Apologies for not posting about this shitshow of a Dem Party meeting earlier. Reliving this via editing the video made me ill enough.
The meeting was Thursday, 28 Sept 2023- and the discussion was focused on who the party should endorse in the Trotwood election. If you live in Trotwood, you should be really ticked off that people who live EVERYWHERE other than Trotwood think they know more about what’s good for Trotwood than you do.
The video already has 161 views, which for a 2 hour political meeting, is a lot. I imagine the Dayton Daily news reporter who published a “story” [1] about this had to watch it too, because she wasn’t there. She also failed to tell the whole story.
If you’ve read “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, the line “all animals are equal, some animals are more equal than others” fits this local political group to a tee. They have no interest in actually electing democrats, just the ones on the “Friends and Family” program.
The way these “endorsements” are handed out is absolutely macabre, and should be grounds for the Ohio Democratic Party and the National Democratic Party to revoke their party affiliation. This is not a democratic process by any means.
First, let’s talk about who gets in this private club. I’m not welcome, despite being the properly chosen democratic candidate for Congress last year via a 4 way primary. They didn’t care what the voters said, they refused to “endorse” me- and cut me off from all party resources including access to discounted mailing that is granted to the parties. They effectively endorsed Republican Mike Turner for Congress. If that’s not grounds for removal- I’m not sure what is.
The “party” is made up of “precinct captains” – one per precinct and we have 380 precincts in Montgomery County. They’ve barely filled 2/3rds [2] of the seats. Of the folks who are in those seats, a bunch of them are either elected to office, family of those elected to office, or the employees of those who are elected to office, making it not just the “Friends and Family Plan” but “The Monarchy of Montgomery County.” The precinct captains pick a chair- in this case, Mohamed Al-Hamdani, who then picks a “screening committee” which meets and interviews candidates. I’ve written about this before [3]. They then present their “endorsements” for a vote to the random 75 or so people who show up at the meeting and on zoom.
Now, considering only elected precinct captains can even talk in these “party” meetings, we don’t even have 50% of the elected captains in attendance. Then they conduct votes without recording how each “captain” voted. Can you imagine any other elected body operating like this?
Then they proceed to trash one dem over another. Great job!
They rewrote their constitution last cycle, in 2022 [4], to automatically endorse incumbents to protect themselves, but, it does have a work around, which is what they did here- to endorse Yvette Page and Rhonda Finley over Mary McDonald and Denise Moore. (Full disclosure- I’ve done work/printing for McDonald, Moore, Scearce in the Trotwood race).
If we look at voting records for Finley, she’s barely a Democrat. 3 republican votes since 2010
Voting History (up to county’s last 40 elections):
Voted:x – 08/08/2023 Special Election
Voted:x – 11/08/2022 General Election
Voted:d – 08/02/2022 Primary Election
Voted:R – 05/03/2022 Primary Election
Voted:x – 11/02/2021 General Election
Voted:x – 11/03/2020 General Election
Voted:r – 04/28/2020 Primary Election
Voted:x – 11/05/2019 General Election
Voted:x – 05/07/2019 Primary/Special Election
Voted:x – 11/06/2018 General Election
Voted:D – 05/08/2018 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/07/2017 General Election
Voted:x – 11/08/2016 General Election
Voted:D – 03/15/2016 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/03/2015 General Election
Voted:x – 11/04/2014 General Election
Voted:X – 11/05/2013 General Election
Voted:x – 11/06/2012 General Election
Voted:R – 03/06/2012 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/08/2011 General Election
Voted:X – 05/03/2011 Primary/Special Election
Voted:x – 11/02/2010 General Election
Compare to Denise Moore:
Voting History (up to county’s last 40 elections):
Voted:x – 08/08/2023 Special Election
Voted:x – 11/08/2022 General Election
Voted:D – 08/02/2022 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/02/2021 General Election
Voted:x – 11/03/2020 General Election
Voted:d – 04/28/2020 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/05/2019 General Election
Voted:x – 11/06/2018 General Election
Voted:d – 05/08/2018 Primary Election
Voted:x – 11/07/2017 General Election
Voted:x – 11/08/2016 General Election
Voted:D – 03/15/2016 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/03/2015 General Election
Voted:X – 11/04/2014 General Election
Voted:X – 11/05/2013 General Election
Voted:x – 11/06/2012 General Election
Voted:X – 11/08/2011 General Election
Voted:X – 05/03/2011 Primary/Special Election
Voted:X – 11/02/2010 General Election
Yet the party endorsed Finley.
