Category Archives: Democrat

Nancy Pelosi is in a high-stakes game with members of her own party. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

As Washington pols and journalists were focused on the tragic developments in Afghanistan in recent days, some new drama emerged on the domestic front over the timing and content of must-pass legislation, with divisions sharpening among Democrats. For weeks now, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been warning that the bipartisan infrastructure package would not be brought up in that chamber until a FY 2022 budget resolution and reconciliation bill had cleared the Senate, too. Pelosis aim has been to make sure Democratic centrists in both the House and Senate dont bail on the big prize the reconciliation bill or make unreasonable demands about its size and shape once they have their precious bipartisan symbol in hand.

Chief Senate Democratic centrist wheeler-dealers Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have been cautiously testing how far they can push Democratic progressives on the reconciliation bill before endangering the infrastructure bill, suggesting that their votes for the budget resolution capping the reconciliation bill at $3.5 trillion doesnt mean they will vote for a package of that size. But on August 12, nine of their House counterparts upped the ante significantly, demanding that Pelosi bring up and pass the infrastructure bill before even finishing up work on the budget resolution, much less beginning work on the reconciliation (which is expected to take weeks, maybe months, to put together, as you might expect from legislation implementing Bidens massive American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan).

Pelosi countered with a public offer to create a rule (the House procedural mechanism for scheduling and structuring floor votes) that would include both the infrastructure bill and the budget resolution essentially a pledge that one would pass in conjunction with the other. But that doesnt mean the infrastructure bill would necessarily come up first, and it certainly wouldnt keep Pelosi from holding back the infrastructure bill until her original demand of Senate passage of both the budget resolution and the reconciliation bill were met first. While this looked like a bid from Pelosi for talks toward a compromise, the House centrists rejected it in a statement (per Punchbowl News):

While we appreciate the forward procedural movement on the bipartisan infrastructure agreement, our view remains consistent: We should vote first on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework without delay and then move to immediate consideration of the budget resolution.

The centrists arent just circling Pelosi with demands; behind her are Democratic progressives in both chambers who grudgingly supported the infrastructure deal in order to ensure party unity on the budget resolution and the reconciliation bill. And its also important to note that Democratic factions themselves are not necessarily on the same page when it comes to the crucial reconciliation bill. Perhaps Manchin and Sinema just want a less pricey package. But as my colleague Jonathan Chait recently observed, most of the rebellious House centrists appear to want provisions (particularly tax benefits for wealthy donors and constituents) that will boost the price of the bill.

Pelosis original plan was to pass the budget resolution the minute the House returns briefly next week, and then give staff from both Houses and from the White House time to work on the highly complex reconciliation bill. While that timetable can still work from a mechanical point of view, its increasingly obvious that key Democrats need to sit down and work out everything now in sufficient detail to ensure that Bidens hopes of both an infrastructure bill and a reconciliation bill arent dashed by intraparty divisions or misunderstandings. That means a pretty clear understanding of what will be in the ultimate reconciliation bill; how much spending will be involved; and how it will be paid for in revenues. Its too late for any more delaying tactics aimed at increasing leverage for anyone.

Once House and Senate Democrats are all onboard with a comprehensive deal, Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and, yes, Joe Biden, will be in a position to threaten hell on earth for any Democrat from any faction who tries to sabotage any of the key legislation. The deal-making window will be closed, and at that point, Pelosi and Schumer can roll out the votes however they wish. Indeed, given what is happening in Afghanistan, perhaps Democrats will all agree to give Biden his infrastructure bill so he can have a Rose Garden ceremony and a kegger to celebrate the bipartisan accomplishment. But that can only happen if all the deals go down immediately. Not only will this approach simply accelerate what needs to happen eventually, it could also keep the infrastructure-reconciliation combo platter from becoming even more complicated by debt limit and appropriations cliffs in the autumn.

The key factor here is for all Democrats to realize that the success or failure of Joe Bidens presidency is at stake not next year or in 2023, but now. If either the infrastructure bill or the reconciliation bill falls apart, the already high odds of Democrats losing their governing trifecta in 2022 will go up sharply, making all those House centrists toast and emboldening Republicans to go for total power in 2024 before even thinking about any sort of positive legislative agenda of their own. The August recess can wait.

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Democrats in Congress Need to Cut to the Chase With a Deal on Everything - New York Magazine

FULTON COUNTY (WEEK) - A second candidate has come forward wanting to be the next Fulton County sheriff.

Senior Deputy Ryan Maricle, who's been with the sheriff's department for 17 1/2 years, said he's running as a Democrat to replace retiring sheriff Jeff Standard.

