Written by Still upset at the unanimous rejection of their hand-written AZGOP Victory Plan, supporters of John McCain continue to wage war on the Arizona Republican Party and its chairman, Randy Pullen.
The newest attack seeks to maximize the damage from news releases concerning documents that were stolen from the AZGOP HQ that detail invoices and account information. Some have claimed that the documents reveal some sort of illicit financial activity while party officials have stated that the stolen documents were nothing more than the usual invoices, many of which had already been paid. Media accounts also seemed to confuse state and federal expenses and wondered aloud why state expenses were not being shown on FEC reports.
Enter new Yuma County Chairman Phil Townsend and his cheap lettuce-picking labor friends, along with a prominent lobbying firm with McCain connections. Townsend has put his signature to a letter that was sent to all State Executive Committee members accusing Pullen and party counsel Lee Miller of various ethical breaches and lies. He is also calling for a “fraud audit” (which the party would have to pay for) and questions the credibility of the party.
All of which might have sounded credible had his act stopped there. But like all things McCain, it didn’t.
The same letter was then reproduced and appears to have been sent to every Precinct Committeeman in the state. Now this effort to stir up trouble is not an inexpensive effort. With nearly 4,000 PCs in the state, you might wonder at Mr. Townsend’s concern that he would spend nearly $2,000 just in postage to express it, especially to people who don’t even have a vote on the issue? Might his goal have been to simply blacken the eye of the State Party and its Chairman?
But we’re not sure that you need to worry about Townsend’s bank account. He was able to save a bunch of money by using the bulk mail permit that Veridus LLC uses for its clients. Why would a lobbying firm that relies on good relationships with Republican legislators, like Veridus, care to get involved? Well we can’t say for sure, but you could direct that question to Gibson McKay, the former McCain staffer who is their “campaign” guy. He would be able to detail the extent of their involvement and their reasons for it.
Still, even with the postage discount, packaging a mailer with several pages of inserts and getting a mail house to assemble it is going to set somebody back between $1,500 and $2,000 for the entire project.
Now who would spend $2,000 just to settle a grudge with a State Party that refused to back its self-serving Victory Plan?
Need another hint? As a county chairman, Mr. Townsend does not have a list of all of the PCs in the state, only some of the statewide candidates do. Does that help you to narrow down the list of suspects?
Yep, like they are so fond of saying, “The Mac is Back!”
So, did they just think people wouldn’t figure it out? Is there a Republican in this state that Team McCain isn’t trying to wage war against? He drives me crazy.
Your connection of McCain to this is pretty flimsy.
[...] the state of things and is looking to hijack the meeting and maybe the entire Party this weekend. Gila Courier has coverage of a letter that started landing in PC mailboxes and the interesting tale behind it. [...]
Sen. McCain has a reputation for getting “nasty” and so does Mike Hellon when they don’t get their way. They did not get their way with the 2010 Victory Plan – rightfully so – and now in their view, it’s payback time.
Amnesty John accuses Tea Party types of trying to destroy the party, but when it comes right down to it, it is the McCainites and his trolls doing the destroying.
I love that you love to call the Senator “Amnesty John” when he has never been for amnesty. You have to create false facts but yet you are pullin’ for JD who accomplished jack squat in congress, would have 1/100th of the influence of McCain, and never saw a Pork Barrel he wouldn’t vote for.
Defender (of the Status Quo) AZ, you honestly think Juan isn’t for Amnesty? What was all of that work McCain was doing with Ted Kennedy when they were trying to sell US Citizenship for $5,000 to anyone who came across the border illegally? That’s not Amnesty?
Oh this Saturdays going to be so much fun….
Hey Brian, facts are a funny thing. And to claim that the plan would sell US Citizenship for $5,000 is very wrong. A guest worker program is the best solution I think. If they fill a vital role, let them come over and fill in legally. That is a LONG way from citizenship.
What happened to the RNC’s $ 50,000? How about you report on The fact that hotel for Friday nights dinner won’t hold the event without a depost and Randy doesn’t have any money for a deposit….
As for Mr. McCain and amnesty, please point where he is for amnesty and pushing for it? I’ll Wait…
One thing McCain is for and i agree is putting drones on the border to protect us from real threats, not the BS JD and his pals playing border patrol down south are looking for.
McCain isn’t for Amnesty? How about a quick search on Google for “McCain amnesty”? Newsflash for Defender and JRS. You can play words games all you want and call it “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” but the truth is it’s still amnesty for illegal aliens. Maybe McCain has changed his mind since it’s an election year, but some of us have memories that last longer than 5 minutes. Next thing I bet you will be telling us McCain didn’t vote for the bailouts? Look it up! The dudes a socialist just like Barry O, Pelosi, and George “I had to kill capitalism to save it” Bush! The Republican party needs a house cleaning and McCain should be the first to go!
So if JRS is correct, there is no dinner on Friday night, so I guess we’ll know if JRS is telling the truth tomorrow night.
FAX THE RNC DEMANDING THEY LOOK INTO THIS! Flood them with faxes at 202.863.8820.
The Winter meeting is next week, do not let Pullen Haney, Lee and the others get away with faud and deceit. They do not own us or the party!
Immigration reform is not amnesty, not sure what kangaroo court you’re used to pleading your case in, but that will not work here. We need refomr, the current system can not and will not work. So what would you have McCaine or others calling for reform do? Stay in the shadows and say nothing, or better yet, stick thier head in the sand like POTUS! We have to come up with solutions and the way to that is through open debate and sharing of ideas.
Pima Ladies: the fact that the dinner happens does not prove the money wasnt there to hold the reservation, it only shows someone ponied up late in the game. Call for an investigation, ask questions and open your eyes. The facts of the matter are out there and I for one would like to know what happened?
Newsflash,
Nobody of any consequence cares about the winter meeting or any of this damn drama. McCain’s troops and Pullen’s supporters can fight over the scraps of an irrelevant and outdated apparatus. With the Supreme Court decision, the biggest loser will be local and state political parties. They will no longer be the center of fundraising, and they long ago ceased to be the epicenter of activism.
So have fun playing at being relevant.
Hey A Minuteman, a google search does not a policy make. Just because your buddies scream, “McCain is for amnesty” doesn’t make it so. No matter how many times you say it. “There is no place like home,” in The Wizard of Oz is all movie magic. Sorry to be the one to break it to you. And Santa Clause isn’t real either.
The Arizona Guardian is a subscription-based, newsy web blog site from Phoenix, that covers gossipy state politics, sorta like the Republic’s Political insider, which is free.
The Guardian’s reporters are all castaways from the once glorious East Valley Tribune – currently in bankruptcy. The real money behind the Guardian venture comes from Bob Grossfield of the Media Guys, Inc., an uber-liberal bunch located in tony Scottsdale.
One wonders is there an axe to grind? Slow gossip week? Foes on the hunt for a scoop? Could it be that there are many RHINO’s in our midsts?
RHINOS love to spend other people’s money on trying to trip up true conservatives. Just ask a certain double-dealing Yuma County Republican Chairman where he got the $5,000 for his latest mailing? The postage meter stamp leads to a PR agency in Phoenix, with former McCain staffers on the payroll.
Surprised at all of this “NEWS?” Just follow the money, folks!
Stolen documents?? Hahhahhfehehhahehehehehhahhahdshahfhgahhh!!!! HA HA!
Uh…You can F&^%ing google all of the documents dipshit. Give it a shot. I know I know, its asking a lot since you put ZERO effort , research or back up in this twit post. But hell, try it anyway…if you have an internet connection you can view the PUBLIC documents numb-ass.
I go to your website every once in a while and I just have to mention that I like your template!