Case Brief

Violation: Coordinated Campaign to Suppress Dissent

After the illegitimate formation of the Affirmative Action Committee, evidence shows a coordinated campaign to suppress opposition. DNC supervisor Harold Ickes provided strategic advice to a non-voting officer, while internally, leadership used concealed scripts and procedural violations to exclude minority representatives.

What began as an illegitimate formation evolved into active suppression directed from the highest levels. A DNC Rules Committee member—tasked with ensuring fair oversight—instead provided repeated strategic advice to neutralize elected minority representatives. His admission that he told the Parliamentarian 'god knows how many times' to 'out vote' specific members reveals this wasn't passive supervision but active conspiracy. This external direction was executed internally through scripted attacks marked 'DO NOT FORWARD,' organized social media campaigns, and systematic exclusion of minority caucus chairs from governance. When challenged via proper procedure, leadership simply subverted the rules: they unilaterally reversed a valid vote, mislabeled substantive bylaws to ram them through without proper notice, and imported a biased presiding officer to ensure their passage. These actions were so procedurally corrupt that the party's own Board of Appeals later declared the entire meeting invalid.
Proofs documented 5 Across this record

Record Metadata

Timeframe
August - September 2021
Focus
Suppression of Dissent & Procedural Abuse in the AAC
Primary Documents
Harold Ickes Transcript, Board of Appeals Resolution, Mary Ann Claytor Email, Scripted Attack Emails

Key Findings

  • A DNC Rules Committee member admitted repeatedly advising a non-voting official to 'out vote' elected minority representatives, corrupting the supervisory role into active conspiracy.
  • Leadership orchestrated a campaign of organized retaliation, using concealed scripts marked 'DO NOT FORWARD THIS EMAIL' and coordinated social media attacks to destroy opposition.
  • Democratic processes were systematically subverted through procedural abuse, culminating in a meeting so flawed it was officially invalidated by the WVDP's Board of Appeals.

Documented Violations

2 incidents traced in this record

Violation: DNC Supervisor Provided Strategic Advice to Non-Voting Officer

Harold Ickes stated in a recorded meeting: 'I've said to Selina god knows how many times you know what at bottom you gotta out vote' Seth and Mari.

Harold Ickes, a DNC Rules Committee member supervising the MOU implementation, advised Selina Vickers, the non-voting compliance officer, on strategies to neutralize specific elected members. This advice was documented by multiple witnesses and confirmed in Ickes' own recorded statements.

ConsequenceThe supervisory relationship was compromised when strategic advice was provided to suppress elected members.

  • Harold Ickes served on the DNC RBC tasked with supervising the MOU implementation.
  • Selina Vickers served as the non-voting compliance officer under the MOU.
  • Ickes stated he repeatedly told Vickers to 'out vote' Seth and Mari Sturm, elected Indigenous Caucus chairs.
  • Mary Ann Claytor documented hearing Ickes' admission of this advice.
  • Scripts attacking members included instructions: 'DO NOT FORWARD THIS EMAIL.'

Related proofs

Violation: Procedural Violations Excluded Minority Representatives

The WVDP Board of Appeals ruled the AAC held improperly noticed meetings and denied members subcommittee seats.

Leadership reversed a democratic vote without proper procedure, excluded Indigenous and Black caucus chairs from subcommittees, and conducted meetings that were later invalidated by the party's Board of Appeals.

ConsequenceThe Board of Appeals invalidated the proceedings due to multiple violations.

  • The committee voted for a volunteer-based subcommittee system.
  • Leadership declared subcommittees would be 'by appointment' without proper reconsideration.
  • Indigenous and Black caucus chairs were denied subcommittee seats.
  • Documents titled 'procedural rules' contained substantive bylaws requiring 30-day notice.
  • The Board of Appeals ruled the meeting invalid.

Related proofs

Pattern of Coordinated Suppression

The evidence shows: (1) A DNC supervisor provided strategic advice to neutralize elected members; (2) Scripts were distributed with concealment instructions; (3) Democratic votes were reversed without proper procedure; (4) Minority representatives were excluded from governance; (5) The Board of Appeals found multiple violations. This pattern demonstrates coordinated action to suppress dissent and exclude minority voices.

Proofs in this Record

5 curated proofs

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