Debbie Wasserman Schultz | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2013 | |
| Chair of theHouse Democratic Steering Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Leader | Hakeem Jeffries |
| Preceded by | Cheri Bustos Eric Swalwell Barbara Lee |
| Chair of the Democratic National Committee | |
| In office May 4, 2011 – July 28, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Donna Brazile (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Donna Brazile (acting) |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Deutsch |
| Constituency | 20th district (2005–2013) 23rd district (2013–2023) 25th district (2023–present) |
| Member of theFlorida Senate | |
| In office November 7, 2000 – November 2, 2004 | |
| Preceded by | Howard Forman |
| Succeeded by | Nan Rich |
| Constituency | 32nd district (2000–2002) 34th district (2002–2004) |
| Member of theFlorida House of Representatives from the 97th district | |
| In office November 3, 1992 – November 7, 2000 | |
| Preceded by | Redistricted |
| Succeeded by | Nan Rich |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Deborah Wasserman (1966-09-27)September 27, 1966 (age 59) New York City,New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Florida (BA,MA) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Wasserman Schultz onBreast Cancer Awareness Month. Recorded October 30, 2013 | |
Deborah Wasserman Schultz (néeWasserman;/ˈwɑːsərmən/; born September 27, 1966) is an American politician serving as theU.S. representative forFlorida's 25th congressional district, first elected to Congress in2004. A member of theDemocratic Party, she was thechair of theDemocratic National Committee (DNC) from 2011 until her resignation in 2016.
Wasserman Schultz served in theFlorida House of Representatives and theFlorida Senate and was a national co-chair ofHillary Clinton's2008 campaign for president.[1] Her district covers much of southernBroward County, including a large part ofFort Lauderdale.
Wasserman Schultz was electedchair of the Democratic National Committee in May 2011, replacingTim Kaine.[2][3] On July 28, 2016, she resigned from that position afterWikiLeaks releasedleaked emails showing that she and other members of the DNC staff had expressedbias in preference ofHillary Clinton overBernie Sanders in the2016 Democratic primaries.[3][4] The emails showed that someDNC officials had discussed strategies to weaken Sanders’ campaign, questioning his viability, and even suggesting ways to discredit his supporters. She secured a senior surrogate spot on the Clinton campaign afterwards.[5]
Born inForest Hills, Queens, New York, to aJewish family,[6] Wasserman Schultz is the daughter of Ann and Larry Wasserman. Her father is acertified public accountant, and her brother, Steven Wasserman, is anassistant United States attorney for the District of Columbia.[7]
From 1968 to 1978, the family lived inLido Beach onLong Island. In 1978, her family moved toMelville, also on Long Island, where she graduated fromHalf Hollow Hills High School East in 1984.[8] She received aBachelor of Arts in 1988 and aMaster of Arts with a certificate in political campaigning in 1990, both inpolitical science, from theUniversity of Florida.[9][10]
At the University of Florida, Wasserman Schultz was active in student government, serving as president of the Student Senate and the founder and president of the Rawlings Area Council Government.[9] She was also a member of theOmicron Delta Kappahonor society, the James C. Grimm chapter of theNational Residence Hall Honorary, and theunion Graduate Assistants United. She served as president of the Graduate Student Council and vice president of the UF College Democrats.[9][11] She has credited her experience in student politics with developing her "love for politics and the political process."[12]
Wasserman Schultz lives inWeston, near Fort Lauderdale. She is married to Steve Schultz; they have three children. She is an active member of theNational Jewish Democratic Council,Planned Parenthood, andHadassah.[13]
In March 2009, she revealed that she had undergone seven surgeries related tobreast cancer in 2008 while maintaining her responsibilities as a member of the House. That year, she promoted efforts for early screening for breast cancer.[14]
In 1988, Wasserman Schultz became an aide toPeter Deutsch at the beginning of his state legislative career.[10][15] In 1992, Deutsch successfully ran forUnited States Representative ofFlorida's 20th congressional district, and suggested to Wasserman Schultz that she run for his vacated seat in theFlorida House of Representatives. Wasserman Schultz won 53% of the vote in a six-way Democratic primary, avoiding a runoff,[15] and won the general election. At 26, she became the youngest female legislator in the state's history.[10][16]
She served four terms in the Florida State House of Representatives, for eight years, leaving due to state term limits.[10] She became an adjunct instructor of political science atBroward Community College, as well as a public policy curriculum specialist atNova Southeastern University.[citation needed]
