The Plot Thickens

Just a short update today on the Linda McMahon-Obama ad scandal. 

Connecticut Republican State Central Members gathered in Madison Connecticut last evening for their quasi-monthly State Central Committee Meeting.  Given the state of emergency sparked by the new Linda McMahon ad (a cross-endorsement of Linda McMahon and Barack Obama), Team Linda dispatched every one's favorite errand-boy, Justin Clark, to the scene to quell the screams of the angry hordes. 

You can always count on Justin Clark to
 be on the side of the bad guys

For twenty-five or so minutes, the embattled Clark attempted to explain away the the ad as nothing more than a good political strategy to attract independent voters.  Clark claimed that Mitt Romney is too far behind in Connecticut to win the State, and that Linda is specifically using the Obama cross-endorsement strategy to attract [urban] voters.  The crowd, incensed by his nonchalant attitude, met Clark's sales pitch with angry boos, and groans.

As the minutes wore on, the scene turned ugly.  Two rival groups emerged in the room bantering back and forth; on one side you had those loyal to the Republican Party and it's Presidential Nominee, these whom we shall refer to as The Friends of Mitt, and on the other side - you have those who are (and always have been) in blind allegiance to Linda McMahon; we will refer to these people as Linda's Paid Minions. 

In the front of the room sat Chairman Jerry Labriola, Jr. who in typical fashion, sat wide-eyed, mouth-agape, observing the comedy with nothing to say.  He allowed Clark to ramble on incoherently as the crowd assailed him, and each other.  At a time when the Republican Party faithful is looking for answers and direction from it's State Chairman, Labriola seems aloof at the helm, preferring to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the whole nauseating affair.  "This too shall pass" - yeah, like a kidney stone.

Then Clark said something which surprised even some of the most veteran Republicans in the room. He said that Mitt Romney was not only aware of Linda's strategy, but endorsed the ad for airing.  One state central member asked for some form of written confirmation from the Romney Campaign as evidence that Romney supports McMahon's ad strategy, and in response - Justin Clark told the crowd that they would have an email in their in-box by the next day (update: no such email has arrived as of this writing). 

And if such a communication does arrive, let's hope that Chairman Labriola will live by the doctrine of transparency which he has so publicly advocated for in the past, and make it available to all Connecticut Republicans across the Nutmeg State.  (After all, State Central is not a secret society, but a representative body of all Connecticut Republicans).

When upset State Central members demanded that the ads be pulled, Clark dismissed the requests and said that the ads would continue through Thursday. He also mentioned that robo-calls would then begin which will include Mitt Romney voicing support for Linda McMahon. Whether or not Clark was making things up on the fly to quiet the angry crowd is uncertain, but whatever the case may be, the night was ruined - and any sense of Republican unity that had been fostered in the late summer has certainly abated.

As an aside, staunch McMahon follower, and RNC Connecticut Committee Chairwoman Patricia Longo has posted the following comment on her Facebook page: "Have it from  the highest sources that McMahon ad everyone is complaining about was ok'd by SRCC, Mitch McConnell, and the Romney Campaign."

If such a claim turned out to be true, Connecticut Republicans who've purchased Romney signs, bumper stickers, made phone calls, or attended, or hosted fundraisers, or even donated their hard-earned cash would certainly have a right to feel betrayed by both the Republican National Committee, and the Republican Party.  And sadly this could lead to a large scale defection not just on November 6th, but well beyond this year's election. 

The King's advice to Chairman Labriola, the Romney Campaign, Mitch McConnell, and the RNC is to set the record straight, set Linda McMahon straight, and give Connecticut Republicans a respectable brand they can be proud of.

I AM

THE KING

This original blog entry can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: This entry and others will be modified/updated at a future date. All entries are for the sole purpose of entertainment. This article does not imply endorsement of the candidate mentioned above, nor has this article been solicited for publication by any political candidate, campaign, or PAC.

Labriola Must Change Direction

"Dear Labriola. You've got
to be *@&$# kidding me!"

It's been only five weeks since Jerry Labriola, Jr. has taken the reigns of Connecticut's floundering and broke Republican Party, and already - it seems, he's made at least one major gaff which is causing quite a stir amongst the Party faithful, and it's giving pause to many to raise serious questions about how we can expect the CTGOP to operate under his leadership going forward.

Now, before anyone accuses me of being a Debbie Downer, I recognize that Jerry's predecessor left him one hell of a mess to clean up:  disgruntled factions, an empty bank account, angry donors, regional paranoia, and he's even operating out of an embarrassing, bombed-out, technology-less headquarters that looks more suited for entertaining the homeless, rather than our client base.  (And here's a teaser - look for a full expose from The King what most people call a world class hell-hole). So, the bottom line is that I understand that Jerry isn't to be blamed for everything.

And before I go into this, I also want to extend appreciation to at least two youngsters who are working their arses off to make the CTGOP a better operation - a pretty blond chick who fields more calls than the Time-Life girl, and a short, red-haired hellion who's doing his best to figure out which end of the sheep-dog is which (names will be omitted until they do something stellar or infuriate The King). But seriously, I hope people bring them a cup of coffee (or a protein shake), and lunch from time to time.  These kids deserve it; and you know the Party is probably paying them peanuts.

So, let's get to it....


Mr. Big is back.  You can guess
which one is Mr. Big.

On Thursday, the CTGOP sent out a press release informing us that Justin Clark was selected to become the Connecticut Republican Party's new General Counsel.  Personally, I find this selection very disappointing on a number of levels.  First of all, we all know that as a campaign manager, Clark is known as Mr. 0 for 3, having a record of back-to-back-to back loses, most notably the one that gave us four years of Governor Malloy.  His decision to ignore the cities, particularly Bridgeport, doomed us from the start.  He will forever be known as the poster-boy for how not to run a campaign given such a critical campaign error which is now leading to unbelievable public suffering.  Rewarding such a large scale failure by handing him an important Party post is incomprehensible to most Connecticut Republicans - if not downright frightening!

His record in West Hartford is equally as dismal, leading the local Party to defeat after defeat to the point where Democrats expect a walk at election time.  Things were in such a disarray, that West Hartford's GOP saw not one, but two defections of Republicans to the Democrat Party. So much for a vetting process.  Sure, he wasn't alone - he had old pal and uber-Rino Steve Adler to help him set an underwhelming level of mediocrity, which led year after year of compromises with Democrats to raise West Hartford taxes to its current astronomical level.  Of course, as long as Adler kept his seat on the Councill to feign opposition to Democrats, and hobnob with the liberals down at Grant's - all was just peachy.  It's ironic after all that an Adler is a kind of snake - isn't it? 

Do we need to go into how Clark and Adler worked to undermine Republican Party members to get them thrown off Republican Town Committee?  Or how he recruited new Republicans (including Clark's wife) to push Republican Joe Visconti off Town Council via primary, or how he helped derail his old pal's Congressional run in 2007?  All, I can say everyone is watch your backs! There's nothing worse than a two-faced, crony!

We all know that Clark is Tom Foley's boy.  But none of us can understand why their relationship is so tight.  Our guess is that Foley must be paying Clark a handsome sum to be his eyes and ears within the Party, which leaves Labriola with a new problem - having one of the key architects of the failed Aniscovich insurrection monitoring his every move, and likely running it all back to Foley for his private approval.  Now Labriola has to deal with three members of Team Cafero-Aninskovich:  Vice Chair Themis Klarides, Secretary Art Scialabbia, and now - Justin Foley-Clark. It's like being surrounded by the Queen, the Rook, and the Crook.   

I can't speak to Clark's ability as an attorney, and it would be going a bit overboard for me to do so - other than to say that he "gets around".  From my research, I've not been able to find any record of notable legal accomplishment that makes me believe he's the best choice for the job.  As an attorney himself, you have to wonder what Labriola thinks about Clark's ability.  Does Labriola think that Clark is Connecticut's best and brightest legal star?  And what vetting process was used to select him?  How many resumes where received for this post?  Heck, in the name of transparency was there even a public advertisement or legitimate hiring process which called for resumes, interviews, and a selection criteria?  Or was this some pay-off made behind closed doors, and another typical political decision to be swept under the carpet?

When will we see the cost of hiring Clark, and what's his retainer fee?  What's the price of patronage, this time?

We had high hopes for Jerry Labriola, Jr.   But honestly, with the wheeling and dealing behind the secret curtain in this questionable selection - he's quickly following in the footsteps of old Chris Healy  - who, given the news on Sunday, won't be riding Tim Pawlenty's coattails to the White House, but from what we hear, will instead be haunting Lisa Wilson-Foley's campaign on a part-time basis.

Well Jerr-Bear, I guess the Honeymoon is over. 

And this past week's announcement forces us to raise serious questions about how we can expect the Connecticut Republican Party to fill it's remaining positions?

By the way - has anyone seen a public notice which contains a list of positions that CTGOP is seeking to fill?   Has anyone even seen a timetable or "plan to get to a plan" to move from a transition team to a full time staff?  Or are we going to just float along in the dark for a year, receiving press releases from time to time about old, merit-less, retreads being named to posts to appease all the various party factions.  Hell, if you can't beat 'em - join 'em. Or in this case, let 'em join you - and take over!

If you think giving your biggest, baddest critics a seat at the table will help build Party unity, then you've really not thought this through. It's more likely to embolden dissenters and give them a platform to undermine your Party rebuilding efforts right before your very eyes.  It seems pretty clear with what's going on with the Cafero-Aniskovich mob - which is already trying to call the shots and minimize our new Chairman's authority.  Jerry will be lucky to be able to pick out a color for his dilapidated outhouse.

Look this might be rather harsh, but believe me - the same comments are coming from every direction.  We need a permanent team that is going to advance the cause of the Republican Party in Connecticut - and not just serve to pave the way for certain individuals desires for personal glory and power.  I thought when Labriola was elected that we might see a new era in Connecticut Republican politics.  Perhaps that was only a fool's dream.  So far, nothing has changed.

Please someone - prove me wrong!

Let's go! Produce a clear plan, get the public notices out for employment, provide clarity on direction, and start providing transparency on ALL activities.  Turn this ship around!  We are depending on YOU!

I AM,

THE KING

This original blog post can be read at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

Bit and Pieces; last word on Porky Jenkins, How It Works

Happy Dreary Friday!

Let me begin this entry by THANKING EVERYONE who has commented, direct messaged me on Twitter, and emailed me with their support for The King's View.  Your emails are  thoughtful and encouraging! (and I will try to get back to each of you over the next week.)  I wish I could share some of them with readers, but since 90% of you have asked me to keep your comments and names from public view, I'm committed to that end.  I think I get the anonymity part.  If we learned anything this week, it's is that there are some very sick, and demented people - like CTGOP State Secretary Bill Jenkins  who uses filthy, low brow tactics to root out dissenters, and work to undermine our Connecticut Republican Party - to perhaps its lowest level yet. 

Disgraceful CTGOP
State Secretary Bill Jenkins
has got to go!
"That's All Folks!"

Based on what readers have sent me, I could write a six part series on his antics and anger issues.  But I'm not going to go there - this blog is not about Jerkins (or Porkins), or the role of his co-conspirators  No, its about many other things including blowing the lid off of the lack of transparency at State Central, and giving Connecticut Republicans a fighting chance to regain the majority of seats at both the State and Federal Level; the first step of which is to elect a competent slate of leaders.

