Civil War Breaks Out in L.A. County GOP btwn Neocons and RP supporters

[Robert Stark]

http://www.prlog.org/10442551-civil-war-breaks-out-in-la-county-republican-committee.html

 

[Reason]

interesting

 

[Matt Collins]

From the press release:

Civil War Breaks Out in L.A. County Republican Committee

(Two Factions are Suing for the Leadership of The Republican Party of Los Angeles County.)

​

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PR Log (Press Release) – Dec 08, 2009 – Leaders of the Los Angeles County Republican Central Committee say that "old guard" party members planned and staged a "Communist Russia style" coup last May that ousted them from the posts to which they were properly elected a year ago. The furious, 38-page legal complaint, which includes defamatory allegations of Holocaust denial and 9/11 "Truther" beliefs in the U.S. involvement in the events of Sept. 11, also holds that the "coup events" of May 14 this year by the old guard violated a plethora of critical party bylaws and Robert's Rules of Order.

In their Superior Court complaint, the plaintiffs - Robert Vaughn, Ted Hayes, Manny Aldana, Roger Eshleman, Nancy Comaford, Constance Ruffley and Sandra Needs - declare they were properly given authority back in December 2008.

But that didn't set well with the old guard defendants - Jane Barnett, Gary Aminoff, John Cozza, Leonard Lanzi, Alex Burrola and Davina Keiser - who refused to work with the young executive board at all, according to the complaint.

Some of the plaintiffs were newcomers to the Party Committee when they were elected. They say they owe their electoral triumphs to widespread dissatisfaction with the "entrenched" old guard that had held the reins for years.

After surviving the December vote, Aminoff, the only member of the old guard to retain his position, "would soon be busily organizing a coup" with Barnett, the plaintiffs say.

In a series of emails and posts to a Yahoo! group - which are reproduced in the complaint - Aminoff went to great lengths to highlight the newcomers' inexperience.

"They were pretty much novices," he wrote in one email, adding that none of Los Angeles County's elected officials knew who they were, and none of the committee's major donors had ever heard of them.

"People who are known and who have track records don't have that difficulty in raising money. The donors know them and trust them. With the top three officers there had been no prior history, and therefore no developed sense of trust," Aminoff wrote.

In other words, the plaintiffs assert, "If you're not part of the old guard with a prior history, you can't be a leader in RPLAC, whether validly elected or not."

The split quickly grew nasty. The old guard derided the new chairman and executive committee as "a motley crew of assorted local hangers-on" and as "flotsam and jetsam," according to the complaint.

Aminoff made even more personal attacks, calling out plaintiff Vaughn in particular. "For some reason, the Ron Paul backers to a great extent are crackpots," Aminoff allegedly said. Aminoff wrote that, "Robert Vaughn, who was the campaign chairman for Ron Paul in Los Angeles, is a 9/11 truther who believes the government set up 9/11, and is a Holocaust denier. He also is a supporter of Palestinians and believes that Israel is Nazi-like. And ... he wants to be chairman of RPLAC." (Ellipsis in complaint, citing an email.)

Vaughn denied these assertions, but Aminoff persisted, telling him, "We don't need help from the bat shit crazy wing of those trying to be our party. The Republican Party doesn't need you to rescue it," according to the complaint.

The plaintiffs say that to carry out their coup, during the May 14th meeting, the old guard used a non-existent motion to "vacate the chair," of the Chairman, then adjourned and immediately reconvened to elect defendant Barnett the new chairman, ignoring the committee's bylaws process of automatic succession in the event of a vacancy and to give fair notice to the entire committee that the position was open.

Then an arbitrary voice vote was held to vacate all the remaining offices, and the balance of the defendants were invalidly installed in their place, according to the complaint.

That is a coup: "The idea that a self-professed supermajority can walk into a meeting, suspend the bylaws, appoint a bogus temporary chairman on false pretenses, and then throw out the validly elected officers reflects a total misunderstanding of due process rights, good order, fundamental fairness, the operative bylaws and Robert's Rules of Order," the complaint state.

