Monkey totem available to select SCRCC Members (go to link)
A few weeks ago yours truly transmitted via e-mail to members of the Scott County Republican Central Committee (SCRCC), and only them, membership contact information for the very committee they serve on. It contained each member’s publicly filed contact and identification information as it was filled out by them in triplicate on the forms provided at the precinct caucuses after their election. In furtherance of an Iowa election law requirement (Iowa Code, TITLE II ELECTIONS AND OFFICIAL DUTIES, SUBTITLE 1 ELECTIONS, CHAPTER 43.4 Political party precinct caucuses)* one of those copies was filed at the Scott County Auditor’s office by the Scott County Republican Chairwoman to be made part of the public record. Delegates and alternates elected caucus night also filled out similar forms and one of those was filed as a public document as well.
All qualified political parties in Iowa are required by law to identify their County Central Committee members and delegates. Given their (our) important privileges and responsibilities in regards to plebiscites a free people should not tolerate anything but disclosure.
It was apparent three months after the caucuses that only two elements of the Scott County Republican Party had convenient mechanisms for communicating with Central Committee members on a timely basis — those with a proprietary attitude on the Executive Committee as to Central Committee communication, and the well organized Ron Paul committee. After my March request to the SCR Executive Committee regarding the lists was ignored I personally obtained my own copy of the available public record for Central Committee members, delegates and alternates from the Scott County Auditor’s office.
I was in the process of creating a readily useable list for all CC members and one for fellow delegates and alternates when I inquired of the Ron Paul organizers how they got their list and its availability. They got their list the same way as I did, from the Scott County Auditors office as it is there for the public record to be used for political purposes.
However putting it in convenient form is a fairly tedious process of digitizing the information from hard to read copies. Ron Paul organizers had already done so but were pleased to share their work and encouraged me to make the list available to all Central Committee members. So there were two groups of Central Committee members already with a convenient list, both were using it for their purposes, purposes enshrined in law, to identify and communicate with statutory individuals on political matters.
The Ron Paul supporters were willing to facilitate communication across the board within the Central Committee, providing the means to their detractors as well, while another element of the Central Committee with an unbecoming insular attitude dragged their feet to even produce a bare roster, while retaining all convenient communications options for themselves, or so they hoped.
The Scott County Republican Central Committee and Republican Delegate Conventions are important political decision making bodies. Most people with other than a closed mind would see that transparent timely communication serves to facilitate good will, reduce suspicions, engender compromise, promote unity and fair mindedness.
It is a poor decision making process when convenient communication is available only one way or when two factions at odds are the only ones in possession of such means to communicate and influence matters when others not part of any faction are responsible for decision making as well. Those who see merit in both sides of an argument or have independent arguments to make on one side or the other should have the means to easily make their views known. Everyone part of a decision making body should at least have equal access to ordinary avenues of contact with their colleagues.
Availability of Records to Directors, Including Board Contact Information is Sacrosanct
A recognized authoritative reference on matters related to voluntary boards, Non Profit Corporations Organizations and Associations (Fifth edition) by Howard L. Oleck makes the statement “The right of directors to inspect and make extracts of records of the corporation usually is absolute.” (p.766). A layman’s reading of the Iowa Code: Chapter 504 Revised Iowa Nonprofit Corporation Act @ 504.711; 504.1605 and especially 504.1606 fully supports Oleck’s general observation about the rights of voting members to the records of a non-profit organization. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 10th Edition, p. 444 lines 17-19 regarding Records of the Secretary incorporates such state requirements as part of its recommendations regarding the duties of officers. Roberts Rules are part of the governing instruments of SCRCC.
It simply stands to reason that directors or other voting members of an organization must have the right to inspect all the records of an organization but especially have access to contact information of fellow voting members. If not then any pretense of a deliberative or representative body collapses. Board member contact information submitted to an organization is an organization record, it can not be for the exclusive use of an element within an organization.
Some would say that in spite of the listed inferences regarding nonprofit organizations none of this is controlling as regards political parties as they have a separate body of regulatory law. Indeed. However what should be obvious is that the special statutory privileges and responsibilities of political party central committee membership and convention delegate status would call for more sunlight, not less, and accordingly that is why identification information is a public document not merely one for voting directors as in general nonprofit law.
Consider that among the responsibilities Scott County Republican Central Committee (SCRCC) members were informed of prior to their election January 3, 2012 (as read from the official caucus packet) were that they would agree to be: the party’s official representatives for that precinct, and therefore, its most important link with the voters . . . preside over precinct caucus (an official presidential nominating process and encourage republicans (sic) in your precinct to attend caucus . . . Attend all central committee (sic) meetings and serve as a voting member . . . Represent the republicans (sic) of your precinct on the county central committee (sic) . . . Participate (in) special nominating conventions (in order to) fill a vacancy on the republican (sic) ticket.