As a reminder, we only brought Jerkins into the picture because he foolishly began a witch hunt, and began to distribute personal information to State Central members in his official capacity as Secretary with the intent to solicit retributive action against TKV. My understanding is that he's got such a mental problem that he STILL does not see that his demeaning characterization of women and distribution of private information as - problematic.  From all I have heard and seen -  there is enough anger regarding his behavior to warrant him not being re-elected to his post. 

If you haven't read it, please take the time to review Bill Jenkins comments here: http://www.ctconservativecoalition.com/GOP_Official_s_Abuse.html .  The foul language and derogatory comments about women, individuals, the Tea Party, and others is disgraceful. 

I also recommend you take the time to read how Bill conducts "discussion" on public forums, such as in the comment section located here of the Norwich Bulletin.

Remarkably, Martha Dean, one of the patron Saints of the Connecticut Republican Party  posted: 

"It is with sadness that I must agree. Though I appreciate his service to the party and assistance, it must be said openly now that this is a fully public: Bill Jenkins needs to resign immediately. As part of top Republican leadership in CT, he has simply demonstrated in his official position as party secretary too much poor judgment for too long. Time and again his foul mouth and shoot from the hip attacks on the innocent have been a public embarrassment to the good people of the CT GOP. If he doesn't step down immediately, his actions (and leadership's silence) will take down everyone around him." - Martha Dean

You see - this is no longer just "A Blog Thing" Catherine!  Jenkins is your boy, and you look pretty bad right about now.  Let me say this - if State Central members return Bill Jenkins to the State Secretary position, I would expect all hell to break loose.  And this will create a firestorm for the next Chairman that they won't be able to put out for months - as both the Democrats, and the media are watching how CTGOP handles its rotten apples.  There is not a single person in the Chairman's race who isn't privately telling their camps that this is unacceptable.   Don't Blow it!

One last IMPORTANT NOTE on Jenkins.  If you read the correspondence between himself and Mr. M (name withheld) you can see Jenkins makes light of his decision to donate campaign contributions to FOUR DEMOCRATS.  I don't know about you but I have a REAL problem with the Connecticut Republican State Secretary filling the coffers of the enemy camp with the clear intention of helping Democrats defeat Republicans.  Jenkins justifies his decisions by stating that it had no difference on the outcome.  Fact is, its one thing to stay out of the mix, or vote in privacy, its quite another to contribute cold hard cash!  It's akin to supplying bullets to an opposing army.  State Central would do well to investigate this traitorous act!

Through this series of posts, it's been quite interesting to learn how many registered Republicans have no idea what State Central is or how the Republican Party works in Connecticut (or doesn't work).  One well-intentioned lady emailed me asking where she can go to vote for Chairman.  Hahaha.  I wish!

Here is the skinny from The King's view:  First, you have to realize that for the most part, the whole system is pretty much rigged from the start.  Republican Town Committee leaders pre-select town committee members who are friendly to a certain viewpoint or candidate, and send those folks off to a so-called district convention to vote for State Central Members to be elected in their district.  Most of the people who go are long time members, officers, or loyal supporters/ donors to specific candidates.  9 times out of 10, there are few challenges to attend the convention, and moreover - since the various convention rooms are stacked with people friendly to those seeking re-election, or election, its a rare situation to see candidates nominated from the floor, or a vote of no confidence to take place at the time of balloting.

When Republicans controlled the Governor's Office, the Governor - as head of Party- chose who the State Chairman is.  Governor Jodi Rell selected Chris Healy at the urging of Rob Simmons (isn't that an interesting fact given how Healy stabbed Simmons in the back last year?). But since Tom Foley lost, the accountability for choosing the Chairman falls to State Central Members.  The other positions (Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer) are voted on by the members - but usually hand-picked by the Chairman to whom they are somewhat accountable to.

Since Connecticut has been governed by Republicans for twenty years, and the Governor's Office under Lisa Moody has hand-picked the Party spokesman - it's understandable exactly why the process has been so dramatic and political.  What we are witnessing is an incredible power-play by various individuals and groups who understands what's at stake here - complete control and direction of funds, policy, platform, and most important - the laying of the foundation for those pulling string behind the scenes who want to be candidates in the upcoming contest. 

Make no mistake.  All of these candidates are loyal to key individuals who need control.  For example, Justin Clark is loyal to Tom Foley (and I'd be willing to bet that if Foley had won, Clark would be Chairman today), who is looking to run for Governor in a few years.  Jim Campbell is loyal to Linda McMahon, who is looking at a Senate Run.  And Rob Simmons is calling and backing everyone so that he can also make a Senate run.

So the reason the politicos are so upset about what they are seeing on TKV is that they have no way of controlling the debate, or the flow of information.   They are furious that ordinary Republicans are getting a look into the inner-working of the broken machine. They are so angry that they have resorted to accusing each of being moles and informants because they cannot properly frame their meritless arguments. And this is how our leaders behave; all of whom demand a vow of obedience to their would-be Masters.  Pretty pathetic.  Pretty UN-Republican.  I fear that if Catherine Marx gets elected, Republican State Party Members will be forced to wear brown shirts, and take a loyalty oath.  What a Mess!

Our State Central Members seem to be in a bit of a quagmire.  From the beginning of their journey to State Central, they have NEVER been their own people.  Favors are granted, loyalties and alliances are formed, and expectations are set the day they get involved.  The idea that most State Central Members are free to vote as they wish (without fear of repercussions and influences) is pure fantasy.

But this race could be different.  While many State Central members are being called, and pressured - many are now uncommitted.  And there is a hope - just a shimmer of hope - that those who are strong enough to break their chains, can vote their own conscience, and select a Chairman who will be best for not just the CTGOP, but for Connecticut's citizenry over-all.

Buckle your seat belts. With lots of time between now and June 28th when the voting takes place, it's going to be a wild ride. Next week - it's going to be an INTERESTING week!

Lastly, yes I do have a lot more to share, but I need time to debunk the spin and noise. 

(Whisper:  Court Jester, let me know!)

I AM

THE KING

This entry can be found at  http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com

Rick Torres cuts a deal with Aniskovich; Simmons reported to be next

Not that Rick Torres was ever a factor in the Connecticut GOP Chairman's race, but it appears he's cut a deal with Wild Bill Aniskovich, and has endorsed him for CTGOP Chair.

CT Republicans will need to rethink
the slippery slope they are on
before its too late

The next story simmering on the front burner is that everyone is waiting for Rob Simmons to send out a formal communication over the next few days endorsing Bill Aniskovich.  This won't be big surprise since Simmons is eager to run for U.S. Senate and wants to cut a deal that doesn't permit Linda McMahon to have her henchman running the next Connecticut Republican State Convention.

I still believe this is a foolish move on Simmons' part.  His assumption that Aniskovich wouldn't eventually follow the money and stab him in the back is by far not a foregone conclusion.  Simmons, instead of being above the fray is opting to choose sides - quite a gamble for someone who has so much more to lose than gain.  Simmons is best to keep his mouth shut, be neutral, and avoid all entanglements during this process.  But as of this writing, it looks as though he won't thus signing a suicide pact for the remainder of his political career. Tisk, Tisk.

I further expect that Doug Hageman, who is seeking a consolation prize for his valiant effort will join Wild Bill's alliance with his handful of votes.  And everyone knows that Simmons and Hageman are good friends in and out of politics.  Should a deal be struck, Hageman would likely secure badly-needed employment under an Aniskovich regime.

This move will result in a shock-wave of realignment within the Connecticut Republican Establishment. Former foes may find themselves lowering their swords against each other and banding together in order to defeat a far more dangerous enemy to the future of the Republican Party - Bill Aniskovich (of course, that's only if they're smart enough to do so).  Wild Bill's letter to State Central Members last week created a firestorm that is continuing to spread at a rapid pace. 

Besides the concern with turning the Party over to a Chairman with several known improprieties, the Aniskovich strategy seeks too surrender control of State Central from the public body politic of (mostly) citizen representatives to leaders within the Connecticut Legislature.  You would think that after this last session, Republican leaders in the Statehouse would want to straighten out their own caucuses before trying to seize control of Republican State Central.  Moreover, its said that Derby-Orange-Woodbridge Representative Themis Klarides, who is always embroiled in controversy (not to be taken as a compliment), is being fronted as a possible Vice Chairman under Wild Bill.

What will be interesting is how the other candidates will ultimately react to the Aniskovich surge, and the outcome.  Will Art Scialabba work with Justin Clark, and/or Catherine Marx (and possibily Al Alper) to form a counter alliance?  Or will they all remain independent, frozen by their own egos, and simply become crushed under by the Statehouse-run machine?   And how does Pauline Kezer fit into the mix?  Will she join the contest and siphon off Aniskovich supporters, or will her entry into the race have the unintended consequence of further eroding the opposition against him?  And has anyone even seen the rules that Chris Healy is using to preside over this great big giant nightmare?

One thing is for certain, Joe Visconti, the de facto leader of the Connecticut Tea Party (via Liberty Unplugged) is watching all of this very carefully, and is likely to reject any Chairman who would abandon key positions on social issues, have a background of unethical (if not illegal behavior), or continue the failed practices of Chris Healy.  My own fear (and for disclosure I am NOT a Tea Party member) is that Visconti might work to set up a third party thus creating additional hardships for the Connecticut Republican Party to overcome resulting in further setbacks the CTGOP. 

And this, my friends, is a MAJOR concern that others should start to take an interest in.

Ok, enough for today...

I AM

THE KING


For the record, the following letter was sent out today by Bill Aniskovich to his followers:


June 12, 2011


Connecticut Republican State Central Committee:


For the past many weeks I have attempted to line up support in my run for Chairman of the State Republican Party. I am honored to have had the opportunity to get to know the other candidates better and I am especially happy at the opportunities to share my personal philosophy with many state residents.

Additionally, I think that the process has ultimately given the state party a clear opportunity to choose among many capable people who have offered themselves up to scrutiny. All of the candidates would bring unique and valuable capabilities had any one of us been able to serve. Although I felt deep in my heart that I offered an especially unique set of abilities that would have been useful to a chairman, there ultimately can be only one. In my analysis I recognized that I could not harness the necessary support to win.

However, I did spend a good amount of time accessing the other candidates and in my opinion Bill Aniskovich has a skill-set that is most competent. Bill’s legislative experience is unmatched. Bill has an exceptional track record in fundraising. Bill is a conservative. This fact alone will allow the state Republican Party to reach out to disaffected folks who feel the Party has lost its way. Bill understands my contention that Republicans have ignored minorities, the poor and urban dwellers. Bill also recognizes that we have also ignored rural communities and that we must never again ignore our natural constituencies.

If I were to think of what it is that impressed me most about Bill Aniskovich I would say it is Bill’s heart-felt and genuine sincerity. Bill will be proactive to improve the things we’ve done right and repair the things we’ve done wrong. I look forward to working hard with a person with these qualities. I believe that in time Bill will bring our great party together and that the process of rebirth begins as soon as Bill is installed as our new Chairman.

It is my sincere pleasure to endorse Bill Aniskovich for the position of Chairman of the Republican Party in our great state of Connecticut. I encourage my supporters to vote for Bill on June 28th.

