MINORITY REPORT of the ACCREDITATION COMMITTEE
concerning the 2002 EXPANSION DELEGATION
of the GREEN PARTY of CALIFORNIA
to the COORDINATING COMMITTEE
jointly submitted by Art Goodtimes, David Pollard & Thomas McGuire
Supporting documents:
- Chronology of events
- Criteria used by the Accreditations Committee
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As a new chair on this committee, it has been difficult disagreeing with fellow AC members who've had far greater experience in Green national politics than I and who have personal knowledge of the meetings in which many of the rules and policies were established.
Nevertheless, my reading of the rules and bylaws suggests that the AC was directed to "err on the side of permissiveness" in our actions for affiliation, and presumably to do the same with the new expansion delegate process.
Nevertheless, my reading of the rules and bylaws suggests that the AC was directed to "err on the side of permissiveness" in our actions for affiliation, and presumably to do the same with the new expansion delegate process.
While I understand we are all proceeding on new ground in trying to establish a new Green national party and many decisions come down to interpretation and setting precedent, I agree with several who have pointed out that we should tread lightly as a national party in interfering in the internal affairs of a state party.
As lead chair for this review, I have tried to entertain as much individual inquiry and investigation into a state application for expansion delegates as an individual committee member would want to make. And in doing that, I believe legitimate issues and concerns have been raised.
I would defend the clarifications the AC sought of California in reviewing their revised application as appropriate and legitimate. However, only a minority of us were trusting of the representations made by California's leadership, as the well as the minutes provided, and felt they were sufficient to meet our criteria for accreditation.
Although the minority believes that committee process consistently followed the rules and procedures presented the AC and that California's clarifications satisfied the process inquiries (the only ones I deemed appropriate to ask of California], the majority opinion nevertheless has rightly raised the issues of diversity and process, and their concerns need to be heard and addressed by the CC.
However, at no time did the minority consider diversity as a criteria on which we could deny the seating of California's delegates, as we found no basis for such a judgment in our mandate as an Accreditation Committee.
Art Goodtimes
Chair