It’s going to be harder for critics of the Occupy protests to say it’s a pro-Democratic Party movement after tomorrow. TPM has learned a group of DC Occupiers plan to hold a demonstration outside a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee high-dollar fundraiser for, among other members, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ).
The event (which comes with a $75,000 PAC sponsorship price; the cheapest ticket is $5,000) will feature speeches from all the top leaders of the House Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and DCCC chair Steve Israel.
On its website, OccupyDC calls the event “elitist” and “indicative of how the Democrats represent a major part of our government’s failure to represent 99% of its citizenry.” This is ironic considering the Democrats inside the closed-to-the-public and closed-to-the-press fundraiser are among the most vocal supporters of the Occupy movement in politics.
In October, the DCCC posted a petition urging voters to stand up for Occupiers against attacks on the movement from Republicans like House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, who called the protesters a “mob.”
Pelosi condemned the remark and said she supported the movement’s ideals. Republicans really liked that, and attacked Israel when he offered a similar support for Occupiers in New York.
Other Democrats, like President Obama, have gone on the record with supportive statements toward the Occupy movement. But it’s hard to think of any Democrats who’ve stood with Occupy more than the DCCC. (Well, maybe Elizabeth Warren.)
Republicans have certainly had a field day with DCCC support of Occupy, and many have dismissed the movement as a pro-Democratic, pro-Obama swell that isn’t worthy of GOP attention.
But Occupy DC clearly has plenty to criticize at the DCCC and they’re going to use Thursday’s march to mark the two month anniversary of the movement beginning in the nation’s capital. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for the Democrats.
Evan McMorris-Santoro
Evan McMorris-Santoro has covered politics for TPM since 2009. Before that, he was a reporter at National Journal’s Hotline covering election 2008. He started his career covering local politics at newspapers in TN and his native NC.
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