Parkland survivor David Hogg to be ousted from DNC following investigation into his election

[JohnSJ]

"A Democratic National Committee panel has found that gun control activist David Hogg and a colleague were not properly elected to be among its five vice chairs earlier this year, paving the way for their removal.

Hogg, 25, rose to national prominence after surviving the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018, and co-founding March for Our Lives.

He has since become a vocal political commentator, critical of President Donald Trump and the Democratic Party’s failure to earn the trust of the electorate."

........

A full DNC vote will now be held on the committee’s findings, which could mean new elections being staged, with the same five candidates, including Hogg and Kenyatta, on the ballot once again.

“While this vote was based on how the DNC conducted its officers’ elections, which I had nothing to do with, it is also impossible to ignore the broader context of my work to reform the party which loomed large over this vote,” Hogg responded in a statement.


https://www.yahoo.com/news/parkland-survivor-david-hogg-ousted-132014456.html

While no doubt he had nothing to do with this election impropriety, other than being a survivor of a terrible mass shooting, what are his credentials for the job?

I remember before he gained notoriety, he had been arguing a flawed argument that "both sides" were responsible for the lack of progress on gun legislation, when it was clear to most that there was only one side that was impeding progress on such legislation, and it wasn't the Democrats.

Regardless, it will be interesting how an election that includes all eligible candidates results.

[Chasstev365]

1. BAD MOVE:

Young people might not turn Republican over it, but they may become cynical and not vote.

[choie]

3. Agree.

Funny that the person most outspoken against establishment Dems is having his election questioned.

[LauraInLA]

9. It's not only his election that's being "overturned". He's choosing to *make* this about himself rather than a

flawed and exclusionary process that did not abide by the previously set rules. Someone who plays well with others doesn’t make snide public comments that undermine the process they’ve chosen to be a part of. When he first heard of the complaint he (and perhaps Malcolm Kenyatta, as well) could have taken the high road to reflect our party’s stated goals of inclusion.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

11. Agree.

He's burning bridges while portraying himself as a savior of the Democratic party.

He's got a lot to learn.

[Skittles]

21. playing well with others is part of what the fucking problem is

the ineffective folk need to GET OUT OF THE WAY

[LauraInLA]

34. "Playing well with others", like everything else, may be a benefit or a deficit. You're not wrong, but it's still

essential for leadership. Being whiny because an election you entered was run incorrectly and has to be redone isn’t courageous or helpful — it’s dismissive of the inclusion goals of the organization. I can imagine Hogg and Kenyatta are very annoyed this was badly done, to put it mildly. But their response to this “crisis” is telling, suggestive of their greater character. I don’t see Kenyatta complaining, though he may be. And it’s important to note that the challenge was lodged well before there was any discussion about Hogg’s behavior as a vice-chair (I can’t remember his exact title).

P.S. Being a disruptor can be important and useful, but it is not in itself an absolute good.

[choie]

41. Skittles I couldn't recommend your post enough!

That is definitely part of what the fucking problem is. I give you one Charles Schumer.

[JohnSJ]

6. Young people have already sealed their fate with their refusal to

vote for Democrats in 2000, 2016, and 2024 when it counted.

We have lost the Supreme Court for at least a generation, and the midterms will not save even if we get both houses of congress, unlikely for the Senate.

Young people have never been a reliable voting block, and I don’t anticipate that will change.

As for David Hogg, unless his views have changed, I don’t see his defund the police, and eliminating ICE, winning elections.

https://www.msn.com/en-ae/news/other/dnc-vice-chair-s-posts-calling-to-abolish-ice-and-defund-police/ar-AA1ypfGa

[58Sunliner]

27. You can post till you are blue in the face, and not enough people talk about voter apathy.

[JohnSJ]

30. and that won't change until the people who actually are hurt by these policies get off their butt and vote, and

even then it isn't a sure thing as evidenced in the 2024 election.

[PufPuf23]

47. What about the old people who voted Democratic in 2000, 2016 and 2024

and hear the same blame time and time again? The leftists and progressives and youth are ad infinitum blamed for losing elections. In my political involvement this pattern goes back to 1968.

