A wave of Twitter users have found fault with the Democratic Party hiring a top presidential candidate’s staff member, Emily Goldman, for a position in Nevada, which is bracing for a caucus vote on 22 February.
Circulated screenshots of Goldman’s LinkedIn account have it that she previously worked as an Iowa organiser for former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg until February, when she began her new role with the Nevada Democratic Party as the party’s Voter Protection Director. She announced the latter herself on Twitter on 6 February, right after the Iowa vote, as per an archived screenshot:
— Only Judy Can Judge Me (@Sleepysack) February 9, 2020
Goldman has since switched her social media account settings to private, something that did’t go unnoticed online:
Buttigieg's Iowa caucus organizer has been named Nevada's voter protection director. Her account is currently protected so we can't see what she's saying. I am not advocating contacting Ms. Goldman directly; instead direct your concerns to @nvdems or https://t.co/HtiJhFSstU
— 🌹Kathy Solidarity Durkin 🌹🥯 (@nowwerevolt) February 9, 2020
Many rushed to express their general concerns about the transparency of the upcoming Nevada vote, while some openly accused the Dems of corruption, fuming they have entered “self-destruct mode":
This is unbelievable! They're not even hiding their lack of impartiality. Sent nvdems a message. The Dems are in self-destruct mode.
— Virginia Arnold (@jazzyismyheart) February 9, 2020
Emily Goldman is a Pete Buttigieg staffer AND has now been hired as a voter protection director for Nevada's State Democratic party. A conflict of interest to be sure... and she was hired this month... yet the Nevada Democratic party doesn't care. At all. pic.twitter.com/5NNQqx3iQz
— Daniel Luby (@Daniel_luby) February 9, 2020
However, a great many openly stated the hiring is “nuts" questing why the Democrats feel okay about it:
I'm sorry, so Pete "The Rat" Buttigieg is installing his people in high profile positions w/in the Nevada Democratic Party, inc "Voter Protection Director? This is NUTS, considering the #RIGGING & irregularities we just witnessed from Pete in Iowa. Please tell me why this is okay pic.twitter.com/p1v2TmSKIp
— Trisha (@Trisha_Tahmasbi) February 9, 2020
Some suggested this is not the first time it is happening, with a few insisting Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez should quit:
When do we actually take to the streets and protest because this shit’s getting ridiculous
— goolman21 (@goolman22) February 9, 2020
the DNC has hired a buttigieg organizer to be the “voter protection director” for nevada. she then locked her account and scrubbed her linkedin profile. (thanks @CANCEL_SAM for the screencaps)
— june (@shoe0nhead) February 9, 2020
THEYRE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN pic.twitter.com/ZsmNBkOJ5F
umm the fix is in, WE NEED TO BLAST THIS WIDE OPEN & for the love of god @TomPerez DROP OUT!!!
— Brian (@BrianSwiftie13) February 9, 2020
Nevada Democratic Party spokeswoman Molly Forgey weighed in on the matter in the wake of the backlash arguing Goldman was offered the position in January, before the Iowa caucuses kicked off.
“No staffer working at the Nevada Democratic State Party is affiliated with any campaign, and no one person has the ability to affect results", she said Sunday. “We have many former campaign staffers and volunteers working to protect the integrity of this caucus, including people from (Sen. Kamala) Harris, Sanders, and (Sen. Elizabeth) Warren’s campaign — it is not unusual or uncommon for this to happen".
Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir and Nevada State Director Sarah Michelsen also tried to soothe critics and calm Sanders’ supporters worried about the outcome of the Nevada caucus:
“We’ve spoken to the Nevada party, which has assured us that (Goldman) does not have decision-making authority over the caucus count", Shakir said. “Please know we are working hard with the party to get every assurance that (the) mistakes of Iowa are not repeated".
Pete Buttigieg beat his rival Bernie Sanders in a close and stiff contest in Iowa last week. Sanders received more popular votes, but Buttigieg was awarded more delegates, which traditionally means a “win” in a caucus state.
Next, Democratic candidates will clash in the New Hampshire primary on 11 February, with the Nevada vote scheduled for 22 February.
Meanwhile, CBS News reported citing anonymous Democratic sources that campaign volunteers were trained on a new “tool", which the sources stressed was not an app, to record preferences during the early caucuses. These preferences can then be used to estimate overall support for a candidate and even reward delegates.
