>Cowlitz County GOP Chair Gary Schimmel should resign.

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Earlier, I called for the resignation of Clark County GOP Ryan Hart for his misguided endorsement of Jaime Herrera.

It wasn’t because, for whatever the reason that God only knows, Hart endorsed a clueless empty suit not qualified to be elected 8th Grade Class President. I would have made the same demand if he had endorsed ANYONE.

In that earlier post, demanding Hart’s resignation, I wrote:

It has gone so far as to cause an otherwise honorable county chair to make an endorsement in a primary, something completely forbidden and unacceptable… something that even the democrats won’t do. And in this or any other case, any county chair endorsing in an open primary under any circumstance should resign from their position as county chair.

My concern was that this unacceptable form of favoritism would, at some point, result in overt favoritism for or against a candidate. And that favoritism is not something a party chair may engage in without furthering the concept that our efforts and processes are corrupted by insiders and deals.

And such is the case with Cowlitz County GOP Chair Gary Schimmel.

A few days ago, one of the candidates for the 18th District House seat being vacated by Herrera, apparently sent out a press release, accurately reinforcing the fact of her fund raising superiority, having raised far more over the past 60 days or so she has been running than any other candidate.

Ryan Hart sent the release out at the candidate’s request to the Clark County GOP List.

Gary Schimmel did not.

As I stated, I do make subjective choices of which statements I forward on. The statement in question is not appropriate in my opinion. I know money is important but it tinged on disparaging fellow Republicans which we are wanting to avoid in Cowlitz County.

HHhmmm.

That’s a crock, of course. There was nothing within the press release remotely disparaging to any other candidate, save the obvious fact that they don’t have a clue about fundraising. The fact is that Schimmel is protecting Shannon Barnett, and here’s why I made that conclusion:

So what is this?

It’s part of a screen capture of Barnett’s web site, listing some of his few endorsements.

Clearly, the basis for Schimmel’s objection to sending out the press release is that he does not want to make his guy look pathetic in comparison to other candidates.

And this is PRECISELY the kind of thing that can happen with county officers endorsing in primaries.

And for those excusing the act as these people are somehow capable of separating their official position from their endorsements… well, I’ve got to say that in this instance, how’d that work out?

Obviously, political corruption runs rampant in the Cowlitz GOP.

It is VITAL that party officers avoid even the APPEARANCE of favoritism. In this instance, the lame actions of the Cowlitz GOP Chair should serve as a warning of both a lack of accountability and integrity when party officers violate the conditions of their office and wrongly endorse candidates in a primary.

This is precisely the reason why that should never happen.

And particularly those who use their county mechanisms to overtly support those candidates they have endorsed.

And as a result, I renew my call on both Ryan Hart and now Gary Schimmel to resign. Anything less is to hang an unnecessary cloud over the process, a cloud that casts aspersions on the entirety of the system and those laboring under the illusion that this is somehow “fair,” when those in charge are manipulating the outcomes… much like, come to think of it, happened when Herrera somehow got appointed.
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>Ryan Hart, Clark County GOP Chair, should resign.

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Link added to endorsement.

I work on campaigns, and those who hire me know beyond any doubt that what I tell them is based on hard fact and analysis, unencumbered by partisanship.

When I say, for example, that I believe no Clark County democrat can win in the 3rd, that’s not because I used to work in the position of this state’s GOP Executive Director chair.

It is because I see the political landscape, review the bidding, see their massive vulnerabilities and determine that, when combined with the, to them, horrific damage to the democrat brand…. it makes it impossible for a Clark County democrat to win…. unless…

Unless the morons running the show on the GOP side screw it up.

Jaime Herrera seems to think she’s been anointed to become our next member of Congress. She believes this because politically, everything she has, has been given to her on a silver platter. If Baird had stayed in, we’d have never heard of her in this race.

She’s a tool. She’s being used by others with an agenda, and she carries with her an infectious political disease. It’s the disease of lies, exaggerations and misleading those she would represent into thinking she’s been something she’s not. And as one of her constituents in the Legislature, I resent that she’s campaigning on state time instead of representing ME and the tens of thousands of others in the 18th district in this crucial legislative session. I, in fact, resent that she didn’t have the decency to resign so she could run full time and we could have full time representation in the House instead of what we have now… not that she ever accomplished anything while she WAS representing us full time.

I do not share the idea that Herrera is the second political coming. I can admire those pulling her strings; they perceive that GOP political power in this state is in a vacuum, and no one has stepped up to fill that vacuum. They believe they can, at minimum, become another king maker like Jennifer Dunn…. and at maximum, aspire to become president.

