Democratic Caucus Governance Still Shrouded in Secrecy

February 13, 2020by Chris Marquette, CQ-Roll Call (TNS)
Democratic Caucus Governance Still Shrouded in Secrecy

WASHINGTON — House Democratic Caucus rules are not publicly available online, leaving the public in the dark on how those lawmakers assume power within the party and the procedures that members follow as part of that collective group.

It has been over a year since the progressive group Demand Progress, joined by others, originally wrote to House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries of New York asking him to publish the rules governing the caucus online. Last year, Jeffries said he would present the issue to the caucus, but nothing has come of it.

On Wednesday, Demand Progress along with numerous other groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, wrote to Jeffries asking him to publish the rules online. This marks the fourth time Demand Progress, joined by a coalition, has written to Jeffries seeking the public disclosure of the rules.

Since they took power in the House, Democrats have pledged to be committed to transparency, but they have yet to publicly display the internal guidelines for party members.

“Just as the publication of the rules for the House of Representatives is necessary for government accountability, so too is the publication of the Democratic Caucus rules,” the letter said. “Public access empowers understanding of legislative branch activities, provides essential detail on how you govern, and exemplifies your commitment to open government.”

The letter also notes that it is a practice of the House Republican Conference to publish its rules online. Those rules, which are available on the party’s conference website, include the parameters around conference membership, expulsion, leadership structure and election procedures.

Jeffries, who represents New York, holds the fifth-highest Democratic leadership role in the House. “Continuing our long-standing commitment to complete transparency, the Caucus is in the process of making its rules available online for all to see,” Michael Hardaway, a spokesman for Jeffries, said in a statement. Pressed for what kind of timeline that meant, Hardaway did not respond.

Signatories on the letter say there’s no reason for the Democrats to conceal this information.

“There is no good reason to keep the caucus rules secret,” said Liz Hempowicz, director of public policy for the Project on Government Oversight. “I can’t fathom why they haven’t been published already.”

Meredith McGehee, executive director for Issue One, said: “In the House, who writes the rules determines who wields power. Issue One believes that regardless of which party controls the institution, how the majority determines who will chair committees, which legislation will be considered, and who actually wields power should be public — particularly at a time when American faith in government is at historic lows.”

———

Stephanie Akin contributed to this report.

———

©2020 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved

Visit CQ Roll Call at www.rollcall.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A+
a-
  • Congress
  • Democratic Caucus
  • Rules
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    March 28, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    Elections Task Force Prosecutes 2020 ‘Vigilantes,’ Seeks More Civic Dialogue

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – A 46-year-old Ohio man has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for sending death threats to... Read More

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – A 46-year-old Ohio man has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for sending death threats to an Arizona election official. The sentencing of Joshua Russell, of Bucyrus, Ohio, came after he pleaded guilty to one count of making a threatening interstate communication.... Read More

    March 28, 2024
    by Tom Ramstack
    Disney World Settles with Florida After Its Opposition to 'Don’t Say Gay' Law

    ORLANDO — The company that runs Walt Disney World reached a settlement Wednesday with appointees of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis... Read More

    ORLANDO — The company that runs Walt Disney World reached a settlement Wednesday with appointees of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who were exerting controversial regulatory control over the huge tourism complex. The settlement resolves some of the disputes that arose after Disney officials publicly denounced the... Read More

    Biden Announcing New Rule to Protect Consumers Who Purchase Short-Term Health Insurance Plans

    President Joe Biden on Thursday announced new steps to protect consumers who buy short-term health insurance plans that critics say amount to junk. A... Read More

    President Joe Biden on Thursday announced new steps to protect consumers who buy short-term health insurance plans that critics say amount to junk. A new rule finalized by the Democratic president's administration will limit these plans to just three months. And the plans can only be renewed for a maximum... Read More

    US Changes How It Categorizes People by Race and Ethnicity. It's the First Revision in 27 Years

    ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — For the first time in 27 years, the U.S. government is changing how it categorizes people by race and... Read More

    ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — For the first time in 27 years, the U.S. government is changing how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity, an effort that federal officials believe will more accurately count residents who identify as Hispanic and of Middle Eastern and North African heritage. The revisions... Read More

    Biden Fundraiser With Obama and Clinton Nets Record High $25M, the Campaign Says

    WASHINGTON (AP) — A fundraiser for President Joe Biden on Thursday in New York City that also stars Barack Obama... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — A fundraiser for President Joe Biden on Thursday in New York City that also stars Barack Obama and Bill Clinton is raising a whopping $25 million, setting a record for the biggest haul for a political event, his campaign said. The eye-popping amount... Read More

    March 28, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    Vice President Harris Rolls Out First Government-Wide Policy to Mitigate AI Risks

    WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday rolled out the Biden administration’s first government-wide policy intended to mitigate the... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday rolled out the Biden administration’s first government-wide policy intended to mitigate the risks associated with artificial intelligence while still enabling its use to advance the public interest. The new policy, which is being issued through the White House... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top