CBC lawmakers rip Justice Democrats for targeting black lawmakers for primaries

Congressional Black Caucus members are furious at Justice Democrats, accusing the outside progressive group aligned with firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezDemocrats rush to support Pelosi amid fight with Ocasio-Cortez Sanders praises Gen Z for being ‘profoundly anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobic’ Democratic lawmaker unloads on Ocasio-Cortez, chief of staff for ‘using the race card’ MORE (D-N.Y.) of trying to oust lawmakers of color, specifically African American lawmakers. 

Justice Democrats is backing primary challengers to eight-term Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), a Hispanic Caucus member, and 10-term Rep. Wm. Lacy ClayWilliam (Lacy) Lacy ClayThe Hill’s Morning Report – 2020 jitters hit both parties in the Senate Justice Democrats issues 3 new endorsements for progressive candidates Hillicon Valley: Appeals court rules Trump can’t block people on Twitter | Tech giants to testify in House antitrust investigation | DHS set for grilling over facial recognition tech | Commerce to allow sales to Huawei MORE (D-Mo.), a member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). The insurgent group also made noise this year about challenging Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem JeffriesHakeem Sekou JeffriesPelosi scolds Democrats for public barbs Katherine Clark quietly eyes leadership ascent Progressives, centrists in open warfare after House caves on Trump border bill MORE (D-N.Y.), a CBC member seen as the heir apparent to Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiPelosi reportedly told Trump deputy: ‘What was your name, dear?’ White House withdraws controversial rule to eliminate drug rebates The Hill’s Morning Report – 2020 jitters hit both parties in the Senate MORE (D-Calif.).

And CBC leaders are fretting that Justice Democrats may target other black lawmakers in the coming weeks and months, including Reps. Yvette ClarkeYvette Diane ClarkeThe Hill’s Morning Report – Democratic debates: Miami nice or spice? Democratic rep warns artificial intelligence is being used to ‘target vulnerable populations’ New York lawmaker defends Biden’s ‘civility’ comments: ‘He had to get a job done’ MORE (D-N.Y.), Joyce BeattyJoyce Birdson BeattyThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Pelosi looks to tamp down Dem infighting Ohio lawmaker mocked on social media after tweet telling teens ‘vaping isn’t fleek’ A true believer in diversity, inclusion MORE (D-Ohio), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) and Anthony BrownAnthony Gregory BrownOvernight Defense: Trump says he doesn’t need exit strategy with Iran | McConnell open to vote on Iran war authorization | Senate panel advances bill to restrict emergency arms sales Bipartisan House duo unveils amendment to block Iran strike without Congress’s approval 7 in 10 Americans support transgender people serving in military: poll MORE (D-Md.). Brown said the group has been making calls in his district, actively trying to recruit a challenger to run against him.

“It just seems strange that the social Democrats seem to be targeting members of the Congressional Black Caucus, individuals who have stood and fought to make sure that African Americans are included and part of this process,” Rep. Gregory MeeksGregory Weldon MeeksCentrist Democrats warn Trump against forcing vote on new NAFTA Harris hops past Biden in early race for Black Caucus support Export-Import Bank deal in peril amid Democratic backlash MORE (D-N.Y.), a senior CBC member, told The Hill.

“I don’t know what that agenda is, but if they want to come after members of the Black Caucus, it’s two ways,” warned Meeks, the Queens Democratic Party boss who clashed with Justice Democrats in a local district attorney race last month.

Some Democrats are hoping that Ocasio-Cortez, the rabble-rousing freshman with 4.7 million Twitter followers, gets a primary challenge herself in 2020. 

Justice Democrats stormed onto the scene last year when one of their little-known handpicked candidates, Ocasio-Cortez, who is Hispanic, unseated then-Rep. Joseph Crowley, the powerful Democratic caucus chairman, in a New York primary.

In a statement, Justice Democrats’ executive director, Alexandra Rojas, defended the group’s strategy, noting that it has endorsed several candidates of color.

One of them is Cori Bush, a registered nurse and Black Lives Matter activist who is taking on Clay for the second time.

“We are supporting a black woman who is a community organizer who has taken on police brutality in the St. Louis area,” Rojas said. “Seventy percent of congressional districts in America have no competitive general election; primaries are often the only places where voters can have a real say. 

“Barack ObamaBarack Hussein ObamaThe Obamas’ silence on Joe Biden is deafening  A cautionary tale for Justin Amash from someone who knows Obama shows off custom US women’s soccer jersey to celebrate World Cup win MORE first ran for Congress in a primary challenge to Rep. Bobby RushBobby Lee RushThe Hill’s Morning Report – Harris, Warren rise and Biden tumbles after debates Harris hops past Biden in early race for Black Caucus support Harris picks up endorsements of 2 Congressional Black Caucus members MORE, a CBC member,” Rojas added. “This is a democracy and voters deserve choices.”

Justice Democrats also pointed out that they endorsed Ayanna PressleyAyanna PressleyOcasio-Cortez accuses Pelosi of ‘persistent singling out’ of women of color: It’s ‘outright disrespectful’ Pressley’s clap back at Conway is ‘what we have to see more from Democrats’, Democratic strategist says Democrats struggle to quell infighting MORE, an African American woman, in her successful primary challenge last year against Democratic Rep. Mike Capuano in a Massachusetts district where minorities make up the majority. 

This cycle, Justice Democrats is also supporting Bronx educator Jamaal Bowman, who is black, as he takes on House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot EngelEliot Lance EngelJustice Democrats issues 3 new endorsements for progressive candidates Progressives face steep odds in ousting incumbent Democrats Focus on learning for security, prosperity in Central America MORE (D-N.Y.), who is Jewish, and Jessica Cisneros, a 26-year-old Hispanic woman who is running against her former boss, Cuellar.