Maricle is the most recent recipient of the Illinois Sheriffs' Association "Deputy of the Year" award for helping save the life of a woman while he was off-duty in July 2020. Her lawn mower had rolled into a body of water, and she was trapped underneath. Maricle and the woman's husband helped keep her head above water until first responders could free her, according to a sheriffs' association news release.

Maricle spent 10 1/2 years as a patrol officer with the sheriff's office, and he was assigned seven years ago to the Illinois State Police Drug Task Force.

Maricle said in a news release that he is a union member and takes part in contract negotiations for deputies as vice president of AFSCME Local 3433.

Maricle added that he's a lifelong Fulton County resident, as is the first Republican to enter the race.

Sgt. Jon Webb is the department's chief detective and announced earlier in the week that he's running as a Republican.

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'Deputy of the Year' to run as a Democrat for Fulton County sheriff - week.com

When Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) watched the final scenes of the U.S. war in Afghanistan unfold on Sunday, he decided to do something few other Democrats did: publicly blame President Joe Biden.

Unlike some Democratic critics of Bidens Afghanistan policy, however, Langevin wasnt just criticizing his president for how he withdrew American military forces from the country; he laid into Biden for withdrawing troops at all.

Langevin, who has served on the House Armed Services Committee since the war began in 2001, wrote an op-ed in Foreign Policy on Tuesday arguing that the catastrophe unfolding in Kabulnow defined forever by images of a desperate effort from U.S. citizens and Afghan allies to flee after a rapid Taliban takeoverwas why he opposed Bidens plan to withdraw by the 20-year anniversary of the conflict.

This negligence was par for the course for the last U.S. administration, wrote Langevin. I am disappointed to see it now.

Rep. Jim Langevin of Rhode Island is one of the few Democrats in Congress who have publicly blamed President Joe Biden for the Afghanistan debacle.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty

A few senior Democrats also piped up to match that rhetoric. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), a noted hawk and chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he was disappointed that the Biden administration clearly did not accurately assess the implications of a rapid U.S. withdrawal.

But far more Democratic lawmakers have stayed publicly silent on the Afghanistan withdrawal. From rank-and-file members to ostensible experts on the House Armed Services panelincluding the chairman, Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA)they havent so much as tweeted about the situation, much less appeared in print or on cable to discuss.

In an interview with The Daily Beast, Langevin said he had not spoken with many colleagues, but believes he is hardly the only Democrat convinced that the last 72 hours have proved Bidens strategy was a mistake.

Im sure that there are many on both sides of the aisle who are as upset as I am about the way this has unfolded, he said on Wednesday. If the president was going to follow through on this, he owed the American people, our troops, and our partners a much more well-thought-out and better-executed plan

Clearly, plenty of Republicans feel similarly. Theyve launched withering, non-stop criticism of Bidens handling of the exit, even though most supported the idea when Donald Trump was actively pushing it.

In April, a number of congressional Democrats publicly expressed their concern about this exact scenario after Biden announced he would move forward with the September withdrawal timeline.

Despite that, when the breakdown they feared actually happened, a handful of hawks found themselves mostly alone in publicly putting the screws to Biden.

Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), for example, said in April that he opposed Bidens decision, arguing that removing our troops will not end the war in Afghanistan, or protect us against terrorism. A former diplomat himself, Malinowski is now focusing on getting Afghan allies out of the country and needling the Biden administration for their handling of that issue.

And Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee who also opposed a swift withdrawal, issued a lengthy statement Monday largely urging the Biden administration to prioritize evacuations and international efforts to protect women, girls, and other vulnerable groups after the Taliban takeover.

The reason Democratic hawks are increasingly isolated stems from more than just their gradual marginalization within a Democratic Party no longer wholly dominated by a pro-intervention, defense industry-friendly consensus. In fact, there are plenty of other lawmakers who share Langevins views.

But according to several Democratic aides, its not surprising that few are pushing them so publicly. It all stems from the old kindergarten adage apparently prevailing in the party right now: If you dont have something nice to say, dont say it at all.

At least in public. Smith may be scarce in the media, but he was blunt during a private member call on Tuesday to discuss Afghanistan.

Dont try to sugarcoat this, the chairman advised his colleagues, according to a source familiar with the remarks. Dont try to make this look better than it is. (A Smith spokesperson did not offer a comment by press time.)

Dont try to make this look better than it is, Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) told colleagues privately. Publicly, hes not saying much at all.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Indeed, the end of a messy, 20-year wara project owned by virtually the entire Washington establishmentdoes not lend itself to neat sound bites, nor does it lend itself to friendly spin for the commander-in-chief overseeing the withdrawal.

