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Democrats trying to unseat each other II

Ryan Grim on Twitter: "Henry Cuellar is in a lot of trouble, and this could be more:
His longtime aide teamed with abortion ban zealots to launch a dark money group in September that is spending big in the race, likely breaking the law (link) by @SaraLSirota" / Twitter

Ryan Grim on Twitter: "The problem with playing it a bit loose is that if the FBI starts poking around about other stuff, they might stumble on all the other stuff
(Campaign laws require strict separation of the campaign and outside dark money groups)" / Twitter
So the FBI might discover quite a lot in its big haul of documents and computer stuff.

A day before the FBI raids,
Henry Cuellar on Twitter: "I am pleased to announce that House Majority Leader @StenyHoyer let us know that we have his backing in our upcoming primary! Please read his kind words below:

“His efforts have helped South Texas families build back better from the pandemic, and his work passing… (pic link)" / Twitter

Henry Cuellar on Twitter: "middle-class tax cuts, affordable health care, and access to education for working families has helped contribute to the gain of almost half a million jobs in Texas last year alone.” - Majority Leader Steny Hoyer" / Twitter

Which got the response
Kevin Stevenson on Twitter: "Please support @JCisnerosTX and @MeetMckayla. We need a better Congress." / Twitter

Jessica Cisneros and Mckayla Wilkes are hoping to primary Henry Cuellar and Steny Hoyer.
 
Feds issue subpoenas seeking records related to Rep. Cuellar and his wife, associates - ABC News
The federal grand jury probe that led to the raid of Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar's home and office in Texas this week has begun issuing subpoenas, seeking records about a wide array of U.S. companies and advocacy organizations, many of them with ties to the former Soviet nation of Azerbaijan.

Among the information being sought, according to one subpoena reviewed by ABC News, are records related to the congressman, his wife Imelda, and at least one of his campaign staffers.

...
Touting Azerbaijan as "a secular, modern, Muslim country," Cuellar has been an outspoken advocate for the nation over the past decade, even serving as a co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus.

...
The "Baku Summer Energy School" program was backed by a partnership between ExxonMobil, the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, and the nation's state-owned gas company, known as SOCAR, according to the press releases.

...
The subpoena reviewed by ABC News is seeking, among other information, records related to Oksuz, SOCAR, the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, and other entities that the Justice Department mentioned in its case against Oksuz.
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Rep. Henry Cuellar Forged Ties With Azerbaijani Oil Interests, Pushed Agenda in Congress - "The Texas lawmaker’s home was raided by the FBI on Wednesday, reportedly in connection with an investigation involving Azerbaijani business interests."
In fact, an Azerbaijani organization Cuellar has had close ties with over the years was previously the subject of an FBI investigation, with its president pleading guilty to charges of wooing members of Congress by serving as a front for the nation’s wholly owned oil company.

In January 2013, Cuellar and his spouse flew to Turkey and Azerbaijan on a trip sponsored by an entity calling itself the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians, according to congressional disclosure reports. The trip for the Cuellars cost just south of $20,000 and was approved by the House Ethics Committee.

Kemal Oksuz, listed as Turquoise Council president, told the Ethics Committee that no foreign money paid for the trip, according to disclosures, but that claim is questionable given events that unfolded not long after.

In 2018, Oksuz pleaded guilty to concealing the fact that a separate congressional trip in May 2013 to Azerbaijan had been funded by a foreign government; he was sentenced in 2019. Oksuz had claimed that the trip in question was paid for by the Turquoise Council and the Assembly of the Friends of Azerbaijan, both of which purport to promote regional and transnational cooperation. In truth, the trip was paid for by SOCAR, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic, a wholly owned national oil and gas company.
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It's not only in the US that Azerbaijan's officials try to buy influence.
Azerbaijan has been caught up in repeated scandals around the world in which it has been probed for attempting to bribe legislators. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe released a report in 2018 saying that its former members had engaged in “corruptive activities” with the Azerbaijan government. The German Bundestag last year also backed a corruption probe, according to Transparency International, after “the Azerbaijani Laundromat investigation showed how a network of slush funds financed such ‘caviar diplomacy’ through opaque payments to politicians across Europe.”
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Jarhyn said:
So, yeah, sometimes the bad actor shoots and it ends up too late for one person, perhaps the only person to respond.
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And so what, right? It's just a cop, or a bystander, right? Who cares about them. Main thing fewer thugs get wasted.

