Fed up with political cross-dressers who call themselves Democrats but often back Republican candidates, loyal Dundalk Democrats have tossed three prominent examples out of an old-line political club.
County Councilman-elect Louis L. DePazzo, Del. John S. Arnick and Del.-elect Joseph "Sonny" Minnick unanimously were voted out of the County Seal Democratic Club last Sunday, along with club Vice President Carl Hobson. The club, at least 25 years old, limits its membership to 35 active party workers.
"We can't put up with this sort of stuff; it's tearing the Democratic Party apart," said Anthony J. "Tony" Narutowicz, a Democratic State Central Committee member and club member since 1973. "And DePazzo is the leader of the pack."
All four of those expelled supported Republican congressional candidate Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. in the 2nd District congressional race.
"Lou was out at Wise and Holabird for 5 1/2 hours Monday night waving signs for me," Mr. Ehrlich said.
Of Mr. Arnick, Mr. Narutowicz said: "Democrats put him back in Annapolis after he lost his judgeship. I could have been down there."
Mr. Narutowicz, who owns a liquor store and gas station, lost a bid for a delegate's seat in the Democratic primary. The district Central Committee chose Mr. Arnick last year to return to his seat in the House of Delegates after he was forced out of his District Court judgeship over controversial sexist remarks he made to two women lobbyists.
With Democrats outnumbering Republicans 4-1 in Dundalk, there's been little movement toward the GOP in voter registration, but the blue-collar district's conservative voters often vote for Republicans -- from President Ronald Reagan to Rep. Helen Delich Bentley and County Executive Roger B. Hayden. This year, Mr. Ehrlich was a favorite over Democrat Gerry L. Brewster in the congressional race to succeed Mrs. Bentley.
The three politicians had a variety of reactions yesterday to being expelled from the club.
Mr. DePazzo said the expulsion was "just sour grapes, clearly," because of Mr. Narutowicz's own election loss. He said he had been a member for more than 10 years.
Mr. Arnick, who attended part of the Sunday meeting, said he had been a member for 10 years but the topic of expulsions didn't come up until after he left. He reacted with a quip that echoed Groucho Marx: "I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member."
The clubs "ought to be more apolitical" and have a "broader perspective," he said, noting that many Dundalk clubs did not support their party's governor, William Donald Schaefer, in 1990.
Mr. Minnick, only chosen to become a club member in October, said he was not upset. "I didn't know I was a member," he said. For those Democrats who call him a turncoat, he compared the Washington's mayoral and 2nd District congressional races: "Would you vote for Marion Barry? He's a Democrat. Bob [Ehrlich] was the better man."
State Sen. Norman R. Stone Jr., who attended the expulsion meeting, said he urged members to heal party wounds, not "burn bridges," but they refused to listen. He said he always backed Democrat, because "I'm one of those old line Democrats."
Mr. Ehrlich, appreciative of the support he got from the Democrats, said several signs point toward a trend of decreasing blind party loyalty. He listed declining patronage, philosophical changes that leave conservative Democrats uncomfortable with their leadership and less party loyalty among young voters. "I see this as the future," he said.
The party issue in Dundalk has been festering since 1990, when Mr. DePazzo openly opposed his own Democratic ticket mates and backed Mr. Hayden for county executive and renegade Democrat Donald C. Mason for County Council. Mr. Mason also supported Mr. Hayden and generally voted with council Republicans.
But the last straw came Sunday, two days before the election. Mr. Narutowicz, who gained attention in June for fighting off two holdup men in a gun battle, noticed that three of the four members later expelled were absent from the monthly meeting. He knew Mr. DePazzo was at a campaign meeting in Edgemere for Mr. Hayden, despite a pledge to remain neutral this year. He also was well aware of the support Mr. Arnick, Mr. Minnick, Mr. Hobson and Mr. DePazzo were lending Mr. Ehrlich.
Mr. Narutowicz now saw the party line as being crossed one time too often. Club rules prohibit any activity that goes against "the good and welfare of the Democratic Party," he said.
"You support your party," he said. "They didn't play by the rules, they're out."