Notice of upcoming California Democratic Party Rules Committee and Subcommittee Meetings

Written by: Susan Rowe on Aug 7, 2008 12:16 PM EDT

Linked to groups: California for Democracy, Democratic Club of Coarsegold, DFA-CFD of Fresno & Madera Counties, DFA of Chowchilla, DFA-CFD of Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties , DFA of Stanislaus County, San Diego for Democracy, Silicon Valley DFA, brought to you by Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley, Sierra Foothills Democratic Club, Sacramento For Democracy, DFA @ the CDP Convention

written in a message from Garry S. Shay received on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 4:04 PM:

The CDP Rules Committee's subcommittee on Endorsements (Garry Shay, Donna Patterson, Judy Hotchkiss, Charlie Imes, and Charu Khopkar and with Coby King acting as a special advisor and Michael Wagaman of Credentials) had a conference call to work with staff and in planning the timetable and method of handling the various items referred to the subcommittee. During the discussion, we also kept an eye on the Rules Committee's Calendar (and even considered another special meeting of the full Rules Committee - but at this point, that looks unnecessary).

The Subcommittee will physically meet in Sacramento on Sunday, August 17 starting at 11:30 AM. The exact location is to be determined but likely to be at the CDP offices at 1401 21st St, Suite 200. ***

Additionally, the subcommittee is sending a letter out to the recent nominees of the Party to seek their input on a number of Endorsement questions, such as the Platform proposal that was referred to the subcommittee. This letter should go out early next week, with the nominees/elected officials requested to return the questionaire by Sept 15 if possible, with a deadline of Sept 30.

This input will be reviewed by the subcommittee, which will additionally meet at noon on Friday of the next Executive Board meeting - Friday, November 14, 2008. The full Rules Committee meeting should be that next day, as well as the General Sessions of the Executive Board. This two day Executive Board meeting will be at the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort.

To summarize:
Aug 17 @ 11:30 AM - meeting of the Endorsement Subcommittee in Sacramento - other Rules members may attend as observers but attendance is not necessary
Sept 15 - suggested return date of endorsement questionaire sent to nominees
Sept 30 - published due date for endorsement questionaire sent to nominees
Nov 14 @ noon - meeting of the Endorsement Subcommittee at the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort
Nov 15 - Meetings of the full Rules Committee as well as the CDP Executive Board General Sessions

A reminder that the items referred to the subcommittee include the proposals from Howard Wayne, Mal Burnstein/Christine Pelosi, Dante Atkins, Riverside DCC, as well as other endorsement issues such as club issues that occurred this past endorsement cycle.

*** IF YOU intend to attend this meeting of the subcommittee on Endorsements, please RSVP with Robert Jordan (robert[at]cadem[dot]org) by Thurs, Aug 14. Include a method of contacting you should the meeting need to be moved from 1401 21st Street, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA www.cadem.org/rules

Items of particular concern revolve around the following:

1.  A proposal that candidates seeking the endorsement of the CDP be required to state they have read the last Platform of the CDP before seeking endorsement, and further that they be given a right to comment on what they agree or disagree with in the platform and have those comments posted on the CDP WEB page so Delegates may review them.

 

2.  Appointments to the State Central Committee by nominees (which includes electeds)

     A.  Where they may be made; for example, whether a nominee for AD 2 can appoint someone registered in AD 78, or just before the deadline for changes, switch his or her appointments into a hotly contested endorsement race.

     B.  When changes in appointments can be made/changed during a term.

     C.  Whether there should be a limit on the number of out of district appointments, or whether nominees should be unfettered in their ability to make appointments.

     D.  How to accommodate nominees who wish to appoint activists who worked on their campaigns, contributors, chiefs of staff, or relatives who live out of district.

 

3.  Pre-endorsing Conferences and Club Participation.

     A.  Should clubs be bound not to oppose the CDP endorsed candidate if they participate in the pre-endorsing conference?

     B.  How best to avoid situations where a candidate buys club memberships for 700 people to increase their delegates to the pre-endorsing conference, and then the club can no longer function because they cannot achieve a quorum (this actually happened).

     C.  Should Clubs have a right to participate in the pre-endorsing conference, since they are not members of the State Central Committee?

     D.  Should there be a maximum number of delegates from a particular club (right now it is 1 delegate per 20 members with no limit).

 

4.  Currently a pre-endorsing conference makes a recommendation for endorsement, which goes on the consent calendar and may be pulled off, by 20% of the State Convention Delegates in the district, for a vote at the convention by delegates in the district.  That, in turn, may be appealed to the floor, if 300 signatures are obtained.  The appeals process was meant to provide escape valves in case candidates who were anathema to Democratic Party values received the recommendation for endorsement, such as a KKK member or Nazi.  Some feel the number of appeals and manner in which they have been used is excessive and not true to the original intent and should be curtailed.  Others recognize a need to be able to submit a recommendation to a larger group as an "escape valve".  The issue is how to balance these concerns.

 

5.  Other matters concerning the Endorsement process.

Check back at the site, or call the CDP 916-442-5707, for details as to location of the meeting.  Right now it is set for CDP HQ, but may be moved.

 

Written testimony is also definitely welcome and encouraged and may be submitted...  Any such testimony received prior to Thursday, August 14, 2008, 5PM will be distributed to the Sub-Committee before the 8/17/08 meeting.  Testimony received after that date will be held until the meeting on November 14 - 16, 2008.

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Location: Sacramento, CA 95811