Sincerely,

Rick

This original blogpost can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

The Great Connecticut Chairman's Race: 20-Day Tally

With only three weeks left in the Great Connecticut Chairman’s Race there are only a few major players left in the game who appear to be holding the majority of cards. First, let’s start with the raw numbers based upon actual known counts derived from discussions with representatives of the various camps who are in touch with The King.

We've coming
down to the wire

The vote totals look like this: Wild Bill Aniskovich leads the pack with approximately 22 votes, Art Scialabba and Justin Clark are tied with 12 votes apiece, Catherine Marx has about 8 votes, Doug Hageman clings to 6 votes, Al Alper has 5 votes, and Jim Campbell and Rick Torres have 3 votes apiece, and taking up the rear in last position is Rich Olivastro who has managed to secure at least one vote. (Margin is +/- 3 votes).

The candidates and their minions are telling members (and others) that they have a much greater total of votes than they really do. Of course, this is merely a political tactic to get others to switch to their winning team. A more entertaining fact is that I know that some State Central members are telling more than one candidate that they are supporting them so that “they get off my damn phone.” 

It’s true that the vote counts will fluctuate over the next week or so as calls are made and the real wheeling and dealing begins. Remember that the numbers above do not reflect the entry of possible dark-horse candidate(s) who are still sizing up the situation and trying to determine whether or not there is an opportunity to jump in at the last minute and take the prize (if you really want to call it that).

Last time around I floated two dark-horse candidates. The first was Rob Simmons. From the looks of things, Rob Simmons is telling people that he’s flattered to be considered, but would much rather focus on another bid for U.S. Senate. This is unfortunate on so many levels. But we respect his decision to seek glory elsewhere, and go back to the mat with Linda McMahon for Poli-Wrestlemania II. Let’s hope Rob has amassed a good size war chest this time – because he’s going to need it.

The second dark-horse candidate is Jerry Labriola. Labriola is said to be considering a run, but would only make the leap if he knew for certain that he would have high double-digit support before giving up the Treasurer's post. What is absolutely known is that State Central members are excited about the prospect of a Labriola chairmanship because he represents one of the few opportunities to elect a Chairman who could unite all the bitter factions and reunify the CTGOP because he’s the only guy who doesn’t appear on anyone’s enemy list.

It’s my personal belief that if the process lends to installing another corrupt Chairman to carry forth the failed legacy of the Healy years, then Labriola may not find it within his best interest to serve another term as Treasurer.  It doesn’t make sense to under utilize his talent and stick him in an powerless accountant’s role.  No glory there – particularly when you’re handcuffed by the Chairman, and his hand-picked finance committee.

Playmakers Involved

We touched on the some of the kingpins who are behind the scenes pulling strings, twisting arms, and making payoffs to secure votes. It’s worth taking a look at the reported alliances being formed which may likely influence the end result anyway. Obviously, above all else this is a numbers game.

It’s clear to The King that the main driving force in the formation of the present two coalitions in play is the Republican U.S. Senate Nomination. It’s no secret that Linda McMahon intends to make a second run for U.S. Senate against the likely-Democratic candidate Chris Murphy in 2012. For her purposes, it would be extremely beneficial to have friendly partisan in the Chairman’s seat who would orchestrate a perfect replay of the 2010 Republican State Convention which would ensure her victory through another round of political convention rigging, and filthy shenanigans. To this aim, a new coalition has emerged which includes Jim Campbell, Justin Clark, and Catherine Marx. Roughly, this coalition has a healthy 24 votes. Reportedly, the sitting Chairman Chris Healy is also fronting this power coalition, as is Tom Foley, who the likely front runner in the nomination for Connecticut Governor in 2014.

Given what's at stake, we see Rob Simmons working to form his own coalition to help him secure a path to the same goal. It’s obviously not in his interest to see a Pro-McMahon Chairman emerge (he's been through that hell before), so naturally – he has reached out to the remaining pool of candidates, attempting to establish a coalition of his own. Reportedly, this coalition includes Bill Aniskovich, Doug Hageman, and possibly Rick Torres. This coalition has 31 votes which gives them a slight edge over the McMahon-Foley alliance.

The one problem with this coalition is that its very hard to accept a coalition between a squeaky clean Rob Simmons and a corrupt character like Bill Aniskovich.

The Missing Piece

As I’ve said before, the two remaining candidates of consequence – Art Scialabba and Al Alper could, if persuaded – play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of the Chairman’s race. Between them they have about 17 votes – not enough to win, or formulate a winning coalition of their own, but enough to put either of the two main coalitions over the top to win the Chairmanship.

Bill Aniskovich: The
Simon Bar Sinister of
CTGOP. Just what we
need - a crook at the helm

For Alper and Scialabba the choices are rather grim. Both coalitions have extreme negatives, and will cause a backlash in one form or the other.  Moreover, these two candidates have a high level of integrity, and are in the race for the noble purpose of rebuilding the Party; neither is seeking personal wealth or has the goal of paving the way for the next millionaire's adventure.  Perhaps they would offer to simply release their supporters to vote their conscious, and let the chips fall where they may instead of helping to install either a puppet of the Foley-McMahon camp, or sinister opportunist in Bill Aniskovich. 

Regardless of either of these choices - the Connecticut Republican Party will remain as divided as it does today.  You can read the tea leaves to see what I mean; I don’t think I need to spell it out here in detail once again.

For my dithers, I guess I still hope a dark-horse candidate has the courage to enter the race and give us a leader that EVERYONE can admire and feel proud of. With so much at stake for Connecticut’s taxpayers, Connecticut cannot afford a fractured Party, or two years of sworn vendettas – one camp against another, and the possibility of the emergence of a third party which no one will be able to control which will kill opportunities for us to take valuable seats statewide and at the Federal level.

