The Four Freedoms Democratic Club Executive Committee has passed a resolution supporting reforms to the County Committee Rules. These reforms are targeted at making the County Committee more transparent.

Four Freedoms Democratic Club Resolution 2017-004

Whereas Article II of the Constitution of the Four Freedoms Democratic Club states that the Club’s purpose is “to democratize the political process and encourage popular involvement in it” and “to encourage the participation of all Democrats in the affairs of their party,” and

Whereas many rules of the Democratic Committee of New York County are antiquated, make transparency difficult, and often serve to stifle informed participation of elected county committee members and district leaders in Party matters, and 

Whereas the rules of the Democratic Committee of New York County set unreasonably high thresholds for bringing business before the Committee, leaving much of the agenda at the discretion of the County Leader, and

Whereas, in certain cases, the State Election Law grants unjustifiably broad authority to County Leader to influence the choice of the Democratic nominee, and

Whereas, in recent instances Committee Members felt the County Leader did not listen to their voices, and

Whereas, at the 2017 Organizing Meeting of the Democratic Committee of New York County a slate of proposed changes to the rules meant to rectify these problems were proposed by a group of progressive District Leaders, and the Committee moved to study them and consider their adoption at a later date,

Be it hereby resolved that the Four Freedoms Democratic Club:

1. Supports efforts to engage Members of the Democratic Committee of New York County in an open and collaborative process to modernize and reform the rules of the Democratic Committee of New York County;
2. Believes the amendments proposed at the 2017 Organizing Meeting of the Democratic Committee of New York County are overdue steps to modernize the Democratic Party in Manhattan, would help the Party move towards openness & integrity, and should form the foundation for any changes to the rules; and
3. Will continue to participate in and support efforts by County Committee Members and District Leaders elected in the 76^th Assembly District to see them and other necessary reforms enacted.