Burnt Orange Report

I have several points of concern about Susan's lack of support (and indeed bordering on hostility) for our efforts to inform, educate, and engage our supporters through the Internet. I've asked her for support by printing a link to our news-and-current-events Internet discussion group intended for Dallas County Democrats; she has never supported that effort.

After pushing hard to get the party to collect E-mail addresses of voters at the Democratic Primary election, finally in 2004 the E-mail addresses were collected, but then this valuable resource seems to have disappeared down a black hole... Susan has refused on many occasions to allow this list of our party faithful to be used to send invitations to join the DallasDemocrats Yahoogroup, and indeed I'm not aware that the list was made available to any of the candidates either. Instead, candidates and party supporters have been refused, and had to resort to far-more-expensive postal mailings (which by their nature will NEVER replace the ongoing nature of the Internet as a way to shape public opinion on the important issues of our time, and thus to inform and engage the voters of Dallas County.

I -do- think it's important that we figure out who WILL be a suitable, supportive person for the job and who WILL support the necessary programs and initiatives that we must have in order to invigorate our party base, and (by better reaching the public) present the real reasons why the Democratic Party positions and candidates are the ones which MAKE SENSE for the people of Dallas County. I feel this is ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL if we're going to take back Dallas County!

I honor ,appreciate,love each of you for taking a stand on this issue.I have asked to give me the privilege to express my view as a true Democrat.I am having a problem with seeing only successful minorities signing this paper trail for the Chair.Who is going to help those of us who needs guidance from our leaders.Please consider me.Love Pauline Dixon.

We Democrats deserve a capable, forward-thinking, peacemaker, and great administrator as our County Chair. Although I am a yellow-dog Democrat, I rarely hear of Democratic functions in Dallas; when I do they are not announced far enough in advance for me to schedule. I am out of the loop as are many others. I've become demoralized.

Can't we get all along together and work together for our common good?

I agree 100% with Pauline. She needs to have the opportunity to express her views. She is a loyal and honest Democrat who has always been admired and supported by me and many others.

In fact, should the current chair resign at the next meeting, I ask for someone to nominate Pauline to be elected chairman . She is the perfect candidate to heal the wounds from this unnecessary fighting.

Although I share some of the concerns from the individuals who are trying run the current chair out of office, their tactics are ruthless and are hurting the party.

As part of their plot, they have attacked and maligned the staff from Sheriff Valdez's campaign, who volunteered to run the party apparatus WITH LITTLE OR NO PAY until these issues are resolved.

These volunteers who helped elect our beloved Sheriff were recommended and are supported by respected current and former ELECTED Democrats like Sheriff Valdez and Rep. Harryette Earhardt.

For these individuals, who are attacking the current chair, to go after these loyal Democratic volunteers with vicious attacks and character assassination is shameful and reprehensible.

There is a democratic way to address these complaints about he chair but these few individuals are either conducting a coup to hijack power for themselves or are trying to keep the Democracy for America groups from following Dr. Dean into the party and implementing his vision for a new and improved party. I believe it is a combination of these reasons. This group of rabble rousers have historically been inhospitable to new blood joining their groups or the party or to sharing power with the African American and Latino communities. This group of individuals certainly don't represent the diversity that is the Dallas County Democratic Party.

This is why I support a democratic resolution to these problems and will support Pauline Dixon as chair and part of that process.

Can't we have our catfights in private? I can't BELIEVE you have posted this internal email to DCDP Precinct Chairs. Why can't we settle our Democratic disagreements quietly, behind the woodshed, out of the view of the public?

I wouldn't post something like this during an election cycle, but there is an executive committee meeting on Monday and the grassroots in Dallas County deserve to see both sides of what is going on. That's why I've been posting this stuff. It's been on all sorts of email lists... it's not like the letters are private...