Democrats are watching this very carefully. And by the way, as of right now, they LOVE what they see.

I AM

THE KING

This entry can be found at www.thekingsview.blogspot.com

A Motley Crew: The Chairman's Race Countdown

Ever heard the phrase a picture is worth a thousand words?  Well, take a look at the motley crew (below) running for Connecticut's Republican State Chairman slot - and all kinds of words come to mind - few of them positive. I’m deeply concerned about the quality of all of the candidates which State Central members are stuck choosing from to elect the next State Chairman. In fact, I don’t see ANYONE in the field with the charisma or leadership who can lift the Connecticut Republican Party out of the gutter – never-mind get us to the next level.


The motly crew above have made a
valiant effort but the CTGOP needs
 someone else to emerge and lead 

The next Republican Chairman cannot be a one-trick pony who plans on delegating his way through tenure. The next Chairman will have to be hands on and PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE and SKILLED as a fundraiser, strategist, candidate recruiter, public spokesman, chief activist, election guru, media expert, and above all else – will need to be an ethical, trusted leader who can reunify the Party under one tent. This individual will have to reach out with an olive branch to undo significant damage caused by his or her predecessor. The problem for the CTGOP is that there is not one person capable of all of that in the current list of candidates running for the office.

This also includes Catherine Marx who is likely the second worst choice of all possible options. The CTGOP certainly doesn’t need another closed-door leader shutting out non-elitist Party members from participation, and wheeling and dealing in a backroom with long-time Party hacks who have nothing but distain for conservatives. A Catherine Marx chairmanship is likely to cost the GOP significant set-backs since she is seen as nothing more than Healy’s lackey, or worse – an extremely incompetent person, unskilled and inexperienced in any area I’ve listed above.

Rumor is that Catherine got all bent out of shape
over a post that Joe Visconti put up on a blog -
taking the words out of context to imply a
threat. Good Grief! Just go away!

Riding someone’s coattails is hardly a skill; it’s more an annoyance. And Marx’s tenure as Vice Chair has been nothing short of pathetic. While Healy shredded the Party and turned friends into foes, she supported his every action. How many of you have actually seen her at your RTC? How many of you see her now? Catherine Marx is what is absolutely wrong with the Republican Party in Connecticut – quiet, pointless, mellow, and a silent collaborator with the enemy. We need a new direction. We need someone with high energy, and who can reignite the Party faithful.

And a quick sub note here – before you accuse me of placing a glass ceiling above Catherine’s head, let me say if she had the Thatcherite leadership skills and personality of a Martha Dean, then I’d be promoting her left and right. But she doesn’t have it. Marx only has about 10 or so votes; these are loyal friends from her region - many of which are old timers from the Healy camp.

At the end of the day, Catherine has to ask herself how long she can carry on like this. It speaks very poorly of someone who doesn’t know their own limitations. It’s time to withdraw and fade with the sunset, leaving the Healy years behind you.

Was anyone really shocked to open up The Hartford Courant and read them singing the praises of Chris Healy? You’d have to be pretty brainwashed not to see the truth here. Sure, the liberal media loved Chris Healy – his strategy and leadership guaranteed Democrats a first place finish every time – particularly where it counted. Healy was everything they wanted out of a GOP leader – enough to make it appear to be a legitimate contest, but never enough to win first place. My wallet has had enough of second place. And I’m tired of having ZERO Republican representation at the Federal Level. It’s embarrassing to be dead last out of fifty states in this area. Catherine Marx would deliver the same results, except the margins of defeat would likely be much greater and municipal seats would continue to dry up. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Courant endorsed Marx as a replacement. She fits the bill to continue his legacy of failure.

The visible candidates in the race simply don’t have it.

Al Alper

Alper is a patriot, no doubt, but
moving GOP HQ to Bridgeport
makes as much sense as moving
Santa's workshop to Afghanistan

Al Alper is a nice guy. He’s probably a very good business man, and he knows how to put together a PowerPoint presentation. But the bottom line is that he doesn’t have the political experience or background to be State Chairman. And his idea to spend our limited funds on moving State Central Headquarters to Bridgeport is simply short-sighted, and foolish. And at first I thought he was simply trying to make a statement, but it seems that he wants to follow through on this moronic idea.

If anything, State Central should be moved back to our Capitol City – Hartford, where it belongs, operating in the open and not hundreds of miles from where the business of the people is being conducted at the State Legislature. I want to see Connecticut Republican Headquarters become a base of operations staffed by individuals working 12 hours a day to change the accepted status quo. There is a reason Al Alper has somewhere between zero and a few votes for Chairman. This isn’t to say he wouldn’t be effective in some role, or that he hasn’t contributed to the debate. But it’s time for him to man-up and withdraw from the race. He’ll come out respected if he does so now.

Art Scialabba

No doubt Art thinks The
King  has been unfair to him.
In truth he may have a point.
Then again...

Art Scialabba is another decent person, but again – doesn’t have the characteristics required to be State Chairman. He is soft-spoken, and his communication skills aren’t strong enough to command respect from Republicans, State Central members, and most importantly - donors. Frankly, I’ve been shocked by his poorly written emails, and correspondence. And frankly to his experience - there is a big difference between turning around Norwalk (which should be Republican) and reversing the Democratic trend in towns and cities that have marginal potential to become GOP majorities.

I’ve seen Art’s shtick. It’s not enough to win people over, and plainly put – he’s just too nice to be able to make tough calls, and lead with an iron fist to get things done. Now to his credit, Art has managed to pull out a few votes here and there – some people feel he has about half-dozen or so votes – most of which are loyalists out of his region. You can’t count this guy out entirely. His having 12-15 delegates at this time makes him a player in the race, or at least gives him the opportunity to influence the outcome. At the end of the day, Art is going to have to do the right thing, and pass his support to a more prolific leader. Surely, he has to know this.

