White House councilor Cedric Richmond confirmed on Tuesday that he would leave President Biden’s staff for a position on the Democratic National Committee, shortly after announcing he had called leftists Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib “idiots.”
Richmond, 48, will play a vague role in the DNC, stepping up the party’s efforts to avoid destroying the November by-elections. He and the White House described the transition as an increase.
Richmond, director of the White House’s public relations office, was one of the few relatively fresh figures among Biden’s West Wing senior staff, dominated by longtime associates of the 79-year-old president. He is reportedly struggling to be included.
It is unclear whether Richmond’s criticism of Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Tlaib (D-Mich.) Has anything to do with his departure.
The former Louisiana congressman broke up with left-wing members of the Squad after progressive activists criticized Biden for hiring him, despite his history of accepting campaign donations from fossil fuel executives, according to excerpts from the book This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden and the Battle for the Future of America ”by New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns.
“I am delighted that the President has entrusted me with helping to strengthen the stable work already being done in the DNC to ensure that Democrats increase their majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate and increase the number of Democratic governors in US capitals. across the country, “Richmond said.
Representative Cedric Richmond said his decision to leave the White House came after he struggled to be included. Aaron P. Bernstein / Getty Images
DNC President Jamie Harrison said that “there are few people who are better able to help us continue to build on our successes and pass on our message as we move towards the midterm elections” and that Richmond’s transfer shows that the Democratic Party the party is all-in and leaves nothing to chance. “
James Clayburn (R-SC), an important ally of Richmond, said: “This is an exciting and important move – as we move towards interim terms, Cedric Richmond will make an already strong DNC team led by Jamie Harrison, even stronger. “
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Monday tried to dispel the notion that Richmond was rejected when a reporter pushed her for Richmond’s recent remarks that she planned to stay in the White House.
Richmond is said to help the DNC avoid being overtaken by the GOP in this year’s by-elections. Drew Angerer / Getty Images
“The New York Times reports that Cedric Richmond is leaving. Is it him? And just last week, he said publicly that he would not leave unless the president asked him to. So, has anything changed there? ”The reporter asked.
“Cedric Richmond was, continues to be a vital, important adviser to the president – he was in the campaign, he continues to be in the White House. I have had many meetings with Cedric Richmond, where the president goes to him and looks for him for his political acumen, his assessment of Congress. He believes in him unconditionally, “Psaki replied.
“I have nothing to announce at the moment, but I can assure you that when we have something to announce, it will include a new important role – for Cedric Richmond and something that the president is excited about and asked him to do.
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