If you're one of 67 delegates and alternate delegates for Barack Obama
in Florida, beware. You may have a target on your back, as the Obama
campaign is looking to strip you of your delegate status and replace
you with someone of their choosing. We've alerted Buzz readers of this
potential mini controversy before, but Jon Ausman raises it again in a
mass-email:
"Allan Katz, the representative for the Barack Obama campaign, has
said the Obama campaign will be removing delegates and alternates so
they can be replaced by others the campaign prefers....I have
strongly urged Commissioner Katz NOT to remove any delegates or
alternates because I believe the news stories in the hometown papers
of those removed would be detrimental to the unifying and healing
process our Party needs as we make plans to promote Senator Obama=92s
campaign.
"I have also stated that since Senator Obama will control the floor
p***** and credentials of the Convention. Thus it would easy for the
campaign to get those it feels need to be taken care of onto the
floor of the Convention. ...
"...These words have fallen on deaf ears. Whatever the reason,
Commissioner Katz is going to use the power granted by the DNC RBC to
remove persons already elected as delegates. All Obama delegates and
alternates should contact the Obama campaign representatives and ask
to be spared the pending purge.
"There are ways around this problem but I suspect this purge is
personal rather than political. I have asked the DNC Delegate Staff
Director, Phil McNamara, for directions on whether the delegation is
replacing purged delegates (which means the full delegation votes on
the replacement) or whether we are re-selecting delegates (which
means the FDP SEC would select =96 with at least three candidates per
position =96 replacements for the at-large and PLEO delegates while
new Congressional District caucuses would need to be held for those
selected at that level.
"The likelihood of Credentials Challenges being filed before the
Credentials Committee of the Convention is sky high once the purge
is announced."
St. Petersburg Times, FL
|
