Republicans still at odds
By Matt Artz
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008 at 2:35 pm in minutemen.
On Sunday we printed this story about how the Chairman of the Alameda County Republican Central Committee has filed suit against the Registrar of Voters and several people of his Minutemen/Ron Paul-loving opponents who won committee seats in June. The suit alleges that seven of the victors hadn’t been registered Republicans long enough to have qualified for the ballot.
Last night was the first central committee meeting since the lawsuit was filed and a couple of people who were in attendance said it was feisty. Click here for some pictures, including a gigantic poster of Abe Lincoln.
FYI, in my story I imply that the Republicans can’t reach a quorum at meetings even with the recently elected members. Turns out the new members, who haven’t taken their seats yet, don’t qualify as part of a quorum.
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August 20th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
The story listed below was written by Matt Artz for the Argus Newspaper prior to the June 3rd Primary Election. Notice that the interview was all about “Minutemen” and “Ron Paul supporters” that were running for the Alameda Co Republican Central Committee.
**Read this story, to get an idea of the topic of discussion during Matt Artz’s interview with Chairman Paul Cummings, THEN I’LL POST THE CHAIRMAN’S EMAIL THAT HE SENT OUT TO REPUBLICAN VOTERS AFTER THE INTERVIEW!**
THE ARGUS, Local Sunday June 1, 2008
-Minutemen Eye GOP Committee Seats-
*Anti-immigration group poised to gain spots on Alameda County panel* By Matthew Artz*
Fremont- Paul Cummings got a surprise this year when he submitted his papers to run for re-election to Alameda County’s Republican Party Central Committee in Tuesday’s primary election.
Cummings started thumbing through a list of registered candidates to make sure no one had forgotten to file papers- only to find the names of more than a dozen candidates he didn’t even know existed.
“I’m going through the list and I’m like, ‘Who are these people?’” said Cummings, the committee’s chairman. “I was shocked.”
Nearly all of the candidates unknown to Cummings are either members of the Golden Gate Minutemen, or former Ron Paul supporters who have made common cause with the anti-illegal immigration and anti-globalization Minutemen group.
The new candidates haven’t put in volunteer hours with the county’s Republican Party, which is the usual path to a seat on the central committee.
However, between a large number of committee incumbents not seeking re-election and a dozen Minutemen candidates on the ballot, the group is all but guaranteed to have a sizable presence on the 30-member committee.
Of the 10 candidates running for six seats in the 20th Precinct, which includes the Tri-City area, five are Minutemen and three are aligned with the Minutemen. The two other candidates are incumbents.
Likewise in the 15th Precinct, which includes the Livermore area, the only three candidates on the ballot are either Minutemen or affiliates. And of the nine candidates running for the six seats in the 18th Precinct, which includes Hayward, five are Minutemen or affiliated candidates.
The Minutemen’s campaign has caused a rift between some of the long standing committee members and the Minutemen, who say the county Republicans see them as a threat.
“They feel we’re outsiders trying to upset and disturb the Republican Party,” said Charles Bartlett, a Fremont resident and one of the five Minutemen candidates in the Tri-City area.
The Minutemen are fed up with local Republican candidates, whom Bartlett said were more Wall Street than Main Street and didn’t want to be seen in public with them.
“George Bruno (a former candidate for Congress) wouldn’t stand on a street corner with us because he didn’t want to be identified with our cause,” Bartlett said.
The group is blunt about its goals. Bartlett wants to use the committee to push cities in Alameda County to enforce immigration laws and not become sanctuary cities. Also the group opposes free trade as a threat to U.S. sovereignty and wants to rally the Republican Party against globalization.
Such talk is concern among several central committee members.
“Some people might consider them to be a little extreme,” said Jeffrey Wald, a committee member and Fremont resident.
To some it seems like a repeat of the 1990s, when supporters of Pat Buchanan- who also spoke out strongly against illegal immigration and free trade deals-gained control of the committee.
“They banged their heads against the wall, passing resolutions and doing showy stuff that didn’t make a lot of difference,” said Ryan Hatcher, the committee’s executive director.
The committee’s major concern, he said, is that the new candidates are strangers to them.
“We really wish these people would have gotten involved before they put their names on the ballot,” Hatcher said.
Central committees don’t make policy or endorse candidates in Republican Primaries. Their primary mission is to raise money for candidates, get people registered and turnout the vote.
“We’re not a debating society,” Cummings said. “When you get people who have an ideological bent in an organization like this, it relegates the party to being losers.”
