SANTA CLARA COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE

 6:45 pm, County Building cafeteria, 70 W. Hedding St. San José

Minutes FOR Thursday, May 1, 2003

 *************** Refreshments provided by the 21st AD *****************

1.  CALL TO ORDER The Call to Order 7:20 PM

2.  ROLL CALL

Absent: Ron Lind, Francine Davis, Bill Diaz, Kathy Diaz, Depeka Lalwani, Francis La Poll, Terry Gregory, Jean Cohen, John Dutra, John Laird, Anna Eshoo, Mike Honda, Ruth Ashford, Frank Bosche, Jim Boynton

Excused: Drina Collins, Manny Diaz, Thelma Spaziani, Deniese Alejandro, Rena Modell, Madge Overhouse

Alternates: Karen Brunton for Joe Simitian, Jon Kessler for John Vasconcellos, Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins for Liz Figeroa, Jay Jackman for Emy Thurber, Sari Wisch for Byron Sher, Sandra Soto for Zoe Lofgren, Brandon Sulser for Anna Song, Jim Brady for Rebecca Cohn, Tiffany Reynolds for Sally Lieber

3.  IDENTIFICATION OF VISITORS

Ron Naymark, Janice Naymark, James Keenan, Genni Gerard (PYD), Ira Ruskin (candidate for 21st Assembly), Ron DelPozo, Betty Siemer, Dennis Austin, Virginia Frank, Nancy Pyle, Mariel Caballero, Scott Rafferty

4.  ADOPTION OF AGENDA

    A reminder: Our bylaws require that new business items be submitted to the E-board before the regular meeting.  Only emergency measures may be submitted at the meeting, and these require a two-thirds majority approval for inclusion.

Two items added to new business:

1) Gap Kim will discuss Senator Lieberman

2) David Cohen will discuss an Emergency Resolution to prevent adding Kuhl to the Circuit Court

Motion made to adopt agenda with new items, seconded, carried

5.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES    (Minutes are posted on  www.scc-democrats.org)

Beverly Wharton not the reporter for the Evergreen Democratic Club at the Villages; Pat Kirk was the reporter

Motion made, seconded, carried

6. Discussion of "Democratic Call to Action" meeting on May 3rd

David Cohen:

Briefed the group on the agenda for the day. Also announced that Congressmembers Honda and Lofgren will be there.

David then answered questions about what to expect at the event.

Sandra will send helpful links to our members for research before the event

Ira Ruskin former Mayor of Redwood City addressed the group regarding his campaign for Assemblymember for the 21st. He discussed his political background and aspirations.

7. REPORTS FROM OFFICERS AND OTHERS

A.  Executive Board: Hope Allen Cahan

Spent meeting planning for Call to Action

B.  Chair: Steve Preminger

President Bush is coming to town tomorrow. A number of organizations are mobilizing to protest his visit at 8:30am @ United Technologies.

Tomorrow afternoon, there will be a press conference with Honda and Lofgren to expose the President’s dismal record on the economy @ 2:30 @ the County Building outside in the plaza or in room 157 if there is rain.

Phyllis reminded us that the Executive Board did not look at State Budget issue; it will be added to the next E-board agenda.

C.  Vice Chair: Drina Collins

No report

D.  Treasurer: Gap Kim

Total: $752.36, outstanding bills to be paid

Reminder to pay $25 dues

E.  Secretary:  Hope Allen Cahan

Thank you to those of you who have been emailing your minutes to me. Please remember to continue to do so.

F.  Community Services & Voter Registration: Steve Preminger

Liz created a calendar for volunteer sign up for numerous community events, please email or call her with interest.

G.  Finance: Jim Thurber

Reported that several club presidents had complained about the rising cost of CDP Liability Insurance, which is up to $500 per club this year. He will be in contact with the State Party to see if we can get a break for clubs.

H. Candidate Recruitment and Endorsement: Keith Garvey

Elections coming up in November. Will discuss the upcoming elections on Saturday. For those in Century Club, the May 9th luncheon will be a demonstration of the new voting machines and electronic filing.

