Soechting Resigns

Absolutely! (0.00 / 0)

Thank you, Charles!

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by: The Trey @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 15:00:17 PM CST

An Issue (0.00 / 0)

Wow, just like 2 years ago when Chairwoman Molly Beth Malcolm resigned to force an inside election of the SDEC to select the next chair (Mr. Soechting) instead of leaving it to the convention delegates (where there was no contest).  What is it with the TDP and not letting people outside of the Club of 64 (63 when you remove the Chair's vacant vote) decide who to run their statewide party.

There is another issue, one with timing. Party rules mention that there must be a 2 week notification given to the SDEC by the Vice Chair of any vacancy.  If he's stepping down on the 22nd, that means that a vote cannot be held the same day, as there would not have been a 2 week delay yet.  So does that mean they are going to drag it out to a May meeting?  And if so, then why not just wait for the Convention a month later?

This smells an awful lot like an inside job to push certain people's agenda. 

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 15:39:43 PM CST

ditto (0.00 / 0)

Yes, we're all appreciative of his service and all that, but it's awfully funny how he decides to announce this movie right after Maxey announces for chair.

-jv

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by: janevieu @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 15:51:19 PM CST

[ Parent ]

ditto (0.00 / 0)

It's not right after, but pretty darned close. And right on top of that letter yesterday about another candidate.

Timing is everything, and I think we can see here what that timing was meant for.  In any case, it's an unnecessary election when there is nothing the Party really has to do from now to June. While make planning the convention that more difficult.

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 15:55:38 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Yep (0.00 / 0)

I think youre right.

www.stonewalldemocratsofdentoncounty.org

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by: John McClelland @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 17:09:48 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Wrong on the rules, there, Karl-Thomas... (0.00 / 0)

The way the State Party Rules read is often confusing, but this is what it says:

"Members shall receive written notice issued by the State Chair, or, if that office be vacant, by the First Vice
Chair, at least two weeks prior to the meeting at which an election will be held."

There is no delay required - only a notification of the election.

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by: david.holmes @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 20:32:27 PM CST

[ Parent ]

hmm (0.00 / 0)

Thanks David, I guess it can be read a couple of way, it's not the most clear.  Not that the state party rules are the most clear in other areas either, but I see your point. Thank you for clarifying.

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 20:54:33 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Am I wrong, but ... (0.00 / 0)

doesn't the election at the State Convention still have to happen. I mean I definately agree that this does smelly a little wrong, but the fact that some one can come in as an "incumbent" doesn't garuntee them anything. Especially if a great candidate can find some real support among the convention goers.

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by: matthew_lt @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 15:50:46 PM CST

correct (0.00 / 0)

There is still the election in June.  Glen Maxey will be a candidate for that election regardless. The outcome of the SDEC selection really does nothing to change the  fact that there is still an election in June in Forth Worth for Chair.

2 years ago, after Soechting was elected by the SDEC in their special meeting, he was unchallenged at the convention.  I do not forsee that happening this year.  Which is why this is a grand waste of time unless there are really immediate personal issue the chairman has (which I'd fully understand) but don't seem to be the focus of his letter.

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 16:02:59 PM CST

[ Parent ]

An uneducated question (3.00 / 2)

but isn't there a mechanism for the Vice Chair to serve from the April 22 resignation until the first weekend in June, when the new Chair is elected.  I seems to me, if anything, the Party would benefit from the continuity of the Vice Chair from April 22, until the convention, rather than the confusion of bringing an interim Chair "off the street", up to speed for a 7 week term.

If the Vice Chair isn't the go-to person, what is the job of the Vice Chair?

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by: merci_me @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 16:26:05 PM CST

not uneducated... (0.00 / 0)

merci, you are absolutely correct.

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by: nickDFT @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 16:57:05 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Not only would it be beneficial (0.00 / 0)

It would avoid the appearance that the reason for this happening now is to install a chair who would then have the advantage of incumbancy in the battle now looming at the Ft Worth convention.

Hope is not a plan.

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by: Dave In A Cave @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 17:05:52 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Wrong on the rules, there, Nick... (0.00 / 0)

Sheesh, guys, read the rules - they aren't the most riveting read, but they'd clear up a lot of confusing dialogue and speculation.  Or just ask me or some other geek-for-the-rules.

