CINCINNATI (TDB) -- A member of the Madison County Republican Executive Committee calls John Boehner "persona non gratia" and recommends he hunker down in a D.C. bunker. Another local GOP official says he's trampling the Alabama leadership. An uncivil welcome appears to be in store for Boehner, the man-with-the-tan from suburban Cincinnati. The Ohio Republican is headed to Huntsville, Ala., to raise money for U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith, viewed by many as a political turncoat who quit the Dems to run for reelection this year as a Republican. Locals are putting together a protest and warning the GOP's House leader to mind his own business and stay out of town. Boehner's decision to headline Griffith's Monday fundraiser has become so controversial in Alabama's 5th Congressional District that it has managed to unite area Republicans, the Tea Party, Democrats, union activists, college students, and the local chapter of Health Care For All -- bipartisanship that crosses all political lines.
The Huntsville Tea Party calls party switcher Griffith an "opportunist who cannot be trusted." It went on to describe Boehner's willingness to raise funds for the former Democrat as "Boehner is displaying the same indifference to local concerns by meddling in the Republican primary. Such behavior deserves no reward."
Republicans sound just as harsh. Hugh McInnish, a member of the county executive committee in Huntsville said: "Mr. Boehner has no business here in North Alabama, and the local Republican Committee has in effect said so. He would be better advised to bunker down within the confines of his Inside-the-Beltway-Fortress and stay there. He is persona non gratia." In neighboring Athens County, the local News Courier newspaper reported that Republican leaders are concerned Boehner is helping raise funds for only one Republican candidate:
“Recruitment of qualified Republican candidates is very difficult and John Boehner has not helped that process,” said Rex Davis, who, along with Don Hudleston, encouraged members of the Limestone County Republican Executive Committee to attend the protest. “Why would anyone want to run for office as a Republican and be trampled by the National Republican Party against the will of the local Republican leadership?” Another protestor said Boehner should not be involved in Alabama politics. “Our message to Rep. John Boehner is stay out of the Fifth District’s business. The Tea Party movement began and is continuing today because the people are being ignored. Government officials have forgotten who they work for and ‘We the People’ are tired of it and determined to take our country back,” said Deborah King, founder of the Athens-Limestone Tea Party Patriots.
Showing posts with label Republican Party. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Republican Party. Show all posts
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Friday, July 06, 2007
Did This Huddle At The PeeDee Cost GOP A U.S. Senate Seat?
CLEVELAND (TDB) -- Connie Schultz's recollection of a conversation with an editor at The Plain Dealer clearly demonstrates there are shoals under the surface when politics and journalism are mixed in the workplace with partisan ideology. It turns out that Connie, a Pulitzer-winning feature section columnist, was advised by her boss -- during a private workday meeting -- to urge that her husband, Sherrod Brown, enter the 2006 U.S. Senate race in Ohio. She quotes the editor saying of Brown, "this country needs him to run."
Brown is a Democrat. The Senate seat was held by two-term Republican Mike DeWine, who lost last November. Some could say the workplace conversation was a meeting that helped alter the state and nation's political course, a course that has tacked away from the GOP.
Connie recounts her talk with Stuart Warner, the editor who handled her columns, in her new book "...and His Lovely Wife," and describes how she was reluctant about having Brown run statewide. In effect, she portrayed herself as the main roadblock to her husband's candidacy.
She said she told Warner, a former Beacon Journal columnist who wrote "Warner's Corner" for years, that Sherrod was thinking about running. The editor then motioned to move the conversation to a more private setting, an empty meeting room. She quotes Warner:
"Sherrod should run. This country needs him to run, and he needs you by his side to do it. You'll be a tremendous asset. Look at what you believe in. Look who you've been fighting for your entire career. That's who he'll be running for, and they will vote for him and he can win. You can always come back to work if you want. Or you can move on to something bigger. You have nothing but options, but this is the right time, maybe the only time, for him to run."
Warner had endorsed a Brown candidacy, and Connie wrote in the book, "I was stunned, but I was also listening."
Doug Clifton, the paper's editor at the time, was worried about Connie's relationship with a statewide candidate. In December 2005 he wrote a column reassuring readers her marriage to Brown "will have no influence -- for or against -- our coverage of his campaign."
Of course, Clifton probably didn't know that the campaign had been partially fanned into life by a conversation in his own newsroom.
Brown is a Democrat. The Senate seat was held by two-term Republican Mike DeWine, who lost last November. Some could say the workplace conversation was a meeting that helped alter the state and nation's political course, a course that has tacked away from the GOP.
Connie recounts her talk with Stuart Warner, the editor who handled her columns, in her new book "...and His Lovely Wife," and describes how she was reluctant about having Brown run statewide. In effect, she portrayed herself as the main roadblock to her husband's candidacy.
She said she told Warner, a former Beacon Journal columnist who wrote "Warner's Corner" for years, that Sherrod was thinking about running. The editor then motioned to move the conversation to a more private setting, an empty meeting room. She quotes Warner:
"Sherrod should run. This country needs him to run, and he needs you by his side to do it. You'll be a tremendous asset. Look at what you believe in. Look who you've been fighting for your entire career. That's who he'll be running for, and they will vote for him and he can win. You can always come back to work if you want. Or you can move on to something bigger. You have nothing but options, but this is the right time, maybe the only time, for him to run."
Warner had endorsed a Brown candidacy, and Connie wrote in the book, "I was stunned, but I was also listening."
Doug Clifton, the paper's editor at the time, was worried about Connie's relationship with a statewide candidate. In December 2005 he wrote a column reassuring readers her marriage to Brown "will have no influence -- for or against -- our coverage of his campaign."
Of course, Clifton probably didn't know that the campaign had been partially fanned into life by a conversation in his own newsroom.
