This is a “where were ya?” moment.

Years from now, our children and grandchildren will ask us where we were when Trump and the GOP attacked the core values of our country and our party.

A few weeks ago, I was at a DNC Future Forum in Houston, the same weekend the Trump administration rolled out its disastrous Muslim ban. I went to the airport to join the protestors standing up for American values.

My favorite sign I saw was a line from the musical Hamilton: “History has its eyes on you.”

History will not look kindly on what the Trump administration has done in just its first month, and I am confident that working together, we can make this a one-term presidency.

I vowed after November 8th, 2016, that I would do whatever I could to move our party forward, and I’m honored to step into this new role as Chair of the DNC.

I want to be able to say I did everything in my power to fight back. We’ve got some work to do, but I’ve never in my life seen the kind of excitement and energy we’re seeing in communities across the country. Now we must turn this moment into a movement.

I want the Democratic National Committee to be both a resource and a platform to make this grassroots energy as impactful as possible, pointing Americans in the right direction to raise their voices and make a difference. This past weekend was a great example, when we pointed people in the direction of Delaware to help elect Stephanie Hansen and keep the Delaware State Senate in Democratic hands. More than 500 volunteers from nearby states showed up on Saturday to help make that happen. As my friend Joe Biden said that day, “Let’s take this movement national.”

 — @TomPerez

I couldn’t agree more, and there’s no shortage of opportunity on the horizon. Starting this week in Connecticut’s race to hold the state senate, and in several week’s Georgia’s special election — our first opportunity to flip a red House seat blue on Donald Trump’s watch — and later this year in New Jersey and Virginia, we’re showing the GOP that they’re in for the fight of their lives.

But if we’re going to organize and fight and win, it’s going to take folks stepping up at every level. We need to strengthen our team from the grassroots up to build the party that empowers every single Democrat to lead with our values.

Our only chance at winning in 2017, 2018, and beyond — not only at the national level, but at every level, from the school board to the Senate — is to be united to focus on our shared values of inclusion and opportunity. Because a united Democratic Party is not only our best hope, it is President Donald Trump’s worst nightmare. And that has to start now. We’re going to do this work, and we’re going to do it together.

Say you’re in to continue this fight together.

La lucha continúa. Let’s go.

We’re turning this moment into a movement was originally published in The Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

As part of our commitment to hosting the most open and transparent officer elections ever, we put together a short guide to the DNC officer elections. I hope this answers any questions you have, but if not, please leave a comment or tweet at us at @DNC, and we’ll get back to you.

How often do DNC officer elections happen?

DNC officer elections take place after every presidential election — this year the DNC will elect a new Chair, Vice Chairs, Treasurer, Secretary, and National Finance Chair at the Winter Meeting in Atlanta.

Who are the officers of the DNC?

Chair

So many Democrats across the country are excited about the election of the next Chair of the Democratic Party. For a good reason — the Chair of the DNC plays a huge role in the future of the Democratic Party and the direction of the DNC.

The Chair serves as the CEO of the Democratic National Committee, and the public face of the party. The Chair is responsible for carrying out the day-to-day activities of the Committee, hiring staff including the executive director and senior leadership of the DNC, and ensuring the Democratic National Convention is a success. The chair also presides over meetings of the Democratic National Committee and of the DNC Executive Committee and appoints the members of committees of the National Committee.

Finally, it’s important for the Chair of the DNC to conduct the organization’s activities with impartiality and evenhandedness, particularly as they apply to the preparation and conduct of the Presidential nomination process and all Democratic primaries.

Vice Chairs

Typically, the role of the Vice Chairs and the scope of their duties are determined by the national Chair.

They usually serve as the Party’s ambassadors and assist with fundraising and training and other duties as determined by the chair of the DNC. In practice, Vice Chairs focus on activities related to their abilities and interests, such as raising money, outreach, or organizing.

In Atlanta, DNC members will elect four new Vice Chairs.

The President of the Association of State Democratic Chairs (ASDC) automatically serves as one of the Vice Chairs. Another vice chair focuses on voter outreach and protection activities — this position is called “Vice Chair for Civic Engagement and Voter Participation.”

