The Democratic National Committee’s lawsuit against the Trump campaign in relation to the 2016 election has caused some Democrats and their donors to say the strategy is wrong-headed.
The DNC filed their lawsuit Friday alleging Trump’s campaign, WikiLeaks, and the Russian government conspired together in the 2016 presidential election to make public DNC emails.
When asked by PBS’ Judy Woodruff why Democrats are filing the lawsuit, Chairman Tom Perez responded, “We don’t know when Director Mueller will finish his investigation. And he should take all the time he needs to do a thorough job. We have to file within a statute of limitations. And so, if we sit and wait and wait, then we’re frankly committing legal malpractice.”
Prominent Democratic lawmakers, strategists, and donors, however, do not seem to be actively supporting the lawsuit. Two major Democratic donors told freelance reporter Yashar Ali they were not pleased with the move.
California Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer she the lawsuit is “ill-conceived” and that she “was not supportive of it.”
Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, a member in a tough reelection campaign, was reported to have distanced herself from the lawsuit as well. According to a reporter at The St. Louis Dispatch, McCaskill called it a “silly distraction.”
Democratic political consultant best known for being President Barack Obama’s chief campaign strategist David Axelrod agreed tweeting that the suit is a “sideshow.”
Republicans hit back at the lawsuit saying Democrats are desperate and need to rally their base to raise money amid weak fundraising numbers. The Daily Caller News Foundation reported last month the DNC took out a $1.7 million loan in February. This made their total debt over $6 million.
Related: Dems Borrow Nearly $2 Million Nine Months Before Midterms
Presently, Republicans reported a record $13.9 million in fundraising last March. This brings the RNC’s first-quarter fundraising to $39 million and takes its total fundraising in the 2018 cycle to $171.6 million.
The Republicans fundraising arm finished March with $42.9 million cash on hand and reported no debt.