Hillary Clinton’s campaign aides admitted Thursday they were consulted by their big donors before the group sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi containing a veiled threat that she would risk their financial support unless she reversed her view that superdelegates should follow the will of voters.
Campaign spokesman Phil Singer would not give the details of the exchange between Clinton aides and the group, which is made up of 21 wealthy Clinton backers, including prominent venture capitalist Steve Rattner and Black Entertainment Television founder Robert L. Johnson.
“Our supporters let us know they were sending something over,” Singer said. “We got a heads up that a letter was being sent but we didn’t know what was in it.”
Singer praised the letter, citing a “broad feeling, among many Democrats, many people who are active in the party, that the role of superdelegates is to exercise independent judgment and make a decision based on what is best for the party and best for the country.”
The pro-Clinton donors reminded Pelosi they have been “enthusiastic supporters” of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the fundraising arm of the House that plays a critical role in helping the party win congressional races. The clear implication was that they would be less generous in thefuture if Pelosi supported a course of action that favored Barack Obama.
The letter, sent Wednesday, admonished Pelosi for saying the Democratic Party would be harmed if the superdelegates — a group of party insiders and elected officials — “overturn what happens in the election.”
The donors said her remarks, made during a March 16 talk-show appearance on ABC News, “diminish the importance” of the remaining primaries, some of which Clinton is expected to win. They implored Pelosi to “clarify” her position to reflect “a more open view to the optional independent actions of each of the delegates at the National Convention in August.” Pelosi, who has not endorsed either candidate, appeared unfazed by the threat and refused to change her stated position.
“The speaker believes it would do great harm to the Democratic Party if superdelegates are perceived to overturn the will of the voters,” said her spokesman, Brendan Daly. “This has been her position throughout this primary season, regardless of who was ahead at any particular point in delegates or votes.” Obama currently leads Clinton by 167 pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses, according to a tally by the Web site RealClearPolitics, but neither candidate will have enough delegates overall to clinch the nomination. As a consequence, the superdelegates could play a decisive role at the Democratic convention in August unless the race is somehow settled before then.
