FCDC OUTRAGE

SEE MORE HERE. 

The background on what happened:

For years interested teenagers have joined Democratic Committees around the state.  There is nothing in the party plan that prohibits this.

And time after time the same old women on FCDC try to get everyone kicked off the Democratic Committee who is under the age of 18 when a key vote is coming up.  They did it to Kenton last night, I remember when Vivian Watts' aide did it to a group of YDs in 2000, they tried to do it to me in 1998 (and were disappointed when they found out I was already 18).  How far back does this go?  Stan Barry's late wife, joined the committee as Megan Owen back in the 1980s as a teenager and they tried to kick her off the committee.  I used to joke with her during Stan's first campaign in 1999 that it was the same old women that tried to boot me off the committee 10 years later.  Well, now they are back for Kenton!

In doing so they violated their own reorganization and will likely have to redo elections.  Here's the part that Kenton didn't talk about in his post:

After claiming Kenton was ineligible and failing to cite any section that said so, the committee decided to let Kenton vote- WITH A PROVISIONAL BALLOT.  Kenton, and one other teenager's votes were decisive- without them one candidate won 20-18- with them it was a 20-20 tie.

BUT THE ELECTION WAS CAST BY SECRET BALLOT- MEANING THAT KENTON, WHO IS A FULL FLEDGED MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE HAD HIS VOTE PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED WHILE THE OTHERS WERE ALLOWED TO VOTE SECRETLY.  Not only that, but there is no mention of provisional ballots in the call for reorganization- making such a move totally illegal.

Um, was there no one in the room who realized what they were doing?  Publicly humiliating a 16 year old for joining the committee and announcing his vote on a secret ballot?  Are you f***ing kidding me?!?!

This whole reorganization will have to be redone, and the committee will be lucky if neither one of these teenagers gets an attorney and sues the hell out of them for age discrimination.  Whoever had the idea to let him vote, but have it announced is a total moron and ought to be thrown out of the party themselves.

UPDATE: FROM THE FCDC WEBSITE:  "Most members are registered voters, but there are no restrictions on age. High school students who have been active, enthusiastic volunteers have been elected to FCDC membership." 

Exactly under what authority was Ms. Peters acting- and if this was advertised as an open committee- did she commit a criminal act by lying about membership requirements?

Comments

[fannyboy]

Huge wag of the fanny to Ginny Peters!

[Notgretchenbulova]

This sounds about right. At least what I would expect from Peters. She's been no good since day 1.

Is this the same Ginny Peters that stood with Eileen Manning and made fun of the Webb supporters.

FUCK THEM

who is running to replace her?

In FCDC we pride ourselves on eating our young!

What's the big deal?

[Sam]

When I was in high school, I considered joining FCDC and didn't primarily because I kept hearing horror stories about this kind of crap... I see nothing ever changes... Democrats have completely taken over the county and dominate amongst young voters, but hey, we did that all by excluding people and disenfranchising the young, right? Disgusting...

KENTON NGO FOR CHAIR.

(Better than Steve "Ginny Likes His" Bunn).

[FCDC Member]

Sam, I heard the same thing and directly from Delegate Steve Shannon. However, the next time I saw him he was kissing all their rear ends. Maybe this wouldn't happen any more if people like Steve would grow a pair and stand up to Ginny/Eileen/Rachel et al.?

KENTON NGO FOR CHAIR.

(Better than Steve "Ginny Likes His" Bunn).

hahahahaha

I think the real problem the old ladies have is that 750 Volts is not a union blog engine.

Kenton should know better.

[Loudoun Insider]

It's nice to see the Dems engaging in some LCRC-type activity! I really am sick to death of both parties these days. Nothing more than a bunch of self important blowhards.

[Oakton Mom]

Why would anyone discourage young people from being involved? My daughter formed a YD club at her high school when she became a 9th grader and discovered there was a YR but no YD chapter. She's been VERY involved for the past four years, working on Shannon, Webb and Petersen campaigns. We need more people like her, and to put up barriers to participation seems so wrong.

Just a quick question here from a Republican with no knowledge of Democratic committees.

Doesn't anyone think one should be of voting age before becoming a voting member of either a Republican or Democratic committee?

[Donkey Balls]

Ahhh, the FCDC reorg won't happen until Jan. The local committees are reorging this week. And Ginny is retiring as FCDC chair next year. A little ahead of yourself?? Didn't Larry explain all this to you??

[small problem]

age discrimination does not apply to young people, and the age discrimination act does not apply to private entities.

[Veritas]

I heard that no one wanted the FCDC mantle I know of at least one person who turned the nomination down...ppl are right though, can we get someone who is not retired to run the FCDC

[Not Larry Sabato]

Donkey Balls- the local committees are all reorganizing to elect FCDC members. All the mag committees are is a organization tool of the county committee.

Did I miss a blogspat? How come your posts don't appeear on Waldo's aggregator anymore?

[Time for a new generation]

Veritas,

A group of us have spoken with no less than a dozen people to run as Chair. This outreach has been going on for about 18 months. All very capable candidates. The problem is that anyone who really wants to do something with the Committee is scared of the politics and the work involved.

This is the chance to make this a new organization and sweep away the old Guard that has been there since the 1960s. It could even make the organization relevant for a change.

[Be Patient]

Eventually Eileen, Ginny, George Burke will see their waistlines continue to expand until they get stuck in the hottub together!!!

I agree with the above comment about elected officials needing to get involved. Starting with Delegate Marsden who represents Kenton? Lurch, Lurch- can you hear us?

Fairfax is the key to winning Virginia next year. It's time for Chuck Schumer, Howard Dean et al. to have a little chat with Gerry Connolly and Tim Kaine about the FCDC.

Actually, elected officials should maintain an arms length relationship with FCDC. They don't want to get caught in our politics and we don't want too much of their interference. If the electeds want FCDC to be a relevant and effective organization, they need to step back and let people who want to move it that way take charge.

Otherwise, you end up with the Ginny Peters and George Burke's of the world who will do whatever the electeds say. Because of this, they
can never make independent decisions which is necessary for any good organization. Who ever heard of an effective organization without independent thinkers and decision makers?

Too much political interference by electeds builds this type of organization.

Not only are independent people needed, people must be willing to do something instead of just being in the Committee (or worse Committee leadership) for the political and social experience.

People like Surovell, Ambrose, and Langley and many others like are the type of people who are the hope and future of FCDC.

[Bill Kuster]

FCDC isn't the only county committee to try this. Henrico used the same arguments and put a rule in the Bylaws to exclude non-voters from full membership.

[dems4dems]

I've been young and I've been old. It's a terrible rule. Young people are the energy and lifeblood of a political campaign. We shouldn't tell them how appreciated they are when they kill themselves during campaigns only to then make them eat at the kid's table.