Should the J-J Be Re-Cast?

Home , Dave Brat, Jaime Harrison, Terry McAuliffe

Vol. 40, No 9 www.arlingtondemocrats.org September 2015 Should the J-J be re-cast? There is a growing discussion among Demo- crats across the country about changing the name of the party’s annual fund-raising gala to something other than the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner. In fact, it’s more than just a discussion in some states. Five state parties have already decided to drop the name, which goes back almost two centu- cans who once dismised him now widely hailing DON BEYER ries. him as one of the country’s greatest presidents. COMES TO Missouri is the sole state to have chosen a new The state parties in Iowa, Georgia, Connecti- name. The Missouri party held its first Harry S cut and Maine have all decided to drop the ARLINGTON TO Truman Dinner Saturday night in St. Louis. That Jefferson-Jackson moniker, but have yet to choose EAT CRICKETS! was a fairly easy switch as Truman is the sole Mis- a new name. REALLY! sourian to have served as president and has enjoyed Serious discussions of change are reported a renaissance in recent decades, with even Republi- continued on page seven SEE DONKEY EARS ON PAGE FOUR. The Gold Card: ACDC Trifecta The first of ACDC’s annual trifecta of cam- about losing or misplacing yet another card. paign Gold Card events will be held Labor Day as Here are this year’s three Gold Card events. usual, but at a new location. 1. Labor Day Chili Cook-off The first Gold Card event is always the Chili Monday, September 7, 4-7 p.m. Cookoff. It’s always held on Labor Day. And it’s Sample chili from more than a dozen Arlington always held at the Lyon Park Community House. Democratic kitchens. Vote on the Best Democratic But not this year. The Lyon Park Community Chili in Arlington and support Democratic candi-

House is undergoing renovation, so the Chili dates to boot. Chilis range from four-alarm fire to RICHMOND Cookoff has been moved to the Barcroft Commu- super-mild. nity House at the corner of 8th and Buchanan Streets 2. A Toast to Richard and Jean Barton South. Sunday, September 20, 5-7 p.m. A Gold Card entitles you to admission to all Come to 4025 40th St N, the home of Joe and Eloise three of the campaign season social events. And Pelton, and join us in honoring the many decades of your purchase of a Gold Card helps fund the annual hard work, talent, and service the Bartons have de- Joint Campaign. Together, the Gold Card and Dol- voted to Arlington County and ACDC. Hear inspir- GIANT lars for Democrats are the main ways we fund the ing stories from the past while helping protect the Joint Campaign each year. future. The Pelton home is in far, far north Arling- KERFUFFLE The Gold Card for all three events costs $150 ton, just a few dozen feet from the Fairfax County TURNS each. It is $140 for Roosevelt Society members and line. RICHMOND $60 for YDs. 3. Golden Gala You can purchase Gold Cards online or the old Friday, October 9, 7-10 p.m. UPSIDE DOWN! fashioned way. Enjoy the sparkle of the final Joint Campaign event REALLY! Mail payments to: before heading to the polls Nov. 3. Join us at the P.O. Box 7132, Arlington, VA 22207 Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd, near the SEE PAGE NINE. Pay online at: intersection with Monroe Street. You can indulge www.arlingtondemocrats.org/goldcard in fine art, great food, and good libations. First class Your Gold Card purchase will help elect all 15 nibbles are provided each year by the ACDC Kitchen of our Democratic candidates on the ballot this year. Crew. In between bites, enjoy the best political con- By the way, there is no physical Gold Card any versation in Northern Virginia. Stay tuned via more. You sign up and your name will be on the ACDC’s online calendar and Facebook page to find check-in list at the door. You don’t need to worry out our special guest speaker! ACDC Voice, September 2015, Page 2

