Sanchez Drops Out of Speaking Role
L O S A N G E L E S, Aug. 14 -- U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez of California, who clashed withDemocratic Party leaders over a Playboy Mansion fund-raiser, haswithdrawn as a Democratic convention speaker, a conventioncommittee spokesman said today.
Sanchez, who was scheduled to speak Tuesday night, notified theDemocratic National Committee of her intentions this morning,said spokesman Peter Ragone.
“She chose not to speak tomorrow night,” he said. He did not know whether she will be on the agenda later inthe week.
Last week, Sanchez resisted pressure to move the fund-raiseruntil she was removed from a speaking slot. She then capitulated on Fridayafternoon and the fund-raiser location was moved to B.B. King’sBlues Club in Universal City. Her speaking role was then restored.
“Some people thought that I stepped away from this [the PlayboyMansion] because I was going to lose my speaking spot at theconvention. The reality is that’s not true,” Sancheztold Fox News Channel. “I moved it away because it was getting toomuch press, versus what we really have to do here at theconvention. In fact, that is one of the reasons why I won’t bespeaking at this convention.”
Quick Rise to Power
Sanchez, 40, became one of the nation’s most prominent Latinoofficials in 1996 when she unseated fiery Orange County RepublicanRobert Dornan.
Party leaders made her co-chair of the Democratic NationalCommittee, and she headed Al Gore’s congressional political actioncommittee in 1998.
But Gore was among the party officials worried that the PlayboyMansion would send the wrong message as the Democrats try to leavethe Clinton years of sex and money scandals behind.
Democratic leaders feared that the event, though not sanctionedby the party, could undermine attempts to portray Gore and runningmate Joseph Lieberman as pro-family, and could give Republicans aneasy target in the fall campaigns.
Gore said he supported the party’s decision to distance itselffrom the event — and from Sanchez, a staunch supporter — despitehis own acceptance of campaign money from Playboy, including a$1,000 donation Hugh Hefner made last year.
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