Quote of note:
The tensions between the CBC and Emanuel come less than a year after another Democratic group, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), charged Emanuel with failing to hire enough Hispanics to important staff positions.
CHC members withheld dues from the DCCC for more than six months until Emanuel hired a Hispanic staffer, Adrian Saenz from the office of Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas). Saenz serves as a liaison between the committee and the Hispanic caucus, often sitting in on CHC political meetings.
Pelosi seeks to end rift
By Josephine Hearn
Looking to mediate a long-simmering feud, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has worked with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) to form a working group to address the caucus’s objections to the tactics used by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).
Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the CBC have organized a small “ad hoc working group” of CBC members to address the caucus’s concerns with DCCC Chairman Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), the chief architect of the Democrats’ efforts to take control of the House.
The CBC has long been upset about Emanuel’s strong-arm tactics, registering complaints about his constant drumbeat on paying dues to the DCCC, his threats to withhold DCCC services from members who are in arrears and his alleged lack of interest in engaging them on electoral strategy. CBC members have also expressed frustration that he has not hired as many African-American staffers as they would like.
At a regular quarterly meeting with Pelosi several weeks ago, some members of the CBC, led by Chairman Mel Watt (D-N.C.), vented their concerns about the sharp-tongued Emanuel. Pelosi and Watt created the working group in response to those complaints.
The development marks the first time Pelosi has stepped into the feud and the first time a working group has been created to bring up concerns with Emanuel. The group is expected to meet with Emanuel, likely with Pelosi present, in the coming weeks.
Pelosi’s move suggests that the DCCC-CBC friction has been distracting as she is working to unite her caucus to win the House this November.
An aide to the CBC declined to discuss the developments or name the members of the working group, but two other sources said the group includes Watt, Rep. Bennie Thompson (Miss.), senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Mich.), among others. All members of the CBC have been under strict orders not to discuss the development with the press.
