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The Chairman of the Washington State Democrats sent out an email saying two top Senators, Rodney Tom and Tim Sheldon, are no longer considered Democrats.

Top Democrat state senators are 'not invited to our party'

February 7, 2013 @ 5:29 pm (Updated: 6:09 am - 2/8/13 )

It's not often Democrats turn on each other, but they have in Washington state.

"Senators Tom and Sheldon have betrayed the Democratic Party. They were elected as Democrats. Senator Tom even accepted $25,000 from the Party in 2010," Dwight Pelz, chair of the state Democrats, writes in an email blast."

In an astonishing power grab, Tom and Shelton teamed up with Senate Republicans and gave them control of the State Senate.

Rodney Tom has been paid off for his treachery. He was given the position of Senate Majority Leader, the most powerful position in the Senate. This just shows how he'll place his own political ambitions over the people he's supposed to represent.

Call out Tom and Sheldon for the traitors that they are. Join us and co-sign our letter telling Rodney Tom and Tim Sheldon that they are no longer part of the Democratic Party.

We've already seen what Rodney Tom's Senate will do now that they have a taste of power. Senate Republicans have voted for extreme bills attacking choice, workers' comp, the state's family leave act, minimum wage, and more.

This power grab has real consequences on people's lives. As your Democratic Party, we are ready to take action.

On February 2nd, Party leaders passed a resolution formally censuring Tom and Sheldon. The resolution also denied them any support in the future.

This means no Party support, no money, no access to the data that is so important to their re-elections, and no right to call themselves Democrats.

Senator Tom is the Majority leader from Bellevue. Senator Sheldon, from Potlatch, has been elected to serve in the state legislature nine times.

Both are astonished the state Democratic party chair is calling them out, and implying they should be more partisan and divisive.

They call Pelz's accusations "small-minded" and "petty" in an email response to me.

"The state party charged us with not reflecting 'Democratic values and being 'disloyal' to the party. Why? Because in December we openly recognized the fact that neither Democrats nor Republicans in the state Senate possessed the 25 votes needed to effectively govern," the senators write.

We understand that it is the role of political parties to put politics before all else, but as elected officials and leaders, we have a higher responsibility. We have to get things done.

As the two Democratic members of the Senate's new Majority Coalition Caucus, we find this accusation of "disloyalty" to be small-minded, petty and factually untrue. We have never betrayed our core beliefs, and regardless of what some self-important potentates in Olympia and Seattle pronounce, we are still proud Democrats.

We have served our respective legislative districts for many years now. The people in our local communities know us and know that we are committed to representing them. We work for them, not a political party.

If you look at the choices made by voters in our districts, we are right in line on social issues, taxes, the need for education reform and a responsible budget. The messages our constituents have sent are very clear: Fund and improve our education system, balance the budget without new taxes, and get our families back to work.

Exactly what part of encouraging job creation, creating a quality, well-funded education system and producing a sustainable, balanced budget is a betrayal of Democratic values?

When political partisanship flies in the face of what the majority of our constituents want, we side with the people, not the party...As far as our loyalty is concerned, we are loyal to the principles we have always held and to the constituents who have sent us to Olympia.

"We are not switching sides. We always have, and always will, be on the side of the people we represent, and side with them over any political party," Senators Tom and Sheldon conclude.

By LINDA THOMAS

More from Linda Thomas

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Comments (36)


