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Progressives in Congress Back Harris as Small Donations Mount
"Kamala Harris will defeat Donald Trump not only because she offers a stronger economic vision, but because she will defend the fundamental rights and freedoms that MAGA Republicans are attacking across the nation."
Jul 22, 2024
Several progressive members of Congress and organizations have endorsed U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris since President Joe Biden on Sunday exited the contest and expressed his support for her becoming the Democratic presidential nominee.
Three of the four original "Squad" members—Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), and Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) swiftly backed the vice president to face former Republican President Donald Trump and his newly announced running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), in November.
"Kamala Harris will be the next president of the United States. I pledge my full support to ensure her victory in November," said Ocasio-Cortez, who had sounded the alarm about some Democrats' calls for Biden to step aside after his disastrous debate.
"Now more than ever, it is crucial that our party and country swiftly unite to defeat Donald Trump and the threat to American democracy," the congresswoman added. "Let's get to work."
Omar shared a pair of photos of her and the vice president on social media and said, "Thrilled to support Kamala Harris as our Democratic nominee and remain committed to working alongside her to defeat Donald Trump in November."
In addition to also posting a photo with Harris, Pressley spoke of her support for the vice president on MSNBC.
Unlike her colleagues, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), the only Palestinian American in Congress and a leading critic of U.S. complicity in Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip, called for an open process at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois next month.
As The Detroit Newsreported:
Tlaib, who never endorsed Biden for president, in her statement said she looks forward to engaging with Harris as she tries to "inspire" the Democratic base in her district, saying she hopes this year's convention "makes the candidates move with their base."
"We are in unprecedented times but the demands of our constituents and people across the country remain the same: They want a president and government that is focused on saving lives, giving people the ability to thrive, and valuing the humanity of one another over bombs," Tlaib said.
"I support a transparent democratic process at an open convention next month, and hope there is a fair vote on the resolution at the DNC that calls for an arms embargo to stop the Israeli government's war crimes."
Rep. Jamaal Bowman's (D-N.Y.) criticism of the Israeli war made him a top target of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which helped Westchester County Executive George Latimer defeat the congressman in a democratic primary last month.
Although he is leaving Washington, D.C. at the end of his term, Bowman still weighed in on Harris, calling her "the most qualified and best choice to lead us forward."
Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-Mo.), who is facing an AIPAC-backed candidate in her primary next month, was the first Squad member to endorse Harris on Sunday, issuing a lengthy statement that said in part: "When we say trust Black women, we mean it. Black women are the backbone of the Democratic Party and it is past time for us to lead our country forward. Kamala Harris is more than ready to lead at this moment."
"As we look forward to November, it is clear to me that Vice President Kamala Harris has the vision to carry this legacy forward, defeat Donald Trump, and I unequivocally endorse her for president of the United States," added Bush. Harris would be the first Black and Asian woman on a major U.S. party presidential ticket.
Fellow Squad member Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) also quickly backed Harris, saying: "We have no time to waste—what's at stake for communities like mine isn't abstract. We need to unify and move forward to defeat Trump and fascism in November. That's why I endorse and encourage unity behind Vice President Kamala Harris."
Harris also has support from Reps. Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-Fla.), and Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) as well as the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) political action committee, which is co-chaired by Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.).
The three lawmakers all individually endorsed her and said in a joint statement:
A critical partner in the legislative wins of the last four years, Vice President Harris has demonstrated her ability to deliver on the urgent issues facing working people and marginalized communities. Under her leadership, this country has created a record number of jobs, boosted investments in housing and education, increased access to capital for underserved communities, erased medical debt, and forgiven more student loan debt than any administration in history. She has worked tirelessly to demonstrate her commitment to creating an economy in which every person has the freedom to thrive, traveling the country nonstop to hear directly from impacted communities.
Kamala Harris will defeat Donald Trump not only because she offers a stronger economic vision, but because she will defend the fundamental rights and freedoms that MAGA Republicans are attacking across the nation. As Republicans plot a right-wing takeover of our government with Project 2025, Kamala Harris is standing up for our nation's highest values of freedom, justice, and equality for all.
Other CPC leaders backing Harris include Democratic Reps. Greg Casar (Texas), Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.), and Barbara Lee (Calif.).
So far, more than 150 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives and over 30 in the Senate—including Democratic Sens. Ed Markey (Mass.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Alex Padilla (Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), and Ron Wyden (Ore.)—have come out in support of Harris, according to a Newsweek tracker.
Notably missing from that list is Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 and 2000 and was in favor of Biden remaining in the race. After the president's Sunday announcement, Sanders released a short statement thanking him for his service.
Groups that have endorsed Harris include the American Federation of Teachers, End Citizens United, Gen-Z for Change, Human Rights Campaign, Indivisible, MoveOn, People's Action, Reproductive Freedom for All, Service Employees International Union, and United Farm Workers.
As of 9:00 pm ET Sunday, "grassroots supporters have raised $46.7 million through ActBlue following Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign launch," the Democratic fundraising platform said on social media. "This has been the biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle. Small-dollar donors are fired up and ready to take on this election."
