DNC cans 10 minority employees...

[Larry Brown #43]

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030530-124849-1736r.htm

DNC says minorities' firing was a mistake

By Steve Miller

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The termination of 10 minority employees at the Democratic National Committee this week was a mistake that never received formal approval, a party official said yesterday.

But some Democratic leaders are still seeking an explanation from committee chairman Terry McAuliffe for an episode that sent staffers into meetings all day yesterday.

"If the Republicans were to do this, you know what would happen," said Donna Brazile, who chairs the DNC's Voting Rights Institute. "You know I would be kicking them where they need to be kicked."

She added that Mr. McAuliffe assured her that "the list [of those terminated] never crossed his desk and that he never would have signed off on that."

"This is still the party that I belong to," Miss Brazile said. "I was afraid it had taken a wrong turn."

She said Mr. McAuliffe told her he had not received her repeated phone calls Wednesday night after she found out about the firings.

The DNC told some of its members and party lawmakers Wednesday that they were cutting 10 positions to save money and streamline operations in preparation for next year's presidential election. The DNC refused to comment on the episode, which caught several black leaders off guard.

A prominent Democrat, speaking on the condition of anonymity, hinted that Mr. McAuliffe's explanation was less than genuine.

"It doesn't take all day to simply explain that there was some kind of clerical error," the official said.

"Whatever the rationale ... it appears that somebody did not give this decision as much thought as would be expected," said Rep. Danny K. Davis, Illinois Democrat and secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus.

"Now that it has been brought to their attention, there will be some rethinking and some effort to reconcile the decision with political interest and what is fair," he said.

Several Democrats speculated that the DNC made the move to cut costs in preparation for its 2004 campaign.

When Miss Brazile served as presidential-campaign manager for Vice President Al Gore in 2000, she took a pay cut rather than eliminate jobs on the campaign.

"You start at the top," she said. "This layoff took all of us by surprise."

She added that the initial response from the DNC — that the committee had hired nine minority employees recently to its 100-person staff — was insufficient.

Both the DNC and the Republican National Committee declined to respond to a request for racial breakdowns of their work forces.

Democrats have enjoyed the wholesale support of black voters during the past three decades, with a platform heavy on social services. In 2000, they captured 92 percent of the black vote. But some Democrats have argued that the leadership's reliance on the black vote is tantamount to taking it for granted.

Democratic presidential hopeful Carol Moseley Braun said through a spokeswoman that "it is her hope that the DNC will resolve its staffing issues."

News of the layoffs came to Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson late Wednesday afternoon. She called Mr. McAuliffe immediately, she said, but received no return call, as she usually does when she phones the chairman.

"I wanted an explanation," the Texas Democrat said yesterday. "It makes me suspicious, but I am trying to keep a lid on that until I find out if there is something I agree with in the general plan."

Mr. Davis said a meeting with Mr. McAuliffe will be in order in the near future.

"There is no doubt about that," he said.

Mr. McAuliffe has withstood criticism within his own party after last fall's Republican domination of midterm elections.

Specifically, he was questioned for sending extra funding and staff to Florida to assist gubernatorial hopeful Bill McBride at the expense of Carl McCall, a black New York candidate for governor.

Earlier this month, Mr. McAuliffe criticized Republican efforts to attract blacks to the party, saying Republicans are "good on the photo ops, but there are a lot of false promises."

"The Trent Lott debacle was an accurate portrayal of how Republicans feel," he said.

"What this showed is that [Mr. McAuliffe] had no respect for anyone, even members of the [Congressional Black Caucus]," said conservative black commentator Armstrong Williams, who is behind the Republican effort to earn the black vote. "How can they do this without consulting anyone to let them know what was coming? It just shows sheer arrogance."

Democrats have criticized what they have called "token" appointments in the Bush administration and say Republican policies portray a party that says one thing and does another.

But school vouchers, for instance, a policy seen as firmly Republican, has been embraced recently by some high-profile black officials on the Democratic side, including D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams.

[codeorama]

edit... double post.. sorry.

[codeorama]

You can be sure that if the GOP did that, the Dems would be on them like a Ho on a Corner.

[redman]

The funny thing is that I see nothing to get upset about beyond the mere fact that the employees all are "minorities" (interesting that they never identify which minority(ies)). There's nothing to indicate that this was done because of their ethnicity, so . . . who cares.

What shows the dysfunction of the Dems and their politics isn't the lay offs, it's the knee-jerk reaction to them.

[JackC]

Yet more workforce reduction due to the Bush economy!

[Cskin]

So... if the10 people were the last to be hired..... and it appears the pairing of the staff was being considered based on seniority and "Time of Service"..... what's the problem?

Aaahh... The problem is... when the last 10 people you hired are African American.... and then layoffs need to occur.... and seniority becomes a driving factor in terms of eliminating members of the staff...... THEN it becomes a problem to eliminate 10 African American workers. See... o.k. to hire them.... based on qualifications of course.... but there comes a problem when needing to eliminate them. Up comes the race card, held firmly in hand by the likes of Civil Rights Warlords like J. Jackson, Al Sharpton, and the rest of the beneficiaries of racism. Disgusting.....!!

[Kilmer17]

Yet more workforce reduction due to the Bush economy!

Jack, that's classic. Thanks for the chuckle.

[Golgo-13]

Originally posted by JackC

Yet more workforce reduction due to the Bush economy!

Yes because we all know the president is DIRECTLY responsible for the state of the economy. :doh:

[JackC]

Originally posted by escholz

Yes because we all know the president is DIRECTLY responsible for the state of the economy. :doh:

You know ole Dubya will be telling us he's responsible when this thing turns around!

[redman]

Originally posted by escholz

Yes because we all know the president is DIRECTLY responsible for the state of the economy. :doh:

Depends upon who the president is!

Seriously, don't be baited this easily. :laugh:

[Larry Brown #43]

Originally posted by codeorama

You can be sure that if the GOP did that, the Dems would be on them like a Ho on a Corner.

Exactly!! I think that's the whole story here. Who knows why these people were let go...maybe they actually deserved it. But just as the DNC's Donna Brazile said, "If the Republicans were to do this, you know what would happen."

[Johnny Punani2]

Originally posted by JackC

Yet more workforce reduction due to the Bush economy!

This has to be the most idiotic thing I've EVER seen anyone post in my entire life...:doh: