(Chuck Muth) – The Clark County Republican Party suffered a severe blood-letting at an emergency late-night Executive Board meeting on Thursday which ended up in mass resignations.
I wasn’t there in person, so the following comes from first-hand reports from stringers and direct conversations and emails with some on the players.
Many of the senior officers of the Clark County Republican Central Committee officially resigned their positions last night, including Chairman Richard Scotti, who advised in a press release after the meeting that he will now be joining the Sandoval for Governor campaign.
“It is imperative that Republicans maintain control of the Governorship,” Scotti said announcing his resignation. “I am leaving to work towards that goal. As the Clark County Campaign Coordinator (for Brian Sandoval), I will be able to effectively engage in fundraising activities, precinct walking, voter registration and GOTV efforts.”
Scotti’s dignified resignation message, however, can’t disguise the turmoil within the organization. If not for the ongoing dissension being caused by passionate but inexperienced newcomers in the organization, Scotti never would have considered moving on. As it is, the now-former chairman will be able to direct his time and energy to far more productive activities.
But Scotti wasn’t the only one to cash in his chips last evening.
Also reportedly throwing in the towel en masse were party Treasurer Swadeep Nigam, Secretary Heather Kydd, Finance Director Christine DeCorte, Communications Director Ron Futrell, and Board members Melody Howard, Norm Yeager and Martha Kimple.
The Clark County GOP has been a house divided and unable to get its act together since former Chairman Bernie Zadrowski retired in June and tea party activists, meet-uppers, Ron Paulers and 912’ers gained operational control of the CCRCC and set out to purge “the old guard” in a manner reminiscent of the French Revolution, but without the bloodshed (yet).
Last night’s chaos occurred just a week after the majority of the organization’s Executive Board voted not to allow yours truly to host a fundraising event for the organization at my home. Among the reasons given: I’m not a registered Republican. Apparently if you’re not a member of their club, you’re not even allowed to help their club.
In addition, the insurgents proposed a new rule last evening which would effectively cut in half the number of Republicans who would be allowed to participate in the party’s biannual convention.
“The proposed rules for convention want to change the rules from 1 delegate for every 50 registered Republican voters in a precinct, to 1 delegate for every 100 registered Republican voters,” former Board member Melody Howard explained in an email. “This effectively excludes potential participation by voters at large.”
Making matters worse, the “newbies” aren’t just flogging veteran activists and outsiders; they’re now turning on some of their own. We’re talking Lord of the Flies stuff here, folks.
The Tea-Party-in-Paradise now falls into the inexperienced hands of Vice Chairman Bob Ruckman. Elections to fill all the new vacancies will be held next month.
All as the winds of change are beginning to blow in the GOP’s direction.
But as usual, Republicans never blow an opportunity to blow an opportunity.
THIS is why we are considering leaving the GOP! Rather than uniting around the things that we can all agree on, we snipe and bitch and moan at each other while the progressives take the upper hand.
It’s hard to march forward when you keep shooting yourself in the foot…..
Unfortuneately the Republicans lost big time last election because they had, for the most, part turned into Democrates. Let’s tax and spend more!
What we need is new blood with ethical backgrounds and no more old boy party politics. Sarah got it right in AK now it’s time for us to get it right in NV.
This is what Sue Lowden left behind? We sure don’t need that kind of influence in the Senate!! It would be no different than having Harry Reid. Actually harry Reid is better organized. What we need is for the party to RETURN to it’s CONSERVATIVE roots.
Regardless of your degree of tilt to the right, this story should be read with a great deal of sadness….Whats’ happened to reason? To hell with the party…Lets’ just march to our constricted agenda…Both sides must share blame…Strictly limited conservative ideology will destroy us from within…As will weak leadership and their inability to arbitrate with whom they disagree….No matter what issues divide us only a strong united leadership can hold our County Party together…We at the grass roots must attend our next meeting and vote an informed choice….We need a strong leader who understands the issues involving the split and the ability to bring us together…Keep this up and kiss 2010 adios…..Anyone have recommendations for a new leader???
‘morning’ Chuck It is hard to tell from this post; was last night a good thing or a bad thing? I am part of the Tea Parties. Lived in Vegas since 1969. Seems like in the past Republicans have not been very successful in Nevada. Nevadans need to get it together to defeat Reid. What a disappointment 2010 will be if we let Reid win. Maybe we should look to the Unions for an example on how to organize. Just saying…….
The Tea Party folks are facing the same question the Clintonistas faced after they won the White House in 1992: What do we do now?
I appreciate their passion and share their ideals and philosophy. But running a party organization is a hell of a lot harder than complaining about a party organization being run by others.
Welcome to reality, folks.
To hell with the party?????? Whom then will organize voter registration? Who will organize the hundreds of county precinct captians needed? What organization will raise all of the money needed to do it? What doners want to shell out to it now?
Yes, new leaders for the Lord of the Flies! Any takers????
ha ha ha ha ha yeah, didn’t think so!
Goodbuy County Leadership, long live State Leadership and PAC’s
2010 will still see a GOP victory then the flash-in-the-panners will be gone again with no food to feed their ever hungry egos!
As someone who was at the table last night, I regret that some long time party activists, whom I consider friends and colleagues, chose to resign last night. I’m not a board member, but I do serve ithe party in a variety of small positions. We saw this earlier when new officers were elected and I found myself one of the very few District Managers who didn’t resign. I might be considered part of the so called “Old Guard” and I had serious doubts myself. But I strongly supported Richard Scotti and I believe in the idea that once the primary is over you still support the party. So I stayed and I’m glad I did. No one can win every argument and I’m no exception, so I learn to get along, pitch in, and do my share. Like many in the Clark County Party, I’m a Libertarian Republican and I’ve discovered I don’t have a lot of policy disagreements with other party activists. In fact most everyone in the party agrees on most things, except perhaps for some social issues. The real disagreement is over politics, not policy and how fast and aggressively we can pursue our goals. Since I’ve gotten to know them better, I feel like I have a good working relationship with Duane Libbe the Precinct Administrator and Bob Ruckman, the Vice Chairman and now our Acting Chairman, but frankly when they came into office, I didn’t know these guys from Adam. I’ve also gotten to know and respect our hard working Parliamentarian Scott Austin, a Social Conservative Republican much better, just by spending time talking and working together. So I encourage people to stay involved and learn to get to know your fellow Republicans better. Like the old saying goes, it’s hard to hate someone you break bread with, so take someone in the GOP you disagree with to lunch.
[...] Chuck Muth writes this morning: Many of the senior officers of the Clark County Republican Central Committee officially resigned [...]
That is a real shame but I saw it coming. If you could have raised funds to help the party who cares if you declare yourself a republican. Your an American first and if you believe in something and want to help they should let you. I was so tired of the he said she said personal BS.There are so many different personalities I thought I was on my High school leading team again. I had certain people tell me that “I was attempting to use them to get into their party” I thought this was the Republican party my family has been Rep. Since my great great great grandfather, a former slave that served in the civil war. With continued attitudes like that it will be a long time coming before this group can get its act together. I have decided to leave the state, I am moving to a small town in N ca, that is controlled by republicans. This is why people moved to NV.
In my view, the party’s purpose is to raise funds, recruit and support candidates, hopefully conservative, and their campaigns. Secondly, it is to register voters and get the vote out election day. The Chairman cannot do this alone. He has to have solidarity with his board. As stated above, the board was at odds. Richard is an impeccable man with integrity who was dealt a hand and played it as best he could. He will be missed.
Prior to the new electorate of CCRP, a well attended voter registration training had taken place. The plan was to begin with a couple DMV’s daily. Shortly thereafter, the leadership changed.. The newbies had challenged the priors during the campaign/election process for only selecting two voter reg cites. Instead of continuing where the past leadership left off and going forward, DMV coverage for voter reg did not take place until a few weeks ago – if it started at all. I know they recently trained new people. My point is that the CCRP lost prime voter reg time – 6 months, some of which was traditionally prime summer relocation time.
