By Billy House
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
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WASHINGTON -- The panel that stripped Florida of its Democratic presidential delegates should not keep its review of whether that decision was proper “under a cloak of secrecy,” says Florida's Democratic senator, Bill Nelson.
But Monday, the Democratic National Committee continued to keep under wraps a two-week-old opinion prepared by DNC lawyers.
That recommendation regarding an official challenge filed by a Florida national committeeman, Jon Ausman, is “a completely private document,” insist party officials who have rejected several requests by The Tampa Tribune and Media General News Service for a copy.
On Monday, Nelson and Democrat Rep. Alcee Hastings of Miramar announced they, too, have been told the legal recommendations are confidential and could even be adopted without a public hearing.
“It is completely inconsistent with the commitment to an open party to keep … actions on this appeal under a cloak of secrecy,” complained Nelson and Hastings, in a letter they wrote April 3 to the DNC, which they released publicly Monday.
Meanwhile, Ausman said he has yet to hear anything from the Rules Committee co-chairmen and other DNC officials on the status of his appeal – though he says he telephones them every day. He says he does not know what the DNC lawyers have recommended.
“I happen to agree with Nelson and Hastings that it's time for this process to be opened up for scrutiny,” he said.
James Roosevelt Jr., and Alexis Herman, the co-chairs of the rules committee, did not return telephone calls Monday.
But in interviews with The Tribune earlier this month -- including late last week -- Roosevelt said he and Herman are reviewing the DNC staff recommendation.
The two co-chairs, he said, are not required to involve other rules committee members in granting any or all parts of the challenge, or denying them.
But Roosevelt and Herman could, if they choose, call a meeting of the entire rules committee to decide whether to overturn their action against Florida Democrats last fall.
DNC spokesman Luis Miranda declined Monday to go beyond that.
“The co-chairs are now reviewing the recommendation, when they decide how to proceed, it will be made public,” he said.
Said Ausman: “I think the co-chairs are being very disrespectful, discourteous and unprofessional to have five weeks to review the appeal -- and I have not heard word one from them yet,” he added. “They would not treat their dog this way. But they are treating Florida in this appeal less than they would treat their dog.”
In his arguments, Ausman said the committee's decision to strip Florida of all of its delegates was too severe because party rules say that cutting the delegation by half was appropriate.
He also argues the state's 26 superdelegates — such as members of Congress and others not determined by the primary vote — cannot be banned from convention voting under the DNC's charter.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7112 or bhouse@mediageneral.com.
But Monday, the Democratic National Committee continued to keep under wraps a two-week-old opinion prepared by DNC lawyers.
That recommendation regarding an official challenge filed by a Florida national committeeman, Jon Ausman, is “a completely private document,” insist party officials who have rejected several requests by The Tampa Tribune and Media General News Service for a copy.
On Monday, Nelson and Democrat Rep. Alcee Hastings of Miramar announced they, too, have been told the legal recommendations are confidential and could even be adopted without a public hearing.
“It is completely inconsistent with the commitment to an open party to keep … actions on this appeal under a cloak of secrecy,” complained Nelson and Hastings, in a letter they wrote April 3 to the DNC, which they released publicly Monday.
Meanwhile, Ausman said he has yet to hear anything from the Rules Committee co-chairmen and other DNC officials on the status of his appeal – though he says he telephones them every day. He says he does not know what the DNC lawyers have recommended.
“I happen to agree with Nelson and Hastings that it's time for this process to be opened up for scrutiny,” he said.
James Roosevelt Jr., and Alexis Herman, the co-chairs of the rules committee, did not return telephone calls Monday.
But in interviews with The Tribune earlier this month -- including late last week -- Roosevelt said he and Herman are reviewing the DNC staff recommendation.
The two co-chairs, he said, are not required to involve other rules committee members in granting any or all parts of the challenge, or denying them.
But Roosevelt and Herman could, if they choose, call a meeting of the entire rules committee to decide whether to overturn their action against Florida Democrats last fall.
DNC spokesman Luis Miranda declined Monday to go beyond that.
“The co-chairs are now reviewing the recommendation, when they decide how to proceed, it will be made public,” he said.
Said Ausman: “I think the co-chairs are being very disrespectful, discourteous and unprofessional to have five weeks to review the appeal -- and I have not heard word one from them yet,” he added. “They would not treat their dog this way. But they are treating Florida in this appeal less than they would treat their dog.”
In his arguments, Ausman said the committee's decision to strip Florida of all of its delegates was too severe because party rules say that cutting the delegation by half was appropriate.
He also argues the state's 26 superdelegates — such as members of Congress and others not determined by the primary vote — cannot be banned from convention voting under the DNC's charter.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7112 or bhouse@mediageneral.com.