Is Josh Riley A FrontLine Democrat?
“I have some big news to share”
That’s what the opening line of the text message I received from the Josh Riley re-election campaign today said.
It was a good hook. I was curious. I opened the message, and read what it had to say.
“Today, I was officially named a Frontliner by the DCCC,” the message continued. It was a fundraising message, asking for money.
A Frontliner? The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says that Josh Riley is a Frontliner? I had to think about that for minute.
Is Josh Riley a frontline Democrat?
Let’s look at the facts about what Josh Riley is doing in the US House of Representatives. The following is a summary of what Josh Riley has accomplished in Congress over the last week.
Josh Riley voted for two non-controversial bills that almost every member of Congress voted for. The Safe and Smart Federal Purchasing Act ensures a national security check in the procurement process for federal agencies. No one voted against this legislation. The Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act requires the Postal Service to collect information about traffic accidents involving mail trucks. Only 16 Republicans voted against this legislation.
Josh Riley voted against a set of three Republican bills that sought to undo environmental regulations. One bill cancels an air pollution regulation that protects Americans from inhaling fine particulate matter released by car and truck tires. Another bill loosens energy conservation regulations on household appliances. A third bill cancels a regulation that protects underwater archaeological sites from destruction by oil and gas drilling rigs. Unfortunately, all three anti-environmental pieces of legislation passed the US House, despite Riley’s opposition.
Josh Riley added his name as a cosponsor to legislation from Congressman John Larson that would prohibit political appointees from accessing Americans’ private Social Security records. Riley also cosponsored another bill from Representative Larson that would stop the closure of field offices that help Americans with their Social Security benefits.
Josh Riley added his name as a cosponsor to legislation from Congressman Bobby Scott that would amend the National Labor Relations Act in order to protect workers’ right to organize for higher wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces.
Josh Riley cosponsored legislation from U.S. Representative Terri Sewell that would protect Americans from attempts to interfere with their right to vote.
That’s it. Congressman Riley has also taken part in many meetings, I’m sure, but these are the practical legislative accomplishments he’s racked up over the last week.
There’s nothing wrong with these actions. I am particularly glad to see Josh Riley defending common sense environmental protections. Josh Riley’s role in these matters, however, was fairly minor. He signed his name on legislation introduced by other members of Congress. He voted on bills that were brought to the floor by other members of the US House.
I do not mean to imply that Congressman Josh Riley is being lazy in any way. I’m sure he’s quite busy, and may be working to lay the groundwork for future congressional actions that we will learn about in the future.
What I do mean to imply is that Congressman Josh Riley’s activities as a member of the US Congress are unimaginative and not particularly courageous. Josh Riley is doing what’s expected. He’s blending into the crowd, and not making much of a stir.
Josh Riley’s actions last week were all perfectly nice. The problem is that what’s happening in Washington D.C. is not at all nice. What’s happening in Washington D.C. requires a form of leadership that goes beyond the bare minimum of congressional busywork.
You know what’s happening. You know how grave the situation is. You’d have to be an idiot not to know.
The United States of America is being taken apart, piece by piece. Our federal government is being taken over by oligarchs, and power is being doled out to economic elites who commit acts of blatant bribery of the President of the United States. The White House has endorsed the return of Nazis to power in Germany, while accusing Canada of nefarious plots against the United States that will require its annexation as a 51st state. The Executive Branch is threatening prison or deportation as punishment for acts of peaceful protest, and attacking our basic constitutional liberties. The President of the United States is openly violating the law, challenging the ability of Congress to maintain its powers as a co-equal branch of government. The survival of democracy is at stake.
The frontlines of democracy are clear for everybody to see. What’s not at all clear is whether the Democratic Party has any intention to defend those frontlines.
A few Democrats in Congress are putting up some struggle.
Congressman Al Green, he’s a frontline Democrat, for sure. During Donald Trump’s speech before both houses of the US Congress this week, Al Green rose from his chair up and stared down Donald Trump, face to face. Al Green stood up in front of the most powerful politician in the world, someone who is trying to make himself the most powerful US President ever. Al Green raised his cane up in the air, and he spoke truth to power.
Donald Trump had just announced that he had a mandate from the American people to advance his agenda to shut down the US federal government. In fact, no such mandate exists. Donald Trump had the support of fewer than 50 percent of the voters who participated in last year’s election.
Representative Al Green dared to say the truth. He stood in front of Donald Trump, and all eyes turned to him as he called out, “You don’t have a mandate to cut Medicaid!”
Where was Josh Riley, when this was going on? Josh Riley was sitting down, and he stayed sitting down.
Josh Riley could have risen to his feet, to stand with Al Green. Instead, Josh Riley chose to keep his head down.
For speaking out, Al Green was ejected from the joint session of Congress, escorted from the Capitol by the Sergeant At Arms.
Al Green showed us a true frontline Democrat this week.
Yesterday, the Republicans in control of the U.S. House of Representatives voted to censure Al Green as punishment for his defiance of Donald Trump. Josh Riley voted against the censure resolution, and that’s nice.
Nice doesn’t cut it. Now is not the time for paint-by-numbers politics.
When Al Green stood up on the frontlines against Donald Trump, Josh Riley stayed in his seat, and remained silent. Josh Riley didn’t move to the frontline. He didn’t support Al Green when it really counted.
Instead, Josh Riley sent out that text message announcing his “big news” that he has been “officially named a Frontliner by the DCCC”.
What struck me as I read that text message was that the only person that Josh Riley talked about was himself. “Republicans are already getting their attacks ready to try to defeat me. We can’t let them win,” he said.
Then, Josh Riley asked for money, so that he can spend it on political consultants.
Josh Riley mostly seems worried about keeping his job, while huge numbers of public servants are losing their jobs.
Congressman Riley, it’s not about you.
If you want the people of Ithaca, Tompkins County, and New York’s 19th congressional district to stand up for you in the 2026 election, you need to prove to us that you’re willing to stand up for us, to stand up for our democracy.
If you want to claim the label of Frontliner, an “official” declaration from the Democratic Party’s campaign committee won’t cut it.
You have to earn it.
Show some courage.
Stick your neck out.
Rise, like Al Green, and join the resistance at the front lines of the struggle to defend democracy.
If you’re not willing to do that, please, let someone else run to represent us in Congress in 2026.
