Here’s a joint mailer by then-County Council challenger Duchy Trachtenberg and County Executive candidate Ike Leggett in 2006. The entire point of the mailer was to emphasize their endorsement by the National Organization for Women (NOW) and Trachtenberg’s leadership of their Maryland chapter. Note the strong statement of support from then-national NOW President Kim Gandy.
Trachtenberg’s NOW experience was a major factor in building her credibility with MoCo’s large progressive community and the 2006 mailer was smart to capitalize on it. This year, NOW has not endorsed Trachtenberg, but it has endorsed six other candidates for four at-large council seats. Perhaps that is because Trachtenberg has a standing threat to sue its officers if they dare to discuss her conduct as Maryland NOW Treasurer with the media. Given the allegations of exactly what went on while Trachtenberg was Treasurer, that threat is understandable. But it has destroyed a large part of the basis on which Trachtenberg was originally elected to her current office.
What a difference four years can make.