Hogg forgoes reelection for DNC vice chair
Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice chair David Hogg announced Wednesday that he would be forgoing reelection for his spot in the committee after DNC members voted to redo the vice chair election of Hogg and Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta.
'I came into this role to play a positive role in creating the change our party needs. It is clear that there is a fundamental disagreement about the role of a Vice Chair — and it's okay to have disagreements. What isn't okay is allowing this to remain our focus when there is so much more we need to be focused on,' he said in a statement shared through his Leaders We Deserve group.
'Ultimately, I have decided to not run in this upcoming election so the party can focus on what really matters. I need to do this work with Leaders We Deserve, and it is going to remain my number one mission to build the strongest party possible,' he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, DNC committee members voted 294 to 99 to redo the election of both vice chairs after Oklahoma DNC member Kalyn Free challenged the way the election was conducted in February, alleging in her letter that it unfairly gave the male candidates an advantage over the female vice chair candidates.
The challenge was issued far before Hogg announced his group would be getting involved in primarying safe Democratic incumbents. But the two began to run in tandem as Hogg's decision to wade into Democratic contests drew the ire and disapproval from members of the party, including DNC Chair Ken Martin, who believed he shouldn't be doing so as an officer of the national party.
Tensions between the DNC leadership and Hogg came to a head earlier this week when audio was leaked of a Zoom call with DNC officers that happened last month and was published over the weekend, indicating Martin was frustrated with Hogg.
Some members indicated that they were reconsidering how they would vote over whether the DNC should redo its vice chair election in light of the leaked reporting.
Martin responded to Hogg's announcement in a statement saying, 'I commend David for his years of activism, organizing, and fighting for his generation, and while I continue to believe he is a powerful voice for this party, I respect his decision to step back from his post as Vice Chair.'
'I have no doubt that he will remain an important advocate for Democrats across the map. I appreciate his service as an officer, his hard work, and his dedication to the party,' Martin added.
The DNC is set to vote on its vice chair elections this week and next week.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
7 minutes ago
- The Hill
Hegseth's long week on Capitol Hill
The Big Story Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday closed out his third and final day of hearings on Capitol Hill. © Associated Press The final day was not without its fireworks, with several clashes with lawmakers as he dodged questions on invading Greenland, Ukraine aid, his use of the app Signal, and troop deployment in Los Angeles. Hegseth, in his first appearance before the House Armed Services Committee, was quickly hit with queries from panel Democrats, starting with ranking member Adam Smith (Wash.). Smith pressed the Pentagon chief on whether it is the Defense Department's policy that the U.S. military be prepared to take Greenland or Panama by force. Hegseth would not rule out the possibility of a future military invasion of the Arctic territory and Central American country, suggesting to lawmakers the Pentagon could have such plans and that the U.S. has an interest in protecting both areas from Chinese influence. The Defense Department 'plans for any particular contingency,' he said, adding that 'I think the American people would want the Pentagon to have plans for anything.' The answer caused Smith to scoff, replying: 'I don't think the American people voted for President Trump because they were hoping we would invade Greenland. I'm going to go out on a limb on that one.' Hegseth was later pressed by Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), who implored him to confirm that 'it is not your testimony today that there are plans at the Pentagon for taking by force or invading Greenland, correct? Because I sure as hell hope that it is not that.' Hegseth would only repeat that the 'Pentagon has plans for any number of contingencies' and that officials 'look forward to working with Greenland to ensure that it is secured from any potential threats.' Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) took his five minutes to supply Hegseth with the most direct questioning he's yet faced on whether he shared classified information on U.S. attack plans in Yemen via the Signal messaging app. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) then lambasted the Defense secretary as an 'embarrassment,' demanding he resign over a range of issues including the Signal group chat, deploying Marines to Los Angeles amid protests and his views on Russia's war in Ukraine. 