The Region : Democratic Club Faces Loss of Charter

The future of the United Democratic Club of Monterey Park, which is accused of lending support to a Republican, is at stake in an appeal brought to the county Democratic Central Committee. The party’s 59th Assembly District Committee refused in July to renew the club’s charter because it co-sponsored a June advertisement with the Monterey Park Republican Club urging voters not to recall City Council members Patricia Reichenberger, a Democrat, and Barry L. Hatch, a Republican. Club members have argued that their position was a nonpartisan statement opposing the recall of public officials without just cause. But county Democratic officials say party rules explicitly prohibit Democratic clubs from giving any public support to Republicans. More than 60% of the voters rejected the recall proposal, which was based on an accusation that Reichenberger and Hatch were biased against Asian and Latino immigrants.