My Responce to some comments by our Chair to the New Members
To all new LCRCC members, I want to welcome you to the Linn County Republican Central Committee and introduce myself
My Name is Dan Kauffman. I understand the Chair sent out an email also welcoming you and made a few statements that
I believe concern me,
This is my response for those who think it is wise to hear more than one side of a Story
Let me put the Crux of the matter that the Chair sent here now
For too many years a small group has bullied and harassed the Linn County Republican Central Committee (LCRCC) body, and, in some cases, even the guest speakers who came to address the members. They have used the ruse of Roberts Rules to intimidate those who are trying to conduct the business of getting Republicans elected. They twist and manipulate the intent of Roberts Rules to the point that we must engage a parliamentarian at every meeting.
This process has repeated itself every two years for more than the past decade.
1) The first 2 meetings after caucus bring many new faces. This small band of detractors makes these meetings so unbearable that many leave.2) The 2 months before the general election, they do something outrageous to either attract negative media attention to the Republican Party or to disenfranchise members of LCRCC who are volunteering to help elect Republican candidates.3) They use blogging, anonymous emails, and fabricated “infractions”, attempting to destroy the reputations of those who dare stand up to them.4) One of their group has “threatened to sue” the LCRCC executives, Republican Party of Iowa, and anyone else who tries to hold him accountable.5) Well-intentioned volunteers who have dared attempt to “lead” this organization have left – vowing never to return.
This cycle is now in the process of being repeated. It must be stopped or we all lose!
We need a change of attitude if LCRCC has any hope of being relevant in the effort to elect Republicans in Linn County. We need you to participate to help heal and move us forward.
I do believe I will fit under the Blogging, Parliamentarian and I feel like I may have been accused of "fabricating" infractions.
But First let us look at the "This process has repeated itself every two years for more than the past decade."
I first started attending meetings in the Fall of 2004 I have seen 5 Chairs, Abolons (sp?) Conklin, Palmer, Armstrong and Golding
To the best of my recollection the only administrations that had much controversy during meetings were that of Palmer and Golding
So IMO the claim that this problem repeats itself every 2 years is either a "fabrication" or an exageration
As for "They twist and manipulate the intent of Roberts Rules to the point that we must engage a parliamentarian at every meeting. "
The role of Parliamentarian was introduced by the Chair Before Ms Golding a Mr Armstrong
The Committee was emerging from one of the periods of controversy which did exist and there was a general feeling by some
that the previous chair had abused his power and used Roberts Rules of Order ---when we felt like it
Mr Amstrong made a commitment to the Body to follow the Rules of Order, the County Constitution and the By Laws
As an expression of Good Faith he appointed a Parliamentarian
ME
A Post I held for close to 4 years I have also bee Parliamentarian for Special Meetings, County Conventions and I have been Sgt at Arms
at Two State Convetions
I will also be Head Sgt at Arms at the County Convention Saturday
I wish to State categorically that I have never IMO "bullied and harassed the Linn County Republican Central Committee (LCRCC) body"
I HAVE pointed out those times when our Executive strayed from the path.
Which brings us to the charge that I " fabricated “infractions”
Our By Laws State that expenses above a certain amount, not budgeted must be approved by the Body they also State that all checks must
be Co-signed by EITHER the Chair or Co-Char AND must ALL be signed by the Treasurer
Sometime back the Chair came to the Treasurer to sign a check and was told the Body would have to approve the expense
Rather than do that she browbeat the Co-Chair into signing with her
This is NOT a fabrication there exists a check used by the Chair to pay an expense without the authorization of the Body or the signaturue
of the Treasurer., Violations of our By Laws
Our County Constitution States that the Executive Committee is under the ORDERS of the Central Committee and NO decision of the Executive Committee shall conflict with one of the Central Committee
Some time Back the Committee voted to reward volunteers for certain functions,. We had some young people who took that challenge
and ran with it
Then we discovered that the Chair did not FEEL like paying them and would not sign the checks,.
Our Treasurer at that time had the Co-Chair Sign the Checks this was brought up in a meeting
It is not a fabrication it happened
Some time later the Treasurer was asked to step aside while some issues were being dealt with the Temp Treasurer and the Chair thus
become responsible for the Rewards Program and
DID NOTHING
At a later time when it was brought up in a meeting that one of our Young Volunteers was owed a payment
The subject was stonewalled and the Chair did nothing
I and another member of the Committee later decided it was disgraceful that the Committee had not paid this young person
for their efforts dug into our pockets and made them whole
I could give other examples but that would make this too lengthy
I do not know anything about anonymous emails.
I myself have gotten a few emails ;-) they were not anonymous
I have also gotten mail from someone who cared enough to by stamps they are quite amusing
The last item I wish to discuss is the Welcome Package you may have gotten at the first meeting
In it there is a Roadmap to Victory in 2016
Part of it says "To accomplish this the Executive Committee moves to accept the following plan for 2015-2016
That is not completely True
This is the THIRD Version I have seen
There was the Version we DID vote on and pass,
There was another version where I guess they decided they did not like the Team Leader who was Voted by the Body and tried to change it
The Body rejected that attempt
Now this version where they have changed the wording
The Truth is all of the versions are the same EXCEPT for the Section Called Membership & Meeting Setup
The Truth also is that when presented there were something that in hindsight were not right
The Executives told the Committee that
ALL motions and decisions made before the Executives Election were VOIDED by that Election that Robert's Rules of Order said this
AND that they had been told this by a gentleman who is in Iowa Republican Circles one of THE Go To Persons for Parliamentary Procedure
The Problem is?
Neither of those two statements are TRUE
When asked by myself and others the gentleman denied ever telling them that,
Which is not hard to understand because? It is NOT in Robert's Rules of Order and in addition one of their circle
actually WENT to the Official Online Roberts Rules of Order Forum and ASKED that
question and was told NO
I can SHOW that online to anyone who really cares about the Truth
In Conclusion, I don't do Anonymous nor do I do Fabricate
If you want to look at more details the link to the Evil Blog is Below
You now have two narratives it is up to you to determine what the Truth is
The Truth is also the only person who can keep you from helping elect Republicans is YOU
In the last year I have actually supported the LCRCC monetarily more than any other Committee Person
I have also supported fund raisers in about 3 or 4 counties and donated to 7 or candidates in both
the 1st and 2cd Districts and I am not finished when I was preparing this missive I added everything
up and discovered to Conservative Orgs and Local Candidates I have for the last year donated
about 10% of my income
Posted by ky/kentuckydan
at 3:03 AM CST
Updated: Thursday, 10 March 2016 3:07 AM CST
Post Comment | View Comments (6) | Permalink | Share This Post
Updated: Thursday, 10 March 2016 3:07 AM CST
Post Comment | View Comments (6) | Permalink | Share This Post