So, they rounded themselves up a pretty little empty-headed girl who they now lead by the nose in their quest to fulfill their agenda at the cost of quality representation to 700,000 plus people. They pick out someone they believe they can control… someone shallow enough that they are absolutely sure they’re not creating a monster… someone that, even if elected, will continue to do what she’s told.

But the one thing they believe that requires is to set the table. And part of that is this experiment… this program to take a nobody and through force of charm and political corruption, begin to fill out the empty slots with their people.

It’s a long term project. And so far, everything has gone according to plan because those who know better, those who should be concerned with providing us with the BEST representation, instead lay down on us and their duty to the people and engage in political expediency that has been dressed up in pretty little ribbons and bows.

I have yet to meet anyone who can explain to me what on earth makes them or anyone else actually believe that Jaime Herrera has done ANYTHING to merit such political consideration.

In that regard, it’s Obama all over again.

It has gone so far as to cause an otherwise honorable county chair to make an endorsement in a primary, something completely forbidden and unacceptable… something that even the democrats won’t do. And in this or any other case, any county chair endorsing in an open primary under any circumstance should resign from their position as county chair.

Then they can endorse away.

There is no way to dress this up. Endorsing in the primary is an obvious conflict of interest, and obviously bad strategy that can divide the party infrastructure and slather the appearance of favoritism over a political scene where none should exist.

And that’s the nature of this go-along to get-along philosophy exhibited by the Herrera camp.

It’s never been about representing the people. It’s always been about positioning for Congress… proving she lied from the very beginning. But those with the short memories, don’t care that she lied. They don’t care that she’s a “friend to organized labor.” They don’t care that she’s voted to support SEIU bills. They don’t care that she wasted taxpayer dollars for “meals,” much like Stacey Sellers. They don’t care that she’s offended so many of us by likening her multiple internships and 10 year long absence to “military service.”

Well…. I care.

I’m not concerned with Hart’s early personal endorsement of an empty suit with no depth, accomplishment or experience (much like the moron elected to the presidency… and how many times do we need to do THAT before we wise up?) But I am concerned that Hart would put aside what he clearly knows to be his duty by endorsing when he knows he must not… because he improperly promised he would.

I am not the only one arriving at this conclusion. He’s been hearing it.

But this is not the only problem.

As of this writing, we have no candidate to take out Steve “Corruption is my middle name” Stuart. Why is that?

As of now, we have only one credible candidate running in the 17th District, while a regiment of has-beens and wannabees have lined up to run for Herrera’s open seat on the GOP side… while one, and one candidate alone, has declared on the democrat side.

Why is that? Why don’t we have someone to take out Stuart, who suffers both from his brand, his verified corruption through being bought by David Barnett, his rabid support of a multi-billion dollar waste of money in the form of a bridge and loot rail, his desire to enslave 65,000 commuters and their families into paying $1300 per year just to go to work in Oregon, a state ripping them off with a multi-hundred million dollar per year income tax as it is?

Why is it that he hasn’t exercised some leadership and judgement to cull the herd that threatens the loss of a seat through divisiveness and a lack of strategic vision?

Where’s a monthly party newsletter? The democrats have one… free to download off their web site, along with archives. Where’s our presence in social media? Facebook? MySpace? Twitter?

How is it that the democrats don’t have these problems… and the GOP does?

It starts at the top.

And Hart should resign.

Cross posted at Jaime Herrera Watch.
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>When Clark County Republicans get stupid: Blowback against the Benton-Pollard endorsement and the scum email making the rounds.

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I’m fond of saying, when asked, that I’m FROM Seattle… and it’s a great place to be FROM.

I used to be a Republican. I’ve worked very hard on partisan races… I’ve had some successes and some failures. Typically, the races I picked were ALL GOP, ALL the time, because being Republican meant you weren’t the political version of the anti-Christ.

I’ve even held paid positions in the GOP up to the state level… where my true political education began in earnest, and I discovered that it wasn’t really about getting Republicans elected… far from it. It was about funneling tens of thousands out the door every month for consultants and lawyers. It was about what job could be scammed through the “Plum Book,” what appointment… what “consideration.”

Those increasingly smaller numbers of people who call themselves Republicans do so because they feel, in part, that it’s SUPPOSED to mean something. And that’s the problem: It doesn’t.

I became a Republican because it was SUPPOSED to mean honor… integrity… character… and inclusiveness.

Today was yet another lesson that such is not the case.

Below is a copy of Senator Don Benton’s endorsement of Royce Pollard for his re-election. I support that position as much as I despise many of Pollard’s policies.

As even the Columbian has pointed out, on the policy level there is little to differentiate between Pollard and Leavitt. They’ve been, essentially, joined at the hip legislatively since Leavitt was appointed to the city council a few years back.