But the plaintiffs say the attacks on them did not stop. After briefly holding out an olive branch to the ousted leadership, to no avail, Aminoff, who became 1st Vice Chair after the "coup," allegedly resorted to threats, telling one plaintiff that it was time to stop raising parliamentary or legal issues.

"If you ever have any ambitions of being a leader in the Republican Party in California, you quite possibly may be ending those ambitions," he wrote in email, according to the complaint.

Another party member evidently agreed. "I am growing sick and tired, as are most central committee members, with this 'rule of law' shield being used to usurp the will of the people," the complaint states, citing another email.

The lawsuit names “Does” 1-40 as co-defendants. It describes them as corporations, voluntary associations, and others who acted in concert with the defendants.

The plaintiffs want the usurpers enjoined from representing themselves as the legitimate leaders of the Committee, from holding meetings, and collecting money or maintaining bank accounts, which they are currently doing .

They also seek an accounting of all money collected and expended by the defendants since May 14, imposition of a constructive trust, and restitution and disgorgement, as necessary.

The plaintiffs are represented by Richard Williams with Kelly, Lytton & Williams.

-Dan McCue

 

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

As I've said around here for a while. The GOP doesn't want us. If we haven't made any headway by 2012 it's time to turn Independant.

 

[Dunedain]

I see less and less hope for reforming the republican party. We can rely on only penetrating the repubs. You can be elected as a republican by the people and still be denied your right to take elected office. There are legal avenues but those play into enemy hands in other ways.

We are a third party. We need third party infrastructure. AND we need to make republican inroads at the same time.

 

[Elm]

Yes. Lets ignore the complete failure of the last two 3rd parties to break away from the Republicans and pretend that for some reason - we can achieve different results.

Sorry, no.

Now I don't particularly care if the Republican party continues to exist or not because another centrist right (from an American perspective) will form with near the same ideas and goals.

America as she is set up will always be a two-party system in the long run. Always Always Always.

 

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

I see less and less hope for reforming the republican party. We can rely on only penetrating the repubs. You can be elected as a republican by the people and still be denied your right to take elected office. There are legal avenues but those play into enemy hands in other ways.

We are a third party. We need third party infrastructure. AND we need to make republican inroads at the same time.

Why not go Independant and setup PAC's based on principle? Lots of pros, little cons. Besides more people identify as (I) (39%) today than either party. Don't have to waste money in primaries, and we have longer time to campaign in the general. Also don't have the name baggage that comes along with being a D, R, or L.

I say, we should go Independant if shit fails.

 

[Elm]

Why not go Independant and setup PAC's based on principle? Lots of pros, little cons. Besides more people identify as (I) (39%) today than either party. Don't have to waste money in primaries, and we have longer time to campaign in the general. Also don't have the name baggage that comes along with being a D, R, or L.

I say, we should go Independant if shit fails.

Heh I did that in 2007 when Ron started running. Citizens for Constitutionalism. I think its been sitting with 30 bucks since the campaign ended. Enough to buy a domain and start funding if I ever get the time to do it again.

 

[Flash]

Heh I did that in 2007 when Ron started running. Citizens for Constitutionalism. I think its been sitting with 30 bucks since the campaign ended. Enough to buy a domain and start funding if I ever get the time to do it again.

I was thinking If Rand Paul is elected he can start his own PAC, like DeMint did with the Senate Conservative Fund. Except it'll only be for Liberty candidates.

 

[Dunedain]

We can't keep our eye on the presidency. There are tons of other elections that can be won locally and other ways we can have influence. Presidency is a good long term goal. Ron will keep them under pressure until then.

 

[TheConstitutionLives]

And some on this forum will say that outspoken trutherism doesn't hurt this movement. Puleeez

 

[Morgan Brykein]

We're not going to be watering the tree of liberty any time soon if we continue voting for the lesser of two evils. The Republican primaries only shut out the Republicans who truly believe in freedom. The only solution is to go third party.

