Friday, June 29, 2007

Shocker -- Westbrook Responds -- Eilon, Micarelli, Cole Implicated (Tuesday, June 26, 2007)

All,

The actions of the last few days have left me sick to my stomach. What has gone on in Mississippi over the last few days is enough to make any good and decent state chairman sick as well. This month I have been threatened by national candidates, threatened with impeachment, publicly attacked by New CRNC staff, publicly attacked by the CRNC Executive Director and had our state's former chairman (an ardent Charlie Smith supporter) publicly deride me and then attempt to declare herself to be the current chair. I refuse to tolerate any more of this nonsense.

I realize that you, the reader, have been bombarded with emails over the last several days. In an effort to help you make sense of this story, I thought it best to give you a timeline of these events, and let you decide for yourself what you think of this travesty. That timeline is attached to this email. I encourage you to read it as it lays out, in detail, the actions of the New CRNC over the last few days.

While most of the issues are addressed in the timeline, there are a few that are so vitally important that I feel they must be addressed up front.

Ethan Eilon
I would like to reiterate, contrary to Ethan Eilon's scathing email yesterday, my assertions that the New CRNC was in contact with our delegates, particularly Richard Walters. Richard himself stated in an email to me (see attached) that "some girl has already contacted me and asked for my support." This is directly contrary to Ethan's assertion that no "member of the New CRNC team contacted any Mississippi College Republican" other than me.

Who else but the New CRNC would be contacting our delegates and asking for their support? The New CRNC and Natalie Cole would have you believe that it was indeed Natalie whom Richard described as "some girl." This is the same Natalie Cole who was the State Chairman of the MFCR this past year and who knows Richard very well. Thus, it is ridiculous to believe that Natalie was the only person to contact Richard and that she was the "some girl" who contacted him and asked for his support.

Ethan is correct in stating that I gave HIM permission to speak with people in Mississippi. However, I also reminded him not to overstep boundaries of what was permissible. Having the campaign contact delegates and encourage them to vote against the MFCR's endorsement is way over that boundary.

I am also very disturbed by the fact that Ethan Eilon was serving as the New CRNC Campaign Manager while at the same time serving as CRNC Executive Director. In Ethan's email he stated that "'clear coordination that should exist' does not exist" referencing coordination between the CRNC and the New CRNC Campaign. However, just today TruthCaucus.com reported that Ethan "has been working as a CRNC executive director in Washington, D.C." Further, in Ethan's email he stated "the national office sent me his name (referring to Richard Walters) and I let him know he could call me with questions." This coordination between the CRNC office and the New CRNC campaign is quite disturbing. Why was the CRNC Executive Director managing Charlie's campaign? Why were we as National Board members not informed of this? This is very questionable for a campaign that prides itself on bringing transparency to the CRNC,

"To Hell with you"
I have been the subject of repeated threats over the last few days and weeks from the NewCRNC team. In an instant message conversation with Nick Micarrelli (candidate for CRNC co-chair and member of the NewCRNC ticket) several weeks ago (that conversation is attached to this email), Nick stated that if I endorsed John I would "make enemies", "get in the bad graces", be "a less efficient chairman", and that my vote would "be remembered." When I became defensive and asked Nick if I would be punished for voting for John, he stated, "don't make a mistake here." He (Nick) then tried to assure me that he was only looking out for my best interest. He told me that if I didn't believe that then "to hell with" me.

In a meeting Sunday night with Natalie and other MFCR Executive Board members, more threats were sent my way. Natalie, who was in constant contact throughout the meeting with the New CRNC team, told me that there would be impeachment proceedings brought against me if I didn't step down, that the New CRNC would not send field reps our way, and that they would issue a press release condemning me and my state federation if I did not retract my earlier statements. Of course I refused, and as of yesterday, Ethan sent a scathing email my way (and yours). As of today Natalie has attempted to bring impeachment proceedings against me, and failed. It appears as if the New CRNC is attempting to make good on its threats

Natalie Cole thinks she's chairman
After failing to have me impeached, Charlie Smith supporter and former MFCR Chairman Natalie Cole sent out an email today claiming that she is, in fact, still the State Chairman of the MFCR, and calling for a new convention on August 10 th. Believing herself to be State Chairman, she also called for a MFCR Convention to elect new officers. This is laughable, since yesterday she identified herself as the "Immediate Past Chairman", as well as addressing me as the current Chairman, in an email she sent to you. If I am not the state chairman, why go to the trouble yesterday to attempt to have me impeached?

I sense a plot here to have Mississippi's votes tied up in the CRNC Credentials Committee while it fights out who is the state chairman of the MFCR. If neither I nor my delegates could vote, that would solve the whole problem for the New CRNC. This is just more of the same from two years ago.

J. Keith Gates
I would like to thank Southern Caucus Chairman Keith Gates for his help in dealing with this situation. His involvement in this was at my request. Only after I contacted Keith did he place any calls inquiring into this situation. Unlike the New CRNC, Keith didn't threaten College Republicans. He simply called Natalie to get her take on this issue and tried to mediate a solution that would be beneficial to all parties involved.

Natalie seemingly implied that Keith was attempting to circumvent the will of the MFCR. Nothing could be farther from the truth, since he was acting at the request of the MFCR Chairman! Further, Natalie should be ashamed for attempting to call out Keith while she herself is an ardent New CRNC supporter and has been in constant contact with the New CRNC campaign, as evidenced by the fact that she attempted to get me to retract my earlier statements or face a press release from the New CRNC. I am glad that we in the South have a Caucus Chairman who will stand up for the state chairmen in his caucus and not allow them to be railroaded by outside individuals.

John Burris
Let me make this abundantly clear: I was not working "in coordination with the (John) Burris campaign" to dupe our board into voting for John without informing them of Kristy Cottrell's candidacy. Natalie asserted yesterday that "no one on the board was aware of Kristy Cottrell's candidacy." The facts show that whenever I sent an email to our Board stating my intention to endorse John Burris, MFCR Board Member and State Secretary Richard Walters informed me that "some girl has already contacted me and asked for my support."

John Burris is an honorable man. These events prove now, more than ever, why we need an independent, honorable voice on the CRNC Executive Board. I am proud to continue my support for John.

Conclusion
In closing, I wish to thank all of the state chairmen around the nation who have contacted me expressing their support for me, and their disdain for the New CRNC's tactics.

We in Mississippi have elections this fall for Governor as well as the state Legislature. This is our task: to ensure Republicans control our state. Our task is not to engage in meaningless College Republican politicks. College Republicans in Mississippi, quite frankly, could care less about who becomes the CRNC National Chairman. These out-of-state politicks have weakened our federation, in a year when it is needed most. Thus, I believe that no more of my time should be spent dealing with such petty matters. College Republicans in Mississippi elected me to help lead their party to victory in Mississippi, not worry about which of the children becomes CRNC National Chairman.

After the events of two years ago, I thought that our organization was beyond this type of dirty play. I thought that we were building a 'new CRNC,' based upon a mutual respect and friendship. Rather than beginning a new CRNC, it seems as though we are beginning a new chapter in the same ole book

Thank you,

Jessica Westbrook
Chair, Mississippi Federation of College Republicans