Some deep-pocketed donors, including hedge fund billionaire George Soros and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, are also behind Harris, according toForbes. The outlet reported that the Biden-Harris—which amended its Federal Election Commission paperwork on Sunday—has $91 million.
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'Never Trump' Republican Operative Known for Anti-Semitic Attacks on George Soros Now Working to Defeat Sanders in Democratic Primary
"Forty years of dancing with the devil and all of a sudden centrist GOP voters want to switch sides so they can poison the Democratic Party too? Thanks, no thanks."
Feb 12, 2020
A longtime Republican operative known for spreading anti-Semitic tropes about billionaire George Soros in 2018 is behind a dark money effort in Nevada to get right-wing voters to mobilize against Sen. Bernie Sanders in the state's 2020 Democratic presidential primary caucuses on February 22.
Tim Miller, also known for his work on the failed Jeb Bush presidential campaign in 2016, is one of the directors of the new company Center Action Now, which is targeting Sanders in Nevada.
As the Nevada Independent's Megan Messerly reported Wednesday, a Center Action Now memo details plans to mobilize right-wing voters in the state dissatisfied with President Donald Trump to weigh in on the primary to ensure the Democratic Party doesn't stray from the center-right lane.
"The voters we're talking to, they're not happy with the state of the Republican Party," said Miller. "They're not happy with the president. So we're educating them to get involved in the Democratic process so they can back a candidate they can be happy about and that they can support."
Thus far, Center Action Now has only run ads against Sanders and Trump and it's unclear whether the Nevada voter mobilization effort as laid out in the memo will come to fruition. But the group has plans to mobilize against Democratic presidential primary candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders in the state's 2020 caucuses, Miller said.
According to the Nevada Independent:
In addition to Miller, Sarah Longwell, a political strategist and another Never Trump Republican, and John Stubbs, a former official in the George W. Bush administration who founded a Republicans for Hillary Clinton group in 2016, serve on the nonprofit-s board of directors.
Miller declined to provide any details about who is funding the group, its budget, or the size of its staff. As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, the organization is not required to disclose its donors. According to Facebook, the group spent $13,280 on ads the day before and the day of the New Hampshire primary. The Nevada campaign, Miller said, will begin "imminently."
The group's attack ads against Sanders in New Hampshire used Soviet imagery and scare tactics around socialism to discourage voters from voting for the Vermont senator.
\u201cA brand-new #DarkMoney group founded by anti-Trump Republicans called "Center Action Now" is targeting New Hampshire residents with anti- Bernie Sanders messaging. \n\nhttps://t.co/HtrXDsPAHG #NHprimary2020\u201d— OpenSecrets.org (@OpenSecrets.org) 1581457207
In comment to Quartz, Miller said that Center Action Now's efforts to get out the right-wing vote were aimed at providing voters with choice, not to game the system.
"This is not akin to [conservative talk show host] Hugh Hewitt going on TV saying Trump supporters should vote for the weakest Democrats to help him--that's meddling," said Miller. "The people who we are trying to talk to are voters who don't like the president, who want him to be defeated, people who are concerned that both parties have succumbed to the extremes."
Miller's work for Definers Public Affairs came under fire in November 2018 after the New York Timesrevealed the firm was using anti-Semitic tropes about Soros to discredit left-wing activists on Facebook. The fallout from that scandal resulted in Miller being fired from his job as guest Republican on the Pod Save America podcast and Definers losing its contract with Facebook.
In an example of the revolving door in the political consulting world, Definers former chief executive Matt Rhoades, who also worked on Mitt Romney's failed 2012 presidential campaign, has since founded with former Hillary Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook the nonprofit Defending Digital Democracy Project at Harvard University.
Both Rhoades and Mook worked with the Iowa Democratic Party on election security in the fall of 2019, months before a malfunctioning phone app threw the Hawkeye State's caucuses into chaos.
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Protocols of the Elders of the Republican Party
Lunatic conspiracy theories are the heart and soul of today’s GOP.
Dec 04, 2019
How do the horrific events of Charlottesville, the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, and a similar hate crime in California directly relate to the eye-rolling pronouncements by Devin Nunes, Rudy Giuliani, and other Republicans in defense of President Donald Trump?
The answer can be found in the Republican id, where a toxic brew of conspiracy theory, urban legend, photoshopping, and comment-board trollery self-organize into an alternate reality. While this alt-reality has only burst into wider public view during the Trump presidency, like the monstrous space alien exploding out of the bodies of the infected scientists in John Carpenter's The Thing, I was in a position to observe its germination, more than two decades ago.
It is therefore refreshing that finally, a former national security council employee, Fiona Hill, has given widely publicized testimony to the House intelligence committee decisively exposing as a lie one of the linchpins of the conspiratorial Republican world view--the assertion that it was Ukraine, not Russia, behind disruption of the 2016 election. Previously, the media had sporadically raised the conspiracy theory, disjointedly explained it, and weakly dismissed it, allowing it to hang like an incubus in the air for the credulous to half believe.
