October 29, 2012 08:40 PM UTC

At Least She's Not Your "Democrat of the Year"

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• by: Colorado Pols

That is, unless you live in Jefferson County.

From CBS4:

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- The woman named “Democrat of The Year” this year by the Jefferson County Democratic Party has been convicted of felony theft by a Jefferson County jury for stealing from a developmentally disabled 71-year-old woman.

It’s standard practice, of course, for political parties to award “people of the year” honors to members who have given time or money. It makes volunteers feel appreciated and, better yet, the party can fundraise by selling tickets to awards dinners.

There’s never any reason for the parties handing out these awards to suspect one of their volunteers is involved in something shady, either. Honoring someone with a cheap plaque and some second-rate spaghetti doesn’t warrant a criminal background check. If criminal allegations — or any other unsavory pieces of information — come out after someone is named an “x of the year,” the best course of action is cut off all ties and, perhaps, revoke the award. There’s not much more you can do.

It’s a totally different story, however, to give an award to someone after you know they’re under criminal investigation. Unfortunately, in the case of this “Democrat of the Year,” that’s a lesson the Jefferson County Democratic Party has to learn the hard way.

More from CBS:

[T]hree days before the January 8 gala, advocates for the victim contacted the party via email and phone informing them of the criminal investigation.

But Chris Kennedy, chairman of the Jefferson County Democratic party, dismissed the concerns saying there was not a conviction and bestowed the “Democrat Of The Year” honor on Carson.

In an email following the event, Kennedy wrote, “After much consideration, my decision was that the award being presented by my organization and the alleged financial exploitation need to be compartmentalized, one having no bearing on the other. Thus I decided to present the award…”

Seriously? The “alleged financial exploitation” needs to be compartmentalized? This is an award for “Democrat of the Year.” As much as the title is a commonplace honorific, the award itself is a bold declaration that its recipient is one of the party’s all-around most valuable members. Being accused of a crime lessens the value of a person’s profile and contributions as a Democrat. Unless, of course, you’re trying to send the message that your organization welcomes and even celebrates those who steal from the elderly.

Kennedy defended his decision to CBS by saying that the woman in question had been “accused, not convicted” and that he “did not have reason to believe it was true.” That shouldn’t have mattered. As the county’s Democratic chair, Kennedy has a responsibility to earn his party the best possible optics and, more importantly, to make sure it avoids embarrassing stories like these. That there was even an investigation was cause to cancel the presentation of the award — just in case that investigation led to a conviction, as it did here.

Why Kennedy failed to realize the potential implications of offering this award to someone accused of a crime is perplexing. Perhaps he didn’t want to upset a loyal volunteer or hurt anybody’s feelings. Still, hurt feelings can’t justify the mess he’s created as a result. Kennedy should’ve canceled the presentation of this award the very second he was informed of the criminal charges. Sure, he might’ve stepped on some toes, but the honors could’ve been offered anew if the volunteer in question was exonerated.  

Because Kennedy didn’t think this through, however, the Jefferson County Democratic Party is now plagued by headlines showcasing its official approval of a someone who stole from a developmentally disabled septuagenerian.

This is a serious lapse in judgement at best and incompetence at worst.