Follow up on Steve Gramm’s breaking news in prior Rostra post:
From Tony Krvaric…
Long-time Republican consultant Tom Shepard today signed on as a consultant for Bob Filner.
Yes, you read that right and no, this is not a joke. This is a betrayal of our entire reform effort that so many have been working on for so long.
That said, I have no doubt that we will prevail in November because Carl DeMaio is a superior candidate and the voters are with us on the issues.
Plus, Tom’s two latest campaigns in the City of San Diego were abysmal failures; Proposition D (sales tax increase) and a certain failed mayoral campaign.
I hope Tom enjoys his 30 pieces of silver.
Best,
Tony
P.S. The Republican Party of San Diego County will not do business with him ever again as long as I remain chairman. Elephants don’t forget – and principles matter.
Comments 32
That was childish…
Mr. Krvaric apparently does not believe in a citizens right to choose. Follow party lines or be punished. This is just one of the concepts that make our government so disfunctional. This is an example of the “tea party” mentality. Their my way only, always is creating havoc in our nation. The nasty hate message is very disturbing.
In the primary a good portion of mail that went out from Fletcher’s camp was to the tune of, “Attention Democrats: Bob Filner can’t beat DeMaio in a runoff. Vote for Fletcher if you don’t want Carl to be mayor!”
Childish is right.
DeMaio is a Disaster. More would be right to go work for Filner.
Was DeMaio at Chik-Fil-A with you yesterday?
RED: your comments are out of touch on the Tea Party. Tea Party as a whole is simply for less spending and less taxes, regardless of political affiliation. Just this week in Texas, the Tea Party tossed out an establishment Republican Senator who wasn’t committed to fiscal restraint. It’s not following “Party lines” as you say, but rather following principles.
Shepard has no clear principles as best I can tell. Sure he’s registered Republican but in 2010 he backed the Prop D sales tax increase. Now he’s backing a pure Democrat that has self-proclaimed socialist views. I’m not sure what issue Shepard could point to that the Republican Party supports that he’s aligned with.
Agree with it or not, it shows leadership on Mr. Krvaric’s part. And definitive leadership is the opposite of chaos. Sticking to principles is exactly what you want a party to do. It was not sticking to principles that got the country into our current economic mess and caused the Republican Party to lose so badly in 2006 and 2008. Criticizing this announcement is not being intellectually honest.
Tom Shepard has been on the opposite side of the Republican Party for a while so it is not like this is a knee-jerk reaction. And even when he is helping Republicans they are candidates like Bill Gore. Gore’s views and highly controversial track record prevented him from even getting the Central Committee’s endorsement. But with Mr. Shepard’s herding, he is now in office happily trampling all of our rights. With friends like that…
“The Republican Party of San Diego County will not do business with him ever again as long as I remain chairman.”
Well that shouldn’t be too long, after Krvaric is removed from his position for destroying the republican party in San Diego, and losing the mayoral election with his childish, boorish behavior. San Diegans have had enough of his divisiveness and immaturity. #plotting
Mr. Greer, you called Mr. Krvaric childish? I also agree with Steve Rider on the Tea Party assessment.
It takes leadership to call out the facts and make a proclamation. The party has to stick with the values they believe in and Mr. Shepard has clearly deviated from them in being employed by Mr. Filner.
Thanks for taking a stand Mr. Krvaric.
“Our mission is to put Republican principles and ideas into action by nominating, endorsing, and electing Republican candidates who share these principles (i.e. limited government, individual liberty and self-government) and will govern accordingly.” – Strategic Plan for 2011-2012.
I believe Tony is simply pointing out the obvious. We are beginning to rally “decline-to-states,” independents, disgruntled Dems and Republicans around a much greater and inspiring narrative than yesterday’s politics as usual. The GOP bus is moving back to its roots, the party of Principle. Shepherd is not on the bus.
All this debate demonstrates is that the Party Committee is more concerned with insider baseball, self-preservation of its leaders, and dividing up member communications dollars than it is with building a lasting party operation or representing the republicans that elected it.
If Krvaric were more interested in engaging party members (read: voter contact with registered republicans) and expanding (instead of contracting) the reach and membership of the Republican Party, he’d be doing a greater service for DeMaio than he is by using a press release to act like a “Real Housewives” cast member who’s just had wine tossed on her during an asinine argument.
Republicans in SD County are worse off for Krvaric having shrunk the size of the Republican coalition as a result of his behavior. Regardless of how this Mayor’s race turns out, the real consequences that he must be held accountable to will be felt in other races throughout the County.
He joined the Democrat’s bus. Unfortunately, their bus has a history of forcing some people to sit in the back.
This is my favorite part of SD Rostra….the part were the left comes out and fakes indignation while the right further frustrates them with using logic and reason.