Given that even officers have shit aim, and they practice all the time, it's generally not too late even then.
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Bullshit. Every time somebody shoots at you, it's dangerous.

Also given that they are armored, this is yet another contingency.
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Armor is hardly 100%.
Take a look at this case, from today:
NYPD Officer Jason Rivera Killed In Harlem Shooting, Another Fighting For His Life

CBS New York said:
Police say three officers were sent to an apartment at 119 W. 135th St. around 6:15 p.m. in response to a 911 call from a woman who said she was in a dispute with her son. The caller did not mention any injuries or any weapons, Chief of Detectives James Essig said.
[...]
One officer remained with the woman and son while the other two went down a long, narrow hallway to the back bedroom.
Police say the door to the bedroom then swung open and numerous shots were fired, striking the two officers.
[...]
The injured officers and McNeil were taken to Harlem Hospital, where Rivera later died.
McNeil underwent surgery at the hospital. His current condition is unknown.
Initial reports suggested the third officer who fired at McNeil also sustained some injuries in the incident.
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So much better had the perp been shot before he could take a shot and murder at least one officer!
No, response with the brandishing of your firearm and a movement to the side, preferably with a good fake of they raise it, would be appropriate.
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Movement to the side? They are not Smith or Neo. Or Boris the Bullet Dodger. They can't dodge bullets.

Anything else would be preemptive.
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And when a perp pulls a gun on you, preemptive action is warranted. Otherwise you endanger your life, the life of your partner(s) and sometimes even the lives of bystanders, needlessly.

We give them armor to not be preemptive.
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Bullshit. Armor does not cover the entire body. You can still be shot and badly injured and even killed despite the body armor.

There are perhaps some corner cases like, Mexican standoff bluff style cases, but those are details from the subject of the common case.
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The goal should be to not let things degenerate to a Mexican standoff in the first place!
resevoir-dogs.gif


A known attacker with a known playbook shot by the FBI because he was under investigation and had made preparations for an attack.
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And yet, he could still have had a replica or an unloaded weapon. And despite that, it was correct to shoot him before he shot somebody else.
 
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The Young Turks on Twitter: ""For us, it's about drawing a strong contrast between ourselves and Cuellar, and one of the first things out of our mouth as soon as we talk to voters is, 'we are not taking a single dime of corporate PAC money.'"
@JCisnerosTX joins @cenkuygur & @AnaKasparian on #tytlive. (link)" / Twitter
(with snip of interview)

Sunrise Movement 🌅 on Twitter: "It doesn't take an FBI raid to find out that @RepCuellar is Corrupt... (links)" / Twitter

HC's first public appearance after that FBI raid on him: a virtual appearance at an anti-abortion organization.
Jessica Cisneros on Twitter: "Despite being under FBI investigation, Henry Cuellar has proven that nothing can stop him from opposing our reproductive rights.

On the eve of the Roe v. Wade anniversary, he's spending his time being awarded by an anti-choice, right-wing group that defends the TX abortion ban." / Twitter
 
EXPOSED: Corrupt Dem’s Shady Ties To Foreign Oil Company - YouTube - by Ana Kasparian of The Young Turks
Earlier this week, the FBI raided the Laredo, Texas, home of Rep. Henry Cuellar. According to ABC News, the raid was made in connection with an ongoing investigation linked to Azerbaijan. While little is known about this specific FBI probe, which CNN reported involves the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section, Cuellar’s relationship to Azerbaijan is well documented.

In fact, an Azerbaijani organization Cuellar has had close ties with over the years was previously the subject of an FBI investigation, with its president pleading guilty to charges of wooing members of Congress by serving as a front for the nation’s wholly owned oil company.