Report from Chairman Kip Malinosky Senator Warner, support the Iran deal President Obama, Secretary of State Street Journal acknowledged that war was the A letter from 29 leading nuclear experts John Kerry and Secretary of Energy Ernest only alternative to negotiations. attests that this deal will make it much easier Moniz, with a coalition of other global lead- Many have proposed a “better deal,” but to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear ers, have forged a deal with remarkably rig- no one can explain how they would get that power and should be used as an example for orous and invasive inspections to prevent Iran “better deal” when none of the allies who future agreements. from gaining a nuclear weapon. While all joined us in drafting this one has any interest A letter from 36 retired generals and ad- parties in the negotiations have agreed, there in returning to the negotiating table. mirals argues from a national security per- is still one major obstacle for implementation: Many have argued that Iran may cheat. spective that this deal is our best option, far the US Congress. It may well do so. But it can’t cheat enough better than a military option. It could vote to reject the Iran deal, which to build a bomb. The deal imposes inspec- A letter from 60 national security experts rejection the President could then veto. It will tors 24/7 at every installation in Iran’s mas- says this deal achieves our objectives in the take 34 votes in the Senate to sustain an sive industrial fuel cycle, starting at its ura- Middle East, assuring that Iran’s nuclear pro- Obama veto. According to The Washington nium mines. To build a bomb, Iran would gram will be for peaceful purposes. Post’s whip count, every Republican is likely have to build a dozen huge plants in secret, A letter from more than 100 former US to vote against the deal and there are 31 Demo- something it was unable to do the first time ambassadors concludes this deal is a landmark cratic senators on record to vote for it (as of around and certainly cannot now do with the agreement and should be approved. Sunday), including Senator Tim Kaine. There entire world watching. And the head of the anti-deal group are 13 Democratic senators who remain un- Consider these groups and their reasons United Against a Nuclear Iran, Gary Samore, decided, including Senator Mark Warner. for supporting this deal: studied the agreement and decided to support I write today to urge Senator Warner and The UN Security Council unanimously it and leave the group he was once leading. others to support the Joint Comprehensive passed a resolution in support of the deal, Back in 2004, James Fallows, in a cover Plan of Action, as the Iran nuclear deal is for- which will enable rigorous and constant moni- story for the Atlantic, examined simulated, mally titled. The United States cannot afford toring of Iran’s nuclear capabilities in return war game military strikes on Iran and con- another war. And let’s be clear, that’s the only for lifting of the sanctions. The UN believes cluded that this approach would lead to an alternative if we want to keep Iran from ob- the deal contributes greatly to non-prolifera- incredibly costly and unsuccessful war. Un- taining a nuclear weapon. Even The Wall tion of nuclear weapons. successful in that even war would not stop Iran from getting the bomb, while costing thousands of lives and trillions of dollars. Senator Warner, we have tried the go-it- alone, ignore-world-opinion, and use-the- Jerry Botland military-option-first in Iraq. It was such a failure that now even Jeb Bush says it was a mis- Computer Consulting take, a mistake that cost us 4,500 lives. And, Troubleshoot and resolve computer and according to an estimate by a Nobel Prize computer related problems. winning economist, it cost us more than $3 trillion. We have tried near unilateral war be- Perform upgrades, set-up wireless routers and print servers. fore; it’s time to give diplomacy a chance. We Transfer old files, address book and emails can’t afford not to. from an old computer to a new one. Please vote in favor of the Iran deal. Phone: (703) 933-0558 — [email protected] Favola, Lopez

Published monthly by the for breakfast Arlington County Democratic Committee The Second Saturday Breakfast this 2001 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite #604, Arlington VA 22202 month will hear from State Senator Barbara Mailing address: P.O. Box 7132, Arlington VA 22207 Favola and Delegate Alfonso Lopez. Tel: (703) 528-8588 Fax: (703) 528-2321 It will be held, as per usual, starting at http://www.arlingtondemocrats.org 8:30 a.m. on the second Saturday of the Chair: Kip Malinosky — [email protected] month, which will fall on September 12, Editor-in-Chief: Warren L. Nelson —(703) 243-7867 (h), [email protected] which just happens to be the anniversary of Deputy Editor: Eric Wiener — (703) 524-6899 (h), [email protected] the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the ACDC So run quickly to the Busboys and Poets unless expressly approved by an appropriate committee resolution in Shirlington so you don’t miss a minute of Copyright ©2014, ACDC, All Rights Reserved the September Second Saturday Breakfast. ACDC Voice, September 2015, Page 3