That was underscored on Monday, when White House talking points on Afghanistan were distributed to House Democrats and were promptly picked apart by experts. One of them, for example, suggested responding to the debacle around special visas for Afghan allies by arguing that many chose not to leave when they had a chance.

Malinowski responded to that by saying anyone writing those talking points should get in the visa line. Aides grumbled that the messaging strategy was worse than useless.

Faced with having to muddle through some happy-talk or criticize Biden, many Democrats are just opting out of the debate entirely.

Aside from the general absence of tweets, public statements, and TV hits discussing Afghanistan from Democrats, both the House and Senate are out of D.C. for August recess, so reporters cant bother them in the hallways with questions.

One lawmakerSen. Gary Peters (D-MI)had to come to the Capitol on Tuesday to open a perfunctory Senate session, and his interaction with reporters was revealing. Several pestered him with questions about Afghanistan as he left the floor, according to a CNN reporter, but he ignored all of them. Peters is the chairman of the Senates panel on homeland security.

Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) simply ignored reporters questions about the administrations decision-making.

Graeme Jennings/Getty

That silence is more than conspicuous to many Democrats. Even in the privacy of caucus calls, lawmakers havent gone especially hard after Biden directlythey have mostly vented frustration over the U.S. leaving Afghan allies stranded and the sense that Bidens team botched evacuations, according to multiple Democratic lawmakers.

Ive heard Democrats say if this were Donald Trump, every floor speech would be about this, said a senior Democratic aide close to the moderate wing of the party. Two-thirds of our caucus would rather set their face on fire than criticize the president.

The intensification of Republican criticism has added another incentive for silence: not boosting what Democrats see as bad-faith arguments from Republicans and creating a bipartisan pile-on.

Most people dont want it to turn into a bipartisan backlash that hurts Biden, said a senior Democratic Senate aide. No one wants to be seen as ganging up on a president of our own party.

Maybe down the road, it proves to be the right call. I dont see how.

Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI)

Another House Democratic aide echoed that point, saying folks are wary of criticizing the administration directly so as not to hand the GOP ammunition. A Democrat familiar with recent calls and discussions told The Daily Beast there is even some frustration percolating from Biden loyalists that some arent doing enough to defend the president.

Asked about that argument, Langevin downplayed any political angle by noting his consistency on the topic. I thought that President Trump was wrong when he proposed a troop withdrawal at an arbitrary and capricious date, he said.

Opposite the camp of hawks, there are a number of Democrats who are taking an opportunity to publicly stand behind Biden at a challenging time. The president has gotten a needed boost this week from a new crop of lawmakers, many of whom fought in Afghanistan themselves, who are making the rounds on cable and in print casting him as the commander-in-chief who finally had the backbone to end the war.

Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), a freshman and Marine veteran who served in Afghanistan, said on MSNBC Tuesday that Biden made the high-integrity decision that he was not going to hand off this boondoggle to yet another administration.

That gets at another reason behind the hawks loneliness: the Democratic conventional wisdom remains that the voting public will credit rather than scorn Biden in the long term for ending an expensive, costly, and increasingly pointless war.

Most Democrats agree with Bidens read of the politics, said the Democratic Senate aide, adding that the party is largely supportive of his main focus: getting a nearly $5 trillion infrastructure and economic package through Congress.

This is the ground Biden has focused on as he justifies his decision under scrutiny. I cannot and I will not ask our troops to fight on endlessly in another countrys civil war, taking casualties, suffering life-shattering injuries, leaving families broken by grief and loss, Biden said in his address to the country on Monday.

Regardless of their frustrations with Bidens handling of the situation, that is a line of argument few Democrats will publicly disagree withthough Langevin tried.

A small, limited footprint of 2,500 troops, in my mind, was a good bargain for what we got in return, he argued, citing the occupations protection of women and minorities from Taliban rule. None of us wants this to be an open-ended, never-ending mission. I get that.

But the Rhode Island Democrat didnt offer any specific condition under which U.S. forces could leave in good conscience, bolstering Biden and allies effort to cast his decision as one of endless war versus a principled departure.

Hes the president of the United States, this is the call he made, Langevin said. Maybe down the road, it proves to be the right call. I dont see how.

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Adam Smith and Other Democratic War Hawks Quietly Seethe Over Joe Biden's Botched Afghanistan Policies - The Daily Beast

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The Texas House Democratic Caucus could not account Tuesday for two of the members who broke quorum and fled for Washington, D.C., over Republicans' priority elections bill, while a Texas Monthly reporter said the members were on vacation in Portugal.

