Petty Politics From Scott County Republican Leadership

Fairway Tent?

We believe that Scott County Republican Central Committee members with a sense of fair play and authentic desire for unity should take exception to the small minded proprietary face being shown in the lead up to the election of officers scheduled for the March 12 Central Committee meeting.

We are aware that most if not all of the open positions will be contested. We have absolutely no doubt that the Nominating Committee members, as narrowly drawn as they are, as attached to the chairwoman, and as hostile to any hybridization of power and opinion as they could be, are also well aware of the intentions of other candidates in competition with the cadre they endorsed. Indeed they interviewed competing candidates.  Regrettably the  playing field after the interviews has not been level.

Multiple official communications have been issued at committee expense. None of the ones I have seen mention competition, and that is pathetic.  This is not the Democrat Party . . . the SCRCC need not be turned into low information voters. Coyness as regards the intentions of other individuals they interviewed but presumptions about the ultimate acceptance and appearance of their nominees does not pass the straight face test.

Using SCRCC resources,  the following have been issued regarding the election: an e-mail, a post card and an official blog posting, all limited to  promulgating the endorsed individuals.  It is the equivalent of Roxanna Moritz issuing  an election notice and only mentioning Democrats.

When a non-endorsed but announced candidate asked for current SCRCC contact information they were afforded only mail addresses, not labels, not e-mail addresses, and what was provided was not up to date. Recent replacements and vacancies were not incorporated.  When a request for current bylaws was made they received a copy of a copy rather than one in an electronic format.

No SCRCC member should have to ask for any of this. All of it should be provided as a matter of course to all SCRCC members. Indeed all of it could easily be posted to a members only section of the website.  That is the sort of thing mature organizations do to facilitate communication for their decision making “directors.”

Access to such official records may not be denied, including e-mail addresses.  It is a natural right of directors to be able to inspect and copy records of the organization.* A cadre with an interest in continuing their reign does not get to exclusively use or benefit from or sequester addresses, e-mail or otherwise. They do not get to facilitate their proprietary interests while denying or slow walking or being less than forthcoming  in response to legitimate requests of other decision making members regarding  provision of lists or other records.

As regards the Nominating Committee, we do not deny that they can propose a slate or endorse individuals as they see fit, regardless of the aggravating circumstances of their own heavy handed appointments. But we do recognize their action is a  departure from the locally established model of a ministerial role for the Nominations Committee, a far better unifying model.  A ministerial role facilitates information flow to and from candidates, and is not compelled by a need to pick for others when mechanisms exist for candidates to be evaluated openly in a manner for all SCRCC members to see and participate.

This is the third largest Republican county central committee in the state.  Yet the powers that be had such great concerns over the dependability of their influence they they dared not flesh out the Nominating Committee to a size commensurate with the experience and diversity available to it.  Instead we have shoved at us a triumvirate characterized by a combination of historic inattentiveness, outward antagonisms, and manipulative bias . . .  all apparently the Chairwoman’s idea of a unity face.

Perhaps we are too hard on the Nominating Committee, singling out three individuals when anyone with a modicum of SCRCC involvement knows full well that they are but fellow creatures of a somewhat larger gaggle. A group that seems more motivated by clubishness than the desire to aggressively expand the movement against the socialist track the country is on.  So presume them as mere stand-ins for the fearful, content free, lack luster, non innovative, compromised leadership in too many Republican circles at this time.

This is not to say that all of the Nominating Committees picks are bad, it is the attendant parochial attitude we object to. What has been demonstrated by those responsible for this pettiness or those that give it acceptance is the smallness that invites third party alternatives.  That would be very unfortunate for all our shared ideals. All of those running for SCRCC office share basic compatible goals.  Everyone should act like it.**          R Mall

* Ample support for this statement, besides common sense,  is available from various relevant authorities:  Iowa Code Section 504.711 ; Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised, 10th Edition, p. 442;  and innumerable nonprofit management and reference guides. We are confident enough in the near absoluteness of the statement to challenge anyone to find an authority or applicable legal opinion to the contrary.

** Look for a Veritaspac.com commentary in coming days regarding a winning unity operational platform.

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