They just don't make it easy to be a Republican; part deux

Two years ago, there was a meeting planned for the Republican Party Central Committee. I wanted to attend, not as a voting member but rather, as a registered Republican and a member of the press.

Initially, I was denied entrance, though Republican Party rules, link, read quite clearly;

1-2-1. PARTY MEMBERSHIP/PARTICIPATION

B.It is the intent and purpose of these rules to encourage and allow the broadest possible participation of all Republican voters in Republican Party activities at all levels and to assure that the Republican Party is open and accessible.

Yesterday, I went to the Republican pre-primary convention and was again, link, denied entrance as a registered Republican and member of the press.

On neither occasion, having gained entrance, did I witness
anything that needed to be hidden from interest holders in the
first place. Which begs the question; why hide?

Why do they make casual attendance at Republican Party "activities" impossibly difficult, in diametric opposition to their own rules? Their Rule #1, no less.

One could argue, as Bernalillo County
Chairman Chris Collins did, my room,
my rules. " a closed meeting, he said.

I find the attitude disturbingly reminiscent of the my bat, my ball, my rules leadership of Col. Weh and the rule of the gavel mentality that saturates the leadership of the NMRP.

They bought the room, they get to decide who gets in.

They got to decide as well, that candidates would not be allowed to speak to their candidacies when they were introduced to the delegates.

It's all "legal".

I have a pet peeve that drives me; politicians and public
servants who create beliefs or leave impressions that they are willing to be held honestly accountable to higher standards of conduct than the law; ethical standards of conduct, and then defend their unethical conduct by cloaking themselves in legal weaselry and loopholes in the law; the lowest standards of conduct of all.

The Republican Party of New Mexico creates the belief and leaves the impression that they are role models of honesty accountability to ethical standards of conduct when on their banner, link, they write that the RPNM is all about

"... ethical leadership and accountability ..."

though their conduct paints a far different picture.

... or are we now going to quibble about what the word
"ethical" means?




photos Mark Bralley