Victory Fund Vows To Support Patricia Todd
In a news release today, the Victory Fund stated its intention to stand behind Patricia Todd and support her as she fights to uphold her win in House District 54. It sounds like the folks there don’t have much faith that the Alabama Democratic Party will do the right thing.
“Democracy means nothing if backroom deals can change the outcome of a fair election. The people have spoken, but party power brokers are insisting on having the last word. That’s un-American,” said Chuck Wolfe, President and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.
“The Alabama Democratic Party shows little inclination to conduct a fair hearing based on the merits of the challenge, and we have lost faith in that process. It’s unthinkable that in 2006 some politically powerful insiders still consider themselves untethered to democratic principles and superior to the electorate. If the party has no intention of protecting the rights of voters, then we intend to ask the courts to step in to do so,” Wolfe said.
The Victory Fund announced it has established a legal defense fund to preserve Todd’s win. “We are prepared to vigorously defend the will of the voters and this historic victory,” Wolfe said.
Regardless of the outcome of Thursday’s hearing, it’s expected that the result will be appealed to the State Democratic Executive Committee, which meets on Saturday in Montgomery (I’m still trying to find out time and place). From there, any appeals would be settled in court.
To donate to the Victory Fund, click here. To contact state Democratic Party chair Joe Turnham, click here.
August 22nd, 2006 at 12:55 pm
It’s good that the heat is being turned up. I am curious, though. For the sake of fairness, is there anyone out there that believes Hendricks deserves this nomination?
August 22nd, 2006 at 1:24 pm
Other than Joe Reed? That’s actually a good question, Dan. I’m clearly making no pretense here of being “fair and balanced”.
August 22nd, 2006 at 2:47 pm
Everyone who voted for Hendricks thinks she deserved the nomination. It was just 59 too few people.
August 22nd, 2006 at 3:05 pm
Alabama Bloggers Roundup…
If I did not highlight your blog specifically, choose a post from your blog for me to post, edit it to add a link to this post, and then send a TrackBack. As soon as I get it, I will edit the post with your highlighted post.
Loretta Nall has an intere…
August 22nd, 2006 at 11:08 pm
From my blog..
So let’s see where were we? The DNC has passed new suggestions for how state parties are supposed to include gay and lesbian delegates for the next Presidential convention. So that would be rules without penalties, right? And this is the same DNC that won’t stand up for the lesbian candidate, Patricia Todd, in Alabama who won an election fair and square? And the same DNC who will let a big dog in the Alabama Dem party run roughshod over the election results because he doesn’t like the results?
So how then does this work for the convention? The DNC can’t seem to grasp the basics of an electoral win and support a democratic process do then they will do what for us when the states ignore this suggestion for inclusion? Slap their hands? Give them a good talking to? Oh wait, I know…nothing.
August 23rd, 2006 at 8:22 pm
No misswildthing, I think you have it figured out pretty well……
August 24th, 2006 at 3:15 am
The new rules mandate, don’t suggest, state parties adopt and implement inclusion programs for LGBT Americans and also persons with disabilities to achieve the full participation of these groups in the delegate selection process. Such programs, may, as is already the case in a number of states, include setting goals.
“This new rule is really, really good,” said Rick Stafford, chair of the DNC’s 15-member Gay & Lesbian Americans Caucus. “It gets us what we want, and it’s a great opportunity for the LGBT community to work with the state parties in the delegate selection process.”
John Marble, spokesperson for the National Stonewall Democrats, a gay partisan group, and Garry Shay, the gay DNC member from California who introduced the original “gay” affirmative action proposal, said they, too, were pleased with the compromise rule.
Andy Tobias, the gay DNC treasurer and the party’s highest ranking open gay, called the compromise rule one more example of how the Democratic Party has outpaced the Republicans in reaching out to gays.
“Hats off to the DNC and the Democratic Party for being the party of inclusion,” Tobias said.
The other option was to add gays to the affirmative action rules which would have resulted in every group not now included in the affirmative action section to demand to be included.
I believe that Todd will be declared the winner despite dinosaurs still in the party.
August 24th, 2006 at 6:14 am
Gary, I hope you’re right. Patricia won the election, and she worked hard for her victory. Surely in 2006 facts will win out over prejudice.