In January 2013, Cuellar and his spouse flew to Turkey and Azerbaijan on a trip sponsored by an entity calling itself the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians, according to congressional disclosure reports. The trip for the Cuellars cost just south of $20,000 and was approved by the House Ethics Committee.
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Also mentions such tidbits as Henry Cuellar not allowing humanitarian aid to be sent to Armenia about the recent fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed region inside of Azerbaijan a little east of Armenia. It could only be sent to Azerbaijan or the UN.
 
The REAL Progressive Candidates Directory of 2021-2022 – Progressive Graffiti

Mentioned endorsers like Bold Progressives, Brand New Congress, Democratic Socialists of America, Indivisible, Justice Democrats, Local Berniecrats, Move On, Our Revolution, Run for Something, and the Working Families Party.

That page has a section on what makes a campaign website a good one, starting with having one. A Facebook or Twitter feed is not easily searchable.

A campaign website ought to contain the candidate's platform. What does the candidate propose to do? Like support Medicare for All or a Green New Deal.

A progressive candidate ought to brag about not accepting corporate support, and the candidate's site ought to have a prominent "Donate" button, though must be much more than that button.

A campaign site ought to state the candidate's location, the candidate's affiliation or independence, the office that the candidate is running for, and primary and general election dates.

Knock Down the House - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - YouTube -- she compared her campaign mailers to her opponent's ones, dismissing them as a "Victoria's Secret catalog" without much substance. Hers provided a platform and a primary date, while his didn't, other than "standing up to Trump".
 
She's trying again.
Nina Turner on Twitter: "Greater Cleveland needs a change maker in Washington. A leader who knows poverty is a policy choice. Someone who is on the side of the people—not out for the powerful or out for themselves.

I’m Nina Turner and I’m running for Congress.

Join me: (links)" / Twitter

Brand New Congress on Twitter: "Hello somebody! Today is a great day to send @ninaturner to Congress!" / Twitter

Brand New Congress on Twitter: "Brand New Congress is proud to stand with @ninaturner once again. Pitch in below to split a contribution between Nina and BNC, and let's win this, Cleveland! (link)" / Twitter


Five Democrats the left plans to target | TheHill
  • Rep. Henry Cuellar - TX-28 - Jessica Cisneros
  • Rep. Carolyn Maloney - NY-12 - Rana Abdelhamid
  • Rep. Danny K. Davis - IL-07 - Kina Collins
  • Rep. Tim Ryan for Ohio Senate - Morgan Harper
  • Rep. Jim Cooper - TN-05 - Odessa Kelly
With honorable mentions for 2024: Sens. Joe Manchin WV and Kyrsten Sinema AZ
 
Kate Aronoff on Twitter: "As it happens Henry Cuellar is not the only person on the federal payroll who is passionate about oil and gas development in Azerbaijan. He just happens to have a job where it's easier for that to get you in trouble! (link)" / Twitter
Henry Cuellar’s Azerbaijan Scandal Is a Very American Tale of Oil Addiction | The New Republic - "The FBI’s raid on the Texas congressman’s home is a reminder of how much we normalize ties to foreign (and domestic) oil."

Going into gory detail about HC's Azerbaijan connections, and including this tidbit.
The U.S. today continues to treat the development of Azerbaijani oil as an American security interest well within its sphere of influence. In recent years—through the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations—that’s meant supporting the Southern Gas Corridor. The recently completed project carries fuel from the Shah Deniz gas fields to Europe via the South Caucasus pipeline, the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline, and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline.
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Southern Gas Corridor - Bankwatch

The pipeline starts near Baku, Azerbaijan, on the Caspian Sea, and goes through south Asian Georgia, north Turkey, and north Greece, before ending in Italy's boot heel.

