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For the next few weeks I will be writing about becoming a Bernie Sanders delegate and my trip to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia at the end of July. As you may know from my previous blog, I was chosen as an elected delegate in the election held locally on May 1st, but as the third woman in the line, which per Party rules, alternates between male and female candidates, I was out in the cold on Election Day when Bernie and Hillary were neck and neck in my Congressional District, California's CD 2, stretching from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border. I even had a nice handout made up which explained why you should vote for me.
Me campaigning on May 1st
So then I applied for the other two delegate types, Party Leader and Elected Officials (or PLEO) and At-Large. When our State Executive Board met and the names of who had been chosen for those slots, my name was on that list either. I was hugely disappointed. My good friends, Mayme and Ruth, the first two women were going and I was not. I decided to just hang on to the money I had set aside for the Convention (not inconsiderable, since the hotels jack up the room rates more than three times the regular prices for these events), and plan a fun trip somewhere later.
Then this happened: Two days ago, I get an email from Party asking if I was registering at the Convention hotel. I replied, "I wish, but I am not a delegate, unless you know something I don't." Well, guess what. She did. "Yes," came the reply back. You are on the list."
Still not believing this, I checked with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) liaison to our State Party and the answer was the same. "You are on the list." Later I found out that at least one person on the original list is no longer on it. Why I don't know. I still keep hoping it's not all a big mistake.
I have now registered at the Very Expensive Hotel (VEH) and purchased the Very Expensive Airplane Tickets (VEAT) and have signed up on every list-serve for Bernie delegates, and some for all Califonria delegates. In the end, we are all Democrats and committed to beating He-Who_Shall_Not-Be-Named (HWSNBN) in November. At least most of us are, and that's a story for another installment.
MWPAC members and speakers from NARAL and PP
For now, good news from the Supreme Court, which just struck down the odious Texas laws that had shuttered most abortion providers in the state because they did not meet some arbitrary and irrelevant standards set up to thwart a women's right to choose. An unexpected 5-3 decision. Three local delegates joined the Marin Women's Political Action Committee (MWPAC) last evening to celebrate.
We ate very unremarkable food, but the mood was hopeful, and gave us that warm united feeling.
Yay, the election is over, and with it comes a mixed bag of emotions. Hooray, our candidate for Supervisor in Nevada County, Heidi Hall, won her seat easily and with a large margin. Way to go Heidi. Our judicial candidate in Marin County is in a virtual tie for first place with another candidate in what was a hard fought nine way race. Now we start over without missing a beat (or not too many), for a November runoff. Fourth of July parade is the first stop on this trip.
Sad that Bernie Sanders did not carry California and is just hanging on by the skin of his teeth in my Congressional district. That's means I do not get to go to Philadelphia as an elected delegate. As third woman in a man/woman alternating scheme, I'm in sixth place overall.
I also put my name in for an at-large delegate and Party Leader or Elected Official (known as a PLEO; I am a local Party leader and I do hold positions within the State Party too). However, I did not get one of the coveted spots. Many good people who have been working within the Party for years and a number of energetic newcomers did make the cut and a hearty congratulations to them. This will be an exciting Convention and Presidential election.
I would love to be a fly on the wall inside the committee rooms, instead of a passive viewer at home.
We do have the Republican Convention first to entertain us all. (Putting the best spin on the presumption that He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is the nominee; but anything could happen there too, so stand by for news at 11!)
Election night found us at a local watering hole with our victorious judicial candidate Mike Coffino and his friends. We ate salads and drank wine.
Details elude me. Invent your own. In the meantime, here is a delicious Beach Martini and Ocean Cobb salad to tempt you. I call it what to eat on your way to the airport from a Democratic Executive Board meeting in Long Beach California. It's what I did this weekend. No recipes, but you can figure them out. Enjoy!
Today is Election Day in several states, chief among them California. Do not stay home because your TV says Clinton has locked up the nomination. Remember this simple truth. Super Delegates do not vote until the Democratic National Convention in July. They may have pledged to vote for Hillary, but some of them may change their mind. They are allowed to. They are actually considered Unpledged delegates until the Convention. If their States vote for Bernie, they may go with their constituents.
In any event, there are other important races on your ballot. Read it. See if there are Supervisor or County Commissioner races; City Council or School Board seats; How about judges, special districts?
Are there ballot initiatives for bonds, advisory measures? All those are important. They may determine the future of your County, City or Town. Your State. In California, we have important primary races for State Senators and Assembly people. We have a primary in the all important election to replace our wonderful retiring Senator Barbara Boxer. Big shoes to fill. You deserve a say.
Whoever you are supporting, get out there and vote for them. Do it now. The lines are long.