SBE tries to Next Monthly Meeting All Dems Invited make voting Wednesday, September 2, at 7 p.m. NRECA Building, 4301 Wilson Blvd. easier; GOP Corner of North Taylor and Wilson, just east of Glebe and Wilson Free parking under building; enter from Taylor Street complains Our September meeting will find ACDC in full The State Board of Elections (SBE) campaign mode and will focus on activities of the Joint sought last month to simplify voter registra- Campaign and promotions for our three Gold Card tion forms, but the proposal proved contro- versial—mainly with Republicans aroused by events. visions of voter fraud—so the proposed Before the meeting, we will have our annual re- changes have been sent back for further reception for members of The Roosevelt Society, the or- view. ganization that funds our party infrastructure, such as The issue is a common one everywhere. the headquarters rent. If you are not yet a member, People rushing through a form often skip a line or a box. In recent years, 100,000 Vir- come on out to the reception and sign up. ginians have been denied voter registration Note that our usual September Dollars for Demo- because their forms came in with something crats Great Stamping Party will take place at the Octo- missed. ber meeting this year. To remedy that, the SBE proposed drop- ping the requirement that an applicant must check boxes saying they are a citizen and are not a felon. Instead, that requirement would be fulfilled by signing the pledge at the bot- new bureaucracies to stymie problems that do city. tom of the form in which they swear they are not exist. A statement from Garrett’s office said eligible to vote. That paragraph would say But many Republicans screamed this was Gov. Terry McAuliffe had ordered the that lying about their citizenship status or all a plot to allow people to register illegally. changes in the form. Christina Nuckols, a felony record constitutes a felony. People filling in the forms could just lie when spokeswoman for the governor, denied that. Numerous academic studies over the signing it. Of course, they can do that right Alcorn’s statement said Virginia voter years have found that the kinds of voter fraud now by falsely checking one of the boxes. The registrars have denied more than 100,000 the GOP has been going after simply do not issue is those who forget the boxes. voter registration applications due to miss- exist on any scale. Ironically, the GOP—the More than 1,200 public comments were ing information since 2011. party opposed to bureaucracy—is creating submitted to the SBE on the form changes. A “A person’s ability to register to vote tally by the House Republican Caucus said should be judged on their legal qualifications 90 percent of them opposed the changes. and not on their ability to complete an ad- In an email in mid-August, State Board ministrative form,” Alcorn wrote. “This prob- of Elections Chairman James Alcorn an- lem persists and we should work together to Button nounced he would pull the proposed changes make it easier for all qualified Virginians to from the board’s September agenda. participate in the electoral process.” of the Month In a July public hearing, more than a Garrett’s statement thanked registrars for hundred people showed up to oppose the pro- denying the 100,000 “illegal and improper posal, which was an SBE initiative to increase voter registration candidates.” voting access and eliminate barriers, propo- nents said at the meeting. After the meeting, Alcorn concluded: “The proposal needs substantive work before the Board can review any potential changes and this issue requires more time for proper analysis.” Sen. Tom Garrett, R-Buckingham, ral- lied opponents to attend the July meeting, saying the proposed changes would make illegal James voting easier. Garrett represents Amherst and Alcorn Appomattox counties and part of Lynchburg ACDC Voice, September 2015, Page 4 Two Virginia GOPers indicted Donkey Ears Listening to the doings for bribery of Arlington’s Dems Two Virginia Republicans with close ties to Rand and Ron Paul have been indicted for as overheard by a political conspiracy that bought the endorse- Dan Steen and Mädi Green ment of an Iowa state senator just before the 2012 Iowa caucuses. State Senator Kent Sorenson had been He’s in business: Ian Redman, who was a field organizer for Organizing for the Iowa campaign chair for Michele America and campaign manager for Barbara Kanninen’s successful 2014 race Bachmann. But six days before the caucuses, for the School Board, has formed his own