If there’s a vacancy in the role of Chair, or if the Chair becomes incapacitated, one of the Vice Chairs will act as the chair until a new DNC Chair is elected by the DNC.

Secretary

The Secretary is responsible for communications with the National Committee members on matters related to DNC meetings, which typically happen a couple times a year.

The Secretary is the Party’s official record-keeper, and maintains the list of members and DNC officers.

This office also works with the National Archives to preserve the Party’s records and official documents. That’s right — the records of the DNC are a part of the National Archives.

During the convention, the Secretary keeps track of the official convention participants. The Secretary’s office prepares a daily summary of the convention and publishes the Official Convention Proceedings.

Treasurer

The Treasurer of the DNC is an advisor to the DNC Chair and the Executive Committee on the finances of the Democratic Party.

The Treasurer is the officer responsible for facilitating the filing of the Party’s campaign finance reports with the Federal Election Commission.

National Finance Chair

The National Finance Chair and the Treasurer advise the DNC Chair and the Executive Committee with respect to the Party’s finances. In practice, the job of the National Finance Chair includes raising money and providing guidance on the fundraising operation at the DNC.

Who’s running for DNC offices?

In order to be considered for any of these officer positions, candidates must gather 20 signatures from DNC Members and file with the DNC’s Office of the Secretary by the Tuesday before the election. This year, that is February 21, 2017.

Because the filing deadline has not yet passed, there is not currently a final list of candidates. That’s why it’s important to tune in to our regional forums and learn more about the candidates participating at each forum.

Visit our website to learn more about the candidates who have participated in our regional forums.

What are the rules for the election?

There is a set of rules (we call them Rules of Procedure) that governs this process and ensures it is fair for everyone.

Before each election of DNC officers, the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee drafts the procedural rules for the upcoming election. The Rules of Procedure for this election state when the election for National Officers must be held (before March 1), the process for filing to run for these positions, logistical details — such as how long each candidate’s nominating speech can be, and equal division requirements (we’ll get into this in just a minute).

The purpose of the Rules of Procedure is to be transparent about how to run for these officer positions, to level the playing field for all candidates. You can find a copy of these rules here.

How does diversity play a role in the elections?

One of the longstanding principles that have guided Democratic Party rules is our commitment to diversity. As a Party we have rules that help ensure our National Officers, as well as the members of the DNC, are balanced between men and women — what we refer to as “equal division.” For the election of our officers, our rules provide that, with the exception of the National Chair and ASDC President (who is a Vice Chair) the DNC Officers must be equally divided. This means that of the seven remaining officers, four will be of one gender and three will be of the opposite gender.

For this election, the rules require that the officers be elected in the following order: Treasurer, Secretary, National Finance Chair, Vice Chair for Civic Engagement and Voter Participation, and then the remaining three Vice Chairpersons. For the election of the three Vice Chairs, which is the last group of offices to be elected, provisions will be made to elect the appropriate number of persons to ensure the equal division of the officers. This means that if the breakdown of the officers elected is 3 men and 1 woman, the election of the Vice Chairs must result in a balance of 3 of one gender and 4 of the other to ensure the equal division is met. While we won’t know what the breakdown will be until the election, DNC Members will be given instructions to cast the ballots for candidates of the appropriate gender.

Openness and Transparency

Democrats are committed to building a strong party for our future, and our non-voting supporters have a huge role to play in the party’s future.

That’s why we have been livestreaming each of our regional forums, and we encourage all Democrats to tune in and tweet their thoughts using the hashtag #DNCForum.

If you have a thoughts or suggestions about this process and how we can move our Party forward, please submit them here and we’ll share your feedback with party leaders in your state.

How DNC Officers Are Elected was originally published in The Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Look, Inauguration Day didn’t exactly make America great.

More than anything, it appeared to make America mad. Mad about Trump. Mad about his forthcoming executive actions. Mad to see the progress we’ve worked so hard for seep through the cracks. We felt hopeless.

But the following morning, the putrid sense from the day before was scattered by a bolt of fervent energy and a sea of pink.

Albeit a bit nasty.

