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© 2013 The Sandwich Democratic Town Committee
At its September meeting the Sandwich Democratic Town Committee honored outgoing State Party Chair John Walsh for his years of dedicated service and of support and assistance to the Committee and local Democratic activists. Committee Chair Paul Houlihan presented John with a letter of commendation and appreciation, as well as with a rare photograph (see accompanying picture). The photograph was taken by a Cape Cod
Canal Ranger. It shows the sun setting over the location of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, sending its light under both the Bourne and Sagamore bridges, and across the Canal waters. This is an event, the Committee was told, that only occurs twice a year and for around a minute each time. (Visit our Galleryto see more pictures from this and other events.)
The text of the commendation letter follows:
Sandwich Democratic Town Committee
P.O. Box 50
Sandwich, Ma 02563
September 16, 2013
John Walsh, Chair
Massachusetts Democratic Party
77 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02210
Dear John:
This is a letter of deep appreciation for your overall role as State Party Chair, and especially for your support of the Sandwich Democratic Town Committee. Your understanding and commitment to real grass roots organizing has made a critical difference in the outcome of all recent elections in Massachusetts. You have demonstrated beyond any doubt that this is the work that wins elections.
Our Town Committee has also benefitted immeasurably from your ongoing support, training and mentoring. You were here when we opened our campaign offices. You were here on Sunday mornings during campaign season to explain strategy and train our volunteers. You were with us ‘out on the doors.’ You were with us when we needed data to better understand primary and general election dynamics in the 5th Barnstable District. Each of these actions demonstrated real leadership. All of these together have shown us your commitment to all of us who toil at the local level. For this we are most grateful.
As you move on we want to extend our best wishes for continued success. Please know that you have our deep admiration, both as a person and a real professional.
On behalf of the Sandwich Democratic Town Committee.
Paul Houlihan
Chair
(Editor’s Note: the following message was sent to all of the Cape and Islands Democratic Town Committees recently by Joan Holt of the Truro DTC. The Free Press editors believe that the message is one we would like to share with our readership.)
Following a successful effort to elect Elizabeth Warren in 2012, the Truro Democratic Town Committee decided that, in addition to electing Democratic candidates, we will also focus our efforts on the fight against climate change. Our members, for some time, have been deeply concerned after hearing talks by Bill McKibben and others on the horrendous climate changes that the state, country and the whole world are facing.
Our plan is to organize strong support for legislation on Beacon Hill that will most effectively attack the climate change issue. We have reviewed the current climate-related bills that are pending in the State Senate and House, of which there are as many as twenty.
The first bill we will be advocating for is S.1225, An Act Relative to Public Investment in Fossil Fuels. Introduced by State Senator Ben Downing, this bill is aimed at divesting State funds, including the public employee pension funds from holdings in fossil fuel companies. The bill provides an opportunity for Democrats to take action in line with the new 2013 State Democratic Party Platform that explicitly supports “Divesting public pensions, trusts and other financial instruments away from producers of non-renewable energy sources in favor of green and renewable energy producers.”
S. 1225 comes before the Joint Committee on Public Service for a public hearing on Tuesday, September 10th, at 11 am. There will be a rally organized by 350.org for the bill at 9:30 am in front of the State House. Members of the Truro Democratic Committee will be attending both the rally and the hearing. Our hope is that members of other Cape Democratic Town Committees will join us.
On Tuesday, September 3rd, the Truro Democratic Committee will hold a strategy meeting for this event, at the Council for the Aging in Truro, at 7 pm. Please join us if you can.
For information, contact Truro Democratic Town Committee members Joan Holt capejoanholt [at] comcast [dot] net or Jane Rudd jruddcape [at] comcast [dot] net.