campaign company along with partner he abandoned Bachmann and came out sup- Kerry Mullen. Ian said, “We focus solely on local and state legislative cam- porting the candidacy of Ron Paul, then a paigns” plus ballot initiatives. The new firm, Redman Mullen Group, has offices Texas congressman. in Washington and New York City—and they have a nifty logo to boot. Sorenson’s last-minute treachery made Speaking out on Iran: If you’ve been watching those dueling campaign spots on national news. At the time, candidate TV about the nuclear agreement with Iran, you might have spotted a familiar Bachmann said that Sorenson had gone to the face. Terron Sims, one of the Arlington members of the Eighth Congressional Ron Paul campaign for “a lot of money,” a District Democratic Committee, can be seen in a spot from the Truman National charge Sorenson denied. Sorenson even took Security Project, which is pushing a yes vote on the agreement. Sims is the to the airwaves and told the world that opening spokesman and appears a second time in the spot as well. Bachmann was lying and that he hadn’t taken New Youngest Dem: Gaston Araoz and wife Jenn Facsina Araoz welcomed a new a nickel. member to their family August 7 as 8 lb 2 oz Gaston Christopher entered the The indictment says he didn’t take a world, all 21 inches of him. Dad seems too overcome to speak, but mom said he nickel. Instead, he took around $73,000. is “an amazing father already.” She describes baby Gaston as “easy going and Sorenson pleaded guilty to taking the money cuddly,” just like his dad, who is on the staff of Sen. Tim Kaine. last year. So, how’d they taste? Yeah, all those presidential candidates have to fill up on The Virginia Republicans indicted are corn dogs at the Iowa State Fair. But here in Arlington, we are much more Dimiti Kesari, 49, currently a member of the demanding, what with four gazillion restaurants (and that’s just in Clarendon). Town Council of Hamilton, near Leesburg, Rep. Don Beyer showed he could beat all those GOPers when he dined on and John Tate, 53, of Warrenton, who was Ron crickets last month. The congressman was visiting La Cocina, a culinary school Paul’s campaign manager in 2012 and this for unemployed Hispanics run out of Mount Olivet United Methodist Church. year is president of America’s Liberty PAC, a The 14-week course gives English-language training along with food preparation super PAC supporting Sen. Rand Paul’s presi- and sanitation instruction. The crickets are optional—unless you hold public dential campaign. Also indicted was Jesse office. Patricia Funegra, CEO and founder of La Cocina, told Beyer, “Crickets Benton, 37, of Kentucky. add protein into people’s diets... and are also a sustainable food.” La Cocina The indictment says the payments were partners with a cricket farm in Austin, Texas, that raises crickets solely for concealed from Ron Paul. human consumption using organic practices and USDA certified organic custom Part of the payment came in the form of feed. During the visit, Beyer dined on a honey-crusted cricket salad and gluten- a $25,000 check. The Iowa ethics investiga- free chocolate chip and cricket cookies. Beyer also helped the students prepare a tion report said Kesari had written the check meal of spaghetti and turkey meatballs for the low income residents of affordable from the account of a jewelry business owned housing communities in Arlington. by his wife. In a secretly recorded audio, Raising funds: James Abys-Smith, a precinct captain in Rosslyn and a graduate Sorenson claimed that Kesari had written the student studying legislative affairs at GW, was recently accepted for an educa- check at a restaurant dinner and given it to tional program in Belgium—but one with large travel costs and fees. So, he’s Sorenson’s wife while Sorenson was using the started a GoFundMe to pay the bills. Over the first four days, 19 people ponied restroom. up $1,640, more than a quarter of the total cost. The link is http:// www.gofundme.com/mq9yc9tb, which provides more information on the program. Passages: Condolences to Joan McDermott, long-time precinct captain in Rock Spring, on the passing of her twin brother, Jim Vellenga, also a staunch Dem, who lived in St. Paul. We’re Number One: Best High School Teachers rates 6,000 public high schools across the nation. In its recently released 2015 rankings for the commonwealth of Virginia, Washington Lee came in Number One with Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology ranked second in the state, Yorktown third and Wakefield 21st.

