The following Washington State Democratic Central Committee Members have joined the ECC in calling on the DNC to reinstate the fossil fuel corporate PAC money ban. (If you are a WSDCC Member and would like to add your name, please fill out this form.)
Learner Limbach, San Juan County
Amy Madden, 43rd Legislative District
Joshua Trupin, 5th Legislative District
Steve Verhey, 13th Legislative District
Shaun Olsen, 21st Legislative District
Angie Homola, Island County
Jason Call, Snohomish County
Mathew Tomaskin, 14th Legislative District
Darlene Miller, 44th Legislative District
Georgia Davenport, 33rd Legislative District
Kate Moran, Benton County
Joanne Fleming, 3rd Legislative District
Edward Duhaime, Spokane County
Keoki Kauanoe, 22nd Legislative District
Brian Gunn, King County
Eric Herde, Pierce County
Diane Sandrowski, Pierce County
Gary Barton, 28th Legislative District
Paul Spencer, Skamania County
Everett Maroon, 16th Legislative District
Susan Soto Palmer, Yakima County
Michael Quick, Pend Oreille
Gina Bua, 25th Legislative District
Melissa Dunbar, 29th Legislative District
Linda Tosti-Lane, 1st Legislative District
Ann Martin, 34th Legislative District
Sarajane Siegfriedt, King County
Julie Conklin, 46th Legislative District
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Two ECC Letters Delivered to the Washington State DNC Delegation:
August 23, 2018
Washington State DNC Delegation
615 2nd Ave #580
Seattle, WA 98104
Tina Podlodowski
David McDonald
Ed Cote
Sharon Mast
Nancy Monacelli
Rion Ramirez
Juanita Luiz
CC: DNC Chair Tom Perez
Dear Washington State DNC Members,
The Executive Board of the Environmental and Climate Caucus of the Washington State Democrats would like to express our concern about the resolution passed by the DNC Executive Committee on August 10th, which effectively reversed the DNC’s previous position of “rejecting corporate PAC contributions from the fossil fuel industry that conflict with our DNC Platform,” adopted by the Executive Committee in June via a resolution submitted by Christine Pelosi.
As you know, Citizens United opened the floodgates for anonymously sourced corporate and special interest monies. This has resulted in tremendous pressure on our national committee, elected officials and, we believe, has influenced votes and positions taken that are antithetical to the values and needs of private citizen constituents.
Our goals in sending you this letter are to reiterate the ECC’s support of the original ban on these corporate donations to the DNC, and to advise you that:
- The rights of unions and workers to support the Democratic Party will be preserved by effectively striking the words “employers’ political action committees” from Tom Perez’ August 10th resolution.
- The Perez resolution is already being used as an example of a failure of trust in the DNC.
- Due to the controversy surrounding the Perez resolution, the DNC could see a drop in grassroots donations.
- The act of accepting corporate PAC contributions from the fossil fuel industry is antithetical to the Democratic Party Platform, which states, “Democrats believe that climate change poses a real and urgent threat to our economy, our national security, and our children’s health and futures, and that Americans deserve the jobs and security that come from becoming the clean energy superpower of the 21st century.”
We seek your leadership and support for action that reinstates the DNC’s position of “rejecting corporate PAC contributions from the fossil fuel industry that conflict with our DNC Platform” and hope that you will join us in advocating for representative and transparent funding of the DNC and, by extension, our Democratic Party candidates.
Thank you for your consideration of our request on this critical issue. The Environmental and Climate Caucus looks forward to your response and collaboration.
Sincerely,
Steve Verhey, Chair; WSDCC Member, 13th LD
Mathew Tomaskin, Eastern WA Vice Chair; WSDCC Member, 14th LD
Arvia Morris, Western WA Vice Chair
Becky Chaney, Secretary
John Stafford, Treasurer
Teresa Catford, Technology Officer
Anne Udaloy, Membership Chair
Scott Alspach, Outreach Committee Chair
Shaun Olsen, Parliamentarian; WSDCC Member, 21st LD
Amy Madden, At-Large Pos. 1; WSDCC Member, 43rd LD
Cigdem Capan, At-Large Pos. 2
Angie Homola, At-Large Pos. 3; WSDCC Member, Island County
Learner Limbach, At-Large Pos. 4; WSDCC Member, San Juan County
Washington State Democratic Central Committee Members in bold
References:
Text of Christine Pelosi’s original resolution passed in June 2018: https://medium.com/@sfpelosi/democrats-lets-clean-up-our-planet-and-our-politics-oilmoneyout-of-the-dnc-b1102d4311ab
Text of Perez resolution passed on August 10, 2018:
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September 13, 2018
Washington State DNC Delegation
615 2nd Ave #580
Seattle, WA 98104
Tina Podlodowski
David McDonald
Ed Cote
Sharon Mast
Nancy Monacelli
Rion Ramirez
Juanita Luiz
CC: DNC Chair Tom Perez
Dear Washington State DNC Members,
Confusion persists over the DNC’s current and planned policy regarding contributions from the fossil fuel industry, including fossil fuel-backed PACs. We are concerned that, absent a clear statement from the DNC about this issue, cynicism will continue to build among Americans nationwide about the Democratic Party’s resolve in the battle against climate change.
Resolution 8, adopted at the Chicago meeting of the DNC last month, contains important statements about climate change, but it does not contain any language clarifying the DNC’s openness to accepting fossil fuel money. We write now to call on the DNC Executive Committee to finish what they started in June and reinstate the ban prior to the November midterm elections.
We seek your leadership toward a clear statement that the Democratic National Committee rejects corporate PAC contributions from the fossil fuel industry that conflict with our DNC Platform. We hope this statement will be forthcoming within the next four weeks, before ballots drop in Washington State. Attached you will find a resolution to this effect, which we are bringing to the upcoming WSDCC meeting in Spokane.
Thank you for your consideration of our request on this critical issue. The Environmental and Climate Caucus looks forward to working with you and the rest of the DNC to take action on the climate crisis.
Sincerely,
Steve Verhey, Chair; WSDCC Member, 13th LD
Mathew Tomaskin, Eastern WA Vice Chair; WSDCC Member, 14th LD
Arvia Morris, Western WA Vice Chair
Becky Chaney, Secretary
John Stafford, Treasurer
Teresa Catford, Technology Officer
Anne Udaloy, Membership Chair
Scott Alspach, Outreach Committee Chair
Shaun Olsen, Parliamentarian; WSDCC Member, 21st LD
Amy Madden, At-Large Pos. 1; WSDCC Member, 43rd LD
Cigdem Capan, At-Large Pos. 2
Angie Homola, At-Large Pos. 3; WSDCC Member, Island County
Learner Limbach, At-Large Pos. 4; WSDCC Member, San Juan County
Washington State Democratic Central Committee Members in bold
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Resolution:
REJECT CORPORATE PAC MONEY FROM THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY – to be presented at the September Washington State Democratic Central Committee (WSDCC) meeting in Spokane.
View the letters (pdf):
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September 13 Open Letter Regarding DNC Fossil Fuel PAC Contributions
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August 23 Open Letter Regarding DNC Fossil Fuel PAC Contributions
Join the ECC: Sign the Petition!
Tell the DNC: Reject Fossil Fuel PAC Money!