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LetsFixCDP.com

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I just received a letter (presumably sent to all CDP delegates) signed by Asm. De La Torre, Eric Bradley, and Alex Rooker, directing me to LetsFixCDP.com. Enclosed was a resolution that they want to pass at the upcoming convention encouraging the CDP to use the funds it raises to actually elect Democrats to office, be more transparent/accountable, etc.

On the face of it this looks like a great idea. I assume that the line about termed-out officeholders refers to the money the CDP gave Nunez and Perata.

But I’m curious as to what effect such a resolution would actually have. It doesn’t seem like it would be binding in any way. Who actually decides how these funds are used? If this is a purely symbolic gesture, I’m not sure how effective it’s going to be…

Any thoughts?

Edit by Brian: For the most part, the discussion in this thread has been quite interesting. Thus I have decided to bump the post, but I thought one comment from Jay Hansen should be bumped to the front along with it.  Beyond his support for Alex Rooker and Eric Bradley, Jay is also on the rules committee.

Clarification:  This resolution has also been submitted as a by-law change and if passed by the Rules Committee will be submitted to the delegates most likley at the next meeting which would be the E-Board.  If this amendment is passed by the Party it would be binding on the Chair.  Nothing in our rules prevents the Chair from doling out money as they see fit, this by-law change would be a sea change.  Regretfully, the Vice-Chair and Controller do not have the power to stop the kind of egregious financial actions taken in the past, by sponsoring this with Asm. De La Torre they put the power back in the Party.  

If you are a Party delegate and want to see money raised be used for Party activities exclusively then you should support this Resolution and By-law change.  While I know and support Eric and Alex, their experience and effectiveness is showcased when they figured out a way to make a move on this burning issue.  Now is the time to support this move and take advantage of the electoral scrutiny the Party leadership face every four years.

Thanks for the update, Jay.  Now, continue conversation…

Below is the text of the letter and the resolution:


CDP Delegates:

The California Democratic Party is facing a critical challenge.

We have just seen an incredible national victory and a stronger party than ever, but we can’t rest. We need to continue our momentum to win back the Governor’s office in 2010, re-elect Barbara Boxer, defeat the open primary, protect our gains in the legislature, and fight for the tools to fix our state budget.

We have amazing grassroots talent and resources, but our financial system is broken. It sounds absurd, but our rules are so out of date that they can no longer ensure that every dollar raised is used to elect Democrats and support Democratic ballot measures.

Just this past week, a Sacramento newspaper took a jab, suggesting that our rules were so broken that the Democratic Party was just a “Laundromat for political cash… a P.O Box shy of a shell corporation in the Cayman Islands.”

Let’s fix what’s broken. At the coming Democratic State Convention we ask for you to help us rewrite the rules and make common sense reforms that will bring greater accountability and a real confidence in our ability to raise and spend funds for Democrats in competitive races.

Please join us in supporting this resolution at the upcoming state convention.

Sincerely,

Hector De La Torre

Assemblymember

Eric Bradley

CDP Controller

Alex Rooker

CDP First Vice-Chair


Resolution calling for Common Sense CDP Financial Reforms

WHEREAS, the California Democratic Party will be challenged in 2010 with helping to fund a Gubernatorial campaign, dozens of legislative campaigns, supporting and opposing many statewide propositions and helping to re-elect Barbara Boxer to the United States Senate; and

WHEREAS, the California Democratic Party will be building up its financial and campaign resources in order to maintain momentum gained in President Barack Obama’s 2008 election; and

WHEREAS, the California Democratic Party must ensure that every dollar raised is used to elect Democrats to federal, state and local office, and support or oppose ballot initiatives, not for other purposes;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the California Democratic Party supports common sense reforms that will bring greater trust and confidence in its ability to raise funds for campaign activities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the California Democratic Party should approve reforms that prevent money transfers to termed-out officeholders or their affiliated political committees, and that Party monies and resources should be used only on party building activities and direct campaign support for candidates or ballot measures in each campaign cycle.

Sponsored by:

Hector De La Torre

Assemblymember, 50th District

D350000

Co-Sponsored by:

Eric Bradley

CDP Controller

D600005

ALEX GALLARDO-ROOKER

CDP 1st Vice Chair

D600003

Adopted unanimously by Region 17 on March 21, 2009

32 thoughts on “LetsFixCDP.com”

  2. This line:

    our rules were so broken that the Democratic Party was just a “Laundromat for political cash… a P.O Box shy of a shell corporation in the Cayman Islands.”

    reminds me of the lessons in “Don’t Think of an Elephant.”

  4. This is actually a pretty good advertisement for Hillary Crosby for Controller…

  5. This isn’t really a proper resolution for the party. Generally party business isn’t the subject of a resolution, as that should be dealt with through the actual committees and channels where they should occur.

    On the content, it does seem pretty damage control heavy to me.

  6. This is all great fun blowing off steam, but I think people should view this thing on the merits.

    – Would this language have blocked the Nunez and Perata transfers out of the Party?  From my read, YES.

    – Does this have a chance of passing?  Looking at the three folks backing this – De La Torre, Rooker and Bradley, I would say YES.

    – Is this deserving of our support at the convention? YES.

    The Hillary Crosby folks have been doing a great job beating the drum about these issues, but that is just noise.  What we need in the Party is an ability to get things done.