Kate Aronoff on Twitter: "Did you know the US government has given millions of dollars to the Azerbaijan State Border Service to protect oil platforms? Well now you do! (link)" / Twitter
noting
US Ambassador: Southern Gas Corridor places Azerbaijan in the forefront of energy security for many of our allies and partners
 
Nice interview:
She Challenged Manchin, Then Left the Democrats. Here's Why. - YouTube
This week, Briahna Joy Gray interviewed 2018 challenger to Joe Manchin, Paula Jean Swearengin, about whether Democrats now regret not backing her 2018 run, or her 2020 run for the other WV senate seat. She explains why she's left the Democratic Party, why she's chosen the Movement for a People's Party over the Green Party or Andrew Yang's Forward Party, what political messages land in Appalachia, and what's next for MPP. Subscribe to listen to or watch the full episode: https://www.patreon.com/badfaithpodcast
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It's understandable that the Democratic Party might not have wanted to help her in 2018, but not helping her in 2020 was shameful. If she had gotten into Congress, the last year would have been MUCH better. Instead of having to please both Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, it would only have been necessary to please one of them.

Briahna Joy Gray on Twitter: ""AOC took grassroots money with her grassroots pack and gave it to corporate candidates. People that did give up their lunch money--that did work hard for her...she turned it around and gave it to people she's supposed to fight against."
-@paulajean2020
(links)" / Twitter
Episode 144 - Burning Down The House (& Senate) w/ Paula Jean Swearengin & Gregg Marcel Dixon | Bad Faith on Patreon
Early in 2020 or thereabouts, AOC sent some money to some of her colleagues to assist in their campaigns. Many of them found her gift unwelcome, it must be noted.

Be Like Water on Twitter: "The sooner we stop focusing on personalities & campaign speeches the sooner we can get to the real business of fighting for policy, & real change while holding all candidates responsible for votes regardless of their party or popularity. That's the definition of movement building" / Twitter
I agree on movement building.

🌹#PortiaABoulger on Twitter: "@BeLikeWahter @paulajean2020 Thank you @briebriejoy and @paulajean2020 for speaking the truth about @AOC. Since I met her in GA, I knew AOC was about ginning it up for herself. She climbs right up on the backs of others to get to the front of the line.
#TruthMatters #ElectHonestPeople" / Twitter

Paula Jean Swearengin #PeoplesParty on Twitter: "@PortiaABoulger @BeLikeWahter @briebriejoy @AOC I wish I would have listened to you back then. I really appreciate your leadership and wisdom." / Twitter
 
PJS has joined the People's Party, and although she is fond of Cori Bush, she is disappointed in CB's performance.

As to what AOC did,
Extra "Crunchy" Granola on Twitter: "@briebriejoy @paulajean2020 I'm disappointed that you are choosing to feature this. AOC did nothing wrong. On the contrary, she helped secure a Dem majority House. I'm disappointed that with all the corruption going on in her own state and with politics in general, PJ chooses to try to tear down AOC." / Twitter

Remi on Twitter: "@ExtraGranola @briebriejoy @paulajean2020 "AOC gave money to corporate Democrats" is the most blatantly dishonest way to spin "AOC put corporate Dems in an awkward position by dangling money in front of them, attempting to coax them into actually doing things for voters, and gaining financial leverage over them."" / Twitter
AOC says that she also offered to help her more vulnerable colleagues in their campaigns. They refused, and several of them lost. The ones she did help all won, she says.

I crunched the numbers on the 2020 races, and the losers were all relatively conservative Democrats. Only one endorser of AOC's Green New Deal lost, and no Medicare for All endorsers.

I find it telling that corporate Democrats all of a sudden became very choosy about who they accept bribes from, I mean campaign contributions.
 
Jessica Cisneros on Twitter: "While we’re out there, doing everything we can to save our loved ones, Cuellar is lining his pockets with money from Big Pharma & the insurance companies charging us high prices or even denying us care.

It's time to replace him: (links)" / Twitter

Ryan Grim on Twitter: "Cuellar banking left (!) in the final stretch (pix link)" / Twitter
97% RECORD VOTING WITH THE DEMOCRATS.
100% RECORD WORKING WITH ANYONE TO DELIVER RESULTS FOR SOUTH TEXAS FAMILIES.

