Tag Archives: CASA

Adam Pagnucco, MCGEO, Progressive Maryland, SEIU, SEIU Local 500

Labor Pumps Money Into Anti-Blair Super PAC

By Adam Pagnucco.

Four labor unions and an immigrant advocacy organization have contributed a combined $90,000 to a Super PAC which opposes the election of David Blair as Montgomery County Executive.

The Progressive Maryland Liberation Alliance PAC is a Super PAC affiliated with Progressive Maryland.  The Super PAC’s Chair, Larry Stafford, is Progressive Maryland’s Executive Director.  The group has previously distributed anti-Blair flyers but now has the money to do a lot more than that.

The Super PAC’s campaign finance filings indicate that it was organized for the purpose of supporting gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous, State Senate candidates Jill Carter, Antonio Hayes and Mary Washington, State’s Attorney candidate Victor Ramirez and Delegate candidate Melissa Wells and opposing State Senator Bobby Zirkin, State’s Attorney candidate Ivan Bates and Blair.  But the labor contributions to the Super PAC were explicitly designated to opposing Blair.  Those contributions included $35,000 from MCGEO, $35,000 from the Laborers, $10,000 from UNITE HERE Local 25, $5,000 from SEIU Local 500 and $5,000 from immigrant advocacy group Casa in Action.  All of these organizations except for UNITE HERE Local 25 have endorsed Marc Elrich for Executive, as has Progressive Maryland.

Of these contributions, $10,000 has been spent on a video opposing Blair.  We imagine MoCo voters will be seeing that video soon.

With $80,000 remaining, the Super PAC has enough money to finance mailers and more.  What’s unclear is how much more money it can raise with labor spending almost a million dollars to elect Ben Jealous as Governor and more than $600,000 to elect Donna Edwards as Prince George’s County Executive.  Still, they are playing in MoCo and we expect them to play hard.

Share
Casa de Maryland

Casa in Action Announces New Endorsements

By Adam Pagnucco.

Immigrant rights group Casa in Action has announced a second wave of endorsements.  We included their first wave in MoCo in our endorsement summary of March 9.  The full list of earlier endorsements appears here.  We reprint Casa in Action’s press release below.

*****

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

FERNANDA DURAND, CASA in Action fdurand@casainaction.org

JOSSIE FLOR SAPUNAR, CASA in Action jsapunar@casainaction.org

CASA in Action Endorses Local and State Candidates in Maryland

LANGLEY PARK, MD. (WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018) – The Mid-Atlantic’s premier pro-immigrant electoral organization CASA in Action announced endorsements for the Maryland General Assembly and local council seats ahead of the June 26 Maryland primary. This second series of endorsements took place Sunday after the CASA in Action board interviewed and voted in favor of candidates that support a pro-immigrant agenda benefitting working families. The first series of endorsements can be found at this link.

“Amidst the xenophobia that plagues the national discourse, our community should, now more than ever, be represented by candidates that recognize that immigrant and working families strengthen the fabric of our nation,” said Gustavo Torres, President of CASA in Action. “Uplifting candidates that will champion our issues despite efforts to bring us down will ultimately help all Marylanders. This year we will fight harder than ever to elect a slate of candidates that will provide the social and economic opportunities our community desperately needs.”

Whereas some endorsements went to incumbent officials, many were in support of new leaders that are shaking up the world of politics.

Longtime local activist Krystal Oriadha has advocated for access to health care and quality education for the families that need it most.

Spurred to run for office after witnessing President Trump’s hateful rhetoric, Hamza Khan, former president of the Muslim Democratic Club of Montgomery County, fiercely supports the Maryland TRUST Act and a $15 minimum wage for the working families that call Maryland home.

After leaving a lucrative corporate job to become a computer science teacher in Montgomery County Public Schools, Samir Paul decided to further serve his community by seeking public office, where he will pursue progressive policies as delegate.

Decorated combat veteran Marlin Jenkins is a labor union attorney that relentlessly fought for workplace benefits for federal employees.

