Next Meeting of Committee Feb 7 in Dallas

The TDP Chair’s Advisory Committee on the Convention/Caucus System will have its next meeting at the UNT-Dallas campus (7300 Houston School Rd. Dallas, Texas 75241) on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009 from 12 noon to 2 p.m. in room 170.

The Committee has finished taking public testimony. Now, they are moving into the phase when they will begin deciding on recommended changes to the system.

Hearing Schedule Announced for Sen. West’s Committee

From an email from Boyd Richie:

The Advisory Committee on the Texas Democratic Party Convention/Caucus System will conduct a series of meetings which will be open to the public and will allow for Democrats from all across the state to share their Primary/caucus experience. If for some reason you are not able to attend any of these hearings, you are encouraged to submit written testimony by e-mailing it to the Committee at testimony@txdemocrats.org. The Committee will then consider this feedback and make recommendations to the State Democratic Executive Committee for possible changes. For more information about the committee meetings, click here.

The second meeting in this series of Advisory Committee Hearings will be held at the Harlingen Public Library in Harlingen, Texas on September 6, 2008 at 9 a.m.

Additional hearings will be held in the following cities:

September 12, 2008:            Houston, TX

October 4, 2008:                   El Paso, TX

October 17, 2008:                 Arlington, TX

October 18, 2008:                 Nacogdoches, TX

November 8, 2008:               Lubbock, TX

November 14, 2008:             Austin, TX

Letter from Boyd Richie to Senator West

The below letter was sent to Senator West by TDP Chair Boyd Richie on April 22, 2008. Richie asks West to study the issue in the window of opportunity before the state convention convenes on June 6. He asks West to “provide a formal written recommendation to the Permanent Rules Committee of the State Democratic Convention”.

Of course, West failed to provide a report or to hold any hearings before the State Convention. Now that the convention is over, West has decided he has time to do what he was asked to do before the convention.

Members of West Committee

Fred Barrow

Bill Brannon (East Texas, TDP Non-Urban/AG Caucus Committeeman)
(903) 439-1177
valwalk@verizon.net

Lee Brown (Houston, former Houston Mayor and drug Czar in Clinton administration)

Linda Burgess (Austin)

Vanessa Campbell (Morris County, NE Texas)

Yolanda Clay (El Paso, SDEC for SD 29)
(915) 203-6341
yolintexas@sbcglobal.net

Madeleine Dewar(San Antonio)

Jessica Farrar, Vice-Chair of Committee (Houston, Representative District 148)
Email Form
Capitol Office (512) 463-0620

JB Hall (San Angelo)

David Henderson (Smith County)

Gilbert Hinojosa (Brownsville, DNC Committeeman)
(956) 544-6571
ghino@maghilaw.com

JoAnn Jenkins (Waxahachie, SDEC for SD 22)
(972) 897-0963
fewzy@aol.com

DJ Johanneson (Fort Worth, SDEC for SD 10)

Sue Lovell (Houston, City Council At-Large Position 2, DNC Committeewoman)
(713) 520-6756
suelovell@aol.com

Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr (Senate District 27)
463-0127
Email Form

Barbara Mallory-Caraway (Dallas, Representative District 10)
Email Form
Capitol Office (512) 463-0664

Ken Molberg (Dallas, Candidate-95th Court; SDEC for SD 23, former Dallas County Chair)
(214) 824-1097
kmolberg@wwmlawfirm.com

Rose Salas (Houston, SDEC for SD 6)
(713) 303-0957
R72527@yahoo.com

Mary Seymore (Houston, SDEC for SD 13)
(713) 728-1353
ma26seymore@sbcglobal.net

Sharon Teal (Polk County)

Mark Veasey (Fort Worth, Representative District 95)
Email Form
Capitol Office (512) 463-0716

Rosalie Weisfeld (McAllen, SDEC for SD20)
(956) 793-5814 rweisfeld@rgv.rr.com

Sen. Royce West, Chair of Committee (Senate District 23, DNC Committeeman)
Email Form
(512) 463-0123

First Meeting of Senator West’s Committee July 7

Below is an email announcement from TDP Chair Boyd Richie:

I am pleased to inform you the first meeting of the Advisory Committee on the Texas Democratic Party Convention/Caucus System has been scheduled. Headed by Senator Royce West, this first of several meetings will convene at the Austin Community College Health Science Building, Building 9000 in the Multi Purpose Hall room 8500 in Austin, Texas on July 7, 2008 at 10:00am.  The campus is located at 3401 Webberville Rd, Austin, Texas 78702.

This Committee which Senator West and I have appointed has been charged with studying the current convention/caucus system. Furthermore, based on the testimony taken at these meetings, the committee will then consider this feedback and possibly make recommendations for changes.

While all meetings will be open to the public, the first committee meeting will be limited to invited testimony only. Senator West and the Committee members wish to use this initial meeting as an informational session. They will discuss with current and former Party leaders the history and development of the current convention/caucus system.

Those wishing to participate at this meeting are encouraged to submit written testimony to the Committee, or complete an online survey, available on the Texas Democratic Party website. Additionally, there will be other hearings held in Austin and throughout the state where public testimony will be taken in order to learn about your personal experience with the convention/caucus system. Those hearings will be scheduled at a later date.

So whether it is by completing the online survey or by attending the upcoming Committee meetings, I hope you will take a moment to share your thoughts. Your feedback will play an important role as we continue to explore our current Democratic Primary process. Only by working together will we be able to grow and strengthen as a Party.

Thank you again for helping us make your Party stronger and more unified than ever before.

Your friend and fellow Democrat,

Boyd L. Richie

Chairman