Unfortunately, there is scuttlebutt that he is in a number of discussions trying to form alliances with candidates (sort of like Survivor). But everyone I talk with seems to imply that they are the ones looking to merge and take advantage of his support, not surrender the Chairmanship to him in return for a favor. Art is the guy to watch in the race because as of right now he could play a big part in choosing the next CTGOP Chairman.

“Wild” Bill Aniskovich


Aniskovich: "And I was about
this close from getting away
it all, if it weren't for those
darn-gosh meddling kids!"

The next person to discuss is the most significant entry into the Chairman’s race over the last few weeks, and probably the biggest surprise given his checkered past - Bill Aniskovich, a former State Senator, who resides in Branford. Aniskovich has a record of multiple election violations, conflicts of interests, and tons of controversy marred by his tight allegiance to Lou DeLuca and Governor John Rowland. His background is likely to feed a media frenzy of negativity that the Republican Party has not seen in years (you can visualize them licking their chops in this short piece in the Hartford Advocate). The wolves at The Harford Courant would have a field day dredging up dirt (from their own archives) on his past exploits that would likely be distraction to the Connecticut Republican Party as a whole. Things like: 1. His illegally using Victory Fund PAC Money for his re-election bid in 1998, 2. Being ordered to return $5,740 worth of misused funds in 1999, 3. His role in the Universal Health Care Scandal which moved forward without public hearings, and to the tune of $40 million dollars (2004). I could probably write an entire piece on Aniskovich based on the swirl of discussion floating around since his announcement to seek the position.

Imagine if you will, how hypocritical and constrained a Chairman Aniskovich would be if he had to call out a Democrat on similar illegal acts or wrongdoings. His moral high-ground is akin to an ant-hill on a sand lot. Given the public scrutiny on political financing and campaign funds (see Senator John Edwards, for one), this choice would be a move in the wrong direction for the GOP given his past transgressions. Aniskovich would be handcuffed by his own history, likely urging Republicans to avoid the tough fights on ethics issues to avoid personal humiliation. His bad choices would lend to impacting other Republican candidates, and the influence and part he would be able to play from a strategic standpoint. And no conversion to God would lift that negative factor. Heck, the only person who would benefit from a Bill Aniskovich chairmanship is Chris Healy because Aniskovich would make even Healy look quasi-ethical.

What scares me is that he's found nearly 20 State Central members who by hook or by crook are said to be in his camp. Many people see his quick ascendency to be a carefully planned power-play by House Republicans led by House Minority Leader Larry Cafero who is looking to take advantage of a confused situation at State Central where no-one is has emerged as the clear successor as Chair. Placing Aniskovich in power would serve to deliver State Central into the hands of Capitol Republicans. Not the best idea if you think about it. Perhaps this piece might open up some eyes on what the CTGOP would be in store for under Wild Bill. By far, Aniskovich would be Connecticut Republican’s worst nightmare.

Doug Hageman

Hageman deserves to
have a small town
named in his honor
for ridding us of Healy

After that somber note, let’s turn to the most animated character in the race – Doug Hageman. I have to start by giving credit to Mr. Hageman for having the guts to be the first State Central member to stand up and challenge Chris Healy and call Healy’s ethics and failures into question. Hageman is also credited with exposing controversies regarding staff salaries and reimbursement accounts that likely lead to Mr. Healy to not seek re-election (at least for now). Doug is a dinosaur but also a work-horse, but it’s unlikely that he will win the Chairmanship given that he has approximately a dozen votes, and has suffered from being the first guy out of the box to attack the sitting chairman. Healy loyalists blame Hageman for unseating their candy man, and many have hateful revenge in their eyes for a so-called betrayal in the family. Touching thoughts to mourn their fallen star, but very misplaced given the pathetic state of the CTGOP.

For my part, I do not agree with Hageman’s intended leadership approach. From the start he has told Republican Town Committees that he would institute a bottoms up approach where he would delegate authority normally reserved to the Chairman to other individuals. I also disagree with his plan to allow younger talent to become the “face of the Party” on television, and elsewhere – clearly, a recipe for disaster since doing so would likely result in contradicting positions, and confusion about who is really in charge . In order for the chairman to be effective he cannot decentralize his authority; he must be front and center, available for media interviews, and at times serve as a lightening rod – taking the hits in order that candidates and elected officials can focus on the work at hand. I can also appreciate Hageman’s ideas to increase minority involvement in the Party, but I’m not sure of the advantage of placing a novice in the Vice Chair role – no matter how much potential he might have. The name being floated around is Corey Brinson to play this role (rumored).

Notwithstanding, Doug Hageman should find a place in the new CTGOP administration. But clearly, not as its Chairman.  It should also be noted that Hageman at one point likely had as many as two dozen votes, but several were siphoned off due to dirty tactics of Aniskovich, Inc.

Rick Torres has a bilingual agenda
To that we say, "Adios, Amigo"

Rick Torres

Rick Torres is out of the race entirely. His appearance at the Westport candidate forum where he rattled on for 10 minutes straight in Spanish pretty much killed any hope he had of becoming a future leader in the Connecticut Republican Party. The only reason I even devote space in this essay to Mr. Torres is to lament what might have been, and highlight Mr. Torres’ agenda. It’s true that Republicans need to branch out to minorities and influence the brainwashed thinking that is dragging this state’s Hispanic community into age-old dependency subculture owned by Democrats, but Mr. Torres’ approach of placing Spanish on par with English is an outrage.

