Baker Named Democratic Party Interim Executive Director, Johnson Calls It White Supremacy at Work

By Jason Doyle Oden

The Oklahoma Democratic Party has a new interim Executive Director, but the appointment doesn’t please all Democratic leaders. The party announced Sarah Baker’s appointment Friday afternoon.

Baker has been the Oklahoma Democratic Party’s Communication Director since February 2015. She also has run for Oklahoma House, served as State Legislative Chair and Vice President of Communications for the Oklahoma Parent Teacher Association. Baker was also part of the State Department of Education’s Character Development Education Task Force.

Baker contends the time is now for Democrats to make progress in winning elections.

“We continue to see what has happened to our state over the past six years under Republican leadership. From continued cuts to public education, elimination of the Earned Income Tax Credit, to loss of health care options in rural Oklahoma,” Baker said. “We have a real opportunity this year to make large strides towards undoing much of the detrimental policies that continue to drive our state off the cliff. It is our goal to explore every avenue to make these steps possible and focus on solutions that will improve the lives of all Oklahomans.”

However, not all Democrats are happy about Baker’s appointment to interim Executive Director. Former State Senator Connie Johnson, who is preparing for the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, called for delaying Baker’s appointment until after the convention. She also called Baker’s sudden appointment an example of “white supremacy” in a document obtained by The McCarville Report.

Johnson disapproved of Baker’s appointment.

“I respectfully disagree with the proposal to hire Sarah Baker as interim ED, and respectfully request that this discussion and decision be put on hold until after the national convention, when the Central Committee can meet, discuss and vote. The executive committee should/can also meet before then to achieve a modicum of conformance with the CC’s desires and previous directives to the chair to include other officers in decision making. We were only informed last night via email about 6p,” wrote Johnson.

Johnson also took to task the behavior of Oklahoma Democratic Party Chair Mark Hammons.

“This pattern of behavior on the chair’s part, since taking office – beginning with the unilateral hiring of Russell Griffin; continuing with the unilateral selection of the DP coordinator; the “decision was already made” contracting with Michael Whelan (in direct disregard for the Central Committee’s instructions to the chair to meet with the executive committee before finalizing that contract, and renting the new office space (none of which was ever done); and now this unilateral, poor founded decision to hire an interim ED—while we are away at convention—is more of the same!! When did he say anything to any of the other officers about his desire to do this, other than the email we got yesterday at 6p?”

Johnson is a super delegate for the Democratic National Convention.

Later in the email, she wonders if the appointment is about giving more power to whites in the Party.

“Or…is this yet another example of white supremacy at work? I know that statement will offend and turn off many, so sincere apologies up front [don’t mean to offend but definitely to agitate enough that you at least consider a different perspective] But before you tar and feather me, try to get and watch the video ‘Hidden Colors, Pt. 4’ to better understand the white supremacy concept and phenomenon.”

The McCarville Report has requested comment from Baker about Johnson’s reaction to her appointment. We’ll include it on updates to this story once it is received.