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May

5

Redux: My letter to ODP Chair Redfern, that people said wouldn’t matter


I feel, as an Ohioan who is a female and who supports the Democratic Party with words, deeds and money, that you must make a public statement that explicitly denounces work environments and behavior that impede, demean or otherwise disrespect women, especially women who work on behalf of the Democratic Party’s values and previously supported elected officials.

Regardless of whether any one Ohio elected official who is a Democrat is found guilty (in a court of law) of actions that violate civil or criminal laws that protect women against the plethora of problems they face inside and outside the public service sector, as the newly re-elected Chair of the ODP, I expect that you would make an unequivocal statement that the Party in no way supports individuals who engage in or make it possible for such problems to arise or occur.

Chairman, on a personal level – so many women who identify with the Democratic Party, whether it’s a big “D” or a little “d,” are working to encourage other women to get into the political pipeline. You probably know about The White House Project training that will take place in Columbus in June. And of course the ODP has Liz Shirey who has organized and is organizing a variety of events intended to help women lead Ohio’s Democrats.

But these efforts are undermined unless you and the Party make clear, public statements that indicate unwavering support for creating, maintaining and ensuring that the prevailing attitude of the ODP is that women are valued, at all levels and that no candidate or elected official who wants to affiliate himself or herself with Ohio Democrats will be considered such if their behavior does not facilitate and encourage such an attitude.

These are the two primary incidents which I believe have made push come to shove and demand your public statement:

1. Last week, Marc Dann emphasized that two females filed an EEO against his “friend.” You can read more here. I’ve spoken with Jeff Coryell and confirmed his post’s observations.

My response is that these women filed an EEO complaint against someone Marc Dann approved of as a hire, who therefore is a public employee. To call such a person “friend” demonstrates the Attorney General’s inability to draw boundaries. So long as he goes out in public and calls this individual his “friend” and refuses to take responsibility for the individual as an employee, we can have no expectation of him being independent or able to understand the hostile work environment that reigns under a boss who calls a person he hired who is now under a cloud related to sexual harassment (at a minimum) his “friend.” As someone who donated to the Attorney General’s campaign, literally in the 11th hour because I thought I didn’t want Betty Montgomery, I’m irate with his approach to the current situation in his office.

2. Matthew Barrett: I do not know him. But to be a parent who places public blame on his teenage son, and to then engage with women in the way the pictures allegedly depict? There are more darts to throw at this one than I have time left.

Please, Chairman. Do the right thing. We turned Ohio blue by trusting that we would act better and create a state run by people of whom we could be proud. Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, recipient of the Profiles in Courage award and Treasurer Rich Cordray are exemplary figures of individuals who contain to earn our trust.

Please, re-enforce that all Ohioans, men and women, regardless of whether they are in positions of power like Marc Dann and Matthew Barrett, shall be respected and that all elected Ohioans who call themselves Democrats will be expected to adhere to the highest standards of behavior toward all others, women included.

Thank you for your time.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:17 pm May 5th, 2008 in Democrats, Gender, Government, Marc Dann, Ohio, Politics, Scandal, Statehouse, Ted Strickland, Women 

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