  • Add A Comment

  • cigarfan wrote...
    Pelz is correct.....
    February 7, 2013 5:14 pm
    Tom and Sheldon are OPPORTUNISTS. You don't have to be born yesterday to figure this out.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Paul Kersey wrote...
    The Democrat party is a cult
    February 8, 2013 3:37 am
    and a rather evil and destructive cult. When they go down, which they eventually will, they will attempt to take everyone else with them. They will do to all outsiders what they are doing to these two. We should rename this state, Rajnesshpuram.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • NCC wrote...
    Cult
    February 8, 2013 4:53 am
    So the GOP is not a cult when they attack everything and use every tactic as any religious organization which is considered a cult.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kato1967 wrote...
    Comrade Pelz
    February 8, 2013 8:05 am
    Where was all this whining from Pelz when Tom switched parties a few years back? Oh, that's right, he was happy then because Tom went from R to D. Going the other way is prohibited, rather strictly, it appears. As for Sheldon, he has a always been a conservative, business friendly Democrat. The last of a dying breed, really. I wouldn't call him an opportunist at all, he is just being true to his actual beliefs.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • TwoTrees wrote...
    '...we declare you are no longer part of the Democratic Party.'
    February 7, 2013 5:20 pm
    In other words: 'We, as the party of tolerance, are intolerant of your tolerance for other opinion.'
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mavila wrote...
    "They were elected as Democrats"
    February 7, 2013 5:27 pm
    and, of course, are not supposed to think for themselves.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cash wrote...
    Pelz is a doofus
    February 7, 2013 5:55 pm
    If these guys sparked the letter from this dude they must have made a good decision that resulted in them being banned. What a bunch of cry babies the democrats are...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Linkege wrote...
    Loyal to the party
    February 7, 2013 7:30 pm
    Forget the Democrat or Republican party, just be loyal to the Citizens.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    @Linkege
    February 8, 2013 12:19 am
    I'd normally agree with you...but you need to look at the TOTAL careers of these two. They would switch parties at the drop of a hat -to advance. (and did!)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Cigar, politicos have been switching parties for 50 years (at least)
    February 8, 2013 4:43 am
    not at the 'drop of a hat' but for political advantage one way or the other. And remember, no one on the left complained a few years ago when Tom switched from republican to democrat.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    @ron prevost
    February 8, 2013 10:20 am
    Here's the difference, you only get to do that once. When he conspired recently with GOP to give control of the state senate, and the GOP is endorsing democrat Tom ( his last election), well, if you can do the math, great, if not, it's useless. I also know him, I don't know if you do but he's always been a right winger and an opportunist. NO BS
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    No. Don't know Tom.
    February 8, 2013 5:18 pm
    Used to know a lot of the players, but now everyone's out of office or dead. ...But whatever, don't confuse neo-cons with the conservative movement of the Reagan era.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • DJFavorite wrote...
    agreed
    February 8, 2013 4:53 am
    These two gentlemen have the opinion that EVERY politician should have. They don't care if there is a 'D' or a 'R' or any other letter behind their name. They pay attention to what the voters who put them into office want. That's what EVERY Senator and Representative should be doing. The Democratic party should be ashamed of themselves that their party is more important than the people in this state. But then if you look at what our state government has done in the past, it's really par for the course that they don't care about the people in this state.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    They realize
    February 8, 2013 6:35 am
    how much damage Inslee is capable of doing and switched sides. I'm sure they would like to get something accomplished after 8yrs with Gregoire and this might be the best way to do it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cameron wrote...
    Will Pelz ban more electeds, if they don't vote the way he thinks they should?
    February 8, 2013 7:48 am
    What is the number of times that you can vote against Party Leadership and still be in the Party Chairman Pelz? Is there a number? A rule? Or just at the whim of the Chair?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    These two guys will be fine as Republicans
    February 8, 2013 8:06 am
    If, as Pelz accuses, "Senate Republicans have voted for extreme bills attacking choice, workers' comp, the state's family leave act, minimum wage, and more." they will find plenty of support at the ballot box next election. Throw in a few votes to ease restrictions on guns and a move to repeal the marriage equality law- and unless these guys are from King County they will carry 70% of the vote. :-)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Just Dimocrats acting like Dimocrats.
    February 8, 2013 8:45 am
    Petulant, immature, whiny, name-calling hypocrites with no tolereance for any one who doesn't goose-step in line with them. Move along. Nothing to see here, folks...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    HPD 5-0, that post was a classic
    February 8, 2013 9:02 am
    You posted two lines of intolerance and name-calling to condemn "Dimocrats" for being intolerant callers of names. :-)

    Nicely done.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HLC wrote...
    Sheldon did the same thing last election.
    February 8, 2013 9:38 am
    The dumbocrats lobbied against him and gave money to a puppet of the party running against him. Tim won then to which tells me is representing the people in his district the way they want him to. Not the party line. Looks like GOVENOR material to me. I'd vote for him.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }