Blogger’s Note: I am simply posting his emails without comment. Also note, I did not edit them or re-format them so as to prove their authenticity.
Aaron Goodmorning – Doug Hassett here.
We are two men that have much in common and I wanted to make sure you understand more of who I am and how Libelous your comments about me are. First, like you I’m a Christian, I’m a hiker, I’m preparing to hike the Catalina Trail, and I just started in the insurance business. It’s my brand new career in insurance that was the absolute reason I stepped away from the Rivco GOP. I just got my P&C License in 2021 and my Life license earlier this year. I’ve gone to work for (REDACTED) and I’m currently enrolled in a 20 week high paced training while selling at the same time. I think you can easily grasp that if I’m just starting in the insurance biz, training for a 40 mile backpacking trip, caring for my family, and serving my church that maybe my time is limited. The GOP leadership is a full-time job and that’s not something I can tackle at this time. I don’t know where you got your information, but I know you never asked for a statement from me. You actually chose to believe the lies of others, without asking me. As a Christian, it would be proper for you to print a retraction and an apology and do so immediately. It would also be appropriate to name the people spreading such horrible rumors so that others don’t fall into the trap that you did. If you are the Christian you say you are, I’ll be expecting to hear from you and look forward to letting you know that I accept your apology.
Lastly Aaron, the GOP needs activists to further the conservative message, but that message can’t contain lies. America’s greatness must be built on America’s goodness and there’s nothing good or great about suffocating good people with falsehoods about their character.
Kind regards,
Doug Hassett
Blogger’s Note: I followed up by asking for details on the Website debacle and got this:
–
Aaron,
–
I meant to offer you some details concerning the rivco gop website. Don Dix wanted to spend $7k developing a new website and said that the GOP had $7k in an account somewhere, but we never found this account. In a unanimous vote by the executive committee we voted not to spend $7k noting that it required further review and an income that would support the expense. My daughter, who has a digital marketing and advertising degree and is an expert at coding, offered to help fix our existing website for a minimal hourly rate. When Don was still with us, he rejected that offer and the current executive committee including myself noted that we would have to acquire additional bids before accepting any one bid, especially a bid from a family member.
–
Everything concerning this matter was handled in a total above board manner and no contracts were cancelled and then given to family members. Again, you chose to believe and print lies being told by others and you never requested information from the source. You’re not reporting in a fair and unbiased manner and this should be your entire focus. I don’t get where you’re coming from.
–
Over the years I have had experiences that have familiarized me with building websites and have built several of my own. On a regular basis I use a very complex graphics program and I really understand how these things work. In the end, once I had access to the website, and after Don’s Memorial Service, I eliminated the images of Don, fixed a few minor items and then left it alone. All this at the direction of the Executive Committee. Decisions concerning the website have all been matters of running a proper business and living within our means. Had you been in the room with the rest of us, I think you would have been grateful to see our care and caution.
–
One more time, please be careful who you listen to. Again, I’ll be looking for a retraction of your story and your apology.
–
Respectfully,
–
Blogger’s Endnote: Hassett called me directly and indicated that he was not contacted by anyone with regard to resigning.
Whats the big deal about the hiking?? I get the rest…but hiking? That seems really odd and like priorities are out of place!
Umm, I have read and re-read this piece, and while I may not be up-to-date on the whole subject, I am still compelled to make a comment on some ” things ” I have noticed:
(part 1 letter )
1) If Mr Parks’ comments are THAT ” Libelous “? Sue him. Truth wins out. Toss in defamation if you’re THAT concerned and impacted.
2) Congrats on your ” brand new career ” in the Insurance business, but I fail to see how someone JUST starting is able to wangle/manage a 40-mile TRAINING for a hike while being that busy. This little tidbit seems out of place and starts to wave red flags that something is amiss here, but it could just be me reading too much into it. Doubt it tho.
3) ” GOP Leadership is a full time job? ” Leadership is a job…I have to pause on this one, but I will circle back in a moment.
4) Again with the Church thing: I doubt very much Christians make these type of demands: apolgies, retractions, etc. If anything, you should have ALREADY forgiven Mr Parks, prayed for him and pray ” he finds the truth to your innocence ” if he accused you falsely.
5) as to activists for the GOP message? (see part 3 above ) Are you one? When did you stop? Or are you referring to Mr Parks being the activist? So, since you can’t do the Leadership thing because ” it’s a job “, perhaps it’s a good thing you left. Leaders LEAD, in good times and bad. My Leadership motto during my stint in the Army went as such:
Lead, Follow or get out of the way. Perhaps you’re too busy schedule was too much for you to correctly prioritize, and you chose the latter. It’s not for me to say, but you seem to have alluded to that in your letter.
As to the second letter:
1) I may be a little naive on this topic, but if your daughter was so tech savvy, couldn’t she have just ‘ volunteered ” to help set up a website for free? Why the need to pay her?
2) You say you had experience in building websites, couldn’t you have done it then as a favor without compensation? All t his over 7 K ? wow, seems petty to me.
3) Much of this bruhaha could easily be dealt with, and feelings soothed over, if you had just posted the minutes of the Board of Directors meeting on the topic. I presume they did keep minutes, right? I presume those minutes are available, right? Sounds simple enough, but again, I could be wrong.
In conclusion, having a letter which indicates ” you are wrong “; then making a direct phone call which seems to leave out or changes the story line of the letter, would leave one to think you are not being totally honest. If the story is the same, then both means of communication would be in sync.
I’ll pray for you both, and for the Riverside GOP in the hopes that they may do better on these type of topics so as not to have these type of problems in the future which take away their focus on what they SHOULD be concentrating on instead of concentrating on nonsense like this. Thank you all, and have a good day.
Charlie – Aaron states that he’s an avid hiker, I stated this because I knew Aaron would have some sense of what I’m about to do. For me, a 40 mile backpacking trip is no small undertaking. Hope this makes sense.