Sanders delegates push back at agreements prohibiting convention dissent: 'It’s ridiculous'
Sen. Bernie Sanders' political team – in an apparent bid for party unity – is asking supporters chosen to represent the former presidential candidate at the Democratic convention to sign agreements preventing them from criticizing Democratic Party leaders or other 2020 contenders either in person or on social media during this summer’s confab.
And that’s not sitting well with some Sanders supporters who’ve received or heard about the agreements.
“I think these restrictions are unreasonable and I don’t think it’s the way they’re going to get unity,” said a 2016 Sanders delegate who’s been picked to represent the populist senator at the August convention in Milwaukee, Wis.
The delegate, one of several who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely in interviews with Fox News, stressed, “There’s pretty widespread agreement that this was bizarre.”
The new push by Sanders’ political team is an attempt to prevent a repeat of the noisy in-person and online protests by many Sanders delegates surrounding the 2016 convention in Philadelphia in opposition to nominee Hillary Clinton.
Sanders endorsed Clinton following a nasty and divisive primary battle, but many of his supporters ended up not voting for Clinton, which helped then-GOP nominee Donald Trump upset Clinton and win the presidential election.
But Sanders – who last month suspended his second straight White House bid and endorsed presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden – is hoping to avoid a repeat of 2016’s fireworks.
The agreements – first reported by the Washington Post and confirmed by Fox News – call on Sanders delegates to “Refrain from making negative statements about other candidates, party leaders, Campaigns, Campaign staffers, supporters, news organizations or journalists. This Campaign is about the issues and finding solutions to America’s problems. Our job is to differentiate the senator from his opponents on the issues — not through personal attacks.”
Another of the 10 rules listed in the document states: “Do your best to avoid online arguments or confrontations. … If engaging in an adversarial conversation, be respectful when addressing opposing viewpoints or commenting on the opposition.”
And the agreement states that “If a member of the media contacts you about a posting of any kind: do not respond.” Instead, it directs them to contact the Sanders press team.
The document states that “failure to comply with these expectations may result in disciplinary action, including but not limited to your removal from the delegation.”
The agreements were sent to some Sanders delegates across the country last week.
“When delegates attend the Democratic convention, they will be representing Sen. Sanders, the ideas he ran on and the millions of working people who supported his campaign. That is a serious responsibility and we're asking them to follow a basic code of conduct while carrying out that duty,” campaign spokesman Mike Casca said in a statement.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sanders-convention-delegates-push-back