Instead of concentrated focus on the mission – Conservatives winning 2010 – it seemed like the focus was on the some newbies pounding their chests and throwing verbal stones at the priors. At the last regularly scheduled e-board meeting, Old guard Republicans were referred to as “barnyard dogs”.
For the CCRP to succeed, egos need to be parked at the door. Ego has clouded the mission – “Conservatives winning in 2010″. Many good volunteers/members worked hard for the party prior to the new regime and after. Continual lambasting the priors by the newbies is an old song repeated too many times…
In summation, the old saw is appropriate here…. “united we win, divided we fall”. I wish the CCRP good fortune going forward. Sometimes it takes a few good knocks to course correct. God willing, this will happen.
Last night was the birth of a Third Party in Nevada, but not in the sense you might first think. Yes, the Tea Partyer’s have gained solid control of the Clark County Republican Party and now have to “put up or shut up”, but at least those who value the Republic and the Constitution, as the first priority, can now be called Republicans. The third party I’m am talking about is the new “Century Group”. The collection of newly displaced old time political “movers and shakers”, RINO’s, and spotlight followers in Nevada politics that have been so arrogant and complacent the last few years they lost control of their closed two party system. As one of those, Chuck Muth seems to be already “shooting at friendly’s” when the target should be the socialist agenda of the current administration. It is in the new Third Party’s best interest to portray the changes at the CCRP as chaos, because of course, it all comes down to money…Who would donate to an organization in chaos? But that facts are, in less than six month, this “inexperienced” group of Patriots has succeeded in making the biggest power play in Nevada politics this year. It will be interesting to now see their noses pressed against the office glass wondering “I wonder what their next move is?” just as these Patriots were just six short months ago.
I had to think about what happened at Clark County last night and I was sad. I knew this was coming. Clark County has three purposes. 1-Raise money, 2- support candidates, and 3-Voter Registration. I have been saying this for months. It appeared as though some people on the board had their own agenda. They would e-mail information out as other groups and not Clark County. I totally get what was going on. I realize they did not know how to run a County Party, but they do know how to run an organization. They can organize to get their word out, but not for County Party.
I know it will all come together and we will go forward. Sometimes failure is good in order to have success.
Chuck,
You’re right about that – the nuts and bolts of running a party organization takes skill and experience. Working out the message – that can be done in a more grass roots manner, but when it comes time to raise the funds and put together volunteers, etc, we need people who know what they’re doing.
Sue ran the State Republican Party, not the Clark County Republican Party, just for a bit of clarification.
Thank you Vicky Maltman
I’m sure this will cause many many eyes to roll but I personally have renewed hope that we the people can regain control of what has been turned into a criminal racket of national proportion and indeed international results. The Republican party claims to be representitive of the values that we all live by but do you honestly believe our nation is in the shape it is by accident? Because of both parties we have been at war for what reason? Why have we allowed a private company to steal the wealth of the nation? Why is our health care system on the verge of collapse? Why do we allow ourselves to be poisened with rat poisen because somebody says it’s good for your teeth? Oh ya, call me a conspiracy whacko that thinks that we’re headed towards the NWO but I challenge you to watch this and say it’s not an issue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEqFtVrAgSo
The Republicans have been complicit in surrendering this nations soveriegnty for years and while this is a local effort, it is a start. I have watched the core members do everything they could to stop very good canddidates from being concidered because they were not part of the good old boy network. The only thing that makes me sad about last nights events is that too many good people refuse to accept the issues that confront our nation and rather than working together to form a better party they would rather believe the new people coming to the party are nothing more than a nusience and leave crying. We are told all the time “to vote third party is a waste” the only choice we have is to recapture our own party from a criminal bunch of neocons. The biggest threat to your freedom is not the ” Islamonazis” it is our own govt. I will debate anybody on this and I can not be proven wrong
Having moved here from Florida three years ago to run against Harry Reid and prove that Chuck Muth is correct that I am a carpetbagger, I must say that change and improvement takes time.
