Subject: 9:30 pm ET: 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 15:02:06 -0500

We'll do the call at 9:30 pm ET this evening.

Dial in:
718-737-916

Ashley Woolheater
Policy Department
Hillary for America

On Mon, Dec 14, 2015 at 10:05 AM, Ashley Woolheater <
[email-masked]> wrote:

> 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.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Sara J. Jacobs
>>>
>>> Policy Advisor
>>>
>>> Hillary for America
>>>
>>>
>>
>