Real Florida Progressive William Byatt

A LETTER FROM THE CHAIR OF THE PEOPLE'S PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS OF MIAMI-DADE:

During the 2017 Democratic National Committee Chair race, members of the People's Progressive Caucus encouraged Florida's DNC members to vote for Rep. Keith Ellison to lead our Party in the four year battle against President Trump and the forces of greed that now control every branch of our Federal government. We supported Rep. Ellison because we feared that the opposing candidate, Tom Perez, would betray our values and his own promises and hamstring our capacity to communicate a vision of a bold, progressive American future. We lost that race, but the efforts of this Caucus and our allies led to significant portions of the Florida delegation casting their votes for Rep. Ellison.

Last week, Tom Perez seized the opportunity to prove our fears well-founded. After spending a year claiming to want "unity" with progressives, after spending a year asserting that the top levels of the Democratic Party should stay neutral in Democratic primaries, Tom Perez endorsed incumbent New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in his bid for re-election against progressive stalwart Cynthia Nixon.

This is unacceptable hypocrisy. Just weeks ago, Chairman Perez declined the opportunity to help elect America's first black woman governor on the grounds that he wouldn't involve himself in primaries.

Unless, of course, it's a primary that involves a long-time corporate Democrat, with deep ties to megadonors, who represents the dynastic element of our Party.

In the coming days the Board of this Caucus will be releasing a public statement to media condemning Chairman Perez's actions, and we will be calling on other Democratic Party organizations and institutions 
to do the same.

On Tuesday, June 12, the Miami-Dade DEC will be holding a general body meeting, where many of our members will be joining together to raise a motion of censure 
against the Chairman.

Until then, I ask all of our members to take action in whatever Party bodies and organizations they belong to. To raise motions, write letters, and push back. We expect this kind of self-serving hypocrisy from the President and his Congress, but we cannot accept it from our own Party.

- William Byatt,
Chair, People's Progressive Caucus of Miami-Dade