The FDP has had a bad week dealing with the fallout from the decision not to let former Senate Democratic leader and Gubernatorial candidate Nan Rich speak at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner on June 15th. Party leadership completely misread the depth of anger and dissatisfaction with the decision to exclude Senator Rich from the J-J program and now the dinner itself is being overshadowed by this controversy. At the same time the effort to reverse the decision of whomever is responsible for the J-J program, be it Chairwoman Allison Tant or a staffer has reached a critical mass despite the efforts of the state party to marginalize it.
When we first reported on the J-J snub on May 24th, the protest movement was limited but gaining steam. At that point the party could have reversed course and allowed things to settle down, What happened instead was that the party doubled down and instead of handling the issue allowed it gain steam. With greater awareness of the snub came more blogs and mainstream press coverage leading to some savvy and strategic broadcasting by RPOF Chairman Lenny Curry. All of this raised the volume of the controversy to where the party is going to have a very hard time soothing those who are angry about the situation, even if a reverse in course occurs.
Party staffers and loyalists have spread various rumors about the trouble claiming at various times that only a few activists in Broward County cared about the speaking snub and that nobody would have bothered had this website not published multiple stories about the J-J over the past eight days. While we would like to take credit for the buzz that has percolated on this matter the reality is the effective grassroots campaign Senator Rich has run over the course of the last year has won her friends, allies and supporters across the state and that network was activated once this slight became known publicly.
Dozens of emails were sent between activists to contact party leaders and social media became a mechanism for easily organizing the grassroots. What is also very telling is that many active Democrats who do not support Senator Rich’s campaign have also become engaged on this matter because they either see it as a fundamental issue of fairness or think it may gain them some traction with regards to internal party disputes.
The FDP’s decision to dig in on a bad decision has opened up the party to deserved criticism. Hopefully this controversy will give the FDP a road map on how not to handle future situations of this nature.
The Florida Squeeze 
The Florida Democratic Party has made a mistake, and they should correct it. Nothing would bring them more respect than a,
” In an effort to have a program that moved smoothly and rapidly, our (insert name or department here), erred on the side of caution. ( Insert name or department again), stated today that former State Senator, now gubernatorial candidate, Nan Rich, just mentioned speaking in passing, and (he/she/department) did not take the request as a request, but just as a comment. After review, (he/she/department), reached out to Senator Rich and invited her to address the Party. As of press time, Senator Rich has not responded.”
That’s the way to solve the problem.
LikeLike
I have personally heard a party official blame this site for the outcry. Well that’s a credit to you, good work Kartik Krishnaiyer.
LikeLike
Making waves. You have given Tant long enough to prove herself and she has yet to do so. Maybe if she would allow her elected Vice Chair to have some input we would succeed. Sounds like the leadership in Broward and Florida both read “How to be non inclusive and continue to fair for dummies”
LikeLike
#freenanrich
LikeLike
Tant should resign. She was never active or involved before and her lack of experience is showing.
LikeLike
Blame DWS. She is running the whole show.
LikeLike
It makes NO sense to NOT have the ONLY actual announced candidate running for Governor at this point speak at the event. Come on, Florida Democrats, it’s time to correct the error, get Nan Rich lined up to speak and move on to WINNING in 2014!
LikeLike
No one cares. Crist will rout her for the nomination and be governor easily.
LikeLike
You think so? Maybe enough “Progressive” Dems will be annoyed enough to vote for Nan Rich instead of Crist (if he runs) and that would split the vote and Scott would get back in. Is that (Really?) what you want? If the party continues to act this non-inclusive – it just MIGHT happen than way. I’m sure the GOP is just loving this in-fighting which they DID instigate, by the way. But the thing is, the DEMS bit. That’s stupid. Just let Nan Rich speak for a few minutes and stop all this nonsense.