The CBC’s allegations are “absurd and more about protecting incumbency over democracy,” a Justice Democrats source said.

In the last cycle, Justice Democrats backed American Civil Liberties Union activist Chardo Richardson over Rep. Stephanie MurphyStephanie MurphyRepublicans say they’re satisfied with 2020 election security after classified briefings Hillicon Valley: Trump officials to investigate French tax on tech giants | Fed chair raises concerns about Facebook’s crypto project | FCC blocks part of San Francisco law on broadband competition | House members warn of disinformation ‘battle’ Florida lawmakers push DHS to notify voters, other officials of election system breaches MORE (D-Fla.), who made history as the first Vietnamese American woman elected to Congress. The group in 2018 also endorsed Bush, who eventually lost to Clay by nearly 20 points in the primary. This week, the group said they will back Bush once again as she gives it another shot in Missouri.

In an interview in the Capitol, Clay said it was absolutely clear that Justice Democrats are targeting lawmakers of color like himself. He and his father, Bill Clay, have represented the district for the past 50 years, and Lacy Clay called the group’s actions “insulting” to the intelligence of Missouri voters.

“They are going after the wrong target. Instead of fighting Republicans and defeating Trump and holding on to our majority, they find it convenient to go after their own, which is to me a bunch of B.S.,” Clay told The Hill. 

He likened Justice Democrats to “Russian trolls of 2016” trying to sow divisions in the Democratic Party.

“It does make you wonder what’s going on,” added another CBC member, Rep. Robin KellyRobin Lynne KellySenate panel advances bill to protect government devices against cyber threats House panel advances bill to create cybersecurity standards for government IT devices WHIP LIST: The 83 House Democrats backing an impeachment inquiry MORE (D-Ill.). “Some names that have been mentioned all seem to be people of color, and more so CBC members.”

CBC members and some top Democratic aides have questioned who is pulling the strings at Justice Democrats. The group, which is targeting entrenched incumbent Democrats they view as insufficiently progressive and beholden to corporate donors, was founded in the wake of President TrumpDonald John TrumpControversial platform Gab slams White House for not inviting it to social media summit GOP senator: US should ‘reevaluate’ long-term relationship with Saudis Pelosi reportedly told Trump deputy: ‘What was your name, dear?’ MORE’s surprise 2016 victory by progressive media personalities Cenk Uygur and Kyle Kulinski, along with Bernie SandersBernie SandersSanders to join diabetes patients on trip to Canada to buy cheaper insulin The Hill’s Morning Report – 2020 jitters hit both parties in the Senate Democrats warn push for border crossing decriminalization will prove costly in 2020 MORE organizers Saikat Chakrabarti and Corbin Trent. 

Uygur and Kulinski are no longer with the group. And after winning a seat in Congress, Ocasio-Cortez hired Chakrabarti as her chief of staff and Trent as her communications director.

Justice Democrats’ spat with the Black Caucus comes amid high racial tensions in the 235-member House Democratic Caucus. Ocasio-Cortez accused Pelosi of singling out “newly elected women of color” when the Speaker scolded lawmakers in a private meeting Wednesday for tweeting at each other.

Pelosi clarified Thursday that her comments were aimed at Chakrabarti, Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff, who had earlier tweeted that the moderate New Democrats and Blue Dog Coalition should be renamed “The New Southern Democrats.”

“They certainly seem hell bent to do to black and brown people today what the old Southern Democrats did [during] the 40s,” Chakrabarti wrote, later deleting the tweet.

A senior House Democratic aide called it “ironic and funny” that Ocasio-Cortez is accusing Pelosi of attacking women of color, when Justice Democrats is targeting minority lawmakers.  

“She’s only a woman of color when it’s convenient. None of the things she’s fought for aligned with communities of color and her group is funded only by elitist white liberals; she’s a puppet,” the top Democratic aide told The Hill in a phone call. 

The aide then texted an image of a Goomba puppet from the Super Mario Bros. video game.

“I can’t tell you how pissed off people are” about the Justice Democrats, the aide added. “All these CBC members feel like they are under siege. But it’s offensive that these elitist white liberals feel like they can undermine the foundation of our party,” African American voters.

Trent, Ocasio-Cortez’s now-spokesman, declined to comment for this story. 

Top CBC member Meeks now is calling for a meeting between CBC leaders and Justice Democrats to find out why they are targeting lawmakers of color. 

“We will have to, at some point, sit down and see: Is this something that is directed at members of the Congressional Black Caucus?” Meeks asked. “We’re going to sit down with whoever the social Dems are. We have to find out who they are. Who is really running this show. We have to figure that out.”

Rep. Donald McEachinAston (Donale) Donald McEachinHarris hops past Biden in early race for Black Caucus support Virginia lawmakers respond to shooting: ‘My heart breaks for … our entire commonwealth’ Overnight Energy: Trump moves forward with rule on California drilling | House panel advances bill that resumes participation in Paris climate fund | Perry pressed on ‘environmental justice’ | 2020 Dem proposes climate corps MORE (D-Va.), a CBC member, said it was upsetting that Justice Democrats appeared to be taking aim at so many black lawmakers, especially since they have some of the most progressive voting records in the caucus.

“I think challenging other Democrats in the primary when we’re trying to hold on to the majority is wrong unless the person is so far out of bounds, so far away from Democratic orthodoxy, but that’s not what’s going on here,” McEachin told The Hill. 

“It’s disturbing to see challenges to that many CBC members.”