CALIFORNIA DNC PRESS DEMOCRAT

NOVEMBER 2017 PAGE 1 JESS DURFEE ELECTED NEW WESTERN CAUCUS CHAIR BY MELAHAT RAFIEI, DNC MEMBER

It couldn't have been more typical for Demo- crats! After more than a decade of outstanding service, Aleita Huguenin announced that she was not going to seek another term as Chair of the West- ern States Caucus. Aleita did amazing work and we owe her all the thanks we can give her for extraordi- nary service. So the race was on, and the frontrunners emerged in typical Democratic fash- ion - loud, sometimes con- tentious and always lively. DNC Members at October 2017 Meeting in In the end, after a 4.5 hour meeting, the results came down to a coin toss. DNC RBC Addresses Gender Balance of Officers Candidates for Chair BY KEITH UMEMOTO AND ALEX ROOKER, DNC MEMBERS included Luis Heredia and California’s Jess Durfee. Luis is a delegate from The DNC Rules and Bylaws and Finance Chair "shall Arizona who ran a strong Committee (RBC) met during be equally divided as practi- campaign. California came the DNC's Fall 2017 meeting in cable according to gender" together to do their best Las Vegas to address a dis- for the next DNC officer for Jess, who has served crepancy on the gender bal- elections. These amend- our delegation above and ance of its officers and other ments were approved by beyond the call of duty. issues. the full DNC. The candidates addressed The DNC adhered to its by- The discussion that en- the issues that face us, laws at its February 2017 as it sued regarding new DNC from redistricting to re- relates to identified officers in officer positions (e.g., Dep- building trust and confi- the bylaws, where the National uty Chair and dence within the Party and Chair and Chair of the Associa- Assistant Treasurer Lorna CDP Vice Chair Alex among the voters. The tion of State Democratic Chairs Johnson), and whether they Rooker is Treasurer of need to retake the (ASDC) were exempted in fac- should be counted in deter- the Association of toring for gender equity. Of State Democratic statehouses and invest in mining gender parity, culmi- Chairs and Vice Chair our state parties was also those elected, 3 women and 4 nated in the RBC approving of the DNC Women’s a key issue. men were elected in codified a resolution to the Chair to Caucus Although Jess entered positions. establish gender balance in the race just 6 days before But if one were to calculate all its officers. the vote took place, he the National Chair and ASDC Finally, Umemoto, stated campaigned hard and Chair into the balance, 3 wom- in his exiting remarks that earned support from dele- en and 6 men were elected the chair of the newly es- gates throughout the re- DNC officers. The RBC sought tablished Native American gion. In the end, victory to mitigate this gender discrep- Caucus (previously a Coun- came down to a mutually ancy by proposing amendments cil), should be explicitly agreed-upon coin toss. to the bylaws. identified as a member of I’ve respected Jess from Thus with the exception of the the DNC Executive Com- the moment I met him. National Chair, the RBC pro- mittee like all other caucus Even before being elected posed that all the codified offic- chairs, by amending the Keith Umemoto is Co- to the DNC, Jess was ers: five Vice Chairs (now in- bylaws and preventing any future chair from summarily Chair of the Credentials Continued on Page 4 cluding the ASDC Chair), Committee of the Califor- Treasurer, Secretary, eliminating any caucuses. nia Democratic Party

NOVEMBER 2017 CALIFORNIA DNC PRESS DEMOCRAT PAGE 2 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT Bਸ GARRY S. SHAY, DNC E਷ਤਢ਴ਲ਼ਨਵਤ ਢਮਬਬਨਲ਼ਲ਼ਤਤ Mਤਬਡਤ਱

