The Silly Season

I am ready for the race for RPI chair to be over. I think we have a great set of candidates and the party is well positioned to prepare for 2010 and beyond. There are two updates today.

First Gopal. I and others on the State Central Committee were lobbied to support a Gopal/Sporer ticket for chair/co-chair. In my previous post, I declared that the Gopal/Sporer ticket was a non-starter. It is now official, right from the elephant's mouth. In a letter published on Steve Deace's blog, Gopal wrote:

Having not received any formal training on how to bring order to a kindergarten class and having realized that the Republican State Central Committee lacks maturity of mind and strength in spine, I decided not to seek the position of the Party Chair. That is why, as you stated in your blog, I never formally declared my candidacy to become GOP Chair.

[[Since this was first posted, someone pointed out Gopal's comments on Iowa Independent they are revealing. --HawkeyeGOP]]

I guess Gopal was never in the race in the first place. So the race is down one but in order to maintain equilibrium in the cosmos, there is a new candidate in the race.

Linda Harrington, of Albion, e-mailed SCC members today declaring that she would be willing to serve as party chair 'without stipend.' She also said that she would team up with co-chair Leon Mosely. Linda was at the candidate's forum but did not ask to be seated with the other six candidates. Linda worked on John Cox's campaign and ran unsuccessfully for the position of National Comitteewoman at the 2008 State Convention.

At Saturday's meeting, the SCC will also elect a co-chair, treasurer and secretary. Stay tuned, apparently anything can happen.

Comments

[Tim]

I think this is a positive development. Even supporters of Gopal are now trying to cover his mouth...and his tracks.

As usual, Lincoln said it best:

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."

Now we can move forward and concentrate on the task at hand...rebuilding our party.

[Nicky B]

I hope people can now see what we on the permanent organization committee saw and tried to deal with before the state convention. We need to deal with Gopal and remove him completely from the SCC.

These backroom dealings need to end.

[IowaFan]

I read at Krusty's site that there is a rumor that Pate has offered services as Co-Chair.

I would personally like to commend that move if it's true and would support a Carroll/Pate slate with much excitement.

We need more people like Pate to step up and think for the good of the State Party.

[Matt Green]

We also have an Executive Director and Treasurer position (others?), I hope whoever doesn't make chair will be considered for these too, and I'll hope they'll accept it. Having all these guys in leadership positions would be awesome.

[Todd Versteegh]

David,

I find Gopal's comments to be a personal attack on the SCC membership. I would think especially as a new member of the SCC, who's been an activist for years in our Party..you would find these comments particularly insulting.

If Gopal finds it so "hard" to work with the current members of the SCC..perhaps you and other members of the SCC should request that Gopal resign his position on the SCC to allow someone else to do his job for him.

[LCCC Member]

David - Please do not support Paul Pate for Co-Chair. I wish Bill had continued with his resolution to call for Leon to continue in his position. I hope you will vote for Leon.

[Michael Ryan]

Gopal has the right to put out his freedom of speech as much as you and I. You could try to get rid of him at the SCC but that will fail, the best avenue is to personally call Gopal to talk to him, and show a spine to tell him you disagree with him.

[Nicky B]

Oh, I have told him what I think of his actions personally.

We all have the freedom of speech, but that doesn't make us all right.

Unfortunately, Gopal does not know how to admit it when he makes a mistake. Instead he lashes out at everyone who finds his behavior unprofessional.

[daddysteve]

Get rid of everyone at the top and I might keep my big R voter card.

[John Deeth]

Linda Harrington?!? Didn't she finish an EXTREMELY distant third in the great Lehman vs. Greiner battle?

[Don]

David,

I wish you and the rest of the SCC all the best on Saturday - good blog. Keep up the good work.

[Todd Versteegh]

Michael,

There comes a point when someone's actions become detrimental to the organization as a whole.

Gopal Krishna has been a growing problem on the SCC for quite some time now.

His unprofessional and unethical conduct reflects poorly upon RPI. To publically make comments insulting the SCC, saying that they "lack maturity of mind and strength of spine" and comparing them to a "kindergarten class" is beyond the pale.

He does not speak for RPI or the SCC.

Again, if Gopal finds it so "hard" to work productively with the members of the SCC, then he should resign and allow someone else to help achieve the work of the party.

[Dane Nealson]

David,

Thanks as always for your thoughts on the race. I'm excited to see who will be elected, and we can begin the process of moving forward to a much better 2010 election cycle. All the best!

Dane

[Michael Ryan]

Todd,
Gopal has the right to defend himself from people attacking him. He is still a human being and does not forfeit the right to speak regardless if people like him for it or not. The first amendment is a right for everyone including yourself. For those who have talked to Gopal and still don't like him cool at least you talked to him. If you want to remove him from the SCC you have a procedure to follow but good luck. You can always try to have someone beat him in the 2010 district election if you live in the third district only.

[GOP Stomp]

Mike-
Seems that all members from all Districts- not just the Third can work to have him leave or beaten- afterall he and his ilk have worked hard in EVERY District to try an control the SCC - though yesterday shows that the SCC has moxie and understands they represent RPI not a single master or special interest group.
He has proven under two different sittings on the SCC that he is a diversive cancer who can only serve himself. The SCC once again showed yesterday that he is not respected by electing a new Treasurer after Gopal held position for less than a year.

[Michael Ryan]

One might notice he had chosen to not seek Reelection as treasurer. But again I would defend everyones right to defend themselves from percieved verbal attacks including yourself and Gopals. The first amendment is guaranteed for everyone.