Pramila Jayapal Just Scored One of the Biggest Progressive Victories of 2016

[uawchild]

Source: The Nation

She was one of the first congressional candidates this year to earn an endorsement from Bernie Sanders.
If there is to be a political revolution sufficient to begin to usher in a new era of meaningful reform and people-powered democracy, Congress must change. A lot. Reactionary Republicans must be removed and cautious Democrats must be replaced with outside-inside activists who understand how to make the connection between movements and policies.

In this volatile election year, there are no guarantees with regard to presidential or congressional politics. But there are encouraging signs from across the country. Donald Trump’s Republican presidential run seems to be imploding and congressional Republicans who have aided and abetted his candidacy are beginning to abandon the sinking ship – opening up the possibility that Democrats could make real gains not just in the fight for control of the Senate but into the struggle to retake the House.

And a number of the Democrats who are being nominated for the House are progressives who really could change the chamber and the country. Civil rights and voting rights champion Jamie Raskin – a brilliant constitutional scholar and state legislator – is a clear frontrunner to win an open seat in Maryland. Anti-corruption and anti-monopoly campaigner Zephyr Teachout has a real chance to take a Republican-held seat representing New York. And Pramila Jayapal is finishing well ahead in a primary to fill an open seat representing Washington state.

Pramila Jayapal is an immigrant rights advocate who blends movement ideals with legislative skills.
An immigrant rights advocate who merges movement idealism with a deep commitment on policy making, Jayapal jumped into a big lead as results were tabulated in the Seattle-area district where progressive Democratic Congressman Jim McDermott is retiring. Jayapal still faces a November race with one of two fellow Democrats who finished behind her in the initial returns. Jayapal was winning 38 percent Tuesday night, while King County Council member Joe McDermott and State Representative Brady Walkinshaw were battling for second place with 21.5 percent and 20.9 percent respectively.)


Read more: https://www.thenation.com/article/pramila-jayapal-just-scored-one-of-the-biggest-progressive-victories-of-2016/

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A good start!

[Mrs. Overall]

1. Excellent! I voted for her yesterday!

[bluedye33139]

2. Refused to say no to "dark money" in the campaign

One of the reasons I couldn't support her was her refusal to say no to dark money from outside Washington state. On the positive side, it was from a liberalish PAC, but on the downside, it makes me wonder about her commitment to fight against Citizens United.

[dbackjon]

3. Do you think it is possible

To be able to overturn Citizens United, but need to take Dark Money in order to get elected first?

[bluedye33139]

4. Do I also think it's possible for one of her competitors to say no to dark money?

One of her competitors (currently battling for the second place spot, and he might be on the ballot against her) has said no to dark money and has done well.

If you can't pay for your campaign with money from King County, which is a massively wealthy county, it makes me wonder.

Edit: Yes, I think it's possible that someone can compromise and be incremental and have nuanced approaches to things, inasmuch as I am a Clintonian and not a Sanders-ish Democrat. Remember, purity versus compromise used to be an important value statement, oh those many intense months ago.

[Demsrule86]

5. United is a reality and until we end it...Dems must work with it.

That is reality.

[JudyM]

15. Not sure about that... Bernie did pretty damned well even with a somewhat disorganized and

institutionally marginalized campaign; to the extent that lesser seats are matters of reduced scale, downstreamm candidates should have a good shot.

My heart's with Bernie on this, however I also believe that taking some of that big money very selectively is a good intermediary step, because of the strides that can be made once in office, vs risking losing as a purist and the movement then has to wait till the next election cycle. We are all going to continue to learn a lot about politics and voter psychology in this election.

[Demsrule86]

17. We can't cripple our candidates by making them take less money...we will lose

and United will live on forever. Our only chance is to take back the government.

[Demsrule86]

18. Bernie ran in a primary.

You need way more money in a general. And normally we would have more Koch ET Al money in this election. Can't hobble our candidates with being broke...have to elect Democrats and get the courts back only then can we end United.

[uawchild]

6. Super PAC Women Vote! boosts Pramila Jayapal’s bid for U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott’s seat

Some background on the interesting point of the super pac issue:

A super PAC has jumped into the race for retiring U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott’s Seattle-area seat, and one candidate who’s not benefiting from the new spending says the move underscores his own commitment to getting outside money out of politics.