We’re not trying to elect Democrats- we’re electing our friends.
Mike Bock, a precinct captain from Kettering got up and said “who are we to choose who should be the Mayor or Council in Trotwood?” And that’s the point- shouldn’t it be up to the people of Trotwood who they want to represent them?
All the charges against Mary McDonald, who has moved Trotwood forward after years of corruption (her predecessor, Joyce Cameron was one of the people charged by the FBI and DOJ in the “Culture of Corruption” investigation) is being dinged because she has to work with Republicans who control the statehouse and congress to get what her community needs. Mary is a force of nature, and drive down Main street in Trotwood and see the new Courts building, the new library building and the new Goodwill Center and know that Mary was a big part of it.
No matter how these two elections turn out- which are both non-partisan by the way (meaning party affiliation does not appear on the ballot) Democrats win. So why is the party even getting involved? Why aren’t they working hard to make sure they have candidates to run against every Republican in the statehouse- and making sure that those folks win? How much support do they provide? Almost nothing, just ask Addison Caruso who almost beat Andrea White in the 41st district despite limited experience and being vastly outspent. If the party spent as much energy working and organizing to get Democrats elected other than just the friends and family- maybe we’d have had a choice for Sheriff- and maybe Laronda Jackson could have beat Phil “the torturer” Plummer in his State house race.
So, November 7th, when you see “Endorsed Democrat” on the mailings- just know, it doesn’t mean a thing, other than someone kissed the ring of the local friends and family party. They won’t work for you, they’ll work for the preservation of their monarchy.
Political parties have no business in local elections.
A democrat meeting lol. It looks like the meeting of low iq incompetents in a 3rd world nation arguing over everything but real issues as the people outside live in joke conditions. Oh my bad that is the city of Dayton and Trotwood run by democrats. Hey let’s have these animals run our country, yah!
Good reporting, David. Thank you.
If they endorsed you, this post would not exist. Bitter, much?
@hoodie patrol- I don’t believe in party endorsements. I’m on record plenty of times saying that. The job of the party is to elect democrats- all democrats. Let the voters decide who is the best candidate- and hopefully, if it’s a partisan election the D next to their name means they believe in the principles of the democratic party. Now- crawl back in your pathetic hole troll.
David, so many people attack your character without knowing the real you. So I want to share the real you in the words of Rudyard Kipling. David is a 1000th man to several people. Maybe you naysayers should find one for yourself. It may take you a lifetime though.
One man in a thousand, Solomon says
Will stick more close than a brother.
And it’s worth while seeking him half your days
If you find him before the other.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine depend
On what the world sees in you,
But the Thousandth Man will stand your friend
With the whole round world agin you.
‘Tis neither promise nor prayer nor show
Will settle the finding for ‘ee.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine of ’em go
By your looks or your acts or your glory.
But if he finds you and you find him,
The rest of the world don’t matter;
For the Thousandth Man will sink or swim
With you in any water.
You can use his purse with no more talk
Than he uses yours for his spendings,
And laugh and meet in your daily walk
As though there had been no lendings.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine of ’em call
For silver and gold in their dealings;
But the Thousandth Man he’s worth ’em all,
Because you can show him your feelings.
His wrong’s your wrong, and his right’s your right,
In season or out of season.
Stand up and back it in all men’s sight—
With that for your only reason!
Nine hundred and ninety-nine can’t bide
The shame or mocking or laughter,
But the Thousandth Man will stand by your side
To the gallows-foot—and after!
@Gary Leitzell, that’s the kindest comment ever on this blog. Thank you. You also walk to the beat of a different drummer. In a city where you need a herd to be heard, it’s difficult to keep fighting the system.
