24th Ward Regular Democratic Club vs. 24th Ward Regular Democratic Organization-- what a mess!

But don't the elected committeeman and committeewoman (Bill & Ella Marie Waterhouse) actively participate in the former Club sending out the letters? Of course, if Bauer is recalled, he can't run as a Dem in the special election. Will loyal committee persons then intentionally push for a stalking horse candidate to run against an "independent" Bauer? Would the City Central Committee allow such a scheme to unfold?

There are two large signs on Hampton Avenue lawns between Arsenal and Fyler reading "NO to Recall - Alderman Tom Bauer." However, at night, the emphasis on certain words would have them stating "NO Tom Bauer."

The City Central Committee is committed to following the lead of the recognized ward organization headed by the committeepersons. It will be at that point that Bauer will be a stalking horse, not the other way around. When you sue your own constituents--and with bogus cause--you tend to lose a lot of support very quickly.

I am not sure as to "who is with who" in the 24th Ward, but as the Chairman of the Democratic City Central Committee I am happy to explain the process that is utilized when a vacancy occurs in an aldermanic seat - rather it be as a result of a recall, resignation, or otherwise.

Once I am notified of a vacancy I will call a meeting of the Democratic City Central Committee, on the agenda will the nomination of the Democratic candidate for the aldermanic seat in the ward. At the meeting I will notify the body of the vacancy and entertain a motion to nominate. It has been (and I anticipate that it will continue to be) the practice that the Committee of the Ward (the committeeman and/or the committeewoman) in which the vacancy exists makes a motion to nominate a candidate. Historically, the nomination of the Ward Committee has prevailed. I am not aware of any occasion that the Central Committee has not supported the nomination of a unified Ward Committee.

Following the motion and a second, there will be discussion and the question will be called. Should the motion prevail, I will notify the election board of the nomination and that person will be the Democratic candidate for alderman in the ward. With the nomination, the candidate has the support of the Party as he or she stands for election in a special election. He or she is the only candidate on the ballot noted with the Democratic Party's designation.

Once in recent history, have the committeeman and the committeewoman of a ward in which a vacancy occurred disagreed on the nomination of the Democratic candidate. In that situation a majority of the Committee supported the nominee of the committeewoman and that candidate ran as the only Democrat in a special election held in that ward.

I hope this clarifies the process. As to the particular circumstances currently in the 24th Ward, the Central Committee views it as a local issue and will not involve itself in the matter until such time as its legal authority compels it.

Brian Wahby
Chairman
Democratic City Central Committee
City of St. Louis, Missouri

The tag line on the bottom of the signs states "To Protect Your Neighborhood" - quite reminiscent of the "Protect Your Right to Vote" campaign against A,B,C,D.

There's at least one sign on a corner lot that hasn't been mowed in a while. (Not that I can talk, but I thought it rather odd.) Another sign is on Hampton (southbound side) just north of Columbia.

Bauer's signs include a graphic of the donkey, Scotty. Scotty died some years ago. In the last campaign, there was a new donkey, Dan, but perhaps Bauer supporters forgot this. So, a vote against the recall is a vote for a dead ass.