 

[Pauls' Revere]

As I've said around here for a while. The GOP doesn't want us. If we haven't made any headway by 2012 it's time to turn Independant.

Why wait, the writing is on the wall.

 

[SevenEyedJeff]

Secession is the only answer.:o

 

[Matt Collins]

And some on this forum will say that outspoken trutherism doesn't hurt this movement. Puleeez

Of course it can be damaging, I completely agree.

Those things were just allegations by the old Republicans against the newer ones; who know if there is any credibility to it or not, but even if there is, the GOP must still follow the rules before they can just remove people.

 

[Matt Collins]

I see less and less hope for reforming the republican party. We can rely on only penetrating the repubs. You can be elected as a republican by the people and still be denied your right to take elected office. There are legal avenues but those play into enemy hands in other ways.

We are a third party. We need third party infrastructure. AND we need to make republican inroads at the same time.

As I've said around here for a while. The GOP doesn't want us. If we haven't made any headway by 2012 it's time to turn Independant.

I am sure glad the good Doctor didn't follow yall's advice.

 

[speciallyblend]

As I've said around here for a while. The GOP doesn't want us. If we haven't made any headway by 2012 it's time to turn Independant.

i hear you, this is not news this has happened the last 2 yrs. the gop is dying ,we tried to save it,but the old guard gop leadership is gonna alienate themselves.

we should keep building coalitions with republicans(no neo-cons) and voters. if the gop doesn't shape up soon, i encourage people to do what you have to do to oust these old guard republicans from the bottom up, city council,county commissioner, state house seats, and senate. Ron Paul 2012 or else ,says it all in my eyes

ps if the gop fails to listen ,then let them alienate themselves.

i just remind myself of the colorado and nevada republican conventions and it reminds me why i will hold every colorado republican and cogop/gop leader accountable with my vote!!!!!!!!! and we have a whole slew of lake county citizens/voters across the party lines that plan to hold the gop accountable for their lack of vision,action in 2010/2012. the reason i know this?? because they already did last election. the gop is not filling the political vacuum in colorado and from what i am seeing not really anywhere...

 

[speciallyblend]

I am sure glad the good Doctor didn't follow yall's advice.

matt its reality, you deal with your local politics and let other folks deal with theirs. all politics is local and what might work for you or not? does not apply to my county at all or anyone elses ,except yours. if someone is reclaiming the gop or the dnc or whatever party locally can move our movement forward, then more power to them. the gop will live or die on their own merits.

the gop is not the save all, no matter what Ron Paul or you say. the fact is Ron Paul said get involved. if folks do not want anything to do with the gop??(that is the gop leaders fault),get off their backs. they are doing something, the problem is not them ,it is the gop.


the same applies to any party, that is what ron paul preaches ,that is the bottom line.. gop does not own the playbook to liberty..
Ron Paul 2012

 

[speciallyblend]

We're not going to be watering the tree of liberty any time soon if we continue voting for the lesser of two evils. The Republican primaries only shut out the Republicans who truly believe in freedom. The only solution is to go third party.

build your allies in both parties and stay involved locally. libertarians and ron paul supporters are in all parties and build your allies in all 3rd parties this is what wins local elections

 

[speciallyblend]

Yes. Lets ignore the complete failure of the last two 3rd parties to break away from the Republicans and pretend that for some reason - we can achieve different results.

Sorry, no.

Now I don't particularly care if the Republican party continues to exist or not because another centrist right (from an American perspective) will form with near the same ideas and goals.

America as she is set up will always be a two-party system in the long run. Always Always Always.

wrong, the problem was they didn't create a platform and have the unity of a political coalition. you can not write the future this way,if you did. there would be no republican party,bottom line. the future is unknown and the gop might be history like the whigs.. shifting of politics takes time but the gop is speeding it up for us. we should be thanking the old guard republicans. they might be helping the gop die by their actions. god bless them.