Wasserman Schultz was elected to the Florida State Senate in 2000. She supported several bills, including the Florida Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act and one creating a Children's Services Council for Broward County. She received an award from the Save the Manatee Club for her commitment as a state senator in the 2002 legislative session tomanatee protection.[17]
For the118th Congress:[18]
Wasserman Schultz was appointed to theDemocratic Steering and Policy Committee in her first term. During the 2006 elections, she raised over $17 million in campaign contributions for her Democratic colleagues (third-most afterNancy Pelosi andRahm Emanuel), was chosen as Chief Deputy Whip, and was appointed to theAppropriations Committee, a plum assignment for a sophomore representative.[29]
Wasserman Schultz chairs the committee'sSubcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies. Shortly after joining the Appropriations Committee, she received a waiver necessary to sit on an additional committee (Appropriations is typically an exclusive committee), and she is now a member of theCommittee on Oversight and Reform. Aside from her committee and leadership roles, she was a member ofNancy Pelosi's "30 Something" Working Group, which consists of congressional Democrats mostly under age 40. The group concentrates on issues affecting young people, includingSocial Security. She joined the bipartisanCongressional Cuba Democracy Caucus. According to theCongress.org 2008 Power Rankings, she was the 24th-most powerful member of the House, the 22nd-most powerful Democratic representative, and the most powerful Florida representative.[30]
In December 2019, Wasserman Schultz voted to impeach PresidentDonald Trump.[31]
Wasserman Schultz is a proponent ofgun control legislation and supporter of LGBT rights.
She initiated the 2007Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act to address the safety risks posed bysuction entrapment.
In 2011, Wasserman Schultz was one of the 23 co-sponsors of H.R. 3261, theStop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).[32]
On April 25, 2018, 57 Representatives, including Wasserman Schultz,[33] condemned history-related legislation inUkraine andPoland.[34] They criticized Poland'snew Holocaust law, which they claimed would criminalize accusing Poles of complicity in the Holocaust,[35] as well as Ukraine's2015 memory laws glorifyingUkrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and its pro-Nazi leaders, such asRoman Shukhevych.[33]
During the117th Congress, Wasserman Schultz voted with PresidentJoe Biden's stated position 100% of the time according to aFiveThirtyEight analysis.[36]
In December 2015, Wasserman Schultz was one of 24 co-sponsors of H.R. 4018, authored by RepresentativeDennis A. Ross, which would delay the implementation ofCFPB regulations.[37][38] She was among a dozen Florida representatives who cosponsored the legislation that would delay the CFPB's payday lending rules by two years and void a "deferred presentment transaction" in states with laws similar to Florida's. She has drawn criticism for trying to delay those regulations.[39]
The Terri Schiavo case concerned the fate of a young Florida woman who had suffered brain damage after a heart attack in 1990 and was in a coma on life support. Her husband, who was her legal guardian while engaged to another woman, and the medical team wanted to remove her feeding tube, as she was in an irreversible "persistent vegetative state" with no hope of improvement. Her parents opposed this decision for years, appealing to courts, Congress, and ultimately to PresidentGeorge W. Bush to intervene. Wasserman Schultz was one of the strongest opponents of congressional intervention, supporting the husband's view. The feeding tube was finally removed on 18 March 2005, resulting in Schiavo's death on 31 March.
Wasserman Schultz publicly accused Bush of hypocrisy for having signed a 1999 bill as governor ofTexas that allows health care workers to remove life support for terminally ill patients if the patient or family is unable to pay the medical bills.[40]
Wasserman Schultz is a supporter ofIsrael.[41]
Her predecessor and mentorPeter Deutsch was "among the most hawkish congressional Democrats on Middle East issues". Wasserman Schultz, who took over his seat for Florida's 20th district, "a heavily Jewish swath of Broward County", has taken a more centrist approach.[10] In 2005 she spoke in approval of President Bush's proposals to give financial aid to thePalestinian Authority in both the proposed supplemental and in the 2006 budgets, praising Bush's greater "engagement and involvement" on the issue.
She has disputed claims that the Democratic Party is anti-Israel, arguing that theHouse Democratic Caucus is more supportive of the state than its "far-right" Republican counterparts, and questioning Republican motivations on the issue.
