Karl Rove’s Super PAC Endorses Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Mean-Spirited Joke

If Dick Cheney spent the 2000s as the Republican Party equivalent of Darth Vader, then Karl Rove was the GOP’s dough-fingered Emperor Palpatine. Rove, the famed political strategist-turned-TV talking head, helped organize campaigns for Rick Perry, John Ashcroft, and, most notably, George W. Bush. 

More recently, Rove had a hand in founding the ultraconservative American Crossroads political action committee. He still helps dole out campaign cash and endorsements with the group. Salon says Rove has been using the committee to, in its words, “ratfuck“ Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party. How? Well, for one, they took out some anti-Hillary ads in Iowa in January.

And they also endorsed Democratic National Committee Chair — and Weston congresswoman — Debbie Wasserman Schultz this week.

Earlier this week, it appears American Crossroads sent out this release, which said the group stands with Wasserman Schultz in her fight against her “ultra-liberal” primary opponent, Tim Canova.

We stand with @DWStweets vs. ultra-liberal @Tim_Canova. Voters in #fl23 should join us. https://t.co/NmMsbEI7d0 #sayfie #flpol

— American Crossroads (@AmericanXRoads) May 24, 2016

Here’s the statement, which came from the PAC’s president and CEO, Steven Law:

“Congresswoman and DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has played a critical role over the past several years in the massive Republican gains we have achieved at the state level, in the U.S. House of Representatives, and in the U.S. Senate.

Wasserman Schultz’s leadership has also been a catalyst for the emerging civil war in the Democratic Party this year, ensuring that their nominating process will drag on far longer than that of Republicans.

Voters of the 23rd District of Florida should know – American Crossroads stands with Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz in her primary against ultra-liberal outsider Tim Canova, and they should too.”

Wasserman Schultz is fighting for her political life at the moment: After more than a decade in politics (starting at the ground level here in South Florida), she has become one of the biggest punching bags in the U.S. government after a string of incidents in which she’s either voted to protect moneyed interests — like the payday loan industry — or put her foot in her mouth when talking about, say, the need for superdelegates.

Pretty much every progressive Democrat in the nation despises her: Bernie Sanders just outright endorsed Canova last weekend after also accusing Wasserman Schultz of rigging the election in Hillary Clinton’s favor. Though Wasserman Schultz still likely has her reelection locked down, it’s becoming plausible that she could lose the upcoming primary in August.

Washington-insider news site the Hill piled onto the congresswoman this past Tuesday: The site quoted a series of anonymous Democratic senators and one legislative aide, who all said the party was debating firing Wasserman Schultz.