Of course, the Republican Party has been in retreat for decades in Alameda County, and Bartlett says his group can provide some grass-roots enthusiasm for a party that couldn’t even muster candidates to run for all 30 central committee seats.
“An infusion of activists could be of great help,” he said. “We don’t mind precinct walking or holding public rallies.”
There is little chance that the Minutemen and their allies will win a committee majority. Even if they are all elected and win converts among current members, former Republican candidates in races throughout the county also have votes on the committee and could tip the balance of power against the Minutemen.
The election campaign is being fought aggressively. With only three candidates on the ballot for six open seats in the Livermore precinct, Cummings has started campaigning for a slate of three write-in candidates. The Minutemen countered with a write-in candidate of their own.
Ultimately, both factions are preparing to coexist. Although the winners don’t take their seats officially until January, the committee, in an effort to build cohesion, is planning to seat them ahead of time.
“These people are going to have a fair amount of seats on the committee,” Hatcher said.
Cummings is still concerned about how the new committee will shake out, but he is not without hope that the new members could fit right in. “These could be marvelously wonderful people,” he said.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
This was the email that was sent out to various Republican voters on Saturday May 31st at 5:00pm by Alameda County Republican Central Committee Chairman Paul Cummings… A friend of mine that received this email, forwarded it to me!
Notice how Chairman Paul Cummings not only attempts to label us all as “John Birch Society members,” in a desperate maneuver to marginalize our candidates, in any way that he can, but he also requests that voters (from the 18th AD) cast their all important votes for a man that passed away back in March and can not even serve on the Central Committee. Seem odd to you? Sure does to me!
*******************************************************
((Paul Cummings’ email to Republican voters- In his own words))
I need your help. I just had an interview with a reporter from the Argus who tells me that the candidates running against the Alameda County Central Committee candidates in Livermore and Fremont are members of the John Birch Society..
They are going to pick up three seats from Livermore, so it is essential that our write-in candidates get elected also. They need a minimum of 25 votes to be elected. Would you please use your email list and send them the names of the people on our slate and urge them to vote for our write-in candidates? Also would you send this to a few influential people you know and ask them to forward the list along?
The slate is listed below.
Thank-you,
Chairman Paul Cummings Jr.
14th AD:
Mary Lou Weggenmann
Dekek Yee
Kent Mastores
Rohit Joy
James Fullmer
John Den Dulk
15th AD:
Paul Lynd
Sharon Morrison
Paige D’Angleo
16th AD:
Paul Cummings Jr.
Frank Cherry
Roseanne Slonsky-Breault
Christine Anderson
Dick Spees
Anne Woodall
18th AD:
Ernest Scherer
Douglas Miller
20th AD:
Jeff Wald
Karen Kay Wind
*******************************************************
Now ask yourself… Is this the type of Chairman that is working to “Build Our Republican Party,” or a poor excuse for one that will do anything to preserve his private little social-club? Does Chairman Cummings represent the views of the 116,000 registered Republicans in Alameda County? I think not! Cummings says he was a former registered Democrat, but now he’s more of a liberal Republican. Can someone please explain the difference between the two?
You can view the Constitutional Republican’s Press Releases to learn more about how the GOP Chairman is suing Republican volunteers at:
http://www.ConstitutionalRepublicans.org/
*Feel free to contact me if any of you have any questions about the Chairman’s counter-productive lawsuit. My contact info is listed on our Press Releases.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Right on Walter!
Heavens forbid, if the RINOs (Republicans in name only) or Socialist Democrats had to follow the Constitution!
We need LESS GOVERNMENT, LESS TAXES, LESS GOVERNMENT SPENDING, AND NEED MORE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.
We need government to follow the laws. We need to deport illegals, and not to allow sanctuary cities. We need to stop paying benefits to illegals. Huge deportations have happened in the past, and it can be done again. (Look up “Operation Wetback”)
A while back when I was walking precincts, I talked to several Republicans. We talked about the need of the people to take back the party. Every Republican I talked to agreed, saying they were disappointed, felt the party is not as it was or should be.
August 21st, 2008 at 8:19 am
Sounds like Mr. Cummings is a poor excuse for Chairman of the Alameda County Republican Party. There is no doubt what so ever that his actions will have a negitive impact on local races. I’m sure Dean Andal and Abram Wilson who need all the volunteers they can get, really appreciate all of the Chairman’s hard work in depleating their total number of volunteers for their campaign efforts. Maybe someone should have informed the Chairman that this is an election year.