State Reps. Julie Johnson of Farmers Branch and Jessica Gonzlez of Dallas were not with other House Democrats on Tuesday in the nation's capital, according to a person familiar with the situation. On Tuesday evening, Texas Monthly reporter Jonathan Tilove tweeted that he "can confirm [Johnson] and her wife & [Gonzlez] and her fianc are in Portugal for a vacation they had been planning, with non-refundable tickets, for a year-and-a-half."

Neither Johnson nor Gonzlez, or their staffs, responded to requests for comment from The Texas Tribune throughout Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

In a text exchange though with the San Antonio Express-News on Tuesday evening, Gonzlez referred to the Portugal trip as "rumors" and said "no one has shown proof."

"These are rumors, period," she said. "End of story."

Their absence from Washington does not affect the lack of quorum that the House has in Austin that prevents the chamber from passing an elections bill. But it is at odds with House Democrats insistence that they would use their time away from the state Legislature, which they left in July, to advocate for federal voting rights legislation in the nations capital.

Gonzlez is an especially prominent player in the voting rights fight as the vice chair of the Texas House Elections Committee.

While it was reported that Johnson and Gonzlez were "still participating in caucus meetings via ZOOM," the news of their absence came the same day that more than 100 state legislators from across the country went to Washington for a rally to support the Texas Democrats. This is the last week of the special session in Austin.

The news of the Democrats' vacation brought a wave of House condemnation from their Republican colleagues who have been stuck in Austin waiting for them to return.

"Wow, just wow. Had to cancel my familys vacation last week to Grand Teton [National Park] because of a special session they helped create back in May," tweeted state Rep. Tom Oliverson of Cypress, referring to the House Democratic walkout that killed the elections bill during the regular session. "Texas deserves better than this."

Hours before word got out that Johnson and Gonzlez were missing from Washington, three of their Democratic colleagues had a news conference where they continued to express optimism about the federal elections push.

We are squarely focused on getting those pieces moving, state Rep. Joe Moody of El Paso said. I think were gonna have a lot of success this week.

Disclosure: Texas Monthly has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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Two House Democrats who broke quorum missing from Washington, D.C., reportedly vacationing in Portugal - The Texas Tribune

The race was not as much emblematic of a liberal-moderate divide among Democrats as it was a clash between an insider who rose fast in local party circles and an agitator who thrived on alienating party leaders by questioning their commitment to liberal ideals. Both candidates were solidly liberal in their views on a range of issues, including legalizing marijuana and making college more affordable or free in some cases.

Outside political groups from different corners of the Democratic coalition invested heavily in the race. Backing Ms. Turner were left-wing environmental interests supporting the Green New Deal; the political group founded by Senator Bernie Sanders that she once ran, Our Revolution; and two progressive groups, the Working Families Party and Justice Democrats.

Supporting Ms. Brown were more institutional players and politicians like the political committee of the Congressional Black Caucus; several senior members of the caucus; Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the Democratic House whip; Hillary Clinton; Jewish Democrats; Cleveland-area Black churches; and, unofficially, Marcia Fudge, who vacated the seat this year to become Mr. Bidens secretary of housing and urban development and consented to have her mother appear in an ad endorsing Ms. Brown because she had to remain neutral as a government official.

Democratic leaders in Washington and groups that are often at odds with the progressive left were worried that a victory by Ms. Turner, who led by double digits in early polls and initially raised more money than Ms. Brown, could presage a new round of intraparty hostilities for Democrats.

And the establishment hit back hard to a degree it had not in previous battles when candidates with the support of the partys activist left, like Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman of New York, took out veteran politicians with little pushback.

This time, while Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and other stars of the left campaigned in Ohio for Ms. Turner, prominent members of the Congressional Black Caucus like Mr. Clyburn visited the district and implored people to vote for Ms. Brown as someone who was respectful and willing to work with other Democrats an implicit criticism of Ms. Turners more confrontational style. Many criticized her openly, like Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, who referred to Ms. Turner as a single solitary know-it-all.

Advertising attacking Ms. Turners professionalism and character was ubiquitous in the district during the final days of the campaign. One ad from the centrist group Third Way compared Ms. Turners political style and tone to Mr. Trumps, and replayed an on-camera moment she has struggled to live down throughout the campaign in which she made a crude analogy to the choice between Mr. Biden, whom she did not support, and Mr. Trump.

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Democratic Insider and a Republican Backed by Trump Win Ohio House Races - The New York Times

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California Gov. Gavin Newsom has a simple way to beat back the recall election that could force him out of his job: Get Democrats to vote.

But it may not be as easy as it sounds. Democratic registration almost doubles that of Republicans in the state, but party leaders are alarmed because Republicans appear more eager to vote, which is backed up by polling. Some Democrats might not be paying attention because they are convinced Newsom is headed toward an easy victory.

