Meyer responds to Kirwin criticisms

By J.R. | May 8, 2008
Filed Under Campaigns and Elections, RPV, Republicans, Virginia Beach |

Meyer Strikes Back – Kirwin is Wrong Once Again
By Bruce Meyer / May 7, 2008

On May 3rd, 2008, Brian Kirwin posted a story about the 2nd District Convention. In his story, there were many errors and it was flush with bias.

First, before I get to my comments and analysis, I want to publicly congratulate Gary Byler on his election to the Chairmanship of the Second District. I urge all Republicans to unite and give Gary our support and let’s not forget our true adversary, the Democrats.

In this Blog there has been talk about not knowing my politics. I am a proud Conservative. I am Pro-life and Anti-Tax. I was Fred Thompson’s Chairman for the 2nd Congressional District. While Fred’s campaign languished nationally, here in the 2nd District it was active and organized. I believe that the Republican Party needs to go back to its Conservative Roots.

Now on to Brian Kirwin. Brian loves to throw stones from his glass house. Brian likes to point out that under my leadership, we lost 4 races. However, according to the Republican Party of Virginia’s Plan of Organization, the primary purpose of the Second District Committee is to elect and re-elect a Republican Congressman. We have done that successfully. In fact we won the Second District for George Allen in 2006. The local Republican City Committee is primarily responsible for the House of Delegates and State Senate Races. In Virginia Beach, Chuck Smith was Chairman at the time of the losses. In fact, Brian was a member of the Virginia Beach Board of Directors and therefore should share in some of the responsibility. And while we are assigning credit, let us look at Senator Mary William’s primary race that Brian managed (at least that is what he told members of the Virginia Beach City Committee last year). His “expertise” led to the defeat of Marty Williams in the primary. After Trisha Stall beat Marty, Brian did not even lift a finger to help. This should be no surprise since in 2005 Brian managed the Republican primary race of tax and spender environmentalist Peter Schmidt against Conservative Delegate Bob Purkey. Of course he lost that race as well and sacrificed what little of his principles that he had left for a dollar.

Now on to the Convention analysis. First of all, Gary won due to three primary reasons:
1. Gary was smart to cut a deal with the Ron Paul Candidates. He put two of their candidates for National Delegate on his slate of five candidates for only three seats. In exchange, the Ron Paul delegation (by most accounts over 50 delegates) would back Gary Byler. At the end of the day, it backfired on the Ron Paul Revolution, since Gary was backing three other people as well for those three seats (it was even on Gary’s mailer). Incidentally, one Ron Paul person did not even make the cut as an alternate and the second person just barely made the third alternate position. Since Gary had a majority in the Convention with the Ron Paul people added to the mix, you would think that the Ron Paul candidates would have easily won.
I had considered creating a slate for the 3 National Delegate seats. I decided early on that I would not since I knew too many of the candidates and it would go against my principles to back more candidates than the positions that were offered.

2. There were unfounded concerns about a large credentials fight. Gary’s people did a great job creating the impression of voter disenfranchisement since the Second District Credentials Committee was only going to seat those delegates who were approved and voted upon by the Virginia Beach Mass Meeting. Gary’s people created the impression that the District Credentials Committee should be seating people who were not approved and not voted upon by the Virginia Beach Mass Meeting. The 2nd District Credentials Committee even had RPV (twice) rule (unanimously) that the only delegate list to be used was the 698 who were elected legally by the Virginia Beach Mass Meeting. Unfortunately, this created an atmosphere of doubt and controversy. This issue was being disputed by Gary and his people up to the last minute. This is a primary reason that a lot of key party people stayed home.

As anybody who is involved in convention planning would tell you, if the 2nd District Convention Credentials Committee wanted to cheat or even bend the rules and eliminate delegates, I would have been easily re-elected as Chairman. The rules must be followed and the integrity of the process must be upheld. I would rather stand by my principles and lose than sacrifice them and win and that is exactly what happened.

3. The average rank and file Republican and Elected Official kept telling me “not
to worry, you have done a great job, you will be fine”. Because of that sentiment, there was no sense of urgency and thus many electeds and others party regulars did not attend.

Finally, Brian Kirwin had mentioned that Kenny Golden (the new Virginia Beach GOP Chairman) was a supporter of Gary Byler. Kenny was officially neutral since he felt the Virginia Beach Chairman should not endorse in an intra-party race and he was friends with both Gary and me.