What received less attention from the big media, however, was Hill's elaboration of one specific component of the GOP's imagined conspiracy. She said that lurking behind their Ukraine fantasy was the claim that billionaire George Soros was financing the supposed disruption operation, and that he manipulated not only politicians in Kiev but crucial components of the U.S. government.
Indeed, Republican performance artist Joe diGenova has alleged that Soros steered the State Department and FBI effectively to politically dominate Ukraine, and he echoed Trump fixer Rudy Giuliani's false assertions that Soros was involved in faking corruption evidence against Trump's 2016 campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.
Hill likened these defamations to an infamous fabrication by the Tsarist secret police, more than a century old, called The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. In her words, that forgery was "the longest-running anti-Semitic trope that we have in history, and a trope against Mr. Soros was also created for political purposes, and this is the new Protocols... "
How did we sink to the point where an approved talking point of one of our two major parties rehashes a long-refuted anti-Semitic calumny whose toxic effects helped bring on the nightmare of 20th century fascism and the most destructive war in history?
The major media are finally getting around to debunking the Ukraine conspiracy in detail, now that congressional testimony has given them permission, but it is useful to stand back and look at the bigger picture, of which Ukraine is only a part. What is the larger narrative?
We are expected to believe that Hillary Clinton, in concert with Ukraine, arranged for her private emails to be stolen, along with those of the Democratic National Committee, in order to sabotage her own campaign for the presidency. Why on earth? Doing so helped hand the presidency to Donald Trump, but it served the larger goal of falsely framing innocent Russia for collaborating with the Trump campaign, when the real culprit was Ukraine.
Oh, and George Soros was in there somewhere pulling wires and arranging things, because, hey, Jewish financiers are clever and you can't expect much from blockheads like the Ukrainians.
That, in capsule, is what Republicans earnestly endeavor to have you believe, although it sounds as if some of Catch-22's more phantasmagoric passages got mixed up with Mein Kampf. Do Republicans believe it themselves?
Undoubtedly there are many, mostly elected officials, gamely going through the motions of believing it because the party demands it. Senator Kennedy (R-LA) has been waffling of late, his position probably dependent on how well his pollsters tell him the tale sells down in the bayous.
But there is also the vast Republican base of true believers of the type once described by political philosopher Eric Hoffer. Back in the 1990s, I knew one of them on Capitol Hill. I'll call her Margaret, because that's her name. It was through her tutelage that I became aware of the ubiquitous and omnipotent Mr. Soros. Margaret, being a movement activist, worked enthusiastically for an unpleasantly sanctimonious Midwestern Republican congressman (who later resigned after an affair with a staffer became public). He was at the legislative forefront of the 1990s epidemic of draconian sentences for illegal drug use.
She informed me that the worst thing about drug legalization (at the time an all but moribund cause), was that it was manipulated by Soros, who had given donations to drug legalization advocacy groups. He was poised, she theorized, to buy up brand names and cigarette production capacity in order to corner a future U.S. market for legal marijuana. Thus would the Hungarian-born billionaire condemn a whole generation of American youth to crazed depravity.
The tentacles of Soros even extended, according to her catechism, to sporadic efforts to reintroduce the growing of hemp as a cash crop for struggling Midwestern farmers because of its industrial uses. Hemp does not have the pharmacological qualities of cannabis, but through some metaphysical process that escaped my powers of insight, Margaret had deduced that Farmer Brown's growing hemp for rope manufacturers would lead to an outbreak of reefer madness.
This was around the time things were heating up in the Balkans. Some thought that the United States had an obligation to intervene militarily, while others believed, per Bismarck, that blood vendettas there were the norm and the area was not worth the life of a single soldier. But one Republican foreign policy expert on the Hill informed me that we must under no circumstances intervene because something-something George Soros. Yes, his fine hand was stirring the simmering Balkan cauldron.
It is probable that Soros's name was never mentioned once on the House or Senate floor, either in connection with the Balkan debate or national drug policy. In those days, legislators mostly kept up the pretense of sanity.
But beneath the surface, as in the world beneath the Planet of the Apes, there was an undercurrent of strange mutant ideas, confined at that moment to certain staff members (aside from a few certifiable wackos like Dan Burton). You could sometimes hear them after hours at the various watering holes frequented by Republican staff, or in the basement grill room of the Capitol Hill Club. In the ensuing couple of decades, these ideas took over the politics of Washington and the country.
In a sense, Charlottesville and the synagogue shootings were a predictable outcome, not just of Trump's fueling of stochastic terrorism through his calculatedly hatemongering speeches, but of a whole generation of conspiratorial thinking whereby George Soros and Jewish banking plots seamlessly merge into the New World Order, Black Helicopters, a FEMA concentration camp in Beach Grove, Indiana, Muslim scares, cyclical moral panics about gays and feminists, wars on Christmas, and they're going to outlaw barbecued ribs.
The incoherent discourses of Devin Nunes and Rudy Giuliani didn't come out of nowhere, nor are they purely a sign of obedience to Trump. They had been germinating for ages in what was once called, without irony, the Party of Ideas.
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