The 5th Legislative District Democrats voted Jan. 16 to censure state Sens. Rodney Tom (D-Medina) and Tim Sheldon (D-Potlatch) after the two Democratic senators joined the Republican caucus and shifted the majority vote in the Senate to Republicans.

“What Rodney Tom and Tim Sheldon have done is a travesty against the values of the Democratic party,” said Konrad Roeder, the North Bend precinct committee officer who wrote the resolution. “We are joining other Democrats in this state who have withdrawn their support for Tom and Sheldon.”

The 5th Legislative District includes Issaquah, Maple Valley, North Bend, Snoqualmie, Carnation and Snoqualmie Pass.

Also at the meeting, members elected Jim Baum of Maple Valley to be chair for another two-year term. Baum was first elected chair of the group in 2010.

The organization meets at 6:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of every month at the King County Library Service Center, 960 Newport Way, Issaquah.