Jay Jackman said cost of precinct maps is going up from $.05 per copy to $3 per copy. The increase will result in the 21st AD having to pay $1,050 to get lists. Phyllis suggested getting the lists now

I.  Campaign Services: Phaedra Ellis Lamkins

No Report

J.  Issues: Emy Thurber

No Report

K. Political Outreach: Tom Cochran

South Bay Labor Council’s COPE banquet Sat. June 7th at San Jose Convention Center. The event will honor Amy Dean

L. Regional Directors: Steve Preminger

The next meeting is the last weekend in June (27th and 28th) at the Oakland Hilton.

M. Democratic National Committee: Chris Stampolis

The DNC Western Caucus meets May 16th and 17th in Santa Fe, NM at the El Dorado Hotel to discuss outreach for the upcoming campaign season and to strengthen the Western network. The Mountain states will gather May 2nd and 3rd in Salt Lake City to focus on the unique Democratic challenges of the rural mountain areas.

The DNC national office asks every Democrat to visit the national website at www.democrats.org to sign the petition opposing anti-civil-rights appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court. This is a pre-emptive action to gather thousands of Democrats across the country in anticipation of resignations on the Court at the end of this year’s session in June.

N.  Pro-Choice Coalition:  Claudia Shope

The State Lobby Day this year is on May 28th in Sacramento and is extremely important considering the dismal budget crisis.

The Coalition’s main efforts are going into preventing the appointment of judge nominees Kuhl, Owen, Estrada, and Holmes. Urge people to continue to oppose these nominations and let their electeds know of the opposals.

Meetings on the Third Thursday of the month @ 1746 The Alameda @6:30pm

O.  DTV Report:  Steve Chessin

Democratic Television Producer Steve Chessin reported that our April taping was with Niko Clifford and Denisse Castro of Girls For A Change. On May 17th we will tape our one-hundredth show. Our guest is TBD.

We will be on San Jose AT&T Channel 15A May 8th with the show we taped with Madge Overhouse. The show we taped with Girls For A Change will be aired May 22nd and June 19th. The show we tape in May will be aired June 5th and July 3rd.

We could still use more good Democrats on the crew. No prior video experience is necessary.

San Jose Channel 15A, 8:00pm every other Thursday (serves part of Cupertino) (408-918-3200):

2003:

May 8 DTV 98 Madge Overhouse

May 22 DTV 99 Girls For A Change

Jun 5 DTV 100 TBD-100

Jun 19 DTV 99 Girls For A Change

Jul 3 DTV 100 TBD-100

See http://www.scc-democrats.org/dtv.htm for the full schedule.

P.  CDC Report:  David Wilkes

No Report

Q. Welfare Reform:  Sal Alvarez

No Report

Political outreach clubs and ADs

20th AD committee:

21st AD Committee: Mike Markman

22nd AD Committee:

23rd AD Committee: Keith Garvey

24th AD Committee:

28th AD Committee:

African-American Democratic Coalition: Marylee Shelton

No report submitted at this time

American Sikh Democratic Club:

Asian-Pacific American Democratic Club: Gap Kim

No report submitted at this time

Clinton*Gore Action Network:

Democratic Action for Women Now (DAWN): Carol Garvey

No report submitted at this time

Evergreen Democratic Club at the Villages: Beverly Wharton

Speaker for our May 6th meeting is candidate for State Senate, former State Assemblymember Elaine Alquist, on the subject of Health Care. The club will also be collecting household and clothing articles for InnVision.

Three club members (Pat Kirk, Rena Modell, and Bev Wharton) are planning to attend the "Democratic Call to Action" meeting on May 3rd.

High Tech Dems: Alyson Abramowitz

No report submitted at this time

Mission City Democratic Club: Chris Stampolis

The club continues to meet monthly and to focus on walking the doors of Democrats who did not vote in the November 2002 campaign. More than 75 percent of Democrats contacted in person are signing up as permanent absentees. The club is approaching its first 100 cards in the pilot program.

Peninsula Democratic Coalition: Mike Markman

No report submitted at this time

Peninsula Young Democrats: Sari Wisch

PYDs played an instrumental part in planning the Privacy Panel for the Coalition of Bay Area Young Democrats (CBAY) conference that took place in San Francisco on Saturday, April 26. PYDs own Chris Kelly, attorney, at Baker and MacKenzie law firm, was a panel participant and brought in other panelists. PYD had a great turnout at the conference and we all learned a lot and saw some great speakers, including the Democratic Party pit bull, Bob Mulholland.