Leavitt knew that he had to differentiate himself from Pollard to get this notch on his gun belt before he ran for Congress or whatever he ultimately plans to do.

So, he contrived a hair-splitting difference on tolls, manipulated the local hispanics into committing political suicide, and attacked HIS opponent for HIS OWN failure to vote; a privilege, I might add, that BOTH Pollard and myself spent many hard years INSURING that Leavitt had available to him, only for him to ignore it… again and again and again.

So, I have been hammering Leavitt like a nail. But as I pointed out below, many in the local GOP hierarchy mistakenly believe he’s a Republican because Leavitt had the foresight to play both sides of the fence; apparently supporting Rossi while definitely endorsing and supporting the man who has single-handedly inflicted more damaged to our country in less time than any human being who has ever lived, Barack Hussein Obama.

Benton has endorsed Pollard. I will let that endorsement speak for itself. That the endorsement was made, however, has hurt Leavitt badly, because even though he has surrounded himself with leftists and has so far counted on $30,000 (so far) in leftist money laundered from the East Coast, he was secure in the knowledge that he had sucked most local Republicans into wrongly believing that HE, Leavitt, was one.

I also appreciate Ryan Hart’s efforts to jam a shiv into Sen. Benton’s back with his non-endorsement endorsement of Leavitt, below.

You know, I appreciate the passion of those in this email that is now making the rounds.

Like those circulating this filth, everyone is entitled to their opinion. And I appreciate CDR Patella’s use of the axiom, of “what happens when you ‘lay down with dogs’,” since Pattela seems to have acquired an entire kennel.

My opinion is this:

Tim Leavitt is a democrat. His campaign has surrounded itself with democrats such as Steve Stuart, Betty Sue Morris and democrat campaign strategist Heather Mellon, who ran democrat Peter Goldmark’s successful campaign for state lands commissioner.

Leavitt claims to have supported Rossi. Well, he also endorsed and supported the blight on the land known as Obama. How come no one mentions THAT?

Does that make him any more palatable to you so-called Republicans?

While Benton obviously has a history of fighting for Republican causes and issues that extends back unbroken for the last 15 years in elective office, that does not make him blind to issues of character, integrity and courage of convictions.

The fact of the matter is that I view Leavitt as a political mercenary. He and Pollard are essentially the same on matters of policy and legislation, with very few differences over the years until Leavitt was bitten by the “mayor” bug, when he realized he had to begin to emphasize, and contrive, differences in order to separate himself from Pollard.

So, he makes up a scam about bridge tolls. He’s OPPOSED to tolls, you understand… just not enough to oppose the BRIDGE when it’s REQUIRED to have tolls. And then, we find out that he never bothered to vote. And then, we find out about his grand plan to tax EVERYONE to get the bridge replaced, a replacement that we do not need and do not want and cannot afford.

Most of you base your opposition to Pollard on what amounts to personal animus. And because Don, after much consideration, has decided what *I* consider to be, by far, the lesser of two evils, you respond like this?

For ANY of you to even REMOTELY begin to question the character and integrity of a man like Sen. Benton with a REPEATEDLY PROVEN RECORD of Republicanism is part and parcel of why I have stopped BEING a Republican… And if this is what it takes to be a part of this party, then that is why I am ashamed to call myself one.

Because if blind obedience to an unofficial party line is a requirement to be a part of your organization, then I want nothing to do with it.

Pollard has, of course, engaged in dozens of policies that I oppose…AND SO HAS LEAVITT. Why do you people seem to forget all about that? Why is there such a horrific double standard?

The difference here, at least to me, is that Pollard is HONEST about his positions, where Leavitt is a slimy weasel. EVERYONE KNOWS where Pollard stands, like it or hate it. Leavitt? Well his latest stupidity on taxing EVERYONE to pay for the bridge and light rail that HE wants says it all.

There is nothing to reconsider. I urge Benton to maintain his stance, a stance based on PRINCIPLED support, something apparently lacking in the organization that I have worked so hard, at so many levels to support… But now have come to despise because of this kind of activity on the part of its “members.”

Because someone disagrees with you, you attack him like this? You people are no different than the Obama White House. You’re no different than Axlerod, or Emanuel or Dunn.

You have BECOME the enemy because of your hatred, and your inability to understand the difference between pragmatism and selling out. You would throw a man under a bus because he may disagree with YOUR conclusion on this ONE issue.

Do you think absolutely unsupported ”talking points” will have any sway?