Rand and Ron Paul ACDC Voice, September 2015, Page 5 Auction is for you & both CB candidates The annual auction to fund the campaign of our County Board candidates takes on ex- tra significance this year because two seats are up and those races are the chief serious contests on the ballot this year. Our candidates, Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey, emerged from a hotly contested primary in June and now are entering a hotly contested fall campaign facing challeng- ers Audrey Clement, a long-time Green Party activist, and Michael McMenamin, a long- time GOP activist, both running this year as independents for political reasons. The annual auction is the chief fund-raising effort for the Democratic campaign for the County Board. The cost of admission includes a buffet- style dinner, drinks, and bidding on a wide array of items in silent and live auctions— not to mention lots of political chit-chat and the sheer entertainment of the fast-paced live auction with everything from blintzes to sum- mer vacation spots up for grabs. This year’s dinner and auction will take place Saturday, October 3, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The dinner and auction will be at the same site where it has been located since Moses parted the Red Sea—the Fellowship KATIE CRISTOL CHRISTIAN DORSEY Hall of the Arlington Unitarian Universalist . . . our 2015 County Board nominees Church (4444 Arlington Blvd.), at the intersection of Route 50 and S. George Mason first-ever official afterparty at the home of Admission is $40 per person through Drive. On-site parking is free. You enter the Vivek Patil (2001 N. Adams St, Unit 1021) September 13, so act fast to take advantage lot from George Mason. immediately following the event. The apart- of this special discount. After September 13, The reception and silent auction start at ment is accessible by car or by Metro, and is admission will be $50. To reserve a ticket at 6 p.m. Dinner is at 7:30 p.m. with the live located near the Courthouse station. the early bird rate, fill out the pre-registration hoto

