their thumbs on the scale" anymore than a PAC like Justice Democrats or a politician like AOC that chooses to endorse a certain candidate in the primary.

[George II]

3. I love these articles that present a speculative question as though it's reality.

[SHRED]

5. Greenwald's rag is notorious for this

[Cary]

7. Nattering nabobs of negativity

[brer cat]

35. Ha, a Spiro Agnew quote!

You dug that one out very smoothly, Cary.

[NYMinute]

30. The whole ultra-left utopia is entirely speculative

Centrists win more elections and have a better chance in purple and swing states -- as proven by the 2018 midterms. Almost all the seats flipped from Republicans were won by centrist Democrats. Ultra progressives only defeated primary incumbents in deep blue areas which would have been won by a Democrat -- anyone with a D anyway.

[lapucelle]

34. The Salon article is actually from Common Dreams. The author was busy smearing

the Democratic Party (and our nominee) during the general election campaign of 2016.

From a September 2016 piece by the same author.

"In this weirdest year," Kirchick wrote, "there may be no weirder phenomenon than the rise of the progressive Donald Trump supporter."

Among those apparently deserving of the label "progressive Trump fan" are Glenn Greenwald, Rania Khalek, Zaid Jilani, Julian Assange, Jill Stein, and Katrina vanden Heuvel, all of whom, according to Kirchick, are "captive to a crude and one-dimensional anti-Americanism."

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/09/01/courting-right-smearing-left-ethos-clinton-campaign

Jake Johnson, Glenn Greenwald,Katrina vanden Heuval, and Justice Democrats are the sources and purveyors of this narrative.

*****************************************************************************

*****************************************************************************

Caveat lector.

[Autumn]

11. That is so wrong of them to do that. Romanoff is a great guy.

"They've made it clear to a number of the firms and individuals we tried to hire that they wouldn't get any business in Washington or with the DSCC if they worked with me," Romanoff said. "It's been a well-orchestrated operation to blackball ragtag grassroots teams."

[denverbill]

12. Completely agree. Ritter should have appointed him but Ritter didn't listen to the voters.

He listened to billionaire Phil Anschutz and appointed his boy Michael Bennett, who works hard to promote school choice and other libertarian ideas.

Romanoff would be a great Senator. Schumer doesn't want people that aren't beholden to special interests.

[Autumn]

14. Very disheartening.

[Cary]

15. Did you tell that to the DSCC?

If not, blame yourself.

[Autumn]

20. No. I'm going to blame the ones who are attempting to keeping him out of the race.

And I'll call the DSCC later and let them know exactly how I feel.

[zentrum]

17. Schumer is my Senator.

He's a piece of work.

Would love to see him go.

[hack89]

18. The skids are being greased for Hickenlooper

which makes sense. Of all the Dems running, Romanoff is the least likely to win.

[Demsrule86]

21. More swill from Greenwald and Salon...home of HA Goodman or whatever the hell his name

was...they helped elect Trump. Fuck them.

[NYMinute]

29. +1000 nt

[TwilightZone]

24. More likely, they think Hickenlooper has a better chance of winning.

And plan to back him accordingly. Their job is to help win elections, after all.

[highplainsdem]

32. +1,000,000. Nailed it.

[mcar]

25. The Intercept?

[NYMinute]

28. I am deeply suspicious of the Intercept

Greenwald and people who consider it a reputable publication.

[NYMinute]

27. Ultra Left candidates can never flip a republican held seat

Only centrists and moderates can do it. The entire US is not Vermont or Washington or Massachusetts.

[Joe941]

33. Meh.

[Blue_true]

36. My guess is Schumer is playing the odds.

With Hickenlooper now in the prinary, Schumer is going with what looks like the stronger choice for the General.

[tirebiter]

37. Been down this road before

It does sound like Chakrabarti has new “overlords.”



One of my favorite politicians was Jesse Unruh who opined, “If you can’t screw their women, take their money and then vote against them you have no business in politics.”

[Hekate]

38. Greenwald? Glen? Close pal of the guy who hid out in the embassy?

Nah, I don't find him a credible source.

[comradebillyboy]

39. The usaul nonsense from Salon the home of HA Goodman.

Salon hates actual Democrats and loves to promote garbage conspiracy theories. And Greenwald and the Intercept are not at all reliable.