Dem campaign leader to hold fundraiser for Lipinski next month

Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), will host a fundraiser for Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.) next month in a move likely to anger abortion rights advocates. 

Lipinski has drawn the ire of the party’s base over his opposition to abortion, narrowly winning his primary by 2 points against a pro-choice progressive in last year’s midterm race.

{mosads}The fundraiser will be held on June 6 in Chicago, with tickets ranging from $1,000 to $5,600, according to an invitation that was first obtained by Chicago Business.

“When Cheri ran to become Chair of the DCCC, she made a promise to stand behind all of our incumbents in their campaigns- from the Blue Dogs to the Progressives. She believes in keeping her word, and she believes in keeping our focus on defeating Republicans so we can continue growing the most diverse Majority in our nation’s history,” the DCCC said in a statement to The Hill.

Progressives have already begun criticizing Bustos for the fundraiser, specifically citing Lipinski’s abortion record.

“Every reporter should ask Bustos why she’s raising money for an anti-choice Congressman and blacklisting any vendor who works with his pro-choice progressive opponent,” Sean McElwee, co-founder of the progressive think tank Data for Progress, tweeted. 

Every reporter should ask Bustos why she’s raising money for an anti-choice Congressman and blacklisting any vendor who works with his pro-choice progressive opponent. https://t.co/wb9QJul1GQ

— we’re going to pass AVR (@SeanMcElwee) May 15, 2019

The liberal wing of the party has been outraged by a DCCC policy that bars awarding contracts to firms that support primary challengers running against incumbent Democrats, with many saying it benefits candidates like Lipinski.

Progressive Marie Newman, who nearly unseated Lipinski last year, is challenging him again in 2020 and already has the support of a slew of abortion rights groups. 

“We deserve a representative who will vote like a real Democrat in Congress—not someone who routinely sides with Trump and conservative interest groups over his own constituents,” Newman tweeted.

We deserve a representative who will vote like a real Democrat in Congress—not someone who routinely sides with Trump and conservative interest groups over his own constituents.

(3/6)

— Marie Newman (@Marie4Congress) April 16, 2019

“Illinois women and families deserve someone who shares their values, not someone who pursues his own ideology that is out of step with his constituents,” Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL, said in a statement last week. “Dan Lipinski is dangerously out of touch, and has time and time again refused to stand up for basic values like reproductive freedom, LGBTQ equality, and economic opportunity for every family.” 

Scott Wong and Jessie Hellmann contributed to this report

This report was updated at 5:34 p.m.