'I have called for your resignation. I didn't think you were qualified before your confirmation, and you have done nothing to inspire confidence in your ability to lead competently,' Carbajal said. The hearing caps off Hegseth's long week on Capitol Hill, which began on Tuesday with a relatively quiet House Appropriations defense subcommittee hearing. But on Wednesday, Hegseth faced heated questions from the Senate's version of the Appropriations panel, which bombarded Hegseth over the Russia-Ukraine war, the Pentagon's delays in delivering budget information and the administration's focus on Greenland in its Arctic strategy. Read the full report at Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guides to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future: Rain, thunderstorms forecast for DC military parade Rain and thunderstorms are forecast for Saturday in the nation's capital, where a day of festivities and a military parade are scheduled to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th birthday — which happens to coincide with President Trump's 79th birthday. The daylong festivities in Washington will take place mostly on the National Mall, where a fitness event will be held at 9:30 a.m. and a festival will kick off at 11 a.m. The festival … US troops begin detaining migrants on border defense zone U.S. troops at the southern border started detaining migrants last week as part of the 'Deep South Campaign' to prosecute individuals found trespassing in National Defense Areas (NDAs). President Trump has currently designated the U.S.-Mexico stretches between El Paso to Fort Hancock, Texas, as an NDA alongside the land line marking the country's boundaries in New Mexico. U.S. Army Lt. Col. Chad Campbell said three individuals … Newsom says Trump never discussed sending National Guard: 'Stone cold liar' California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said in a podcast episode Thursday that President Trump did not discuss sending the National Guard to Los Angeles when the two recently spoke to each other before Trump's announcement. 'He lied, he lied. On my mother and dad's grave. I don't mess around, when I say this, he lied. Stone cold liar,' Newsom said on The New York Times's 'The Daily.' Host Michael Barbaro had said the … On Our Radar Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Senate Democrats calls for Noem to resign Multiple Senate Democrats on Thursday called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign after Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was forcibly removed and later handcuffed for interrupting a press conference Noem held in Los Angeles. 'Kristi Noem should resign in disgrace,' Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) … On Tap Tomorrow Events in and around the defense world: What We're Reading News we've flagged from other outlets: Trending Today Two key stories on The Hill right now: Republicans lay groundwork for 'total tax cliff' at end of Trump's term Congressional Republicans are laying the groundwork for a tax cliff at the end of President Trump's term in office. While the conference is pushing … Read more Trump on 'No Kings' protests during military parade: 'I don't feel like a king' President Trump was asked Thursday to respond to planned counterprotests that will coincide with a military parade in the nation's capital to … Read more Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
Politico
14 minutes ago
- Politico
Claws out for Cuomo, Mamdani at debate as rivals dig into their missteps, weaknesses
NEW YORK — Mayoral candidates Brad Lander and Andrew Cuomo tussled at the second Democratic primary debate Thursday evening over the former governor's description of immigrants — an emotional flashpoint as protests over ICE arrests grip cities around the country. Zohran Mamdani, who is trailing in second place behind Cuomo in most polls, also went after the former governor repeatedly for mispronouncing his name. And the former New York governor returned fire, insisting the 33-year-old Mamdani is too young and inexperienced for the difficult job of running the nation's largest city. The clashes revealed cleaner lines of attack against Cuomo a week after the first debate — as well as how candidates hoping to shrink Cuomo's polling lead are seizing every opening, big and small, in an effort to weaken the frontrunner in the final days of the Democratic primary. Lander didn't relegate his broadsides against Cuomo to one topic. He honed in on the sexual harassment allegations against the former governor — which state Attorney General Letitia James concluded in a report and Cuomo denies — and his management of the MTA. 'The MTA goes through a rigorous contracting process,' Cuomo responded. 'They should never have hired illegal immigrants, if it is true.' 'What did you call them?' Lander, the progressive city comptroller, quickly challenged. 'If anyone was undocumented, or they didn't pay the proper wages, I had nothing to do with it,' Cuomo said, rephrasing with a term viewed as typically more acceptable in the city. Lander carried on with his targeting of Cuomo. 'You cheated them out of the prevailing wages they were due and the health care they were due.' Mamdani, a state assemblymember, separately ticked off the record that Cuomo's critics say disqualify him from returning to power, including the sexual harassment allegations that forced him from the statehouse in 2021. But Mamdani's focus on the pronunciation of his name appeared intended to spotlight how some supporters of Cuomo have cast the Muslim immigrant as an outsider. 'I have never had to resign in disgrace. … I have never hounded the 13 women who credibly accused me of sexual harassment. I have never sued for their gynecological records,' Mamdani said. 'And I have never done those things because I am not you, Mr. Cuomo. And furthermore, the name is Mamdani, M-a-m-d-a-n-i, you should learn how to say it, because we've got to get it right.'
