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Friday, Aug. 15, 2008

Clinton backers challenge change to Ky. delegate roster

Say Palumbo should be replaced with a Clinton supporter

Kentucky supporters of Hillary Rodham Clinton say the Kentucky Democratic Party has violated rules by substituting a backer of Barack Obama for a Clinton supporter in the delegation that will attend the national convention in Denver later this month.

About two dozen Clinton faithful in Kentucky signed an official challenge filed to the Democratic National Convention’s credentials committee to revoke the delegate status for state Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo, D-Lexington, who backed Obama in the primary, and give her spot to a Clinton supporter.

This controversy started after the party had to make three changes in the delegation’s roster after officials erred at the state party’s convention in June by selecting more male delegates than female. National Democratic Party bylaws require delegations to include as many women as men.

Three men — all Clinton supporters — resigned from their spots: Jeff Harney, a Northern Kentucky Democrat selected as an at-large delegate; Jesus Menendez, a pledged-Clinton delegate; and state Treasurer Todd Hollenbach, who also backed Clinton in the primary and was selected as a party leader/elected official delegate.

Last month, Harney was replaced with female Clinton supporter Sarah Allen, while Menendez’s wife and fellow Clinton backer Shirley Menendez took his place.

But Kentucky Democratic Party Chairwoman Jennifer Moore announced at the same time that Palumbo would take Hollenbach’s place.

Palumbo, however, was a staunch Obama supporter. She served with former Sen. David Karem and Louisville Metro Councilman David Tandy on a “truth squad” for Obama before the May primary, attended the opening of the Obama Lexington campaign headquarters and was counted among the Obama supporters at the 6th Congressional District convention on June 7.

Palumbo could not be reached for comment.

According to the challenge, Democratic Sen. Gerald Neal, another pledged delegate and Obama supporter, had even offered to give his spot to his wife to help even out the genders.

The challenge, filed late Wednesday, says that Hollenbach “was not appropriately replaced and instead must be replaced by a known pledged female Clinton” party leader/elected official delegate.

The state Democratic Party has up to 10 days to respond. Party officials declined to comment on the specifics until that time, but released a general statement.

“The DNC certified the entire Kentucky delegation, and we are focused on going to Denver and electing Senator Barack Obama as our nominee,” said the statement. “This year more than ever it is important to be unified as Democrats, and we are ready to work hard to elect Senator Obama to the White House.”

Olivia Anne Morris Fuchs, a key Kentucky organizer for Clinton, said she and those who are attending the Denver convention all seek the same thing: “a unified, energized, recharged Democratic Party,” but not at the expense of the rule book.

While Obama amassed enough pledged delegates to secure the nomination during the marathon primary season, both Obama’s and Clinton’s names will be put up to the delegates for votes at the convention, which begins Aug. 25 and culminates Aug. 28 with Obama’s address.

Obama’s campaign encouraged Clinton’s name to be placed in nomination “as a show of unity and in recognition of the historic race she ran and the fact that she was the first woman to compete in all of our nation’s primary contests,” said a joint statement from the Obama and Clinton campaigns.

About 70 Kentucky Democrats — including delegates, alternates and appointed convention pages — will be heading to Denver for the convention.