Esrati completely left out the “why” of the basic who what where and why of journalism.
David Esrati is not a truthful person or to be trutsted. Here’s why: If you watch the actual entire video, its hard not to notice that he left out the most important parts of this story.
They’re not mad at her for working with Repubs in office, they’re mad at her for doing commercials for and giving endorsements to GOP candidates in elections. They’re mad at her for participating in a dirty smear campaign against a Dem candidiate. They’re mad at her for not doing jack squat for another Dem candidate.
Yet Esrati ignores all of that. Just ignores it.
Esrati is a complete sad old fraud who lets his personal animus convince his narcissistic personality disorder and un-diagnosed autism that it’s OK to ignore the actual reasons for the story while parading himself as the constant victim.
What a sad old dishonest pudwhacker Esrati turned out to be.
David is a spiteful, vindictive, and petty guy. He goes after DPS as well because they turned down his company’s work. It’s a pretty basic pattern – anyone who doesn’t orbit around planet Esrati is not a good person/institution. It’s very trumpy.
If you’ve been in Trotwood- and see what Mary McDonald has accomplished, you understand that she puts her people first, and politics aside. Reaching across the aisle in a Republican state and with a Republican congressman bears a lot of fruit.
Let’s go back to the former Mayor- endorsed by the party- Joyce Cameron- indicted. How about that pillar of the community, Joey Williams – indicted. The Dem party has a great track record of endorsing criminals.
Never mind the fact that the Dems can’t get behind a candidate who won a primary to take on Turner. Or the ones they back, squander millions and still lose (Tims). Yep- I stand by my reporting and the truth. These people are Tammany hall reincarnated.
David, why don’t you work together in a collaborative way with your own party instead of the steady stream of criticism and negativity a la Jim Jordan? You were a precinct captain for many years so you understand the party system. Democratic Party principles seem to be your own life’s work. The Constitution and Bylaws of the local and state parties are online and you can follow what the majority of party members have passed as a guide. Everyone has to follow rules or chaos ensues. Your own voting history shows you have been a solid voting Democrat for years.
Party: DEM
Voting History (up to county’s last 40 elections):
Voted:X – 08/08/2023 Special Election
Voted:X – 05/02/2023 Primary/Special Election
Voted:X – 11/08/2022 General Election
Voted:D – 08/02/2022 Primary Election
Voted:D – 05/03/2022 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/02/2021 General Election
Voted:X – 05/04/2021 Special Election
Voted:x – 11/03/2020 General Election
Voted:d – 04/28/2020 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/05/2019 General Election
Voted:X – 05/07/2019 Primary/Special Election
Voted:X – 11/06/2018 General Election
Voted:D – 05/08/2018 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/07/2017 General Election
Voted:X – 11/08/2016 General Election
Voted:D – 03/15/2016 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/03/2015 General Election
Voted:X – 05/05/2015 Primary/Special Election
Voted:X – 11/04/2014 General Election
Voted:D – 05/06/2014 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/05/2013 General Election
Voted:X – 05/07/2013 Special Election
Voted:X – 11/06/2012 General Election
Voted:D – 03/06/2012 Primary Election
Voted:X – 11/08/2011 General Election
Voted:X – 11/02/2010 General Election
Voted:d – 07/13/2010 Primary/Special Election
Precinct: 0470/1 – DAYTON 1-E
Working across the aisle doesn’t necessarily mean working FOR or ENDORSING the other. A healthy democracy should welcome meaningful, respectful discourse toward a common betterment for the governed. It is within you to do this, too. It is not helpful to vent your speen over every petty grievance that has befallen you. You have much good to offer yourself and with others. Try to see your way clear to make meaningful change. There is more happiness in those endeavors.
[…] McDonald, a lifelong democrat, made the decision after losing her Trotwood Mayorship to the dem party endorsed Yvette Page in a volatile meeting in September. […]
[…] Instead, the party went through a bunch of voting gyrations to “endorse” Page over McDonald, despite their constitution requiring them to automatically endorse incumbents. You can read more about this mess and watch my video in this post: What does “endorsed democrat” mean? And why you should ignore it. […]