Jacobin editor-at-large David Sirota on Friday criticized former Vice President Joe Biden’s (D) presidential campaign for disallowing his council of advisers’ names to be made public.
Sirota explained that the lack of transparency occurred after media reports surfaced that former National Economic Council Larry Summers and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel were part of the team advising Biden on policy proposals.
Both Summers and Emanuel, veteran Democratic operatives, have garnered criticism from the left.
“The idea that Joe Biden is being advised by these Democratic dinosaurs – controversial ones – I think it came out, people didn’t like it,” Sirota told Hill.TV.
He added that the Biden campaign’s response to pushback about his advisers was a new policy that would keep the board members confidential.
Sirota said that the campaign’s stance on disclosing the identity of Biden’s advisers is problematic, as it could mislead the public when they make a TV appearance.
“There’s advice being put out into the media that doesn’t allow the audience to know what the actual affiliation is,” said Sirota, the former speechwriter for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) presidential campaign.
Sirota acknowledged that there was a “gray area” between the what makes an official and unofficial adviser, but that the situation with the Biden campaign was still “problematic,” arguing that if a person has an official advising role to Biden, then the public should be aware of it.
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