2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumBernie Sanders to DNC: Don’t STACK THE DECK at Philly Convention
PRESS RELEASE
Sanders to DNC: Dont Stack the Deck at Philly Convention
MAY 6TH, 2016
BURLINGTON, Vt. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Friday urged Democratic Party Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz not to stack the committees that will draft the rules and lay out the party platform at this summers Democratic National Convention.
In a letter to the party chairwoman, Sanders said the makeup of the standing committees should reflect the relative level of support that he and Hillary Clinton received in primaries and caucuses. So far, Sanders has won about 45 percent of the pledged delegates. Both campaigns deserve a say at the convention this July in Philadelphia, the senator said.
Under party rules, Wasserman Schultz recommends 25 at-large appointments to the partys executive committee for each of the three standing committees; rules, platform and credentials. Wasserman Schultz has forwarded only three of 40 names the Sanders campaign recommended for the key committees while installing Clinton loyalists in leading roles. Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy was put in charge of the Platform Committee, for example, and former Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts was tapped to head the Rules Committee.
Sanders called Malloy and Frank aggressive attack surrogates for Clinton. He doubted that either would conduct committee proceeding in an even-handed manner and said the appointments of the two Clinton loyalists suggests the standing committees are being established in an overtly partisan way meant to exclude the input of the voters who have supported my candidacy.
How the party leadership comports itself at the convention will affect Democrats chances of winning the general election this November, the Vermont senator said.
If we are to have a unified party in the fall, no matter who wins the nomination, we cannot have a Democratic National Convention in which the views of millions of people who participated in the Democratic nominating process are unrepresented in the committee membership. That sends the very real message that the Democratic Party is not open to the millions of new people that our campaign has brought into the political process, does not want to hear new voices and is unwilling to respect the broader base of people that this party needs to win over in November and beyond, Sanders wrote to Wasserman Schultz.
The letter warned that if committee assignments arent fairly allotted one result could be floor fights. Under party rules, minority reports may be brought before the full convention at the request of 25 percent of the platform, credentials and rules committees.
If the process is set up to produce an unfair, one-sided result, we are prepared to mobilize our delegates to force as many votes as necessary to amend the platform and rules on the floor of the convention, Sanders wrote.
To read Sanders letter to Wasserman Schultz, click here.
https://berniesanders.com/press-release/sanders-dnc-dont-stack-deck-philly-convention/

Segami
(14,923 posts)
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)There, I fixed it for you.
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)hand that's been feeding you since you arrived. Good riddance to you.
BuelahWitch
(9,083 posts)The Democratic party has not been "feeding" him anything. What a ridiculous statement!
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)had ran as an Independent. Don't kid yourself, his continued attacks on the DNC makes him a de facto Independent candidate anyhow. He's just hypocritically using the Denocratic infrastructure that was developed and maintained by special interest donors to his own advantage.
BuelahWitch
(9,083 posts)But I guess blind Hillary lovers will see what they want to see. There ain't gonna be no coronation! Deal with it!
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)BuelahWitch
(9,083 posts)He has the right to run however he wants.
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)Party infrastructure. Stay thirsty my friend.
Response to Trust Buster (Reply #23)
artislife This message was self-deleted by its author.
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)Response to Trust Buster (Reply #32)
artislife This message was self-deleted by its author.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)When Hillary supported Republican policies did that make her a "de facto" Republican or a "de facto" Independent?
Labels are meaningless.
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)He's a Democrat attacking the DNC for its corruption.
As are many other Democrats (and, Independents) here.
Are the Democrats who attack the DNC also "de facto independents"?
Do you think the DNC is above criticism and anyone who criticizes it is a "de facto" Independent.
We don't register by party in my state so all Washingtonians are "de facto" Independents. Does that bar us from holding politicians and parties accountable?
mdbl
(5,612 posts)or just toss it in the circular file.
Tarc
(10,585 posts)seabeyond
(110,159 posts)spent a lifetime tearing the Party apart.
boston bean
(36,657 posts)Everyone is laughing at him at this point.
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)But, maybe that is just me.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)The people are overwhelmingly choosing Hillary. She has won every big state as well. Diversity.
dubyadiprecession
(6,639 posts)He can't beat up on people in the DNC to make them love him.
BernieforPres2016
(3,017 posts)or he will run as an Independent in November.
Without that threat, Wasserman-Schultz, the DNC and Hillary's campaign will continue to disregard Bernie and his voters as they have done from the beginning.
seabeyond
(110,159 posts)DrDan
(20,411 posts)Response to DrDan (Reply #25)
artislife This message was self-deleted by its author.
riversedge
(74,175 posts)