If Chuck Muth could pull his head out of his butt and decide to be open and honest, we maybe able to get a better understanding as to what is going on here.
First of all, anyone who thinks I moved here from Florida over three years ago just to run against Harry Reid, is an idiot or a media liar. I came here for work after being out of work in Florida with the economy sinking there first. I came to Las Vegas and got a job in three weeks. Unfortuantely my wife hated Vegas and missed her daughter and her grandchildren and wanted to move back. I could not go because there was no way I would find a job in that part of the country at my age. That three year stint is over with now and at 57, I am offering my knowledge and wisdom to business and politics to better this state and this nation.
The only reason I am running to challenge Harry Reid is because of the obvious limited experience in business and politics that my fellow Republicans have. And everyone knows it. The last poll showed 33% still undecided after getting deluged with Sue Lowden, Danny Tarkanian and Sharron Angle the third of the media darlings we are supposed to choose from. Angle attacks the other two saying they do not have her experience in politics. Is this a joke? She served less than two calendar years. TWO CALENDAR YEARS! Only ten of her 74 bills got action on them. That means she is 86% uneffective. It has got to be a joke? The question is on whom? Not even Chuck Muth has bothered to pull her record and read it.
Chuck Muth being in the Sue Lowden camp has worked under the radar but everyone knows what he is doing. Here is a man who could be a very important part of the conservative movement, but he can’t allow integrity to get in the way of his political motives or his desire to be kingmaker in this US Senate race.
Most of the Republicans running in this US Senate race could be better serving of the State if they were to run in other positions. I believe that Chris Comfort is working to that end. I am not a politician, there is no political position that I would have an interest in. But our nation is in big financial straights and I am the only one with 30 years of business background, that has not donated to Barack Obama’s campaign.(Chachas the RINO did)
I have been fighting the far left since 1993 as a radio talk show host, conservative US Senate Candidate, and Presidential spokesman in 1996. After years of being a political independent, I had no use for either party as is recorded on my radio shows back then.
When Republican gun owners came to me right after my gun rights rally in Florida in 1994, and asked me to run against RINO Incumbent Connie Mack, my first thought was political suicide to challenge an incumbent in the primary, so after careful research a strategy to run as a Conservative Democrat made more sense. With my having 40% of the Republican vote in my back pocket(conservatives), I could win the general election. More than likely I would have crossed over to the Republican party considering that I was a social conservative and my pro-life stance had somewhat of a home in the Republican Party that still had a majority of RINO’s in it.
My campaign exposed me to a Lunatic Left wing that was horrendous to view as a Patriotic conservative. People not stating “Under G-d” when pledging allegience, gay extremists presenting the keys to victory as defeating the Religous right. I was taken back, because in Massachusetts most Catholic Democrats are pro-life and alot of union people are pro-family and very patriotic. You may recall these people as Reagan Democrats. In the 1996 Buchanan for President campaign where I was spokesman in Massachusetts, we had more conservative Democrats on Pat’s campaign team then Republicans. We were battling RINO’s in Massachusetts.
So you could say that my diverse experience in politics is something all you conservatives out there should understand, including you Chuck Muth, who seems intent on attacking me for every minor thing you can think of instead of taking my 35 years of experience and background to realize I know what the F I am talking about.
It is evident that Sue Lowden is a RINO and her mismanagement of the GOP in Nevada was her doing. A conservative rebellion has broken out in Clark County. Counties like Elko and Nye, no such rebellion was evident, because those areas are conservative to start.
What happened Thursday night was going to happen, because RINO’s can’t put the country first, they have to put their own self interests first. That’s right Chuck, that makes you a LINO (Libertarian in Name Only), since you are not a Republican, but I am and I have been one since 1995. I am familair with three states of Republicans with Nevada being my last, because I am here to stay.