To read the bill: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S1225
Sendwritten testimony or a letter of support for S.1225 to:
Senator William N. Brownsberger
Representative Aaron Michlewitz
Joint Committee on Public Service
State House
Boston, MA 02133
The Chair of the Sandwich Democratic Town Committee, Paul Houlihan, has sent the following message to state senator and gubernatorial candidate Dan Wolf. We are posting it in the Free Press per Paul’s request.
Hi Dan:
I just read your statement concerning the Ethics Commission ruling and your decision to suspend your gubernatorial campaign and resign your Senate seat. I’m so sorry that you have been forced into this decision. Those of us who support and work for a progressive and transparent government are losing a real leader and thoughtful official. We were greatly energized by your remarks at our July meeting of the Sandwich Democratic Town Committee. Please know that you have our best wishes and greatest respect.
Paul Houlihan, Chair
Sandwich Democratic Town Committee
Sent on August 22, 2013, 7:35 AM
State Senator Dan Wolf has announced in a communique to his followers that without a change in the Ethics Commission’s ruling he will resign his seat in the State Senate and suspend his campaign for governor as of August 29, 2013. Wolf states in his message that the Commission has given him only two choices: 1) give up all contracts/leases Cape Air has with MassPort (stop flying there), or 2) divest completely from the company. Neither of those are viable options in his opinion, so he writes that:
And so, without a change in the Ethics Commission’s position, I will resign my Senate seat effective Thursday, August 29. I would do so under duress. I would do so believing that the Cape and Islands Senatorial district is being denied duly elected representation. Until this matter is resolved, I am suspending my efforts to become the next Governor of Massachusetts, believing that unless this ruling is changed I cannot conduct a campaign for real economic and social justice, defining a bright future for the Commonwealth that includes affordable public education, a rebuilt infrastructure, and healthy partnerships between the public and private sectors.
State Senator Dan Wolf
To read the complete announcement click on: Wolf Resignation and Suspension Announcement
An opinion piece in this morning’s Cape Cod Times, “Is Ethics Commission crying wolf,” makes for interesting reading. It seems to raise questions and concerns that Democrats have raised ever since the Commission’s ruling was announced. See the recent post by Alex Morash in the Free Press for an example: A Question of Ethics in the Ethics Commission.
In the editorial, the Times asserts:
From our point of view, it appears the Ethics Commission is taking a rather strict and narrow view of state conflict-of-interest laws. After all, the airline’s contracts with Massport have been renewed month to month and year to year since 2002. The rental rates are the same for each airline operating out of the same terminal. So if the Massport contract with Cape Air is essentially fixed and nonnegotiable, and all airlines get the same deal, where’s the conflict of interest?
Check out the editorial and join the conversation.
(Editor’s Note: This post was submitted by guest contributor Alex Morash of Yarmouth Port, former member of the Democratic State Committee)
Recently the State Ethics Commission issued a ruling stating Senator Dan Wolf has a conflict of interest and they believe he needs to disinvest in Cape Air or end his bid for Governor.
Now before I weigh in on this decision I want to say that I consider Dan Wolf and Steve Grossman friends. Treasurer Grossman has invited me into his home and has been very kind to me and the people of Cape Cod. I have also had great experiences with Senator Wolf. After the 2010 primary where my candidate was defeated by Senator Wolf, I sat down with him and found him to be a great, passionate progressive. I was glad to help get Dan Wolf elected to the Senate that year. Between the two for Governor I have not decided on whom to support. But, I want the option to vote for either one of them, and I think both have a right to be on the ballot!
This ethics ruling is flawed and raises more questions about the Ethics Commission than it does about any particular candidate. The ruling found that since Cape Air pays Massport to use Logan Airport, that it is a non-competitive contract, this is a conflict of interest. However, when examining the details of what the Ethics Commission calls a contract, it looks more like paying any other fee to the government.
The Facts
- This so-called contract is not negotiated, all airlines pay the same rent based on square feet.
- This so-called contract is profit neutral. Rent per square foot is determined on maintaining the property. Massport receives no profit from this rent, and tax payers pay nothing to maintain the property.
