Take The $$? Or Take A Stand?
In the US, HBO just premiered Confirmation, a docudrama recounting the debacle 25 years ago, when 11 Senate Democrats (out of 57) voted to confirm Judge Clarence Thomas to the US Supreme Court.
Thomas won confirmation despite accusations of sexual harassment laid against him by professor Anita Hill during Senate hearings. Hill had worked as an adviser to Thomas at the Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The 11 Democrats joined 41 Republicans in voting for Judge Thomas’ appointment, setting off a firestorm amongst US women’s organisations and many others who felt justifiably betrayed.
The NY Times captured the sentiment at the time: “‘Women made the difference in electing the Democratic Senate, particularly the Southern Democrats,’ said Jeanne Clarke, a board member of the National Organization for Women. ‘Women have been the most loyal of the Democratic voters. We gave them our votes. We gave them our money. And they gave us Clarence Thomas. We’re fed up’.”
At the time, I worked for Roger’s firm — Craver, Mathews, Smith & Co (CMS) — which raised substantial funds for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). Its then-chairman, Senator Charles Robb of Virginia, voted to confirm Judge Thomas.
CMS immediately resigned the DSCC account. As Roger wrote in dumping the account (a very successful relationship for both DSCC and CMS):
“Women constitute a substantial portion of the donors to the D.S.C.C. For years, they have been reaching deep into their pockets to help protect the Democratic majority in the Senate because they truly believed only a Democratic Senate could protect them from an increasingly conservative judiciary and an outwardly hostile executive branch. That faith was shattered by the way the Democratically controlled Senate handled the entire Thomas nomination.”
The best fundraisers share the values and the ‘fire in the belly’ of the causes for which they work. It should be no other way. Otherwise, go sell peanuts.
If it comes to a choice between taking the money or taking a stand, there should be no hesitation.
Tom
P.S. During the film credits the onscreen text says that because of Hill’s accusation of sexual harassment, more women were elected to public office in 1992 than previous periods, official sexual harassment complaints doubled, and an important workplace discrimination law was passed (referring to the Civil Rights Act of 1991).
P.P.S. And don’t worry … there’s no sign that Roger’s lost any of the fire in his belly in the last 25 years.
7 responses to “Take The $$? Or Take A Stand?”
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Yay to fire in the belly! And thanks for sharing this story to remind us.
Ah, Clarence Thomas. Of the misplaced pubic hair. Simone just read me a passage from Gloria Steinem’s My Life on the Road. Amazing book. Ms. Steinem recounts why great events often hang on a very few votes in a public election … and Clarence Thomas’ arrival in Washington and subsequent ascent is one of those events. Had a few votes in an election been different, we would now be saying, “Clarence Thomas who?” Good can triumph … but only if it gets out bed on voting day. Maybe before we fix campaign finance, we should enact a “protect democracy” law that makes not voting in a Presidential election subject to a fine. Yeah, stupid idea. And I’m preaching to the choir. And by the way: BRAVO, Roger and CMS! I already had you on a pedestal. Now it’s a pedestal with the biggest car fins ever, from the 1958 DeSoto Firedome.
A great sad moment to acknowledge. What we do to ourselves. How we don’t speak up. And and and and ….
But then there are the agitators, the Rogers and CMS and all the inheritors who do keep fighting.
I vividly remember that confirmation vote. Roger and I were in Fred Wertheimer’s Common Cause office finishing up a meeting and watching the beginning of it on CSPAN. It was the end of the day. Driving home to Capitol Hill, I listened to the final votes cast.
When I arrived back at CMS early the next morning of copy of the letter to Senator Robb was on my desk. A distinctive ash on my office carpet. I wish I still had a copy of that letter. One of the most eloquent pieces ever written… and a big reason I don’t support parties or political committees.
Thanks for the memories, Tom!
Wow, Roger, I was already a huge fan. No surprise there. But dumping the DSCC account? Damn, that’s inspiring. Here’s to keeping the fire going!
Happy to hear that the fire is still in the belly, Roger. Kudos to you! I have been quoting your #afpfc comment that “activists are the best donors.”
May we all be activists for our causes. and may we take the action required when it’s called for. Like resigning accounts!
I, for one, am hard at work as an activist, trying to save North Carolina from the crazies!
Gail
Hearings that made me very un-proud, to say the very least, of my Pennsylvania senator, Mr. Specter . You got me stirred up and yes, I’m most definitely voting in the PA primary tomorrow.