Norco Dems' Vice Chair Resigns

Last July, before Northampton County Democrats reorganized to make Walt Garvin their new party boss by a resounding 46-41 vote, they first tried to excommunicate me. You see, I'm a Democratic Committeeman who supports as many Republicans as Democrats, including Charlie Dent and the Evil Ron Angle. There's no doubt in my mind that this probably does violate at least 20 or 30 by-laws, but I was unwilling to go gently into that good night because they never provided me with notice.

A vote was taken and sent to state party headquarters. Having never heard from the state, my guess is that their effort failed.

Last December, bossman Wally Garvin tried again. He handed me another sheet of paper all filled out and everything, which he was carrying in his little Bernie O'Hare file. It was my resignation. All I had to do was sign.

I declined, especially when he refused to let me read the by-laws.

So I may still be a committeeman, but Garvin never notifies me of upcoming meetings. Like the one last Saturday. I had been tipped off, but skipped it because it was my birthday, and I wanted a small break.

I should have crashed it. Vice Chair Kiki Schock resigned, echoing some of the concerns that I've raised here. "Parliamentarian" Charles "Don't Call me Charlie" walked out on her resignation speech, as did most of the pro-Garvin crowd.

Here's some of what she had to say:

"The Northampton Committee is not an effective committee, and wishing it to be while doing nothing is not a successful blueprint to becoming effective. Our function as a committee is to recruit, promote and raise money for Democrats, therefore having successful candidates who reflect our ideals and can enact them by taking and maintaining office. We have yet to accomplish any of this; instead we have been reduced to nothing more than dysfunctional imitation of our most visible adversary, the conservative extremist. I see the same behaviors mirrored here that the tea party exhibits: the secrecy, the lack of transparency, the lack of respect for rules and proper order, the lack of respect for rights, the disregard to democracy, and the bully tactics that are used to repress.

"These issues need to be exposed and addressed, then hopefully resolved so that the Committee can be successful.

"We must ask ourselves why, why do we allow this behavior to continue?

"Why, when we claim we are the party that honors democracy, do we as a committee allow one individual to dismiss the rights of the entire committee and of those whom we represent and say nothing? And yet, we watched with disbelief the Wisconsin Republicans strip the union of the rights of the working class, and for them we were outraged, and the dismissal of rights of those of whom we represent went ignored.

"We need to ask ourselves why we were outraged when the last administration committed many obvious abuses and over reaches of power, violating the Constitution and laws at whim, and yet we allow the same lack of respect and adherence for rules and bylaws, and we passively go along with the sudden replacement of our bylaws in order to inhibit and stifle committee members.

"We need to ask ourselves why we are so outraged with the tea party tactics of going to town halls to shout down the people so their concerns and ideas aren’t heard when that has become the norm at our own meetings, where bully tactics are used to silence those committee members with ideas, concerns, and questions. Do the voters that voted for us not deserve better?

"Sadly, instead of embracing the diversity of opinion over how to best achieve our shared goals, that is strength of the Democratic Party, we have allowed ourselves to be divided into opposing camps to the benefit of absolutely no one, other than those who wish to maintain unitary control or preserve the status quo. Other than simply holding social events have we accomplished anything as a committee, coordinating any of our actions throughout the county to actually benefit Democrats in order to achieve our main objective for us being here…results.

"The hypocrisy of the Northampton Committee, the dysfunction, and the lack of respect for the rights of its committee members is putting this committee on the fast track to notoriety, as the antithesis of what we are supposed to represent. For those who support this status quo, my question is, are you sure that you’re in the correct party? For a true Democrat has revulsion to all these behaviors.

"Why do we insist on tying ourselves to 'precedent' and 'past practices,' as I have heard them described, which have led us to languish as a committee? I would like to point out that if 'precedent' has been to ignore and violate the rules and bylaws by which we are bound as a committee, they are clearly not practices we can or should be held to.

"Finally, we should ask ourselves why the present and previous leadership of our committee have made a point of publicly bad-mouthing certain county committees and area committees within our own county? Why, because they are active, hard working, and successful? We should study them, ask for their assistance so that we may replicate those successes in our own committee but instead they are bashed and berated with the most smug and arrogant of attitudes. Why, is their success so threatening that it prompts such juvenile behavior?

"The changes needed to make this committee the powerhouse it should be will require introspection on the part of its members. There are people who are just not capable of that, but my hope is that all of you are, so that you can help move this committee forward in a constructive way.

"After this meeting I will no longer be a member of the committee or your vice chair and cannot be part of the solution to these issues, for I will no longer reside in Northampton County. I do however suggest that you, as a committee, take the power that was meant for you all to have and truly represent those who voted for you, and to do this by operating as a democratic organization that is worthy of those whom we represent.

"I would like to close by thanking all of you for your commitment to our shared Democratic ideals, for the time that you donate, for the opportunity to serve with you, and for your patriotism, for I know you love this country as I do and are here in the belief of improving our country through our proud tradition of democracy. I wish for you and this Committee great success, in these and all future endeavors.

"Thank you."

Updated 10:55 AM: I've been informed by two committee members that George Treisner is the actual parliamentarian, and he walked out before Dertinger, calling Schock a "bitch." Treisner is Garvin's recommendation to fill Ken Kraft's spot on the Elections Commission.