DCCC sees staff shakeup amid diversity concerns, chairwoman calls it ‘sobering day’

Rep. Cheri Bustos seen before a June interview on MSNBC. (Cheri Bustos/Twitter)

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced a new interim executive director and other top staff changes on Monday after reported criticism that the staff did not reflect the diversity of the Democratic Party.

The shakeup was announced after a meeting at its headquarters on Capitol Hill, Politico reported. The news site ran stories highlighting the committee’s diversity concerns, which reportedly sparked the tense meeting on Monday. Two sources for Fox News confirmed the Politico report.

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“Today has been a sobering day filled with tough conversations that too often we avoid, but I can say confidently that we are taking the first steps toward putting the DCCC back on path to protect and expand our majority, with a staff that truly reflects the diversity of our Democratic caucus and our party,” Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., the chairwoman, said in a statement.

Bustos announced that Jacqueline Newman will replace Allison Jaslow, a combat veteran, who resigned earlier in the day. Jaslow and Bustos were close. Roll Call reported that Jaslow had worked on Bustos' campaign and was once chief-of-staff in her House office.

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Republicans seized on the turmoil.

The Washington Examiner reported that Michael McAdams, spokesman for the GOP campaign arm, “Mutiny underway at Cheri Bustos’ DCCC. What a disaster for House Democrats.”

Politico reported earlier that lawmakers in the Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Hispanic Caucus were upset with Bustos over excluding minorities from important positions, and instead, like Jaslow, kept loyalists nearby.

Bustos said in the statement that she is proud of her team but promised to do better.

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The DCCC has been effective in fundraising this past year and announced in May that it raised $8.85 million in May—its largest haul ever for the month, according to reports.