I really liked the sign that read - “Chairman Cummings Helping the Democrats Win the Election” - I think that says it best!
August 21st, 2008 at 11:09 am
Do GOP candidates stand a chance at winning any local elections (and for that matter on a national level) anyway? Im not sure why they bother? Republican positions are so out of the mainstream these days. Bush has completely destroyed any viability of the GOP. Perhaps, local GOP minded folks should look into a third party option? That path might actually get their message out!
August 21st, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Lois SAID:
August 20th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Right on Walter!
Heavens forbid, if the RINOs (Republicans in name only) or Socialist Democrats had to follow the Constitution!
——————————————————
Seriously!
Paul Cummings and his personal “Cling-Ons” at the ACRCC CAN NOT even follow their OWN rules, why should they follow those of anyone else or the Constitution!
Disgusting “leadership” indeed. It’s very shameful for the G.O.P. at such at important election time, sounds like the ACRCC needs a good house cleaning, starting at the Top!
August 21st, 2008 at 4:18 pm
WarbleFly SAID:
August 21st, 2008 at 11:09 am
Do GOP candidates stand a chance at winning any local elections (and for that matter on a national level) anyway? … Bush has completely destroyed any viability of the GOP.
Hey WarbleFly check the lastest polls from even the Liberal sources… Obuma is slipping in all of them and he is outspending McCain in advertizing at everyturn. WAKE UP Dude!
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:34 am
EDear WarbleFly,
I think you makes some great points.
True. GOP candidates have little chance to win in a state like CA that is so strongly liberal.
I’d add two qualifiers:
1. The state is not uniformily liberal. There are pockets and regions that are actually very conservative. Identifying these pockets and shoring them up should be a goal of the GOP. Unfortunately the GOP is not doing this but trying to compete with Dems by becoming more ‘liberal’. The GOP is not challenging the culture or prevailing attitudes, and this is their major weakness. They have no institutional direction or vector. Until the GOP takes up the larger task of institutional liberalism, and this would require uniting with whatever remnants of conservative activism exists, it is a dying party, and must become a second wing to liberalism. Presently, GOP leadership, both statewide and nationally, is perfectly content to become a loayl opposition to democratic socialism and internationalism. Rather than risk leadership, the GOP is relying on polls and poli-sci grads who go with the weight of the culture. The dilemma is that today the culture is greatly shaped by media and the educational system, and both are in the hands, largely, of a liberal intelligentsia.
2. I agree– Bush has completely destroyed any viability of the GOP, and he will not the the last republican politician to do so. Unless there is a turn-around, which is probably unlikely (but worth trying), I think the trend of seeing more independents is the watchword.
3. Republicans in CA don’t really know how to oppose the left in the realm of ideas. They stick to party lines which don’t work. They also work in spectrums of ideology which are irrelevant, sic. Left vs. Right– when the real contestation of today is between ‘big’ vs. ’small’; or statist vs. antistatist…
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:36 am
Third party?
No. This won’t work. Third parties have zero value in US politics (aside being pressure groups– at best—see Nader adn the Greens) unless we had a parliamentary, proportional system. .
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:51 pm
In response to “Warblefly’s” #5 posted comment:
He asks, “Do GOP candidates stand a chance of winning any (local or national) elections?”
Many voters out there were asking themselves the same question leading-up to the ‘04 Election. But look what happened with Bush. And while the current Administration and other RINOs out there, have dug a huge hole for the Republican Party; they should never be counted out as “sure losers” in any election.
The Republican Platform is more in line with the majority of Americans, as America is more made up of conservatives than liberals or progressives (or whatever else they are calling themselves these days).
Having said that, I would also like to point-out that “this Republican,” (me) is very unhappy with the way things are currently going in the Republican Party at the national level, the state level and (from the sound of it) the Alameda County GOP, as well.
I can’t believe that a chairman from my own Republican Party is slapping a group of Republican volunteers with a lawsuit. Don’t we have an election to win here Mr. chairman? Seems like this man should be “looked into” because he sure does sound a lot like a “spy” within the Party and that sure doesn’t help our chances of winning any election.
I agree with “Charles,” the third-party option is out. Real Republicans (at the local, state and national levels) need to return the party to it’s roots and start sticking to the official platform, which would be a whole lot of work, but still less than forming a third party.
