Allen Dirrim holds a sign on the corner of Victoria Avenue and Telegraph Road in Ventura to show his support for health care workers speaking out against cuts to public health programs. Dirrim is a member of the Greater Oxnard Organization of Democrats. Photo by Richard Quinn for the VC Star.

Speakers will be Mohamed Ashmawey, Ph.D. – Professor, Engineer, Management and Non-profit Consultant and Ferial Masry – Local Educator, Assembly Candidate and DCCV Club member.

Date:  Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Time: 6:15 PM Social, 7:00 PM Meeting

Location:  Thousand Oaks Library, 1401 E. Janss Rd.

The public is invited and we will welcome our new members.   Please join us.

For more information contact Carol Keavney at cjkeavney@verizon.net, 805-498-7262 or Jay Kapitz at j_kapitz@yahoo.com, 818-889-1039.

The next general meeting of the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley (DCCV) is Wednesday, February 9, 6:15 PM at the Thousand Oaks Main Library, 1401 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks.  The program is titled “Strategic Planning for 2012”.  John Griffin will guide us in an interactive strategic planning and goal setting session. We want to map out a successful strategy for the 2012 elections. You are all invited to participate. John Griffin is a Management professor of California State University, Channel Islands, business consultant, and Administrative Vice-President of our own DCCV.

 Our committee chairs will also be discussing their plans for 2011.

We welcome new members and the general public.

Working Blue July 3rd FUNdraiser With Honored Guests
Congresswoman Lois Capps
Senator Fran Pavley
Assemblymember Pedro Nava
Assemblymember Julia Bownley
Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Fiona Ma
Ventura Mayor Bill Fulton 

Please Join the Working Blue Democratic Club for our Independence Day Weekend kick-off party on Silverstrand Beach. Last year this event helped train over 70 Local activists, start door to door voter registration, and send volunteers to work on local and regional campaigns. This years proceeds will help open field offices throughout Ventura County and fund field ID and GOTV programs for the general election.

Dinner and Live music will be provided. Requested attire will be “snappy casual” which perfectly suits the fun-loving, family atmosphere for which Silverstrand is known. 

Please consider one of the following contribution levels:

Surfer (Master of the Waves & Guest Host): $500 
Lifeguard (Sea and Sand):$250 
Beachcomber (Enjoy the Beach): $50 

RSVP at http://www.actblue.com/page/3july2010/recipient/869337  

Where:  Hodge Family Household 
              140 Bardsdale Ave 
              Oxnard, Ca 93035 

When : July 3rd, 5-8 pm 
Attire : Snappy Casual 
RSVP : Invite only, Please RSVP to Jason Hodge – Chair, Working Blue 
             Democratic Club 805-444-5223 Or jhodge@vcpfa.org
              http://www.actblue.com/page/3july2010/recipient/869337  

Jim Dantona Campaign Update

Jim Dantona is running for Ventura County Clerk against Tea Party supporter Mark Lunn.  Jim spoke at the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley on May 12 and spelled out the strategy against him:  Keep the Democrats home, Democrats won’t bother to vote.  The tens of millions of dollars spent by Whitman and Poisner has got the Republicans riled up and ready to vote.  Where will the Dems be?  Jim encouraged all Democrats to send urgent email alerts to 20 friends to put them on notice that:

1. The June 8th election is not a primary but the same as a general election in the case of the County Clerk race since there are only two candidates and one will be declared a winner on June 8th.

2. Jim wants to use improved technology in order to reduce the time it takes to count absentee ballots - currently as long as three weeks after the election.  Jim has already identified certain vote counting machines that are at issue.

3. Jim want to implement the findings of two grand jury investigations that found deficiencies in how your votes are being counted or possibly not being counted.

4. Jim’s opponent has no specific plan for fixing the vote counting system.  He says he wants to study it once he is elected.

More information about Jim Dantona for County Clerk can be found at www.jimdantona.com.

YES on Proposition 15: California Fair Elections Act…for elections that money can’t buy!

Working Group Volunteer Action Meeting
Date: Wednesday, March 31, 7:00 – 8:45 PM
Location: Home of Sue and Rick Gunther, 4228 Via Azul, Newbury Park
Snacks Provided
RSVP to Jay Kapitz: j_kapitz@yahoo.com, 818-889-1039

VENTURA, CA — Santa Barbara City Councilmember Das Williams is proud to announce that he has picked up key support from the grassroots of the California Democratic Party (CDP), winning this morning’s Region 10 Pre-Endorsement Conference by a vote of 66-12.

Having received 82 percent of the vote from Democratic Party Delegates within Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, Das Williams well-surpassed the 70 percent needed to earn the formal endorsement of the State Democratic Party at the April Convention.

“Das Williams has dedicated his life to serving Santa Barbara and Ventura counties,” said E.J. Borah, local longtime Democratic activist. “He grew up here and knows our community. No other candidate in this race has a better understanding of we what need in Sacramento.”

“For too long, California has been held captive to the politics of Sacramento,” said Amanda Wallner, President of U.C. Santa Barbara Campus Democrats, who have also endorsed Das Williams. “To create true and lasting change, the citizens of our great state must take action. Today the local activists of the Democratic Party voted to endorse Das Williams for State Assembly because he has the most impressive record of grassroots organizing and is demonstrating his campaign’s commitment to the power of the people.”

Carol Lindberg of the Ventura Democratic Club added, “Das Williams is a coalition builder and has a proven record of getting things done. We need his leadership in Sacramento and I am proud to have given him my vote for the endorsement of the California Democratic Party.”

