Picking up the Baton

I am pleased to find out that my RedMaryland colleague Michael Swartz is going to be picking up the baton of the old Maryland Accountability Project (MAP).

For those of you who don't know the MAP was, in theory, a non-partisan group dedicated to allowing citizens to keep their members of the General Assembly accountable for the actions and votes taken in Annapolis. What MAP really turned out to be was John Flynn selecting a few pet issues, designed to protect certain friends in the General Assembly, all in the guise of "non-partisanship." Much like his work as Executive Director of the Republican Party, Flynn lacked follow through and the project collapsed, wtih Flynn abandoning it shortly before becoming Executive Director.

Michael has a lot of catching up to due after Flynn's failures, but this type of project is extremely meaningful and I look forward to helping out however I can.

Two Days Late

Two days after reading it here, the Sun finally gets around to reporting John Flynn's departure (without crediting me, of course):

Party seeking new director

The Maryland Republican Party is looking for a new executive director after John Flynn resigned this week to take a job as general counsel for Americans for Prosperity, a public interest group in Washington.

Flynn became the party's executive director in January 2007 as Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley took office after defeating former Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.

Later that year, the party reported that it was nearly broke. State GOP Chairman James Pelura said yesterday that Flynn helped rebuild the party and draw more small donations that allowed it to pay off debts.

"I was left with a lot of debt and very little fundraising ability in the way of large donors," Pelura said. "The Republican base is excited and energized again, and John was instrumental in helping me see that through."

I'll let you interpret the comments that you just read regarding the state of the party for yourselves...

CONFIRMED: Flynn Out

This note from Jim Pelura is being sent around, sent yesterday:

From: "James Pelura"
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:21:44
Subject: Bittersweet news


Dear Republican Leaders,

It is with mixed emotions that I contact you tonight.

John Flynn, our Executive Director, has given notice that he will be
embarking on a new and exciting adventure in 2 weeks.

As you all know, John has been instrumental in carrying out my plan to
return the State Party to the county Central Committees and the grassroots
Republicans of our beloved Maryland.

I am dismayed in his leaving but extremely happy for him and wish him every
success and happiness in his new position. He will be missed!!

Due to time constraints, I will be interviewing for this position on
Tuesday, April 22 at MDGOP headquarters. Please spread the word and have
the applicants e-mail their resumes to me at jpelura@mdgop.org
by Monday, April 21, 2008.


Dr. Jim Pelura
Chairman
Maryland Republican Party

BREAKING: John Flynn out?

GOP Insiders are telling me that Maryland State GOP Executive Director John Flynn has resigned from his post to take a job with the Harris for Congress campaign.

More news and comment to follow...

John Flynn's Warped World

If this quote is even close to accurate.....:

Before the first vote is cast Tuesday in Maryland's primary, the state's Grand Old Party has already declared its mission accomplished.

Republican Party Executive Director John Flynn said the GOP put more emphasis on staying competitive across Maryland this year, rather than letting Democrats run unopposed in left-leaning districts.

.....then we're in bigger trouble than I thought we were. I almost spit water on my keyboard when I read that because it is so patently absurd that it's ridiculous. I'm not sure what emphasis there is on staying competitive, because we basically have let Democrats run unopposed in at least one left-leaning district.

For an example:

Ron Paul supporter Richard Pryce Matthews, an Orchard Beach Republican, will be challenging four-year Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Timonium in the 2nd District race. Mr. Matthews, who has raised no money, is campaigning on a platform of abolishing the Internal Revenue Service and the federal Department of Education as well as ending the war in Iraq and repealing the Patriot Act.

Patently absurd. If the Party recruited this joker, John Flynn should be fired. If we didn't recruit this joker, John Flynn should be fired.

John Flynn's complete failure as Executive Director is getting even harder to put up with, and he should have been replaced months ago with somebody who can actually get the job done. I'm not saying that being Executive Director of the Maryland GOP is all milk and honey, but Flynn is clearly not up to the task...