Fiefdoms
We at ODP Watch have been observing a dustup about the Ohio DFA (Democracy For America) through forwarded e-mails from various Democratic operatives. At first the missives made little sense to us but after asking a few questions we've begun to see a disturbing emerging picture. It isn't our style here to level charges until we have concrete evidence of malfeasance so we'll do what we usually do at ODP Watch, we ask questions.
The DFA Steering Committee decides many basic issues for the DFA. Who are you? How are your members selected? When do you meet? Why are your meetings of the Steering Committee not open to the general membership?
Why isn't the local DFA focused on election reform when this issue is the top priority ot the national DFA? Why does the local DFA leadership delete legitimate election reform events from their central DFA events listings?
Why are DFA members and resources being utilized for candidate support rather than activities related to the national DFA Plan For Victory? Are candidates for public office using the DFA as a springboard to aid their own political ambitions?
Why would the PDA (Progressive Democrats of America) of Northeast Ohio put five Central Ohioans (Scott Nunnery, Chris Redfern, Steve Chaffin, Chris Glaros, Marian Harris) on their panel discussion? Does the ODP have undue influence on PDA and DFA operation?
Democracy For America is an organization that was inspired by the Presidential campaign of Howard Dean. Now that Dean is gone and the single-minded purpose of supporting him is absent, what are the local DFA chapters doing? Is there any accountability? Are local DFA leaders using the now leaderless organizations as their own private fiefdoms? Will the local DFA open up their steering committee membership meetings to the general membership and to outside progressive groups?
We're only asking questions at this point. Feel free to drop us a line here at ODP Watch if you have answers.
The DFA Steering Committee decides many basic issues for the DFA. Who are you? How are your members selected? When do you meet? Why are your meetings of the Steering Committee not open to the general membership?
Why isn't the local DFA focused on election reform when this issue is the top priority ot the national DFA? Why does the local DFA leadership delete legitimate election reform events from their central DFA events listings?
Why are DFA members and resources being utilized for candidate support rather than activities related to the national DFA Plan For Victory? Are candidates for public office using the DFA as a springboard to aid their own political ambitions?
Why would the PDA (Progressive Democrats of America) of Northeast Ohio put five Central Ohioans (Scott Nunnery, Chris Redfern, Steve Chaffin, Chris Glaros, Marian Harris) on their panel discussion? Does the ODP have undue influence on PDA and DFA operation?
Democracy For America is an organization that was inspired by the Presidential campaign of Howard Dean. Now that Dean is gone and the single-minded purpose of supporting him is absent, what are the local DFA chapters doing? Is there any accountability? Are local DFA leaders using the now leaderless organizations as their own private fiefdoms? Will the local DFA open up their steering committee membership meetings to the general membership and to outside progressive groups?
We're only asking questions at this point. Feel free to drop us a line here at ODP Watch if you have answers.
posted by The Fool at 10:49 AM
4 Comments:
Howard Dean attracted liberals, moderates, and conservatives to his campaign.
After his campaign ended, DFA lost people and has basically become a group therapy circle for the left wing of the Democratic Party.
It has basically transformed from a Dean vision into MoveOn's little sib.
I'd like to add to the list of questions regarding Marian Harris' obvious cozy relationship with Chris Redfern and the Ohio Democratic Party.
First, why would ODP Chairperson Chris Redfern make ONLY two personal contributions to 2006 candidate campaigns of $400 to Friends of Marian Harris and $200 to Strickland for Governor.
This was recently reported through the Secretary of State's website as part of the pre-primary report.
http://www1.sos.state.oh.us/pls/portal/PORTAL_CF.CF_QRY_CAND_CONT.SHOW_PARMS
The other question is why Chris Redfern would donate $200 more to Marian Harris for State Representative than he donated to Ted Strickland for Governor?
Relatively speaking, Chris Redfern's donation is significant as a donation to a state representative campaign. The $400 he donated is Marian Harris' 5th highest contribution to date.
Here's the main menu to search the Secretary of State's website for who is who regarding campaign contributions for Ohio's 2006 candidates.
http://www1.sos.state.oh.us/portal/page?_pageid=74,56431,74_56461&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
I also discovered some interesting promises Chris Redfern made to Tim Carpenter, national director for Progressive Democrats of America (PDA). My strongly emphasized question for the PDA and ODP is: Are these promises REAL of simply a continuation of broken promises that have been regularly made by the ODP over the years?
It is interesting to note that these promises were made at a March 2006 public forum with over 400 people attending in Northeast Ohio, which is the base of PDA Ohio operations led by the twin brother duo of Michael and Patrick Carano.
In addition, the national PDA is trumpeting messages on their national website and in press releases (see below). My response would be that PDA and ODP should "walk the walk" if they're going to "talk the talk."
My opinion is that the ODP will sit down regarding these promises based on some excuse like they're too busy with the 2006 elections or some other creation. That's the way it usually goes with election year promises made by ODP officials.
Why should we expect Redfern to be any different from the last ODP chairpeople who have been losing statewide elections for 15 years? ODP operations have not changed since the Redfern coronation as state chair last year. Business as usual at the ODP means losing statewide elections for the 16th year.
Below are PDA-ODP related stories produced by the national and state PDA organizations. I have yet to see any similar announcement on the ODP website or so-called Blue Buckeye Blog that is absent of people actually posting to the blog because ODP's John Sauter was assigned to delete angry progressive posts related to Paul Hackett and to block these progressives from being able to post anything to the Blue Buckeye Blog in the future.
Redfern and Carpenter Agree To Anti-War Town Hall Meetings and Ohio Progressive State Caucus
http://www.pdamerica.org/articles/news/redfern.php
Ohio joins Arizona, California, and Utah in establishing a Progressive Caucus within the State Democratic Party
http://blog.pdamerica.org/?p=618
Very interesting abbey. We can see that you've done some impressive legwork on these orgs. We'll take a look-see ourselves and see what we can come up with. Well done.
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