The kind of voter Newsom needs to connect with is 37-year-old barber Dwayne Speed of Sacramento, who is a registered Democrat but has been thinking about switching to independent. He felt Newsom pushed his own personal agenda during the pandemic. But he isnt convinced by recall supporters either and hasnt decided how he will vote.

I want to know every single basis that theyre trying to recall him on, Speed said. Nobodys going to have a job and do it 100% perfectly.

Interviews with about 20 voters across Sacramento, Fresno and Los Angeles reveal the challenges Newsom faces just two weeks before ballots start arriving in voters mailboxes ahead of the Sept. 14 contest. While a handful of voters had decisive plans to vote for Newsom, many were aware of the recall but hadnt yet formed an opinion, did not know when the election was scheduled, or were lukewarm on Newsom.

Among Newsoms challenges: Voters arent used to elections in odd-numbered years, and certainly not in September. Many voters have turned away from television platforms that carry ads, and resurgent coronavirus rates could make people unwilling to answer a knock at the door from a campaign worker. But every voter will get a ballot in the mail, giving them an easy opportunity to participate.

The recall effort was launched by novice Republican activists last year before the pandemic took hold, and they successfully gathered more than the 1.5 million signatures required by state law to place it on the ballot. Their effort was initially seen as a long shot that drew little attention. But signatures spiked after Newsom was caught dining out at the high-end French Laundry restaurant in Northern California for a birthday party while urging people to stay home and avoid gatherings.

In Los Angeles, 24-year-old Nick Yi, a registered independent who is between jobs, said he hasnt been paying much attention to the recall, in part because he has been staying away from news to avoid accounts of Asian hate crimes, which he finds upsetting.

He expects to vote and tends to lean Democratic. But he doesnt have a strong impression of Newsom, calling him someone who is passionate and Republicans dont like.

As Newsoms team looks to engage voters like Yi, they are spending significant time branding the effort as a partisan contest. The majority of his TV ads have made a case against the recall rather than one for Newsom, branding it as a Republican power grab.

One ad shows video of people storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. In another, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts tells voters weve seen Trump Republicans across the country attacking election results and the right to vote. Now theyre coming to grab power in California.

Democrats are openly sounding the alarm. Juan Rodriguez, campaign manager of the anti-recall effort, told The Associated Press he is very concerned about turnout. In an interview with editorial boards for McClatchys California newspapers, Newsom warned that the recall would have profound consequences heading into the 2022 midterm elections. The campaign has already sent 14 million text messages to voters, and Rodriguez said enthusiasm is increasing as Democrats learn more about the race.

Three months ago, Myra Coble of Fresno was a Democrat who was convinced Newsom couldnt be recalled. Now shes a volunteer with the county party trying to convince other Democrats not to rest on that assumption.

Our fear is that in this election, Republicans will turn out and Democrats will be complacent because they think it cant happen, she said.

Democratic President Joe Biden won Fresno County with 53% of the vote in the 2020 presidential election. Though Fresno and other counties in the Central Valley are home to fewer voters than population power centers like San Diego and Los Angeles, Newsom has touted his commitment to the region throughout his governorship and traveled there regularly.

But his message doesnt always break through. Curtis Selland and Leslie Pugsley are two Fresno County Democrats who will vote to keep Newsom but arent his biggest fans.

Pugsley, 57, applauded the job Newsom did during the early months of coronavirus when he acted quickly to shut down schools and businesses. But she thinks he comes off as a snooty San Francisco liberal who isnt genuine.

On the opposite end, Christina Grout, 37, is a Democrat and mother of two from Sacramento who is excited to support Newsom.

A disability justice advocate, she pays close attention to state politics and appreciated Newsoms handling of the pandemic. If anything, she would have liked to see him be more aggressive by keeping the states mask mandate in place longer. The state dropped its mandate for vaccinated people on June 15. But on Wednesday, state officials began recommending people wear masks indoors again.

I feel proud to be a Californian, Grout said.

Los Angeles County, meanwhile, could present Newsoms biggest challenge. It is home to more than 3 million Democrats and is a place where statewide elections can be won or lost. But voters often shrug at politics and can be especially difficult to get to the polls, even during a routine November election.

Outside a local library, independent Jonathan Montes, 22, said he plans to vote but is undecided about Newsom. He is troubled by climbing rents and the unchecked spread of homelessness - people could be seen slumped in doorways nearby, or splayed beneath trees.

Hes going to give Newsom a close look before making a decision, but at this point I would like to see someone else, Montes said. Newsom hasnt lived up to expectations.

