Amid Controversy, DSA Postpones Vote on Endorsement
A recent gathering of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) national leaders resulted in another delay regarding their decision on whether to uphold or rescind their endorsement of Nithya Raman in the Los Angeles mayoral race. This move stems from concerns that Raman has not sufficiently demonstrated a strong stance regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly in relation to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Upcoming Meeting to Address Concerns
The DSA’s National Political Committee initiated a review of Raman’s endorsement after some members expressed worries over her support for the BDS movement. The committee had not previously confirmed her position on “R22,” a DSA resolution mandating local chapters to evaluate candidates’ stances on BDS before granting endorsements.
In response, the committee has arranged to meet with Raman on October 31 to discuss her views on BDS and other relevant issues concerning the ongoing Gaza conflict. If she does not provide “clear and unequivocal commitments” during this meeting, the committee may decide to revoke her endorsement, a spokesperson confirmed.
Should Raman win the upcoming election on November 3, DSA seeks her commitment to oppose any military shipments to Israel departing from Los Angeles International Airport. Failure to support BDS and denounce these weapon shipments by January 1 could trigger disciplinary actions leading to a vote on her expulsion as per committee regulations.
In a recent statement to DSA during the committee’s meeting, Raman emphasized her perspective, stating, “The best way for working Angelenos to stand in solidarity with Gaza is through non-violent protest, legislative action, and diplomatic pressure, including BDS.” However, the Raman campaign has refrained from confirming whether she personally endorses BDS, redirecting inquiries back to her statement and previous remarks, asserting her position on not including BDS in her mayoral platform.
Amid these developments, some members of DSA expressed discontent with the push to reconsider her endorsement. Clayton Ryles, a DSA-LA member and national committee representative, echoed sentiments of support for Raman, noting that he plans to vote against rescinding her endorsement. He previously endorsed her in the local chapter’s vote.
Revoking the DSA-LA endorsement would mark a significant intervention by the national body into local chapter affairs, undermining a democratic decision that previously passed with a vote of 937 to 484 in September.
In an effort to clarify matters, the co-chairs of DSA-LA admitted that they had accidentally omitted a specific question about BDS in their candidate questionnaire but asserted that inquiries regarding Palestine were made during the candidate interview. “This was an oversight,” Leslie Chang and Sean Wakasa noted in their communication to members.
Chang reiterated that Raman had provided strong responses concerning Palestine throughout her engagements with DSA-LA and during the recent national committee meeting. As the election approaches, DSA-LA aims to concentrate on electing their slate and advocating for the interests of working Angelenos.
