Subject: Rescheduling - Puerto Rico Vote
From: Ashley Woolheater <[email-masked]>
To: Amanda Renteria <[email-masked]>, Marlon Marshall <[email-masked]>, "Craig T. Smith" <[email-masked]>, "Ann O'Leary" <[email-masked]>, Jake Sullivan <[email-masked]>, John Podesta <[email-masked]>
Cc: Sara Jacobs <[email-masked]>, Milia Fisher <[email-masked]>, Elizabeth Renda <[email-masked]>, Sally Marx <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:05:07 -0500

Apologies for the changes - We'll need to reschedule for later this
evening. I'll work with your schedulers on a new time.

Ashley Woolheater
Policy Department
Hillary for America

On Mon, Dec 14, 2015 at 9:12 AM, Ashley Woolheater <
[email-masked]> wrote:

> All - 10:30 AM appears to be the best time for the group today. You should
> have about 30 minutes then.
>
> We can schedule follow up time as needed.
>
> Ashley Woolheater
> Policy Department
> Hillary for America
>
> On Sun, Dec 13, 2015 at 12:15 PM, Jake Sullivan <
> [email-masked]> wrote:
>
>> Podesta wants to be added to this and can we try to do it tomorrow?  Even
>> for 30 mins?
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Amanda Renteria [mailto:[email-masked]]
>> *Sent:* Friday, December 11, 2015 10:32 AM
>> *To:* Sara Jacobs <[email-masked]>
>> *Cc:* Jake Sullivan <[email-masked]>; Craig T. Smith <
>> [email-masked]>; Marlon Marshall <[email-masked]>; Ann
>> O'Leary <[email-masked]>; Ashley Woolheater <
>> [email-masked]>
>> *Subject:* Re: Puerto Rico Vote
>>
>>
>>
>> Never mind. Ashley is on it.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>
>> On Dec 11, 2015, at 10:22 AM, Sara Jacobs <[email-masked]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> + ashley I'll work with her to schedule, we'll aim for next week.
>>
>>
>>
>> I spoke with some folks in the Senate yesterday to get the atmospherics
>> on where things stand on the bills.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Dec 11, 2015 at 10:14 AM, Jake Sullivan <
>> [email-masked]> wrote:
>>
>> Adding Ann and Sara.  Craig, this is terrific intel.  Even if it is not
>> all entirely right, the thrust almost certainly is.
>>
>>
>>
>> We should all get on the horn to discuss.
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Craig T. Smith [mailto:[email-masked]]
>> *Sent:* Friday, December 11, 2015 9:21 AM
>> *To:* 'Amanda Renteria' <[email-masked]>; 'Marlon
>> Marshall' <[email-masked]>; 'Jake Sullivan' <
>> [email-masked]>
>> *Subject:* Puerto Rico Vote
>>
>>
>>
>> It has been reported to me the GOP has decided that to win Florida and
>> offset losses in the So FL Cuban community they have decided to target the
>> Puerto Rican vote in Orlando.
>>
>>
>>
>> The plan was developed by Ricky Rosello’s campaign manager, who is GOP
>> (which explains the Carson photo op) and Puerto Rico St Sen Jennifer
>> Gonzalez, who is a statehooder running to replace current resident
>> commissioner Pierluisi, who is also GOP and supports Bush.
>>
>>
>>
>> The plan is based on the following facts/assumptions:
>>
>>
>>
>> 1)      That Obama got 83% of the Puerto Rican vote in Florida and that
>> number isn’t sustainable in 2016
>>
>> 2)      The size of the Puerto Rican vote in Florida has doubled since
>> 2012 because of the financial crisis on the island
>>
>> 3)      That there are more Republican elected Puerto Ricans in central
>> Florida than Democrats (true)
>>
>> 4)      That 75% of the Puerto Ricans in central Florida support
>> statehood (have we polled this?)
>>
>> 5)      That the Commonwealth Party is in disarray on the island (true)
>> and that the Statehood party will win the 2016 elections there by a
>> landslide
>>
>>
>>
>> The plan has several parts:
>>
>> 1)      Have every GOP Presidential candidate endorse statehood (Bush,
>> Rubio, Carson have already done so)
>>
>> 2)      While our position on status is neutral, paint HRC as
>> pro-Commonwealth using Tony Podesta’s works for the Commonwealth Governor
>> and Cong. Nydia Velasquez’ support of HRC as the links (they are already
>> doing this)
>>
>> 3)      Have the GOP in Congress support Chapter 9 for Puerto Rico
>> (which would treat Puerto Rico like a state) while the Obama administration
>> is pushing a “super chapter 9” position which would treat Puerto Rico as a
>> special case, which apparently is the Commonwealth position
>>
>> 4)      Paint the Obama administration as pro-commonwealth using the
>> fact that Anita Dunn works for the Commonwealth Governor
>>
>> 5)      Turn the election in Central Florida into a Statehood vs
>> Commonwealth referendum.
>>
>>
>>
>> This was passed to me and while I cant verify any of this, it wouldn’t
>> surprise me if it was true.   It sounds like a plan created on the island
>> because they are obsessed with the statehood versus commonwealth fight and
>> only see the world in those terms.
>>
>>
>>
>> Key issue is can they turn Orlando into the next battleground for that
>> fight?  Only polling will tell us that.
>>
>>
>>
>> There are several bills pending in Congress dealing with the Puerto Rico
>> debt issue.  Sen Hatch apparently wants it dealt with before the Christmas
>> break but the administration isn’t engaged on the issue.
>>
>>
>>
>> I don’t have a recommendation about anything going on in Congress but I
>> do think if this is resolved now as opposed to fighting it out during a
>> general election we would probably be better off.
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Sara J. Jacobs
>>
>> Policy Advisor
>>
>> Hillary for America
>>
>>
>