Some Democratic insiders are already expressing concerns over newly elected Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg just two weeks into his tenure in leadership.
Hogg has already ruffled some feathers within the DNC for using the committee’s contact list to solicit donations for his own political action committee (PAC), Leaders We Deserve, according to a report from the New York Post.
"David Hogg here: I was just elected DNC Vice Chair! This is a huge win for our movement to make the Democratic Party more reflective of our base: youthful, energetic, and ready to win," reads one of eight texts, which include solicitation links to "Leaders We Deserve," sent out to a DNC database of phone numbers, according to the report.
The texts aren’t sitting well with some DNC insiders, who believe the committee’s vast database of numbers and donors should be used to help the future of the party, not a member’s individual PAC.
"David Hogg – talk about living up to your name. A trough of DNC dollars all for him and he doesn’t seem to give an oink," one top Democrat told the Post.
Hogg, who first came to prominence as a survivor of the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting, founded the PAC in August 2023, which he said aims to help young progressives get elected to Congress and state legislatures across the country.
The now 24-year-old DNC vice chair also pockets a salary of over $100,000, the report notes, having last taken a $20,000 salary payment in December, according to the most recent public data.
While Hogg’s personal fundraising for his PAC does not break any rules, some within the party have taken exception to the young activist's use of DNC resources.
"It’s especially important for all Democratic national officials to focus on raising support for the party and not using their position to raise money for themselves or their personal political PACS," a second Democratic Party official told the Post. "It’s a stunning lack of judgment that is concerning to many people."
The DNC did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Some Democratic insiders are already expressing concerns over newly elected Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg just two weeks into his tenure in leadership.
Hogg has already ruffled some feathers within the DNC for using the committee’s contact list to solicit donations for his own political action committee (PAC), Leaders We Deserve, according to a report from the New York Post.
"David Hogg here: I was just elected DNC Vice Chair! This is a huge win for our movement to make the Democratic Party more reflective of our base: youthful, energetic, and ready to win," reads one of eight texts, which include solicitation links to "Leaders We Deserve," sent out to a DNC database of phone numbers, according to the report.
The texts aren’t sitting well with some DNC insiders, who believe the committee’s vast database of numbers and donors should be used to help the future of the party, not a member’s individual PAC.
"David Hogg – talk about living up to your name. A trough of DNC dollars all for him and he doesn’t seem to give an oink," one top Democrat told the Post.
Hogg, who first came to prominence as a survivor of the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting, founded the PAC in August 2023, which he said aims to help young progressives get elected to Congress and state legislatures across the country.
The now 24-year-old DNC vice chair also pockets a salary of over $100,000, the report notes, having last taken a $20,000 salary payment in December, according to the most recent public data.
While Hogg’s personal fundraising for his PAC does not break any rules, some within the party have taken exception to the young activist's use of DNC resources.
"It’s especially important for all Democratic national officials to focus on raising support for the party and not using their position to raise money for themselves or their personal political PACS," a second Democratic Party official told the Post. "It’s a stunning lack of judgment that is concerning to many people."
The DNC did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
The White House is taking aim at Democratic critics of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), highlighting that the new agency’s work was once championed by prominent Democrats.
"To all of the Democrats who are planning to protest this week, here’s an explanation on DOGE, from your party’s own beloved leaders," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X Sunday while sharing a video of former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden calling for reforms similar to those being made by DOGE.
"Budget reform is not an option, it’s a necessity," Obama says in the video. "We can’t sustain a system that bleeds billions of taxpayer dollars on programs that have outlived their usefulness or exist solely because of the power of politicians, lobbyists or interest groups."
"The American people are entitled to transparency," Biden says in the video. "They’re entitled to be able to figure out where their dollars are going, and they’re entitled to accountability to make sure that we’re using the dollars for what we said it was for."
Democrats have ramped up their attacks on DOGE and its leader, billionaire Elon Musk, over the past week, arguing that Trump’s project is a violation of the Constitution and filing several lawsuits in an effort to bring the new department’s momentum to a halt.
But Leavitt pointed out that many of DOGE’s priorities used to be the same across the aisle, especially for the two most well-known Democratic leaders.
