Democratic lawmakers told to skip convention in Milwaukee

Democratic officials issued a directive on Thursday telling members of Congress they should not travel to Milwaukee for this summer's Democratic National Convention.

Delegation meetings and votes on the party platform and presidential nomination will all be conducted virtually. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, will deliver a speech at the convention site, as will his running mate and a few other high-ranking party leaders.

Chasseny Lewis, a senior adviser to the convention committee, wrote in an email to congressional aides that after working with state and local public health officials and epidemiologists, the planners "have come to the hard decision that members of Congress should not plan to travel to Milwaukee. No delegates will travel to Milwaukee, and Caucus and Council meetings will take place virtually."

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The convention was pushed to August because of the coronavirus pandemic and scaled back. "Ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone involved with the 2020 Democratic National Convention drives every decision we make," Katie Peters, communications director for the convention committee, told The New York Times.