Garnering the formal support of Santa Barbara and Ventura County Democratic Party activists, as well as numerous other leaders and organizations representing labor and other key grassroots constituencies, Das Williams’ field campaign is likely to be unbeatable leading up to the June 8th primary.

“I am so honored by the overwhelming support my Assembly campaign received at today’s Pre-Endorsement Caucus,” said Das Williams. “I have always taken great pride in the work I have done to advance the core Democratic principles of fairness, opportunity, and investment, and today’s delegate vote represents a humbling recognition of my record.”

“Earning the California Democratic Party’s early formal endorsement would be a highlight of my career. I am so thankful for the confidence and support showed to me today by our Region 10 delegates,” ended Williams.

Das Williams is running to succeed fellow Democrat and termed-out Assemblymember Pedro Nava in 2010.

YES on Proposition 15: California Fair Elections Act…for elections that money can’t buy!

Speaker’s Training for Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties
Date: Wednesday, March 24, 6:00 – 8:45 PM
Location: Home of Lisa Burton, 1707 Santa Ynez Street, Ventura
Pizza and Refreshments Provided
RSVP to Jay Kapitz: j_kapitz@yahoo.com, 818-889-1039

Working Group Volunteer Action Meeting
Date: Wednesday, March 31, 7:00 – 8:45 PM
Location: Home of Sue and Rick Gunther, 4228 Via Azul, Newbury Park
Snacks Provided
RSVP to Jay Kapitz: j_kapitz@yahoo.com, 818-889-1039

Ventura, CA, Arnulfo “AC” Carbajal announced today that after careful consideration, he has decided to withdraw from the race for County Clerk/Recorder and endorse Jim Dantona.

Carbajal explained that he was motivated to run for County Clerk/Recorder in late 2009 after he saw that the only declared candidate lacked the non-partisanship necessary to effectively run the county’s elections office.  Carbajal described his motivation for running: “Every candidate and every voter must trust the integrity of the elections office and must be 100% certain that the person responsible for elections is independent.  In good conscience, I could not sit by and let an officer in the Republican party take control of this office without voters having a choice.”

AC Carbajal is a registered Democrat but has never served on the central committee or in any position within the party and has never raised funds for either party.  He has always believed and acted independently of either party.

Carbajal went on to explain his reasons for stepping aside.  “When Jim Dantona entered this race, I investigated his experience and credentials much like I investigated Mark Lunn.  Jim Dantona has never served on any party central committee and has truly been an independent voice in Ventura County politics.  In addition, Dantona has excellent experience in elections, management and serving the community.  When I realized that we shared a deep respect for independent elections, I decided that the stakes were too high to have three candidates in this race.  For these reasons, I have decided to step aside and support Jim Dantona.  I intend to work hard for him and for the people of Ventura County to elect the most independent person in this race who will best protect taxpayer dollars.

Jim Dantona is an independent small businessman who runs a legislative and governmental consulting firm.  An dedicated youth advocate, community leader and philanthropist, he founded Baseballers Against Drugs in1989, helping over 60,000 young people to fight drugs and gangs and stay in school. The organization was awarded the 2003 Volunteer Organization of the Year and Dantona was honored by the FBI with the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award.

“I am honored to have AC Carbajal standing beside me in this race,” states Dantona.  “We are both passionate about protecting the American democratic process as we have both seen examples in the county of Election Day mistakes, needless delays of election results and poor investments of our hard-earned tax dollars,  With AC’s help, I will fight for a county-wide voter outreach while working to prevent voter fraud.”

Ventura, CA, Arnulfo “AC” Carbajal announced today that after careful consideration, he has decided to withdraw from the race for County Clerk/Recorder and endorse Jim Dantona.

Carbajal explained that he was motivated to run for County Clerk/Recorder in late 2009 after he saw that the only declared candidate lacked the non-partisanship necessary to effectively run the county’s elections office.  Carbajal described his motivation for running: “Every candidate and every voter must trust the integrity of the elections office and must be 100% certain that the person responsible for elections is independent.  In good conscience, I could not sit by and let an officer in the Republican party take control of this office without voters having a choice.”

AC Carbajal is a registered Democrat but has never served on the central committee or in any position within the party and has never raised funds for either party.  He has always believed and acted independently of either party.

Carbajal went on to explain his reasons for stepping aside.  “When Jim Dantona entered this race, I investigated his experience and credentials much like I investigated Mark Lunn.  Jim Dantona has never served on any party central committee and has truly been an independent voice in Ventura County politics.  In addition, Dantona has excellent experience in elections, management and serving the community.  When I realized that we shared a deep respect for independent elections, I decided that the stakes were too high to have three candidates in this race.  For these reasons, I have decided to step aside and support Jim Dantona.  I intend to work hard for him and for the people of Ventura County to elect the most independent person in this race who will best protect taxpayer dollars.

Jim Dantona is an independent small businessman who runs a legislative and governmental consulting firm.  An dedicated youth advocate, community leader and philanthropist, he founded Baseballers Against Drugs in1989, helping over 60,000 young people to fight drugs and gangs and stay in school. The organization was awarded the 2003 Volunteer Organization of the Year and Dantona was honored by the FBI with the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award.

“I am honored to have AC Carbajal standing beside me in this race,” states Dantona.  “We are both passionate about protecting the American democratic process as we have both seen examples in the county of Election Day mistakes, needless delays of election results and poor investments of our hard-earned tax dollars,  With AC’s help, I will fight for a county-wide voter outreach while working to prevent voter fraud.”