VOTE DEMOCRAT
HENRY CUELLAR
Working with Anyone to Get
RESULTS FOR US

MAKING HEALTH CARE MORE AFFORDABLE, fought to lower prescription drug costs, and Increased funding for law enforcement and border security.

PASSED A $15 MINIMUM WAGE AND $1400 STIMULUS CHECKS to put money back in the pockets of South Texas families.

LOWERED ENERGY COSTS, EXPANDED RURAL BROADBAND, AND STANDING UP FOR GOOD-PAYING JOBS.
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Ryan Grim on Twitter: "Needless to say, he’s been an obstacle on most of these issues" / Twitter

Then
Kate Aronoff on Twitter: "If I were the subject of an FBI probe regarding my ties to the government of Azerbaijan my last ditch messaging would not emphasize my willingness to "work with anyone"" / Twitter
 
Justice Democrats on Twitter: ""Few members of the House did more to ensure the demise of the Biden agenda than Cuellar, who teamed up with the Chamber of Commerce and fellow ConservaDems to loudly oppose the Build Back Better Act" (link)" / Twitter
Becoming one of the right-wing-Democrat "Unbreakable Nine".

Alex Sammon on Twitter: "Henry Cuellar is a sure opponent of whatever Dems run on in '22—the climate-only BBB, defending Roe v Wade, opposing corruption, opposing the GOP. It took Pelosi's last minute intervention to save him in '20 and he repaid her by resisting Build Back Better. (link)" / Twitter
I hope that she decides to ditch him.

David Dayen on Twitter: "If you could pick anyone in the Dem caucus more hostile to its agenda, & less of a fit with the likely anti-corruption, pro-choice, anti-GOP midterm campaign, it'd be Henry Cuellar. Will Dem leadership support him in the primary anyway? From @alex_sammon: (link)" / Twitter
noting
Will the Establishment Try to Save Henry Cuellar in Texas? - The American Prospect
Few members of the House did more to ensure the demise of the Biden agenda than Cuellar, who teamed up with the Chamber of Commerce and fellow ConservaDems to loudly oppose the Build Back Better Act as a member of the “unbreakable nine.” The unbreakable nine proved breakable, as Cuellar eventually voted to pass BBB, but not before proliferating the talking points that Senate Dems would use to kill it in its entirety. Summing up his own year in Congress, the best Cuellar can plausibly say for himself is that he tried to oppose his own party and the president’s agenda, but they succeeded in overcoming him.

...
Cisneros challenged Cuellar in 2020 and lost by four points, a surprisingly tight outcome given the incumbent’s long tenure and his sizable fundraising advantage. In fact, it’s possible that Cuellar would have lost outright if not for a drastic, last-second personal intervention from Nancy Pelosi, who came to South Texas in the race’s final days to raise money on his behalf. Cuellar, of course, repaid the favor by making a mess of BBB, which will almost certainly end up as the last shot Pelosi had to pass major legislation in her political lifetime. It was a stunning jab in the eyeball to someone who does not have a short memory. (Pelosi has not yet endorsed in the race.)
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Henry Cuellar Is First Democrat Backed By Koch Super PAC | HuffPost Latest News
A super PAC founded and funded by billionaire Charles Koch reported $34,000 in spending to support Rep. Henry Cuellar’s (D-Texas) primary campaign, according to a Friday filing with the Federal Election Commission.

This is the first time that Americans for Prosperity Action is backing the election campaign of a congressional Democrat.
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noting
Form 24 for Americans for Prosperity Action, Inc.
with more details in
Schedule E for Report FEC-1385465
Cuellar, a seven-term incumbent, is facing a tough primary challenge from immigration and human rights lawyer Jessica Cisneros. He has one of the most conservative voting records among Democrats in Congress despite representing a safe Democratic seat. His reelection is supported by large national and Texas corporations and business associations, including the American Bankers Association, Texas Bankers Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Laredo Chamber of Commerce.

