Congresswoman Wasserman-Schultz, Step Up or Step Down

We appreciate your attempt at the Town Hall meeting to address our growing concerns about your support for the three local Congressional Democratic candidates in Districts 18, 21 and 25. With respect, we feel that you have totally misapprehended the nature and magnitude of this problem.

As much as you and your staff would like to think otherwise, this cannot be written off as simply a concern of the left-wing blogosphere, and it cannot be swept under the rug as you have done with Impeachment. Your position has not only captured the attention of the mainstream media, it has now caught the attention of virtually every national and local progressive radio talk show and is generating concern and anger among progressive political groups and voters across the nation. This will not go away.

As someone who has been so respected in our community and whom we have come to know as a committed fighter for progressive causes, your position on this issue, especially in light of your prominent role in the DCCC, is puzzling and wholly untenable. The DCCCs own website proclaims that it is the only political committee in the country whose principal mission is to support Democratic House candidates every step of the way through this critical election year. Your continued refusal to publicly support three extremely talented and viable Democratic candidates in your own backyard, who have a real chance of defeating three of the most right-wing, anti-progressive, pro-Bush Republicans in Congress, is damaging to all of our efforts and is totally unacceptable.

Its unacceptable to our canvassers who are having doors in Country Walk slammed in their faces when they are asking voters to support these local candidates. Its unacceptable to our phone bankers in Hialeah who are having Democratic voters hang up on them when they ask for donations to these campaigns. Its unacceptable to our precinct organizers who are struggling to find volunteers because their fellow Democrats have read in the paper that two influential members of Congress [have] said they would not support the three because of long-standing personal and professional relationships with the Republican incumbents.

We are working for the same cause and are trying to be on your side, but you are making our jobs impossible. Your insistence that you can support these candidates behind the scenes, but not publicly contradicts your role as the Co-Chair of the Red-to-Blue campaign. You cannot dichotomize support either it is wholehearted or it is half-hearted, and, believe us, the voters, the political observers and the commentators, are keenly aware of the difference.

As co-chair of Red-to-Blue, as a Democratic Congressperson who in her Town Hall meetings decries and makes great political hay out of the damage created by the Bush Administration, how can you not publicly support the opponents of three Republicans who have consistently voted in lock-step with this President? Can you not see the blatant inconsistency in your position? Once again, we can assure you, the voters do.

Leaders cant pick and choose when they will lead. They have to be ready to lead at all times and at all costs. Thats part of the job. If you are going to be co-chair of Red-to-Blue you need to be able to publicly contrast the candidates as you did for Ron Klein against Clay Shaw and your support must be unequivocal and unwavering. If you cannot do this publicly, then step down as chair and let someone who is unencumbered by allegiances and friendships fulfill the duties this position entails.

Only you can fix this. As quickly as this blew up and spread across the country, it can be rectified by you. It cannot, as your aide suggested, be fixed by us. You can stand up as you have in the past. Take the spot light off yourself and put it back on the candidates. The nation is watching Congresswoman. Please do the right thing for South Florida, for the DCCC and the country.

Thank you for all your hard work. We look forward to hearing from you on this matter and sincerely look forward to working with you to elect Democrats to office and reclaim the Congress and White House.