In the News

Black caucus pledges support for seniority
Politico
By Lauren French and John Bresnahan
Posted November November 13, 2014 9:15 PM

African-American lawmakers are concerned that the Democrats’ tradition of selecting the most senior member to run for party leadership spots is breaking down.

The Congressional Black Caucus hosted a dinner in the Capitol late Wednesday featuring two of the group’s founding members: Reps. Louis Stokes and Bill Clay Sr. Two sources familiar with the members-only event said Stokes and Clay focused the talk on seniority ahead of the party’s committee elections next week that are pitting a number of senior members against relatively newer lawmakers for ranking panel spots.

And late Thursday, Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Marcia Fudge circulated a letter among Democrats expressing the group’s ardent support of seniority.

“The seniority system has worked well and should be honored. This has been the historic position of the CBC and we fully support its continuation,” Fudge wrote.

Black lawmakers have often waited decades to slowly move up the ladder to be chairs or ranking members on House committees. Because seniority was traditionally the easiest way for an African American politician to gain the gavel, the CBC has historically supported the most senior member in any intra-party battle.

But a series of ranking-member races have relatively low-ranking members facing off against senior members — concerning African American members that the seniority system may be weakening.

“It’s going to be all about seniority,” a senior Democratic aide said of the dinner.

The Energy and Commerce Committee race between Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) has turned into a de-facto debate on seniority. On the Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.), the lowest ranking member on the panel, is challenging Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.), who holds the No. 2 Democrat spot on the committee.

The ranking member position will open when Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine) leaves Congress in January.

Fudge — whose office declined to comment for this story — is backing Pallone, as are a number of CBC members. But Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has ruffled the feathers of more senior CBC members by backing Eshoo — who sits lower on the dais than Pallone. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), an African American lawmaker, is also backing Eshoo.

In a letter expressing her support for Eshoo, Pelosi said a number of freshmen have contacted her about seniority and the race.

“It is important to note our Caucus has voted in to Chair or Ranking Member positions Members who are not the more senior on their respective committees, including Henry Waxman, Energy and Commerce; Nita Lowey, Appropriations; Adam Smith, Armed Services; Elijah Cummings, Oversight and Government Reform; and Eliot Engel, Foreign Affairs,” Pelosi wrote on Monday. “In each of these elections there was enormous respect for the senior Member, but our colleagues viewed seniority as a consideration not a determination.”

A separate senior Democratic aide criticized Fudge’s letter for having “factual issues.” The aide noted that Pelosi has bypassed seniority in the pass to place minority lawmakers on panels, including Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), now the top ranking member on the Committee on Homeland Security.

Rep. Charlie Rangel (R-N.Y.) said he was concerned that the seniority system was seemingly being undone without debate by members.

“It’s terrible to break a tradition like this without discussing it with the members. Especially members who believe that Congress, as well as other institutions, still have prejudices that run against color and minorities,” he said.”