The national group of Democratic Socialists of America decided Monday to again postpone a vote on whether to maintain or revoke the Los Angeles chapter’s endorsement of Nithia Rahman in the Los Angeles mayoral race over concerns that Rahman has not taken a strong enough stance on Israel.
The left-wing group’s national political committee has begun reviewing DSA-LA’s support for Raman after some members noted that she was not asked about her stance on “R22.” “R22” is a DSA resolution that requires local chapters to ask candidates about their support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel before approving it.
The committee met last week and again on Monday and voted to work with DSA-LA to hold a meeting with Rahman on October 31 to assess her position on BDS and other issues related to the Gaza conflict.
A spokesperson confirmed that the national committee would vote on whether to withdraw DSA-LA’s support if she failed to “provide clear and unequivocal commitment” to their issues.
If Raman wins the Nov. 3 election, the group also wants her to pledge to oppose weapons shipments to Israel from Los Angeles International Airport.
According to a resolution approved by the committee, if Raman has not “expressed support for BDS and condemned the shipment of weapons from LAX” by January 1, the National Political Council will “prepare documentation on fair and adequate educational opportunities for the Palestinian liberation struggle, as is necessary to initiate disciplinary proceedings under R22, and then schedule a vote to expel Nithya Raman.”
Rahman’s campaign sent a statement to the DSA on Monday during a national committee meeting outlining her stance on BDS.
“I believe the best way for Los Angeles workers to stand in solidarity with Gaza is through nonviolent protest, legislative action and diplomatic pressure, including BDS,” Rahman said in a statement.
The Rahman campaign declined to say whether the council member personally supports BDS, referring The Times to review the statement she sent to the DSA and other statements she has made in the past. Raman said she has no plans to make BDS part of her mayoral platform.
Some Angelenos at DSA are dismayed by the move to revoke recognition.
“I feel like it’s unnecessary, but I’m encouraged that Nithya actually expressed support for Palestine and our priorities, and that she’s adhering to R22,” DSA-LA member Clayton Ryles, who is also a member of the 27-member national committee, said after the meeting. “Not everyone agrees with that.”
Ryles, one of the few DSA-LA members on the committee, plans to vote against revoking the recognition. He also supported Raman becoming a member of DSA-LA.
Revoking DSA-LA’s recognition of Raman would represent a major intrusion into local chapter politics by the national organization, thereby invalidating the democratic vote in support of Raman that passed in September by a vote of 937 to 484.
DSA-LA co-chairs acknowledged that they failed to include questions about BDS in the candidate questionnaire, although they said they asked about Palestine both in the questionnaire and during candidate interviews.
“This was an oversight,” DSA-LA co-chairs Leslie Chang and Sean Wakasa wrote in an email to members.
Zhang told The Times that locals maintained their support for Rahman.
“Our endorsement of Nithya was a democratic decision made by the membership, and the NPC violated its own bylaws by considering disendorsement and expulsion of members without following due process,” she said in a statement to The Times last week. “As such, we will continue to campaign for our entire slate and take whatever votes are necessary to protect our chapter’s votes.”