    If Rooker and Bradley want to fix this problem, then let’s get behind them.

    Let’s not torpedo this necessary change just because someone wants to try and twist this into something supporting their candidate.

  7. …CDP funds for voter registration bounties being all too finite.

    From this resolution’s text I see far too much posturing on throwing weight to specific campaigns.  Which is all well and good, but one casual aside (near the end) on party-building activities is a bit vague.

    And of course Brian’s rules-based analysis is right-on. This blurb regarding this shaky resolution shouldn’t be taken as anything other than recycled Bradley talking points.

    I wonder – what was his platform before the budget stalemate, and the resultant Maldanado top-two primary? Why does he claim that Boxer’s seat is so vulnerable anyway? And what “tools to fix our state budget” can the CDP Controller and Vice Chair bring to the legislative table exactly?

    Why exactly is (obliquely and partially) quoting a SacBee article, ridiculing the CDP’s financial opacity, an affirmation for re-electing the incumbents again? That confuses me a bit….

    As does this whole effort.  It seems like a rear-guard effort to enhance Alex’s power vis-a-vis Burton. No surprise there, as she was gunning for Chair before Burton came in.  Hector has been merely caught in the crossfire, or beholden to Eric’s fundraising prowess.

    None of this impresses my opinion of their resolution, but it does continue to drive home how politically astute Alex has been in this race.  She is a fun personality, an inspirational figure, a hard worker, and a tremendous friend of the Democratic base.

  8. I did receive a second one, titled “Where were Alex Rooker and Eric Bradley?” from “[email protected]”. The email proceeded as follows:

    Dear Fellow Delegates,

                   I’ve been involved in the California Democratic Party for over 20 years, and never have I been more disappointed in our party’s leadership than after reading this statement calling for reform from long time CDP officios Alex Rooker and Eric Bradley.

             With reelection less a month away, Rooker and Bradley have joined forces to convince us that the Party is broken and they have a new plan to fix it. The only problem is they have been in the CDP’s leadership for more years than a Bush has lived in the White House. Reelecting these two is akin to rehiring Donald Rumsfeld to fix Iraq, or hiring Bernie Madoff to handle your finances. Alex Rooker and Eric Bradley may be very nice people personally, but their many, many years of leading the California Democratic Party has been filled with mismanagement at best, and missed opportunities to capitalize on this historic time for the Democratic Party.

    We Delegates to the State Convention need to ask these “reformers” some serious questions.

    Where were Alex Rooker and Eric Bradley when Fabian Nunez stole millions of dollars from the party’s coffers for his future political ambitions?

    Where were Alex Rooker and Eric Bradley this past November when viable Senate and Assembly candidates in the Central Valley and Inland Empire, who’s success could have given us a 2/3 majority,  couldn’t even get a returned phone call?

    Where were Alex Rooker and Eric Bradley when all our momentum fighting Prop 8 died on the vine in the face of unanswered attacks on Californians basic civil rights?

    Where were Alex Rooker and Eric Bradley when The CA Democratic Party was the only state party in the nation unable to capitalize on Barack Obama’s presidential run, and the best environment for electing Democrats in the last 50 years?

    Where were Alex Rooker and Eric Bradley when us in the grassroots repeatedly asked for financial reports on the Party’s finances, both before and after they did nothing to stop Nunez from taking millions of our hard earned campaign reserves that should have been spent electing Democrats as intended?

    Where have Alex Rooker and Eric Bradley been for the last 10 years?

                   I urge every Democrat to ask Rooker and Bradley these questions during their “Damage Control Wrapped in Reform Tour” coming to Sacramento.

                   For Alex Rooker and Eric Bradley to grab hold of the Change mantra now is an insult to us in the grassroots who have worked so hard over the years to  mold a California Democratic Party built on effectiveness, transparency,  and results. They have proven time and time again that they cannot be trusted to lead our party into the future.

                   While I admire Rooker and Bradley for acknowledging serious mistakes made during their tenure, and I believe them when they say they want to do things differently if given 3rd and 4th chances. Sadly, like this past Novembers CDP door hangers, it’s just too late.

    While I know the Party has never been run perfectly, a lot of this simply sounds like (Republican) fear mongering, I definitely disagree with a number of the assertions, and think this was quite irresponsible to be sent out anonymously, which reduces its credibility. While I understand a lot of this is focused on trying to shore up support for Crosby, I do not believe that Alicia Wang would do a superior job to Rooker, though I understand Bradley’s desire for Rooker to appear in unity with him. (Also, first post on calitics =)

  9. Clarification:  This resolution has also been submitted as a by-law change and if passed by the Rules Committee will be submitted to the delegates most likley at the next meeting which would be the E-Board.  If this amendment is passed by the Party it would be binding on the Chair.  Nothing in our rules prevents the Chair from doling out money as they see fit, this by-law change would be a sea change.  Regretfully, the Vice-Chair and Controller do not have the power to stop the kind of egregious financial actions taken in the past, by sponsoring this with Asm. De La Torre they put the power back in the Party.  

    If you are a Party delegate and want to see money raised be used for Party activities exclusively then you should support this Resolution and By-law change.  While I know and support Eric and Alex, their experience and effectiveness is showcased when they figured out a way to make a move on this burning issue.  Now is the time to support this move and take advantage of the electoral scrutiny the Party leadership face every four years.

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