Four days old, and the Whatley team is already screwing the pooch
NCGOP officers aren’t supposed to be getting involved in GOP primaries. Making endorsements. None of that stuff.
Former senator Buck Newton — who got spanked in November 2016 by Josh Stein — issued an endorsement today of Joan Perry in the Third Congressional District GOP runoff. New NCGOP chairman Michael Whatley named Newton the new state party treasurer after taking power this weekend.
So, we have one of the highest ranking officers in the NCGOP publicly endorsing a candidate in a Republican runoff election. (For the record, Perry’s campaign is being run by Michael Luethy, who ran Newton’s disastrous 2016 general election campaign for attorney general.)
This was posted on Perry’s campaign Facebook page:
This email was sent out all over the place TODAY:
Former AG Nominee & Senator Buck Newton Endorses
Dr. Joan Perry for Congress
Today, former Republican Attorney General nominee and State Senator Buck Newton endorsed Dr. Joan Perry for Congress in the NC-3 Special Election to fill the seat of the late Congressman Walter Jones. While in the state senate, Newton established himself as a strong conservative leader who led efforts to reduce regulations on gun ownership and protect religious liberty, and toughen punishment for sex offenders. Prior to his time in the state senate, Newton served as the Chairman of the Wilson County Republican Party and as an aide to U.S. Senator Jesse Helms.
“Dr. Joan Perry is a tried and true conservative and the best choice for Eastern North Carolina. I have no doubt she will defend our Second Amendment rights, protect our religious freedom, and stand strong for President Trump,” said Newton. “We can rely on her because the Christian faith is the foundation of her guiding principles. I’m happy to endorse Joan because I know she cares more about Eastern North Carolina voters than any Washington insider.”
“Buck Newton is a conservative stalwart who recognizes Eastern North Carolina values are under attack everyday by the far left. Through hard work and unwavering commitment to our conservative beliefs, Buck exemplifies Republican leadership like we need in Washington,” said Perry. “I am grateful for Buck’s endorsement and know that we both share a commitment to conservative values.”
[…]
Considering the difficulty Mr. Newton has in following the rules of the North Carolina Republican Party, it’s probably a good thing we didn’t elect him attorney general.
Newton’s choices NOW? He’s got to quit the treasurer job, or retract the endorsement. (I don’t think there’s a middle ground here.)
When you play a new course with a higher handicap how many mulligans can you get from your friendly foursome?
Anyone in the know care to say what the Executive Committee did with the proposed “Amendment 14” left hanging at the end of convention business on Friday? As I recall, it specifically forbid party officials from endorsing during primaries.
Was informed it never reached the floor for consideration.
Calling Greg Murphy a Washington insider is a joke.
His opponent’s campaign is loaded with DC lobbyists and wannabe insiders. Murphy is conducting himself as a gentleman and is the clear choice for the nomination
Where in his materials does it say that Buck is NCGOP Treasurer? Nowhere. As an individual, he can endorse anyone he chooses. Read the Plan of Organization. Becoming a volunteer to the party does not remove you from the political debate. You simply can’t say, “As Treasurer of the NCGOP, I endorse Joan Perry.” I do agree that he made a bad choice.
I think everyone, including the Haymaker, would be best served by staying out of this runoff.
You’ve got a lady who did a commercial endorsing a Democrat for Congress and is being financed by the most liberal wing of the Washington establishment and your comment is to stay out? A real profile in courage. I’m glad the Haymaker is keeping us informed.
I, too, would be interested to know what happened in Sunday’s Executive Committee meeting with regard to the amendment to the Plan of Organization proposed by John Steward, 9th District Chairman, but not voted on by Delegates to the Convention. (The Delegates were prevented from doing so by terrible credentialing procedures which slowed the process outrageously so that Delegates were not allowed enough time to do the business of the Convention.) Does anyone know the outcome?
Prior to now, Yond is right. Essentially, Party officers were prevented from making endorsements “under color of office,” but they did not have their hands tied as private citizens. However, the previously referenced proposed amendment to the Plan of Organization would, if passed, tighten up the prohibition considerably and could be interpreted as forbidding any Party officer from endorsing a candidate in a primary.