- This so-called contract is not exclusive. Massport is federally mandated to accept all applicants that pay the fee.
Once these truths come out, this so-called conflict of interest starts to fade away. Senator Wolf cannot manipulate the fee his business pays, and he is not granted any exclusive rights at the airport. Cape Air is paying a fee just as any other airline. There is not even the appearance of a conflict because he has no mechanism to create a conflict.
This ruling is silly once the facts are brought to light. Under the Ethics Commission’s logic a frequent user of I-90 should be barred from running for office if they sign up for an easy pass. That too is a contract with the state, that anyone can purchase and rates are not negotiated. Shall we remove the quarter of the state legislators who commute from Western Massachusetts?
State Senator Dan Wolf Addresses SDTC Meeting After Announcing Candidacy for Governor
Stunning news is reported as the lead story in the Cape Cod Times this morning. Under the headline, “Ruling:Wolf Can’t Run”, the paper reports that the State Ethics Commission informed him that he cannot stand for governor, or apparently, hold his current position as a State Senator, because of his ownership of Cape Air. Wolf announced yesterday that he had been informed by the Commission that:
his ownership stake in Cape Air, combined with the airline’s service in and out of Logan International Airport in Boston, poses a conflict of interest that should prevent him from holding office. In the opinion, the commission said Wolf could remain in the governor’s race and state Senate only if Cape Air’s service to Logan Airport was discontinued — an option he said would “destroy the company” — or if he permanently divested his holdings in the airline.
Read the full story here: Ruling: Daniel Wolf can’t run
We received today a copy of an opinion piece published in the Lynn Item about food drives that the town committees of Nahant and Swampscott have been conducting since 2009. The opinion piece is by Jim Walsh of Nahant and relates the kinds of experiences he and his colleagues have had working on those monthly drives. An excerpt:
I should say that every donation given is accepted with thanks. The most touching moments are when a family emerges and the child in the family, the 10- or 12-year-old, comes forward with a little bag in his or her hand and sheepishly holds it out to a volunteer. When the little boy or girl is thanked there is invariably a wide grin and a flash of good feeling in the eyes of the young person and they look to find the eyes of their mother or father. The family walks away holding hands or arm in arm almost every time. There is a special joy in the giving
Jim Walsh, Nahant Democratic Town Committee
Everyone should take a moment to read, and enjoy, Lynn, Lynn…City of Kindness.
Just prior to officially announcing as a candidate for Governor of the Commonwealth, St. Sen. Dan Wolf (D. Harwich) committed to addressing the SDTC July monthly meeting. Despite having begun an intense campaign starting with an address to the recent State Convention Sen. Wolf held true to his commitment and spoke to the SDTC and guests at its regular monthly meeting on July 15.
The 25 or so members present listened intently and enthusiastically as Sen. Wolf traced the evolution of the social, economic, and political values that impel him to public service, starting with his early education at a Friends school in Pennsylvania where he grew up. Sen. Wolf emphasized the importance of re-balancing the distribution of wealth and realities of the American dream to restore a Democratic Party effort to advance our goals and objectives.
He maintained a positive focus on business and its importance, not just for recovering from years of eroding personal income and opportunity, but in fact resuming advancing the social and economic agendas that Democrats had initially pursued in the 1960’s and 1970’s. For more information about the senator and his candidacy please visit his official campaign web site.
Pictures from Sen. Wolf’s visit with the SDTC may be seen our photo Gallery.
The 2013 Democratic Party State Platform Convention was held on July 11th. SDTC members who served as delegates to the convention found the meeting and its preceding activities to be quite interesting, informative, and engaging. Receptions sponsored by various candidates and office-holders the night before the convention afforded everyone ample opportunity to network, relax, and renew friendships. Thanks to SDTC member Linell Grundman we are able to post several pictures taken during the receptions as well as the convention itself.
Check out our Convention Gallery.
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