LikeLike
Really? “Really?” You sound like a Republican! Florida Democratic Party Activists are supporting Nan Rich. We don’t want Crist! If he wants to be governor again, let him primary Rick Scott. He has proven to be disloyal to his lifelong party, what makes you think he could be a good Dem? The FDP leadership better wake up and smell the roses, or they will totally fracture our party just in time to play spoiler in 2014. Ms Tant was elected because of her presumed fund raising ability, unfortunately, not only has she proven to be a poor fundraiser, she is also proving to be a terrible party leader. IMO, she needs to step aside a let a real grassroots leader step in and save the day. Alan Clendenin, we need you now!
LikeLike
Every Democrat in the State owes you a debt of gratitude in exposing the continued scandal and stench coming from the worthless FDP loosing “team” of Scott Arceneaux and Christain Ulmert and their hand picked puppet Allison Tant. While it is a shame and loss for Democrats statewide that Alan Clendenin did not win so he could go in and do some badly needed house cleaning of these continued losers, there is nothing we can do now except continue to put pressure on the State FDP and not send them a dime that is going to go into the pockets of these idiots and their loosing consultants.
Since everyone has a short memory, Scott and Christian and their gravy train team of loosing consultants were so fearful of loosing their jobs that they recruited Debbie Wasserman Shultz and Sen Nelson to browbeat the stupid sheep of Democratic Committee men and woman who voted in this disastrous combo and their puppett.
The revolving door of staffers who have been laid off at FDP because of piss poor fundraising (wasn’t that Tant’s platform?) has unbelievably led to the hiring of newer, younger and more inexperienced “yes men and woman” who do Christian and Scott’s bidding when there is no money in the bank to pay them!
The daily crap that goes on at the FDP by this conniving team is yet to be reported and hopefully will come out by by great writers like Dave and Mark here, but really needs to be reported by the state’s mainstream media as well.
This is the tip of the iceberg of the FDP “House of Cards”.
And all the “Progressive and GLBTA” idiots who lapped up at the chance to turn on one of their own in Alan Clendenin for Chair are now “shocked” “shocked” to learn that their goddess Allison Tant has now turned on them by screwing one of Florida Democrats most respected leading progressive woman Senators in Nan Rich ( who is actually running for Gov) so we can be bored to tears at $180 a plate by listening (and snoozing) to Sen Nelson, Debbie Wasserman Shultz and Allison Tant…all who we have heard a thousand times before.
I guess the wife (Allison Tant) of the lawyer (Barry Richard) who defended “W” in court against Al Gore to steal the Presidency, has no problem cutting a back room deal to support Republican…oh I mean Independent..sorry I meant Democrat Charlie Crist while Charlie waits till the last minute to hold off the bad stuff the Republicans are going to throw at the Dems at $100 million dollars.
Well Progressives, “You Reap What You Sow”! As someone who has sat through a lot of these boring rubber chicken JJ dinners, I can personally tell your there is no reason whatsoever (hear that Christian Ulvert) that Sen Nan Rich should be given her 5 minutes to speak! She has more than earned and paid her dues as a good Democrat and has the guts (ie..see Charlie Crist) to put her reputation on the line to run for Governor!
So here is what all Democrats should do from now on…
Follow the lead of many of Florida’s big Unions, who are also upset at what’s going on at the FDP, who have cut off their money from the FDP gravy train…
Don’t give the Florida Democratic Party a penny..not a cent!
Instead, please give individually and directly to the Democratic candidate (not committee!) of your choice.
There are plenty of good deserving Democratic candidates who really need your help.
If you want to help Democrats, give to you local Hispanic, Black or GLBT Caucuses, Clubs and DEC’s because they really need your help and and they will work to elect good Democrats on a local level.
Oh and Dave is absolutely right about Leader Rouson, he HAS proven himself through many scars and battles against the Republicans and HE deserves our help too.
This way, by not giving to the FDP, you can make damn sure that your money doesn’t go down the drain to some “friend” of Scott Arceneaux, Christain Ulmert or Allison Tant and you can give your money directly to fellow deserving Democrats to give them a fighting chance to win.
If we are all lucky, with no money for support, then the stooges at the FDP will hopefully quit and give up so we can all admit that we were wrong and ask a true leader like Alan Clendenin or anyone else who pledges to CLEAN HOUSE at the FDP, to bail us out of this mess we created.
LikeLike