In this column, I intend to hang out some Republican
“dirty linen.” To those who criticize doing so, I reply, “When
you have a festering sore, it is better to give it light and air
than leave it hidden.”
In this column, I intend to hang out some Republican “dirty linen.” To those who criticize doing so, I reply, “When you have a festering sore, it is better to give it light and air than leave it hidden.”
Now that the facts are coming to the surface, it appears to me that a few Republicans may be more responsible than the Democrats for the campaign losses of Bill Simon and Tom McClintock.
At the recent California Republican Party (CRP) convention, I had submitted a resolution outlining financial misdeeds and asking some CRP Board members to resign. One CRP Board member called it “divisive.” Scuttling Republicans is not?
At the convention I found that the Resolutions Committee had referred my resolution to the Board of Directors. Nothing wrong with that – except – the Board of Directors was not scheduled to meet until after the convention. I asked for a rerouting and was denied.
Thus, in the General Session, I rose with a “point of order.” The chairman of the Resolutions Committee, Robert Philabosian, responded that I was out of order since my resolution had been tabled (after I had left the Resolutions Committee the previous day.)
What followed was a shouting match. The chair, desperate to prevent me from raising the issue before the 1,400 delegates, repeating himself and me shouting that he was answering a question I had not asked. I lost my cool. In parliamentary procedures the floor will go with the chair when there is a shouting match. Had I kept my temper and quietly held my ground, perhaps the CRP would be in a bit better shape.
Here is the resolution the delegates were prevented from seeing.
Resolution Requesting Gerry Parsky and Tom Stephenson to Resign from their Board of Directors Posts
Whereas, one of the most important jobs for the Board of Directors of California Republican Party is to raise money for candidates, research, administration of the Party, assistance to the counties, voter registration, Party building; and
Whereas, Gerry Parsky volunteered and accepted the responsibility of Finance Chairman for the California Republican Party in February, 2001 and he understood that the position required his best efforts to raise funds for the CRP; and
Whereas, almost immediately Gerry Parsky announced that he would not and could not raise funds for the CRP unless the Bylaws of the organization were changed; and
Whereas, instead of stepping aside and allowing another to be the Finance Chairman, with a seat on the Board of Directors, he informed the Board that he would keep the White House Cabinet Officers and other leaders of the National Republican Party from helping raise funds for the CRP until the Bylaws were changed, to his satisfaction; and
Whereas, he kept his word and did not raise any funds for the CRP until the Bylaws were changed in late October 2001, and then he raised funds, but not for the CRP but for the Team Cal account; and
Whereas, by raising money in this fashion, he disallowed the Board of Directors any control over the money raised and how it was to be spent; in effect, Gerry Parsky controlled all programs, policies and actions of the CRP though he was never elected to the Board of Directors; and
Whereas, during the 2002 General Election all disposable funds came from Team Cal and were controlled by its leader, Gerry Parsky, while the CRP Board of Directors had to go to Mr. Parsky for any projects, funds or policies; and
Whereas, as an example, that Mr. Parsky had exclusive control over $600,000 given by the RNC to help down ticket statewide candidates and without consultation from the Executive Committee or the Board of Directors or the Operations Committee, gave only $100,000 of that money to Sen. Tom McClintock in his race for State Controller – though it was known at the time the money was given that McClintock had a significant lead; hence, the lack of money given by Gerry Parsky as a party official led to the loss of Mr. McClintock by a few thousand votes; and
Whereas, when Gerry Parsky moved over to the Team Cal seat on the Board of Directors, his selectee, Tom Stephenson, was appointed to the Finance Chairman’s position on the CRP Board of Directors; and
Whereas, Mr. Stephenson made it known that he would not raise funds for the CRP until the Platform was changed and the pro-life plank was taken out, though he knew this could not happen until 2004; and
Whereas, the money raised by him went to the Team Cal accounts, not the CRP general revenue accounts, and he is still refusing to raise money until the Platform is changed and he also refuses to resign from his appointed position. though he refuses to fulfill its responsibilities million was left to the current administration, but today due to the specific refusal to raise funds for the CRP by Mr. Parsky and Mr. Stephenson, the CRP is over $500,000 in debt, six of our eight regional directors had to be fired due to the lack of funds, other office staff was fired due to lack of funds, our vote bounty program has been suspended and other cut backs will be needed to balance the books; and
Whereas, the actions of Mr. Parsky and Mr. Stephenson have harmed the credibility of the much needed “Reforms”, the credibility of those representing the Whitehouse and the integrity of the California Republican Party and have put into jeopardy the success of the “Reforms”; now
Therefore, be it resolved, that the California Republican Party at its February 23, 2003, convention in Sacramento, California, that we demand the resignation of Mr. Parsky and Mr. Stephenson for their refusal to take seriously their volunteered responsibility of raising funds for the California Republican Party.
Ben Gilmore is a Morgan Hill businessman. The Board of Contributors is comprised of local writers whose views appear on Tuesdays and Friday.
