“We are probably the most loyal segment of the Democratic Party,” said Rep. Lacy Clay (D-Mo.), referring to African-American voters who have supported Democrats by nearly nine to one margins in recent presidential elections. “We try to be team players but yet when it comes to the issue of jobs, vendors and consultants, we are left aside so there is some inequity there.

“There should be fairness injected into the process,” said Clay, who said black lawmakers have trouble raising money from political action committees, which often steer their funds to incumbents considered more vulnerable politically.

He noted that  the committee’s chief financial officer, head of the member service department, press secretary, head of the accounting department, and the head of the online department are African-American.

Wolff said that one of the committee’s four pollsters is African American and that the committee is considering hiring African- American consultants to run independent expenditures — a lucrative business — on behalf of Democratic candidates.

Wolff also said that two CBC members, Clyburn and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), hold senior positions at the DCCC, and Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) heads the committee’s “Red to Blue” challenger support program and chairs the recruitment program.

CBC members are free to use the DCCC’s member services department and its communications center, and have access to up-to-date information on political action committees, said Wolff.

At Wednesday’s meeting, CBC members also pressed Van Hollen to commit to supporting Andre Carson, the late Rep. Julia Carson’s (D-Ind.) grandson, in a May 6 Democratic primary. The DCCC is backing Carson in a March 11 special election against a Republican opponent, but Van Hollen has declined to promise support for the Democratic primary.

“The DCCC doesn’t usually get into primaries, that was his position,” said Kilpatrick, describing Van Hollen’s response to African-American lawmakers’ request that he back Carson.

Julia Carson was a member of the CBC and Kilpatrick wants the seat to stay within her caucus. That may not happen because Carson’s district is only a third African-American and there are at least two African -American candidates who plan to challenge her grandson. That could split the black vote and throw the nomination to state Rep. David Orentlicher, who is white.  

The African-American lawmakers’ demands put pressure on Van Hollen to abandon the committee’s general policy of not becoming involved in primary contests.

So far, the DCCC has focused on involving CBC members in the race.

Wolff said that lawmakers would either visit the district or call into local radio programs starting this weekend.