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Wasserman Schultz supported Israel in the2014 Gaza War and criticized MSNBC's coverage of it, saying: "Clearly [MSNBC was] highlighting what Israel had done to Gaza and the plight of Palestinians. My first thought was, where is the balance? Where is the spotlight on what Jewish children in Israel go through from being victims of rocket attacks?"[42]
She has continued to defend the state's military action in theGaza Strip, including the ongoingGaza war which has led to tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths. When theInternational Court of Justice ruled that Israel's operations in Gaza and the West Bank constitute illegal occupation, Wasserman Schultz claimed onTwitter that the court “discriminates against Israel.” She voiced support for atwo-state solution to the conflict, although Israel'sKnesset subsequently overwhelmingly rejected such a solution.[2]
Wasserman Schultz supported President Trump's decision torecognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, saying: "We must work toward a day where the entire world recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and that can be achieved through final status negotiations. I remain as committed as ever to safeguarding Israel's future as a Jewish and democratic state, at peace with its neighbors, with Jerusalem as its undisputed capital."[43]
In November 2023, she voted in favor of a bill that provided an additional$14.3 billion to supportIsraeli military operations in theGaza Strip.[44]
Wasserman Schultz voted for theAntisemitism Awareness Act of 2023.[45]
Wasserman Schultz was one of 22 Democrats to vote to censorRashida Tlaib.[46]
Wasserman Schultz voted for theStop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act.[47]
Wasserman Schultz voted for the "Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" which was incorporated intoPublic Law 118-50.[48]
In 2025, Wasserman Schultz sent a letter toWikimedia CEOMaryana Iskander "seeking answers on how the online encyclopedia will enforce its own rules, curb editor bias and prevent antisemitism and pro-terrorist content from infiltrating Wikipedia pages".[49]
Wasserman Schultz voted to sanction the International Criminal Court after it issuedarrest warrants for Israeli leaders.[50]
Wasserman Schultz supports the use of appropriations for future control of presidential signing statements as revealed during questions in a July 26, 2008, House Judiciary Committee hearing on the constitutional limits of executive power.[51]
Support for the Iran Nuclear Deal In 2015, Rep. Wasserman Schultz announced her support for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran Nuclear Deal. This agreement has been a point of contention, with critics arguing it does not adequately prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.[52]
Wasserman Schultz is Florida's first female Jewish member of Congress.[53][54]
In 2022, Wasserman Schultz convened a congressional hearing to investigate allegations that big tech media companies were not holding instances[clarification needed] of antisemitism on their respective platforms.[55]
She and SenatorArlen Specter were the driving forces behind the resolution that declared MayJewish American Heritage Month. The annual observance was created to recognize "the accomplishments of American Jews and the important role that members of the Jewish community have played in the development of American culture".[56] The observance is modeled after Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month and Women's History Month. Wasserman Schultz envisioned "classroom instruction, public ceremonies and broadcast announcements", saying, "There's a generation of children growing up with a fading memory of what happened during World War II or even an understanding of anyone who is Jewish or their culture and traditions. Through education comes tolerance."[57] The bill introducing the observance passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate and was signed by PresidentGeorge W. Bush. Wasserman Schultz said of the proclamation, "This is an historic occasion. Generations to come will have the chance to live without antisemitism through greater understanding and awareness of the significant role that American Jews have played in U.S. history. Jewish American Heritage Month is a reality because of the people gathered today in this room."[56]
The measure was criticized by Gary Cass, executive director of the now-defunct Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, a conservative Christian organization based inFort Lauderdale, who objected to "teaching Jewish history without talk of religious practices and values", saying, "We cannot seem to have an honest discussion about the Christian roots of America". He added, "How much tolerance would [Wasserman Schultz] have for a Christian Heritage month?" She replied that the situation is different, that "Judaism is unique, because it is both a culture and a religion", and that she was not in favor of "teaching any religion in public schools".[57] Her father, Larry Wasserman, said that while she had not been particularly active in the Jewish community before entering politics, she has "forged ties with Jewish groups as a lawmaker. She helped to form theNational Jewish Democratic Council and served on the regional board of the American Jewish Congress."[15]
On September 29, 2008, Wasserman Schultz voted for theEmergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008,[58] and on October 3, 2008, for the revised version of that act.[59]