Goodness. I saw a clip of this on a progressive dem board. I am not in Texas, but a loyal dem on that other board seemed irked that this internal strife was posted publicly for the world. Frankly, I wonder how many other local dem groups in this country have faced the exact same rovian tactics by an alleged dem chair? Therefore, the obvious election thwarting activities of your chair needs to be broadcast to all dem groups nationwide. We need to clean house. Of course the republicans would infiltrate our party. And it's our job to clean house. They must be outted. This is outrageous! Good luck Monday night. (and if you get a new chair, find out who the heck they are sleeping with!)

Chairman Hays must be pretty desperate if she is now having her pigeons race-bait her opposition. Pete might check the list of Precinct Chairs who signed the petition - I'm afraid the Chairman's opponents come in all colors of the rainbow.

Pete's post is the first I've ever heard of Ms. Valdez's campaign volunteers being subjected to attacks; and vicious ones at that! Are we talking about assaults here? - or just someone's house getting toilet-papered?

Pete's post is also the first time I've heard Ms. Valdez referred to as "our beloved Sheriff" - inasmuch as she's been in office for only a month, I'm going to wait a little while before deifying her. I for one still think performance matters.

Finally, as one of the conspirators Pete is presumably referring to in his post, I absolutely agree that there really is a "...democratic way to address these complaints about he (sic) chair" - it's called having a meeting, Pete.

And by the way - I must confess that my tactics are indeed as "ruthless" as Pete described - I gratuitously gun the engine of my 2.3l 4 cyclinder Ford and squeal my tires every time I pass the Party office on my way home from work. I also own a roll of toilet paper.

After reading the first set of posts on this a few weeks ago here, I contacted Susan myself to ask her about some of these allegations.

While her opposition has done an excellent job of coming up with "issues" to call for her removal (which, by the way, the executive committe cannot do: the county chairman is elected and can't be removed by the local party) I understand from my discussions with Susan and others in Dallas County that these issues run "deeper" and are on a more "personal level."

Though I haven't seen it mentioned in print, I believe a lot of this has to do with people getting pissed over the firing of their friends and associates from paid party staff positions during the last election cycle. Go figure.

While I'm not going to defend Susan on these charges (I think she'll do a good job of that on her own Monday night) I will say that, as with most conflicts of this nature, there is always an underlying cause that brings these things to a head. The Schnieder "letter" and some other issues may be, to some degree, just a smoke-screen.

I have known Susan for a while and have worked with her on the SD2 Summit and David Weiner's race last year. In my experience, she's been nothing but knowledgable, professional and dedicated to her job.

I have toyed with the idea of going to Dallas my self Monday night to see exactly what will happen. I'm not sure if I will or not, but I am tempted to tell a few of the Dallas County Democrats what I think as a County Chair about the manner in which all of this has been handled, after I've heard all sides.

There is no reason for this fight to have become such a public brawl that Democrats in a county 60 miles away (mine) are following it like it's American Idol.

I think doing this so publicly also sets a bad precedent for other counties where a select few people may get "pissed" about something the County Chair did and then do everything they can to force him/her to resign or take away his/her power.

I've found that party decisions and the decisions of the chair always leave at least a few people pissed--no matter what you do. I was attacked during the general for the party buying a few hundred dollars worth of Kerry/Edwards signs instead of giving that money to local candidates. I was attacked because I didn't buy ENOUGH Kerry/Edwards signs. I was attacked because we didn't go negative early enough. I was attacked because we spent so much money on negative advertising. I was attacked because I didn't appropriately genuflect to an incoming county commissioner. My removal was called for less than four weeks after I was sworn-in by a few Democrats because I consulted for a candidate in the Democratic Primary begining three months before I even knew I would run for County Chair. I was called on to resign because I took a job working for a Democratic campaign in another county three months before the election because I wouldn't be "in the county" enough. I was criticized for the party essentially taking a very prominent and controlling role in all of our campaigns, as the Party Rules dictate. One disgruntled Democrat started the rumor I had moved to Marshall during the campaign and vacated my post because I was "never home." (Duh, I was out working to get Democrats elected).

But, you know what? We WON in November. And, somehow, all the bitching stopped. However, I have to say, my Executive Committee has been behind me and the rest of the leadership 100 percent.

