By Hope Johnson
July 24, 2009
A San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee (DCCC) resolution urging Speaker Nancy Pelosi to co-sponsor a bill demanding a US exit strategy from Afghanistan, was opposed Wednesday by US Senator Dianne Feinstein, California Senator Mark Leno and Assemblymember Fiona Ma.
Pelosi Deputy District Director Melanie Nutter and candidate for District 8 Supervisor Scott Weiner also dissented.
The DCCC resolution urges Speaker Pelosi to co-sponsor house bill H.R. 2404, co-sponsored by Rep. Jackie Speier, requiring the Secretary of Defense to submit to Congress a report outlining the government’s military exit strategy of US forces participating in Operation Enduring Freedom.
H.R. 2404 was introduced by Rep. James McGovern (D-MA) May 14 after attempts to tie war appropriations to an explicit exit strategy failed. It has 96 co-sponsors.
The resolution passed with a majority of DCCC memberhip support.
Nutter initially objected to calling on Pelosi to co-sponsor H.R. 2404, a position Nutter admitted taking previously on several anti-war resolutions.
“Because I do work for her and am Deputy Director during the day, I feel compelled to point out a technicality in the resolution,” Nutter said. “The Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi does not co-sponsor legislation as the Speaker. If we are going to be the savvy body that we all are, being very involved in politics, I have an issue with the fact that hasn’t been changed because it’s something that I have regularly advocated and talked about, what is, and is not, within the scope of what we can ask of the Speaker.”
Anticipating an objection, DCCC Fourth Vice Chair Michael Goldstein and Bernal Heights Democratic Club President Tom Gallagher, co-authors of the DCCC resolution, provided Nutter with documentation showing Pelosi previously co-sponsored legislation as Speaker. One such bill, H.R. 2956, requires the “Secretary of Defense to commence the reduction of the number of United States Armed Forces in Iraq to a limited presence.”
Nutter said she would research whether Pelosi as Speaker of the House is barred by congressional house rules from co-sponsoring legislation, or whether she chooses not to for political reasons.
“I will clarify this as much as I can tomorrow,” she said. “I don’t know exactly, but I understand that it’s her prerogative. I don’t know if it is law. I can tell you that out of the dozens of policy advisors that we work with in Washington D.C., the answer to co-sponsorship is ‘no.’ So, I don’t know. That is the answer that we get as staff.”
“The facts couldn’t be clearer,” responded Gallagher. “This is a complete list of the legislation that Speaker Pelosi co-sponsored. I found parallel legislation to require the secretary of defense to commence the reduction of the number of US armed forces in Iraq. Let me point out this is sponsored by Speaker Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, the late Tom Lantos, and former Representative Rahm Emanuel – the current chief of staff in the white house. This is clear. I don’t know what they tell constituents. The record is clear.”
“Given the fact that this war is approaching its eighth year and yet casualties, military and civilian, are increasing, and given the fact that the budget total is now approaching half a trillion dollars in this war in the midst of the greatest financial crisis this country’s seen since the great depression, it’s my strong opinion that San Francisco voters and, more specifically, San Francisco Democrats would expect this body to support a resolution like this,” Gallagher said. “And, more importantly, we expect their representatives in Congress of all branches to support this legislation in the House and to introduce comparable legislation in the Senate.”
Several DCCC members, including Senator Leno proxy Julius Turman, objected to additional resolution language urging Senators Barbara Boxer and Feinstein to introduce similar legislation in the US Senate.
Turman requested revising the resolution to be generic, requesting the removal of elected officials by name. A motion to strike citations by name, made by DCCC member Matthew Tuchow, was rejected by the panel on the grounds a watered down version would alleviate accountability and commitment to ending the war.
“We are here to empower our representatives and the President to move forward with the wishes of the majority of San Franciscans and, I believe, the majority of the people of the United States and the Democratic Party,” Goldstein said. “I’ve heard the people that elected all of us. I truly believe what we are saying today is the right thing to do. I have heard this type of reasoning done time and time again here at the Central Committee. This is the third time I have heard this same amendment to take the names out, forget about taking our responsibility to empower our representatives.”
“I want this message to be to the representatives who vote for us, who are our voice,” said DCCC Treasurer Debra Walker. “This message needs to go to these exact people who are listed.”
Luke Thomas contributed to this report.
The Hunger Site
October 1, 2009 at 4:59 pm
P.S.: It was Dianne Feinstein who invited Fleet Week and the Blue Angels Air Show here in 1981, eight years after the end of the draft, six years after the end of the Vietnam War, and three years after the assassination of Harvey Milk.
October 1, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I didn’t even notice this in July, when we were still fighting Leno’s S.B. 792. How thoroughly unpleasant can Mark Leno and Fiona Ma get?
And Scott Wiener. . . the obvious candidate for Bevan Dufty’s corporate, pro-war seat on the Board, in District #8.
September 24, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Early days to “pitch his tent”. Where ya been for the past 4 years Pat?
July 25, 2009 at 11:03 am
“Interesting” to note in which camp Scott pitched his tent. It’s early days but .. we are watching.