I have voted exclusively Democratic for over 50 years with one exception, John Anderson in then1980 GOP primary to slow Reagan (voted Carter in actual election).

Do you recall Wasserman-Schultz's time as DNC head? Wasserman-Schultz and DNC staff interfered both in her House primary and in the Democratic POTUS primary. Wasserman-Schultz lost her DNC job but there are scars.

Democratic political leaders screwed the pooch regards the POTUS election and now POTUS Biden and the "progressives" and the young are the scapegoats. Same story.

Democrats are divided and leadership blames steadfast voters.

[JohnSJ]

48. It isn't a question of blame, it is a question of what happened. Young people have never been a reliable

voting group.

As for older demographic, at least in the demographic today, they absolutely vote. Problem is that their votes are usually more republican.

While every vote counts, today it is the independents who will determine the election, and those in the swing states.

Perhaps the best example is what happened in the swing states in 2016.

In every critical swing state Hillary lost by less than 1%, while in those same critical swing staters Jill Stein received 1% of the vote.

It didn't take much, but it made all the difference.

A similar thing occurred in 2000 with Nader intentionally working to encourage people in critical states not to vote Democratic, because he stupidly impressed that there was "no difference between Democrats and republicans". A completely asinine statement, just based on the Supreme Court we have today.

Just look at Supreme Court justices that Democrats nominated verses republicans.

In 2024 Latinos and labor split the vote, and while Harris did get most of the Women votes, the turnout was less than anticipated. Last but not least the protesters on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, especially in the midwest swing states did not vote Democratic, even though it was very clear that Harris would NOT have done what trump said he was going to do. Harris made it clear:

1. Ceasefire
2. Release all hostages
3. Rebuild Gaza
4. Back to the negotiations for a two-state solution.

The result of the 2024 election has insured the SC is lost for at least a generation, and the damage trump is doing and will do for the next four years will be very hard to reverse.

and while the whole country will pay the price, the highest price will be paid by the young people. Those Rogan fan boys are going to be paying the piper for a long time for listening and giving credibility to fools like Rogan.

[tritsofme]

8. So if the rules were broken and a woman got screwed out of the position...it's just too bad?

[Mountainguy]

16. I'd be willing to bet that 9 out of 10

young voters don't have a clue who David Hogg is.

[Kaleva]

20. There isn't any evidence that young voters care about this

Not in any appreciable numbers.

[Kaleva]

19. Trump made gains with young voters in 2024

[BoRaGard]

23. Yes, dumb move

[betsuni]

25. Public figures they trust telling them Democrats are corrupt, bribed by oligarchs and billionaires and donors,

same as Republicans, the establishment rigs primaries and conspires to stop any progress and are terrified of progressives, elites who ignore the working class and no economic policies or message, do nothing: the party must be taken over and Democrats replaced.

Some of the many many lies the uninformed believe, become cynical and not vote or vote third party. Sad that people mindlessly believe lies and conspiracies about Democrats without thinking for themselves or doing a few minutes research. Bad move for the future.

[H2O Man]

44. Exactly.

[Mountainguy]

46. Young people don't care about David Hogg

He's not the voice of a generation. Most of them don't know who he is.

[Jilly_in_VA]

51. And you know this exactly HOW?

[Traildogbob]

4. Is this gonna

Be our The Election was rigged stand???
Damn we can not get a break. There seems to be no glue strong enough for our party. Or the GQP has some amazing glue dissolving solution. 😡

[Cha]

5. Both Sides... Not Cool. That's what got Mump

in the WH in the First lace... Stein Lying about both sides the same.

[Nixie]

7. Exactly, Cha. That was the first head slapper he put out . Both sides.

Good gawd, no. It’s not both sides, no.

He was 16 when T-rump first took office and now he wants to tell our party to do more of the same things that got trump in office to begin with? So tiresome.

[Cha]

10. Hey Aloha, Nixie...

Yeah, it doesn't work. And, look at all those voters who got Sucked into the Mump Cult and are now ever so Sorry they had to FAFO.

The Timeline that Gen posted shows that Kaylin Cherie Free... submitted her Challenge for the Results on Feb 28th.. Good on her!