The Women’s March on Washington and its sister marches across the country and on every continent kicked off a new era of defending our progress and refusing to normalize the misogynistic and bigoted values spewing from Trump’s administration.

 — @realDonaldTrump

We know that Trump and his flunkies deal in what they now call “alternative facts” (lies) — and one of their favorites is that Trump won by a landslide. But we know that he lost the popular vote by about 2.9 million votes. But the number of people who showed up to march all across the country on Saturday? About 2.9 million people.

Chicago:

 — @keithboykin

Boston:

 — @cbsboston

Denver:

 — @larryryckman

Philadelphia:

 — @ABetterBalance

Alaska:

 — @julia_omalley

But the beautiful piece is that turnout wasn’t just in the U.S., but around the entire world. Including:

Rome:

 — @ZoeCormack

Antarctica:

 — @BuzzFeed

And Former President Barack Obama’s birthplace:

 — @15MBcn_int

(Kidding.)

The energy was positive and palpable — it was clear that people were ready to come together and fight back at the march, but as a digital strategist at the DNC, I’ve been noticing this trend in measurable ways since Election Day. This past week alone has been our best week on social media, ever.

This digital trend is reflected in real life. The DC Metro reported that it was the second-busiest day in its history, with 1,001,613 trips — only trailing President Obama’s 2009 inauguration.

Trump may be trying to push the “alternative fact” that his inauguration turnout was the best ever and that the crowds reached all the way to the Washington Monument, but having witnessed this on social media, on the news, via word-of-mouth, and in person, I can comfortably say that the facts are … just facts. Not to mention that crowd scientists have estimated the gathering was three times greater for the women’s march than it was for Trump’s inauguration.

 — @CNN

 — @FreddieCampion

Folks, the future is female.

If you’re like me, this weekend has you energized and you’re itching to hold Trump accountable every single day. Here’s how to do that:

Hold your members of Congress accountable by calling them📱

We know that this works — earlier this month, Congressional Republicans reversed course on gutting the Office of Congressional Ethics after being flooded with calls. Our call tool makes it super easy: Just plug in some basic information and find the name and number of your GOP members of Congress with a suggested script.

Attend more demonstrations ✊

If the Women’s March was your first march, you now know that demonstrations like this can be powerful, affirming, and supportive experiences. Get out there and add your voice to causes that are important to you. There’s more power in numbers.

Get involved with or donate to a cause that supports the people the Trump Administration will hurt the most

Find an organization that speaks to you and set up a monthly donation and be an advocate. Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, the Trevor Project, United We Dream, Emily’s List, and the DNC are just a few suggestions who are fighting for the progress we believe in. 💪

Run for office

 — @MSNBC

As Senator Tammy Duckworth said on Saturday, “Run for office. Get out there and be those voices and be that change that you want to see in the world.” 🌎 Check out Emily’s List, Emerge America, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, your state party, or Run for Something for some really solid advice and resources.

Take a step back and give others a chance to speak👂

Trump is bad for women in so many ways. But the repercussions of his presidency are going to impact communities that already face disproportionate discrimination, like women of color, LGBTQ Americans, those living in poverty, and our sisters with disabilities. Use the energy from this weekend to be a signal boost for other women’s intersectional issues, making our work as inclusive as possible.

Trump’s brand of misogyny and hate isn’t going to pass us by — whether you marched or not. And now it’s on us to listen to our sisters and support them and lift them up. Because Trump is a swamp monster, and we women are half the population, and when we boost each other we can change the world. So in solidarity with women everywhere, let’s stand up, speak out, and stay nasty.

Stay Nasty was originally published in The Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In 2012, Rick Perry, then-governor of Texas, ran for president, and his platform included eliminating three federal government agencies: Education, Commerce, and … another one.

 — @TheDemocrats

Oops!

The third department he wanted to eliminate was the Department of Energy. Four years later, Donald Trump has nominated Rick Perry to head that very department.

While this move is somewhat amusing, and extremely ironic, it’s also a frightening prospect. Here are some of the points against Perry’s nomination:

BEHOLDEN TO OIL & GAS

• When he ran for president in 2012, Perry’s proposed energy plan was dubbed a “wish list for the oil and gas industry.”
• Rick Perry sits on the board of energy companies behind the Dakota Access Pipeline. (Democrats, meanwhile, are proud to stand with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe because every American has a right to clean drinking water.)
• Rick Perry called for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and is a proud proponent of the Keystone XL pipeline.

 — @TheDemocrats

WON’T KEEP OUR PLANET LIVABLE

• Rick Perry, who rejects the science of climate change, joins a chorus of climate change deniers in the Trump administration.
• Rick Perry doesn’t believe that the federal government is responsible for ensuring Americans’ access to clean air or water, despite laws like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.
• Rick Perry railed against EPA regulations that attempt to limit greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

LACKS BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• The current Energy Secretary is Ernest Moniz, a distinguished nuclear physicist formerly of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to that, Steven Chu — a Nobel laureate physicist — filled the role. And their predecessor in the Bush administration had a Doctorate. The Senate has to ask themselves whether Perry’s bachelor’s degree in animal science prepared him to manage our nation’s nuclear program.
• During his tenure as the governor of Texas, Perry’s administration was notoriously secretive, deleting emails after only a week and refusing to release records on topics like his daily schedule and the state’s technology fund.
• Rick Perry’s last public role was a 12th-place finish on the 23rd season of Dancing with the Stars.

In order to keep moving forward, we need an Energy Secretary who understands the complexities of nuclear policies and the importance of investing in renewable energy. Or, at the very least, an Energy Secretary who believes climate change is real and knows what his department does.

If you agree that Rick Perry is thoroughly unqualified for the role, share this post on Twitter and Facebook.

Rick Perry, Energy Secretary? was originally published in The Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Picture a cartoon villain banker — doesn’t care about working people, only cares about his own bottom line, associates mostly with other extremely wealthy people. That’s Wilbur Ross, Trump’s pick to lead our commerce department.

 — @TheDemocrats

He has been called a “vulture” and “the bottom-feeder king” for his predatory business practices. He is literally a member of a secret fraternity for rich bankers, and USA Today once reported that “only the prospect of overpaying brings him remorse.”

But that’s only the beginning:

BAD FOR WORKERS’ MONEY

• While Ross cashed in during the Great Recession, his factory employees in states like North Carolina, Indiana, and Pennsylvania were laid off.
• Around the same time, Ross was creating jobs… at new plants in China, India, and Japan.
• Ross generated profits for his companies by cutting wages, retirement benefits and healthcare.
• He does have his fellow billionaires’ backs, though. When asked about the possibility that Trump hasn’t paid income tax in years, Ross said that “most real estate people don’t pay any tax. I don’t think that’s any big deal.”
• Ross supports Donald Trump’s tax plan, which would provide huge tax cuts to the wealthy like them at the expense of hard-working Americans.

 — @TheDemocrats

BAD FOR WORKERS’ SAFETY

• Between 2004 and 2006, one of Ross’ West Virginia mines received 270 safety violations, 16 of which were among the most serious violations that the Department of Labor issues, but Ross refused to shut it down.
• A 2006 explosion in Ross’ West Virginia mine killed 12 workers and seriously injured another. Here’s what one of the relatives of the victims had to say about Ross:

“It’s easy to throw a couple million afterward instead of spending a few million ahead of time to save men’s lives in the first place.” — Kevin Sharp, relative of a Sago Mine Explosion victim

Ross also joins fellow cabinet members with questionable ties to Russia. He was business partners and sat on the board of the Bank of Cyprus with close allies of Putin. The Trump cabinet’s ties to Russia are already raising alarms, and Wilbur Ross’ connections to Russian oligarchs and former KGB agents further calls Donald Trump’s intentions into question.

Wilbur Ross has a career’s worth of evidence that he’s going to side with his own bottom line over the rights of working Americans, every single time. Share this post on Facebook and Twitter so your friends can see the kind of vultures Trump is putting in charge of our economy.

Wilbur Ross, Commerce Secretary? was originally published in The Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The mission of the Department of Labor is “to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.”

By this standard, Andrew Puzder is perhaps the worst choice for Labor Secretary in modern history.

