Media Contacts:

Jody Couser, Press Officer
Democrats Abroad
pressofficer@democratsabroad.org

John Eastwood, Chair
Democrats Abroad Taiwan
(011-886-2) 2771 6669

*Photo of Mr. Eastwood attached. Photos of other officers available upon request.

Press Release
For Immediate Release
May 26, 2009

Democrats Abroad Announces New Country Committee
Welcomes Democrats Abroad Taiwan

Washington, DC – Today, Democrats Abroad announced that the organization has approved a new country committee, Democrats Abroad Taiwan (DAT).

In 2003, DAT Chair John Eastwood, an American living abroad in Taiwan, found himself looking for good conversation about U.S. politics, international affairs and the then-recent invasion of Iraq.

“Although Democrats Abroad had previously been active in Taiwan, we had to start over in those difficult years,” said John Eastwood. “In those days right after the U.S. went into Iraq anyone who expressed serious concerns about where we were going as a nation would get their patriotism questioned. So through those early social events we created a safe place for fellow Americans to talk about what was happening to their country. By the time we took Congress back in 2006, we had some real momentum.”

From there, Mr. Eastwood worked with longtime member Tammy Turner to organize events and provide overseas-voting information to fellow democrats through the 2004, 2006 and 2008 elections. The effort was furthered when David Bell, a graduate student working on the Obama campaign, and Cynthia Teeters, herself a veteran of the DA Vietnam start-up efforts, joined forces with other democrats.

“We are so pleased to welcome Democrats Abroad Taiwan. Taiwan’s technology sector makes it home to many Americans, and in fact, many democrats living abroad. We know that under John Eastwood’s leadership, DAT will bring a great deal of energy and enthusiasm to the entire organization and help expand the number of democrats in Congress in 2010,” said Christine Schon Marques, International Chair, Democrats Abroad.

DAT’s current Executive Committee consists of 5 very enthusiastic and talented leaders:

Chair – John Eastwood, a partner in a law firm operating on both sides of the Strait, a husband and father of twins, and regular writer of articles on intellectual-property and trade issues.

Vice Chair- Justine Chen, a senior policy researcher, she was previously an intern with the State Department and at Senator Feinstein’s and Rep. Waxman’s LA district offices.

Secretary – Michael Turton, a longtime Taiwan expat, a university teacher and popular blogger: http://michaelturton.blogspot.... “I wanted to get in on the ground floor of something that would grow.”

Treasurer – Josh Davis, currently an MBA student at National Sun Yat Sen University in Kaohsiung, he previously served for two years for the Mayor of Tulsa, OK, in policy, research and analysis.

Counsel – David Bell, a graduate student in Chinese history at National Taiwan University in Taipei, he previously worked on the Obama campaign efforts in Taiwan.

DAT’s web site can be found at www.democratsabroadtaiwan.org; on Facebook as the “Democrats Abroad Taiwan” group.

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www.democratsabroad.org

Democrats Abroad is the official overseas branch of the U.S. Democratic Party. With members in 164 countries around the globe, Democrats Abroad holds eight positions on the Democratic National Committee and sends a voting delegation to the Democratic National Convention to select our presidential candidate.