Bottom line: Being a County Chair is hard work. It's a thankless job, and you're bound to piss people off. IN a county as big as Dallas, you can evidently very easily piss a lot of people off very quickly.

Byron: Exactly, there have been a ton of emails, so the grassroots have already been well informed. Why go the extra step and post it on the blog? If this winds up in the paper and gives the party a big black eye, IMO this blog is the most likely source, being a widely read as it is.

Pete: This issues has nothing to do with Democracy for America. Dallas DFA has already decided officially not to take a stand on this issue. Please do not drag this group into it. Thank you.

Crispin - I've done my best to be judicious in what I have posted. I received a number of additional emails as well that were full of inuendo, wild accusations and all sorts of other things that I deemed unworthy of being published here. I've basically limited my posts to official statements/resolutions from organizations, official responses from the chair and elected officials, and responses by respected activists to the letters of the chair. All letters which I have published were sent to hundreds of precinct chairs, so a journalist could easily find sources of these letters for a story with a small amount of research whether I published them or not.

Well, thank you for your thoughtfulness. I just dislike having our dirty laundry washed in public. Sigh.

See ya'll tomorrow. I'll bring the marshmallows and sticks.

Wow Gary, What an enlightening post you have given us.

First, You admit to being a conspirator which implies a conspiracy to undermine the current Chair. I thought it was just a meeting.

Second, you characterize the precinct chairs that signed the petition as Ms Hay's "opponents". Now Gary, correct me if I'm wrong, but you claimed the petition was sent to the precinct chairs to just "call a meeting"? If it is just "a meeting", why would the precinct chairs be her "opponents"? Are the precinct chairs aware you have made them her "opponents"? Do they identify themselves as her "opponents" or is that your characterization? Have they been duped into just "having a meeting" so you can use them as a pawn in your "conspiracy"?

Also Gary, spare us your self-righteous innocence. I have a copy of an email you authored which attacks various groups, including the DFA people. Yes, Crispin, I have it in writing if you would like for me to forward you the email. I didn't drag the DFA people into this, these troublemakers did. I was just warning you.

Thanks Vince for your post. It is an honest appraisal of the situation and I hope you are at the meeting on Monday. In fact, the meeting is open to the public and anyone can attend. I've even heard the media will be on hand for the fireworks. So, thanks to the troublemakers this so called meeting is going to bring a great deal of bad publicity to the party.

Furthermore Gary, as a minority, your race baiting insult is disgusting and the perfect example of how you and your friends have a pompous disrespect for the minority leaders and members of our party.

Oh, and one more comment. I'm no stooge of Ms Hays, in fact I've never met her. I am a newcomer to the party and my observations from outside the circle of Ms Hays or the individuals who "oppose" her match the assessment that Vince made previously.

It is sad that a few disgruntled individuals with an ax to grind can cause so much damage by forcing a public confrontation that should be resolved in private.

I look at Susan Hays as a person who is two faced. She told candidates that our Union Silk Screening Shop was not a Union Shop early on to convince candidates that they should deal with her crony broker who was buying signs from a company in Tyler. Her crony was also selling stakes to the Ron Kirk campaign for .45 each while a supplier in Irving charged for .32 for the same stakes and he was paying less than that. Our understanding was checks were paid directly to the crony rather than to the Company in Tyler as is required by our Union Rules. Some candidates did not fall for the additional cost of the crony broker fees. One candidate claimed they tried to cancel to buy from us but were told it was too late. Another ploy used was that the candidates had to buy from the crony to get their signs put together and put out and that our Union sign company wasn't included in the plan.
The story got worst this past election. In the primary we provided most all the signs for local candidates running against each other. In the Sheriff's race we did all the candidates.
In the November election candidates were told that our prices were too high and they did not know if the signs would be put together if they purchased from us. The long and the short is that Susan Hays prevailed and we were nearly wiped out. We saw the writing on the wall and suspended operations from September to November and found other sign work.
In closing this is probably the tip of the Ice Berg how Susan gets her way. I did't always like the decisions made by Bill Howell but he was always fair and would not have black balled our company with lies.