Here are some of the lowlights of Puzder’s long anti-worker history:

• Took issue with mandatory rest and meal break requirements for workers, as well as mandatory sick leave
• Suggested replacing workers in the fast food industry with robots because:

Robots “never take a vacation, they never show up late, there’s never a slip and fall, or an age, sex, or race discrimination case.” —Andrew Puzder

• Criticized any effort to raise the federal minimum wage (which is currently $7.25, falling embarrassingly short of a living wage standard), and doubled down on Trump’s baseless claim that “wages are too high”
• Actively opposed the Affordable Care Act and claimed it caused a “restaurant recession,” hurting job growth in the food industry (fact check — there’s absolutely no evidence of this)

It’s easy for Puzder to sit back and oppose raising the minimum wage and deny his employees something as simple as lunch breaks or sick leave when he reportedly earns 291 times more than his lowest-paid worker.

Not only is Puzder himself bad for workers, but the company he runs has a poor record of standing up for ordinary Americans. The Obama Labor Department found labor law violations in 60% of the complaints it investigated at Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. Those violations usually entailed failure to pay the minimum wage or failure to pay overtime to workers. In fact, Puzder’s company has settled many class action suits, paying out over $20 million in the past eight years alone, in part over allegations that it failed to pay managers overtime.

As Labor Secretary, Puzder would be tasked with leading the fight to defend the Obama administration’s update to the rules for overtime pay. Overtime rules haven’t been fully adjusted for inflation since the 1970s, so the updated rules are long-overdue help to working families. They have been challenged in court, and Puzder has no record of standing up and fighting for American workers. He even said that overtime pay makes workers “less economically-efficient.”

We know that Puzder is looking out for two things: robots and his own bottom line. How can we trust Puzder to do the right thing for middle and working-class Americans? The truth is — we can’t. Make sure everyone knows why Trump’s Secretary of Labor pick would be harmful to working Americans by sharing this post on Twitter and Facebook.

 — @TheDemocrats

Andrew Puzder, Labor Secretary? was originally published in The Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Secretary of State is the voice of the United States abroad. Our chief diplomat and negotiator. The fourth person in the presidential line of succession.

Instead of picking someone who had experience for the job, Trump tapped a friend of Putin who has deep ties to Russia and whose selection has been praised by the Kremlin.

 — @TheDemocrats

BIG OIL

• Tillerson is the CEO (and a multi-million dollar shareholder) of Exxon, which does business in countless countries that Tillerson will have to negotiate with as Secretary of State. We don’t know if Rex will make decisions that benefit the American people or his personal fortune.
• The New York Times has said that Exxon is “a corporation so large and powerful — operating in some 200 nations and territories — that it really has its own foreign policy.” And that foreign policy is usually at odds with American interests.
• In Chad, for example, Exxon’s 2,500 member security team outnumbers the crew at the local CIA station.
• Exxon is currently being sued and investigated for human rights violations in Indonesia, where villagers were oppressed by forces paid by Exxon.
• Exxon is also being sued for defrauding the public on the impact of climate change.

 — @wuerker

TIES TO RUSSIA

• Tillerson is said to have one of the closest relationships with Putin of any U.S. citizen, and Putin even gave him a medal for his friendship.
• Tillerson ran a US-Russian oil company incorporated in the Bahamas (to avoid US taxes). Talk about putting America first.
• Tillerson lobbied against imposing U.S. sanctions on Russia (the sanctions were bad for his bff Vlad, bad for Exxon’s bottom line). Remember — Donald Trump can “wipe out Russia sanctions with stroke of the pen.”
• The good news is that we have some help fighting Tillerson’s nomination. Republicans are casting doubt on his nomination and demanding an official inquiry into Russia’s influence over the election.

 — @TheDemocrats

…AND THAT’S NOT ALL

Tillerson doesn’t have the experience that being our top diplomat requires. International diplomacy is full of strict protocols that the US must follow to be taken seriously, and Tillerson has never had to work within that system.

Secretary of State is a serious job. We cannot trust Tillerson to do the right thing for the United States when that could put his company, his personal fortune, or his pal Putin at risk.

