To: Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa From: Members of the State Democratic Executive Committee Date: December 3, 2020 Subject: Open Letter to the Chairman

Mr. Chairman,

While the general election on November 3rd, 2020 was a great disappointment for Democrats around the State of Texas, it rivals the level of disappointment that we, members of the State Democratic Executive Committee, feel regarding the ’s response to this embarrassing loss. Over the last 30 days, we have watched with shock as officers of our party, staff leadership, and the communications team have boasted these results in a manner that can only be described as disingenuous and disconnected with reality.

Some signing this letter are new to the SDEC and others have decades of party service experience, but it does not take a political expert to know that the Texas Democratic Party missed the mark on November 3rd and the campaign cycle leading up to that date. From messaging to organizing, political data to simple administration, the Texas Democratic Party has dropped the ball and it is becoming more and more apparent every day that our senior leadership is refusing to take responsibility or, more importantly, the actions necessary to resolve the many shortfalls of our party this election cycle.

Several members of our body have taken it upon ourselves to interview current and former staff of the Texas Democratic Party to help dissect what went wrong. To our dismay, we found several circumstances lacking in the values that our party boasts-- transparency, accountability, dignity for working people, racial equity, and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

For years, members of the State Democratic Executive Committee have felt disrespected and misled by party staff. When approached to address concerns of transparency and accountability, we have found a general lack of responsiveness. This committee has not been presented with line-item financials for our party in years. We are excluded entirely in all matters involving organizing and the coordinated campaign, to the extent in which we were not even informed of field staff working within our districts or even simply invited to the kick-off of the coordinated campaign. Our body is meant to be the oversight and governance of our party and yet we are only approached when it comes time to open our pocketbooks. This election was botched by vendors and consultants from an approved vendors list that this body was intentionally excluded from forming and a staff that has no oversight. Worst of all, a toxic work culture has developed that has demonstrated an inability to retain talent and an inability to execute effectively.

It is for these reasons that we felt it necessary to write this letter to intervene and demand the following items be immediately addressed to change the direction of our

party and ensure sound party infrastructure that will allow for a successful election cycle in 2022.

1. Given the continued systemic issues and an inability to execute a successful electoral program, we have concluded that a change in senior staff leadership is the only path forward, including both the Executive Director and the Deputy Executive Director. 2. A full accounting of all monies brought into the party directly and all monies provided for programs and staff by other organizations and committees. All internal funds should be presented in the form of a line-item expense report and shared with the SDEC and the Treasurer. 3. The establishment of an Internal Review Committee consisting of federally-protected class caucus representation that will assist Human Resources and the Texas Democratic Party officers on new hire/employment procedures, staffing, and accountability. 4. A full roster of current Texas Democratic Party employees and consultants with whom it is currently in arrangement, as well as vacant positions the party is looking to fill. Additionally, assurance that Texas Democratic Party staff will remain unionized and that all future hire postings will be presented as unionized job opportunities. 5. A 10-year strategic plan for our party’s growth and success, with an outline of execution points. 6. An overhaul of the Texas Democratic Party’s approved vendors list, led by the Campaigns Committee, to create transparency in the process and to prioritize Texas vendors, as well as provide opportunities for minority-owned, women-owned, and disability-owned businesses. 7. A forum to allow former staff and former Democratic candidates to address SDEC members, party officers, and Democratic officeholders about best practices and shortcomings of the Texas Democratic Party. 8. A request for assistance from successful state parties like Arizona, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Minnesota, and Virginia to examine our existing party processes. 9. The re-establishment of the Harassment-Free Environment Committee. 10. Create a task force to re-evaluate the value of a “storefront” office space for the Texas Democratic Party versus virtual officing for TDP staff, and potential relocation of the Texas Democratic Party headquarters if it is found to be beneficial to our party's mission. 11. The Disabilities Caucus should be prioritized in consultation involving accessibility and inclusion of all SDEC meetings and convention proceedings. All TDP meetings and programs should have real-time captioning, possibly ASL, and offer options for spanish and vietnamese when able. 12. Set metrics for success and appropriate supervision that would allow constituency organizers to be maintained on staff beyond presidential elections, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with the constituency caucuses.

Ultimately, we are the regulatory body of this party. We view this electoral failure as our failure, and we owe it to our volunteers, our donors, and every Texan who calls themself a Democrat to find out what went wrong. We hope that these adjustments will allow us to move forward unified

and that we remember the 2020 election not as a failure, but as the catalyst that provided our party with an opportunity for much needed systemic change.

Democratically yours,

Kendall Scudder (Co-author) Jen Ramos (Co-author) ​ ​ ​ ​ SDEC, District 2 SDEC, District 21

Ben J. Dickson Kathy Williams SDEC, District 1 SDEC, District 14

Nancy A. Nichols Prince E. Winbush III SDEC, District 1 SDEC, District 15

Cristan Shamburger Max Lars SDEC, District 2 SDEC, District 21

Shirley Layton Dana Rushing SDEC, District 3 SDEC, District 24

Mary Ellen Hamm William Rosenberg SDEC, District 4 SDEC, District 24

Matt Leahy Jamie Eickhoff SDEC, District 8 SDEC, District 25

Vicki Moore Andres Lopez SDEC, District 9 SDEC, District 25

M. Emad Salem Robert Vargas III SDEC, District 10 SDEC, District 26

Dylan Forbis Kenneth Bell SDEC, District 11 SDEC, District 29

Brandon Chase McGee Beatriz Vera SDEC, District 12 SDEC, District 29

Diana Branson Kay Parr SDEC, District 12 SDEC, District 30

Kolby Duhon Glenn Melancon SDEC, District 14 SDEC, District 30

Francine Ly SDEC, AAPI Caucus

Sharon Berry SDEC, Black Caucus

Tzatzil LeMair SDEC, Latinx Caucus

David Chincanchan SDEC, Latinx Caucus

Chris Rosenberg SDEC, County Chairs Association

Joey Gidseg SDEC, Democrats with Disabilities

Jessica Anacker SDEC, Democrats with Disabilities

Brandon Vance SDEC, Stonewall Democrats

Mary Terry SDEC, Women's Caucus

Celina Vasquez SDEC, DNC Latinx Caucus

Ashley Cheng SDEC, DNC AAPI

Andre Treiber SDEC, DNC Youth