Questions not answered.

If candidates paid the Sales Tax on the $40K or $50K worth of signs and stakes who paid the sales tax to the Comptroller?

Thanks for your reply, Pete. I'd be interested in seeing the e-mail that I allegedly authored attacking DFA - I've always been a big supporter of the Dallas Firefighters Association. Actually some of my best friends are firefighters. I also love watching reruns of "Emergency" on late night T.V.

And Pete, I stand by my race-baiting insult. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, alas it really must be a duck.

Nice, Gary, more cute empty rhetoric to avoid answering the questions.

I'm more than happy to forward the entire email to you if you need reminding what you said.

You imply in your email that Democratic candidate victories in Dallas County last November are due entirely to the investment by Martin Frost's campaign. You state that any claim to the contrary is "bogus public relations" by any other group that contributed to those victories, including Howard Dean's supporters.

You go on to add that those who disagree with you want to "make war over the tattered
remnants of Susan Hays' political career".

That is an interesting statement because you and your co-conspirators appear to be the individuals who started this war and are determined to fight in spite of the damage you are doing to the party.

Like I stated in my first post, my disagreement isn't with your concerns, which I believe are valid, I disagree with your tactics to resolve your concerns. Obviously politics is a rough and tumble environment, even within parties and organizations working toward the same goal but this public battle was unecessary and brings unwelcome publicity to the party.

Speaking of ducks, you ducked the questions in my previous post regarding your characterizations of the precinct chairs as Ms Hays' "opponents".

I'll stand by my observation that if you walk like a conspirator and quack like a conspirator, you are a conspirator and at least your being vaguely honest about your intentions and tactics.

Pete's comment about "a few disgruntled individuals with an ax to grind..." is way off the mark. As a resident of Dallas County and a new activist who got involved in politics for the first time in 2004, I was appalled by what I saw from the Dallas County Democratic Party under Chair Hays' "leadership". I do not think that I had unrealistic expectations - I know that this is a red state, and I know that the party has serious resource constraints. The problems that I observed had nothing to do with a lack of membership, volunteers, or funding. Rather, they were (in my opinion) a result of poor organization, leadership, and decision making, and a failure to listen to the party's constituents (the Democrats of Dallas County). Time after time I saw the party fail to deliver on promises without explanation, place blame on others, and even take credit for others' work. I do not know Susan Hays personally and until 8 months ago had never been involved with local politics, so I do not "have an ax to grind". But I was heavily involved in organizations and efforts to elect Democrats in November, and what I saw from the county party could be described as disappointing at best, incompetent at worst. I'm not questioning Chair Hays' motives, just reporting the results that I observed. I can assure you that there are not "just a few" who feel this way...every new activist I've talked to feels like we were let down by the party and Chair Hays.

There have been many attempts to resolve this situation quietly and in private, to no avail. Chair Hays has not addressed the concerns to anyone's satisfaction, and she refuses to admit any mistakes or take any reponsibility or accountability for the county party's performance. This is not about petty squabbles...this is about serious, substantial, structural issues and holding those responsible accountable so that we can move this party forward. All I have seen from Chair Hays is excuse-making - no results, and no plan to change. I hate to see Democrats bickering amongst ourselves as much as the next person, and understand the need for us to be united. But the issues and allegations here are big enough that they are not just going to go away quietly. This meeting is necessary to get some resolution to the situation.

In a last ditch attempt to stop the meeting, Ms. Hays staff called the police department in order clear the building on the grounds that there was a "disturbance." Shocking!

Ok, I didn't see ANY police being called, and I was there too, mmmkay?

Well, you can check the police reports, because the police were called Crispin, mmmkay. And when Byron wakes up, he'll no doubt confirm that because he was there when the police were, mmmkay Crispin. You didn't see them because they were called around five pm and you weren't there yet, mmmkay. But they were called to disrupt the meeting, mmmkay.