During an April 2009House Judiciary Committee hearing on the Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, RepresentativeTom Rooney, a former active dutyU.S. Army JAG Corps officer, introduced an amendment that would make attacks against military veterans a hate crime. Wasserman Schultz remarked on the amendment:
I'm from a state, as Mr. Rooney is, that includes and represents the districts that include real victims. I represent a very large – one of the largest – gay populations in the United States of America. One of the largest Jewish populations in the United States of America. My region – our region – has a very large African-American population. It really is belittling of the respect that we should have for these groups to suggest that members of the armed services have somehow systematically been the victims of hate crimes.[60]
Wasserman Schultz became a vocal advocate for the family ofDaniel Wultz, constituents of hers who were engaged in legal action against theBank of China. They alleged it had a role in financingthe terrorist attack that killed the 16-year-old fromWeston, Florida, in 2006.[61]
In August 2013, Wasserman Schultz told theMiami Herald: "In South Florida, we all know too well of the tragic circumstances surrounding the cowardly terrorist attack that took Daniel Wultz's innocent life. I have been working hand in hand with the Wultz family and the state of Israel to ensure any and all of those involved in this terrorist activity, including the Bank of China, pay for their crimes so that justice can be served."[61]
On May 1, 2014, together with then-House majority leaderEric Cantor, Wasserman Schultz hosted the Wultz family at the U.S. Capitol in a National Prayer Day event.[62]
On February 15, 2013, Wasserman Schultz introduced theStopping Tax Offenders and Prosecuting Identity Theft Act of 2013 (H.R. 744; 113th Congress) into the House.[63] The bill would increase the penalties onidentity thieves and change the definition of identity theft to include businesses and organizations instead of just individuals.[64]
Wasserman Schultz opposed a 2014medical marijuana amendment in Florida that narrowly failed to receive the 60% of votes needed to amend theConstitution of Florida. She angered medical marijuana activists and major Democratic donors over this and her comparisons of medical marijuana dispensaries to "pill mills", which overprescribe and overdispense painkillers to patients with dubious symptoms.[65] After Wasserman Schultz expressed interest in running for theUnited States Senate in2016, medical marijuana activists vowed to thwart her ambition. Attorney and donorJohn Morgan said that her position on medical marijuana "disqualifies her from the [Democratic Senate] nomination... Her position denies terminally ill and chronically ill people compassion."[65]
In response, in February 2015, Wasserman Schultz's staff emailed Morgan, offering to change her position on medical marijuana if Morgan would stop criticizing her. Morgan declined her offer and released the emails toPolitico, calling her a "bully".[66] Wasserman Schultz at first declined to comment,[66] then denied that her office had sent the emails.[67] Morgan responded: "What Debbie leaves out in her pushback was the crystal clear message that her potential support of the new amendment [that has been proposed for the ballot in 2016] was predicated upon me withdrawing my comments toPolitico. I don't know how to view that as anything but an offer of aquid pro quo."[67]
In 2018, Wasserman Schultz co-sponsored a bill to "strengthen school safety and security", which required a two-thirds vote for passage, given it was brought up under an expedited process. The House voted 407–10 to approve the bill, which would "provide $50 million a year for a new federal grant program to train students, teachers and law enforcement on how to spot and report signs of gun violence". Named the STOP (Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing) School Violence Act, it would "develop anonymous telephone and online systems where people could report threats of violence." At the same time, it would authorize $25 million for schools to improve and harden their security, such as installing new locks, lights, metal detectors and panic buttons." A separate spending bill would be required to provide money for the grant program.[68]
In 2004, Wasserman Schultz's mentorPeter Deutsch resigned his congressional seat to make an unsuccessful run for the Senate seat of fellow DemocratBob Graham. Wasserman Schultz was unopposed in the Democratic primary election held to fill Deutsch's seat. Her Republican opponent was Margaret Hostetter, arealtor who had never held public office. The 20th is so heavily Democratic that Hostetter faced nearly impossible odds in November, but she gained notoriety for her attacks on Wasserman Schultz. For example, Hostetter's campaign site criticized Wasserman Schultz for protesting an American flag photograph with a Christian cross on it that was on display in the workstation of a secretary in a government building. Hostetter wrote, "Elect Margaret Hostetter to Congress November 2 and send the clear message that Americans respect and support... the foundational role Christianity has had in the formation of our great nation. Our rights come fromGod, not the state."[citation needed]
Wasserman Schultz won with 70.2% of the vote to Hostetter's 29.8%.[69]
Wasserman Schultz was unopposed for reelection in 2006.
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In 2008 Wasserman Schultz defeated Independent Margaret Hostetter and Socialist write-in candidate Marc Luzietti.
