Democrats delete tweets attacking each other as members attempt to mend a racially-charged rift

• Democratic lawmakers have deleted controversial tweets attacking each other as members attempt to mend a rift between left-wing House members and the party establishment. 
• In one such now-deleted tweet, progressive Rep. Mark Pocan accused the centrist House Problem Solvers Caucus of endorsing child abuse by supporting an immigration funding bill. 
• "Since when did the Problem Solvers Caucus become the Child Abuse Caucus?" Pocan wrote late last month. 
• House leadership released a joint statement with the two warring caucuses to express their "unity of purpose." 
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Democratic lawmakers have deleted controversial tweets attacking each other as they attempt to mend a rift between left-wing House members and the party establishment. 

In one such now-deleted tweet, Rep. Mark Pocan, the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, accused the centrist House Problem Solvers Caucus of endorsing child abuse by supporting an immigration funding bill. 

"Since when did the Problem Solvers Caucus become the Child Abuse Caucus?" Pocan wrote late last month. 

The House Democrats account deleted a tweet targeting Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff, Saikat Chakrabarti, for criticizing Rep. Sharice Davids over her vote on the border aid package.

"Who is this guy and why is he explicitly singling out a Native American woman of color?" the message read. 

House leadership released a joint statement with the two warring caucuses to express their "unity of purpose." 

"At times, there may be different perspectives on the way forward. That is a hallmark of the legislative process," the statement read. "We will remain clear-eyed with respect to our unity of purpose. Every single voice within the House Democratic Caucus is an important one. We have a shared mission. Onward and upward."

Read more: An anonymous Democratic group leaked a poll that shows swing voters deeply dislike Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the left wing, widening the party’s rift

Tensions between establishment Democrats and the progressive left heightened in recent weeks after Pelosi told columnist Maureen Dowd that the so-called "squad" of congresswomen of color doesn’t have "any following" in the House. 

Ocasio-Cortez hit back at Pelosi, accusing her of "singling out" four women of color — a move she called "outright disrespectful." 

Ocasio-Cortez attempted to soften her criticism during a Wednesday CBS interview, and the freshman lawmaker is scheduled to meet with Pelosi next week. 

"Just as there were members of Congress that did not vote for the speaker on the House floor the day of our swearing in, just as there are members who challenge her conclusions, who disagree with her, so do we from time to time, but that does not mean that there is a fundamental fracture or a dehumanizing going on within our caucus," she said.

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See Also:

• The House just voted down articles of impeachment for President Trump
• Weeks of Democratic infighting between Nancy Pelosi and ‘the Squad’ preceded Trump’s racist tweet attacks
• ‘I abandon the chair’: A congressman presiding over the House got sick of partisan fighting and literally dropped the gavel and left

SEE ALSO: An anonymous Democratic group leaked a poll that shows swing voters deeply dislike Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the left wing, widening the party’s rift

Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Eliza Relman)