CBS News
28 minutes ago
- CBS News
House passes rescission package to claw back $9.4 billion in funding for foreign aid, NPR, PBS
Washington — The House on Thursday narrowly approved a request from the White House, known as a rescissions package, to claw back funding for NPR, PBS and international aid that lawmakers had previously appropriated. In a 214 to 212 vote, all but four House Republicans voted in favor of the measure, with all Democrats opposing. The package now heads to the Senate. President Trump put pressure on Republicans to vote in favor of the bill ahead of the vote, calling it a "no brainer." "Every single Republican in Congress should vote, 'YES,'" he wrote on Truth Social. The package would cancel $9.4 billion appropriated by Congress, looking to make permanent some of the Department of Government Efficiency's spending cuts. Its primary focus is slashing foreign aid, from peacekeeping efforts to refugee assistance and climate projects, but it would also essentially cut off federal funding for NPR and PBS. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, touted the request to cancel what he called "wasteful spending" in recent days, calling it a "manifestation of the DOGE effort," adding that it would "ensure greater accountability in government going forward." "This is a long time overdue," Johnson said. "Today's passage of this initial rescissions package marks a critical step towards a more responsible and transparent government that puts the interests of the American taxpayers first." The cuts in the rescissions package The rescissions package includes $1.1 billion in cuts for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding to NPR and PBS. The White House has targeted the entities, claiming they have "spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as 'news.'" PBS received $325 million in CPB funding this year. Johnson said of NPR and PBS that funding them is an outmoded idea because "we're in a different era now." "There is no reason for any media organization to be singled out to receive federal funds," Johnson said. "Especially those who appear to have so little regard for the truth." The package would cut $8.3 billion for the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID, among other international assistance programs, after the foreign aid agency became an early target of the administration. Johnson said the resolution would make cuts in what he called the "USAID abuses area." Johnson said DOGE "went after USAID first for their review, their audits," because USAID "opposed the loudest of this accountability measure," claiming they "put the scrutiny targets on their own backs." But some of the cuts have sparked objections among Republican lawmakers, like cuts to a program aimed at combatting HIV and AIDS globally. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, was started by former President George W. Bush, and has been credited for saving millions of lives around the world. Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, told The New York Times he would oppose the rescissions package because of these cuts, though he seemed to warm to the package this week, telling reporters he feels "better" about the cuts to the program after the House GOP conference met Tuesday. Bacon ultimately voted in favor of the measure Thursday. Other Republicans, like Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, have voiced concerns as well. "PEPFAR cuts make no sense to me whatsoever, given the extraordinary record of PEPFAR in saving lives," Collins told reporters last week, while pointing to several other global health care programs targeted in the rescissions package. "So, I have a lot of concerns." But Republican leaders in Congress were bullish about the path forward. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, said Tuesday that "our members are ready to go lock in some of those DOGE cuts," adding that "this is a start — it's a good start, it's an important first step and we're going to take it on Thursday." Johnson said the vote on the package "is an important signal — House Republicans are serious about getting our fiscal house in order, and we'll do that." The rescissions process Congress can cancel funds that the federal government has not yet spent but has previously appropriated under the rescissions process. Each year, Congress approves funding to keep the federal government running before the funds are disbursed to government agencies and programs. The president can temporarily defer funds or withhold them altogether — but only with Congress' approval. The White House's official transmission of the rescission package on June 3 started the clock on a process that gives Congress 45 days to act. Rescissions requests first go before relevant committees for consideration, before moving to the full House and Senate for votes. In the Senate, rescission bills are not subject to the 60-vote threshold needed to advance most legislation in the upper chamber and only require a simple majority. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, told reporters Thursday that Collins, the top Republican appropriator in the Senate, would receive the package in the upper chamber. He said the Senate is prioritizing the massive budget bill that's key to enacting Mr. Trump's agenda, pushing work on the rescissions package likely into July. and contributed to this report.