She supportedHillary Clinton forher party's 2008 presidential nomination, and in June 2007 was named one of Clinton's national campaign co-chairs. Once SenatorBarack Obama became the presumptive Democratic nominee, she endorsed him and joined SenatorKen Salazar and RepresentativeArtur Davis to second his nomination at the2008 Democratic National Convention.
OnCBS'sFace the Nation, she calledSarah Palin unready for thevice presidency. "She knows nothing...Quite honestly, the interview I saw and that Americans saw on Thursday and Friday was similar to when I didn't read a book in high school and had to read theCliffsNotes and phone in my report", Wasserman Schultz said of Palin's interview withABC'sCharlie Gibson the previous week. "She's Cliff-noted her performance so far."[70] Wasserman Schultz was also named a co-chair of the Democratic Party's Red to Blue congressional campaign group.[71] Controversy arose in March 2008 when she felt unable to campaign against South Florida Republican representativesIleana Ros-Lehtinen,Mario Díaz-Balart, and the now-retiredLincoln Díaz-Balart because of her good friendship with them.[72] Wasserman Schultz and Ros-Lehtinen are both on theLGBT Equality Caucus of which Wasserman Schultz was a vice chair. Ros-Lehtinen has been the sole Republican on the 112-member caucus since 2013.
Wasserman Schultz defeated Republican nominee Karen Harrington, Independents Stanley Blumenthal and Bob Kunst, and Florida Whig Party candidate Clayton Schock with 60.1% of the vote.
After the 2010 census, Wasserman Schultz's district was renumbered the 23rd and pushed further into Miami-Dade County, taking in most ofMiami Beach and a portion ofMiami itself. Harrington ran again.[73] Wasserman Schultz won with 63.2% of the vote to Harrington's 35.6%. When she was sworn in, she became the first white Democrat to represent a significant portion of Miami since 1993.
In the general election, Wasserman Schultz defeated Republican Joe Kaufman, 62.7% to 37.3%.
After a court-ordered redistricting in 2015, Wasserman Schultz lost much of her share of Miami-Dade County, including her portions of Miami and Miami Beach.
Economist and law professorTim Canova challenged Wasserman Schultz in the August 30, 2016, Democratic primary.[74] He was endorsed by SenatorBernie Sanders.[75][76] Wasserman Schultz won the primary with 57% of the vote.[77][78][79]
On August 8, 2016, in the wake of theWikiLeaksDemocratic National Committee email disclosures, Canova filed aFederal Election Commission (FEC) violations of regulations complaint against Wasserman Schultz, alleging "interference" with his campaign, contending that on her behalf "the DNC paid a team of national, senior communications and political professionals significant sums of money for their consulting services and the Wasserman Schultz for Congress Campaign utilized these services free of charge."[80] A spokesman for Wasserman Schultz said that the complaint was without merit and that it was "based on stolen, cherry-picked information".[81]
In the general election, Wasserman Schultz defeated Republican nominee Joe Kaufman with 56.7% of the vote.[82]
Wasserman Schultz ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and was challenged by Kaufman and Independent candidates Tim Canova and Don Endriss. She won the general election with 58.48% of the vote.[83]
Wasserman Schultz was challenged by Florida attorney Jen Perelman in the August 2020 Democratic primary.[84]
On August 16, 2020, Martina Velasquez, a 16-year-old volunteer for Perelman's campaign, filed a police report alleging that Wasserman Schultz had shoved her more than once when both were talking to voters.[85] Velasquez declined to press charges but asked for a public apology.[86] In the August 18 primary Perelman won 28% of the vote to Wasserman Schultz's 72%.[87]
On April 5, 2011, PresidentBarack Obama chose Wasserman Schultz to succeedTim Kaine as the 52nd chair of theDemocratic National Committee. Until she assumed office,Donna Brazile served as interim DNC chair. Wasserman Schultz was confirmed at a May 4 DNC meeting in Washington, D.C.[88]
During an appearance onFace the Nation, Wasserman Schultz said, "The Republicans have a plan to end Medicare as we know it. What they would do is they would take the people who are younger than 55 years old today and tell them, 'You know what? You're on your own. Go and find private health insurance in the health-care insurance market.'"[89] Four nonpartisan fact-checkers called her claim false.[90] She then came under criticism for saying onWashington Watch with Roland Martin, "You have the Republicans, who want to literally drag us all the way back to Jim Crow laws and literally—and very transparently—block access to the polls to voters who are more likely to vote for Democratic candidates than Republican candidates". The next day, she said that "Jim Crow was the wrong analogy to use".[91]
