Gordon blasts extension of Democratic state cmte seat terms; Sees effort to block progressive gains

by Kimberly Nevas

A North Cambridge resident and a founding leader of the city’s Progressive Democrats failed to reverse the extension of terms from two years to fours years of the special diversity seats on the Democratic State Committee at its Nov. 15 meeting in Malden.

The extension cancels the party elections for the 80 of the committee seats that were two-year term seat committee scheduled to be contested early next year, said Jesse Gordon, a party activist, who lost his first bid for city council in November.

The change, along with other charter amendments passed at the May state party convention, is part of an effort to keep more progressive members of the party, like himself, off the committee, he said.

“They didn’t bring it up at all,” he said.

“The vote in May was the only vote they needed to call off these elections.  We had a whole lineup of people ready to introduce the issue when they called it off,” he said. 

Because Gordon is not a committee member, he said he could not take the initiative to speak. 

“Even the most cynical among us are astounded at the blatancy of this anti-democratic display,” he said.    
Carol Coakley, a committeewoman from Millis, said she regrets not speaking up at the Malden meeting.

“It was sketchy how the vote was handled at the convention.  They’re not allowing members to discuss and vote on so many issues,” she said.

“While I would not be opposed to becoming a four-year member, I think I should have to run for it,” she said.

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