The Fort Worth man behind the 'Squad': AOC's chief of staff, a powerful new force in D.C.

[TexasTowelie]

FORT WORTH -- Saikat Chakrabarti was on Politico’s “Power List” of People to watch in 2019.

The 33-year-old from Fort Worth certainly has been just that.

In recent weeks and months, Chakrabarti — chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat referred to by her initials, AOC — has been called a liberal lightning rod, a flame thrower, the voice of a new political movement, even a symbol of Democratic disunity.

At a time when Republicans and Democrats are working to shore up party support in advance of the 2020 election, Chakrabarti has been in the news for everything from criticizing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to comparing some moderate Democrats to segregationists.

Read more: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/fort-worth/article232787822.html

[MichMan]

1. Based on some of his statements, he should have already been fired

[AJT]

2. I wouldn't be surprised if he was a plant. He seems to be making

completely unnecessary incendiary statements almost daily.

[democratisphere]

3. This kind of crap doesn't win voters or elections.

[redstateblues]

4. Have to wonder why AOC keeps him. He's a liability

For the “Squad” and for the Democratic Party as a whole

[msongs]

5. he is doing what she tells him to do. the buck stops with her nt

[comradebillyboy]

7. One wonders sometimes who works for whom...

[LanternWaste]

15. Employees always do precisely what their bosses tell them.

[highplainsdem]

6. A "powerful new force" for hurting Democratic chances in 2020.

[Archae]

8. Sounds like he's a total asshole.

One of his "heroes" is a guy who was a ally of Nazi Germany and fascist Japan.

[JI7]

9. Chakrabarti was also pushing Al Franken to resign

but not over sexual harrassment allegations but because he wanted Keith Ellison who was also accused of sexual harassment to replace him .

[tritsofme]

10. No thanks to the guy who proudly wears a shirt celebrating a Nazi collaborator.

I don’t care if you tell me he is a fine person...

[greyl]

11. Behind every four great women is a...

Not buying the angle of that spin.

"Rush Limbaugh, a conservative talk show host, recently called Chakrabarti the “sugar daddy” of four progressive Democratic congresswomen nicknamed “the Squad” — Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib."

[delisen]

12. Silicon Valley millionaire and recruiter of candidates to run

against Democrats in primaries.

If Chakrabarti recruited Ocasio-Cortez to run I doubt she will fire him.


He went on to help create the Brand New Congress political action committee, which worked to recruit hundreds of new candidates for Congress, as well as Justice Democrats, which targeted incumbents such as Joe Crowley, a Democrat from New York.

One person he helped recruit to challenge Crowley was Ocasio-Cortez, who won the post last year.

Chakrabarti helped run her campaign, and she named him her congressional chief of staff before she headed to Washington, D.C.

Hicks said he just knew Chakrabarti — whose calculator and programming skills were so advanced — would end up in the tech industry.


https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/fort-worth/article232787822.html#storylink=cpy

[irisblue]

14. The article has this quote

Snip-'“Our problem is most people who would vote Democrat aren’t voting.”

Snip-"The question is whether Chakrabarti’s approach will be effective, leading up to what is expected to be a fiery presidential election. President Trump already has labeled some Democrats socialists and some Democrats have already labeled Trump a racist.

“Chakrabarti is part of a new generation of take-no-prisoners activists that often put their movement above the party,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston. “Many of these young activists come from or through Texas and are tired of conservative political action that has guided policy in Texas for most of their lifetimes."

[mcar]

13. We do not need this person

as one of the public faces of our party.