“The DCCC is sticking by its strategy.”
House Democrats bury 2016 autopsy
House Democrats are going to extreme lengths to conceal a report on the party’s problems. After nearly five months, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) presented his investigative report to lawmakers during a members-only gathering at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee headquarters Thursday night.
More:
Only about two-dozen lawmakers showed up for the presentation, which sources described as “dense but thorough.” But members were not allowed to have copies of the report and may view it only under the watchful eyes of DCCC staff.
The presentation didn’t focus on Democratic messaging and instead was heavily skewed towards money — how much the DCCC brings in, from where and how those funds are spent.
Some Democratic lawmakers and staffers complained that the cloak-and-dagger secrecy was overblown and actually makes the findings look worse than they are. But the DCCC is sticking by its strategy.
John Sexton of Hot Air:
Politico doesn’t speculate on the reason for the secrecy but it does give a hint: “The document is also said to criticize the organization for the lack of diversity in consultants whom the DCCC employs.” Given the tendency of the party’s base to flip out over racial and gender issues, it’s possible this is what the DCCC doesn’t want getting out. Imagine if the report revealed that 90% of DCCC consultants were men and 80% were white.
There would be innumerable think pieces about the party’s hypocrisy from the right and the left would for a circular firing squad. If the DCCC is guarding the results this closely, the numbers must make them look pretty bad.
Sarah Jones of the liberal journal The New Republic:
Why won’t the DCCC release its autopsy report?
This latest incident is another data point in a troubling pattern. At any hint it may be asked to account publicly for its failures, the Democratic Party pulls up its drawbridge and retreats deep into itself. It does not seem to grasp that, as a political party, it has an obligation to be transparent to its supporters.