Make sure your friends know why Trump’s Secretary of State pick is so dangerous by sharing this post on Facebook and Twitter.

Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State? was originally published in The Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

When Jeff Sessions testifies before the Senate next year, it won’t be his first time. The first time was in the mid-1980s, when he was deemed too racist to be confirmed. Now, Trump wants him to lead the Justice Department. Here’s why the Senate blocked his nomination to the federal bench in the mid-1980s:

• Jeff Sessions was accused of ordering “political, vindictive, and selective” investigations of black activists
• He came under fire for alleged use of racially-charged language with black colleagues and subordinates
• Colleagues alleged that Sessions described the NAACP and ACLU as “trying to force civil rights down the throats of people”
• Sessions said that he supported the Ku Klux Klan… until he found out they smoked pot

Sessions is currently a Senator from Alabama, and he is still just as racist.

 — @TheDemocrats

Muslims, African Americans, immigrants, LGBT Americans, women — you name it — Jeff Sessions doesn’t have your back. Here’s what you should know about him:

 — @AfAmDemocrats

EQUALITY

• Opposed same-sex marriage
• Claimed gay marriage could “wipe out” heterosexual marriage and lead the state to raising all children
• Voted against defining violence based on sexual orientation as a hate crime
• Voted to block the progress of the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, which would protect LGBT employees from workplace discrimination
• Co-sponsored the anti-LGBT First Amendment Defense Act
• Said in 2010 that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell had been “pretty effective”
• Called the Supreme Court ruling that gutted the Voting Rights Act “good for the South”

IMMIGRATION

• Claimed the Obama Administration hindered law enforcement by allowing high levels of immigration from the Middle East
• Falsely claimed that 90% of immigrants from Islamic countries between 2009–2014 were on food stamps
• Argued that there was a biblical foundation for a border wall with Mexico

GUN CONTROL

• Voted against a measure to prevent sales of firearms to suspected terrorists, ending the “gun show loophole,” and regulating civilian sales of assault weapons
• Called legislation to protect gun dealers and manufacturers from lawsuits “good for jobs”
• Opposed President Obama’s executive action on background checks

 — @TheDemocrats

DEFENSE AND NATIONAL SECURITY

• Supported the Iraq War and disparaged Americans who opposed it
• Called President Obama’s decision to pull out of Iraq “perhaps his worst mistake”
• Was one of only three Senators to vote against a comprehensive Department of Veterans Affairs reform bill

ECONOMY

• Insisted that American automakers would be better off declaring bankruptcy than getting bailed out
• Suggested the U.S. raise taxes in other areas to pay for lowering taxes on corporations
• Thought it was wrong for Trump to even entertain the possibility of raising the minimum wage

WOMEN

• Questioned the legitimacy and constitutionality of Roe v. Wade
• Voted against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2012 AND in 2013
• Voted against the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would have protected equal pay
• Voted to defund Planned Parenthood in 2015… a position he has advocated since at least 2011

Share this post on Facebook and Twitter if you don’t want a racist, anti-LGBT, misogynistic man as the top law enforcement official in the United States of America.

Jeff Sessions, Attorney General? was originally published in The Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Meet Retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, Donald Trump’s pick for National Security Advisor. By now you might know that Flynn is a hothead who traffics in fake news, was fired by the Pentagon for being unfit, and reportedly had to be physically restrained by Chris Christie during an intelligence briefing. But there are so many more reasons why Michael Flynn is an alarming choice to be National Security Advisor:

On Russia:

• Made regular appearances on Russia Today, a state-sponsored propaganda channel, where he has criticized U.S. policy while praising Vladimir Putin and defending Russia’s intervention in Syria
• Was paid to attend and address a dinner for Russia Today, where he sat at Vladimir Putin’s table
• Failed to inform the Pentagon that he was appearing at the gala, which he should have done since he still held a security clearance at the time

On his conduct:

• Fired from his role at the Pentagon for being unfit and contentious
• Reportedly had to be physically and verbally restrained by Chris Christie in an intelligence briefing
• Reportedly claimed to have lied in order to get his security clearance, and violated Pentagon rules by setting up his own internet connection in his office
• Interacts regularly on Twitter with white nationalists
• Stokes anti-Semitic and Islamophobic rhetoric online

