Democrats’ willingness to speak out against Biden plummets after embarrassing leaks: Report

Congressional Democrats are growing less keen to speak out against President Joe Biden’s reelection candidacy after leadership began cracking down on leaks of private meetings.

Democrats have scrambled as to how to respond following Biden’s disastrous debate performance, with most closing ranks behind Biden. Some dissent and concern voiced by members in closed-door meetings were leaked to the press, showcasing the extent of the doubt surrounding Biden’s mental fitness, resulting in embarrassment for the party. Democratic leadership responded by cracking down on all leaks, leading many to fear voicing dissent.

One senior House Democrat told Axios the leaks have “created a situation where most members are communicating directly with one of the top leaders rather than in a group.”

“Trust is key, so it’s a big issue,” Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH) told the outlet. “It’s important to be able to think things through with folks privately. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Another House Democrat said group chats between lawmakers have gone “completely silent,” while others are “not speaking up anymore” in group settings.

Following leaks of previous meetings, Democratic leaders cracked down on following meetings, “strongly” admonishing leaking and announcing that cellphones wouldn’t be permitted.

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Despite the secretive and paranoid atmosphere around the all-caucus meeting, lawmakers still gave some of their impressions to reporters.

Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD) said around 30 members got up and spoke during the meeting, stating their thoughts and perspectives. This took on the form of statements rather than a dialogue. He added that no new lawmakers expressed their opposition to Biden.