NC Democratic Party head fired
Published February 10, 2014
by Cullen Browder, WRAL, February 19, 2014.
After less than a year as executive director of the North Carolina Democratic Party, Robert Dempsey was fired Sunday, an attorney for the state party said Sunday night.
"Mr. Dempsey is no longer executive director," David Harris said, declining to say why other than that the dismissal was a personnel matter.
Dempsey had no comment Sunday night, and state Democratic Party Chairman Randy Voller did not respond to messages seeking comment.
According to multiple sources, some of whom talked to Dempsey, Dempsey said he was informed Sunday that he was being let go.
Casey Mann, who has served as the North Carolina Democratic Party's state director for the past year, has been named interim executive director.
Dempsey, who was the choice of a search committee led by Voller, was installed as the party's executive director in May to lead the structure toward the 2014 elections after extensive losses in 2010 and 2012.
Before coming to North Carolina, he managed the congressional campaign of now-California Democrat Rep. Scott Peters and also served as executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party.
Voller, the former mayor of Pittsboro, was narrowly elected chairman in early 2013, and the party's first vice president resigned a few months later, complaining about Voller's leadership.
Voller also faced questions about some business-related debt and a party fundraising trip.
According to the state party's bylaws, the executive director works at the pleasure of the chairman, but several Democrats have filed a complaint against Voller with the North Carolina Democratic Party's Council of Review
"I hope Mr. Voller will be straightforward with his party and explain his action," one of those Democrats, John Burns, said in a statement to WRAL News. "Unilateral actions of the chairman are exactly what got him in trouble last spring, and these actions are inconsistent with the letter and spirit of the agreement he reached with us."
February 10, 2014 at 10:23 am
Watt Jones says:
Well, no surprise that John Burns is at it again!
February 10, 2014 at 10:44 am
Norm Kelly says:
This is a MAJOR shake-up in the Democrat party of NC. I wonder how the libs are going to respond to this. I mean those libs who report & comment on political issues. People like Chris Fitzsimmon.
No matter what happens inside the Republican party, every lib commentator comes out to tell us the party is in trouble, internal affairs is tearing the party apart, the party is disheveled, a direction can not be reached within the leadership of the party. It doesn't matter how small ANY disagreement might be within the party leadership, all reports about the Republican party would simply state that this is a reflection of how poorly the party is handling given situation and how much trouble they are in with voters because of the internal turmoil.
Wonder how libs are going to spin this turmoil within their own party. Which media outlet is going to be the first to claim the Democrat party is falling apart? Will there actually be ANY comment about this shake-up within the party ranks, or will it simply be reported? What will editorials in the N&D have to say about this? I doubt the N&D will even acknowledge this because it could lead their readers to question the Democrats and partners of the media. The N&D does everything it can, and refuses to print some stuff, because it might damage their party. All the news that's fit to print unless it damages the News & Democrat party. Maybe after all the turmoil in the Democrat party, the newspaper will change it's name to reflect more closely it's relationships. Instead of News & Observer, it can change to reflect the N&D I've always used. I meant it as News & Disturber; it is more properly called the News & Democrat, short for News (sometimes) and Democrat party support paper (always).
I'll keep my eyes open, but won't expect much.
February 10, 2014 at 12:38 pm
Watt Jones says:
MAJOR SHAKEUP? Boy, you are clueless! lol
