Democratic Party hosts convention day after fire destroys headquarters
The Maricopa County Democratic Party’s summer convention went on as scheduled Saturday afternoon a day after a fire destroyed their headquarters.
Although members of the party were in “complete shock” at the news of the fire, they still managed to go on with the convention with some changes to the agenda, according to the party’s communications director, Edder Diaz-Martinez.
The event was already planned to be virtual through Zoom because of COVID-19 with more than 700 people signed up.
Unlike previous meetings, Democratic Party members spent a few minutes speaking about the fire. Thousands of dollars in donations from legislative districts poured in to support the rebuilding of the party’s headquarters later in the meeting with the state Democratic Party receiving more than $40,000 in donations.
Steven Slugocki, the county party chair, choked back tears while speaking about the fire that destroyed their office on Friday morning. Investigators say the fire was intentionally set based on the evidence discovered at the scene.
He described the event as a “heinous crime” that was deliberately set by someone who threw a “bomb” into the window.
Although most of the building was damaged, Slugocki pointed out that the Arizona and U.S. flags survived the flames.
“We won’t let this deter us like the bird this city is named after — the Phoenix,” Slugocki said. “We will rise from the ashes stronger than ever before.”
“We have never backed down in the face of adversity. We will rebuild stronger than ever before,” he added.
‘It’s completely destroyed’
Phoenix firefighters arrived at the Democratic Party headquarters on Friday morning about 1 a.m. near Central Avenue and Thomas Road where heavy smoke was billowing from the windows.
Officials said no one was in the building at the time of the fire, but the flames caused extensive damage on the north side of the building where the Maricopa County Democratic Party works from.
Diaz-Martinez said Phoenix police told the organization that an individual drove from the north side of Central Avenue, turned west into the parking lot, parked their car in front of the window on the north side of the building and threw a “projectile” through the county door before driving away.
He was told by officials that the object wasn’t detonated when it was thrown, but it exploded some time once in the building.
“It’s completely destroyed,” DiazMartinez said. “I can’t recognize the place I walked into yesterday.”
Among the things lost in the fire included laptops, tablets and years of documents and historic election memorabilia, according to a statement released by the county on Friday.
As of Saturday, Phoenix police said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.