The Republican Party of Nevada like that of other conservative states will be Conservative and Clark County is now in that column.
You know in the Democrat Party, conservatives were expected to lose, but they were also expected to shut up and support the Liberal who won. I know I have been there, except I refused to support a liberal who stood for everything I was against. Now I am in the Republican party and I was expected to lose and support the RINO who won. I did not support Bob Dole – Loser and John McCain – loser. I will not support the RINO who wins this election. Sorry but money doesn’t buy my vote and neither do media lies.
Our nation comes first and if we have to purge the RINOS from power before we purge the Fascists in Power, so be it. Remember Conservatives are good, I think every party ought to have some, NOT. The Conservative Democrats and Conservative Libertarians will join this party because it will be the Conservative Party, not the RINO party. And I mean real conservatives, not the ones that have to train during a campaign to be conservatives.
Chuck Muth needs to apologize for his losing his way due to his desire for prominence and if you are going to be a conservative then be a conservative.
To start with we tell the truth, not half truths. We put honor and country first and we let the best candidate win, not the one the media wants or the special interests want. We may not succeed in 2010, but at least conservatives in Clark County have a home. And take it from this conservative who has been looking for a political home for some 16 years.
Why not join the Republican Party Chuck Muth and put your brains where your mouth is. Scrooge found his way one Christmas, now it’s time for Stooge.
We have all been there, some of us will never acknowledge that. See you at the Christmas Party Dec 19th. We have a nation to save!
Mike Wiley – Republican Conservative for US Senate
I stand corrected.
Mike Wiley is not a carpet-bagger from Florida.
He’s an unemployable carpet-bagger from Florida.
We regret the error.
You are such a donkey
And you are such a tokhis leker.
Well, as long as we’re staying “civilized”…. Ok, it was a bad night and, some who are my friends left positions and have noble, just position that would help this party. But face the facts; alot of people were just not satisfied with previous results and wanted things different. The benches have been cleared and a new group is going to do things differently. Now I’m no fan of Ron Paul but I am of 9/12′rs and I am with the tea Partyists. If they are now effectively controlling the party, they will have to get results or will face the same short fate they delivered to others. They have started with reducing voter representation at the convention… which is ill-thought. And they have turned down Muth bringing the party money… which is stupid. Not a good start. i would hope they will quickly draw up a roadmap of plans with points to show accomplishment for 2010. I hope they do well and the party improves… I really do because if they fail, the next have to learn from their mistakes. Sometimes you have to tear something down completely to build something better in it’s place. And in Vegas, we all know how good we are at tearing things down quickly to build something bigger.
The most disturbing thing here is that the Executive Committee is so ARROGANT as to tell someone, even Muth, that they cannot hold a fundraiser. Like it or not, it takes money, money, money to win elections.
@ Remo, the fact of the matter is if we lose, we lose big. We lose an opportunity to defeat Harry Reid. We lose an opportunity to gain seats in the Assembly and possibly turn the Senate around. We lose redistricting.
Today, there is a 2/3 majority in the assembly by 1 seat, in favor of Democrats. If we don’t pick up a seat, they draw the lines, they determine how many democrats and republicans vote in every single district, with no potential for argument. Republicans should not even bother to show up. If you had the choice, what would you decide. Picking up a few seats balances out the tables for the next 10 years. Losing those seats, you’ll never recover. Simple math.
I wish the current board success. I only care about (1) Harry Reid losing, (2) picking up seats in the Assembly and Senate, and (3) redistricting.
I will only hope the board elected in January focuses on those issues, and whatever issues they personally have.
I hope you folks can get your act together before primary season.
I just received a mailer from RID U.S. PAC asking for funds to help defeat our arrogant turncoat Senator Arlen Spector. I Googled the PAC and found their primary Mission Statement is to defeat Harry Reid. So, potentially at least, outside funds could be flowing in to help defeat that weasel you Nevadans elected. But how the hell is that going to work if you’re spending more energy fighting each other than uniting to bring down that enemy of us all?
