Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez stated Sunday that “election subversion is wrong no matter who’s doing it,” as she criticized Democratic Rep. Chuy García over the timing of his decision to retire, which meant that his hand-picked successor was the one individual registered to run for his seat.
During final week’s important House vote to finish the federal government shutdown, during which Gluesenkamp Perez voted sure, the centrist Democrat from Washington took to the ground to announce she intends to drive a vote to sentence García for the timing of his retirement announcement, accusing him of “undermining the process of a free and fair election.” In utilizing particular procedural powers — often called privilege — her decision is more likely to get a vote this week.
When requested by NCS’s Jake Tapper on Sunday why she felt the necessity to communicate up in opposition to her Democratic colleague, a uncommon transfer inside partisan circles, Gluesenkamp Perez pointed to a “very loud call” from Americans for transparency and accountability.
“We’re loyal to the soil. We’re loyal to our constituents and say, like, election subversion is always wrong. That’s not how we run,” Gluesenkamp Perez stated.
The decision comes amid over division inside the Democratic Party over reopening the federal government. Gluesenkamp Perez’s transfer prompted anger from some members, together with Democratic management, who had no thought it was coming.
As Democrats push to unify their messaging throughout President Donald Trump’s second time period, Gluesenkamp Perez argued her effort to sanction García will show the integrity of her celebration, even when not politically handy.
García introduced his retirement on November 4, citing well being and familial points that discouraged him from wanting to hunt reelection for the safely blue House seat. One day earlier than his announcement, Garcia’s chief of workers, Patty Garcia, who has no relation to the congressman, filed petitions with the Illinois State Board of Elections to run for the seat forward of the 5 p.m. submitting deadline that day.
Asked by NCS for remark, Rep. García’s workplace referred to a press release during which he stated he “followed every rule and every filing requirement laid out by the State of Illinois.”
“Congressman García made a deeply personal decision based on his health, his wife’s worsening condition and his responsibility to the grandchildren he is raising after the death of his daughter,” the assertion stated.
In an interview with native Illinois political publication Capitol Fax, García defined that in a late night time in Washington, he determined the one recourse was to attempt to get his chief of workers on the poll.
Gluesenkamp Perez’s decision on Garcia awaits a vote from the House early this week, however the congresswoman hopes she will be able to current the deserves of the case and info of the argument, regardless of celebration.
“We have to walk away from a partisan fight, certainly an interparty fight, and say there’s a difference between right and wrong here,” she stated.
NCS’s Sarah Ferris contributed to this report.