Freshman Democrat Says He Was Threatened With ‘a Living Hell’ for Opposing Jeffries, as Progressives Push Pressley
A freshman Democrat says party elders threatened to make his life “a living hell” if he opposed Hakeem Jeffries for speaker, as progressives circulate a petition urging Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) to challenge him.
Rep.-elect Don Leonard (D-Ohio), who flipped a seat Trump won by 10 points, said in an Instagram video that senior House members met with him Monday, Newsweek reported.
He said they told him “in no uncertain terms” that opposing Jeffries would mean “making my life a living hell for the next two years here in Washington, as well as being sure to lose my election in two years.”
Leonard did not name the members. He has conditioned his vote on a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and on ending U.S. support for the Iran war and for Israel.
“At the end of the day, the big-D Democratic Party needs some little-d democracy,” Leonard said. “I’m just a stubborn SOB.”
House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said he does not “know what senior Democrats he’s talking about.” He added, “The outcome is not in question,” Newsweek said.
Meanwhile, a Change.org petition launched this week urges Democrats to make Pressley speaker and had passed 18,000 signatures, Common Dreams reported. Pressley has shown no sign she intends to run.
She did post Tuesday that Democrats “have a mandate to match their energy — boldly and unapologetically,” adding, “It’s not enough to be the adults in the room. We have to prove that we are the FIGHTERS in the room.”
A Drop Site tally published Wednesday counted 49 House Democrats pledged to Jeffries, 23 uncommitted and none opposed, Common Dreams said.
Several incoming members of a progressive group called “The Bloc” are holding out for policy guarantees, Fox News reported. “We’re not withholding votes. What we’re doing is saying we’re undecided,” said Rep.-elect Adam Hamawy (D-N.J.).
Others defended Jeffries. “You get a coach who takes his team to the Super Bowl. They win by 30 points, and then they got folks who want to fire him the next day,” said Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.).
“You can’t beat somebody with nobody,” Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) said, warning against a repeat of the 15 ballots Republicans needed to elect Kevin McCarthy in 2023.
Progressive complaints center on Jeffries’ support for Israel, his ties to AIPAC and a pre-election meeting with Jared Kushner, Newsweek reported. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she backs Jeffries because he is unopposed, but said questioners shouldn’t be made into “villains.”
Jeffries remains the heavy favorite. Democrats will hold at least 254 seats, giving him room to lose dozens of votes and still win the gavel on the first ballot.
House Democrats are set to choose their speaker nominee behind closed doors on Nov. 18. The full House votes when the new Congress convenes Jan. 3.
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