At the end of the day, Gary did a better job getting out non party members to the Convention. I did receive the majority of the current Republican Party Activists, but between the 50 Ron Paul Delegates and the extra friends and family of Gary, I did not prevail.

I am and will continue to be very active in the Republican Party in other capacities. I love volunteering for the Party and I will continue to do so. For all of you readers who supported me (like Henry Ryto), I thank you very much!

Comments

11 Responses to “Meyer responds to Kirwin criticisms”

Brian Kirwin on May 8th, 2008 6:57 pm

Hi, Bruce. How’s your glass house?

When I report what people say from the podium about you, Bruce, that doesn’t translate into “Brian likes to point out we lost four races.” John Welch said it. I wrote that he said it. Sorry you couldn’t control it.

Bruce, thank you for doing in writing what you’ve done for years to many others. Eventually, people who get talked about will one day talk to each other.
Henry Ryto on May 8th, 2008 7:33 pm

You’re welcome, Bruce.
Wayne Ozmore on May 8th, 2008 8:08 pm

Bruce:

Thank you for standing up for conservative principals and thank you for your efforts in electing, re-electing, and again re-electing Rep. Drake. You did your job, there is no mistake.
Further, thank you for helping to manage and steer the ship at RPV when we were devoid of leadership. Your proactive actions on the RPV Executive Committee will not be forgotten and we are better off for your efforts. I look forward to seeing you and again working with you at the State Convention where, under the RPV Plan of Organization, we can still slate off folks who are known to not be Republicans.

Respectfully,

Wayne Ozmore, former Chairman
4th Congressional District Republican Committee
2002-2007
Stephen Gunter on May 9th, 2008 6:21 am

Bruce, with all due respect, you are wrong about what happened with us Ron Paul supporters showing up to support Gary. Gary spoke the key words we want to hear, and we gathered together to support him. He spoke like he will support the Republican creed and not be rank and file. We were not treated as “fringe” either. This is why we also supported Chuck Smith and Curtis Colgate. It should be very easy to attract us Ron Paul supporters: Run as a Republican candidate and preach the Republican principles. This is why we support Ron Paul. Should be easy enough.
TJ Maloney on May 10th, 2008 2:16 pm

Is the view good from the cheap seats Bruce?

Chuck Smith walked doors with me in the 2007 cycle.
Kenny Golden made phone calls with me in the 2007 cycle.
Brian Kirwin did more than people will ever know in the 2007 cycle.

What did you do? Asked people to meet in the back of the room after Beach Republican Breakfasts to talk about possibly doing something some day for Fred Thompson. What about the Republican candidates on the ballot November 2007?

Oh that is right, your responsibility was electing a Republican Congressman. Was Fred Thompson running for Congress in the Second District?

It is shameful how you attempt to lay blame at the feet of Chuck Smith for GOP losses in the 2007 cycle as you where not responsible as the Second District Chairman, yet in the same argument you take credit for George Allen winning the second district. I did not realize George Allen was the Congressman for the Second District of Virginia and therefore in your self described area of responsibility. My Lord Bruce, if that was your argument you should have lost by a hell of a lot more than you did at the Convention.
Daniel Paige on May 12th, 2008 4:56 pm

Great race Bruce, glad to hear that you will stay involved. Kirwin needs to get a better grasp on reality.
Patricia Eads on May 12th, 2008 5:04 pm

Kirwins one sided acquisitions are getting old and tiring. Bruce ran a great race and I commend him for his ability to not point fingers. He trusts the RPVB members and does all he can do to help them.
Brian Kirwin on May 13th, 2008 1:40 am

Nice to see the last two comments come from the same IP address….and to see Meyer’s supporters still engage in personal attacks to other Republicans like Meyer. I guess that does show strong leadership skills.
Patricia Eads on May 13th, 2008 11:44 am

hmm active republicans working together. A shock isnt it? Were not as rich as some democrats, we have to share computers.
Stephen Gunter on May 13th, 2008 4:00 pm

Brian, you have no right to even mention the fact that they are making personal attacks against members of the Republican party. As a Ron Paul Republican, I can honestly say for you to remove the plank from your own eye.
Brian Kirwin on May 13th, 2008 4:35 pm

I have no right?

Yeah, amazing how quick those “protect civil liberties” vanish.