But the candidate receiving help from the group says she’s proud of it.

When Joe McDermott (no relation to Jim) in May asked his opponents to join him in signing a “People’s Pledge” to pre-emptively renounce any and all independent spending in Washington’s 7th Congressional District, Pramila Jayapal declined.

The pledge requires candidates to donate money from their campaigns to charity if they benefit from outside spending.

Now Jayapal, a state senator, is benefiting from the first independent spending group to get involved in the race. Since July 22, Women Vote!, a super PAC affiliated with EMILY’s List, the women’s group that supports abortion rights, has spent almost $50,000 to boost Jayapal’s bid, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Super PACs are groups that since the 2010 Supreme Court decision known as Citizens United have been allowed to accept and spend unlimited contributions from corporations and unions while operating independently from candidate campaigns.

McDermott, who chairs the King County Council, argues that super PACs are ruining U.S. elections by flooding them with millions and millions of dollars of spending not controlled by candidates — sometimes using “dark money” contributions that can’t be traced back to individual donors.

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/super-pac-roils-congressional-race-in-washingtons-7th-district/

So, my question is this, when you say she is taking DARK MONEY, do you have any links to show the super pac in question, Women Vote!, is not identifying its donors? Not being intentionally snarky here, I am really curious if dark money is really involved.

[bluedye33139]

12. Asset management firm contributions

Donald Sussman of Fort Lauderdale (a fine city, not trying to smear poor Florida) has channeled at least one and half million dollars of his clients' money into the fund, I see at first glance when I look at the donor list.

Yes, it is possible that if I write to Donald, he'll send me a list of his clients and their private financial information.

But somehow I doubt that he would, you know. Do you know Mr Sussman? Maybe we can get that info.

[uawchild]

9. Please back up your assertion about "her refusal to say no to dark money"

"One of the reasons I couldn't support her was her refusal to say no to dark money..."

Did Pramila Jayapal ever refuse to say no to dark money?

"What is dark money?

Simply put, dark money is money spent to influence the outcome of one or more elections by any group that does not disclose its donors."
https://sunlightfoundation.com/faq/election-spending/

She has defended being supported by a super pac Women Vote!

Are you accusing Women Vote! of taking dark money by not revealing its donors?

You need to back up your assertion over "her refusal to say no to dark money".

[bluedye33139]

10. Thanks for your kind comment

I know this because I live in King County (until I flee in September, as I no longer enjoy paying 60% of my income on housing), but I'd be glad to Google that for you.

"jayapal PAC money" as a search term led to http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/super-pac-roils-congressional-race-in-washingtons-7th-district/

Other related stories include http://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2016/4/18/jayapal-and-walkinshaw-in-fundraising-dead-heat-in-race-for-congress

I didn't bookmark every mention of Jayapal's dark money cash cows, but if your concern is that I made this us, rest assured that I haven't.

Thanks for asking.

[uawchild]

13. Well, I was wrong. Dark Money it is...

Women Vote!

Outside Spending Summary 2016
Select cycle:
Discloses Donors? PARTIAL
Viewpoint: LIBERAL
Type of group: SUPER PAC
http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cmte=C00473918

I looked for a while but finally found this information.

Please accept my apology for casting dispersion's on the accuracy of your assertion about dark money.

I was wrong. Again.

For the record, I feel taking dark money is simply wrong -- hence my peevishness over the issue. Thanks again for correcting my naiveté that a progressive liberal could not be accepting dark money. So it goes.

[bluedye33139]

14. I'd be willing to roll back "dark" and call it "PAC" money to be more accurate

The Simon Foundation and the Sussman stuff makes it look darkish, but since I posted the above, I've dived into Mr Sussman and his wife's backgrounds and find that they are a Democratic party power couple that POSSIBLY is donating their own money. For what it's worth.

[suffragette]

8. Glad to see this!

She has a strong history as a progressive community organizer here.

Happy to see the many endorsements she received and that she is advancing to the general election.

[Kennah]

16. She came and spoke at our Union Local in Oly, nowhere near her District

I like her a lot and look forward to her service in Congress.