The credentials committee of the Democratic National Committee voted on Monday to void the results of the internal party election that appointed David Hogg as a vice chair, stating that the election did not adhere to proper parliamentary procedures.
The decision, reached after approximately three hours of debate and one tie vote, will be presented to the full Democratic National Committee. The body must determine whether to require Mr. Hogg and fellow vice chair Malcolm Kenyatta to participate in a new election later this year.
Mr. Hogg, 25, is a prominent figure following the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and has faced significant criticism for his plans to allocate up to $20 million through his organization, Leaders We Deserve, to challenge incumbent Democrats in primary campaigns. Party chairman Ken Martin has expressed concerns about Mr. Hogg's involvement in primaries while serving as a party official and has suggested altering the party's bylaws to mandate a neutrality pledge from him.
The ruling by the credentials committee was primarily in response to a complaint from Kalyn Free, one of the candidates who lost in the vice chair race. Ms. Free argued that the party improperly combined two distinct questions into a single vote, disadvantaging female candidates under the party's gender parity rules.
In response to the decision, Mr. Hogg acknowledged that it was based on procedural grounds, but he noted, "it is also impossible to ignore the broader context of my work to reform the party which loomed large over this vote." He expressed concern that the D.N.C. is seeking to expedite his removal from the position.
Mr. Martin expressed disappointment upon learning of the procedural error that occurred prior to his chairmanship during the February vice chair elections. He stated, "The credentials committee has issued their recommendation, and I trust that the D.N.C. members will carefully review the committee’s resolution and resolve this matter fairly."
The committee's discussions did not focus on Mr. Hogg's participation in primary campaigns, which remains a separate issue, but rather on parliamentary procedures and the decision to combine the votes for the last two vice chair slots into one vote.
Both Mr. Hogg and Mr. Kenyatta were elected simultaneously, with Mr. Kenyatta, 34, currently serving as a state lawmaker in Pennsylvania. Their elections marked the introduction of younger voices into the party's leadership.
Ms. Free emphasized the importance of fairness, stating, "This is about fairness and making sure that three women and the voting members of the D.N.C. are not disenfranchised." She had secured the assistance of a parliamentary expert to support her case prior to the meeting.
The credentials committee displayed uncertainty regarding the resolution of the issue. An initial motion from Christine Pelosi, daughter of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to dismiss the complaint resulted in a tie vote. Ultimately, a resolution calling for a new election featuring the same candidates was approved.