DNC moves forward with Biden virtual roll call despite furious backlash from some Democrats

By MJ Lee, CNN

Washington (CNN) — The Democratic National Committee is moving ahead with its controversial plan to virtually nominate President Joe Biden ahead of the Democratic convention in Chicago next month – ignoring the growing calls from some of the party’s elected officials to ditch that strategy given the serious ongoing debate about whether the president should continue to seek a second term.

According to an email sent to members of the convention rules committee within that was obtained by CNN, the committee will proceed with a previously scheduled meeting on Friday to deliberate – and begin to set in motion – the steps and timeline for virtually nominating Biden.

The letter notably states that “no virtual voting will begin before August 1” – a new decision that appears aimed at addressing the fury inside the party that was prompted by reporting from CNN and other outlets that some Biden allies have been quietly pushing to fast-track the virtual roll call.

Wednesday’s letter, which makes clear that the DNC is doubling down on its virtual nomination plan, now sets up a key deadline for Democrats by which to resolve questions around Biden’s candidacy. While it could be possible for the party to revisit the results of the vote at the convention in Chicago, the DNC has long made clear that it is committed to locking in their nominee before the convention begins – and specifically before August 7, which, they say, is critical to ensure ballot access in a state like Ohio.

“Our discussion on Friday of how the Convention will operate will include discussion of a virtual voting element, which will end before the in-person Convention,” the letter says. “We will elaborate on the reasoning below as to why a virtual vote is the wisest approach, and will explain how a virtual vote would work.”

A growing faction of House Democrats, convinced that Biden is too politically damaged to defeat Donald Trump in November, has been calling on the DNC to ditch the virtual nomination plans altogether, and a draft letter is circulating among Democratic lawmakers calling on the party to slow down the process, as CNN reported.

In Wednesday’s letter, the co-chairs of the rules committee alluded to reports of Biden allies hoping to accelerate the virtual roll call, writing: “No matter what may be reported, our goal is not to fast-track.”

“None of this will be rushed,” they said.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was involved in the lobbying push by Democrats to delay the DNC’s virtual roll call vote past August 1, according to multiple sources. Jeffries was relaying concerns he was hearing from his members, many of whom were furious that the DNC was considering holding the vote next week. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also pushed for the delay, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Jeffries has publicly maintained he supports Biden atop the ticket, even as panic is growing in Democratic ranks over Biden’s chances.

Appearing on “CNN News Central” Wednesday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a co-chair of the DNC’s rules committee and one of the letter’s authors, also rejected suggestions that the DNC is trying to fast-track Biden’s nomination.

“No, I don’t think it behooves us to fall into conspiracy theories. The Republicans have cornered the market on that,” Walz said. “Look, this is the process that we’ve done. There is nothing going to happen on Friday other than to start to set the rules. Again, if our convention would have been held last month, then no one would be talking about this, but we have to get the work done,” he added.

He was referring to the initial rationale for the virtual roll call process, which was intended to step around an issue in Ohio that threatened to leave Biden off the ballot in that state if he wasn’t nominated by August 7. Lawmakers in Ohio have since passed a law to make that issue moot, but the DNC has pointed to the potential of a legal challenge by Ohio Republicans for moving forward with the virtual roll call anyway.

In his letter, Walz and co-chair Leah Daughtry defend the virtual vote “because it ensures ballot access in the states that we need to win in November and avoids potential risks if there is delay in the process.” In addition to Ohio, Walz and Daughtry cite other state deadlines that fall during the in-person convention, some of which they say, require documents to be filed in person.

“We cannot and should not allow these timing complications to jeopardize whether the Democratic ticket appears on the ballot in must-win states,” they say.

Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, who was the first House member to publicly call for Biden to drop out, said Wednesday that the DNC should drop the push for virtual roll call.

“My call for President Biden to step aside remains even more urgent. Our decision must consider the reality of steadily, worsening poll numbers, not just more wishful thinking. The risk of Trump tyranny is so great that we must put forward our strongest nominee.”

He added of the DNC: “Fast-forwarding the nomination process is no way to convince the many unconvinced voters in the growing number of battleground states. Those so eager to overly protect President Biden ignore his own words inviting anyone questioning his nomination to do so at the Convention.”

Rep. Jared Huffman, a progressive Democrat from California, told CNN on Tuesday that there is a “growing number of members” concerned about the virtual roll call vote, calling it a “terrible idea” and a “dumb thing.”

“If the election were held today, he would get crushed,” Huffman said of Biden. “We have got to do something about it.”

A spokesperson for Huffman told CNN that in light of the DNC letter to hold a virtual roll call in August, they will not be sending their formal letter calling on the party to delay nominating Biden that was circulated earlier this week. Huffman had drafted a letter to House Democrats to delay Biden’s nomination until delegates gathered at the convention.

The spokesperson said that the California congressman is pleased to see the pressure members were putting on the DNC not to hold a virtual roll call by the end of July was successful.

CNN’s Ethan Cohen and Manu Raju contributed to this report.

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