Friday, March 02, 2007
GOP Guru Richard Viguerie: Republican Hot Tubbers And Crooks Hold Office
CINCINNATI (TBB) -- Fundraising mastermind Richard A. Viguerie told CPAC that the Republican Party he loved has become immoral, corrupt and hooked on power. "When most of the Congressional Republicans first ran for office, they ran against the sewer that Washington had become. But after a few years in Washington most of them act like they've discovered that Washington isn't a sewer after all -- it's a hot tub."
He didn't name names, but it seems obvious he tossed House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Butler County, in with the Washington hot-tub GOPers. He said the congressonal leadership took the party "over a cliff" in last year's elections. Viguerie became an important figure in the Reagan era when he helped the party regain and consolidate power. He was a genius at raising money by direct mail, which has been somewhat overtaken by the Internet as a source of political funding.
He says the White House and GOP Congress spent like Democrats, and shelled out trillions to stay in office and buy votes. Those were the kind of words that Republicans used to hurl at Dems. Now they are flinging them at each other, and Viguerie was unstinting.
"The voters spoke in November, and what was the first thing the Republicans did? They kept in power all the leaders who had taken them over the cliff! Obviously, the initials GOP now stands for Go On Partying. Or Give up On Principles." He called on conservatives to break away from the party and form their own movement. And he said CPAC had moved in the right direction. "I congratulate CPAC for not having the chairman of the Republican National Committee at CPAC for the first time in memory."
He didn't name names, but it seems obvious he tossed House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Butler County, in with the Washington hot-tub GOPers. He said the congressonal leadership took the party "over a cliff" in last year's elections. Viguerie became an important figure in the Reagan era when he helped the party regain and consolidate power. He was a genius at raising money by direct mail, which has been somewhat overtaken by the Internet as a source of political funding.
He says the White House and GOP Congress spent like Democrats, and shelled out trillions to stay in office and buy votes. Those were the kind of words that Republicans used to hurl at Dems. Now they are flinging them at each other, and Viguerie was unstinting.
"The voters spoke in November, and what was the first thing the Republicans did? They kept in power all the leaders who had taken them over the cliff! Obviously, the initials GOP now stands for Go On Partying. Or Give up On Principles." He called on conservatives to break away from the party and form their own movement. And he said CPAC had moved in the right direction. "I congratulate CPAC for not having the chairman of the Republican National Committee at CPAC for the first time in memory."
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
SW Ohio GOP Needs Cash: Dreams Up Pay-To-Stay
HAMILTON (TDB) -- Reporter Candice Brooks Higgins broke a story in the Hamilton Journal-News that Butler County Republican Party leaders are considering tapping elected officials for cash to remain in "good standing" with the GOP. For example, the county prosecutor would have to pay $5,000 yearly, plus 10% of his campaign funds over $50,000, to stay in the Butler party's good graces. A judge would have to pony up about $1,500 annually.
Unfortunately, access to the Journal-News story is password protected and a link is not available. The newspaper is at http://www.journal-news.com/. Butler County is the home of U.S. House Minority Leader JOHN BOEHNER, and presumably the OH-08 congressman would have to hand over cash to remain in good standing.
Butler County Commissioner Michael Fox, a former Ohio House member, has feuded with local party leaders in the past and he told reporter Brooks Higgins that the pay-to-stay plan stinks. "What I care about is being in good standing with voters the voters. That to me is the most striking part of this. It just illustrates a value structure that is out of balance. What happened to good old-fashioned public service," Fox said.
Under the plan, Fox would be expected to give the party $2,500, plus 10 cents on a dollar if he raises more than $25,000 for his campaign treasury. He doesn't plan to pay.
Butler GOP chairman Tom Ellis said the party was looking for ways to raise money and he told the Journal-News "We would be remiss if we didn't look at all sources that might consider pledging to our party." So far, the plan has not be put into effect, and some suggested that other Ohio county parties collect from their elected officeholders.
Recently, Butler County Republicans booted 40 members from the party for not paying dues.
From here, the plan smells like a shell game, or laundry. The party sounds like it wants to turn elected officials into a fundraising arm and bag men. Fox deserves credit for blowing the whistle. The party needs money to pay for a new $800,000 headquarters in Fairfield. Inquiring minds are wondering: Whatever happened to fiscal conservatism?
Unfortunately, access to the Journal-News story is password protected and a link is not available. The newspaper is at http://www.journal-news.com/. Butler County is the home of U.S. House Minority Leader JOHN BOEHNER, and presumably the OH-08 congressman would have to hand over cash to remain in good standing.
Butler County Commissioner Michael Fox, a former Ohio House member, has feuded with local party leaders in the past and he told reporter Brooks Higgins that the pay-to-stay plan stinks. "What I care about is being in good standing with voters the voters. That to me is the most striking part of this. It just illustrates a value structure that is out of balance. What happened to good old-fashioned public service," Fox said.
Under the plan, Fox would be expected to give the party $2,500, plus 10 cents on a dollar if he raises more than $25,000 for his campaign treasury. He doesn't plan to pay.
Butler GOP chairman Tom Ellis said the party was looking for ways to raise money and he told the Journal-News "We would be remiss if we didn't look at all sources that might consider pledging to our party." So far, the plan has not be put into effect, and some suggested that other Ohio county parties collect from their elected officeholders.
Recently, Butler County Republicans booted 40 members from the party for not paying dues.
From here, the plan smells like a shell game, or laundry. The party sounds like it wants to turn elected officials into a fundraising arm and bag men. Fox deserves credit for blowing the whistle. The party needs money to pay for a new $800,000 headquarters in Fairfield. Inquiring minds are wondering: Whatever happened to fiscal conservatism?
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