Montgomery County Republican Committee Censures Matthews…
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15 Comments
Makes you wonder when Faith Bender and the Lebanon County Republican Committee is going to censor Chip Brightbill for giving money to Democrats…
What took them so long? Matthews has had a year to do damage and that damage is severe. What efforts has Bob Kerns made to entice Matthews back into the fold? Seems clear that Matthews is owned lock, stock and barrel by Hoeffel and the Democrats because he is strangled by his chairmanship. Hoeffel has Jim by the throat and Jim knows at any moment Hoeffel could pull his support. The Montco GOP needs to simply turn its back on Jim Matthews and go about the business of being the minority party because Matthews is never coming back. The patronage and fundraising the Republicans could have used to rebuild the organization Matthews has handed over to Hoeffel so he can build a Democratic team. Jim Matthews will go down in history as the man who drove the stake into the GOP’s heart in Montgomery County.
I guess the thing I take away from it is this:
If you think the GOP can win the majority in 2011, it’s pretty damaging that Matthews is giving the Democrats a platform to campaign on (and they can defend it by pointing out that Matthews, a “Republican”, went along with it, blah blah blah) and putting them in power to raise money, etc.
If you think that the defeat of the GOP in 2011 is inevitable, then Matthews sped up handing things over to the Democrats four years early. For what purpose?
In either case, nothing he’s doing is helping the GOP and it makes sense they did something like this. The guy is a traitor. Nice to see at least one GOP organization impose some kind of discipline.
They only censor those who question it.
I think the last straw was throwing Arlen under the bus to support his brother if he runs for Senate. Never underestimate the power of Specter in Montco GOP.
I think the bigger issue is getting back to basics…voter registration, candidate development, investing in outreach technologies. And how about doing election day well. I was at several polls where poll coverage was weak or non-existent, no signs were up, committeepeople had too few ballots, etc. I’m not saying those things would have won this past election because they would not have…but lackluster efforts like that are a symptom of a party in decay. All of these things are within the power of Kerns, et al to solve and don’t depend on Matthews. I know people in Montco love a “bogeyman” to blame all their probems on (Asher, Matthews, etc) but come on, our party is weak and suffers from no new blood. And Kerns better get on his game soon or the Dems are going to take away all those lucrative solicitorships from him and Bartle. Ouch!
Lenroot: you miss the point. Kerns would have the tools to rebuild the organization if he had two GOP commissioners who could hand out jobs, appointments, contracts etc. All to qualified persons/firms etc. but people and firms who would provide the backbone of an organization and a fundraising base. Because of what Matthews did, Kerns does not have that. Even worse, Matthews promised he would form a Republican administration and on thea promise Kerns raised just under a million dollars from people anxious to preserve the GOP majority. That betrayal has made it doubly hard for Kerns to raise funds now since donors are gun-shy. By any measure, what Matthews has done and continues to do is absolutely killing the GOP in Montgomery County and Montgomery county is the key to Pennsylvania for Republican statewide candidates. Were you at the MCRC county dinner? State Chair Rob Gleason blasted Matthews in his speach. That is the STATE chair, not county chair Kerns. The Matthews’ Betrayal has serious, and far reaching ramifications for the GOP in Pennsylvania.
Lenroot is right and so is Dale.
It is now time for the GOP to move forward, without Matthews, and do all the things that need to be done to win elections. It’s sure tougher with Matthews building up the Democrats while he tears down elected Republicans (plural, not just Castor), but it’s what needs to be done.
Castor should vote for Hoeffel to be chair for this year just out of spite.
I think every GOP member in Montco would actually appreciate it.
Let Jimmy boy fade into obscurity or better yet he and his brother can move back to Philly and run for city council…
Interestingly, a lot of establishment RINOs are on defense. Op-Ed in the Lebanon paper by Mauree Gingrich’s son attacked a critic of the lousy manner with which the GOP ran the McCain campaign at the national, state, and local levels.
Anyody hear if Gleason is feeling heat?
Dale, i am not saying that what Jim did was right. But it is what it is. You deal with the world as it is, not as it ought to be.
And while I agree that it probably does hamper the road back to a strong GOP in the county, I am also saying that in the meantime, how about doing the easy things right…polls covered, signs up… in short, not looking like we folded up our tent. Where is the aggressiveness?? Where is the plan?? How about a strategy to start taking back local offices that we can win. How about a “Blue to Red” program. Even something easy…look at an election map and find out where 10 Dems “snuck into office” over the last couple of elections (riding coattails, etc.) and line up good candidates and money behind them. Win these seats back (even if’s its a school board seat, a constable, etc.) and then build on that. Show that we’ve stopped the bleeding and we are on the rebound. THAT, more than Matthews, will make those donors and others take notice and open their wallets. You think these donors stopped giving because of Matthews…these vendors and contractors and lawyers and consultants stopped giving heavy to the Republicans because they can count…as in the number of Dems versus Reps. Matthews didn’t cause that…Bush did and others. Start winning elections and those folks will be back in droves!
I’d rather see Kerns spend his time on that than censuring Matthews. And by the way, 90% of the people don’t know Matthews or give a sh_t about the county political machinations. we need a message and a strong organization. Period.
It might surprise you to learn that Jon Fox did that in 1993. January 1993 he nominated Joe Hoeffel for Chairman to try to throw crap in the last Hoeffel unholy alliance with a Republican, Mario Mele. Hoeffel declined the nomination.
He’d do the same thing now. Why wouldn’t he? He’s got all of the power and Jim Matthews takes all the heat. He’s got the perfect setup.
Right you are Lenroot.
In order for Kerns to begin doing those things, he had to get his troops in line. The committeepeople (the vast majority of them) were still seething over Ken Davis slapping Matthews on the wrist. Matthews needed to be dealt with. He has been, to the extent the party can deal with him, and now it’s time to move on without him.
2009 is the time Kerns can show his mettle and win at the local level. Matthews is a non factor there (except for the dough Hoeffel and the D’s can pour into the races). But, the point has been made and it’s time to move on. I think we’re all on the same page here.
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Do my eyes and ears deceive me? The MontCo GOP censures Matthews, and Perzel gets thrown out of leadership???? That’s hope we can believe in.