auction around 8 p.m. There will also be a But the auction needs your help with form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/ cou contributions of auction items, 1 C Y C 8 K h i I 2 V 9 i s Q b C O 8 Q h c h A - such as professional/domestic 4yKzy9ZL9CowGijNbXY/viewform. (Yes, tesy services, autographed books, that’s kinda long, so just click on it here and

tickets to sporting events, gift you’ll get the form.) ic W

certificates, vacation and week- In a new twist, bidding on the silent auc- iene end getaways, fine arts and tion items will begin online in late Septem- crafts, political memorabilia, ber and then continue onsite the night of Oc- baskets of goodies, and any- tober 3. thing else you can dream up as appropriate for an auction. Donating your services or products is a great way to promote your own business while supporting Democrats at the very same time. To donate, volunteer to help, or for more information, please contact Laura Saul Edwards,at [email protected] or (571) 296-0009. 375

ACDC Voice, September 2015, Page 6

Suddenly it’s raining cereal! 191 The annual cereal drive, which looked charitable arm of ACDC. To help out, just bring a box (or two or like a disaster at the end of June, has now three) to any ACDC event—the monthly meetings, AYD gatherings, moved into high gear, though it is still not fully Gold Card events like the upcoming Chili Cookoff. on track to meet its annual goal. If you arrive and realize you left a box at home, don’t despair. At the end of June, with the year half You should find a jar in which to make a cash contribution. A box of over, the drive had reached only a miserly 17 cereal runs about $2.50. percent of its goal. But at the end of August, with the year two-thirds complete, the drive had reached 51 percent of its goal. The goal for this year is 375 boxes of cereal to be delivered to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) to help feed the Take a paper route needy in Arlington. The July and August surge, to borrow a Pentagon term, saw 124 boxes collected. In other words, in just two months the campaign for a day—Messenger Day collected four months’ worth, operating at Messenger Day is now officially Mes- Messenger Week plays a crucial role in double speed. senger Week, recognizing the reality that The turning out the vote for ALL of our Demo- But that shouldn’t obscure the fact that Democratic Messenger, our annual campaign cratic Party candidates, for The Democratic the drive is still behind pace with half the goal tabloid, is delivered to every doorstep in Ar- Messenger includes information on all 15 of collected in two-thirds of the year. lington over several days. our candidates in addition to useful informa- However, it has become the standard that Messenger Week begins Saturday, Sep- tion on absentee voting and where to vote in the drive falls behind during busy campaign tember 26, with excellent weather forecast by person. months, and then goes into overdrive in No- the campaign gods. Precinct captains will be reaching out to vember and December when everyone comes Messenger Saturday has almost always known volunteers in the upcoming weeks to up for air after the ballots are counted. seen fine weather and a pleasant day for walk- sign them up, but even more help is needed The cereal drive is a major campaign of ing around a neighborhood door-to-door to de- to make this get-out-the-vote activity a suc- Democratic Values in Action (DVA), the liver The Democratic Messenger, an event car- cess. There are 400 routes to cover. ried out now by ACDC for a third of a century. There is a growing number of hi-rise All you do is drop a copy of the newspa- apartments in the county that cannot be ac- per off at the front door of each house. You cessed and Messengers will be mailed to those don’t need to knock on the door, wait and en- residences. $ 4Dems drive gage in talk. Just put the newspaper under To sign up for Messenger Week, please the welcome mat or inside the screen door contact Laura Saul Edwards at underway (late) and proceed to the next house. Each route [email protected] or Jack Kinkaid at takes about an hour and a half. [email protected]. The annual Dollars for Democrats ($4Dems) drive was launched last week with boxes of envelopes being delivered to doz- ens of volunteers to address. The Gold Card events and $4Dems are the two primary funding mechanisms for the annual Joint Campaign, which handles joint activities of all the candidates—a total of 15 this year. That includes printing The Demo- cratic Messenger and contacting students, troops, diplomats and others who don’t live in Arlington so they can vote by absentee ballot. Normally, the thousands of addressed and stuffed envelopes come to the September ACDC meeting for the annual Great Stamp- ing Party, at which postage stamps and return address labels are affixed to the envelopes. This year, however, the Great Stamping Party will be held next month at the October ACDC meeting. ACDC Voice, September 2015, Page 7 Some states are renaming J-J Dinner continued from page one from New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Arkansas and Tennessee. The last is a surprise, given that Tennes- Are they just too see is the home of Andrew Jackson. State 19th Century for Party Chair Mary Mancini invited an open discussion, but said she didn’t see a groundswell the 21st Century wanting to erase Jackson’s name from the din- Democratic ner. “I have to tell you that the majority of