In the Cold War era, the United States and the Soviet Union engaged proxies to fight smaller battles that determined the future direction of other countries. In a similar fashion a proxy war was fought and decisively won today within the California Republican Assembly. This battle was over who would be the next statewide President. The choices are Celeste Greig and John Briscoe.
The proxy battle today was over the fate of the Venture County Republican Assembly. Steve Frank and his wife were the only members of record for the group. Steve is the Senate District Director for this area of California. The job of the Senate District Director is to grow clubs and help struggling units in his district.
Mr. Frank did not do this. His club has not been active for a period of at least two years and was in danger of being dissolved and de-chartered.
After being contacted by people interested in joining the unit, Membership Secretary George Park decided to call a meeting to try to re-organize the club in the hope that it would once again become a vibrant CRA chapter.
Mr. Frank—instead of being grateful for the assistance of fellow Board members that wanted to help him with the club—decided to call a different meeting in his home to re-organize the chapter on his terms. This occurred only after Park had set his plan into motion.
Frank had two primary reasons for calling a competing meeting. Frank viewed the Park meeting not only as stepping on his own private CRA chapter; but Frank—who supports re-electing Greig for President—viewed Park’s intervention as likely to bolstering convention delegates for Briscoe. Thus my analogy to a proxy battle between two forces.
Park did all of his meeting invitations in a very public and forthright way. He had even invited Steve Frank and his wife to attend the re-organizational meeting that he had called. Frank was not interested.
Frank seems to have called thru his old Rolodex and come up short on warm bodies. The day before his meeting, Frank cancelled the effort.
I rode to the meeting today with both of the Park brothers: George and Aaron, and Carl Brickey. I was simply an observer and knew only what had been publicly circulated amongst CRA members.
I can read the stiches on the proverbial fastball and knew that Mr. Frank viewed the meeting called by George Park as a hostile intrusion into his turf. This is clear from the email that has been filling my box over the last few weeks.
Just after Park had started the meeting, I received the email that appears below. I was at this meeting and Steve Frank was not. Based on the time stamp of the email, it was sent minutes before Park called the meeting to order. Frank was not in attendance today.
This email is full of inaccuracies and bald-faced lies as well as attacks on “strawmen” of Frank’s own invention. If you were not there then you would not necessarily know this information.
Reportedly, Celeste Greig—the current CRA President—also tried to create a wedge between CRA conservatives and Tea Party folks in Ventura County by sending some misleading emails to their leadership.
The message below appears in its entirety. The font sizes and some line spacing have needed minor modifications to fit on my blog.
George Park “hijacks Ventura County Republican Assembly for Liberals” I am Moving On for Conservatives @capoliticalnews on Twitter—follow us
The California Republican Assembly was called by Ronald Reagan ”The Conscience of the Republican Party.”
Thanks to the efforts of George Park, that is no longer true of the Ventura County Republican Assembly (VCRA), and the numerous other clubs he has gone after. He is either taking them over with Liberals or trying to close them down. As Membership Secretary he is supposed to be helping save and grow the clubs. Since they do not support his version of CRA, they must go.
Over the past few days he has sent out email blasts proudly proclaiming “leading” Ventura County Republicans are joining the VCRA.
For instance, Mike Osborn, chair of the Ventura County Central Committee. Mike is a good Republican. But is he a CRA Republican, you decide.
1. Working with Charles Munger he led the fight in the Platform Drafting Committee to end the conservation California Republican Party Platform.
2. As County chair he appointed delegates to the CRP convention. Half of them did not come from our County, they came from the Bay Area, so they could vote for the Munger candidate for Regional Vice Chair against the CRA endorsed candidate, Rohit Joy.
Is Mike Osborn a CRA Republican. How would he vote for endorsements for candidates in the name of CRA.
Then you have City Councilman Glen Becerra. He is also a good Republican, you decide if he is a CRA Republican.
1. He has never received the endorsement of the local CRA when he has run for office.
2. He is currently the chair of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). This is a unelected regional government promoting higher taxes and Agenda 21. Is he a CRA Republican? You decide. How would he vote for endorsements for candidates in the name of CRA.
You also have Councilman Steve Sojka. He has not been involved at all in the Central Committee or any GOP clubs. He is a registered Republican.
1. He serves as the chair of the Venur County Transportation Commission. Last week he announced that there might be a “need” to raise taxes to pay for his vision of government transportation systems in the County. Is he a CRA Republican? How would he vote for endorsements for candidates in the name of CRA.
2. He has never received the endorsement of the local CRA when he ran for office.
(Both Sojka and Becerra objected when a motion came before the Simi Valley City Council to implement E-Verify just for city employees)
You might also have Dan White, a registered Republican and Simi Valley School Board member as part of the effort of Mr. Park. The White campaign was run by Sally Becerra, wife of Glen. How good a CRA Republican is Dan White? This is from the Simi Valley Educators Association (teachers union):
“President Obama, State Senator Fran Pavely, Trustee Collins, Trustee Sandland and Trustee White are all true friends to education and won.” He was the CTA candidate.
