A wave of disillusioned employees is exiting Jack Schlossberg’s congressional campaign, describing his bid as a “dollar-store” effort marred by disorganization and neglect. Reports have emerged indicating the grandson of President John F. Kennedy has skipped crucial meetings in favor of catching up on sleep.
Schlossberg, vying to succeed the retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler in New York’s 12th Congressional District, is facing a turbulent campaign characterized by erratic conduct, unexplained absences, and frequent staff turnover, according to insiders who spoke with the New York Times.
Questions about the 33-year-old’s readiness for political office have been swirling since he abruptly canceled a series of interviews with potential donors and the media just hours into his campaign launch in November.
Reports say Schlossberg informed his team he needed a nap and then vanished for the entire day.
Concerns from campaign insiders highlight the Kennedy descendant’s perceived immaturity, pointing to his recurring absence from weekly strategy sessions and his penchant for disappearing without notice. Despite this, he is often seen enjoying swims and paddleboarding in the Hudson River.
Jorge Muñiz Reyes, a former canvassing coordinator who recently resigned, revealed his decision to leave was driven by frustration with Schlossberg’s apparent disinterest in addressing community concerns and effectively managing the campaign.
Reyes compared the messy campaign to a “dollar-store flower bouquet.”
“The colors might be nice to look at for a few days,” he told the outlet. “But since the flowers lack roots, they can’t last very long.”
Schlossberg has burned through staff at a rapid pace, with campaign finance records and interviews showing he’s had at least two campaign managers, two field directors, several advisers, and a revolving cast of consultants over the past six months.
The former Vogue political correspondent also axed a slew of employees – most of whom inadvertently remained on the payroll for weeks because he didn’t tell them they were fired, sources said.
Schlossberg’s campaign manager, Paige Phillips, told the Times the political hopeful has been campaigning “amid a deeply, deeply personal tragedy,” referring to the December death of his sister Tatiana Schlossberg.
“If an anonymous source thought he ‘disappeared’ at any point, they should remind themselves of that fact,” Phillips pressed.
She then brushed aside concerns about staff turnover, insisting Schlossberg is “decisive and honest about what (or who) works and what doesn’t,” and emphasized that as a positive trait.
“In a campaign that spans nine months, this stuff should not surprise anyone working in New York politics,” Philips told the outlet.
Schlossberg has held a narrow lead in the crowded Democratic primary field and has picked up backing from prominent Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
He shot back at the Times’ reporting on Instagram Thursday morning with a photo of himself napping.
“Needed a quick nap !! Even though I just woke up. Rest of the day and months is wide open lmk if you wanna hang,” Schlossberg captioned his snarky post.
He also appeared on CNN and defended his campaign, explaining his “nimble and small” team is deliberately doing things differently and that claims in the article are “not true.”
“I work harder than anybody I know, and we’re doing it all and making it look easy,” Schlossberg said.
“People can’t figure it out. I’ve got four words for the pundits trying to understand our strategy: Follow the bouncing ball, meaning we’re going to lead you and at the end you’ll find out how the song ends.”