On Thursday, April 24th, PYDs turned out en masse for our billiards night at 251 Castro Street in Mountain View. Everyone had a great time: whether they were socializing or took to the tables.

Stay tuned for upcoming PYD events!

Santa Clara County Democratic Club: Dan Hoffman

The club heard a presentation from Ted Lempert regarding the State Senators race in 2004.

A position paper on post-war Iraq was discussed and adopted.

Herb Engstrom presented a discussion on the Economy

Silicon Valley Latino Democratic Forum:

South County Democratic Club:

West Valley Democratic Club:

8. OLD BUSINESS

9. NEW BUSINESS

1) Gap Kim: "Senator Lieberman is seeking an investigation into illegal campaign contributions. This could cause a backlash onto Asian American Clubs. Would like to introduce a resolution similar to the one in ’96 when the club was founded (at time of the illegal contributions) asking that the investigation be fair and just and not to use the Patriot Act as cover, thus preventing a fair trial."

2) David Cohen: Presented an emergency resolution to keep from adding Kuhl to the Circuit Court. The resolution asks Feinstein to do everything she can to vote against Kuehl.

RESOLUTION OPPOSING CAROLYN KUHL'S NOMINATION TO THE 9TH CIRCUIT AND IN
SUPPORT OF SENATOR BARBARA BOXER'S WITHHOLDING JUDGE KUHL'S BLUE SLIP

WHEREAS Carolyn Kuhl, a nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, has long advocated overturning Roe v. Wade, has shown her opposition to a women's right of privacy (Sanchez-Scott v. Alza
Pharmaceuticals), has been a strong advocate for Bob Jones University, an institution known for its racist practices, and for the "separate but equal" doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson (overturned by a unanimous Supreme Court in
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas), and opposes progressive labor laws, especially any restrictions on the right of employers to fire at will, and

WHEREAS, the Bush Administration is making a concerted effort to pack our Federal Courts with extreme right-wing judicial appointees, and the appointment of Carolyn Kuhl to the 9th Circuit Court, combined with the recent addition of anti-choice, anti-equal protection Judge Jay Bybee to this court, would detrimentally impact the balance of this court and change the lives of all people living in California and other 9th Circuit states, and

WHEREAS the Republican dominated Senate changed the rules on blue slip "management" in 2001 in an egregious attempt to circumvent Senatorial Prerogative and, if confirmed, Carolyn Kuhl will be the first federal judicial nominee in the history of this country to be confirmed to a Federal judgeship, on whom a blue slip was retained by a Home State Senator,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Santa Clara County calls upon Senator Diane Feinstein to remain true to the Democratic Party as pro-choice, pro-labor and opposed to racial discrimination and that she take all necessary action to oppose the nomination of Carolyn Kuhl to the 9th Circuit, including filibuster if necessary, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee also calls upon (Senate Minority Leader) Tom Daschle, (Senate Minority Whip) Harry Reid and all other members of the Senate to show respect for Senator Barbara Boxer and for Senatorial Privilege and the blue slip process by opposing the nomination of Carolyn Kuhl, including by filibuster if necessary.

Submitted by David Cohen, Nancy Pyle

Adopted by the Santa Clara County Democratic Central Committee on May 1, 2003

(Language borrowed from a resolution passed by the Orange County Democratic Central Committee on April 28, 2003)

Action: Vote to grant that it is an emergency resolution due to timing was taken: motion made, seconded, and carried.

A second motion to support the resolution was made, seconded, and carried.

 

10. ANNOUNCEMENTS

Alex Kennett- Distributed free tickets to the Greek festival on May 30th, 31st, and June 1st

Anne Mack- a resolution against Ethnic Profiling was distributed at the last Dem party meeting.

Marylee Shelton- A reception for Jim Beall will take place on June 21st, invitations will be available at the next meeting.

Dan Hoffman- Ron DelPozo will have an Investiture event on Wednesday, May 21st at 5:30 in the Board of Supervisors room

11. EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING

    The next Executive Board TBA

12. ADJOURNMENT 8:43pm

22AD to bring refreshments to next meeting