Disgruntled Democrats Form Club to Challenge Old Guard in Inglewood

A group of Inglewood political activists and newly elected city and school officials have formed an organization to challenge the powerful Inglewood Democratic Club, which they say is dominated by Mayor Edward Vincent and Juvenile Court Judge Roosevelt Dorn.

The 140-member club, a powerful political force in Inglewood for 10 years, includes most of the prominent Democrats in town (about 80% of Inglewood voters are Democrats).

Vincent and Dorn, a founder of the club, have repeatedly denied charges that they run the organization and use it to field candidates who will let them control the city government and school district.

But the founders of the new club, the United Democratic Club of Inglewood, say Vincent and Dorn railroaded the older club’s endorsements in the April primary elections. They say the eventual defeat of two endorsed school board candidates--as well as the rejection of Proposition 1, which would have quadrupled Vincent’s salary--show that voters resent Vincent and his club.

“People want to see a Democratic Club that is democratic,” said Garland Hardeman, one of the new club’s founders. “The process can’t work if a few individuals are allowed to impose their viewpoints on the rest. People are concerned about the style of politics, the machine tactics of Ed Vincent. We are interested in a free and democratic society. All he’s interested in is supporting machine candidates.”

Hardeman, a Los Angeles police officer who narrowly lost a City Council runoff race in June to Democratic Club candidate Ervin (Tony) Thomas, has charged that Vincent and Thomas committed numerous election law violations, including coercing absentee voters and forging absentee ballot signatures.

Vincent and Thomas have denied any wrongdoing.

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has said it is investigating the allegations, acting on evidence that Hardeman compiled. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday in a lawsuit Hardeman has filed against Thomas challenging the election.

Vincent called Hardeman a poor loser.

“He’s sick,” Vincent said in an interview. “He’ll say anything.”

Vincent insisted that he has “no control over the Inglewood Democratic Club whatsoever.

“In fact, I don’t even go to the meetings. I have been damn good as mayor. Of course I’m going to help people attuned to my philosophy. By helping other people, I have been maligned. When I endorse someone, they say it’s a machine.”

Among founders of the new club is school board member Zyra McCloud, whose runoff victory over incumbent William Dorn, Judge Dorn’s son, ended a 3-2 majority of Vincent allies on the school board. Other founders include leaders of the drive to defeat Proposition 1, who said they would back City Council and school board candidates who want “good government.”

“The club stands for integrity and honesty,” said McCloud, like Hardeman, a disgruntled member of the Inglewood Democratic Club. “We want to reach out to all people.”

Dismissing the new club’s claim to stand for good government, Vincent said: “How is our government bad? The motivation of these people is to get into office like everybody else.”

The new club has been chartered by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, a party spokeswoman said. Club Vice President Sterling Gordon said it has about 50 members.

Among the political figures who told The Times they had joined or planned to join the club were Assemblyman Curtis R. Tucker (D-Inglewood), District 1 Councilman Danny Tabor, newly elected District 3 Councilwoman Anne Wilk and newly elected school board member Lois Hill Hale, who was named president of the board earlier this month.

But Tucker, Tabor and Hill Hale all said they would also remain in the Inglewood Democratic Club and distanced themselves from the confrontational tone of the new club’s founders.

“I belong to numerous Democratic clubs,” said Tucker, whose differences with Vincent have created periodic splits within the Inglewood Democratic Club. “That’s called self-preservation. I don’t have an ax to grind with the current club. I hope the new club can come up with something positive and constructive.”

As for Hardeman’s allegations, Tucker said: “I don’t know that the mayor did anything illegal. There are enough people in Inglewood that you can change an election by getting out votes any time you desire. It’s not illegal to solicit absentee votes. Garland blew it by not going after absentee votes.”

Tucker also said that contrary to widespread speculation, he does not intend to run against Vincent in the 1990 election.

Hill Hale, who defeated a primary candidate endorsed by the Inglewood Democratic Club, said she would belong to both clubs and promote “unity rather than hostile confrontations.”

Tabor, who supported Hardeman for council, said: “I have no problems with joining. I don’t think I’ll be placed in an awkward position. If they get into talking about a recall (of Vincent), I certainly would not support that. They see themselves as an alternative voice, but there really doesn’t have to be a new club. You take 40 votes and you control the Inglewood Democratic Club.”

Members of the new club have talked about seeking a recall of Vincent but have not filed papers to do so. Vincent was reelected in November with 80% of the vote.

Inglewood Democratic Club President Elroy Gilliam ridiculed the idea that his group is a monolithic political force led by Vincent and Judge Dorn.

Easy to Be a Member

“All you have to do is pay fees and be a registered Democrat and you’re a member,” said Gilliam, a Los Angeles County deputy sheriff who is a bailiff in Dorn’s court. Dorn’s wife Joyce is vice president.

Of the club’s approximately 140 members, Gilliam said, about 50 are active supporters of Vincent, while some of the others are aligned with Tucker. He said no more than 30 club members usually show up for meetings.

“There are factions within the club,” he said. “As to the mayor having control, I refute that. My relationship with him is casual. Those who are not for him, if they don’t show up, are voting for his point of view by their absence.”

Vincent has a lifetime membership in the club, which spent about $4,000 in support of its slate in recent elections, Gilliam said. Vincent attended the meetings in March when the slate was chosen, Gilliam said.

Process Protested

The endorsement process caused an outcry among some club members and candidates, including Hardeman, Hill Hale and McCloud. They said Vincent and Dorn had previously chosen the candidates that were recommended by the club’s political action committee at a March 26 general meeting. They also said candidates should have been given a chance to address the club.

Gilliam said about 35 people attended the meeting and said the endorsement process was completely proper. He said the club had invited all candidates to a speakers forum at the Airport Park Hotel earlier in March. Some candidates failed to show up, Gilliam said, but he said several hopefuls for the council, school board and treasurer races addressed an audience of between 75 and 100 people.

Hardeman disputed Gilliam’s account.

“No one was invited to any speakers forum,” he said. “They had already picked the candidates they were endorsing.”

Frank Lewis, a longtime Democratic Club member who managed Hill Hale’s campaign, said his candidate was not invited to any speakers forum and said he was told the candidates would be allowed to speak at the March 26 endorsement meeting.

Not Allowed to Speak

“Normally candidates are allowed to speak before the general membership votes--that’s what the bylaws call for,” Lewis said. “I made the request that candidates be allowed to speak. The mayor was the primary opposition to that and eventually it was voted down.”

Gilliam said the earlier candidate forum satisfied the bylaws.

Infighting and dissatisfaction have diluted the power of the older club, said Lewis, who added that he maintains good relations with the mayor and Dorn but believes they exert undue influence.

“People are getting turned off,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons the club has lost influence in politics. If the new club just decides to start warring on the old one and a few individuals decide to be dictators, that would defeat the purpose of having a democratic voice. If it works as a good viable positive club, I would consider joining.”

Tucker said the emergence of another Democratic club is good for Inglewood.

“Competition is healthy and wholesome,” he said. “Let them compete. Let their questions be asked. Any time you have people looking into elections and politics, that’s healthy. It gives you good government.”