In 2012, many of Obama's advisers questioned the move to select Wasserman Schultz as DNC chair, feeling she came across as too partisan on television. An internal focus study of the popularity of top Obama campaign surrogates ranked Wasserman Schultz at the bottom.[92] She was ultimately reelected to Chair on January 22, 2013.[93] In February 2015,Politico, citing unnamed sources, reported that Wasserman Schultz had lined up supporters in 2013 to portray any decision by Obama to replace her as DNC chair as "anti-woman and anti-Semitic".[94]
In 2011, she missed 62 votes of Congress, placing her 45th of 535 in missing Congressional votes.[95][96]
Clinton's opponentsMartin O'Malley andBernie Sanders both criticized Wasserman Schultz's decision to schedule only six debates in the 2016 presidential primary, fewer than in previous election cycles, as well as the timing of the debates.[97][98]
Ultimately, there were nine debates that both Clinton and Sanders participated in during the primaries, as well as a number of town halls.[99]
Some of Wasserman Schultz's actions that the news covered during the primaries were reducing the debate schedule;[100][101][102] uninviting former DNC vice chairTulsi Gabbard to the first primary debate;[103][104] halting the Sanders campaign's access to DNC databases after a staffer from his campaign attempted to exploit a security breach;[105][106] defending the superdelegate system used in the Democratic primaries;[107] rescinding a prior ban on corporate donations;[108][109] and accusing Sanders supporters of violence at the Nevada Convention.[110][111][112]
AfterWikiLeaks published DNC emails that showed that some DNC staffers had expressed strong preference for Clinton against Sanders in the primary,[113][114][115] Wasserman Schultz tendered her resignation as head of the DNC, to become effective as of the close of the nominating convention in Philadelphia. According to reports inThe Washington Post, Wasserman Schultz strongly resisted suggestions she resign until a phone call from Obama persuaded her.[116]
After a speech at the convention before the Florida delegation during which Wasserman Schultz was "booed off stage" by Sanders supporters, the DNC decided that she would not open the convention.[117][118][119]
In February 2017Politico andBuzzFeed reported Capitol Police accused five IT staffers (who worked for more than 30 House Democrats including Wasserman Schultz) of trying to steal House computer equipment and violating House security policies.[120][121][122]
As of February 6, 2017,Politico noted that Wasserman Schultz was one of several House members who did not terminate the suspected staffers after the criminal complaints.[123] In July 2017, one of the accused staffers,Imran Awan, was arrested for making a false statement on a bank loan application.[124][125] After his arrest, Wasserman Schultz's office fired Awan.[126] Wasserman Schultz later defended her decision not to fire Awan earlier, saying, "I believe that I did the right thing, and I would do it again."[127]
In 2018,The Washington Post reported:[124]
Federal prosecutors concluded an 18-month investigation into a former congressional technology staffer on Tuesday by publicly debunking allegations — promoted by conservative media and President Trump — suggesting he was a Pakistani operative who stole government secrets with cover from House Democrats. As part of an agreement with prosecutors, Imran Awan pleaded guilty to a relatively minor offense unrelated to his work on Capitol Hill: making a false statement on a bank loan application. U.S. prosecutors said they would not recommend jail time.
According toThe New York Times:[128]
In the plea agreement, federal prosecutors debunked conspiracy theories about the case that had circulated online. They said that the government had interviewed about 40 witnesses, examined the House Democratic Caucus server and other data and devices, reviewed electronic communications and interviewed Mr. Awan on numerous occasions. They found no evidence that Mr. Awan had engaged in illegal conduct involving House computer systems.
On October 24, 2018, apipe bomb device sent to former U.S. attorney generalEric Holder, which had the wrong address, was instead delivered to the Florida office of Wasserman Schultz, whose name and address was on the return labels of all the packages.[129] During this time,similar pipe bomb devices had been sent to various influential Democratic politicians.[129] The packages containing the devices, as well as envelopes containing mysterious white powder, also labeled Schultz's office inSunrise, Florida, as the sender,[129] but the person who sent these devices and envelopes misspelled her name as "Shultz."[129] The same day, a similar device was found at Wasserman Schultz's office inAventura, Florida, as well.[130] Fingerprint DNA helped identify the suspect as Florida resident andright-wingconspiracistCesar Sayoc,[131][132] who was arrested in a parking lot, inPlantation, Florida, on October 26, 2018.[133]
In 2022 Schultz's stock portfolio was up 50.8%, the second-highest gain in Congress that fiscal year[134] following Rep. Patrick Fallon. Schultz made a large portion of this gain from trading energy stocks including a $45,000 purchase of Patterson-UTI Energy. Schultz did all this while on the House Natural Resources Committee.