After years of supporting lower taxes, less spending, and less control over your life by unelected union stooges, the left is honestly surprised when Mr. Krvaric rejects Shepard who now supports Filner known for his support of higher taxes, increased deficit spending, and more control over your life by unelected union stooges?
And now we are hearing from Tony Manolatos that this happened all because Mr. Shepard’s ego was bruised after Nathan Fletcher couldn’t mislead voters well enough to win in the primary?
Kudos to Tony Krvaric for brave, consistent leadership in the face of complete silliness.
“That was childish…”
No..that was leadership. Hundreds of activists worked their butts off to defeat Prop D and win Prop B. What voters want is no new taxes and fiscal reform. How do I know this ? Look at the scoreboard.
Shepard has been working against the voters’ desires for years now while Krvaric and DeMaio have been listening.
A lot of people have donated money to RPSDC to win these elections. It was painful enough to fund a guy who worked directly against us. Fortunately, we won’t have that problem anymore.
Thanks, Tony.
As Eric points out, Tony is upholding the mission of the San Diego Republican Party to nominate, endorse and elect Republican candidates who share our vision.
He and the other members of the Party’s Central Committee also have a duty to encourage the members and others in the Party to support endorsed Party candidates and to discourage any member from opposing those endorsed candidates such as what Tom has now done with both Nathan Fletcher and with Bob Filner.
Tom is concerned solely with making money and working with the one who offers the highest price regardless of Party affiliation.
Tony is a volunteer who is concerned with leading a Party based on fiscal conservative policies and in improving the quality of leaders we have in political office.
It is obvious that Tom does not share Tony’s or the Party’s values and he does not deserve to get the Party’s or its candidates’ business moving forward.
Ha! It is obvious from some of the comments here by the Democrat wing of the Republican Party that they wish to shut down those they disagree with, hence the name calling and vilification. The Krvaric comment about thirty pieces of silver was appropriate regarding someone switching sides. There really is nothing new under the sun. Just follow the money.
“It is obvious from some of the comments here by the Democrat wing of the Republican Party that they wish to shut down those they disagree with, hence the name calling and vilification”
I don’t think you understand what a political party is. It’s a group of people, with common values and goals, who work in concert, that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office.
Tom Shepard has worked against the SDGOP thrice now: (1) Prop D (2) counseling Fletcher leave the Republican Party (3) working for the Democratic Party endorsed Mayoral candidate.
Simply put, Tom Shepard works to defeat the Republican Party, its candidates, and its efforts.
It is the height of arrogance (a term you used to describe on of my posts on another thread) is to think that a party committee should define a Republican, rather than be defined by Republicans. And although one may be able to rationalize ostracizing Shepherd, or Fletcher (to take 2 recent examples), the big picture result of this party committee is an exodus of voters (so excuse me for being cynical when Krvaric brags about closing a negative gap registration that was shouldn’t exist), volunteers, elected officials, and other stakeholders. Sure the campaign coffers are full (speaking of 30 pieces…), and don’t get me wrong – paydays for consultants help make the political world go round, but the price of the party’s (and its chairman’s) erosion of the party coalition will be felt in races throughout the county and for several cycles, regardless of what happens in the pissing match that has become the SD Mayor’s race.
If principles matter so much, why are San Diego Republicans silent regarding Mayor Sanders, Councilman DeMaio, and the City Council’s approved plan to privatize an annual $80 million (5%) in Hotel Taxes without the required 2/3 public vote to raise taxes?
http://www.tinyurl.com/20120619
Are any Republicans concerned that the City of San Diego is trying to extend the temporaray 5-year Tourist Marketing District (TMD) past its expiration date of December 31, 2012?
http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/government/article_bfe2000a-dc2f-11e1-969b-001a4bcf887a.html
What about Mayor Sanders, Councilman DeMaio and the City Council approval of $15 million of public financing for a parking structure in Balboa Park through new Parking Bonds, secured by the City of San Diego’s General Fund?
Only Democratic Congressman Bob Filner has spoken against the privatization of Hotel taxes, and the expensive parking structure which will costs taxpayer $15 million for an additional 272 parking spaces. Each new parking space will costs taxpayers approximately $55,147(see Page 16).
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/voiceofsandiego.org/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/4f/84f6ea12-c539-11e1-a8e4-0019bb2963f4/4ff334b483125.pdf.pdf
“It is the height of arrogance (a term you used to describe on of my posts on another thread) is to think that a party committee should define a Republican, rather than be defined by Republicans”
That is EXACTLY why the Committee is elected BY Republicans; to define the party platform, endorse candidates, raise money, and get those candidates elected. It is, quite clearly, the JOB of the Committee, as directed by thye County’ Republican voters, to “define” a Republican.
Committee change happens every two years and Republican voters have the final say. The only people complaining about the SDGOP Committee are the political consultants.