And by the way, if you are a No Party Preference vote-by-mail voter, and have not turned in your ballot yet, and want to vote in the Democratic Primary, you can still do so. Ask for a Democratic ballot at your local polling place, and relinquish your mail in ballot.
What are you doing in these last days before June 7th? You should be reviewing your lists of Yes voters, phoning undecideds, getting rid of those last pieces of campaign materials, send your volunteers to doors they have missed or where no one was home. Get to any events still on your lists.
The last week:
Keep those phone banks going. Are there some last letters to the editor? Ads you might want to get in the press? Don't end the campaign with money in the bank, if you need a last-minute push to get you over the finish line.
The last weekend:
Plan for GOTV on the weekend. Calling your Yes voters to remind them Tuesday is election day. Call the rest of the undecideds. And go ahead and honk and wave. Some volunteers really like it, and it doesn't hurt to remind voters of your name, and the enthusiasm of your supporters.
Plan your election night event. Keep it simple, not lavish. Win or lose, your volunteers deserve a party. But don't squander campaign funds on a big one. You never know when a last minute hit might hit that may warrant a quick response.
Election Day:
Make sure you have key volunteers lined up to go to every polling place with lists of your Yes voters. Have them or other volunteers prepared to call anyone who has not yet voted and remind them to get to the polls. Make sure you have the hours of the polling places and the addresses to give to voters who may be confused. Have someone standing by to offer a ride to anyone needing it.
If it's a hotly contested race, you might have volunteers posted near the polling places to hand out any needed materials (for instance to rebut that last minute hit piece your opponent drops over the weekend). But make sure they are respectful and stay well away from the polling place itself. No campaigning is allowed within one hundred feet any polling place.
At 8 PM, it's over. You've done all you could do. Now take a deep breath, congratulate yourself for a job well done, greet your guests at the party, fire up the computer to get the early results and settle back and wait. It's all over but the counting.
Easy election eats for hungry volunteers:
Here's a lovely table full of goodies. Have a volunteer prepare some simple snacks or just get them at Costco, add some libations and serve
Yesterday I got to be on the Ed Schultz show on RT TV. Talking about the California Primary on June 7th, Jerry Brown's endorsement of Hillary. And then a Republican commentator going on about "Bernie Bros" harassing poor Trump supporters on their way to and from rallies, forcing them to carry pepper spray. As if. Probably some of the people he's been insulting right and left, the media, women, Mexicans, Muslims, his Republican opponents. I like to think of everyone lying in wait outside Trump rallies, but that's just a fantasy. Lots of people don't feel the hate, Mr. Trump. Not just Bernie supporters.
One week to Primary Day in California. As an elected Bernie delegate who will only get to go to the Philadelphia Convention if Bernie racks up 75% of the vote in Congressional District 2, I'm doing all I can.
But maybe I can always be a TV pundit? What do you think?
Now that several judge candidates have been "outed" so to speak for improprieties or perceived improprieties on the campaign trail, will all this exposure in the press help or hurt their campaigns? What about the ones who so far have stayed above the fray? Should they wallow in the mud with the rest, or hold their heads up high?
Only time will tell. But all campaigns are ramping up. More mailers, TV ads, Facebook rants - who knows what to expect?
Is the legal business a lofty profession or just a bunch of sleazeballs looking for the next ambulance to chase? A little of both. As a lawyer myself, I like to think the best of my colleagues. Personally, I'm looking for ethics, consistency, compassion and a strong grounding in the law from my judges. That and a showing of respect for all who enter the courtroom, from litigants, to the other lawyers, to victims of crimes and those accused of crimes, to the jurors who give up their time, and often money from their jobs to serve.
If they can't keep their campaigns out of the muck and mire, what will their courtrooms be like?
Think on it.
A happy Memorial Day to all. Here's a little something to throw on the barbie while you wade through all those flyers you've saved from your mailbox over the last few weeks. You have saved them all, for a deliberative decision making process, haven't you?
Prosciutto wrapped asparagus seems to be my new latest addiction. It is... mmm..... mmmm
good. I know, I know, another post on asparagus huh? I have grilled
these three times in the last couple of weeks, so had to write about
it. They are just so simple to make and very tasty! Trim, wash, wrap,
brush with olive oil, season, and throw them on the grill. It's a slam
dunk!
Grilled Prosciutto wrapped asparagus is a great appetizer but I like
them as a side dish as well. I recently paired them with grilled Cornish Games Hens.
As I mentioned in a previous post, we do love asparagus in our home
and it is asparagus season here in northern California. The
earthiness of the Asparagus is enhanced by grilling. Add the thinly
sliced Prosciutto and you are really onto something. Asparagus has
always been one of my favorite grilled veggies and this recipe moves it
up the list for sure.