The Republican Party has always held the position of One Language-One Nation. This isn’t to say that other languages and cultures aren’t important, but they just aren’t as important as working to make sure that children from Spanish communities are expected to learn English as a requirement for graduation. Moreover, learning English is without a doubt the single most important skill for non-English speaking persons having a chance to be a successful member of American society. Mr. Torres sees Spanish and English on the same level, and he would embarrass Republicans by trying to advance his bilingual agenda.

At first I thought finding Mr. Torres a key role to play in the Republican Party would be a good idea. But his agenda is far too outrageous to be contained. And he would present the Republican Party with a new set of problems which would serve as an ongoing distraction for the incoming chairman to deal with.

Justin Clark

Poor Justin. If you look closely you can see
the puppet strings that lead to Tom Foley

I saw Justin Clark walking in West Hartford last week. I have to say that from the wide-eyed look in his eyes, the bleached red hue of his face color, and the size of the sweat beads dripping off his face that this poor guy looks like he’s under way too much pressure to be forced into running for this job. And all this stress is not worth the twelve lousy votes that he has amassed from Tom Foley’s failed attempt to push him into seeking this job. This poor guy looked like his head was going to explode.

Look, he should take time off and spend it with his family -- and forget about it!

He’s lost three straight elections. He’s managed to lose his own West Hartford Town Council bid in 2009, Tom Foley’s 2010 gubernatorial race, and most recently the 2011 Special Election State Representative Campaign of Allen Hoffman – where he had nearly a blank check and did nothing with it. Moreover, he’s been bounced around the legal industry – holding several different jobs with various law firms over the last few years. None of this makes his resume shine brightly above the rest of the field. In fact, it does just the opposite. If you can’t win, and you can’t remain in a stable job, I’m sure you can’t lead a sinking ship out of a harbor.

Justin, please call Tom Foley and tell him to get off your back! Tell him to find another stooge to work through to clear the path for his next election bid. Tell him life is valuable and you need to spend time with your wife and children, and leave the political cronyism to someone else.

The Others

Pardon Me, James. Do you have
any Grey Poupon?

There are a few other people who’ve announced that they are running for State Chairman. As I mentioned in my last article, I expected Jim Campbell of Greenwich to run. He’s finally thrown his hat into the ring but has doesn’t have the personal appeal, name recognition, experience, or charisma to rally members to support his election. We know he has the money, and he’s in league with Linda McMahon, but even that isn’t enough at this late date. People cringe when his name comes up because he’s viewed as a bossy, arrogant man; a typical Greenwich high society dolt. That’s not the kind of person who will unify tea party members with blue collar Republicans with regular middle class Republicans. I’m sure he’s good for Linda and her agenda, but disastrous for the rest of us.

Olivastro has a future...
hosting The Price is Right

Then there is Richard Olivastro.  He's sort of a comedy act of his own. Again, another guy who jumped in after sizing up what we've thought all along - that the existing field didn't contain anyone who could galvanize the Party and lead it.  Sadly, he falls into that category too.  His best attribute is that his bright orange hair would help him be identified by a search party if he was ever lost on a snowy mountain. Time to quit Rich.  Thanks for playing.  Staying in doesn't make a bit of sense.

Hello? Is anybody (decent) out there?

There is still a chance that someone with the attributes I first mentioned at the top of this piece could still be out there testing the waters before jumping in. Last time I made fun of those hiding in the bushes waiting to see how the field does before launching their own campaigns. Now it appears as though I’ve done a 180 on this line of thinking – and I’m praying that someone new emerges who can rally members to drop the choices above, and give the Connecticut Republican Party - someone without a history of controversy and corruption.

Bring back Col Simmons
There's a war to be won on the
homefront

A few names come to mind and I’ll float them here for discussion. The first is option could be Rob Simmons. Simmons would be ideal because he knows how to win elections, and is the only person who’s successfully held leadership positions in Government, Politics, and the Private Sector. It’s unlikely that this would be the choice of Linda McMahon but that’s to be expected. Rob Simmons is far qualified to lead the Connecticut GOP out of the swamp. Sure, people don’t like every vote he’s cast (neither does he), but he would be ideal since he’s trusted and competent in all areas, and would be a well-respected face for the Connecticut Republican Party.

When Jerry Labriola takes his
jacket off, you know he means
business

Another name is Jerry Labriola. Labriola doesn’t have the experience of a Rob Simmons but he has served The Connecticut Republican Party as it’s Treasurer for multiple terms, and by all accounts – all factions seem to respect him for his work ethic, leadership skills and career consistency as a lawyer. He’s a very sharp guy. He’s also run for Congress in Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District – one of the toughest districts in the Country. He gets credit for making a run against Republican nemesis Rosa DeLauro, and he did so while maintaining the workload of his career and CTGOP Treasurer. His strengths would be to knowledge of fundraising, business prowess, and negotiation skills. Labriola has been openly frustrated about how the Healy appointed a finance board that circumvented responsibilities usually reserved for the Treasurer. To his credit, Labriola has reported all CTGOP financial data to the appropriate authorities, and has always remained loyal to the Republican Party and its principles, and not to its unethical Chairman.

There may be others in the wings. But someone had better step forward soon, or the outcome of this election is likely to benefit the Connecticut Democratic agenda and give free pass to Democrats seeking re-election at the National Level.

And a word to the wise: Just because Chris Healy has taken himself out of this race DOES NOT mean that his name couldn't be put forward from the floor by one of his loyal minions just prior to the election taking place.  If a front runner doesn't emerge over the next few weeks with votes counted, Healy's name could be thrown into the mix, and he could capture enough of the votes to end up in the Chairman's seat. And it wouldn't surprise me if this is part of some elaborate scheme of his to front a coalition with an alliance of pretended nominees who deliver their support for him at the time of balloting.  Silly conspiracy or not - remember, its not over until its over, until the last vote is counted.

I AM,

THE KING

This original article can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/