How would he vote for endorsements for candidates in the name of CRA.
These are people who associate with the Republican Party, and that is good for the Party. The California Republican Assembly is a conservative, constitutional, limited government organization. We provide the balance.
What does the president of the Simi Valley-Moorpark Tea Party think about this?
“Celeste,
Mike Osborn, Glenn Becerra and Steve Sojka ARE NOT CONSERVATIVES. They are Very middle RINO centrists. I will not attend the meeting or continue my CRA membership if they are allowed to hijack the CRA.
Doug Crosse”
Oh, the chairman of the Ventura County Tea Party recommended his members not participate with CRA as well.
George Park has divided the CRA from the Tea Party in this County.
Worse, several of the people attending his meeting and helping him, supported a Democrat for State Senate in 2008 against Tony Strickland. Imagine what we will find if we looked at all his members?
I urge the Charter Review Committee and the Credentials Committee to vet the members before they are allowed delegates or are chartered (This is a new club, NOT a re-organization). Under the bylaws the local club gets to decide who is allowed membership. Do you want White, Sojka, Osborn and Becerra to be among the decision makers.
What is the George Park vision of CRA?
Unions
Regional government
High taxes
Bigger government—Agenda 21Fighting conservative Republicans instead of Democrats
Is this yours?
Thought CRA leaders should know what is happening and who is taking over our clubs.
As for me, I only want to be productive for G-d, country and family. I do not wish to spend my time fighting within CRA or other conservative organizations. We have already lost all credibility with legislative Republicans after George and his brother demeaned and shredded solid voting conservatives like Senator Joel Anderson, Senator Ted Gaines, Assemblywoman Beth Gaines and now Congressman Doug LaMalfa (who votes almost exactly like Tom McClintock in Congress).
ALL named above received “A” grades on the CRA scorecard, yet the Park brothers went after them.
Only one legislator has any interest in CRA, and that is because he wants control of all GOP clubs in his district—and I understand that.
CRA is socially government—none of the leadership he has brought in are.
Instead of participating with CRA, I will continue to promote the conservative movement, doing radio shows and speeches from Imperial to Humboldt. My work with candidates who stand for CRA principles and values will continue, but CRA is no longer what I said it was when I founded the National Federation of Republican Assembly, “The Republican Wing of the Republican Party.”
With George Park proudly bringing in Osborn, Sojka, Becerra and their friends into CRA, it is no long the “Conscience or the Republican Party” or the Republican Wing of the Party. Enjoy the upcoming convention.
And now as Paul Harvey used to say, “the rest of the story.”
Mike Osborn, as Frank pointed out in the above, is Ventura County Party Chairman. Additionally, he has been the State CRP Treasurer for many years.
After today’s meeting, Osborn described himself as both pro-life and a strong defender of the 2nd Amendment and lower taxes. I spoke with him and he seemed to be a Republican and not a Democrat. While he would not be allowed membership in my church because of some of his views; he seemed no different than many Central Committee members that I know in my county. Lastly, it was pointed out to me that many County Chairs will join volunteer groups in their own county but they usually do not take an active part.
City Councilmen Glen Becerra and Steve Sojka were not at the meeting and were never mentioned. Only upon reading Steve Frank’s email today were they mentioned by anyone in my presence.
The same can be said for school board member, Dan White. Not there and never mentioned.
And just like that the strawmen of Steve Frank vanish as quickly as Blade dispatching a vampire. Poof and its gone. Nothing but air.
Celeste tries to put a wedge between the Tea Party and CRA—and then Frank uses a dummy quote to blame it on Park, what integrity. This is a typical campaign ploy so I am not surprised.
Then the kicker is that Steve Frank resigns from CRA. Adios. See you later.
Look at the title of his message, “George Park “hijacks Ventura County Republican Assembly for Liberals” I am Moving On for Conservatives.”
In case you thought this was a fluke look at the second to last paragraph.
Instead of participating with CRA, I will continue to promote the conservative movement, doing radio shows and speeches from Imperial to Humboldt. My work with candidates who stand for CRA principles and values will continue, but CRA is no longer what I said it was when I founded the National Federation of Republican Assembly, “The Republican Wing of the Republican Party.”
The last sentence of his message reads, “Enjoy the upcoming convention.”
Clearly Frank is done with the CRA and is striking out on his own so he can work only with those pure enough to deserve his support. Notice that he does not stay and fight for what he claims to hold dear, instead he is picking up his toys and “moving on” to friendlier pastures. Translation, if Steve can’t control Ventura County or kill it then it’s time to go. One must pause at this point and invoke the name of Karen England.
Frank’ sprint away from CRA, reminds me of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, where Saruman and Grima Wormtongue—after being defeated by the Ents—raze the Shire before Frodo and company return. New place, new mischief, same tactics.
Oh, 35 members joined at the re-organization meeting and more were added during my afternoon drive back to northern California. This was the largest and most successful re-organization in the memory of any CRA member.
Final score: CRA 35 & Steve Frank zero