The sweet, savory, salty taste of the grilled Prosciutto along with the
smoky, rich earthy flavor of the grilled asparagus sits well on the
palate. It is a wonderful little finger food to go along with a nice
glass of wine. Prosecco or Cava is
a good pairing for this as an appetizer. Sauvignon Blanc and
Chardonnay also pair very well. The thicker fat asparagus work well
wrapped individually while the smaller ones are better nicely wrapped in
bundles of three or four.
I like my asparagus with a little firmness left in them. If they get a
little too done, they can be mushy and lose some of that great flavor.
The great thing about Prosciutto is that because it is so thinly
sliced, it will crisp up easily and you won't have to worry about
overcooking the asparagus to do so.
If you like asparagus, give this recipe a try as an appetizer or side
dish. It will be something you will make again and again!
Until next time, Happy Grilling!
The Marin County Sign Wars are escalating, with tit for tat from supporters of the judicial candidate calling herself Judge Nancy. Now she has gone and put a thicker line between the words Judge and Nancy as if that means anything or can shield her from the law.
Slightly grimy view of offending sign through windshield
Her supporters point out more minor infractions of others, many of whom have rectified their problem and apologized for any misleading impressions they might have caused. Not so Judge Nancy. She is in full on trench warfare,
This can't end well. See the Marin IJ's latest of the subject. Front page, above the fold.
Full article for your entertainment here:
Marin judicial race sees more mud fly over alleged misrepresentations
Marin judicial candidates Nancy McCarthy, Renee Marcelle and
David Shane have been accused of suggesting incumbency in their campaign
materials. Sheila Lichtblau’s website, lower right, pictures her with
retired judge Lynn Duryee, who is wearing a judicial robe. (Clockwise
from top left: Robert Tong/Marin Independent Journal;
marcelleforjudge.com; sheilaforjudge.com; shaneforjudge.com)
A supporter for a Marin judicial candidate accused of misleading
voters has lodged similar complaints against four other candidates.
Nancy McCarthy, one of nine candidates
in the June 7 election for a Marin judgeship, has come under criticism
for campaign materials that could suggest she is a sitting judge. The
materials place the words “Judge” and “Nancy” close together in extra
large type.
The materials prompted a complaint to the Marin County District Attorney’s Office. The complaint came from a supporter for rival candidate Renee Marcelle.
The district attorney referred the matter to the state Attorney
General’s Office for review because three county prosecutors are running
in the primary.
Under state elections law, it is a misdemeanor
when a candidate, in an effort to “mislead” voters, “assumes, pretends,
or implies, by his or her statements, conduct, or campaign materials,
that he or she is the incumbent of a public office when that is not the
case.” Violators can be subject to civil action by other candidates.
McCarthy,
a labor and employment lawyer, has denied any intention to mislead
voters. On Thursday, Linda Remy, a McCarthy supporter, sent a letter to
state and county prosecutors seeking an evaluation of possible
“misrepresentations” by four other candidates.
The other candidates are Marcelle; Otis Bruce, a county
prosecutor; Sheila Lichtblau, a deputy county counsel; and David Shane, a
personal injury lawyer.
“All candidates should be treated alike,” Remy wrote.
Remy
cited examples of campaign materials where Bruce, Marcelle and Shane
placed judge-related phrases close enough to the candidates’ names to
suggest incumbency.
For example, Marcelle’s website had her name
over the words “Marin Superior Court Judge,” although the campaign has
since added the word “for.”
Bruce declined to comment, and Shane did not respond to a request for comment, but both have amended their websites.
Marcelle said she did not create the website, but she added the word “for” after learning of the oversight.
“Regardless,
no one would responsibly argue that there was at all, any intent to
deceive,” she said. “Certainly if one did get misled in the slightest, I
apologize and take full responsibility.”
In the case of
Lichtblau, Remy cited campaign materials that picture her with two
retired judges who are supporting her. The retired judges, who now work
as mediators, are wearing judicial robes.
Remy calls that a misrepresentation. Lichtblau says her campaign materials “clearly identify” both former judges as retired.
“There is no misrepresentation,” Lichtblau said. “I remain humbled by and proud of the judicial support I’ve earned.”
District
Attorney Ed Berberian did not respond to an inquiry on whether he has
referred Remy’s complaint to the Attorney General’s Office.
Brenda
Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for the Attorney General’s Office, did not
respond to an inquiry on whether the complaint is under review.
The candidates are running to succeed Judge Faye D’Opal, who is
leaving when her terms ends on Dec. 31. Unless a candidate wins an
outright majority on June 7, the top two vote-getters will compete in
the general election on Nov. 8.
The other four candidates in the
race are Michael Coffino, a public defender; Beth Jordan, a family law
specialist; Thomas McCallister, a county prosecutor; and Nicole
Pantaleo, a county prosecutor.
