I will hand it to Fred Whitaker. His ego-feuled rampage is consistent. The tactics are consistent as well. The Orange County Republican Party By-Laws require notice for an endorsement. But tonight, that does not matter.
In a bout of logical gymnastics that reminds real people why politics is infested with attorneys, Fred Whitaker has figured out (he thinks) how to circumvent the OCGOP By-Laws.
Steve:
Kermit Marsh is our parliamentarian, so you can take up any questions of rules/order with him. I appreciate your passion, but as you know I’m supporting Jessica, and I believe well more than 2/3 on our committee does as well. I know you have some supporters on the committee and I’m sure they will speak up for your position. To address some of the concerns you raised, the resolution will likely be re-written to simply be one of support. A resolution on an urgency basis requires 2/3 vote twice. This is not the Endorsements process we have for electoral candidates.
FW
Fred Whitaker may not understand the true leanings of the OCGOP if he thinks he has an easy 2/3 for the resolution. But – it also demonstrates that he has been on the phone trying to rig the outcome of tonight’s meeting. Like the CAGOP conventions, it appears OCGOP meetings are equally as contrived and scripted. There is also a clever lawyer trick to avoid the notice for an endorsement. Then there is the exchange between Steve Frank and the OCGOP Parlimentarian (another lawyer) Kermit Marsh:
The question is on endorsement. Fred in his response to me said this was not an endorsement, but “support”. Is that what this is? When Fred sends out the press release Monday night, will those reading it know the technical difference between an endorsement and “support”?It is actions like this that divide a Committee and force folks to rethink their involvement.Steve Frank
805-795-1271
On Tuesday, February 9, 2021, 2:09:13 PM PST, Kermit Marsh <kmarsh@kermitdmarshlaw.com> wrote:
Hi Steve,
Hope you are well. What is your question, to which you would like me to respond? Please send me an email to let me know.FYI, I have a busy schedule of meetings outside the office today, but I will try to check my emails when possible. Looking forward to learning what it is you would like to know.Best regards,
Kermit D. Marsh, Esq.
it is a 100% violation of the rules. It is an endorsement and requires a 2/3 vote.
Met Fred Whitaker a dozen or so years ago at (as I recall) a Republican Party office in Fullerton. It was probably not more than a few words and seconds, but I left with a sense I had met a weasel. Since then, I’ve held my nose to vote for him only to vote against a D that was worse.