From December 2023 to December 2024 Schultz's stock portfolio saw an increase of 142.3%, the second-highest gain in Congress that fiscal year. In this same span of time the S&P500 saw an increase of 24.9%
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz | 4,260 | 53.38 | |
| Democratic | Pat Ernst | 1,748 | 21.90 | |
| Democratic | John Scism | 679 | 8.51 | |
| Democratic | Andrew Salvage | 570 | 7.14 | |
| Democratic | Carmen Diaz Fabian | 366 | 4.59 | |
| Democratic | Norris H. Barr | 358 | 4.49 | |
| Total votes | 7,981 | 100.00 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz | 31,345 | 64.11 | |
| Republican | Mark W. Casteel | 17,550 | 35.89 | |
| Total votes | 48,895 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 38,971 | 66.19 | |
| Republican | George W. Gardner | 19,909 | 33.81 | |
| Total votes | 58,880 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 32,725 | 72.31 | |
| Republican | Peter "Pete" Ierardi | 12,534 | 27.69 | |
| Total votes | 45,259 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz | 107,052 | 66.39 | |
| Republican | Ken Jennings | 54,191 | 33.61 | |
| Total votes | 161,243 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz | 65,311 | 63.63 | ||
| Republican | Art Waganheim | 37,323 | 36.37 | ||
| Total votes | 102,634 | 100.00 | |||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz | 191,195 | 70.19 | |
| Republican | Art Waganheim | 81,213 | 29.81 | |
| Total votes | 272,408 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz | 124,554 | 100% | |
| Total votes | 124,554 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 202,832 | 77.48 | |
| independent (politician) | Margaret Hostetter | 58,958 | 22.52 | |
| write-in | Marc Luzietti | 9 | 0.00 | |
| Total votes | 261,799 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 100,787 | 60.15 | |
| Republican | Karen Harrington | 63,845 | 38.10 | |
| independent (politician) | Stanley Blumenthal | 1,663 | 0.99 | |
| independent (politician) | Robert Kunst | 1,272 | 0.76 | |
| write-in | Clayton Schock | 3 | 0.00 | |
| Total votes | 167,570 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz | 174,205 | 63.25 | |
| Republican | Karen Harrington | 98,096 | 35.62 | |
| independent (politician) | Ilya Katz | 3,129 | 1.14 | |
| Total votes | 275,430 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 103,269 | 62.67 | |
| Republican | Joseph "Joe" Kaufman | 61,519 | 37.33 | |
| Total votes | 164,788 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 28,809 | 56.80 | |
| Democratic | Tim Canova | 21,907 | 43.20 | |
| Total votes | 50,716 | 100.00 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz | 183,225 | 56.70 | |
| Republican | Joseph "Joe" Kaufman | 130,818 | 40.49 | |
| independent (politician) | Don Endriss | 5,180 | 1.60 | |
| independent (politician) | Lyle Milstein | 3,897 | 1.21 | |
| Total votes | 323,120 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 161,611 | 58.48 | |
| Republican | Joseph "Joe" Kaufman | 99,446 | 35.98 | |
| independent (politician) | Tim Canova | 13,697 | 4.96 | |
| independent (politician) | Don Endriss | 1,612 | 0.58 | |
| Total votes | 276,366 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 55,729 | 72.04 | |
| Democratic | Jennifer "Jen" Perelman | 21,631 | 27.96 | |
| Total votes | 77,360 | 100.00 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 221,239 | 58.19 | |
| Republican | Carla Spalding | 158,874 | 41.79 | |
| write-in | Jeff Olson | 46 | 0.01 | |
| write-in | Demetrius "DB" Fugate | 37 | 0.01 | |
| Total votes | 380,196 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 50,554 | 89.01 | |
| Democratic | Robert Millwee | 6,241 | 10.99 | |
| Total votes | 56,795 | 100.00 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 129,113 | 55.09 | |
| Republican | Carla Spalding | 105,239 | 44.91 | |
| Total votes | 234,352 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 36,479 | 83.23 | |
| Democratic | Jennifer "Jen" Perelman | 7,349 | 16.77 | |
| Total votes | 43,828 | 100.00 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Debbie Wasserman Schultz (incumbent) | 186,942 | 54.47 | |
| Republican | Chris Eddy | 156,208 | 45.52 | |
| write-in | Eric Goldfarb | 41 | 0.01 | |
| Total votes | 343,191 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
Online by Gerard Peters and John T. Woolley
Debbie Wasserman, the daughter of Larry and Ann (Oberweger) Wasserman was born in Forest Hills, New York, on September 27, 1966.