___

Blood reported from Los Angeles.

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AP: What election? California Democrats worry over recall apathy - Associated Press

President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the top Democrats in Congress met at the White House on Friday to discuss their partys faltering efforts to pass major voting rights legislation.

Mr. Bidens meeting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York came at a crucial moment, as activists are pushing the president to use his power and Democrats control of Congress to protect voting rights while they have the chance. Republican-led states have enacted at least 30 new laws containing a host of new restrictions on voting, and G.O.P. senators have blocked consideration of a Democratic bill that would impose sweeping new federal mandates aimed at overriding them.

Party leaders do not have many options to break through the gridlock. In June, Republicans successfully stalled Democrats marquee elections legislation, called the For the People Act, by filibustering it. Democrats hopes of changing Senate filibuster rules to bypass Republicans have flagged as a few holdouts within the party continue to oppose such a move. And their window for legislative action is narrow.

Democrats are close to finalizing a scaled-back bill that activists hope could be a battering ram in the fight over the filibuster. The party is also readying legislation to reinforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and lawmakers have discussed tucking voting provisions into the $3.5 trillion budget plan advancing in the Senate, which they can push through unilaterally over the opposition of Republicans. But the G.O.P. is largely opposed to all three.

In a statement after the meeting, the White House called passing legislation on the issue a moral imperative.

Recognizing the challenges ahead, the four leaders agreed on the importance of advancing legislation reflecting the priorities and values of those two bills, having them pass the House of Representatives and the Senate, and withstand constitutional challenge, the statement said.

Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota, confirmed on Thursday that a small group of Democratic senators had been meeting to hash out a revised bill that could be released in the coming days. Among them is Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, a moderate who balked at some of the more expansive proposals in the For the People Act and has been a determined holdout on keeping the filibuster intact.

This isnt one of these Oh, maybe well get it done, Ms. Klobuchar said on Thursday during a call hosted by SiX Action, a progressive group, saying the emerging measure would have provisions on gerrymandering, voting by mail and automatic voter registration. We are very close to getting an agreement on that bill.

There is no indication that an accord among a small group of Democrats would draw any more Republican backing than previous proposals have. But activists and progressives want to see the revised measure come up for a vote before the Senate leaves Washington for its August recess, anticipating that it would fail and intensify pressure to dismantle the filibuster.

Mr. Schumer has yet to commit to a timeline, and it is unclear if he would want a full-fledged filibuster fight playing out just as he and Mr. Biden are trying to maneuver a bipartisan infrastructure bill through the Senate.

The revised elections legislation is built around a rough framework provided by Mr. Manchin earlier this year. It is expected to mandate that states provide 15 days of early, in-person voting, including at least two Sundays; a national expansion of mail-in voting; an end to partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts; a national voter identification requirement; and campaign finance provisions that would require super PACs to disclose the identities of their big donors.

The bills authors also plan to include language intended to undercut state laws in places like Georgia that they believe would allow Republican elected officials to subvert the results of an election to favor their candidates. Federal lawmakers specifically want to make it harder for their state counterparts to remove local election officials and harder for partisan poll watchers to intimidate voters and election workers. They also want to make the process of challenging any individuals ability to register to vote more difficult.

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Biden to Meet with Top Democrats on New Voting Rights Proposal - The New York Times

Staff members at the Democratic National Committee in Washington have opted to organize a union for collective bargaining rights, party and union officials said Tuesday.

The move marks the first time a national party organization has become a union shop, despite Democrats long relationship with organized labor. The development also follows a presidential campaign during which several Democratic candidates campaign staffs, including that of President Joe Biden, formed unions.

Employees at DNC headquarters will soon be part of the Service Employees International Local 500, the union confirmed in a statement.

Neither party officials nor the union released details of the vote, but DNC officials cast the outcome as proof of its commitment to labor.

As the DNC told SEIU, if a majority of DNC employees in a mutually agreed-upon bargaining unit express their desire to form a union, we will be proud to voluntarily recognize that union, said Executive Director Sam Cornale in a statement.

One of the organizers, Christen Sparago, who works in the DNCs fundraising office, called the union an opportunity for the DNC to live its values and said workers are eager to begin negotiations for an initial contract.

The SEIU local already represents public sector and not-for-profit sector workers in the nations capital and the surrounding Maryland suburbs.

Democrats 2020 platform pledges that the party will make it easier for workers, public and private, to exercise their right to organize and join unions. Biden, an ally of organized labor since his election to the Senate in 1972, pledged to be the most pro-union president youve ever seen.

