Democratic leadership is standing by its practice of getting involved in party primaries before any votes are cast.
A new round of criticism directed at party leadership was sparked Thursday when audioof leadership telling a Colorado candidate to step aside for its preferred candidate was released by the Intercept. The leaked audio gave new ammunition to liberal organizations such as MoveOn.org, which demanded the party commit to waiting for votes to be cast before picking sides.
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D., Md.), the leadership member showcased in the audio, said on Friday that the party will not make any changes, according to Roll Call.
"Leadership requires trying to make recommendations that you think will be the most effective," Hoyer said. "So I don’t think we’re dissuaded from that."
"What is really important from our perspective is making sure that we have a Democrat that can win in districts that are tough. So we work towards that end."
Hoyer was defended on Thursday by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), who said he did nothing "inappropriate."
"I don’t see anything inappropriate in what Mr. Hoyer was engaged in conversation about," Pelosi said. "If the realities of life is that some candidates can do better in the general than others, then that’s a clear-eyed conversation that we should be having."
Pelosi further complained that the audio of Hoyer's conversation was released.
"I don’t know that a person can tape a person without the person’s consent and then release it to the press," she said. "That’s what I’m more concerned about."
Hoyer admits in the audio of his conversation with Levi Tillemann that a decision had been made "early on" to support a different candidate, Jason Crow.
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