After a moment of si- grown from three to thirty. Summer” with 1.1 million voter lence was observed for Treasurer Bill Derrough contacts by 125 organizers in the victims of the tragic compared Democratic vs. 45 States. Relationships were shootings in Las Vegas, Republican fundraising. We built with 200 other organiza- Democratic Party are now in a better position tions during 2,000+ events Chair William McCurdy vis-a-vis income to debt. A nationwide. The next phase related Republican at- Democratic Grassroots Victo- “Rise and Organize,” will build tempts to recall three ry Fund has been formed for the long term. Democratic women state with all fifty states and DC Associate Chair Jaime Harri- senators, the results of participating. son reported on field efforts to which will impact redistrict- Assistant Treasurer Lorna engage Rural Voters and their ing. Chair Johnson, discussed invest- need to hear the Party discuss noted a six figure DNC ments in State Parties, local our values. Organizing efforts investment in this fight. elections and diversity in include “Democrats Care” a Garry S. Shay, member of the Chair’s Report: Mr. Pe- hiring vendors. program to help people obtain DNC Executive Committee Vice Chair Michael Blake and Lead Chair, CDP Rules rez noted the constituency Affordable Care Act coverage. work of Councils and Cau- reported on efforts to elect Committee, manages a list Democrats to State Legisla- Vice Chair serve which can be joined at cuses in voter organizing tures, that 2/3rds of staff (President of the Association of DemocraticNewsGroup- and engagement, and the State Democratic Chairs) [email protected]. DNC Native American hires are millennials and en- gaging them through media discussed investment in state For an unabridged version of Council becoming a cau- parties, calling it the 50 State this Executive Committee cus. targeting programs. report, e-mail him at Vice Chair Karen Carter Program on Steroids. [email protected] Chair Perez also report- Peterson reported on Civic Vice Chair has ed on the DNC trip to Engagement and Voter Pro- helped improve outreach to, Puerto Rico, providing tection focusing on long term and expansion of, the base by assistance in disaster re- efforts and 11 different local engaging people in our call to lief, bringing a plane load campaigns so far this year. action. The Surrogate Speak- of supplies to the victims Vice Chair Maria Elena er’s Program and the officers of this tragedy, reminding Durazo worked with Labor on have traveled to 43 States and us that Puerto Ricans are multiple issues, further noting Puerto Rico. Over 40 Surro- American Citizens. the increase in Union repre- gates have been engaged. Other officer reports sentation on the DNC and Secretary Jason Rae report- include the following: the impact of repeal of DACA ed on member training and Finance Chair Henry on union workers, making mentorship programs, social Munoz III seeks greater them undocumented. media actions that could be transparency in financial Deputy Chair Keith Ellison taken, and updates to mem- matters. Finance Staff has reported on “Resistance bers.

TIME FOR DEMOCRATS TO TALK TURKEY B ਸ Bਮਡ M਴ਫਧਮਫਫਠਭਣ, DNC Mਤਬਡਤ਱

maries were in June. This our Convention will most likely If you think we should year Secretary of State be the weekend before have turkey served at our Padilla sponsored a bill to Thanksgiving - let Eric Bauman Convention dinners, let move the Primaries back know, if turkey would be best. Chair Eric Bauman know. to March. The Legislature And the Regional Endorsing Starting on March 3, passed it and Secretary Caucuses will be held before 2020, all California Padilla then lobbied Gov- Halloween. Could decorate the "Primaries," unless the ernor Brown to sign it, Caucus sites with pumpkins. Legislature changes their which he did. Confused By moving our Presidential mind again, will be in now? Primary to March, we will lose March. We had early Our State Endorsing 70-100 National Convention presidential Primaries in Convention in San Diego Bonus delegates, mostly at the 1996, 2000, 2004 and in (February 23-25), next CD level, that we got for hold- Bob Mulholland 2008. The Legislative year will be our last En- ing our Primaries in June. candidates made so Also, everyone should check resides in Chico and can dorsing Convention in an be reached at many complaints, about election year. Due to the with your County Elections [email protected] the 8 months to the Gen- Communist Only-Two officials about polling sites in and eral, they passed a bill in system, we now hold Con- 2018. Secretary Padilla also 2011, with Senator Alex ventions before the filing pushed through a bill that al- @chico.bob Padilla voting yes and lows some counties to close period ends. The 3/3/20 they lobbied Governor filing period (Legislative & 90% of their polling sites next Brown to sign it, which he local), will be from year and the rest of the coun- did, and the 2012, 2014 11/12/19 till 12/6/19, so ties can shut them down in and 2016 California pri- 2020.

NOVEMBER 2017 CALIFORNIA DNC PRESS DEMOCRAT PAGE 3

DNC RURAL COUNCIL REPORT

B ਸ Jਤਲਲ D਴਱ਥਤਤ, DNC Mਤਬਡਤ਱

tion of State Democratic Par- The DNC Rural Council is — all focused on how to ty Chairs. seeing a new burst of mem- talk to rural voters about Following a brief introduc- bership and participation. the values of the Democrat- tion of the topic by Council The Fall DNC Rural Council ic Party that are in align- Vice Chair, Jess Durfee, meeting, with over 75 mem- ment with the needs of rural Boyd Richie, former Chair of bers present, representing communities and voters: the , nearly every state, opened Joe Maxwell, former Lt led a discussion about the their meeting with officer Governor of Missouri, now need for expansion of broad elections. Betty Richie (TX) President and CEO of Fam- band access in rural commu- was re-elected Council chair, ily Farm Action; Jamie Har- nities. Jess Durfee (CA) was elect- rison, DNC Deputy Vice Before adjourning, Council ed Vice Chair and Kylie Chair (and former South Chair Richie issued a chal- Oversen (WI) was elected Carolina Democratic Party lenge to every state to form a Secretary. Chair); and Ken Martin rural caucus or committee Jess Durfee is the Chair of Three excellent speakers (MN), DNC Vice Chair and within their respective state the DNC Western States followed the officer elections President of the Associa- party organizations. Caucus