During the campaign, Bidens field organizers joined Teamsters Local 238 and signed a contract with the campaign that included overtime pay beyond 40 hours per week and health insurance coverage with the campaign covering the entire premium, among other provisions.

In March, the House passed a sweeping overhaul of federal labor law designed to invigorate unions by making it easier to organize and harder for state laws to inhibit unions. The PRO Act passed 225-206 on a largely party line vote but has virtually no chance to clear the 50-50 Senate, where rules allow Republican opposition to block any bill that has support from fewer than 60 senators.

Democrats push for the most significant labor law change since the Great Depression comes after a decades-long slide in union membership. In 1970, almost a third of the U.S. workforce was unionized. In 2020, that number was 10.8%.

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Democrats' national party workers forming union - Associated Press

WASHINGTON Today, after a roundtable with law enforcement hosted by the House GOP American Security Task Force, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) gave the following remarks about the devastating impact that the radical movement to defund the police has had on Austin, Texas and other cities around the country.

Footage can be found at the link here. A rough transcript is below:

We're here in Austin, Texas, which is home to at least the three of us who are representing parts of Austin. I live outside of Austin towards Dripping Springs, Texas. I love Austin. Austins a great city. Austin's a city that I mean, I'm proud of its history and legacy of what it is as a city, but Austin is in trouble because of a reckless Democrat City Council that is endangering its citizens. That's just the fact and that just the truth and we know that, and we see it happening every day.

My great, great grandfather was a Texas Ranger in Travis, Hays, and Blanco county. My grandfather was a chief of police of Sweetwater, Texas. I worked at the US Attorney's office on Project Safe Neighborhoods rooting out drugs and gun crimes, partnering with local law enforcement, worked in the Attorney General's office, and had law enforcement there as the first assistant of the Attorney General working with them to root out crime across the state of Texas.

It is so critical to a functioning and free society that we root out crime and right now, unfortunately,Democrats in Austin, Texas in the City Council, including Mayor Adler, andpeople across this country, in Washington, DC, are against law enforcement and making it easy for criminals to run ram shod over the people of Austin, Texas.

Right now, there is some little girl moving up I-35, right now as we speak, that is going to be put into the human/sex trafficking trade. That's happening right now as we sit here.

We have gangs right now that are organizing in Austin, Texas.

We have another shooting just like we had on 6th street just a few weeks ago because law enforcement is hamstrung, unable to do what they need to do because they have to divert resources to fund, and have the resources for 911 calls, and to actually police the streets, and now gangs are in power.

Human trafficking units are unable to intercept that little girl before she gets sold into that trade.

Right now, we have some young American, young Texan, in Westlake, Austin, East Austin, North Austin who is going to die of an opioid overdose because of something like Xanax being lased with fentanyl- now that we have 8,500 pounds of fentanyl that has been intercepted at our border.

But thats not all the fentanyl that is coming in. You talk to DPS, we now know that fentanyl is coming into Texas, into our communities, and you all in the media see this every day when you see the horror stories of our young people dying from opioid overdoses.

92,000 across this country, 92,000- that is a direct result of open borders, a direct result of undermining our law enforcement and police officers, a direct result of coddling criminals and not putting the resources necessary to actually root out crime in our streets.

It's enough. The American people are tired of it. The people of Texas are tired of it. The people of Austin are tired of it and we're here to stand with law enforcement and to have their back.

Congressman Roy also issued a statement about the task force roundtable which can be found here.

Footage of the entire press conference can be found here.

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See the original post here:

Rep. Roy delivers remarks on devastating impacts of Austin Democrats' defunding of the police - Chip Roy

When Eric Adams arrived on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, he received a warm welcome from members of the states congressional delegation but also a pointed reminder about the importance of unity.

At a closed-door meeting of New York Democratic elected officials, Representative Nydia M. Velzquez advised Mr. Adams, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, to avoid any appearance of criticizing members of the delegation, according to seven people familiar with the exchange.

I said I wanted to remind him that in the age of social media and communications, that we needed to be careful as to what we say and that it is important that we treated everyone with respect, said Ms. Velzquez, an emerging leader of the partys progressive wing in the state, confirming the account.

Her remarks came a day after The New York Post reported that Mr. Adams cast the Democratic Socialists of America as an archenemy at a recent fund-raiser. He did not mention Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez by name, the report said. But some nevertheless saw his remarks as implicit criticism of the congresswoman, who is closely associated with the democratic socialist group, particularly given Mr. Adamss rebuke of her policing positions during the primary.

It was important to clear the air, Ms. Velzquez said. I said, Look, we have disagreements, and we have different approaches, and we have different philosophies, but that doesnt entitle anyone to be disrespectful to anyone. And I want for him to know that I am prepared to call people out when those things happen.