*February 28th – Kayln Free submits her challenge to the results Very clear that the two men were allowed to be voted on twice – whereas the three women were only allowed to be voted on once. The two men start with a +400 vote advantage to reach the 200 votes needed to be selected chair.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=20313908

This is who she is... *******

Kalyn Cherie Free is an American attorney, former elected district attorney, and a tribal citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma12. She is the first woman and Native American to be elected district attorney in Oklahoma12. She represents Oklahoma as the National Committeeperson on the Democratic National Committee (DNC

Bing Search

[Nixie]

13. Thanks for this, Cha! Great post.

I’m really liking this Kalyn Free. She sounds like a level-headed, fact based team player. Her background is remarkable: Attorney, former elected district attorney, tribal citizen. We need serious and qualified people like her.

👍👍

[Cha]

14. Yes Kaylin Free's Bio is

Inspiring!.. and a Native American.. talk about your DEI!

Her name is with an i in Kaylin. I notice because my Grand Niece is Kaylyn!

[valleyrogue]

12. He can do something else. He was hogging up too much of the spotlight. n/t

[yorkster]

15. And not in a good way...

[Mountainguy]

17. It's not the job of anyone at DNC to "reshape the party"

and it's certainly not their job to try to influence primaries. If that's what Hogg wants to do he should focus on working with his PAC.

[ibegurpard]

18. Bad move

Ousting someone who's been calling for replacing Democrats who've not stepped up to the plate at this critical time will only deepen dissatisfaction with the party.
And using this questionable premise just looks like an excuse to do so.
It will deepen cynicism and apathy.

[Lullybuy]

22. Hogg's political career

is over.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

36. Welcome to DU

[LetMyPeopleVote]

49. Welcome to DU

[Docreed2003]

24. Despite Hogg's attempts, as well as the media, to center this revote on himself

This is NOT about "ousting" David Hogg. This petition was made in an attempt to have the DNC follow their own rules on equity in the selection of vice chairs. While Hogg's position may be in jeopardy with a new vote, so too is Malcom Kenyatta's position. Kenyatta has actually been doing the work of vice chair and working at the grass roots level to build up Democratic support, rather than making himself the center of media attention about the "future of the DNC". Where is this level of outrage over the possibility he could be removed from his position?

[SocialDemocrat61]

26. The timing of this seems suspicious 🤨

Has something like this ever happened before to another DNC member?

[cachukis]

28. Will Hogg go quietly into the night?

[CincyDem]

29. I agree with Hogg's goal, I think his strategy is divisive, and I think his victimization is disappointing.

Imagine if the headline read:
“DNC panel concludes February election procedures, favoring male candidates…DNC fails to take action”.

The story goes on…

Kalyn Free, the first woman and first Native American elected state prosecutor in Oklahoma, challenged the procedures used in the DNC’s February election for 3 vacant Vice Chair roles. The DNC credentials committee, after months of investigation and review, found merit in her challenge and recommended to the full DNC leadership that new elections be held.

DNC leader Ken Martin thanked the panel for “its exhaustive work” to examine Free’s claims but said “unfortunately, at this time our leadership focus is strategy development for victory in the 2026 mid-terms and we can’t afford to take time to address these findings. What’s done, is done”.

Free, a tribal member of the Choctaw Nation, expressed disappointment at the decision saying “it is surprising to me that leadership of an organization, when presented with facts demonstrating a bias against women candidates was present in their own election procedures, has chosen a business as usual stance”.

Grassroots response to Martin’s decision to ignore the panel’s recommendations has been swift and sharp. Said one commenter on Democratic Underground, a long standing discussion group known for its intelligent, insightful, and often witty take on the pulse of the Democratic party’s rank and file, said “it’s insane that leadership would knowingly let stand an election structurally biased against women, particularly women of color, in today’s world after our experience in 2016 and again in 2024.” To Hogg’s assertion he’s been targeted by the panel as a means of fast tracking his ouster, another commenter said “what’s the big deal? If they like [Hogg’s] ideas for the party and his approach to primaries, he’ll win this election too.”

