Black Lives Matter Criticizes Democratic Party Elites and Billionaire Donors For ‘Anointing Kamala Harris,’ Demands DNC Host Immediate Primary

Black Lives Matter called on the Democratic National Convention (DNC) to host a virtual snap primary instead of rushing to name Kamala Harris the party’s presumptive nominee.

“Black Lives Matter demands that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) immediately host an informal, virtual snap primary across the country prior to the DNC convention in August. We call for the Rules Committee to create a process that allows for public participation in the nomination process, not just a nomination by party delegates. The current political landscape is unprecedented, with President Biden stepping aside in a manner never seen before,” the organization stated.

The organization criticized the Democratic Party for the following actions:

• The DNC refused to host debates during the primary, even though a vast majority of Democratic voters wanted them. This would have likely allowed America to see the decline of Joe Biden in 2023.
• The DNC changed the primary schedule and created rules that made it almost impossible for non-Biden candidates to appear on the ballot, effectively clearing the field of any challengers to the incumbent president.
• Following the primary where millions of Black voters weighed in, after one poor debate performance, the DNC Party elites and billionaire donors bullied Joe Biden out of the race.

Black Lives Matter listed a timeline of events:

Sunday
•Joe Biden drops out.
•Kamala Harris announces campaign with Biden endorsement.
•Kamala Harris says she is going to work hard to earn the nomination.
•Kamala Harris makes calls to party delegates.

Monday
•Kamala Harris continues making calls to party delegates.
•Kamala Harris makes two public speeches.
•AP announces Kamala Harris has secured enough delegates to be the Democratic Nominee (Monday night).
•Kamala Harris releases this statement, noting she has worked hard to “go out and earn this nomination” as promised (Monday night).

“A 24-hour process of talking to party bosses is not democratic, nor is it a process Democrats should be proud of. We do not live in a dictatorship. Delegates are not oligarchs,” the organization wrote.

“Installing Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee and an unknown vice president without any public voting process would make the modern Democratic Party a party of hypocrites,” it added.

Timeline of Events

Sunday
•Joe Biden drops out.
•Kamala Harris announces campaign with Biden endorsement.
•Kamala Harris says she is going to work hard to earn the nomination.
•Kamala Harris makes calls to party delegates.

Monday
•Kamala Harris continues making calls to… pic.twitter.com/ZxzyxegZin

— Black Lives Matter (@Blklivesmatter) July 23, 2024

NEW: Black Lives Matter is demanding the DNC immediately host an informal, virtual snap primary across the country prior to the DNC convention in August, just hours after VP Kamala Harris secured enough delegates for the nomination.https://t.co/yX9AMrjUZe

— Kat Stafford (@kat__stafford) July 23, 2024

“Now, Democratic Party elites and billionaire donors are attempting to manipulate Black voters by anointing Kamala Harris and an unknown vice president as the new Democratic ticket without a primary vote by the public,” Black Lives Matter wrote.

“This blatant disregard for democratic principles is unacceptable. While the potential outcome of a Harris presidency may be historic, the process to achieve it must align with true democratic values. We have no idea where Kamala Harris stands on the issues, now that she has assumed Joe Biden’s place, and we have no idea of the record of her potential vice president because we don’t even know who it is yet,” the organization added.

BREAKING: Black Lives Matter demands open primary.

Developing..

Black Lives Matter urged the Democratic National Committee to promptly organize an impromptu virtual primary nationwide before the August DNC convention.

This call came shortly after Vice President Kamala Harris… pic.twitter.com/MvVuuMXcPG

— Douglas Macgregor (@DougAMacgregor) July 23, 2024

Per Reuters:

The statement by Black Lives Matter, a decentralized political and racial justice movement that helped lead the global protests over police violence in 2020, interrupted a steady drumbeat of left-leaning voices and groups that have vowed to support Harris after Biden endorsed her on Sunday.

Harris’ campaign has raked in $100 million since Sunday, with millions coming from the rapid mobilization of Black leaders and advocates. She would be the first Black woman and Asian American to become the Democratic presidential candidate.

“We are not actually saying no to Kamala Harris,” BLM leader Shalomyah Bowers told Reuters in an interview. “We are saying yes to process. We’re saying yes to having Black people be able to have the ability to weigh in.”

He noted that the statement represents the views of many stakeholders in BLM’s Global Network, but that individual chapters of the group are autonomous and may have a different view.

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Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison said on Monday that the party will deliver a presidential nominee by Aug. 7.