Party? responses that I have been getting from all members of the party have been ... let’s keep the name and let’s keep it as a reminder of who we are, where we came from and how far we have come.” That may become a viewpoint in Vir- ginia, the home of Mister Jefferson. Democrats in many states turned to the before the Charleston massacre, while the ACDC has created a committee to con- Jefferson-Jackson Dinner. Jefferson, it was state J-J was June 26, nine days after the sider options and it will report back in De- noted, was a slaveholder—although that was church shooting. The discussion didn’t be- cember. Any Dems with thoughts or sugges- true of almost every president from George gin until the next month. tions on what to do can direct them to Washington through James Buchanan. Jack- The Eighth District Democratic Commit- [email protected]. son was also a slaveholder. On top of that, he tee, of which Arlington is a part, has held an Maine made its decision to scrap the name was violently anti-Indian and pressed for the annual banquet for a quarter-century that has last Thursday, saying it is “indebted” to Presi- expulsion of native Americans to beyond the never used the J-J moniker. It is called the dents Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, Mississippi, leading to the deadly Trail of Kennedy-King Dinner after Robert F. but calling the legacies of the two leaders “com- Tears. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. plex” and arguing for a change. The party Jefferson has many defenders as the au- Before the church shootings, there were asked Maine Democrats to make suggestions thor of “all men are created equal,” and Jack- some murmurings elsewhere. Florida re- for a new name by September 4. The party will son has defenders for his strong stand to pre- named its J-J “Leadership Blue” last year. then hold a vote on the most popular sugges- serve the federal system against the nullifiers In Connecticut, which decided in July tions. It said the new name could honor either of the 1830s, averting a civil war. to drop the J-J title but has not chosen a new a Maine or a national Democrat. But others argue that the Democratic one, party spokesperson Leigh Appleby said, Iowa state party chair Andy McGuire said Party of the Jefferson-Jackson era was the “This isn’t meant to be an indictment of Tho- the vote of the State Central Committee in conservative party of that day. Despite mas Jefferson’s legacy. It’s just meant to be August “confirms that our party believes it is Jackson’s stand against the nullifiers, he, like an effort by Connecticut Democrats to look important to change the name of the dinner to Jefferson, stood for a federal government of in the mirror and make sure our biggest an- align with the values of our modern-day Demo- very limited powers. Both men advocated an nual event reflects values we hold dear.” cratic Party: inclusiveness, diversity and equal- agrarian society and were hostile to the de- An editorial in the Loudoun Times last ity.” velopment of industry and of urban concen- month commented, “History is complicated. That underscored the historical fact that trations, which they saw as an opening for Our founders were no more demi-gods than the original Democratic Party was the con- mob rule. Both objected to a national bank our politicians today. They did some good servative party of its era. Whigs like Henry (today’s Federal Reserve System) as giving things; they did some bad things—and some- Clay and Abraham Lincoln who fought too much economic power to the federal gov- times our notion of which was which changes Democrats were the liberals of their day and ernment. Both frowned on federal expendi- over time.” would have been comfortable in the modern tures to develop rivers, harbors and highways. In South Carolina, where the murders Democratic Party. These critics say the Democratic Party of to- that sparked the national debate occurred, Many Democrats have for many years day is indeed organizationally rooted in State Party Chair Jaime Harrison, who is muttered about the Jefferson-Jackson name. Jefferson and Jackson (and especially Martin black, said he agreed to put the J-J name on But all that was just cocktail party chatter until Van Buren, the real founder of the party), but the agenda for the next party meeting because the Charleston, South Carolina, church mur- is philosophically grounded in the New Deal members requested it. He then commented: ders of June 17. That started a national de- of Franklin Roosevelt. They say the party of “Symbols are important. But you have to find bate about the display of the Confederate today would be philosophically unrecogniz- the right balance.... On a personal note, I’d battle flag and the naming of public institu- able to Grover Cleveland, the last Democrat rather see us spend our energy and effort try- tions after Confederates. Locally, the focus in the White House in the 19th Century. ing to get Medicaid expanded, fixing the has been on Jefferson Davis Highway, which There has been discussion of a name schools, the roads.” starts near the Pentagon and runs south to the change among Virginia Democrats, but noth- The dinners began around 1820 and the North Carolina border. ing has come to a vote. The Arlington party event was initially named Jefferson Day. That Fairly quickly, the discussion among held its 2015 J-J Dinner June 6, eleven days became Jefferson-Jackson Day around 1840. ACDC Voice, September 2015, Page 8