—————————

Ken Martin did the right thing taking this to the full DNC for a vote. Hogg’s response, independent of his “they’re out to get me” response should have been “while I’m disappointed in the credentials committee findings, I look forward to the opportunity to win, again, a vice chair roles based on my ideas, strategy, and commitment to electing democratic leaders throughout government nationwide”.

[JustAnotherGen]

31. You left out Malcolm Kenyatta

Who is a proven winner.

[Autumn]

32. This is why democrats lose. nt

[travelingthrulife]

33. Nice headline. Makes it sound like Hogg did something bad when it was procedural

screw-up by DNC.

Hope he wins in the new election.

I agree that both sides fell for the pro-gun bs. I remember lots of Democrats holding guns, shooting guns in their campaign ads to prove they were not anti-gun.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

35. The rules of the Democratic Party need to be complied with

The party screwed up and elected two males for Executive Vice President when the party rules require one male and one female Executive Vice President. If Hogg can get more votes that Malcome Kenyatta, then he can serve. Here is a good explanation from Malcome Kenyatta

Link to tweet

[Polybius]

37. While I'm not a Hogg fan, I feel he will be revengeful if he's ousted

Like really bad revenge. He might support 3rd Party options.

[JohnSJ]

38. It will be an election that involves all the prospective candidates, because the process was screwed up,

and it was brought up when it occurred.

It is just setting things properly.

If he wins the position fine, but if he loses, and he actually starts pushing third party candidates, then he will have just revealed himself as not being qualified.

I don't think he will do that, because he will have lost any credibility he ever had, and he is not that naive.

[radical noodle]

42. Like we want to be like Repugs and let one man

blackmail us into changing the rules just for him.

[Polybius]

43. I'm not saying to bend the rules for him

I'm just saying that I feel he may seek revenge.

[radical noodle]

45. Well, he may

but if he does, he isn't really the kind of person we want to lead us, is he? I hope he will stay around because I think he could be good for the party, but he has to be subject to the rules just like everyone else.

[GP6971]

40. Well Hi JJ!!! Interesting....I have the same initials? Are

we related?

What do you get when you cross the words mushroom and cloud?

[pinkstarburst]

50. This is why democrats keep losing

We have a popular young person with a huge social media following who wants to shake things up and change things that aren't working.

Establishment doesn't like it and is seeking any excuse to get rid of him.

They could easily correct this "procedural mistake" of the DNC's by keeping both Hogg and Kenyatta and simply adding the woman who got the most votes as an additional vice chair. Then make sure to do the voting correctly the next time. It would be less messy than removing either Hogg or Kenyatta. Removing either of them is going to be ugly. Does anyone here actually think that if Hogg is removed from his position, he's going to say, oh, well that's fine. Shucks. I guess I'm done then. Good luck, guys! No. He's going to go full nuclear. He's got a huge social media following. He will work to raise money. He will say whatever the F he wants and he may very well go third party and that could be disastrous.

I truly do not understand why democrats time after time shoot themselves in the foot. This really doesn't have to be hard.

[Emile]

52. Where did they pull that out of?

[KPN]

53. Dumb move on the DNC's part. The timing is very suspicious and will definiterly be viewed that way by young voters who

already harbor skepticism about either party, let alone Democrats, and their "leadership".

This will undoubtedly come back to haunt our party in 2028. Hogg will as well I fear. Bye bye 28!

Step aside old timers!

[Jilly_in_VA]

54. Look, I am a very old Dem (almost 81)

and I think the was a BAD move on the part of the DNC. You have only to look at Schumer to see what is wrong with the party. He's been there way too long to be the face of the party any more. IMNSHO David Hogg was properly elected and the DNC needs to let this go. There are old, and I mean OLD, party members who are taking his criticisms far too personally, and they need to get over themselves, or we are going to have another George McGovern moment in 2028, and much as I liked that guy, he was wrong for the party and the time. Get it together NOW and stop the infighting or that's what is going to happen!

[KPN]

55. Do you have a source re: Hogg "both sides" arguments?

[Samael13]

56. So what happened exactly

I'm sorry I don't know the procedures but what made his election invalid