In Mr Shepard’s case, the days of crony capitalist ventures, higher sales taxes, & patsy candidates are gone…at the behest of the Republican voters of San Diego County. His defection to the union-controlled party is of no surprise to me. Defense of that defection, by the political consultant class, shows how seriously out of touch they are.
In today’s Republican Party, Ronald Reagan would also be considered a Judas because he dared to work with Democrats at time to help solve our state’s and our nation’s problems.
Today’s Republican Party follows the inflexible “principles” spelled out by the likes of Grover Norquist, Rush Limbaugh and the Koch Brothers instead of doing what’s best for the people of our community. And believe me, the Republicans have taken far more than 30 pieces of silver from the billionaires and giant corporations who control the party today.
“In today’s Republican Party, Ronald Reagan would also be considered a Judas because he dared to work with Democrats at time to help solve our state’s and our nation’s problems.”
Today’s Democratic Party is not the one of 1982. Try again.
Agreed. An elected Republican president working with elected Democrats who controlled congress is the exact same thing as Tom Shepard consulting for an extremely left-wing Democrat running for mayor against a fiscally responsible Republican endorsed by the Central Committee. Totally apples to apples there.
What’s Tony supposed to do? Wish Tom Shepard good luck on his future endeavors which consist of RUNNING AGAINST EVERYTHING HE’S BEEN WORKING FOR IN THE LAST FEW ELECTION CYCLES??? And after the last few weeks of total malarkey from the left over a chicken fast-food chain owner pointing out that he agrees with his own life-long religion when it comes to marriage…there is absolutely no room to criticize Republicans for “inflexible principles” especially from anonymous hypocrites.
Only through a combination of naivete and delusions of grandeur could someone actually believe that is is both possible and the “JOB’ of 60+ people in a hotel banquet room in Rancho Bernardo to define a Republican.
The only reason the consultants on the losing side of things are the only ones complaining is because they’re all that’s left to fight over the SDGOP brand. The rest have moved on to other political outlets.
And every committeemember who has served in the past decade, and been on the wrong side of an endorsement, already learned exactly how little their ideals as to the role of the party meant when the arm-twisting began.
“What’s Tony supposed to do?”
Answer: Show some class. One option would have involved expressing regret that Shepherd’s choices create a conflict of interest preventing further involvement with the party, and wishing him the best. I’m sure the creative folks on here could come up with more, less abrasive measures as well.
Author
Barry J’s take…
http://sdrostra.com/?p=30007
You guys are so cliche. So small time, so vested in your ego. I simply have to laff at all the gibber jabber from the Central Committee, et al. Shallow is a good word for most of you. Political groupie is a better term. I love my Opp research. Only because I love to bust people.
But when I’m at events, as an invited guests I love watching all these amateur mini Ploy Hacks scramble for Snap shots with the Celebs. Hell just look at the Facebooks.
I’ll tell you right now Shepard is a serious man. Obviously not a butt kisser. I’ve done enuff opp research for consults in san diego to know a valid commodity. Tom will lay it on the line. Rove and
Carvel are the men you want. Not some smack like Morris. Or Rawlins.
I’ll tell you again, San Diego knows what it needs. That is why I say again, Filner and Danon will both be elected. The tax hike will win and so will the dreaded Obama. Filner, Brown and Obama will give San Diego want it needs.
I guess Mike Earl hasn’t figured out yet that liberalism has finally run out of “other peoples money”. He is exactly what’s wrong with San Diego, the State, and the Country. It’s funny to hear libs whine about Republicans being unwilling to compromise, like THEY ever do. They are simply reacting badly to Republicans finally acting like they have a backbone and not caving. Who is it again that locks Republicans out of almost every discussion and committee meeting in Sacto, and who, at the Federal level, wouldn’t allow Republicans to amend the health care debacle? Oh, yeah, that would be Democrats. And God help you if you oppose environmental or gay rights issues…So much for the “tolerance & diversity” preaching crowd.
Mike Earl,
Can you write a sentence without using cliches?
D. Morton…maybe a better question is “what could have Mr. Krvaric done that you would not have criticized?”
Answer: nothing.
His response was definitive, swift, and clear. That is leadership. Your thin-skin and sensitive feelings aside, everyone is happy knowing exactly where a leader and a group stand on issues.
Michael A. Schwartz:
Answer: Resign.
As a former long time Republican and since the Nixon debacle an Independent when is the party going to get back to fiscal conservatism. I originally supported DeMaio for mayor until he revealed he is a flip flopper in his vote on the Jacobs Plan for Balboa Park. The Jacobs’ Plan makes no provision for maintenance of his un-needed bypass bridge, connecting road and parking garage. These will add to the parks $240 million already in arrears maintenance.