What does leadership shake-up mean for 2020 DNC?
After Tuesday’s swift and stunning firing of its two top leaders, the 2020 Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention is now in a race against a hard deadline.
Ready or not, 50,000 people will descend on Milwaukee for the convention, which will be staged July 13-16.
Two people who won’t be part of the action are Liz Gilbert, former president of the host committee, and Adam Alonso, the former chief of staff.
They were ousted by the host committee board a day after an investigation was opened into allegations the two leaders oversaw a “toxic” workplace.
Convention officials and local leaders indicate the aim is to get the committee back on track and get on with preparations for the event.
“What has to happen next is to identify and empower and put in place the leadership that is going to be needed to bring this to the finish line,” said Tim Sheehy, president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, a key convention backer.
“The point is, looking forward you need someone in that role who will quickly gain confidence and go out and execute,” he said.
So, who actually oversees the convention?
First off, it’s important to understand the convention landscape to try to figure out what the leadership turmoil means.
There are two groups that are involved in convention preparations. The host committee — which was led by Gilbert and Alonso — is a nonpartisan, nonprofit. It has two principal duties: Raise $70 million to stage the event and recruit 15,000 volunteers.
The other organization is the Democratic National Convention Committee. It’s an arm of the Democratic National Committee and is run by Chief Executive Joe Solmonese. That group is responsible for putting together what happens during the convention, from
staging the event to organizing transportation for thousands of participants.
Solmonese is very much in charge of his operation, oversees a team of experienced convention personnel and work is believed to be running on schedule.
What led to the current crisis?
There were rumblings of discontent within the host committee over several months but little tangible evidence. A shake-up in the finance team provided a flare. Gilbert and Alonso, who earned their spurs in the rough and tumble world of New Jersey politics, were eager to put their imprint on the convention.
But suddenly, in the last few days, explosive allegations surfaced.
Two experienced political hands who worked with the host committee spoke with Journal Sentinel columnist Daniel Bice, who wrote that “they described the host committee as having a toxic culture rife with power struggles, backbiting and mismanagement.
“They accused ... Gilbert and Alonso ... of giving contracts to their friends in New Jersey, calling meetings and then failing to attend them and being more focused on accumulating power than promoting Milwaukee.”
In the meantime, a group of senior women leaders in the organization wrote an unsigned letter to the board, complaining of being “bullied and intimidated” by Alonso and that Gilbert enabled this to continue.
The board stepped in Monday, sidelining Gilbert and Alonso and bringing in outside counsel to conduct an investigation, which is ongoing.
On Tuesday night, the board terminated the two leaders.
“The work of the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee is critically important — but that work cannot be accomplished unless members of the staff can work collaboratively,” said the board statement. “The Board is committed to an inclusive and supportive environment at the Host Committee, and will work to ensure that all employees live up to these ideals.”
Gilbert’s attorney, Peg Schaffer, pushed back on the accusations being leveled against her client. Schaffer said Gilbert cooperated with the investigator, was hoping to be exonerated and called the actions by the board “outrageous and unwarranted.”
“Frankly, it is frustrating to me that a disgruntled staff who when confronted with a strong woman leader is using the euphemism of a toxic workplace to complain about their boss,” said Schaffer, who is the interim vice chairwoman of the New Jersey Democratic Party.
What happens next?
Teresa Vilmain, an organizer and political consultant who has been an adviser with the committee, will run the day-to-day operations for now. An Iowa native, Vilmain has deep roots in Wisconsin and national politics and is well known throughout the Democratic Party.
The host committee has around two-dozen staffers involved in laying the groundwork for the convention.
The push has already begun to recruit volunteers. Just last week, the organization announced the launch of an online portal for people to sign up.
There is also the need to raise more money. The board said fundraising is on schedule. By the end of 2019, it was believed the committee had raised $25 million.
The fundraising team hasn’t changed. It’s led by Leah Israel along with fundraising consultant Jason O’Malley and finance chair Alex Lasry.
Later this month, the host committee and the DNCC will convene three community conversations. They’re seen as key events to build enthusiasm for volunteering and business opportunities.