Via: http://nymetrocommunistparty.org/?p=511

By Angelo | April 9, 2014 |

There should be alarm bells all across the left this week as the Transit Workers Club of the New York District Communist Party was expelled by one man: Bill Davis. The Austin Hogan Club was the shop club of the CPUSA in NYC. Its members worked primarily for the Metro system. Bill Davis had this to say in a letter addressed to the expelled members: “Enclosed is a check for $96.00 that was submitted on 12/3/13 as dues. It can’t be accepted as dues since the people involved are not members of the Party.” Notice here that the dues were sent in on 12/3/13 and the CPUSA’s response is dated March 20, 2014, some 3 months later. Does it take the CPUSA 3 months to process dues payments? The letter goes on to say that “[T]he Austin Hogan Club has demonstrated in many ways and on many occasions that it does not respect the Communist Party, its duly elected Leadership and enacted policies. The club has not participated in any of the events and activities of the Party nor has it supported the national or district policies of the Party, including those related to transit.”

In response, the leadership of the Austin Hogan Club issued this response: “the NY District has purged our Transit Club, Austin Hogan Club of the CPUSA. We will continue to send Pre-Convention documents to the Party in keeping with the Pre-Convention period. And, we will send them to other comrades; both those who are still in the Party and those who chose to step away. ”

This purging is in line with the factional leadership’s unwritten policy of “dropping” “expelling” or simply not accepting dues as payment as spelled out in the CPUSA Constitution. First, the Gus Hall communist club in New York was dropped from membership. Then the Arts and Entertainment Club was dropped from membership by Mr. Bill Davis himself! Then the CP Houston club was dropped and its members purged. This was followed by the Los Angeles Metro Club, and now the Austin Hogan Club. Instead of building up the party, the paid agents of imperialism are driving out honest comrades, usurping power, and moving the party away from Marxism in the direction of social-democracy.

“Given the underhanded and deceitful way in which the NY District has uncomradely treated our club, a club with excellent attendance [a club that functions in a Leninist manner], with solid transit experience and very good influence in transit matters in our union and NYC, we don’t expect a response from them. The very few who remain in the NY District are not known for direct discussions. There has not been an official District-wide meeting since the last convention.” We at the National Council of Communists have to ask, is this the proper practice of “democratic centralism”?

“The upcoming pre-convention District meeting is the first,” states the club’s statement. “They clearly do not want us at that meeting. We are ready to meet if they do hold a hearing on our appeal.”

So what does the future hold? Our party has been hijacked by Quislings and imperialist agents. There is little hope of saving it. “Clearly the 23rd Street leaders, soon to be the Halstead Street leaders, have a lock down on the June convention. Their choice of leadership leaves out most of the more active Districts from participation. That leadership is very narrow and small. It does not reflect the Party, that is, those who are still in and those who are looking at June to see what happens.”