"We are going to go through our federal budget… page by page, line by line, eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those that we do need operate in a sensible, cost-effective way," Obama says during a speech in one portion of the video.
"What should be easy is getting rid of the pointless waste and stupid spending that doesn’t benefit anybody," Obama says during another point of the video from the Oval Office, where the then-president is seated next to a large stack of papers. "No amount of waste is acceptable, not when it’s your money."
"We hope to be instilling an entire new culture, that not only our administration, but every succeeding administration will in fact pursue," Biden says at another point in the video.
Recent polling shows Americans may side with Trump and Musk on DOGE. In one poll conducted by the Trafalgar Group, 49% of respondents said they approve of DOGE's efforts compared to 44% who indicated they disapprove.
Similar numbers were seen in a recent Economist/YouGov poll, which shows 42% of respondents view DOGE favorably, while 38% indicated they had an unfavorable opinion of the department.
EXCLUSIVE: A prominent former fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) revealed that donors are fed up with the Democratic Party, claiming that it is in "shambles" following the presidential election.
Lindy Li, a well-known fundraiser who raised money for the Democrats' 2024 presidential campaign, announced her exit from the party in December after being ostracized for criticizing then-Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
Speaking to Fox News Digital after President Donald Trump assumed office, Li, who has raised tens of millions of dollars for Democrats over the years, said the party she once stumped for is now "completely rudderless."
"Democratic donors absolutely, without a single exception, they are so angry and upset with the state of the party. They think the party is in complete shambles," Li told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview.
"It's their religion, it's their god, woke is their god. This trans, woke insanity – they are enthralled by it," Li said.
"Companies are running as fast as they can from this toxic agenda, yet the Democratic Party is doubling down time and time again on this," the former Democratic fundraiser added. "Honestly, it's gender hysteria. It's almost like a social contagion."
Celebrities, such as Beyoncé and Cardi B, were criticized for reportedly accepting payments from the Harris campaign to appear and speak at events.
The artists have denied accepting payments from the campaign, but Li said that they "lied about not getting paid."
"All their production companies were getting compensated," Li told Fox.
After Beyoncé did not perform during her appearance at a Harris campaign event in October, critics claimed attendees had been intentionally misled.
"I honestly believe that the campaign used that to generate attention and publicity for their event," Li said in an interview.
After suffering defeat in the 2024 presidential election, Li said there is "no one on the horizon" to lead the Democratic Party into the next election cycle.
The former DNC official said the "humanity and kindness" she has received from Republicans has been "unbelievable" and that she is "optimistic" that she will retain her donors after leaving the Democratic Party, as she will now raise money for Republican candidates.
EXCLUSIVE: A prominent former fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) revealed that donors are fed up with the Democratic Party, claiming that it is in "shambles" following the presidential election.
Lindy Li, a well-known fundraiser who raised money for the Democrats' 2024 presidential campaign, announced her exit from the party in December after being ostracized for criticizing then-Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
Speaking to Fox News Digital after President Donald Trump assumed office, Li, who has raised tens of millions of dollars for Democrats over the years, said the party she once stumped for is now "completely rudderless."
"Democratic donors absolutely, without a single exception, they are so angry and upset with the state of the party. They think the party is in complete shambles," Li told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview.
"It's their religion, it's their god, woke is their god. This trans, woke insanity – they are enthralled by it," Li said.
"Companies are running as fast as they can from this toxic agenda, yet the Democratic Party is doubling down time and time again on this," the former Democratic fundraiser added. "Honestly, it's gender hysteria. It's almost like a social contagion."
Celebrities, such as Beyoncé and Cardi B, were criticized for reportedly accepting payments from the Harris campaign to appear and speak at events.
The artists have denied accepting payments from the campaign, but Li said that they "lied about not getting paid."
"All their production companies were getting compensated," Li told Fox.
After Beyoncé did not perform during her appearance at a Harris campaign event in October, critics claimed attendees had been intentionally misled.
"I honestly believe that the campaign used that to generate attention and publicity for their event," Li said in an interview.
After suffering defeat in the 2024 presidential election, Li said there is "no one on the horizon" to lead the Democratic Party into the next election cycle.
The former DNC official said the "humanity and kindness" she has received from Republicans has been "unbelievable" and that she is "optimistic" that she will retain her donors after leaving the Democratic Party, as she will now raise money for Republican candidates.