I hope it did not pass. Passage would be a terrible mistake. Our duties as citizens are more important that our duties to a political party. In order to successfully self-govern, our founders expected we the people to observe those among us who are of good moral character and who possess leadership skills. We were then expected to convince those people to run for office and serve for the general good (usually at great sacrifice to themselves). A political party that attempts to tie the hands of citizens and prevent them from doing their duty is going down a treacherous slope, and it risks driving its best, hardest working members away. Not smart!
It was not even considered by the Executive committee. Executive committee can only change the PoO if there is a change in the law or RNC rules requiring a change.
Well, you know why I can’t be too specific, but the credentialing committee fraud was a sufficient enough eye opener for certain people that I know, and who blame Tillis for cheating Womack to the point that they are planning to blow off even the existing primary rule just to bloody Tillis. It was only a matter of time until the state Party staff’s (and central committee members) constant violations against their own rules and their machinations against the grassroots led to this.
No, we don’t know why you can’t be too specific. Tell us what’s on your mind. This is entertaining. We are to believe that the staff and the Central Committee are part of this great conspiracy against Womack, which is laughable. The staff won’t even return phone calls.
Buck is under the same mandate as all Officers and all COMMITTEE Members…no more, no less. No member of the Central Committee, the Executive Committee, or any other committee of the NCGOP can officially endorse a candidate in a Republican primary. Here’s the language from the Plan of Organization:
“Each Officer and each Member of any Committee created pursuant to this Plan of Organization shall refrain from utilizing the powers and dignity of his or her office or position in any Republican Primary for public office at any level. Nor shall any Committee created pursuant to this Plan of Organization make or issue, in any way, manner or form, any endorsement in any Republican Primary for public office.”
The key language is, “…utilizing the powers and dignity of his or her office or position…” The drafting, like most of the drafting in the Plan of Organization, is terrible, but this language is crystal clear. Unless someone can point out where Buck is using his office, he’s in full compliance with the Plan or Organization.
The 14th Amendment offered by John Steward added, “No Party Officer shall be employed by a campaign or a consulting firm that is involved in a campaign in a Republican Primary (either paid or voluntary). That person shall be deemed to have resigned his office within the Party, effective 24 hours after employment begins. No Chairman or Vice Chairman shall make an endorsement in any Republican Primary.”
This change would not have prevented Buck from personally endorsing Joan Perry. It was not taken up by the Executive Committee since Dr. Fisher moved for adjournment before the matter was reached. However, you might want to ask John Steward why he proposed the amendment and why it was not heard. There’s more to the story.
Thanks for the clarification. If I understand correctly, individuals are technically “cleared hot” to make individual primary endorsements sans reference to their party position. I thought the “dignity” of an individual’s current party position was inferred, but I concede the PoO wording leaves room for interpretation. Just imagine the fireworks should Whatley or Chu make similar endorsements.
Buck did real well except in Wake and Durham where spanking is becoming a hazard to the entire state…. but no he should have stayed out of it. Still look at it as a favor to a friend, but a well meaning error.. .on the other hand the chairman should have stepped in. Murphy will win as he should. We will be fine.
The Steward amendment was targeting someone. Perhaps someone out of favor w/ the Tillis camp?
If the rumblings are true that Whatley was the candidate of the Tillis camp in the chairman’s race, I am afraid that we may be in for a lot more NCGOP taking sides in the Senate primary by giving Tillis opportunities they deny to other primary candidates. That was done at the convention by Woodhouse, who gave Tillis two speaking slots and none for either of the other two Senate primary candidates who were at the convention, as well as airing pro-Tillis videos on the screens at the convention. This is at least as bad as an outright endorsement, and should not be tolerated.
I tell Democrats to change their party affiliation to Republican. And then read posts like this. Surely, we Republicans are not as corrupt as Democrats but I am wrong. We will all answer for our choices someday. Keep truth, honor, integrity and the American Way in our GOD appointed NC politics. Don’t stoop to their level, please,