Andrew:
First, I want you to know that this letter has been sent to the approximately 30 people on my 5th District press list. Second, I think it is great you wrote an article that addressed the most important issue of the day – Crickets from California Republicans on Greene tweet + Newsom and Musk, face to face.
I was happy to wake up and find your story. I saw that McClintock’s flack said, “the Congressman strongly disagrees with that statement.”
Perhaps it would be good to follow-up with Rep. McClintock’s flack to ask:
- “Can we expect the Congressman to give a floor speech where he expresses his ‘strong disagreement?’”
- “Will the Congressman publish an op-ed in one of the District’s papers ‘strongly disagreeing’ to this?”
- “What actions, specifically, will the Congressman take to publicly demonstrate his ‘strong disagreement’ and separate himself from Marjorie Taylor Greene?’”
I am a candidate who will face Congressman McClintock in California’s primary on March 5, 2024 (376 days from now). I have filed an FEC document to declare my candidacy and have stated my positions publicly through published statements in Amador, Calaveras, Fresno, and Stanislaus counties.
My first public statement (sent to the press on January 3rd, the opening of the new Congress) where I asked whether Congressman McClintock would divorce Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Congressman McClintock’s public relations flack has categorically denied my campaign’s central premise. Therefore, I send to you the following statement for publication and would hope the Sacramento Bee would provide equal space. This is now a new story because, once again, I am a declared candidate (facing McClintock in 376 days) who has become visible in the press. I am telling everyone in the 5th District that Congressman McClintock should be known as Tom “Marjorie Taylor Greene” McClintock. The Sacramento Bee should not be biased toward incumbents. As a journalist you should not censor my perspective simply because I am a challenger who isn’t in power. (I have written an article about this bias.)
This is a statement from Jason Kassel, declared secular Democratic candidate for California’s 5th District. This is on the record and for publication. All of the approximately 30 press people on this distribution list are free to publish this statement (or in the case of NPR read it over the air):
“Congressman McClintock’s public relations flack, not the Congressman himself, made a statement to the Sacramento Bee where, according to the third party, the Congressman “strongly disagrees” with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s contention that the United States needs a national divorce or a civil war. Everyone should acknowledge the obvious. The words of a politician’s public relations flack don’t mean very much. The words of a professional politician don’t mean very much, either. All that matters is whether there are actions.
Congressman McClintock’s most visible political leader (beyond McCarthy and McConnell) has gone on television and spread through social media the idea that America should be separated into two different nations or engage in a violent civil war. If Congressman Tom “Marjorie Taylor Greene” McClintock rejects the connection between the two then, as a candidate he will be facing in 376 days I repeat the question I asked on January 3rd – Will Congressman Tom McClintock divorce Marjorie Taylor Greene?
The Congressman has to do this in a public way. Thomas Friedman once wrote, about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, that what leaders say in English doesn’t mean anything. It only means something when it is said in their language so that their people can understand. As a declared candidate who will be facing Congressman McClintock in the March 5, 2024 primary (376 days from now) I declare as fact that Congressman McClintock is indeed Tom “Marjorie Taylor Greene” McClintock, and that everything she does and says can factually be attributable to his consent, unless he speaks to his people directly.
Unless Congressman Tom “Marjorie Taylor Greene” McClintock is willing to publicly disavow Marjorie Taylor Greene through a floor speech, a written statement to the 5th District media, or active participation in removing her from the Homeland Security Committee then he is indeed Tom “Marjorie Taylor Greene” McClintock and he is calling for national divorce or civil war. Will he publicly “strongly disagree” or does he actually agree?”
Again, I enjoyed the article and look forward to follow-up stories.
Jason Kassel