Fundraising messages centered around President Donald Trump have continued to dominate on both sides of the political aisle since his return to the White House.
The Democrats' messages revolve around voicing their opposition to Trump’s second term, his executive orders, and action by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has become a cornerstone of Trump’s first month back in the Oval Office.
"Americans are starting to feel the disastrous effects of a Trump-Musk presidency, and we see that sentiment reflected in our top-performing messaging, which highlights the need to fight the extremes of Donald Trump and prepare for elections this year, in 2026 and beyond," DNC Senior Spokesperson Hannah Muldavin told Fox News Digital.
Muldavin said the DNC's most effective fundraising messages have centered around "the extremes of Donald Trump."
"Our most effective outreach to grassroots supporters right now comes from our new Chair Ken Martin, who talks about not just fighting the extremes of Donald Trump, but also on making the case to working families in both red and blue states that Democrats are the party fighting for them," Muldavin added.
The Democratic National Committee’s website opened this week to a photo of Ken Martin, newly elected DNC Chair, with a simple message: "Ken Martin is the new DNC Chair. Help Democrats mobilize against Trump." A fundraising message on the donation page invites Democrats to "pitch in to the DNC and help elect Democrats nationwide."
"The DNC is the organization best positioned to fight back, organize, and stop the worst impulses of a Trump administration. So please don’t wait: donate now to elect Democrats who will fight back against the MAGA agenda," the message says.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has a similar strategy with a down-ballot focus. On the DCCC website, a photo of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries appears next to a fundraising message inviting supporters to "become a majority maker."
"At the DCCC, we're laser-focused on the midterms and taking back the House from the MAGA Majority," the message says. "With just THREE seats standing between us and the Majority, your monthly donation will help us do everything we can to flip the House blue and build a firewall against the Trump Trifecta. Will you make a recurring monthly donation to the DCCC to fuel our work today?"
Trump’s fundraising apparatus has also capitalized on his return to center stage. Trump National Committee, the joint super PAC of Never Surrender and the Republican National Committee, have maintained consistent fundraising outreach since Trump’s election victory.
"Trump is the center of the universe at the moment," Republican strategist Matt Gorman, who worked on Senator Tim Scott’s presidential campaign and as communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, told Fox News Digital. "It's been pretty well proven over the last decade that Trump animates the fundraising base of both parties and utilizing him is an effective strategy."
As soon as Nov. 6, just a day after the election, a message "from Trump" to his supporters read, "TOTAL VICTORY! Because of you, WE WON!" with a link to donate to Trump’s super PAC. The messages continued in the weeks and months leading up to his inauguration.
The tone of the messages took a turn after Democrat Rep. Al Green, D-T.X., who attempted to impeach Trump three times during his first term, announced that he would file articles of impeachment against the president for saying he would "take over" Gaza.
Green said on the House floor the next day that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "should be ashamed, knowing the history of his people, to stand there and allow such things to be said."
"Before Democrats introduce Articles of Impeachment, can you answer question #1?" a fundraising message from Trump's super PAC asked the next day.
Then last week, the PAC sent a message from Vice President JD Vance that read, "Don't pee on my boots & tell me it's raining. It's JD Vance. These are the top lies I've seen from Democrats."
"Democrats don’t have any policies. All they have is lies. Nobody believes their crap. So on behalf of every American who is sick of their lies, I got one thing to say: Don’t pee on my boots & tell me it’s raining. Democrats can’t stand that we have a President who’s putting the working men & women of America first, AND NOW THEY’RE THREATENING TO IMPEACH TRUMP AGAIN!"
The message from Republicans is clear: Democrats do not have policies beyond resisting Trump.
"Their identity for the last ten years has been, simply, 'Whatever Trump is for, I'm against,'" Gorman said.
While using Trump’s name can be an effective fundraising strategy, Gorman urged candidates to move past the moniker and step into policy discussions as well.
"Policy is really important, too. Every candidate has to articulate what they stand for, how they'd be different from their opponent and what they bring to Washington or to the statehouse. Trump is helpful in every aspect, but it's important to make sure you're defining what you would do in your policies as well."
Login
