Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, is facing fire from within her own ranks from lawmakers and political insiders who say she’s not only lost her edge, she’s become an election-year liability.
First, she criticized the White House’s handling of the immigration crisis at the border, Politico reported. She then compared tea party-types to wife beaters — rhetoric that didn’t sell well on the public relations front.
Critics say her missteps highlight the fact that Ms. Wasserman Schultz is more about bolstering her own career than about helping the party, pointing to her use of DNC meetings to solicit funds for her own PAC as proof, Politico reported.
“I guess the best way to describe it is, it’s not that she’s losing a duel anywhere. It’s that she seems to keep shooting herself in the foot before she even gets the gun out of the holster,” John Morgan, a donor in Ms. Wasserman Schultz’s home state of Florida, told Politico.
One ongoing bone of contention: She’s always trying to get the DNC to pay for her wardrobe, Politico reported.
Ms. Wasserman Schultz pushed for them to pay for her clothing at the Democratic National Convention in 2012, and again for the 2013 inauguration — to the point that Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett had to personally call her to stop, Politico reported. But she reportedly tried at least one more time, requesting the DNC buy clothes for her to attend the 2013 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, sources told Politico.
Ms. Wasserman Schultz denies asking for the clothing allowance.
“I think that would be a totally inappropriate use of DNC funds,” she said in a statement reported by Politico. “I never asked someone to do that for me. I would hope that no one would seek that on my behalf and I’m not aware that anyone did.”
The Obama administration in 2012 reportedly found a replacement for her, but decided at the last minute against pushing for the move, Politico reported.
Hillary Rodham Clinton wouldn’t be so kind, sources said. Ms. Wasserman Schultz — who reportedly reached out to Mr. Obama while was serving as co-chair to Mrs. Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign — would definitely be shown the door if Mrs. Clinton were to win in 2016, Politico reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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