Florida Democrats are emailing members to stop donations to the DNC. This is just wrong. They have not been honest about their primary efforts, and they are wrong to try to break down the DNC.
In Florida, Democrats laughed their own primary amendments off the floor. On the floor of the Florida Senate a few months ago, a Democratic senator introduced an amendment to move the primary to Feb. 5 where it would have kept all delegates for Florida. It followed the rules set down by the DNC.
That Florida Senator in May wrote Governor Dean about the amendment he had offered. There is an “out” for states with Republican majorities who “try” to fight back.
The DNC had the transcript from the floor that day and knew better. They knew the offer had not even been taken seriously by the senator who proposed it, Steve Geller.
There was laughter on the floor and he made it clear he was introducing the amendment because they would later pretend to the DNC they had tried to do something. Florida’s Geller personally joked about his amendment and there was “sarcasm and audible laughter in chamber”.
The amendment was of course voted down. That was only one of several tries to pacify the DNC and make them think they would abide by their rules. The final vote on moving the primary to January 29th was in March of 2007, and the vote was a whopping 115 to 1. One Democrat, Jack Seiler voted no, stating that the move would hurt candidates with lesser resources.
Here is part of Geller’s letter to Governor Dean in May, say they were “outvoted” on the amendment. They were not outvoted, they themselves laughed it off the floor saying they would use it to show the DNC they tried.
The Democratic Leadership in the Florida Senate and House of Representatives attempted to adhere to the rules of the DNC by offering amendments to keep the presidential preference primary on February 5, 2008. A copy of the amendment offered by myself and the Senate Democratic Leader Pro Tempore is included with this letter. An identical amendment was filed by the House Democratic Leader and the House Democratic Leader Pro Tempore. But as we are still the minority party in a Republican controlled Legislature, our amendments were overwhelmingly defeated. Simply put–we were outvoted, a scenario which – I’d like to caution – will be difficult to change should you move forward with any sanctions because of the primary date change.
So they were not outvoted, they “laughed” the amendment off the floor.
The Rules Committee was pretty well informed when they met last Saturday. They had much information on which to make their decision. This is only one instance. This is from Adam C. Smith’s blog at the St. Pete Times.
Thurman tried valiantly to argue that Democrats tried to stop the Jan. 29 date, and that lawmakers even made a motion to move the date to Feb. 5 but in the end they could not vote against paper trails. It didn’t help their case. The DNC members had handouts that included quotes by House Minority leader Dan Gelber brushing off Howard Dean, and the following transcript of Steve Geller making the motion to move the primary to Feb. 5:
Geller: “…So the Democratic leader and the Democratic leader pro tem are jointly making this motion, which we will duly show them later, that we tried not to have the election on, um, before (Feb. 5).
President: “And so Sen. Geller are you urging a negative vote or would you like us to pass this vote?”
Geller: “Oh no sir. We really, really want this. Don’t we senator? (sarcasm and audible laughter in chamber).
Both Florida parties wanted to have the earlier primary. Another Democrat in the Senate, Jeremy Ring made his purpose clear in March when the House voted yes. He was one of the ones who introduced the bill.
Florida House votes for earlier primary
The Florida Senate is waiting to see what happens in other states before moving forward with a date, said Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Margate, who is leading the effort in that chamber.
“It gives us a chance to really watch the landscape,” Ring said. “When we’re done Florida will be relevant.”
The House had its agenda also. Here is part of the info sent to some in Florida of what was entering into the rules committee’s decision.
Florida House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber stated, after offering an amendment to move the primary to February 5th, that the only reason he offer it was “to show that there was an attempt to stay within the Democratic Party rules.” The amendment failed on a voice vote with no debate being offered.
I would love an earlier primary. Many of us would. This is not the way to go about it. There are rules to be changed, yes, but not this way. Not dishonestly with the people of Florida not really hearing the truth.
The Florida party via the county parties are sending around an email for Florida Democrats to call the contribution line of the DNC….and they are not asking them to donate, believe me.
That is an orchestrated attack on the national party by a state party who really did not try to add those amendments. Questioning the party leaders here gets us nowhere.