Cisneros has won endorsements from Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, national and local progressive groups, including Justice Democrats, women’s groups, environmental groups, as well as labor unions like the Service Employees International Union and the local Texas AFL-CIO.
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Both sides have been the subject of a lot of outside spending.
A nonprofit group called American Workers for Progress spent $720,000 in January on issue ads backing Cuellar. The group is associated with Texas-based political consultant Gilberto Ocañas and was created as a Delaware-corporation on Dec. 11. There is little other information explaining who supports it or is funding its pro-Cuellar efforts.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the chief lobbying organization for corporate America, has also announced plans to spend $200,000 backing Cuellar. Like American Workers for Progress, the Chamber does not disclose its donors. The American Bankers Association is also running ads in English and Spanish backing Cuellar.

Cisneros has received backing from Texas Forward, a super PAC affiliated with the pro-choice women’s nonprofit EMILY’s List. It has not yet reported its donors to the FEC.
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Justin Baragona on Twitter: "Fox News reacts to progressive Congresswoman Cori Bush saying her car was recently hit with gunfire.

"Of course, we would never wish any harm whatsoever on any American, let alone a politician we disagreed with. BUT..."
(vid link)" / Twitter
then
Cori Bush on Twitter: ""The harsh truth is we need these lawmakers to be victims."

"I'm not praying that any of these people get hurt or harmed, BUT..

But??? Fox News is literally out here advocating for me to face violence. I'm just gonna keep working to get justice. Y'all stay mad and be blessed." / Twitter


Justin Baragona on Twitter: "Rep. Cori Bush reacted to an NYPD cop and Blue Lives Matter NYC founder saying "we need the lawmakers to be victims" by calling out Fox News for “advocating for me to face violence.” (link)" / Twitter
noting
NYPD Cop Tells Fox News ‘We Need’ Dem Lawmakers to Be Gun Violence Victims at The Daily Beast
 
Progressive Democratic Ohio Senate candidate Morgan Harper has been trying to get fellow Democrat Tim Ryan to debate her, without success. However, she got a debate with Republican candidate Josh Mandel.
Josh Mandel, the Republican, wants to be seen as the Trumpiest among the G.O.P. candidates he’ll eventually face.

Morgan Harper, the Democrat, is running to the left of her best-known competitor, Representative Tim Ryan.

Mandel, ever the provocateur, lived up to his reputation. “I do not believe in separation of church and state,” he said. He added: “It. Does. Not. Exist.”

“I don’t even really know where to begin,” Harper replied, calling it a “core American value.”

Mandel called Black Lives Matter protesters “thugs,” falsely claimed the 2020 election was “stolen” from former President Donald Trump and accused China of manufacturing the coronavirus. Harper said Mandel was “spewing nonsense” to win Trump’s endorsement while ignoring real issues.

Mandel called Harper a “loony Nancy Pelosi” over her support of green energy and called himself “pro-God, pro-gun, pro-Trump.”

Harper said she was “scared, as a woman, as a Black person,” of the idea of Mandel getting “anywhere near a seat of power in the United States Senate.”
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Home | Her Time - Katie Hill's PAC. She is endorsing a lot of female Democratic incumbents (name, district, Report Cards for 2020 - Ideology Score - All Representatives - GovTrack.us, House Election Results 2020: Democrats Hold Control - The New York Times,  2022 United States House of Representatives elections):

Angie Craig MN-02 0.42 2.2 0, Katie Porter CA-47 0.24 7.0 +3 , Lauren Underwood IL-14 0.30 1.4 +4, Susan Wild PA-07 0.29 3.8 0, Abigail Spanberger VA-07 0.50 1.8 +1, Sharice Davids KS-03 0.35 10.0 +1, Mikie Sherrill NJ-11 0.38 6.6 +5, Lucy McBath 0.37 GA-07 9.2 +8, Elissa Slotkin MI-07 0.42 3.6 -2, Haley Stevens MI-11 0.35 3.4 +7, Cindy Axne IA-03 0.51 1.4 -3, Kim Schrier WA-08 0.35 3.6 +1, Carolyn Bourdeaux GA-07 new 2.8 +8, Jahana Hayes CT-05 0.10 11.6 +2, Susie Lee NV-03 0.41 3.0 +2, Lizzie Fletcher TX-07 0.40 3.0 +14

Most of these candidates won by narrow margins in districts that are only narrowly Democratic, and they span the full range of ideology in the Democratic Party, from liberal Jahana Hayes and Katie Porter to conservative Cindy Axne and Abigail Spanberger ("Don’t say socialism ever again!")
 
