top '16 Bernie aide Robert Becker forcibly kissed subordinate.

[Yosemito]

Link to tweet

?s=21

[R B Garr]

1. Brutally honest comments, but that has been seen regularly for

some time now, which is a sure sign some long overdue vetting is underway. We don’t need a repeat.....

This was a field director. Their behavior surely was emulated.

[ehrnst]

3. And this:

the sort of organization that researchers have found to be particularly prone to sexual harassment and abuse: male dominated, super hierarchical, and forgiving when it comes to bad behavior.

It could impact staffing.

“There was lots of bros protecting bros, to the point that now there is a conversation among female alumni of not working on this campaign again,” said one former campaign staffer.

[R B Garr]

8. Wow, and to watch the abuse heaped on Hillary---

this just confirms what we all saw happening to her and to any “outsiders”. Anyone criticizing others to this extent should be transparent/examined themselves. No excuses.

[ehrnst]

2. How could Weaver not know about a 30k discrimination settlement concerning a field director?

And why was this guy planning on joining Bernie's 2020 campaign, and working unofficially on his behalf as late as December of 2018?

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/17/sanders-advisor-meets-with-potential-campaign-staff-in-south-carolina.html



Maybe that's the reason Weaver isn't going to be coming back as campaign manager in 2020....

[Hortensis]

4. The sort of organizations particularly prone to sexual harassment

and abuse are found to be: "male dominated, super hierarchical, and forgiving when it comes to bad behavior."

The 2016 Sanders campaign fits the bill, all right, (Sanders its famously authoritarian, detail-oriented control freak), and this particular aide is still with him in 2019.

In 2016, the populist Sanders campaign's strongest support was from white males who, on the whole, strongly objected to HRC. Many, like those famous white working class men, ended up voting for Trump in the GE, having apparently OD'd on too much equality. For most only temporarily, one hopes, but why hasn't Sanders jettisoned this guy for 2020?

[ehrnst]

5. From the article:

Briefed on the allegation, Friends of Bernie Sanders, the senator’s principal campaign committee, said in a statement that “Robert Becker would not be a part of any future campaigns.” The campaign added: “To be clear: no one who committed sexual harassment in 2016 would be back if there were a 2020 campaign," and described Becker’s conduct as “deplorable and fundamentally unacceptable.”

But over the past several months, Becker, who is not on Sanders’ payroll, has been calling potential staffers and traveling to early primary states to prepare for another presidential run—activities that Sanders’ top aides did not endorse, but did not disavow, either.

Becker continued making plans for 2020, however, and attracted press attention for a trip to South Carolina in mid-December to recruit campaign staffers for Sanders.

[Hortensis]

6. Good clarification. Sanders has been trying to correct some

2016 decisions that backfired with the electorate, whatever this guy's up to. Lots of photo ops here in the deep south, etc.

I'm interested in how his working with the Republicans in their efforts to create a pretend foreign relations persona for him will go over with the electorate. Needless to say, our Democratic senators think very poorly of his refusing to stand with them on Yemen and instead posture alongside Tea Partier Mike Lee.

[boston bean]

12. This was sexual assault- NOT harassment.

[SidDithers]

7. DU rec...

seemed to have been a culture within his 2016 campaign.

Sid

[sheshe2]

9. K&R

[oasis]

10. Jeff Weaver has some explaining to do!

[Blue_true]

11. How could Bernie not know about a $30,000 check.

The fact is, either he knew, or his ability to lead a complex organization is crap.

[Gothmog]

13. K&R