The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) national leadership has deferred a decision on whether to revoke the Los Angeles chapter's endorsement of mayoral candidate Nithya Raman, citing concerns over her stance on the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
The DSA's National Political Committee (NPC) initiated a review of the Los Angeles chapter's endorsement of Raman after some members questioned her position on "R22," a DSA resolution mandating that local chapters ascertain a candidate's support for BDS before granting an endorsement. The committee met on Monday and previously last week to discuss the matter.
The NPC has scheduled a meeting for October 31 with Raman to evaluate her stance on BDS and issues pertaining to the Gaza conflict. A spokesperson confirmed that if Raman does not provide "clear and unequivocal commitments" during this meeting, the NPC will then vote on rescinding the endorsement. Additionally, if Raman wins the mayoral election on November 3, the group seeks her commitment to oppose the shipment of weapons from Los Angeles International Airport to Israel.
According to a resolution approved by the committee, if Raman has not expressed support for BDS and condemned weapons shipments out of LAX by January 1, the NPC will commence a disciplinary process under R22, potentially leading to a vote on her expulsion from the organization. Raman's campaign, in a statement released Monday, indicated her belief that "non-violent protest, legislative action, and diplomatic pressure, including BDS," are the most effective ways for working Angelenos to show solidarity with Gaza. However, the campaign declined to specify whether Raman personally supports BDS, directing inquiries back to her public statements.
The decision to postpone the vote has drawn criticism from some DSA members in Los Angeles. Clayton Ryles, a member of DSA-LA and the national committee, expressed that while he finds the move unnecessary and supports Raman's compliance with R22, consensus among members is not universal. He plans to vote against rescinding the endorsement. The potential revocation of the endorsement would have marked a significant intervention by the national organization into the local chapter's autonomous decision-making, which had democratically endorsed Raman with a vote of 937 to 484 in September.
Leslie Chang and Sean Wakasa, co-chairs of DSA-LA, acknowledged an oversight in omitting a specific BDS question from their candidate questionnaire, though they stated that inquiries regarding Palestine were made. They expressed disappointment that the NPC's resolutions were passed without a thorough review of the materials submitted, which they believe sufficiently address the committee's questions. Chang emphasized a desire to focus on the upcoming election and continue advocating for working Angelenos.
