House Democratic leaders on Tuesday defended their campaign arm in the face of complaints from freshmen like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, maintaining that the group's big-picture goal is to “protect and preserve” the party's majority in the House. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the House Democratic Caucus Chair, was responding to criticism of a move by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to blacklist political firms that work with primary challengers to sitting members of Congress. Reps. Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, both of whom scored primary upsets last year, blasted the decision. HOUSE DEMOCRATS' CAMPAIGN ARM WARNS CONSULTANTS AGAINST HELPING PRIMARY CHALLENGERSJeffries downplayed the rift during a press conference Tuesday, suggesting the leadership would hear everybody out but reiterating the mission statement of the DCCC itself. If this policy remains in place, it will mean that we will not allow new Ayanna Pressleys or AOCs to emerge.

Source: Fox News April 02, 2019 17:48 UTC