OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The hits just keep coming for the Democratic Party following Vice President Kamala Harris’ historic loss to now-President-elect Donald Trump.
Following the November 5 election, in which the Democratic candidate spent over $1 billion and ultimately lost, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) laid off hundreds of employees, according to the left-leaning outlet Mother Jones.
The union representing DNC staff has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support workers who were abruptly laid off last week, sparking backlash from remaining employees who have called the cuts a “betrayal” of the party’s values, Fox News noted.
The GoFundMe campaign, initiated by the DNC union, aims to raise $25,000 to assist staff members affected by the layoffs following the party’s losses in the 2024 election.
According to the union’s fundraising page, the layoffs impacted two-thirds of the DNC staff, many of whom were let go with little notice and “no severance.” The abrupt nature of the cuts has drawn criticism from within the organization.
In a public statement, the union criticized DNC leadership for the layoffs, calling them “callous” and “short-sighted.” The statement also highlighted that the cuts included employees who had previously been assured their jobs would be secure after Election Day.
“We are heartbroken to see our colleagues – who dedicated countless hours to electing Democrats up and down the ballot – depart under these circumstances, and we are furious with DNC leadership for failing to provide severance to those affected,” DNC staff union organizer Jill Brownfield wrote on the GoFundMe page.
“Every cycle, political organizations scale up to meet the demands, and as the cycle comes to a close, it’s a tough reality of our industry that we must part with talented, hardworking staff,” a DNC spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement.
Officials emphasized that the DNC had adhered to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that had been negotiated.
“While the DNC has met the terms of the union agreement negotiated by the CBA, we share the entire DNC family’s frustration and continue to provide resources to all members of the team to support them in this transition,” the spokesperson added.
DNC union officials stated that proceeds from the GoFundMe campaign will “directly aid” staff members affected by the layoffs, including single parents and employees expecting children. The funds will be “distributed equally to any laid-off member who opts in to receive funds.”
“We hope these funds can soften the economic blow for those impacted,” the page said.
The fundraising effort was launched less than a week after the DNC announced a wave of layoffs on Wednesday night. The decision prompted sharp criticism from current DNC employees and union members.
“The DNC’s senior leadership has chosen to leave loyal staff scrambling to cover rent, medical expenses and childcare costs,” the union’s statement read.
They also urged Democratic Party leadership to provide severance packages to all permanent employees who were laid off and to communicate with the remaining staff in an honest and transparent manner about the way forward.
Democratic strategist James Carville issued a stark warning earlier this week, stating that the Democratic Party’s reputation has been severely harmed by the excessive spending during the ultimately unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign.
Reports indicate that Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign and the Democratic Party spent nearly $1.5 billion during her short-lived presidential bid, which began on July 21. Speaking on Politics War Room, Carville predicted future challenges in fundraising and called on the DNC to conduct a thorough audit to restore trust and provide accountability for the campaign’s expenditures.
“The resistance is going to have trouble raising money. These fundraisers are burnt,” Carville said. “They’re really pissed now, and the damage that the 2024 campaign has done — the damage that this decade has done to the Democratic brand — is almost unfathomable. Almost unfathomable.”
