(Tom Dickman) – On the afternoon of Friday, February 7, I received phone calls and emails regarding a press release on Rex Crouch's website. In particular, the press release dated February 5, 2014, titled “Rex Crouch Rejects The Nevada Republican Party Nomination Process”.
In this press release, Rex makes at least two statements that must be addressed and exposed for everyone to know what they are about, how they came to be on his website, and the validity and integrity of both the statements and the people involved with them. The two directly quoted statements I'm addressing are below.
“Elected officers in the Washoe County GOP who will participate in the nomination process are already publically endorsing Rex’s Primary opponent Rodney Bloom.”
“Rex’s concerns about impartiality and ethical integrity in this nomination process are the reasons why Rex will not participate in, and rejects this process. Rex notified the Nomination Committee of his withdraw on February 5th. Rex disagrees with his opponent’s public comments and also finds it disturbing that elected officials in the GOP would publically endorse and support an unelectable candidate prior to the Primaries—Rex believes this type of conduct is a disservice to all Republicans and Conservatives.”
Rex's full press release can be found here: http://www.electrexcrouch.com/PR05FEB2014.pdf
I talked with Rex on the telephone Friday afternoon, after I received phone calls and emails. I first told him I was disappointed in his lack of courage for not including details of the public endorsement he described, and not naming the people involved. Instead, he indicted every one of the WCRP elected officers as being corrupt and involved with a corrupt process and corrupt organization.
I then asked him for the names of the people he accused and the source of his information, advising him I was going to follow this to the end, expose everyone involved, put an end to this immediately, and let the chips fall where they may. His reply was “Randy Lloyd told me it was Barb Hawn who was endorsing Rodney Bloom.” I then asked Rex for his consent, with his full knowledge, to speak with both Barb Hawn (WCRP Secretary, elected) and Randy Lloyd (WCRP 2nd Vice Chair, appointed) to get to the bottom of this, to which he agreed.
I called Barb Hawn and told her of the situation and the accusation from Randy Lloyd. Her immediate response was that Lloyd's accusation was a complete lie.
Next, I called Randy Lloyd and left a voice message asking him to return my call.
Later that same night at the First Friday event at the Sienna Hotel Spa Casino, in a private conversation, with Randy Lloyd, I gave him a printed copy of Rex Crouch's press release and asked if he was familiar with it. Within 15 seconds he said he recognized it and knew about it. I repeated Rex's quote that “Randy Lloyd told me it was Barb Hawn who was endorsing Rodney Bloom.” and asked if that was true, to which he said yes, it was. I told him that this accusation is an extremely serious matter, and that everything we were going to talk about would be on the record, to which he agreed.
I told him I would spot him “the who” in the fact that he was accusing Barb Hawn of publicly endorsing Rodney Bloom. What I wanted from him at that moment, and in full detail were the “what, where, when, why and how” and any other details regarding his accusation against Barb Hawn.
I asked Randy Lloyd specifically about the details of his allegation. He told me it was in a conversation between Barb Hawn and himself where she “…indicated she was supporting Rodney Bloom.”
I asked when Barb had allegedly publically supported Rodney. Randy answered it was “…2 or 3 months ago, possibly even as long ago as September.”
I asked where it had allegedly taken place. Randy answered “It was at the WCRP office.”
I asked about the circumstances of Barb's alleged public support. Randy answered “…it was during a private conversation between Barb and myself and there were no other people in the office at the time.”
I asked Randy to describe the details of the alleged private conversation. He said he couldn't remember any details, couldn't remember any context, and couldn't remember anything at all about the conversation, other that it was at the WCRP office, approximately 2 or 3 months ago, possibly as long ago as September, that it was a private conversation between Barb Hawn and himself, in which he remembers that Barb Hawn “… indicated her support for Rodney Bloom.”
Randy Lloyd and I then had a conversation together with Rex Crouch, and had an impartial third-party listen as a witness to everything that was said.
I asked Rex Crouch and Randy Lloyd to both verify it was Randy, who told Rex, it was Barb Hawn who was publicly endorsing Rodney Bloom, which they both did. I then asked Randy to repeat to Rex the same words he had told me moments before, which he did, in the same vague, non-descriptive words.
I asked Rex directly, how it was that a story Randy Lloyd couldn't even remember could be printed on his website as being completely factual and used to indict all three of the WCRP elected officers, and whether or not he had bothered to talk to Barb Hawn. Rex answered he didn't bother to contact Barb and simply took Randy's words as fact.
So, Rex Crouch puts out a press release condemning all the WCRP elected officers as being corrupt, colluding in a corrupt process, within a corrupt party, doing as Rex states, “… a disservice to all Republicans and Conservatives.” All based on an accusation from Randy Lloyd; an accusation in which he cannot remember when it took place, 2 or 3 months ago, possibly as long ago as September, but remembering it was a private conversation (not public) between himself and Barb Hawn, at the WCRP office, but unable to remember any of the circumstances such as the context of the conversation, nor even a single word Barb Hawn allegedly said, but remembering Barb had “…indicated her support for Rodney Bloom.”
Any first year law students out there who would like to run with this one??? How about any high school students who have watched several re-runs of Perry Mason???
The question of whether or not anyone agrees with the so-called endorsing process being discussed by the NRP isn't the question here. The question is the validity and integrity of both the allegations by Rex Crouch and Randy Lloyd, and of the accusers themselves.
This is an outrageous example of rumor, innuendo, suspect memory and possibly outright lies being used as fact, born of words from Randy Lloyd that he admits he cannot remember or substantiate, and repeated by Rex Crouch as truth without even so much as a cursory follow-up to establish the facts.
In as much as I hesitate to call anyone's character into question, I cannot help but wonder about the integrity and motivation of the accusers in this situation. Both Rex Crouch and Randy Lloyd have used extremely poor judgment and hearsay evidence to cast doubt and call into question the personal reputations of the WCRP elected officers. Additionally, Rex makes broad accusations of corruption and collusion in the WCRP and the NRP.
Personally, I cannot tolerate or condone this type of public accusation by Rex Crouch based solely on Randy Lloyd's suspect memory. I consider this entire situation to be completely lacking in facts, beneath basic dignity, personally irresponsible and lacking any possible credibility.
Had either Rex Crouch or Randy Lloyd been publicly accused and personally impugned in this same manner, I'm certain they would both be outraged, as they should be. I'm also certain they would both demand an immediate retraction and apology, in a highly visible forum and format, probably even more visible than the forum in which they were accused. Speaking for myself, as one of the elected officers of the WCRP, I expect nothing less from both Rex Crouch and Randy Lloyd.
Stay tuned as there will be more to follow as Rex Crouch, Randy Lloyd and I will meet with Barb Hawn and at least one witness to go even deeper into this matter, so it can be resolved once and for all.
(Tom Dickman is Chairman of the Washoe County Republican Party)