For two weeks, she's hit the stump, talking about her breast cancer battle. The seven surgeries, including a double mastectomy.
"I remember how she was only half out of anesthesia and she was on the BlackBerry", says her brother, Steve Wasserman, an assistantU.S. Attorney in Washington.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz was born in 1966 on Long Island, NY.
Jen Perelman, an attorney from Davie, Florida, has thrown her hat into the race against Wasserman Schultz and is pushing the same Bernie Sanders political agenda and ideology that Canova first championed.
According to a report Velasquez filed with the Pembroke Pines Police Department on Monday, she and her father told an officer that Wasserman Shultz made contact with her four times by 'shoving with the side of her arm to prevent [her] from handing out flyers to people.'
'The complainant wished it documented that the second party (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) allegedly bumped into/made physical contact with her as they were both handing out flyers...The complainant believed that this contact was intentional.' Because Velasquez does not wish to prosecute, the police department will not investigate further, according to Conwell.
With all votes counted, Wasserman Schultz took 72 percent while Perelman, a supporter of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., pulled 28.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Five House employees are under criminal investigation amid allegations that they stole equipment from more than 20 member offices and accessed House IT systems without lawmakers' knowledge...House sources stressed the investigation, which has been ongoing since late 2016, is focused on equipment theft and not a network hacking issue.
Although the lawmaker said House officials had told staff from affected offices that contractors had been arrested, late Thursday night US Capitol Police spokesperson Eva Malecki told BuzzFeed News that no arrests had been made, but that USCP was investigating members of the House IT support staff.
February: They are shared employees who work for 30 or so members of Congress. Capitol Police ban the five from access to the House of Representatives network while it investigates. Investigators tell lawmakers that it's up to them to decide whether to fire the accused staffers. Awan is one of those staffers accused. Most of the others are related to him, including his wife, Hina Alvi.
Imran Awan, a longtime House staffer who worked for more than two dozen Democrats since 2004, is still employed by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, though his access to the House IT network has been blocked since last week.
Federal prosecutors concluded an 18-month investigation into a former congressional technology staffer on Tuesday by publicly debunking allegations — promoted by conservative media and President Trump — suggesting he was a Pakistani operative who stole government secrets with cover from House Democrats. As part of an agreement with prosecutors, Imran Awan pleaded guilty to a relatively minor offense unrelated to his work on Capitol Hill: making a false statement on a bank loan application. U.S. prosecutors said they would not recommend jail time.
While Awan's year-long court case revolved solely around bank fraud charges pertaining to an application for a home equity loan, conspiracy theorists have speculated wildly about the case. Blogs and conservative websites have circulated allegations that Awan was involved in the hack of the DNC computer systems in the run-up to the 2016 election and that he had stolen the Democrats' server and distributed sensitive information to the Pakistani government.
Awan was fired by Wasserman Schultz's office after Tuesday's arrest. 'Mr. Awan previously served as an employee in our office, but his services have been terminated,' said David Damron, her spokesperson.
'I believe that I did the right thing, and I would do it again...When their investigation was reviewed with me, I was presented with no evidence of anything that they were being investigated for. That there were racial and ethnic profiling concerns that I had.'
In the plea agreement, federal prosecutors debunked conspiracy theories about the case that had circulated online. They said that the government had interviewed about 40 witnesses, examined the House Democratic Caucus server and other data and devices, reviewed electronic communications and interviewed Mr. Awan on numerous occasions. They found no evidence that Mr. Awan had engaged in illegal conduct involving House computer systems.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida's 20th congressional district 2005–2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida's 23rd congressional district 2013–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromFlorida's 25th congressional district 2023–present | Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chair of the Democratic Women's Working Group 2011–2013 Served alongside:Gwen Moore | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Donna Brazile Acting | Chair of theDemocratic National Committee 2011–2016 | Succeeded by Donna Brazile Acting |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 52nd | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
