Code of Conduct
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Democratic Party of Clackamas County Code of Conduct
POLICY AND CODE OF CONDUCT OF THE DPCC
A) The Democratic Party of Clackamas County (DPCC) recognizes that discrimination, bullying and harassment or any other hostile behavior against anyone, in any form, is unacceptable. We, as Democrats, do not tolerate discriminatory behavior of any kind within our Party or at any of our activities, meetings or events.
B) The DPCC recognizes that it is our collective responsibility to ensure that each member of our Party, and each authorized participant at Party activities, meetings or events, is entitled to a safe and open and inclusive space, in an atmosphere of free expression and exchange of ideas, and is entitled to be treated with civility. Therefore, the DPCC hereby adopts this Policy and the following Code of Conduct for all DPCC activities, meetings and events.
EXPECTATIONS
Democrats participating in party-sponsored events, meetings, and online forums are expected to:
● Exercise consideration and respect in their speech and actions
● Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech
● Be mindful of their surroundings and the reactions of other participants; and
● Alert leadership if you notice someone is in distress, or in a dangerous situation
● Avoid making unfounded characterizations, accusations, or inferences about people, including candidates for office
The following behaviors are profoundly unacceptable within our community whether occurring in person or online: harassment, bullying, violence, threats of violence or use of violent language directed against another person.
CODE OF CONDUCT
1. In conjunction with, and in addition to, the rules of the Democratic National Committee and of the Democratic Party of Oregon, the DPCC is dedicated to providing for everyone a discrimination and harassment-free environment at our activities, meetings and events, as well as in DPCC-related calls, texts, emails, and social media.
2. Disagreements about facts, policy, and process are inevitable, but do not justify violating the norms stated above. When disagreements arise, all Democrats are expected to work together to resolve them respectfully using available meeting rules, current DPCC bylaws and standing rules, and where necessary, proactively requesting engagement through dispute resolution processes as set forth in the most current edition of Robert's Rules of Order.
3. Unsubstantiated allegations, hearsay and rumors should never be used to target any officer, member of the DPCC or candidate for elected office. If asked for substantiation of claims against any individual, the participant will provide such substantiation.
4. The DPCC will not tolerate discrimination or harassment, including, but not limited to, age, ancestry, body size, color, creed, disability, domestic or sexual violence victim status, economic status, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, physical appearance, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, race, religion, religious belief or lack thereof, sex, or sexual orientation.
5. Prohibited harassment can be:
a. verbal (such as slurs, jokes, insults, epithets, gestures, derogatory language, malicious hearsay or teasing)
b. visual (such as the posting or distribution of offensive posters, symbols, cartoons, drawings, computer displays or emails) or
c. physical (such as physically threatening another person, blocking someone’s way, touching private parts, making physical contact in an unwelcome manner, etc.)
d. based on sex or conduct of a sexual nature, which includes
e. harassment based on sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions)
6. Intoxication is not an excuse for discrimination, harassment or incivility.
7. The DPCC takes very seriously its responsibility to provide all members with a welcoming, respectful, and safe environment and urges any member who feels uncomfortable, unwelcome, or unsafe to report harassment (of themselves or observed with respect to others) as soon as possible. Retaliation for reporting harassment or discrimination, or participating in an investigation with respect to harassment or discrimination, is prohibited. Retaliation may include, but is not limited to, exclusion from meetings or committees, ostracism, badmouthing, or other conduct that may limit engagement with the DPCC, or that would be reasonably likely to deter a reasonable DPCC member from reporting harassment or participating in a harassment investigation. Acts of retaliation against anyone shall be a violation of this Code of Conduct.
8. Meeting participants will respect all procedures as outlined in Robert’s Rules of Order and assist the DPCC Chair, or the Committee or Caucus Chair leading a meeting, in preserving order during meetings and will not delay or interrupt proceedings, complying with the ruling of the meeting chair. Speakers will be respectful and follow any timing requirements, confining remarks to the subject under consideration. All participants shall be respectful of others throughout the meeting and refrain from any personal derogatory remarks, shouting, or other unacceptable behaviors deterring from the meeting’s progress.
ENFORCEMENT
1. In an instance where this Code of Conduct is alleged to have been violated, there are a number of pathways forward for those who have been impacted by the violation.
2. If a participant at any DPCC activity, meeting or event, or any event sponsored by or affiliated with the Party, engages in discrimination, harassment or incivility, the DPCC through its officers or its activity or event organizers, shall warn the offender or expel the offender from the activity, meeting or event without a refund.
3. Alleged violations of a serious nature should be reported to the Party Chair. Where the alleged violator is the Party Chair, it should be reported to a Vice Chair. The reports shall specify in detail the date, time, place and manner of each offensive conduct, including the names, addresses and telephone numbers of witnesses.
4. The Party Chair or Vice Chair to whom the alleged violation has been reported, after conducting an investigation (which may include interviews, evidence, and testimony, and may be conducted with the support of other officers) may choose to recommend the Officers Committee take disciplinary action. Any investigation should be completed within 30 days of when the report was received unless it is found that further investigation is warranted. If there is no recommendation for disciplinary action, the complainant shall have the right to bring their complaint directly to the Officers Committee, which may by a 2/3 vote initiate its own investigation. If the violator is a member of the Officers Committee, they will be recused from the meeting and vote.
a. The Officers Committee may, with a ⅔ vote, recommend the following forms of discipline.
i. Personal apologies (with commitment to cease behavior)
ii. Public apologies (with commitment to cease behavior)
iii. Exclusion from participation in DPCC events including Central Committee
b. The Officers Committee may also recommend, with a ⅔ vote, any of the following actions to the Central Committee.
i. Indefinite exclusion from DPCC meetings and activities
ii. Reprimand/Censure.
iii. Removal of some or all leadership roles, responsibilities, or privileges
iv. Removal from a caucus, committee or Congressional District Committee with a 2/3rds vote
v. Removal of SCC Delegate Status
c. If a complaint under this rule is brought to the floor by any procedure, process, or any other mechanism, the following protocol will be followed:
i. The Committee will automatically enter executive session without a vote of the body. The Chair shall announce that the body has entered executive session pursuant to this rule.
Essential staff designated by the Chair shall be allowed to remain.
ii. The member being considered for disciplinary action will have the right to issue a statement in their defense before they are asked to leave the room for the body to discuss and reach
a determination.
iii. The substance of the complaint will be conveyed only orally unless a member has an accommodation to receive the information in another form. In any case, no information about the
complaint may be carried outside of the executive session. The secrecy rules of RONR otherwise apply except as provided herein.
iv. The body hearing the complaint will leave executive session only once the body has made a final disposition of the complaint. No body of the DPCC may subsequently lift the secrecy
of an executive session entered into under this session.
v. This executive session section of this standing rule may not be suspended except by unanimous consent.
d. Reports may not be anonymous, and anyone who retaliates against those making a report will be referred for a higher level of disciplinary action.
e. Any report of conduct which may constitute or involve an illegal action will be reported to law enforcement.
f. Any report that may impact the safety (emotional or physical) of members may result in a temporary suspension of any membership privileges while an
investigation is underway.
5. The failure of a losing party to abide by a disciplinary decision shall itself constitute a form of retaliation and harassment.
This Policy and Code of Conduct has been approved by the Executive Committee of the DPCC, and it shall be presented for adoption to the DPCC’s Central Committee at its XXXX meeting.