You express concern over how Pollard has treated Campbell. That’s DEMOCRAT Pat Campbell, who USED to be a Republican… right? The utterly INEXPLICABLE idiocy of trying to make excuses for Leavitt’s non-voting record… because Pollard was an OFFICER IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

Are YOU telling US, “Commander,” that when YOU were in the Navy in YOUR early 20’s, that YOU didn’t vote and then, like Leavitt, you LIED about it?

*I* voted, Commander. I bet dollars to donuts that Pollard did as well. That you didn’t, and then proceed to make excuses for YOUR candidate who followed along in YOUR irresponsibility is simply beyond the pale.

I cannot and will not speak for Don. But if it were me? I would say the hell with the lot of you. I would say, “great. You don’t want to support me? THEN DON’T. Feel free to vote and provide money to whatever leftist they run against me.”

And I pity you for it.

From: Local Mailing List
Date: 24 Oct 2009 09:13:11
To:
Subject: Is Don Benton a RINO?
(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.) __

Senator Benton, I have no idea what kind of a deal you made with Pollard, but what ever it was you are a great disappointment to this Conservative.

You must have forgotten what your mother said happens when you “lay down with dogs”.

You may not care and you are starting to believe you own press releases, but you no longer have my support and I will do my best to convince other to no longer support you.

For all who supported Rossi and those of you who support Leavitt, Benton needs to hear from you. Please send Debbie’s email to everyone on your mailing list.

L. M. Patella
CDR USN (ret

Dear Friends,

Please email to your email lists, blogs, any media outlets.

Call to Action: Please email Don Benton and let him know how disappointed you are by the Pollard endorsement. don@senatordonbenton.com .

If you need talking points, please feel free to use any or all of my letter to Don.

Dear Don,

I am stunned that you have endorsed Pollard for the following reasons:

1. Pollard is pushing the very policies that you have spoken against.

2. He is vocally rude, condescending, and often humiliating to Vancouver citizens during public comment, so much so that the city lawyer, Mr. Gathe had to come in and remind Pollard of appropriate ethics while at city council.

3. He has been degrading to both Pat Campbell and Jeanne Stewart, his own colleagues, during city council meetings.

4. After numerous requests (for removal), he still retained his campaign treasurer as chair of the Vancouver Charter. As a result of that, the review board sent us weak, useless recommendations at a time when real issues needed to be addressed, such as dispersal of public property, the purchase and rental of property, term limits, and mayoral election cycle.

After weeks of public comment as to the importance of these issues, none of them was recommended for review by the Charter Review Committee. It was disgusting,and a blatant disregard for public input.

5. He has spent this city into a position where we didn’t even have enough money to pay our fire/police. If BHO hadn’t had the stimulus money, we would have been down ten police positions added to the four the city lost previously. It was disheartening to see firemen begging city council to raise taxes to cover their personnel positions/expenses.

6. Have you seen the proposed developments for downtown Vancouver? Good by to all the reasons we all moved here. It will be a concrete canyon.

Tower after tower of high rises.

7. The whole Leavitt voting record thing is absurd. I’d like to see Pollard’s voting record when he was in his early 20’s.

8. Lastly, please see below what your own Clark County chair has to say about Pollard, after Pollard trashed yours and my 2008 gubernatorial candidate.

Dear Republicans:

The Clark County Republican party decided earlier this year to not make any endorsements in the 2009 non-partisan races. We did send out a voter information guide for the purpose of informing our members of identified Republicans running for office. Since there were many cases of Republicans running against Republicans, and Democrats running against Democrats, we have made it clear that we as a party have taken no official position in these non-partisan races.

Today I was disappointed to see a mailer sent out by the Royce Pollard campaign attacking Mayoral Candidate and City Councilman Tim Leavitt for supporting Dino Rossi in 2008, and for introducing Rossi at his final appearance in Clark County the weekend before the 2008 election. The mail piece states, “The Leavitt–Rossi agenda will move Vancouver in the wrong direction.”

As Chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, I remain proud of Mr. Rossi and the campaigns he ran in an effort to move Washington forward.

Furthermore, it was an honor to have Councilman Tim Leavitt introduce Dino Rossi.

Mayor Pollard needs to understand that tens of thousands of Vancouver residents voted for Dino Rossi, and that Rossi won Clark County in both 2004 and 2008.

Christine Gregoire, however, now has an approval rating around 30 percent.
It is her failed policies, and those of the Democratic majority, that are hindering Washington and, more specifically, Clark County from moving forward. It is doubtful that the majority of Vancouver voters approve of Governor Gregoire’s job performance today.

Tim Leavitt was right to support Dino Rossi, and I applaud him for it.

Sincerely,

Ryan Hart
Chairman, Clark County Republican Party

Don, I urge you to reconsider your endorsement of this once effective, but now misguided mayor.
Debbie Peterson.
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