Looking back a bit.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "The reason a lot of DC insiders are freaking out ..." / Twitter
The reason a lot of DC insiders are freaking out is bc starting in ‘16/‘18, people started to vote en masse for members who reject corporate $.

Those victories built over time. & while big money still has the upper hand (for now), lobbyists can’t dictate the way they’re used to-

&that is jarring to both a culture built on corporate lobbying & media struggling to cover this well. That’s why you see knot-twisting headlines attempting to frame a caucus of ~100 members as the problem instead of the conservative handful blocking votes w/ inconsistent demands-

& I suspect it may also be why you see media reflexively centering coverage of these bills on a number instead of what’s actually in them.

The thing is, 1 number doesn’t tell you anything. It doesn’t help you as a normal person understand at ALL how your life could improve.

Additionally, changes to a topline number isn’t necessarily shorthand for a conservative or progressive policy either.

Ex: There’s a world where a bigger number over longer time could be a conservative win, or a smaller number over shorter time could be a progressive win.Or not!

That’s why it’s so important to discuss this not just in numbers, but in changes to the leg.

Let’s say we bring down $3.5T. We can do that by taxing the rich to offset, cutting universal pre-k, or shortening the funding time.

All can bring outlay down. Which one do you prefer?

THAT kind of conversation helps YOU as a normal person understand & bring you in the same convos that we as your Reps are having as we negotiate.

That empowers you to give your input. & THAT is of so much more service to you than discussing optics or political beefs or whatever
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James Surowiecki on Twitter: "Is this actually true? I thought the Dem wave in 2018 mostly swept moderates into office." / Twitter
then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Many newer moderates won on pledges of rejecting corporate PACs. It’s a progressive value that went mainstream bc no matter your views, most people dislike big money in politics.

That’s also why framing this as “mod vs prog” is inaccurate - it’s a much smaller group stonewalling" / Twitter
Seems like the new wave of progressives is having a little bit of impact, of giving an incentive to avoid problematic funding sources.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Also I don’t see ..." / Twitter
Also I don’t see how it makes sense to frame this infra bill as the #1 determinant of the midterms when the same slow-walkers here are halting voting rights.

Could pass the best bill ever & it’s all a wash if Black & underserved voters are systematically disenfranchised next yr.

With upcoming midterms, we can’t afford to lose the plot.

This is still the same GOP that attempted to usurp the presidential election & collaborated w/ white supremacists to attack the US Capitol.

Protecting voting rights & mobilizing everybody - not just suburbs - is crucial
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From last fall:

1010 WINS on Twitter: "Chair of NY Democrats faces calls to resign over KKK remark about mayoral candidate (links)" / Twitter
noting
Chair of NY Democrats faces calls to resign over KKK remark
Saying that her victory is like KKK leader David Duke winning a Democratic primary. Would he feel it his duty to endorse him?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Jay Jacobs absolutely should resign ..." / Twitter
Jay Jacobs absolutely should resign over his disgusting comments comparing a Black single mother who won a historic election to David Duke.

India Walton is the Democratic nominee for Mayor of Buffalo. No amount of racist misogyny from the old boys’ club is going to change that.

As a federally elected official in the NY Dem party, I have 0 confidence in Jay Jacobs’ ability to lead an NY Dem party that is inclusive & respectful of all.

This is just his latest incident. Jacobs is a toxic presence in the party and his continued post as Chair is shameful.

To have a strong Dem Party, we must have state parties that are truly democratic and operate w/ integrity.

It’s not just his pattern of attacks. Jacobs, as Chair, is undermining the Dem party practice of uniting behind the nominee to protect his predecessor. 💯% disqualifying.
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