Bauters' Gaffe Means No Endorsement From Alameda County Dems

John Bauters' Gaffe Causes Loss of Critical Alameda County Democratic Party Endorsement

Seeking Alameda County Supervisor Position, 

He Now Waffles on Gaza Issue

After a very public gaffe about the war in Gaza, Emeryville City Council member John Bauters and his surging campaign for Alameda County Board of Supervisors failed to secure a critical endorsement from the Alameda County Democratic Party, a major misfire on his path to secure what he has characterized as the next big step in his political ascendancy.  

John Bauters
Not a fan of a
ceasefire in Gaza and
snubbed by the Alameda 
County Democratic
Party endorsement committee.

Hemmed into a corner by a question at the Alameda County Democratic Party endorsement committee meeting this month, Mr Bauters said, if elected, he would not consider voting for any resolution or proclamation calling for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza.  All the other candidates, save one, answered in the affirmative.  

Mr Bauters’ answer seemed to surprise the other candidates, one of whom, wishing anonymity, later told the Tattler, “I think that cost him [Bauters] the endorsement”.   Perhaps not as surprising was Mr Bauters later change of mind about this issue at a Democratic endorsement meeting hosted by the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club where he attempted to put the genie back in the bottle.

After the surprising answer from Mr Bauters, “[…calling for a ceasefire in Gaza] is too divisive”, the County Dems threw their support to Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortuado Bas in a 22-11 vote.  However, the Alameda County Democratic Party requires a 60% vote to affirm an endorsement of any candidate and the smattering of votes for other candidates, diluting the majority, meant they would have to defer any endorsement for the Supervisor race this election, a rarity for the Dems.

Americans, by large majorities, are in favor of a ceasefire in Gaza, with some polls showing 66% support nation-wide.  Among California Democrats, the number surpasses 80%.  Among Alameda County Democrats, in what’s been called the bluest county in the bluest state in the nation, the support for a Gaza ceasefire is considerably larger than 80%.  These kinds of numbers suggest Mr Bauters might have a problem with one or more anti-Palestinian donors.  For his part, Councilman Bauters has not responded to any questions about this issue. 

Bauters has garnered more than $100,000 for the race so far, considerably more than anyone else seeking the Supervisor seat.  

The Alameda County Democratic Party announced its official support for a ceasefire in Gaza on October 10th.  Many so called ‘corporate Democrats’ have resisted discussing the growing ceasefire movement.  A connection between corporate Democrats and donors who don’t like the idea of a ceasefire has been shown by many politicos.  

Nikki Fortunado Bas
Running for County Supervisor
and supportive of a ceasefire in Gaza,
she beat John Bauters 22-11 in the
Alameda County Democratic Party
endorsement count. 

An endorsement from the Alameda County Democratic Party has proved to be the magic elixir for those seeking political office in the county over the years.   The majority of candidates with the coveted nod from the County Dems ultimately wins the election, a testament to the power of that party. Indeed, any candidate on track to obtain an endorsement from the County Dems that loses it over a gaffe, is seen by election watchers as having committed a major blunder. 
 

After the rebuke from the County Dems, Mr Bauters tried to regroup and put the issue to rest at Friday’s endorsement meeting of the progressive Paul Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club.  The same question about supporting a ceasefire in Gaza was asked of the candidates and this time, Mr Bauters changed his answer about a Gaza ceasefire to "YES, with the appropriate language".  This answer was in direct contradiction to his admission at the earlier county party meeting and at a City Council meeting in December where he refused to even allow discussion of the issue.  At the City Council meeting, Bauters’ colleague Council member Kalimah Priforce attempted to introduce the Gaza issue using the same “appropriate language” qualifier as Mr Bauters is now using.  

The Wellstone Club has not yet announced its endorsement.*

With a large campaign war chest, Mr Bauters is being cast as the frontrunner in the race to replace longtime progressive County Supervisor Keith Carson.  As such, the failure of Mr Bauters to unequivocally tell the Democratic Party his position on a proposed ceasefire in Gaza, an issue very much in Democrats' minds, is causing doubts among some in the party about his inevitability as the new County Supervisor.  The endorsement of the Alameda County Democratic Party was arguably Bauters' to loose.  But as the candidate (wishing anonymity) at the county endorsement meeting told the Tattler after hearing Bauters’ gaffe, “I don’t see how they can endorse him after that”. 

*Update to story 2/1/24:  The Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club has since endorsed Nikki Fortunado Bas for the District 5 Alameda County Supervisor seat.

Police Militarization Protest/Vigil Held at Home Depot

 

Church Group Remembers Yuvette Henderson, Calls For End to Police Militarization

An interfaith protest and vigil was held today in the parking lot of Emeryville's Home Depot in response to the building of a militarized police facility known as ‘Cop City’ in Atlanta Georgia and in memory of Yuvette Henderson, an African-American grandmother who was killed by Emeryville police with an assault rifle at the site in 2015.  About 40 gathered for the peaceful event where speeches were given and candles were held.

Candles and petitions were handed out.

The city of Atlanta wants to build the $90 million Cop City police training facility against intense local and national public backlash.   If completed, it will be the largest militarized police training center of its kind in the country.  Home Depot has donated more than $360,000 to the Atlanta Police Foundation to assist in the building of the controversial training facility.

The event included a vigil for Yuvette Henderson who was killed by EPD after she was accused of shoplifting at the Home Depot.  According to forensic court testimony, Emeryville police officers followed the grandmother to a site just outside Emeryville’s border where they ordered her to drop a handgun she had.  Despite the fact that Ms Henderson never pointed the gun at the officers, they first turned off their body worn cameras and then began firing.  One of the shots shattered Ms Henderson’s right arm, sending the gun flying back about 6 feet behind her as she fell forward facing the police.  The police fired the kill shot to the head with an AR-15 after she lifted her head, attempting to get up.   After an investigation by EPD that cleared the police, Federal Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu ruled "Henderson did not pose an immediate threat to [the police officers] and because she was unarmed and wounded and because although she carried a gun, she had not previously fired or aimed at [the officers]."  The case was eventually settled with a $210,000 payment to the Henderson family by the City of Emeryville.

The assistant manager at the Home Depot blocked the entrance to the store as the group attempted to deliver to the store  manager more than 600 signed petitions about the corporation’s involvement with Cop City.  The assistant manager told the leaders of the group he would forward the petitions to the manager.

The protest/vigil was led by the American Friends Service Committee, a community interface arm of the Quaker Church.  The AFSC works with people of all faiths and backgrounds to challenge unjust systems and promote peace.  “We oppose the continued militarization and expansion of a policing strategy that harms our communities, as well as the continued destruction of protected forests” the group’s website said of the Cop City proposal.

After delivery of the petitions, the group dispersed.

John Lindsay-Poland, a representative from 
AFSC, spoke in memory of Yuvette Henderson.