To: Tom Perez, Chair, DNC
An open letter to the DNC
The DNC is calling for our unity, participation and support. We agree that a powerful vision is essential in the age of Trump. But whether it can come from the DNC is an open question.
♣ The DNC ran a dishonest primary. The evidence is widespread, from leaked emails and the forced resignation of DNC chair Schultz to the improprieties of acting chair Brazile. By those actions, the DNC showed contempt for the primary process and for all of us who participated.
♣ The DNC is outraged about the Russian government’s possible interference in the 2016 presidential election. It needs to also be outraged about its own interference in the presidential primary.
♣ The DNC has said nothing about the tainted primaries in multiple states including New York, California, Nevada and Arizona, and the tens of thousands of people whose votes were ignored, sidelined or blocked.
This is not about whether Sanders would have won in a fair primary, or whether he would have won against Trump; maybe he would have, maybe not. Rather, this is about how the DNC broke trust with us. We haven’t withdrawn from politics because of that, but we have withdrawn from the Democratic Party. We’re passionate and engaged, but we’re putting our time and money and energy elsewhere: we’re working with local groups and Indivisible and the Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress and MoveOn and Socialist Alternative.
If you want our trust and participation, you’ll have to earn it. Tom Perez has said “We didn’t do a good enough job of communicating our mission, our message, and our vision to voters.” Sadly, that’s not the problem. The DNC actually did a great job of communicating; it communicated its willingness to corrupt the process and is now communicating its willingness to just pretend it didn’t happen. Fixing that will take more than just bringing in good people like Sanders, Jayapal and Ellison. Here’s what it will take, if you really want unity.
♣ Investigate. Who was involved? What did they do? Who knew about it, when, and what did they know? Just as you have called for a thorough and independent investigation into Russia’s interference in the election, you need a thorough and independent investigation into the DNC’s interference in the primary. This applies at both the national level and the state level.
♣ Remove. The people who were responsible may have to leave their positions. As DNC vice chair Rybak said, “any person from the DNC who worked to discredit another presidential candidate should be fired immediately.”
♣ Repair. Change whatever is needed in the DNC’s structure, bylaws and organization so this can’t happen again.
We’re active and engaged citizens. We care about our country, about fairness and accountability, about democracy. Show by your actions that you do too and then yes, we will help you rebuild.
♣ The DNC ran a dishonest primary. The evidence is widespread, from leaked emails and the forced resignation of DNC chair Schultz to the improprieties of acting chair Brazile. By those actions, the DNC showed contempt for the primary process and for all of us who participated.
♣ The DNC is outraged about the Russian government’s possible interference in the 2016 presidential election. It needs to also be outraged about its own interference in the presidential primary.
♣ The DNC has said nothing about the tainted primaries in multiple states including New York, California, Nevada and Arizona, and the tens of thousands of people whose votes were ignored, sidelined or blocked.
This is not about whether Sanders would have won in a fair primary, or whether he would have won against Trump; maybe he would have, maybe not. Rather, this is about how the DNC broke trust with us. We haven’t withdrawn from politics because of that, but we have withdrawn from the Democratic Party. We’re passionate and engaged, but we’re putting our time and money and energy elsewhere: we’re working with local groups and Indivisible and the Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress and MoveOn and Socialist Alternative.
If you want our trust and participation, you’ll have to earn it. Tom Perez has said “We didn’t do a good enough job of communicating our mission, our message, and our vision to voters.” Sadly, that’s not the problem. The DNC actually did a great job of communicating; it communicated its willingness to corrupt the process and is now communicating its willingness to just pretend it didn’t happen. Fixing that will take more than just bringing in good people like Sanders, Jayapal and Ellison. Here’s what it will take, if you really want unity.
♣ Investigate. Who was involved? What did they do? Who knew about it, when, and what did they know? Just as you have called for a thorough and independent investigation into Russia’s interference in the election, you need a thorough and independent investigation into the DNC’s interference in the primary. This applies at both the national level and the state level.
♣ Remove. The people who were responsible may have to leave their positions. As DNC vice chair Rybak said, “any person from the DNC who worked to discredit another presidential candidate should be fired immediately.”
♣ Repair. Change whatever is needed in the DNC’s structure, bylaws and organization so this can’t happen again.
We’re active and engaged citizens. We care about our country, about fairness and accountability, about democracy. Show by your actions that you do too and then yes, we will help you rebuild.
Why is this important?
We're working for a fair, honest and inclusive America. We're calling on the Democratic Party to become the kind of fair, honest and inclusive organization that we'd like to work with.