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225,000 Progressives to Sen. Schumer: Remove Joe Manchin from Leadership
Progressives Demand Removal of Trump-Apologist from Democratic Leadership
WASHINGTON
This morning, dozens of progressives delivered more than 225,000 petition signatures to Sen. Schumer's office demanding that he remove Trump-apologist Joe Manchin from Senate Democratic Leadership. The groups displayed a banner reading "Sen Schumer: #DropManchin from Dem Leadership" and gathered in the Hart Senate Office Building before delivering the boxes of petition signatures to Sen. Schumer's office.
The petition signatures were collected by CREDO, #AllOfUs, Democracy for America, Other98 and 350 Action.
Statements from groups who organized today's event:
" Joe Manchin is a phony Democrat who often votes or acts in conflict with the core values of the Democratic party," said CREDO Senior Campaign Manager Heidi Hess. "Manchin has failed time and time again to fight back against Trump's racist, sexist and xenophobic agenda. His willingness to collaborate with Trump makes him unqualified for Democratic leadership," Hess continued. "Sen. Schumer should do the right thing and immediately remove Manchin from Democratic leadership."
"The Democratic Party must stand in solidarity with the millions of Americans who have taken to the streets to resist Trump and defend our democracy," said Yong Jung Cho, cofounder of #AllofUs, which recently launched WeWillReplaceYou.org. "If Schumer wants to show that he's with the resistance, he needs to remove Senator Joe Manchin, a man who proudly gives Trump standing ovations, buddies up with Breitbart News, and votes for the Republican party's agenda of hate and corporate cronyism, from party
"Just in the last week, Joe Manchin has attacked grassroots activists in his home state, hung out with the white supremacist-enabling propagandists at Breitbart, and leaped to applaud Donald Trump's use of a phrase during Tuesday's speech that makes our it easier for ISIS to recruit terrorists. The idea that Manchin is considered a Senate Democratic leader is both morally disturbing and politically toxic for a Democratic Party with millions in the street demanding its members stand united in opposing Trump's hateful and corrupt agenda," said Democracy for America Executive Director Charles Chamberlain. "Joe Manchin has spent the last few months aiding and abetting the Trump administration, removing him from Democratic leadership should be a no brainer.
"Joe Manchin's been a tool of the coal industry, blowing the tops off of West Virginia's mountains, since before entering the Senate. Now he's a tool of Donald Trump and his terrifying agenda for America," said Kelly Mears, West Virginia native and CTO of social justice group Other98. "Why in the world would Senate Democrats want this DINO (Democrat in name only) on their Leadership Team?"
CREDO Action, part of CREDO Mobile, is a social change network of over five million activists, sending tens of millions of petition signatures and hundreds of thousands of phone calls to decision-makers each year. CREDO Action members also participate in meetings, protests and other direct action for progressive change.
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This is a developing story. Please check back for possible updates.
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