DNC RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE ri, Mary Ellen Early, B ਸ S਴ਲਨਤ Sਧਠਭਭਮਭ, DNC Mਤਬਡਤ਱ Laurence, Zakson, Garry S. Shay, Me- lahat Rafiei, Alice Huffman, Aleita Hu- At the October DNC meet- Christine Pelosi and guenin, Becca Doten, Susie Shannon, Bob ing in Las Vegas, several Keith Ellison. Mulholland, Eric C. resolutions which represent- 5) Resolution Supporting the Removal of Con- Bauman, Christine ed policy changes in many Pelosi, Jess Durfee, areas passed unanimously. federate Monuments from the U.S. Capital Alice Germond, Mi- While all of the resolutions chael Kapp and oth- cannot be listed for lack of submitted by Con- gresswoman Barbara ers. This resolution Susie Shannon is a DNC space, the following repre- Lee. calls for the DNC to Member, advocate for sent those submitted by one 6) Resolution Opposing remember Executive homeless issues, and a or more California represent- the Trump Administra- Order 9066 as a grave former Regional Director of atives: racial injustice against the California Democratic tion Ban on Party Transgender Military 120,000 Japanese- 1) Resolution Promoting Personnel submitted Americans and that the People-Powered politics by Susie Shannon, and that the U.S. will at the DNC by Encour- Eric Bauman and never again allow this aging Grassroots Do- Rachel Rose Luckey. injustice on any race, nors and by Rejecting 7) Resolution in Support gender, sexual orienta- Corporate Donors that of Restricting First Use tion, age, natural origin, conflict with our DNC of Nuclear Weapons or people with disabili- Platform submitted by submitted by Con- ties. Christine Pelosi. gresswoman Barbara 11) Resolution Reaffirming 2) Resolution expressing Lee. the DNC’s Commitment the Support of the Dem- 8) Resolution supporting to Hurricane Relief for ocratic Party for Hotel Automatic Voter Regis- Texas, Louisiana, Puer- Workers and the use of tration submitted by to Rico, and U.S. Virgin Union Hotels submitted Christine Pelosi and Islands, and Fire Relief by Susie Shannon. Travis Nelson (OR). for California submitted 3) Resolution Safeguard- 9) Resolution to establish by Christine Pelosi, ing Voting Rights and the DNC Interfaith Sandra Lowe, Tom Protecting the Integrity Council submitted by Perez (Chair) and oth- of Our Elections submit- Michael Kapp, Jason ers. Christine Pelosi can be found ted by Susie Shannon Rae (WI) and others. at and Christine Pelosi. For the full text of Christine ChristinePelosi.com 10) Resolution on Execu- Pelosi’s Walk our Talk Resolu- 4) Resolution Expressing th and tive Order 9066 – 75 tion, please see Page 3 of the PelosiBootCamp.com Support of the Demo- Anniversary – NEVER July 2017 DNC Press Demo- cratic Party for a Hous- AGAIN submitted by crat, which can be found at: ing First model to Com- Keith Umemoto, and bat Homelessness sub- co-sponsored by https://www.cadem.org/our- party/dnc-members mitted by Susie Shan- Otto Lee, Steven Ala- non, Eric Bauman,

NOVEMBER 2017 CALIFORNIA DNC PRESS DEMOCRAT PAGE 4

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE MELD AT DNC LGBT CAUCUS MEETING B ਸ Lਠ਴਱ਤਭਢਤ Zਠਪਲਮਭ, DNC Mਤਬਡਤ਱