In a brief interview Wednesday evening, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez declined to discuss the meeting with Mr. Adams specifically but offered him a piece of advice.

It is always a good idea for any mayor to respect all of the members that are responsible for representing the delegation, and not just to respect us as individuals but to respect the communities that we represent, she said. I think its important to preserve that on a higher note.

The gathering illustrated both opportunities and perils for Mr. Adams, the brash Brooklyn borough president who is almost certain to become mayor of New York City, where registered Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans. He has a penchant for hyperbole and can veer into strikingly sharp criticism of opponents, as he sometimes did during the mayoral primary campaign. Ms. Velzquezs admonition was a reminder that in her view, he risked doing a disservice to New York if he were to antagonize members of its delegation.

But for now, delegation members and other national Democrats appear eager to embrace Mr. Adams, and several attendees said he reciprocated with strong interest in engaging with Washington and in resetting relationships after a bruising primary.

After Election Day, were no longer campaigning, Mr. Adams said. Were governing.

Mr. Adams stressed to reporters after the meeting that he had not singled out Ms. Ocasio-Cortez by name as a political foe.

The delegation meeting marked a significant day for Mr. Adams, who met with some of the highest-ranking Democrats in the nation, including Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the No. 3 House Democrat; Representative Hakeem Jeffries, New Yorks top House Democrat; and the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer.

Eric is going to be a mayor for all New Yorkers, regardless of party or ideology, said Evan Thies, Mr. Adamss campaign spokesman. He did not dispute the attendees accounts of Mr. Adamss exchange with Ms. Velzquez.

Several lawmakers said that Mr. Adams approached the meeting hoping to engage Democratic lawmakers across the ideological spectrum, including those who opposed him in the primary.

It was a chance, they said, to build strong working relationships as New York City navigates staggering challenges concerning public health, safety, education and the economy.

Representative Ritchie Torres, an early backer of Andrew Yangs mayoral campaign, said Mr. Adams recognizes that the partnership between the New York City congressional delegation and the mayor is indispensable.

He essentially said that he cannot succeed without the delegation, said Mr. Torres outside the event. The delegation is united in enabling him to govern New York as effectively as possible. Everything else is secondary.

Mr. Torres and others in attendance said Mr. Adams demonstrated humility and a clear eagerness to collaborate.

Representative Jamaal Bowman, a left-wing lawmaker, dismissed primary season disagreements as water under the bridge, though he said he supported Ms. Velzquezs remarks in the meeting. He said he and Mr. Adams found common ground around issues of education and ensuring students receive sufficient support. Weve got to work together to meet the needs of the city, he said.

Ms. Velzquez emphasized that they had also discussed issues including affordable housing, and she pledged to work with Mr. Adams because its about the city of New York.

Mr. Adams, who also attended a meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus, was invited to the delegation gathering by Representative Jerrold Nadler, the dean of the congressional delegation, both men said.

After the meeting, Mr. Adams said in a statement that attendees discussed issues including combating gun violence, doubling federal investment in the New York City Housing Authority, improving education and child care and battling climate change.

He took several questions from the news media, flanked by Mr. Jeffries; Representative Sean Patrick Maloney, the chairman of the House Democratic campaign arm; and Representatives Adriano Espaillat and Thomas Suozzi, two significant endorsers.

Mr. Adams, a former police captain who sought to combat police misconduct from within the system, ran for office promising to battle both violent crime and racial injustice.

In the primary, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Maya Wiley, a former counsel to Mayor Bill de Blasio who called for a narrower role for the police in public safety. After Ms. Ocasio-Cortezs endorsement, Mr. Adams claimed that she and Ms. Wiley would endanger the lives of New Yorkers with their policies.

After several of Ms. Wileys most progressive rivals for the nomination faltered, many left-wing New Yorkers coalesced behind her. Some of those Democrats looked askance at Mr. Adamss policy positions, including his embrace of the business and real estate sectors and his support for charter schools.

A former senior adviser to Justice Democrats, an organization that played a key role in elevating Ms. Ocasio-Cortez to Congress, led a small super PAC that campaigned for Ms. Wiley, and against Mr. Adams.

As Mr. Adamss meeting with the delegation wrapped up, there was one more show of unity between Ms. Velzquez and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez: Ms. Ocasio-Cortez put her arm around Ms. Velzquez, and they walked off in an extended embrace.

Nicholas Fandos and Chris Cameron contributed reporting from Washington.

Read more here:

After Adams Criticizes the Left, New York Democrats Try to Clear the Air - The New York Times