House Democrats plan final attempt to postpone Biden nomination
A Democratic lawmaker is distributing a letter, requesting the DNC to delay the upcoming virtual roll call vote.
TroibNews 
Several House Democrats are spearheading an initiative to criticize their party's move to hasten the confirmation of President Joe Biden's nomination, asserting that this decision hampers the ongoing rigorous debate about his candidacy. According to a lawmaker involved in this effort, a drafted letter circulated by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and acquired by POLITICO is the first public signal from Democrats following the recent events concerning former President Donald Trump that highlights the deep unease within their ranks regarding the trajectory of Biden's candidacy.
"It’s a really bad move by the DNC. Somebody thinks it’s a clever way to lock down debate and I guess by dint of sheer force, achieve unity, but it doesn’t work that way," Huffman expressed in an interview, refraining from confirming the letter's existence.
The letter from these Democratic members does not explicitly call for Biden's withdrawal from the race but underscores a diverse range of viewpoints. Notwithstanding, many Democrats who have been quietly urging their peers to push for Biden to step aside perceive this as a pivotal moment after weeks of clandestine deliberations on the party's predicament.
In the wake of the disruption caused by last weekend's events, the impetus for a new nominee has regained momentum, with House Democrats now demonstrating serious organization for the first time. Additionally, there is a tangible deadline to act upon that many Democrats hope would spur leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries or former Speaker Nancy Pelosi to take more decisive steps themselves.
The content of the letter, initially disclosed by The New York Times, advises against a virtual roll call contrary to the regular schedule during the upcoming convention in Chicago next month, arguing that there is no legal basis for accelerating the nomination process substantially.
While some signatories may endorse Biden's departure while others do not, the crux of their united stance is against stifling debate and hastily closing off any potential alterations to the Democratic ticket through an unnecessary and unprecedented "virtual roll call" in the days ahead. This move is feared to undermine Democratic morale and unity, impacting various stakeholders from delegates and volunteers to grassroots organizers and donors.
The initiative emerges just days before the Democratic National Convention rules committee convenes to determine the rules and dates for a virtual roll call vote. While the virtual roll call was initially justified to address ballot access issues in Ohio, subsequent changes in the state's ballot deadline have raised concerns among Democrats regarding potential obstruction to the party's nominee's inclusion on the ballot.
DNC Chair Jaime Harrison refuted claims of an accelerated timeline for the virtual roll call process, asserting that the timeline remains unaltered from the original decision made in May. It remains uncertain whether the letter will prompt more Democrats to voice their apprehensions about Biden's viability as a candidate, as opposed to their reservations about the nomination process.
One anonymous Democratic lawmaker expressed a sense of relief following the recent events, suggesting that there was a buildup of pressure before a temporary respite, with expectations of mounting tension returning shortly.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
"It’s a really bad move by the DNC. Somebody thinks it’s a clever way to lock down debate and I guess by dint of sheer force, achieve unity, but it doesn’t work that way," Huffman expressed in an interview, refraining from confirming the letter's existence.
The letter from these Democratic members does not explicitly call for Biden's withdrawal from the race but underscores a diverse range of viewpoints. Notwithstanding, many Democrats who have been quietly urging their peers to push for Biden to step aside perceive this as a pivotal moment after weeks of clandestine deliberations on the party's predicament.
In the wake of the disruption caused by last weekend's events, the impetus for a new nominee has regained momentum, with House Democrats now demonstrating serious organization for the first time. Additionally, there is a tangible deadline to act upon that many Democrats hope would spur leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries or former Speaker Nancy Pelosi to take more decisive steps themselves.
The content of the letter, initially disclosed by The New York Times, advises against a virtual roll call contrary to the regular schedule during the upcoming convention in Chicago next month, arguing that there is no legal basis for accelerating the nomination process substantially.
While some signatories may endorse Biden's departure while others do not, the crux of their united stance is against stifling debate and hastily closing off any potential alterations to the Democratic ticket through an unnecessary and unprecedented "virtual roll call" in the days ahead. This move is feared to undermine Democratic morale and unity, impacting various stakeholders from delegates and volunteers to grassroots organizers and donors.
The initiative emerges just days before the Democratic National Convention rules committee convenes to determine the rules and dates for a virtual roll call vote. While the virtual roll call was initially justified to address ballot access issues in Ohio, subsequent changes in the state's ballot deadline have raised concerns among Democrats regarding potential obstruction to the party's nominee's inclusion on the ballot.
DNC Chair Jaime Harrison refuted claims of an accelerated timeline for the virtual roll call process, asserting that the timeline remains unaltered from the original decision made in May. It remains uncertain whether the letter will prompt more Democrats to voice their apprehensions about Biden's viability as a candidate, as opposed to their reservations about the nomination process.
One anonymous Democratic lawmaker expressed a sense of relief following the recent events, suggesting that there was a buildup of pressure before a temporary respite, with expectations of mounting tension returning shortly.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