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:39 pm
I was at the meeting on Tuesday. I don’t think Chairman Paul Cummings had a very good time.
There was a group of local Republicans there that were in heavy opposition to Chairman Cummings and his lawsuit. They had signs with his name on them and everthing. There was about 50 people in attendance at the meeting. The members attending the meeting seemed to know more about the lawsuit than Cummings did. Cummings projected a “I’m not sure about that” position when questioned about the lawsuit. There was a lot of finger-pointing going on and a whole lot of harsh words for the Chairman. So much so, that he called a vote to end the discussion at one point.
The group didn’t seem to care about the Chairman’s call to silence their majority opposition. In fact, it sounded like they had a bunch of problems with a Paul Cummings Chairmanship that they all wanted to point out.
The room of Republicans did seem to be “at odds” with Cummings over the lawsuit. The opposition to Cummings was clearly the heavy majority as sharp comments flung from all sides of the room during the meeting. A few others spoke out against the opposition but, it was stuff like, “You Shut Up” and “You’re outta order!”
I’ll have to say one thing though, the meeting sure was entertaining from a spectators standpoint at least.
August 23rd, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Republicans suing Republicans! I bet the democrats are happy!
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Paul Cummings tried to play dumb the whole meeting. If you think about it, he had no choice. After all, how could he defend suing his own volunteers in an unlimited jurisdiction court (amounts exceeding $25000)?
One thing is for sure: the issue is now out in the open. It seems Paul Cummings had even failed to inform many of the sitting committee members that he was filing a suit! …very interesting considering his statement that the lawsuit was filed as “chairman” rather than as an individual.
August 24th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Charles nails it. Following the culture as it is re-shaped by the media and public education means the Republicans are in the backseat while the Democrats (Statists) are driving. The necessary response is to attempt to change the culture back towards earlier American values, such as industry, thrift, self-reliance, fair play. That is why a group such as the Constitutional Republicans is needed by the Republican party. The current Republican party is far from it’s old self. The party of limited government has presided over the greatest growth in governental intrusion, size and expenditure. Most are RINO’s.
An infusion of people with true Republican principles would be like an infusion of bone marrow cells to a chemotherapy patient, re-seeding the body with the vigor of life.
August 25th, 2008 at 10:30 am
I looked at the pictures! I’m not sure who the guys is behind the podium; but his suit hurts my eyes! Can we turn down the volume on that one please?
August 26th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
It would pay off for the republicans if chairman paul cummings encouraged more people from the community to come into the republican party. Filing lawsuits against the few republicans that are left in alameda county just sends the wrong message to people out there.
Hope it all works out for the people being sued by the chairman.
August 27th, 2008 at 12:30 am
I enjoy watching terms like “statist” getting thrown around. Did someone read a bit of libertarian philosophy?
There used to be something called consensus. The Republicans have been in an abyss, dragging the country down with them, ever since Nixon started his slash and burn campaign, dividing America to win the presidency. Every major Republican candidate since has relied on a message of terror of enemies and hatred of liberals and their hippie ways. Similar language appears in this forum. It’s all a crock. We need leadership who can compromise. Apparently, on the local, state, and national level, the Republican party cannot deliver.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Are committee members really only volunteers? If they are, it seems kinda odd to go after them like that.
Maybe those volunteers should re-register as democrats. I’m sure they’ll receive a warmer welcome over there. They have a real big tent.
Politics is always a dirty game to play which is a sad thing.
August 29th, 2008 at 5:26 am
Billy,
Yes. You can check out the duties of Central Committee member at http://www.alamedagop.org/committee/.
One of the more bizarre aspects of this lawsuit is that the Alameda County Central Committee own bylaws only requires that committee members be Republicans. There is no requirement that they be registered as Republicans for a specific amount of time. So if Cummings likes you, he will have his committee rubber stamp your election to a vacant position. In fact, in an earlier interview just before the June Primary with Mr. Artz, Cummings said he would have most of the people seated early, then he filed a lawsuit on 25 July. More details at http://www.ConstitutionalRepublicans.org
September 12th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
CHARLES, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL ME, OR EMAIL ME, WITH YOUR CONTACT INFO.
*Sorry to use the blog this way! My apologies friends!
October 9th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Help Fight the Lawsuit by donating to the Legal Defense Fund!
http://www.ConstitutionalRepublicans.org
http://constitutionalrepublicans.chipin.com/help-fight-the-lawsuit
Read the Matt Artz article here:
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_10235006?source=most_emailed