your area, please make certain to At the 2012 Democrat- let the CDP and me know, and ic National Convention, we’ll make sure they get added to the LGBT Caucus meet- the national database. ings were so large that the overflow crowds filled The DNC meeting coincided with the hallways outside the Las Vegas Pride. This year, in the room. At the 2016 Na- shadow of the mass shootings, it tional Convention, stand- was a little smaller and more cau- ing room crowds filled tious than last year. Led by NV both the back of the Democratic Party Chair William room and all three aisles. McCurdy II, those participating It wasn’t always that included DNC Secretary Jason way. As longtime DNC Rae and his husband Phillip Bai- LGBT Caucus members ley, DNC LGBT Caucus Chair Earl like to say, it wasn’t that Fowlkes, my spouse, Dr. Peter long ago that the LGBT Kreysa, and me. Caucus could have held (left to right) Laurence Zakson, DNC Secretary Jason When we were introduced by the its meeting in a phone Rae, Laurences’s husband Dr. Peter Kreysa MCs, Democrats rocked the house booth. This growth is a in a showing of Democratic Pride! reflection of our Party’s embrace of LGBT equal of openness or willing- speak to them and their rights as a core value. ness, but a lack of know- unique issues in a way FROM THE EDITORS: that makes our Party feel That, in turn, is the result ing how and where to The California DNC Press welcoming. If you are of hard work by Caucus contact members of our Democrat is published by aware of Pride events in members, including our community and how to members of the California own Garry Shay, who DNC Delegation, and is not (when he was on the funded by the California Rules Committee) de- DNC CHAIR MAKES APPOINTMENTS Democratic Party. Opinions manded that our affirma- B ਸ Mਠ਱ਸ Eਫਫਤਭ Eਠ਱ਫਸ, DNC Mਤਬਡਤ਱ expressed by the authors tive action goals include of this newsletter’s articles the LGBT community are not necessarily those and the late Rick Staf- DNC Chair Tom Perez Council to full Caucus Sta- of the California Delega- ford, for whom the Cau- announced his appoint- tus. DNC rules demand tion, the DNC or the Cali- cus had a tribute at its ments at the October that Caucus members fornia Democratic Party. recent meeting. 2017 meeting in Las Ve- share the immutable traits Sincerely, At this Fall meeting, gas, and they were ap- of those they represent, the LGBT Caucus lead- proved unanimously. At- unlike the CDP, where Mary Ellen Early ership made increased Large appointments of most caucuses are open to Otto Lee Californians were: anyone who wishes to sup- participation by lesbians, Garry S. Shay bi women and trans ac- Laphonza Butler, Maria port their issues. After the tivists a key goal. The Echaveste and Kerman election of new state chairs fact that we have not had Maddox (all re- and vice chairs, as well as Thank you to our spon- the success we should appointments), Lorna At-Large appointments by sors: Steven K. Alari, have in including lesbi- Johnson, Amy Wakeland the Chair, our First Ameri- Eric C. Bauman, Becca ans, bi women and trans and Roz Wyman (new cans finally had enough Doten, Jess Durfee, Mary activists in our state and appointments). Welcome DNC members to qualify as Ellen Early, Alice Huffman, local Party leadership is back, Roz! a caucus. Thanks to all of Aleita Huguenin, Michael not due to the absence Executive Committee those DNC members, es- Kapp, Andrew Lachman, members from California pecially in the West, who Hon. , Otto are Chair’s appointees signed the petition to form Lee, Bob Mulholland, Lorna Johnson and Amy the new caucus. Christine Pelosi, John A. Pérez, Alex Rooker, Garry JESS DURFEE Wakeland. This is in addi- Congratulations to other tion to those Californians members of the California S. Shay, Keith Umemoto, Continued from Page 1 elected by the Western delegation elected as Cau- Laurence Zakson States Caucus: Jess Dur- cus/Council officers: Keith serving Democrats far be- fee (Caucus Chair), Garry Umemoto (Western States Printing: yond the boundaries of San Shay and Christine Pelosi. VC Male), Alex Rooker Independent Printers Diego County. Appointments to Stand- (Women’s Caucus VC), It may have hinged on a ing Committees include Otto Lee (AAPI VC), An- coin toss, but every Demo- Californians Christine drew Lachman (Small Busi- Proofreading: crat in our caucus got lucky Pelosi (Resolutions), Mi- ness Council Chair), Chris- Burt B. Belant when it gave us Jess Dur- chael Kapp (Credentials) tine Pelosi (Veteran and

fee’s leadership! and Alexandra Gallardo Military Families Council Rooker (Rules and By- Co-Chair), Jess Durfee Want an electronic copy? Melahat Rafiei laws). (Rural Council VC), Mi- Visit the CADEM web site chael Kapp, VC Youth resides in Orange County and The biggest Caucus under Our Party/DNC can be reached at Council) and Maria Elena news is the transition of Members [email protected] Durazo (Labor Council the Native American Chair).