Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Jaime Harrison slammed critics hours after NBC News published an article that cited unnamed sources who said he feels trapped in his job and is at odds with President Joe Biden’s White House.
Two people familiar with the situation reportedly told NBC News that Harrison is upset with the White House and that he is considering leaving before the midterm elections in November, according to a report released Saturday. The outlet also reported that the White House wants him to be traveling more, fundraising more and attending more political events, saying he has spent too much time in his home state of South Carolina.
Harrison pushed back in a thread of tweets, calling the story false and saying he will not be going anywhere.
“There is a lot of unnamed bulls— in politics, but no one can ever say that I don’t work my ass off for what I believe in,” Harrison wrote in the first of eight threaded tweets.
My grandpa used to say “if you aren’t man or woman enough to put your name on it & your reputation behind it , then it ain’t worth being said or done.” There is a lot of unnamed bullshit in politics, but no one can ever say that I don’t work my ass off for what I believe in.
— Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair (@harrisonjaime) January 30, 2022
“To unnamed sources … if you expect me to go away or roll into a ball and whimper… you picked the wrong one. The focus is upending the party of fraud, fear and fascism. You have the mission, now get with the program!” Harrison added.
To unnamed sources … if you expect me to go away or roll into a ball and whimper… you picked the wrong one. The focus is upending the party of fraud, fear and fascism. You have the mission, now get with the program! pic.twitter.com/BkckCZPYaG
— Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair (@harrisonjaime) January 30, 2022
Democratic South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn was asked Sunday about Harrison and the reporting.
“You’re close to him. You’re a mentor. He’s reportedly considering leaving that job ahead of the midterm races because of disagreements with the White House,” Clyburn was asked. “Do you think the DNC needs new leadership?”
“I do not,” Clyburn responded. “I think he is exactly what we need for this party at this particular juncture. I also know he, like all of us in this business, he has his detractors. I have mine. It doesn’t mean that he is wrong or they are wrong. It means that people have different approaches to doing things. And so Jamie Harrison is there. He will never run. He believes in fighting rather than switching.”
Harrison said “Only in DC… can you break a fundraising record & have folks complain it isn’t enough” and proceeded to tweet out the DNC’s fundraising numbers under his leadership.