Rep. Davis resigns as vice chairman of Allegheny Democratic committee
State Rep. Austin Davis resigned as vice chairman of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee on Monday, citing his disapproval of where the party is heading under chairwoman Eileen Kelly’s leadership.
Mr. Davis, who had joined the chorus of elected officials decrying the committee’s recent controversial endorsements and Ms. Kelly’s handling of the fallout, said he’s long “struggled” to stay in his position since the chairwoman was elected.
“I understood then, as I understand now, how essential it is for historically underrepresented voices to be in a position of power in order to create systemic change that is needed within our system,” Mr. Davis said in a statement. “However, it has long been clear that there is no seat for any voice different from Chair Kelly.”
Mr. Davis was appointed vice chair in November 2014 by former county chair Nancy Patton Mills, who now chairs the state Democratic Party. Ms. Mills lost her bid for re-election as Allegheny County’s chairwoman to Ms. Kelly in June 2018.
In his resignation letter sent Monday, Mr. Davis, a state representative in McKeesport, said he’s “committed to the values of the Democratic Party” but can’t remain on the committee under the current leadership.
“The events of the recent days have crystallized that we do not share the same values and hold vastly different views in the direction this party should be moving,” Mr. Davis wrote to Ms. Kelly.
According to the committee’s bylaws, the county chairperson — Ms. Kelly, in this case — “shall appoint a county vice chairperson of the opposite sex” to serve out Mr. Davis’ term.
In the past week, there have been numerous calls from elected Democrats for Ms. Kelly to step down, with several citing her comments at a news conference last week defending the committee’s endorsement process and casting blame on other Democratic officials for dividing the party.
During the news conference, Ms. Kelly stood by the committee’s controversial endorsement of a state House candidate who once posted derogatory messages on Facebook about addicts, Obamacare and gender; said the party’s failure to endorse incumbent Rep. Summer Lee could be attributed to county Executive Rich Fitzgerald’s support of
her challenger; and booted county Councilwoman Bethany Hallam, a critic of the endorsements, from the news conference before it began.
Mr. Davis said last week that Ms. Kelly “doesn’t share our values and should not be leading our party.”
In her first public statement since the news conference, Ms. Kelly posted a letter to the committee’s Facebook page in which she said she’ll work to form a bylaws committee within the apparatus to re-examine the county party’s rules.
“My commitment to all of you has not and will never waiver,” Ms. Kelly wrote. “I do believe that our party is strong and that it is working. All of you make that possible and many of you now believe that it is time for another review of our rules.”
Ms. Hallam, a committee member who had been circulating a petition calling for a countywide meeting to discuss reforms, said Ms. Kelly’s statement is “a great first step,” but doesn’t address several larger issues.
“I don’t see any plan to ensure her bylaws committee is diverse and representative of the entire county,” Ms. Hallam said, “and I don’t see any timeline for when this countywide committee meeting will take place.”
Ms. Hallam has not called for Ms. Kelly’s resignation, saying she doesn’t think one change in leadership will fix the underlying problems facing the committee.
“We need a full reorganization voted on by the entire [committee],” Ms. Hallam said, adding that she thinks the appointment of Mr. Davis’ successor should be decided by a committee vote.
Ms. Kelly could not be reached for comment.