Sen. Bernie Sanders. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images 2020 elections Sanders campaign cracks down on leaks

The Bernie Sanders campaign is clamping down on leaks.

In the midst of a staff shakeup in New Hampshire and Iowa, Sanders’ aides are sending emails and making calls to allies to tell them not to speak with the media.


After news broke of the campaign’s decision to reassign the state director and part ways with a senior adviser in the first-in-the-nation primary state, a Sanders aide emailed members of its steering committee in New Hampshire and asked them to not discuss the moves with reporters.

Will Bateson, Sanders’ political director in New Hampshire, wrote in the message that “we have heard from many of you, and seen in this morning's news stories, that the press is very interested to speak with you.” Members of the steering committee had told POLITICO and other outlets that they were concerned about how the campaign was being run in the state.

“It is clear that the angle of the stories they are trying to put out are not helpful to the campaign and won't serve Bernie's interests here in New Hampshire. Speaking to the press about personnel issues of any sort does not help Bernie win and should be avoided, both on and off the record,” wrote Bateson. “We kindly ask that what is shared in the Steering Committee meetings not be shared elsewhere, as we rely on you all to be the leaders in NH and help us win. We need to be able to continue to rely on you, increasingly so.”

Bateson also thanked “those of you who have flagged the press requests you have received. Please continue to do so and feel free to ask us any questions you may have.”

One member of the steering committee called the leak crackdown overbearing and bad for morale.

"It's a militaristic thing," said a committee member who was contacted by Sanders' staff with the request. "It stifles all the creative impulses that these Bernie Sanders people have. The militaristic campaign does not work with these people."

Other steering committee members weren't bothered by the directive, saying they didn't want to hurt Sanders' bid and that it was time to move on.

Campaign staff have also called members of the steering committee since stories about the staff shuffle were published on Sunday and asked them not to discuss internal personnel issues, according to three people who received the calls.

In addition to the New Hampshire changes, Sanders’ campaign recently parted ways with Jess Mazour, the Iowa political director. The team has made a series of significant shifts in Iowa and New Hampshire over the past few weeks, including reassigning Joe Caiazzo, the New Hampshire state director, to Massachusetts, and cutting ties with New Hampshire senior adviser Kurt Ehrenberg.