You need to figure out who is the strongest candidate, unite behind him or her, avoid a bruising primary and go for Reid’s throat with everything you’ve got and with our help. Damn it, WE don’t want that bastard back in our Senate in 2011.
This name-calling between Muth and Wiley as a sign of things in your State needs to stop. They should get together over a good lunch and come out of it as friends.
I’m a worried Pennsylvanian who will contribute to the effort to Get Rid of Reid. Your Job One. That and winning back control of your Assembly — Job Two, as Melody pointed out.
Jeninus
I have known Chuck Muth for years and have respected his honesty and opinions. (I moved to Nevada in 1969)
RINO’s should have heeded the warnings but chose not to do so at their peril.
We just witnessed Virginia and NJ, but here in Nevada we sit here with our heads in the sand and continue to support traitors such as Raggio, while moaning that Chuck reports the truth.
Until those that oppose the Reid political machine and the quasi-Republican’s that support Reid stop looking at each other and saying ” You need to do this.” we will always be going nowhere.
At least now the CCRP now has one group directing it’s actions. Agree or disagree we will move forward. Lead, follow, or give your paycheck to the government.
@VegasVoter There are always three sides to a story, one side, the other side and the truth.
Jeff, the truth is that existing donors have started cancelling their donations to the CCRP and also there are no new commitments from any of the fund raising breakfast attendees due to the direction in which new CCRP group is going
More on truth…the officers who resigned were getting no support from the teapartiers. Richard and I put a 2010 budget together along with a detailed political plan to confront D’s but got no support. TPs did not even had a courtesy to provide an alternative plan. On every issue TPs had their own agenda whether it was about hiring a Executive Director or even putting a Christmas Party together. There are over 260,000 active registered Republicans and I can say for sure that TPs does not represent majority of them. Simple etiquettes were missing as some of the CCRP officers did not even respond to the Chairman Richard Scotti’s or my emails concerning important decisions and policy issues.
Jeff Waufle always has something worthwhile listening to. I think there is some truth somewhere amidst all this contention that will allow more people to get along. Perhaps we should consider what Jeff is saying as an admonition to try and see political issues from each others perspective. But above all, let’s try and not make this too personal. Save that for Dusty Harry.
Too bad the republican party can’t get it together, everyone of them have thier own agenda! If reid gets the win in 2010 he will destroy our country as we know it! Wiley, reid will use the carpetbagger cliche on you and take the election by a landslide. If you want to help nevada, back a candidate who can take reid on. It better be someone who brings god, guns and country back because we have had it with RINO’s, liberals and every fuk’n one of the POS’s in washington who are trying to destroy the constitution!!!!!!!!! Obamacare is unconstitutional, taking over automotive companies unconstitutional, the gov’t has no place in the private sector, the list goes on!!! All spending in washington has got to stop, a trillion dollars is nothing to these dumbazzez in congress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vote Reid out in 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr. Wiley, interesting quote from your detailed comment —
“…I am the only one with 30 years of business background”
That’s what Bob Ruckman, Vice Chair CCRP, keeps telling everyone in every meeting I have attended.
Anyone who is in fifties has 30years of life experience in business, personal and social setting…hahaha
Jeff, I do hope you are not insinuating that the people who resigned support Harry Reid. That could be construed as a personal attack, disingenuous, and completely untruthful.
It is a shame the CCRP has come to this. Once I was proud to say, “I am a Republican”, but not these days. Instead of working together for the good of the Party so we can regain some semblance of the America we used to know, we have groups looking to further their own agendas. This, of course, results in more fodder for Keith Olbermann and Chris Mathews. The Republican Party in Nevada needs a major overhaul, with committees and candidates who will do us proud once again. It’s time to stop the bickering and nonsense and get to work doing what Republicans do best – run the country!