In the wake of a blunder that cost the Democratic Party’s endorsed candidates automatic slots on the Sept. 10 primary ballot, one Edgewood activist called on the party’s town chairwoman to resign.
Activist Eli Greer of the Edgewood neighborhood made the call in a text message Thursday to Democratic Town Chairwoman Jackie James.
He sent the message after news broke that the Democratic Town Committee (DTC) missed a filing deadline Wednesday to place the names of endorsed mayoral candidate Toni Harp, city clerk candidate Michael Smart, and 30 aldermanic candidates on the Sept. 10 primary ballot. That means they all must now petition their ways onto the ballot.
“Time for you to resign!!!!” Greer texted James at 4:33 p.m.
James responded by text at 4:46 p.m.: “You have no vote in this. If you contact me again I will call the NHPD!!!!”
Asked later Thursday about the exchange, James said she has no intention of resigning. Two members of the DTC executive board, Gwen Mills and Vinny Mauro Jr., made the error of failing to hand-deliver the paperwork about the endorsed candidates to the city clerk’s office in time, she said.
“I’m not resigning,” she said.
Reached afterwards, Greer called the paperwork error “a colossal mistake. The entire [DTC] board should resign.” He called James’ threat to call the police a reflection of a governing style and “a distraction from taking responsibility as head of the town committee.”
For her part, James accused Greer of intimidating her by contacting by text message rather than seeking to have a productive face-to-face conversation.
“Do not text me or send me bad messages and harass me on cell phones. I pay the bill on my cell phone,” James said. “Do you think he has a right to send me text messages and harass me?”
Please call the Keystone Kops. Can't wait to see the movie!