Troubling Sign Between Fenenbock and Teachers

I went to a Democratic Party event over the weekend that was really nice, but I was reminded of something about a lot of party regulars...they don't reflect the actual electorate in El Paso.

I was reminded because I heard quite a few cheers for Dori Fenenbock who attended the event for about 15 minutes before leaving. She was recognized for "recruiting" 20 new members, which is to say she purchased 20 new memberships so people would vote for her to get the endorsement of the organization.

It troubles me that amongst folks who consider themselves hardcore Democrats, that they would so quickly sell-out the platform of the party to vote for someone who has more of a Republican voting record than a Democratic one and who has a secure-the-border-first approach to immigration reform. But that is because those few people care more about settling scores than about voting for who best exemplifies the values of our Party.

Which is why a recent spat between the American Federation of Teachers union boss in EPISD Ross Moore, and the Fenenbock campaign is something that the electorate should pay close attention to.

When someone running as a Democratic candidate goes to war with labor, its a problem and Democrats voting in the primary should take note.

But before we go any further, here is an article in the El Paso Times about what I have previously written about last week.

The short of it is that AFT Union Boss Ross Moore took issue with a campaign figure in the Fenenbock camp allegedly claiming that the teachers' union affiliated with the AFL-CIO had endorsed Fenenbock.

Whether that actually happened or not isn't the central issue. What is the issue is the response from the Fenenbock campaign. First of all, ever notice how Fenenbock is NEVER AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT?

I don't know of a single campaign where not answering questions on relevant issues got someone elected, so with all the money her campaign is bleeding to consultants, you'd think someone would be worth the money they are paid and come up with a comprehensive media strategy.

And trust me, "not available for comment" isn't a media strategy. I mean seriously, you can't hide her out forever. At some point there is going to be a public forum and she's going to have to answer questions.

But what DID come from her campaign was actually worse than Fenenbock not being available for comment. Apparently the strategy is going to be to have campaign consultant Christian Archer respond to the media.

Judging by his response to the Times, they might want to rethink that strategy.

Moore sent out an email to clarify to his membership that they had not had an endorsement process yet and that any indication otherwise was false. He even gave the Fenenbock camp the benefit of the doubt by saying that whether boasting about the endorsement was intentional or unintentional, the process they have in place remained intact.

As someone who has worked in unions, that is a reasonable, responsible, and proportionate response from a union boss to their membership.

Archer's response on behalf of the Fenenbock campaign was to use the most Trumpian of all responses, calling the issue "fake news".

He referred to a union boss' effort to keep his membership informed of their endorsement process because of alleged events, "a political hatchet job" and went on to say that it was "beneath Dori to even respond".

Apparently everything is beneath Dori because I don't recall the last time she responded to anything. Seriously, what kind of strategist has a wealthy white candidate in El Paso running against a Latina, has that candidate boast about defeating Latino candidates on said candidates website, then thinks its a good idea to say that something is "beneath" said candidate?

The idea is to make your candidate appeal to more than westside upper-crusters, genius. You don't do that by saying something is beneath her! You're supposed to make her endearing to people, not seem out of touch and aloof. Come on man, seriously.

And you know what else you don't do? You don't tell the union that represents the teachers that work in the district Fenenbock ditched to run for congress that they are part of a "political hatchet job" and expect the membership or labor in general to support you.

Frankly, if that is the disposition of the Fenenbock camp toward labor, I think the guys at CLEAT should address it with Fenenbock because they are labor and they endorsed her.

Solidarity means something.

At least to us Democrats anyway...

It is seriously going to look bad if the only thing Fenenbock has to hang her political hat on is her time as a trustee and the teachers in that district endorse her opponent. She should thank her consultant for this one...