Brat Wittman

Scott

igell R Forbes Redistricting dies in General Assembly; now map exercize moves into the court The special session of the General As- boundaries, with the implied direction that The heavily African-American 3rd Dis- sembly to redraw congressional districts un- African-American precincts should be moved trict is represented in Congress by Rep. Bobby der court order went nowhere and the federal into adjoining districts. The deadline was Scott, one of the state’s three Democrats in court is now likely to draw a new map itself. September 1. the House of Representatives. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Gov. Terry McAuliffe called a special The districts adjoining his are all held ruled earlier that African-Americans had been session for mid-August to do the re-drawing. by Republicans—Scott Rigell, Randy Forbes, crammed into the 3rd Congressional District, The GOP did not offer any legislation to ac- Rob Wittman and Dave Brat. Shifting black reducing black political clout. It ordered the complish the court order. No action was precincts into either or both of the districts General Assembly to re-draw the district’s taken. held by Rigell and Forbes could make them more competitive. But analysts generally agree that shifting them into Brat’s or Wittman’s districts probably would have little impact. Virginia Democrats have The failure of the GOP to act in the special session means it is risking the possibility that the court’s map could endanger Rigell or a New York sugar-daddy Forbes in the 2016 balloting. Many analysts, however, suspected the The Democratic Party of Virginia who has taught at The New School in New GOP inaction was simply bowing to inevita- (DPVA) has received a huge financial boost York, is the son of Charlie Munger, vice chair- bility. If the GOP tossed black precincts where from Philip Munger of New York, a longtime man of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. they would have little impact, Gov. McAuliffe Democratic donor. But Philip Munger, who also gave would likely veto the new map and send the Munger became the largest individual $76,000 to the state Democratic Party in 2012, issue back to the court. By taking no action contributor to the state Democratic Party this is not the state party’s single largest donor in in August, the same result ensured. year when he contributed $250,000 August recent years. That honor goes to Herndon Larry Sabato of the University of Vir- 7 after donating $100,000 June 26, accord- native Sean Parker, the billionaire who co- ginia called the special session “pretty point- ing to the Virginia Public Access Project, a founded Napster and became an early less.” He said, “This was going to end up in nonpartisan tracker of money in state poli- Facebook investor, and who donated the hands of the Fourth Circuit. Everybody tics. $750,000 to the Democratic Party of Virginia knew they were going to draw the lines any- Munger, an educator and philanthropist in 2013. way.” ACDC Voice, September 2015, Page 9 Giant Richmond kerfuffle over judgeship A nasty hissy-fight in Richmond over a Supreme Court appointment has opened political fissures and made the Richmond tem- perament look more like that in Washington. Gov. Terry McAuliffe named a new justice—who happens to be a Republican—to fill a state Supreme Court vacancy in July. The GOP leaders in the Senate and House threw a fit—saying they had not been consulted about the appointment—and refused to approve the appointment. The political food fight centers on what the GOP leaders say is a political requirement—though not a legal one—that a gover- nor consult with the leaders in the General Assembly before nominating any Supreme Court justices. BEFORE THE BATTLE — GOP Del. Dave Albo (left) stood with Gov. But the Democratic leader of the State Terry McAuliffe in July when he announced the appointment of Jane Senate, Dick Saslaw, says there is no such consulting requirement. Roush (right) to the Virginia Supreme Court. And Gov. McAuliffe says he consulted with the Republican chairman of the House she doesn’t just drop back to her old post. She pointment will have to be voted on again when committee that oversees the courts before he is fired from the bench. the legislature returns to session in January. made the appointment. He acknowledged he Saslaw said he saw the rawest of raw The Republicans in the General Assem- made no call to the Republican leaders of the politics in the GOP action. “Let me tell you bly put up the name of Rossie Alston, a former House and Senate, but said the selection pro- what I believe is driving this,” Saslaw said, Fairfax County Circuit Court judge, to replace cess was “open and transparent” with input “the intense dislike of the governor.” Judge Roush. But Republican State Sen. John from legislators solicited and 10 candidates Judge Roush was proposed to McAuliffe Watkins, who is retiring at the end of this term, considered. to fill the vacancy in a letter signed by Del. objected to the political flavoring of what was The legislature has now gone home, but Dave Albo of Fairfax County, the Republi- going on and voted against Alston. That pro- there remains no agreement on this so-called can chairman of the committee that oversees duced a 20-20 tie in the Senate that was bro- consultation requirement. the courts, and co-signed by 12 Democrats ken by Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam. Gov. McAuliffe said after the flap, “I on the committee. Albo also stood beside the Sen. Watkins explained his vote on the have a feeling that no matter who I put up, governor when he announced the appoint- floor. “We have not held ourselves very high they were going to have a problem.” ment. After the flap, he said he thought the in this hour,” he said. “I think we need to go He said, “If we went through today be- effort to dump Roush had originated with back to Square One ...[and] figure out what is cause of a missed phone call, I’m sorry. This Senate Republicans. in the best interests of the people of Virginia isn’t Peyton Place. We are running a govern- Saslaw said, “If I’m the governor and I’m and what is in the best interests for the court.” ment here.” sitting there and I get a letter from the chair- House Clerk G. Paul Nardo said the last Sen. Saslaw, the Democratic leader in the man of the House Judiciary Committee, Dave time the General Assembly unseated a Su- State Senate, said talk of some requirement Albo, I mean one has to assume that he [Albo] preme Court justice who had already taken a that legislative leaders be consulted before picked up the phone and talked to [Republi- seat on the bench was more than a century judicial appointments was all hooey. can] Speaker [Bill] Howell, right?” ago in 1900. “I can tell you for a fact that [Gov.] But Howell and Senate Republican Bob Holsworth, a former Virginia Com- George Allen never consulted me,” Saslaw Leader Tommy Norment were displeased. monwealth University political scientist, said in a radio interview. “And [Gov.] Tim Norment said, “We all learned about it in the called the GOP action “a very deliberate re- Kaine never—I want to repeat, never—con- newspaper, and that did not sit well. All they buff.” He said, “This is certainly going to sulted me or anyone else when he made judge had to do was put a phone call out.” He did make relations with the governor more chal- appointments. I don’t know where they get not assert that Judge Roush was unqualified lenging and difficult.” this ‘he-didn‘t-call-us.’ And let’s say he didn’t or that he would have objected to her appoint- Attorney General Mark Herring says the call, okay. That’s a reason to reject a judge of ment if he had gotten a call in advance of the flap will make it harder in the future to make this woman’s qualifications? Are you kidding naming. interim appointments to the bench. “In their me?” The governor is allowed to make interim haste to start another unnecessary partisan But it’s more than just rejecting an ap- appointments to the court when the legisla- fight, the Republican leadership has made it pointment. When Judge Jane Marum Roush ture is out of session. But only the General incredibly difficult to ask a judge to accept a was elevated to the Supreme Court, she had Assembly can bestow a 12-year term on any gubernatorial recess appointment in the fu- to resign from the circuit court. So if the Supreme Court selection. ture, and that could cause real harm to our General Assembly now refuses to give her a The governor said he will again give courts,” Herring said. “This unprecedented full-term appointment to the Supreme Court, Roush an interim appointment. But her ap- move takes partisanship to a new low.”