News: Warren's Nevada team in tumult as 6 staffers, all women of color, have departed the roughly 70-person campaign in the final stretch w/ complaints of a toxic work environment in which they felt tokenized and w/ state senior leadership at loggerheads. politico.com/news/2020/02/0…
“During the time I was employed with NV for Warren, there was definitely something wrong with the culture,” said Megan Lewis, who joined the campaign in May and departed in December.
Another recently departed staffer, granted anonymity because she feared reprisal, echoed that sentiment. “I felt like a problem — like I was there to literally bring color into the space but not the knowledge and voice that comes with it.”
Warren’s campaign did not dispute the women’s accounts but suggested they do not reflect a broader problem within her large, 31-state organization.
“We strive for an inclusive environment and work hard to learn and improve,” Warren campaign spokesperson Kristen Orthman said.
“We strive for an inclusive environment and work hard to learn and improve,” Warren campaign spokesperson Kristen Orthman said.
There's no evidence that this extends beyond the Nevada team. Leadership problems exacerbated the issues. Warren campaign HQ in Boston quietly dispatched Dem operative Kevin Brown to NV in Nov. Former staffers say it was unclear who was in charge, Brown or state dir. Suzy Smith.
These problems are part of a much larger transition in Dem campaigns as a new generation of women and ppl of color fill the ranks of organizers and CM's. For generations, campaigns have been dominated by white men, especially at the top. That's changing.
Warren's campaign has been part of this change. CM Roger Lau is the 1st Asian American CM of a major presidential candidate. Pete's camp has also had some staffers of color depart and faced internal complaints from minority staffers. nytimes.com/2020/01/28/us/…
All three departed Warren staffers said they did not want to hurt the Massachusetts senator's candidacy but decided to talk because they believe their issues are not uncommon on campaigns and that will only change if the issues are aired.
Megan Lewis says she still intends to caucus for Warren but she said she felt compelled to speak out because she believed the campaign’s internal systems failed. Too often, Lewis said, such problems are ignored or swept under the rug because people fear damaging the larger cause
Warren responds. thread below “I believe the women who have spoken up and believe them unequivocally and I apologize to them personally...for me this is about taking personal responsibility which I do and being determined that we will have accountability”
I sent Warren's response to Megan Lewis, the woman who went on the record, and she texted back: "I think it’s a great response. I appreciate her apology. I love Elizabeth Warren and I’m more excited than ever to caucus for her."
another former NV staffer who is friends w/ some of the women who came forward texted this: "I believe Warren fully and appreciate her taking responsibility. I hope Warren looks at her sr. field management in state, evaluates if they lived up to her values.... (cont.)
".... and I hope they too take the same level of responsibility and accountability for not living up to her values."
full transcribed response from Warren in the gaggle in New Hampshire tonight as well. h/t @DaniellaMicaela and @SatyamVK
And her response to @chrislhayes who asked about the story tonight.
