At its meeting last night, the Lafayette Parish Democratic Executive Committee passed what could be known as the Armentor resolution. It states that committee members shall not engage in public support or fund-raising activities for non-Democratic candidates in their capacity as committee members. “This is a guiding principle on how we expect each other to behave and represent the party,” says committee Chairman John Bernhardt. The resolution, effective Jan. 1, 2009, has no penalties attached to it in the event a member violates the new rule. Bernhardt says committee members, who are elected, will always have to answer to voters. The measure passed by a vote of 8 to 1. Vice Chairman Susannah Malbreaux voted against the measure. Member Mike Stagg, who had previously called for Armentor’s resignation, abstained, and four other members were absent from the meeting.
The resolution was brought in response to committee member Glenn Armentor hosting a fund-raiser for Republican City-Parish President Joey Durel. Armentor first hosted his “No Party Party” fund-raiser for Durel two years ago. This year, he brought back the event, which is scheduled for tomorrow night. Armentor told The Independent that he believes Durel is a bipartisan leader and has promoted issues that the Democratic Party supports, such as the fiber-to-the-home initiative. Nevertheless, Armentor’s fund-raiser for Durel drew the ire of some of his fellow committee members, prompting calls for his resignation and censure.
Bernhardt says that while he was not in favor of the No Party Party, he was also not in favor of any type of punishment. “We’re about being inclusive and bringing people in and not kicking people out,” he says. Bernhardt adds he hopes to work with Armentor to make No Party Party an annual benefit for charity and not for any one political candidate.
Most Read
in case you missed it
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Here�s this guy doing a good thing for a very effective, competent, scandal-free (so far) mayor who has clearly reached out beyond party lines to build a coalition of previously unaligned constituencies - north side and south side, blacks and whites, working class and professionals - and who has taken significant personal political risks to move our community in a progressive new direction. Now these characters have tried to censure him or even kick him off the committee. Think about it. Throw Armentor, one of the biggest, most respected members of the local party, to say nothing of his long history of big financial support, out of the party leadership because he�s helping our centrist/right Republican city-parish president. These guys need to take a lesson from Mr. Obama and the Democratic Congressional leadership and how they treated Mr. Lieberman, a Democrat whose party sins are far greater than what Armentor is being accused of. In other words, think about the much bigger community picture. Durel is being encouraged and rewarded for his good work, not for any dogmatic posturing we see so much of by members of both parties. Accomplishment and building bridges has been a hallmark so far of his time in office. This is not complicated.
I admire John Bernhardt�s apparent effort at trying to potty-train these guys, who are more like teenagers who�ve absconded with the keys to their parents' car and a bottle of Boone�s Farm and who are out doing donuts in the mall parking lot. They�ve gotten control of the local party apparatus, and they�re out joy riding.
This story offers much more of a commentary about them and the sad state of the party locally than it does Armentor or other Dems like Gary McGoffin or Mike Skinner who are supporting Durel. It�s got to be at least somewhat embarrassing to thoughtful, mainstream, longtime Dems like these guys to have Handwerk and Stagg serving as the spokesmen and leaders of the party here. With Kathleen Blanco out of office (but apparently now intent on firmly re-asserting her version of the Katrina disaster and her days in office) wouldn�t this be an appropriate time for her and other adults to step in and re-organize the Lafayette party structure, from the ground up?
Take back the keys to the car.