On this one, i can see how one could be confused - the rules do say that the First Vice Chair "shall have the duties and authority implied by such title or assigned by the Chair or by the SDEC."

But, in the section pasted below on vacancies; the key word is "shall."

"When a vacancy occurs in any of these offices between State Conventions, a majority of the members of the SDEC shall elect a successor, who need not be
a current member of the SDEC... When an interim vacancy in the office of the State Chair is filled by the SDEC, the term of office for the interim Chair shall be for the duration of the unexpired term."

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by: david.holmes @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 20:44:10 PM CST

[ Parent ]

david (0.00 / 0)

Thanks for getting into the rules (I replied to you comment below).

But I'm still curious, why was this called early when it can be voted at during the convention a month later?  Is this going to become a pattern of just avoiding letting the grassroots Democrats of the state elect their own party leadership?

That upsets me as a Democrat, all campaigning aside.

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 21:05:27 PM CST

[ Parent ]

For exactly the reasons you assume... (5.00 / 1)

I wouldn't believe for a second that Soechting's early step-down is for any other reason than the politics of the chosing of his replacement.

And I don't like it either.

To give you a little history on the position; the State Party Chair has only somewhat recently - late '70s, early '80s - become "democratically" elected by the state convention.  I say it that way because before that time, although the rules were similar to the way they are now, tradition held that the Democratic Governor (or Nominee) essentially chose the Party Chair.  And we always had a Democratic Governor.

There really isn't anything, by the way,  (except people like you and me) keeping Bell from attempting to do that in April/June if he desired.  I have seen no indication that he has such intentions though.

I am for the Democratic election of the state chair by the delegates of the state convention.  That means that there will be times that we will have a Chair that I won't like.  I realize that if I have a personal preference in a Chair race and wanted to try to influence the outcome of a race; I would have much more impact on a tiny race in front of the SDEC than I would trying to persuade the several thousand people at the state convention.

But I believe that a Chair should have to go before the diverse body of delegates and prove their ability to build consensus rather than being handed the position by an SDEC that collectively (certainly, many of the individual members do not think this way) would have it in its best interest to chose a chair they feel like they might have some control over.

I've got some more thoughts on this that i'll share soon...

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by: david.holmes @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 21:36:48 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Vice Chair? (0.00 / 0)

True, what does the vice chair do?
Prob just a way to try to sneak Maxy in. He is a hell of a guy but we cant sell him down south.

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by: ta199 @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 17:05:35 PM CST

don't follow (0.00 / 0)

How would this SDEC election help sneak Maxey in...  Mr. Richie is a member of the SDEC from district 30 and would be the assured favorite (barring new candidates entering that race). I don't follow.

Can Richie sell himself down south? I mean, I'm asking, general question, any candidate?

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 17:34:54 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I'm sure.. (0.00 / 0)

We will see some sort of response from Glen Maxey.

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by: nickDFT @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 18:02:24 PM CST

[ Parent ]

yeah (0.00 / 0)

I'd look forward to that from any of the campaigns. This will certainly be more interesting now.

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Tue Mar 14, 2006 at 18:13:28 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Imagine Fairness? (2.00 / 1)

Now suppose, just suppose for a moment that the SDEC did NOT act in the interests of any one particular candidate -- even one of their own -- in the interests of ensuring that a fair process really does take place in June.  Suppose instead that on April 22, they appoint a 7-week chair who has NO interest whatsoever in holding the job permanently.... someone to steer the Party into the convention and no further.  NOW that would be an SDEC worth re-electing.  People with the integrity to give us a true INTERIM chair knowing a real election is less than two months away.

I'd start keeping track of who votes how on April 22, and if the SDEC does appoint one of the candidates to the interim job, be prepared to elect new SDEC members at your Senate District caucus at the state convention.  IIRC, the State Chair also can be REMOVED from office by a two-thirds vote of the SDEC... so an SDEC that truly belongs to the people could theoretically undo any double-dealing by their predecessors.

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by: Spud @ Wed Mar 15, 2006 at 09:52:41 AM CST