Update: Demo’s First Move: Layoff The Manager
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Update:
Corey Shearer, President of the Broward County Black Democratic Caucus, told Redbroward.com on Sunday that the firing of the Broward Democratic Party’s office director “smells funny to the Black community.”
In an e-mail to Democratic activists, Shearer also complained that Christine Jones, the Second Vice Chair of the (Democratic Party organization), “was left out of the discussion on this change in the DEC office.”
Michael Howson, who is black, was laid off in the first big move by new Democratic boss Cynthia Bush, who replaced longtime leader of the D’s Mitch Ceasar last week. Ceasar took a leave to run for Broward Clerk of the Courts.
Redbroward.com hinted that the laid off office director, Michael Howson, “was seen as a Ceasar loyalist by Busch and her ally, State Committeeman Ken Evans.”
An earlier post is here:
Newly crowned Broward Democratic Chair Cynthia Busch has made her first move, laying off the party’s office manager and vowing to his use salary to help win elections.
Busch replaced 20-year veteran party chief Mitch Ceasar this week. Ceasar took a leave to begin his campaign for Broward Clerk of the Courts.
“Mitch had his way of doing things. I have some different ideas,” Busch told Browardbeat.com.
Cynthia Busch
Out is Ceasar’s handpicked director of the party’s Plantation office – Michael Howson.
A Browardbeat story about Howson is here.
“He was doing a fine job,” she said. “I just don’t think we need an (office) operations director….he was not fired. He was laid off.”
The job may be redefined to emphasize more campaign work.
Howson basically ran the Plantation office. If there is a new hire, they will be expected to do grass roots work for Democrats — finding volunteer, soliciting donations and drumming up support for candidates.
Sources say Howson’s forced departure has angered some black and LGBT Democrats. Howson is black and is well known in the LGBT political community.
“There are people who are friends with him who are Democrats who are upset,” Busch conceded.
She vowed the opposition would not deter her from redirecting Howson’s roughly $22,000 annual salary to spending that is “more campaign focused.”
Busch will be the party’s chair until after the August primary. Ceasar is expected to return between the primary and the General Election in November.
Who runs the party after the election will be decided in an election of Democratic committeemen and committeewoman.
August 13th, 2015 at 1:24 pm
Finally a chair who thinks about elections beyond their own election as chair.
August 13th, 2015 at 1:38 pm
Another unqualified would be yuppie who has
No sense! African AmeRicans and Gay and Lesbian Americans and Jewish Liberals are the Democratic Party in South Florida and disrespecting them with this stupid statement you can have an office manager and a field organizer in one person is the worst kind of inexperienced yuppie garbage. I may disagree with this group or thar group in my Party but ID never disrespect them with this witless double talk
August 13th, 2015 at 3:19 pm
Wow, with that salary they can find someone who is really talented, experienced and likely to stick around for a long time. At least they finally stopped calling the job executive director, the title given to the dozen or so women who worked “under” Mitch! Lucky for them at least there’s Obamacare now since none of these employees of the Democratic Party have ever been offered health insurance!
August 13th, 2015 at 4:53 pm
Unless Buddy has a typo, is the party that broke it now needs to deal with the repercussions of angering two important groups, the black and LGBT communities, just to save 22 grand?
FROM BUDDY:
Not a typo. Primarily, Ms. Busch wants different requirements for the job.
August 13th, 2015 at 7:19 pm
The simple fact of the matter Howsen did not have the skill set to handle what was needed. Being Black and LGBT does not mean you are qualified to do a particular job. Those caucusses should understand that and save their fury for real issues.
August 13th, 2015 at 11:22 pm
Cynthia Busch is really talented, experienced, and likely to stick around for a long time. And her salary is NONE. Zero. Nada.
Mitch Ceasar asks what’s in it for him. Cynthia Busch asks what she can do for her country.
A new era has dawned at the Broward party headquarters. It will take time to build up the party’s muscle, but Cynthia Busch is exactly the right person for that job.
August 14th, 2015 at 10:56 am
Pardon me, but is this the same Professional Lobbyist whose Full Time Job is executive director of the lobbying firm for the USELESS paper n money shufflers at the Children’s pseudo organization that gets our tax money? Who got 100 000 from the most people on earth, the Blowhard Workshop?
August 14th, 2015 at 11:28 am
First I feel bad whenever someone get’s laid off. I wish this person the best of luck in finding a new job quickly. Cynthia is absolutely correct to conserve money and resources during non-election times. The work that this person did will fall on Cynthia as extra things she has to volunteer for. $22000 each year implies $44000 can be used during a November election. That can go a long way to encourage more people to vote and bring out the issues. I also think Cynthia will bring out more volunteers and will relate better to the volunteers then her predecessor.
August 14th, 2015 at 3:14 pm
Purely rumor but I heard the Howson firing was entirely about Busch wanting to hire her young…Travis for the job.
August 15th, 2015 at 6:41 pm
Here we go again. Mitch made this hire knowing he was about to take a leave. Cynthia is a grassroots field organizer who will build such a team. All the Broward Dems will benefit from her leadership and service. Her goals are not for herself but only to elect good Democrats and promote issues of importance to all Democrats.
August 15th, 2015 at 8:42 pm
Typical and disturbing.
August 17th, 2015 at 2:53 pm
Here we go again seems to be the root of the
Problem with our party. LOBBYIST by definition is NOT A GRASSROOTS ANYTHING let alone ACTIVIST.
August 17th, 2015 at 9:54 pm
I like the renewed focus with Cynthia’s leadership on organizing, building team, training, and spending money where it will make the biggest difference. This is going to have a significant impact in 2016. Michael is a well-liked activist who was neither hired nor laid off because of his race or sexual orientation. To reduce it to those terms does him a disservice.
August 19th, 2015 at 4:06 pm
Agreed, Busch is/was an Exec. Director, not a grassroots anything. Of the three, Howson is the grassroots organizer with the history of actual volunteerism and ties to Broward county activists and voters.
Howson was let go in favor of Perron, despite Perron’s legitimate, historically proven, professional and personal shortcomings as he is her favored pupil even though he’s not won any of the five campaigns he’s worked/run since Obama 2012.
August 21st, 2015 at 6:43 pm
Reading some of the comments concerning Cynthia Busch is unbelievable, and most obviously written by those who don’t know Cynthia and have not worked with her as a member of the Broward Democratic Party.
I have known Cynthia 11 plus years, watched her worked diligently “getting out the vote”. Under Cynthia’s direction, and working with other Broward Dems, organized voter statistics now available by computer. Very helpful when walking, phoning, and assists Dems to communicate with voters. Believe me, it helped me as a canvasser.
Most important, Cynthia was and will continue to work beside each and all working Democrats. Depend on it!
When Cynthia had each of her two beautiful daughters, she never missed a beat working to get out the vote. Many times her daughters came with her as she continued working.
My advice to those of you who are not members of the Broward Democratic Party, join today! We need you!
August 22nd, 2015 at 11:09 am
I agree with “crabgretch” above. Cynthia is one of the most effective & motivating community leaders I have worked with in my 36 years of political volunteerism.
All while having two young children, I tip my hat to Cynthia & her husband.
Finally, if you are not registered to vote, do so today. Come to the West Regional Library every Saturday from 10am-4pm & see Cynthia’s organizational skills at work!
September 3rd, 2015 at 3:20 pm
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