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HarryHurley.com has obtained Atlantric City Democratic Party Chairman Bob McDevitt's letter to New Jersey State Denmocratic Party Chairman Joseph Cryan ...

 

By HARRY HURLEY

Editor & Publisher

HarryHurley.com

 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2009

12:00 NOON

 

McDEVITT IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE STATE PARTY SELECT ATLANTIC CITY COUNCILMAN MARTY SMALL AS THE FORMALLY ENDORSED ATLANTIC CITY DEMOCRATIC PARTY ENDORSED CANDIDATE

 

Here is the letter as follows: 

 

 

March 24, 2009

 

 

Joseph Cryan, Chairman

New Jersey State Democratic Committee

196 West State Street

Trenton, NJ 08608

 

            On Monday March 16^th, the Atlantic City Democratic Committee held a Mayor’s Candidate forum.  All four announced candidates were present and participated fully.  Fifty out of the 52 elected committee members were in attendance.  The forum was constructive and informative.  After all candidates had been afforded an opportunity to respond to a series of questions, both pre-selected and on the spot by our duly elected committee, a secret ballot vote was conducted.  The result of the secret ballot vote was a deadlock with the following results:

 

Lorenzo Langford   24

Marty Small              24

Dennis Mason          1

David Tayoun           1

 

Several procedural objections were raised by the Langford supporters on the committee following a second count of the ballots.  A synopsis of each objection is as follows:

 

1-     A hand made ballot with accompanying letter was presented to me in a sealed envelope by Vice President Iris Hernandez on behalf of the committee member Warren Massey who was not in attendance that evening.  I suggested that Mrs. Hernandez keep possession of the envelope until the State Democratic Party could determine whether the ballot was valid.  Langford supporters objected and I responded that I did not believe the ballot was valid but would defer to the Party leadership once a determination was issued.

 

2-     Mayor Langford raised an objection stating that elected officials should be allowed to vote on the municipal endorsement.  I ruled his objection out of order but assured him I would present his objection to the State Democratic Committee and would enforce whatever decision was rendered by the party on the issue.

 

3-     Langford supporters objected to my assertion that under Robert’s Rules of Order I had an obligation as the Party Chair to break a deadlock.  After some discussion with Langford supporters on the committee, I stated that I would withhold my vote and present the objection to State Democratic Party Officials.  Again, I committed to follow the determination of party leadership on the matter.

 

After lengthy discussion on the merits of these objections Mr. Paul Josephson, General Counsel to the New Jersey State Democratic Committee, issued a written opinion to you, of which I have received a copy.  Mr. Josephson determined that the first and second of the Langford objections lacked merit and thereafter sustained my decision to set aside the self styled “absentee ballot” submitted by committee member Warren Massey.  Similarly, Mr. Josephson rejected Mayor Langford’s assertion that all elected officials in Atlantic City had a right to vote on a municipal endorsement vote held by Atlantic City Democratic Committee.

 

On the third objection as to whether or not the Chair has an obligation to break a deadlock under Robert’s Rules of Order as they apply to the Atlantic City Democratic Committee by-laws, Mr. Josephson determined that while the Chair could break a deadlock, the decision of the Chair could be challenged in court by Langford supporters on the committee.  After much reflection, I have come to the decision that exercising my authority under Robert’s Rules of Order as they apply to the Atlantic City by-laws would be a valid decision on my part but that decision would be challenged by Langford supporters on the committee in court and that would once again bring this committee under a cloud of suspicion.  The result of a judicial challenge would be to undermine the credibility of the Atlantic City Democratic Committee, the credibility that myself and many of our members have worked very hard to restore.  For this reason, I will not exercise my right under Robert’s Rules of Order to break the current committee deadlock.

 

Although I will not cast a ballot, I do believe it is my responsibility as City Chair to bring this issue to resolution.   I therefore suggest that you, as State Chair, resolve our municipal impasse by providing Councilman Marty Small with the endorsed position on the County line for the June Mayoral Primary in Atlantic City.  As the Atlantic City Chair I make this recommendation for the following reasons:

 

1.      Mayor Langford has displayed open contempt on many occasions, both public and private, for the Atlantic County Democratic Committee and its role in local politics.

 

2.      Mayor Langford has a consistent record of failure in his attempts to build a relationship with party officials outside of Atlantic City.

 

3.      Mayor Langford’s ongoing legal troubles regarding violations of the Hatch Act and his outstanding financial liability, which today has yet to be paid in full to the city; has undermined his credibility in the minds of many Atlantic City residents.

 

4.      Mayor Langford has been unsuccessful in developing a working relationship with two Democratic Governors and numerous officials, both elected and appointed, on the State and County levels during his tenure as Mayor.

 

5.      For a sitting Mayor, who has held the office for five out of the last eight years, to fail to secure a clear victory in an internal party endorsement process brings into serious question his ability to sustain a strong, well funded challenge in the primary.

 

6.      Mayor Langford, to date, has never developed a working relationship with either city council as a body or any of the municipal unions that he has engaged during his extended tenure as mayor.  This calls into question his ability to sustain a primary challenge.

 

7.      Recently at the Atlantic County Democratic Convention held this past Sunday, Mayor Langford again displayed his contempt for the party leadership.  Moments before Governor Corzine took the stage to deliver the keynote address, Mayor Langford and his political allies left the meeting.  This left the Atlantic City delegation with the only vacant tables during the Governor’s address.  I assume this was meant to send a message of displeasure to party officials on behalf of the Langford team.  What it really did was to underscore Mayor Langford’s inability to work with people outside his inner circle.  Also, it was an embarrassment to the many other Atlantic City delegates who stayed for the governor’s address.

 

Mayor Langford’s shortcomings in building relationships with constituents and party leaders are in stark contrast to Marty Small’s strong record of willingness to cooperate outside of Atlantic City for the benefit of Atlantic City residents.  Councilman Small has displayed a strong desire to work closely with County and State Party officials as well as other elected Atlantic County Democratic leaders.   I believe that Councilman Small, if elected Mayor, will be a strong ally for the Democratic Party on both the County and State level.  In my conversations with Councilman Small, he has made clear to me that he believes the only way to move Atlantic City forward is to work closely with Chairman Darcy and to integrate Atlantic City politics with those of the Atlantic County Democrats.

 

I thank you for your consideration.  Please contact me at your earliest convenience when you make your decision.

 

 

            Sincerely,

 

 

            C. Robert McDevitt

            Atlantic City Democratic Committee

 

      cc: Pat D’Arcy, Atlantic County Democratic Committee Chairman