Re “Dynamite Charge Against Sebastian by Camarella Over Delegates”
[Editor’s Note: After journalist Betty Pleasant wrote a story for yesterday’s edition saying there had been a dispute between Democratic party activist Tom Camarella and state Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas over 54th Assembly District, Mr. Camarella sent the following response this afternoon to Ms. Pleasant.]
Dear Betty Pleasant,
Let me go through your post sentence by sentence where I believe you mischaracterized several issues and facts. I would expect that you will send my response to as many venues as you sent it to on Jan. 6, at 10:29:27 p.m. Subject: AD elections, Part 2.
I will make your original paragraphs in italics so readers will know what you stated vs. my comments.
“The 54th Assembly District’s annual election of California Democratic Party delegates and executive board members scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 11, has gone completely ballistic as word of intimidation by a politician has spread among already displeased residents and potential voters.”
First, I never said that I was intimidated. I was in negotiations with the other slate to see what could be accomplished, so we wouldn't be fighting each other instead of the Republicans.
“Word in the district had it that County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, father of the district’s Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, had strong armed Tom Camarella, an executive board member of the California Democratic Party and the Assembly district’s premiere slate-maker, into putting candidates with ties to and who support the supervisor on Camarella’s slate of community candidates”
Your “word in the district” was quite wrong on several important facts. I was never “strong armed” nor “intimidated.” I've known the Ridley-Thomases for 32 years, considered a friend and on a first-name basis with Mark and his sons. I campaigned for Mark to be our Supervisor because I thought he was the best person for our District. I also was a supporter of Sebastian Ridley-Thomas because I thought he would be good for the 54th Assembly District. I never said I was the “AD's premiere slate-maker.” When asked, I said I was successful in the last four elections. When I saw the candidates on the CDP website for the 54th AD, I thought that there was a good chance that there would be a challenge slate. Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas gave me a call. We discussed many progressive candidates and the situation.
“I asked Camarella if the rumor that Supervisor Ridley-Thomas had threatened him into including his family and associates on his slate is true, and Camarella said, “No. It was his son, Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, who did it.”
I said I was called, but by Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (SRT). The way you have stated it, makes it sound like I agree with your statement that I was threatened, which I absolutely was not.
“Camarella said: “In the final hour of the last day on which candidates for delegates would be accepted, Sebastian came to me and said he wanted me to put his people on my slate or else he would put out an opposition slate of people with big name recognition who will wipe out all of my community candidates and take over completely.” Wow.
I don't know what to say when she makes things up like this. I said I was disappointed that I wasn't contacted earlier, before the deadline, since I had been involved for so many elections. I said I was concerned that some of the well-known names of some of the candidates could overpower our slate.
“If carried out, Sebastian’s threatened slate could win and the people would lose or we would find all of us in a huge fight against each other and the people and the party would lose. After all, we are supposed to be fighting Republicans, not fellow Democrats. I didn’t want either of these two things to happen, so I compromised to make sure they didn’t,” Camarella explained.
Again, SRT never threatened me. As mentioned, I was already concerned that some of the well-known candidates could overpower our slate. I wanted to know what progressive candidates we could both support so we would have a stronger slate so the people and the party would win. If you believe the word “compromise” is a dirty word, I do not. It means to me a realistic agreement that furthers my or the peoples issues. People who know me know that I stand up for my ideals and back it up with information, experience and passion. There is nothing wrong with coming to an agreement that is good for the people. I was a union representative for 20 years. I fought for my employees’ rights, dignity and proper compensation. I negotiated over $5 billion worth of contracts, and I am proud of what I did with them. Although this slate is slightly different, it is stronger and still has the values and commitment that is needed to advance our great platform. Here is what we believe and what we want to accomplish for our District and State.
2015 CDP Progressive Delegate Platform
We Progressive Democrats are committed to work for a world in which dignity, justice, equality, tolerance and peace take precedence over greed, militarism, exploitation, racism, sexism, homophobia, intolerance, fear and hate.
We endorse progressive candidates, propositions, resolutions and a party platform that supports the following issues:
- Demand workers’ rights to organize and earn a living wage.
- Increase attention and funding for public schools (not corporate charters).
- Creating clean and safe alternative energy solutions/strategies that create sustainable jobs without nuclear, coal, or gas/oil hydraulic fracturing.
- Full public campaign financing and overturning “Citizens United” ruling.
- Closing corporate tax loopholes and dramatic reduction of corporate welfare.
- Stop supporting the TPP and engage in policies of fair trade, not free trade.
- Dramatically reduce poverty and homelessness
- Increase community-based policing in lieu of the militarization of our police.
- Dramatically increase rehabilitation services and prison reform vs. criminalization.
- Support labeling of genetically modified foods (GMO’s).
If you want to influence endorsements of progressive candidates, propositions, resolutions and the party platform, on Sunday. You can vote for seven men and seven women (and 1 CDP Executive Board member) to represent the 54th Assembly District in the California Democratic Party. These delegates vote at the Convention and serve on Committees.
Respectfully submitted for the record.
Tom Camarella, J.D.
Elected to Executive Committee, CDP, 54th AD.
Congressional Council, U.S. Rep. Karen Bass.
President Emeritus, Culver City Democratic Club.
Mr. Camarella may be contacted at Tom4CulverCity@aol.com