The excerpt above from the SCRCC statement caucus night provides highlights of the statutory responsibilities the Iowa Code imparts to party central committee and convention delegate status. Those may be found, enshrined in law, by referring to the following:
TITLE II ELECTIONS AND OFFICIAL DUTIES SUBTITLE 1 ELECTIONS
43.3 Offices affected by primary.
43.23 Death or withdrawal of primary candidate.
43.78 Filling ballot vacancies.
43.90 Delegates.
43.94 Term of office of delegates.
43.97 Duties performable by county convention.
43.99 Party committee persons.
43.100 Central committee — duties.
43.101 County central committee officers.
43.102 District conventions.
43.109 Nominations authorized.
43.117 Plurality vote nominates and elects.
43.123 Nomination of lieutenant governor.
We do not officially have a two party system, other political parties can and do achieve placement. Political parties enjoy privileged (earned) status in our state’s electoral system. Primarily those advantages relate to ballot access. Ballot appearance by name and political party is an extremely important electoral advantage (privilege) for many practical reasons.
Having achieved access to the ballot as a political party, our political party’s candidates achieve ballot status automatically after winning in our nominating system, a system further provided advantage by being one anticipated and regulated by state law. Understandably given the importance of the plebiscite to representative democracy, the integrity of the system is a concern for good governance. Therefore the basic internal structures and mechanisms relevant to the process of being put on the ballot on a political party line, the caucuses and conventions, and the pursuit of internal policy matters to those ends are provided for and regulated to some extent by state law.
The “boards” or “directors” are the people who comprise the various levels of Central Committee membership and delegations to party conventions. Each participant impacts in a substantial way the integrity, accountability and practicality of our plebiscite system. Because of these statutory provisions and critical responsibilities Republican Central Committee membership and convention delegate status should not and are not treated in the law as private clubs.
Anyone who volunteers for this influential job with a public purpose has no right to be offered, presume or expect anonymity or to effectively prevent the public from obtaining the means for legitimate verification of such a privileged public status. No verification is possible without some sort of direct contact information. At a minimum that entails domicile address as that is directly related to the responsibilities of the position.
If everyone in the decision making process feels they can communicate effectively, with the same ease as others at least on official or proposed business, membership will be far more likely to enjoy a spirit of unity after a decision is made. Of course there is an associated obligation to be reasonably cognizant of various competing policy views. Granted, no one can make someone be an astute member, to pay any attention to alternate views, to open and read an e-mail or a posted letter. But at least the means to communicate should be assumed as a right in any properly functioning board.
E-mail Communication
As regards e-mail communication and addresses, those who are prone to repetitive lengthy document downloads that inundate rather than persuade will have little influence and understandably will be dismissed out of hand (some will argue that applies to yours truly). But others with insight and succinctness of argument and opinion should not be inhibited because someone does not like the ineffective or the polemic. Communication in effective organizations is not just top down, it is across the board.
Stated above are reasons of comity and organizational performance and the rights of voting members the public enshrined in tradition and law. However a total of five SCRCC members did respond negatively to me for sending out a contact list insuring all people had equal avenues to communication. More still responded positively.
General theme of the few objectors: – I object to you sending out my private e-mail and or I provided that “to Judy” with the assurance that it would not be “given out.’
At various times I responded:
1) Well blame Judy, she put it into the public record at the Auditors office.
2) The form included space for e-mail – it did not say all information was required.
3) “Judy” was not at the caucuses where you filled out that public document form, she was out of the country.
4) The Chairwoman really should not suggest she will keep CC records only for herself or for use at her discretion.
5) Why would you serve on a board that inhibits communication among members such as the only convenient means to communicate is available to one person or a small group?
6) I would suggest just about every board I have served on encourages communication and provides a board list with full contact information (one objector admitted that their e-mail was published on the SCR Women’s Membership material as a matter of course).
7) You are a statutory political official. Did you think your participation was in a mere private club? But even then if the “club” enjoyed a nonprofit tax status, all records would be required under state law to be available to all voting directors.
8) The previous SCRCC Chairman (using a substantial SCRCC e-mail list ) did not send messages blind copy, e-mail addresses were disclosed to recipients.
9) The information was only sent to elected CC members, why would they not want to have a convenient way to contact fellow CC members?
SCRCC members must realize it is improper for the officers or Executive Committee to keep secret contact lists of the SCRCC who comprise the body that is ultimately in charge. If an individual member does not want a particular e-mail address used, don’t put it down on a public document and do not give it to the SCRCC, period. However show some maturity. It is a simple matter to create a free e-mail address and relegate it to these political purposes using “Gmail” or the multiple address capability most service providers offer at no additional charge.
Of course it remains one’s privilege to burden the organization unnecessarily with the expense of letter mail or time consuming phone calls. However it is my view that serious members with e-mail capability should invite communication and if not, reconsider continuing their participation in an important decision making capacity. Furthermore, it is my view that sooner rather than later, e-mail capability should be a requirement for SCRCC participation in service to fellow Republicans and for cost and efficiency purposes.
R Mall
“3) “Judy” was not at the caucuses where you filled out that public document form, she was out of the country.”
This just goes to show how out of touch the Chairwoman is in general. It’s the biggest night in 4 years for your county and party and you are out of the flippin country!
It was we presume a scheduled vacation and the start date for the caucuses was to be later HOWEVER she was not on the scene to observe one caucus that night where she might have observed that the Ron Paul people were doing nothing wrong, they were there to fill a void yet somehow they were undeserving of fair representation for their efforts. No other candidate organizers bothered or apparently understood the system including the chairwoman based on misinformation she promulgated. Of course much more has been said about the tactics used by the Chairwoman to undo the results in full circle the wagons panic mode. Pathetic really.