Table manners: ‘Such blatant partisan political favoritism is patently unfair and will not stand’

Democrats in Manassas and Manassas Park protested Thursday night and threatened boycott city businesses over a vendor table at the Manassas Fall Jubilee. 

Democrats requested a booth at the 35th-annual festival last night after learning Republican Congresswoman Barbara Comstock would have a similar booth. Of the 110 vendors at the sold-out event, most include craft makers and food vendors.

In previous years, politicians have not been invited to exhibit at the fair.

A city spokeswoman confirmed with Manassas Local that Comstock requested and was granted her booth two months ago. Following the protest, we’re told the Democrats will now also have a table at the fair.

Prior to getting the booth, some Democrats took to email to express their outrage over Comstock’s table at the Jubilee, and some of those emails were obtained by Manassas Local. 

“This is such typical bullshit. It’s obvious which party they support.

 I am planning to boycott all merchants who are members of [Historic Manassas, Inc.] and will encourage everyone I know to do the same.

No more trips to Old Town Manassas for me.” 

To get the booth, Co-chair of the Manassas and Manassas Park Cities Democratic Committee Allen Muchnick sent this email: 

On behalf of the Manassas and Manassas Park Cities Democratic Committee, I ask that HMI designate a well-sited vendor booth space for our organization at your Fall Jubilee event this Saturday.

According to your vendor application guidelines for this Saturday’s event posted on page 2 at [ https://visitmanassas.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Fall-Jubilee-Application-20172.pdf ],

Vendor space is limited. Vendors are selected based on relevance to the event. No political parties will be accepted.

 [emphasis added].

Furthermore, multiple members of our local Democratic Party Committee  repeatedly asked HMI staff about granting our organization booth space at the 2016 and 2017 Fall Jubilees, and they were consistently told that both events would be closed to political party organizations.

Nevertheless, we learned today that both the Manassas Republican Committee and Rep. Barbara Comstock are listed as 2017 Fall Jubilee vendors.

Such blatant partisan political favoritism is patently unfair and will not stand.

I ask that you promptly approve our request for a well-sited vendor booth space at the Manassas Fall Jubilee this Saturday.   We are prepared to supply our own 10’x10′ canopy, folding table and chairs, and 2017 political campaign materials. 

The annual Fall Jubilee is Saturday, Oct. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Downtown Manassas.