A fierce advocate who has dedicated her life to social justice, Brandy Brooks is a progressive activist and organizer determined to expand opportunities in Montgomery County.

Will Jawando is a civil rights attorney and community activist who worked on education and workforce policy at the federal level.

“Whether phone-banking, door-knocking, or registering voters, our members are excited to replicate the electoral victories we secured for our nine candidates in Virginia,” said Yaheiry Mora, Director of CASA in Action. “Many of the Maryland candidates we endorsed are mettle-tested warriors in the fight for equity and justice. Their longstanding history of activism will energize our members to help turn out the vote for candidates that will fight for working families.”

CASA in Action is spearheading a voter mobilization campaign that ensures progressive, pro-immigrant candidates are elected into office at the local, state, and national levels.

 

Endorsements

Prince George’s County – County Council Elections

District 7: Krystal Oriadha

District 9: Tamara Davis Brown

 

House of Delegates and State Senate

 

District 11 House of Delegates

Amy Blank

Shelly Hettleman

Dana Stein

 

District 14 House of Delegates

Anne Kaiser

 

District 15 House of Delegates

Kathleen Dumais

David Hidalgo Fraser

Hamza Khan

 

District 16 House of Delegates

Ariana Kelly

Marc Korman

Samir Paul

 

District 17 House of Delegates

Jim Gilchrist

 

District 18 House of Delegates

Emily Shetty

Jared Solomon

 

District 19 House of Delegates

Bonnie Cullison

Marlin Jenkins

 

District 21 House of Delegates

Mary Lehman

 

District 24 House of Delegates

LaTasha R. Ward for House of Delegates

Erek Barron for House of Delegates

 

District 25 House of Delegates

Darryl Barnes

 

District 39 House of Delegates

Shane Robinson

 

District 40 House of Delegates

Nick Mosby

 

District 43 House of Delegates

Curt Anderson

Maggie McIntosh

 

District 44B House of Delegates

Charles Sydnor

 

District 47

Malcolm Augustine for State Senate

Diana Fennell for House 47A

Jimmy Tarlau for House 47A

 

Montgomery County Council At-Large

Gabe Albornoz

Brandy Brooks

Will Jawando

Hans Riemer

Share
2018 Montgomery County Executive Race

CASA Endorses Elrich for Exec

From the press release issued jointly by CASA and the Elrich campaign:

SILVER SPRING, Md._ On December 21, CASA in Action announced its endorsement of Marc Elrich for Montgomery County Executive. CASA, a 96,000+ member immigrant advocacy organization, is the first civil rights group to weigh in on the county’s 2018 primary election.

“I am deeply honored to have the support of the CASA in Action community,” Marc Elrich said. “CASA in Action has been a leader on immigrant rights and economic justice issues and I have been humbled to have had the chance to work with them to move people to citizenship and achieve economic security for their families.”

In a crowded race, the CASA in Action board decided to endorse Elrich because of his outstanding commitment to immigrants and workers both during his time on the Takoma Park City Council and the Montgomery County Council. In the early 1990s, Elrich supported the establishment of the first day-laborer center in Takoma Park. He also strengthened Takoma Park’s rent stabilization law and directed city funding to community organizing efforts. Since Elrich has been on the County Council, he has taken leadership with CASA in Action members to pass legislation protecting domestic workers, improve legal protections for tenants, push back against master plans that eliminated existing affordable housing, and, most recently, raise Montgomery County’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.

“Time and again, Marc Elrich has stood shoulder to shoulder with our members to fight for a county where children can achieve, families can strive, and immigrants are woven into the fabric of every community,” said Gustavo Torres, President of CASA in Action.

During an election cycle that will bring vast change to leadership in the county, the CASA in Action board was able to consider many strong candidates, some whom – like Councilmember George Leventhal and Delegate Bill Frick – have long stood up for immigrant rights in their current roles.

“Elections require us to make choices about the communities we want to live in. This one comes at a time when the contrast between the lives of Montgomery County’s haves and have-nots could not be more stark,” said Mr. Torres. “Marc Elrich knows that a more equitable world is possible and is committed to make the necessary changes to achieve it.”

Share