BUTLER COUNTY: GOP is Broke?

Here is the latest coverage from the 527 Media in their continuing series (here and here) to paint the Republican Party in Butler County as in some sort of financial dire straits.

It is interesting that the 527 Media got involved in this story after receiving a press release or a call from the local Democrats. They published their first story in a rush and without, in my opinion, having done due diligence and sufficient research. The result put Butler County Republicans on the defensive and the facts came out that the Democrats and the 527 Media had only part of the story. Things weren't as bad as had been portrayed. The Democrats claimed, and the paper asserted without having been able to contact the landlord, that the Republicans hadn't paid their rent on the headquarters. A claim so ridiculous, I dismissed it immediately as overreach.

The next day, the 527 Media had to do a second piece cleaning up their mess. It was revealed that Nancy Nix was ambushed (my words) by a reporter on the phone while at an event. Of course, the 527 Media never disclosed that fact. Truth is that the GOP operates several accounts and not all of them are reported to the Secretary of State. Some of the accounts are reported to the local Board of Elections. When you add up all of the funds available to the GOP, you find that while they are struggling, the bills are being paid.

In today's piece, we learn that what caused this financial pinch is poor decisions made by the former chairman of the executive committee. I first became involved with the Butler County Republican Party after learning that the then headquarters was the palatial estate pictured to the left. I nicknamed the building the Todd Mahal after former chairman Carlos Todd whose folly this was. Turns out, the succeeding chairman, Tom Ellis, also spent more on facilities than the party really could afford.

There is one name missing from all of this coverage and that is Judy Shelton, the chairman of the Central Committee.I have never understood how she manages to slither away from all of the controversy, but mark my words she has to own some of the responsibility too.

Dave Kern, the current chairman of the executive committee, has to do a better job of reigning in the finances and get the party focused, once again, on LOCAL politics and let the Mitt Romney's of the republican Party fend for themselves. Also, the party's rank and file needs to have more access and hear regular reporting on the party's finances. A significant reason for this fiasco is that the average member of the Central Committee has NO IDEA what the financial situation of their party actually looks like.

SIDEBAR: I laugh hysterically whenever I see Sheriff Spotlight acting like he is some kind of fiscal conservative... This...

“It used to be the party would give money to local candidates,” but that ended year ago, said Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones, now in his third term. “I think they would like to give to candidates, but they don’t have any money.”

Jones, with a campaign war chest of more than $200,000, said he supports the party by attending fundraising events, but writing a check to the party is not something he is willing to do. The sheriff said the county GOP has grown into a “big, fat machine” that can’t be sustained in a down economy.

“I have been asked would I be interested in donating money to the party every year,” Jones said.

He declines the party’s request, saying “it is just too hard to raise.” But the sheriff does give up some of his campaign’s cash to support select individual candidates seeking election.

...is HYSTERICAL!

Just remember, folks, he has $200,000 and won't give a dime of it to the party that supports him. I have no doubt that the BCRP will support him again, too, just like they always have.....

Anyway, this is just another of my many attempts to ask the Butler County Republican Party to clean their house and get their crap in order. I expect it to be received with the same warmth and respect that I have always gotten from the Powers That Be over there, but I hope that enough members have had enough to actually do something about it and change the culture in what is clearly a troubled party.

Butler County GOP - Another View

If we have a meeting tomorrow night, I really don't expect much fireworks, although it could happen. As many of you know, part of being the executive chair of the Butler GOP is having a seat on the board of elections, a job that pays around $16,900 a year. This is a position that must be voted on by the party and it is a four year term. Hardly enough money to support a family and if the truth were known, a lot of that money finds it way back into the party. Most large party organizations pay their chairs or executive directors a salary. We do not.

To put it in perspective, the chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party makes around 125k a year. Although we are smaller, if you based it on percentages, we would be paying at least 65k to 75k a year. While I am not advocating that, I am merely pointing out that we receive good value from Chairman Ellis based on his effort and the amount of time devoted to the party. I am of the opinion that his so called opponent (who just got his butt handed to him for State Central Committeeman) would not give us as much time, effort and quite frankly, leadership skill.

While I have the utmost amount of respect for my esteemed fellow blogger, Matt Hurley, I am of the opinion that the leadership 'vacuum' he describes is more in line to inherited issues than to ones that exist within the core of the leadership circle. I tip my hat to that circle who work behind the scenes to make it happen for this party. While I normally remain silent on these issues, I want to make it clear on this one thing: No one has worked harder and with more due diligence than Tom Ellis.

While Tom's neutrality on issues can be frustrating at times, it is almost always appropriate. He doesn't get involved in the little petty mind games some people play and he always tries to take the high road. That has cost him favor with some people, but to me, it denotes principle centered leadership. He can count on my vote, that is for sure!

To give it a little more perspective, it is always easy to take pot shots from the outside. There is within our party a group of people who will never be satisfied with whoever we put in leadership and that is part of the deal. Naysayers and negative people will always be among us and I say, keep on trucking because they will never be happy no matter what we do.

Butler County GOP Chairman Sued by Mom and Brother

Intrepid Reporter Josh has the beginning of a story that we'll be taking a keen interest in as we watch it unfold. Chairman Tom Ellis is accused of fraud to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The suit is seeking those damages plus a resolution to an issue regarding a title for an apartment complex.

No word in this story about any criminal charges which is kind of odd for a fraud charge I would think...but if the chairman engaged in criminal activity, I'll be among the first to say that he ought to step down.

Also curious is that I had to hear about this through the media...there has been no word sent out to Butler County GOP folks that I have seen as of yet.

At any rate, this yet another embarrassing moment for the Butler County GOP...

UPDATE: Cincinnati Enquirer got a quote from Ellis:

"Unfortunately, it's a family fight that spun out of control and should not have blown over to the courts," Ellis said.

You can choose your friends, but not your family...