 — @genflynn

• Frequently shared false or misleading news stories (his grasp of the truth was repeatedly questioned by his colleagues who joked about “Flynn facts”)

 — @MarkHarrisNYC

• Representative Adam Schiff, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee: “What [Flynn] has expressed is dangerous and harmful to us”
• Senator Tim Kaine: “Gen. Flynn’s trafficking in conspiracy stories that a fourth grader would find incredible suggests either that he’s highly gullible or that he’s so consumed with malice that he loses his ability to judge what’s fact and what’s fiction”

On other foreign ties:

• Sat in on Donald Trump’s national security briefings while he was also running a consulting firm that worked with foreign clients
• Altered his position on the attempted coup in Turkey after his firm was hired by a company with ties to the Turkish president

Michael Flynn’s lack of judgment, unstable temperament, and mysterious ties to Russia and other foreign players make him a frightening choice for National Security Advisor.

Share this post on Facebook and Twitter if you know we can’t allow him to have Donald Trump’s ear on some of our nation’s most important decisions.

Michael Flynn, National Security Advisor? was originally published in The Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

If you’re invested in the future of the Democratic Party, you need to understand what happened in Denver last weekend. State party leaders and the Democratic National Committee’s Executive and Rules and Bylaws committees met to discuss what comes next for us. I want to let you know what we talked about and how you can get involved.

THE RULES
Most of the selection process for Chair and every other officer position is laid out in the Charter and Bylaws, the constitution of the Democratic Party. Here’s what the Charter and Bylaws call for:

Who Votes:
It’s helpful to remember that the DNC is a committee made up of voting committee members. There are about 447 members on the national committee, and they’ll be the Democratic leaders selecting our next Chair. These are people elected by your community to represent you: Most states elect their DNC members at the same time as presidential nominating convention delegates. State party chairs and vice chairs are also voting DNC members, as are representative officials from various levels of elected office, Democratic organizations, and constituency groups. Members will be voting on candidates for Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, National Finance Chair and Treasurer. In Denver, the Rules and Bylaws Committee set the deadline to declare candidacy for those positions for February 21. Candidates must file paperwork with the DNC and have signatures from 20 voting DNC members to be considered.

When They Vote:
The Charter and Bylaws call for DNC officer elections at the DNC meeting after a presidential election, which must be held before March 1 of the following year. Accordingly, our next DNC meeting is scheduled for February 23–26 in Atlanta, Georgia. That’s when we will elect our next Chair and other officers.

Knowing that we have to work within those parameters, we are setting out to hold the most open and transparent Chair election in history.

OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY
Democrats who won’t be able to vote will still be able to make their voices heard. We are hard at work creating opportunities — online and in-person — that will allow Democrats who are not voting DNC members to give input on how our Party should move forward.

Regional Forums:
We want Democrats — voting DNC members and non-voting supporters alike — to have the chance to hear from our candidates for Chair and other offices in advance of the DNC Meeting in February. In Denver, we announced that we are organizing four regional forums featuring the candidates. You might want to add these dates to your calendars*:

• January 13–14: Phoenix, AZ
• January 27–28: Houston, TX
• February 3–4: Detroit, MI
• February 10–11: Baltimore, MD

More information about the regional forums will be available soon (sign up here if you want us to email you when it’s time to RSVP). And if you can’t attend, you will still be able to participate. The DNC will livestream every forum on our YouTube page, and in January we will be sharing ways to submit questions for candidates in advance.

We know that so many Democrats are committed to building a strong party for our future, and that our non-voting supporters have good insights into how to make that happen. If you have thoughts or suggestions about this process and how we can move our Party forward, please submit them here and we’ll share your feedback with party leaders in your state.

It’s my job to think about how to involve Democratic supporters while also following the rules that bind us as a committee. Help me think of new ways to involve all Democrats in this process by leaving a comment on this post.

As always, thank you for being a Democrat. Happy holidays — see you in 2017.

* These dates are tentative and subject to change.

The Most Open and Transparent Chair Election Ever was originally published in The Democrats on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.