MC hesitates to ascribe motivations to the recent spate of attacks on Chairman of the Republican National Committee Michael Steele. Certainly it was an open secret that the RNC delegates from the RPM were not among his supporters. Some of them, like Evie Axdahl, continue to wage a disingenous and retrograde war against him. Our RNC delegation needs to be replaced but that's a post for another time (which will come, trust us).Recently--quelle horreur!--it was learned (pardon the passive voice, so not MC) that Steele gets paid for speeches to various groups he addresses outside of those within the ambit of his duties as Chair of the RNC. They range from $8,000 to $20,000. The usual political apparatchiks came out whining. Please, spare us. MC bristles at alleged Republicans complaining about making money in a legal, open and transparent fashion. We remember some conservatives kvetching about Sarah Palin's speaking fees. What? Somewhere Ayn Rand was spinning in her grave!
There is nothing in the RNC organizing documents or bylaws that prevent such outside income. Michael Steele's speeches do not come at the expense of his attention to job duties. This is more of the same from people to whom we should not pay attention in the slightest. MC liked the following:
"Former Republican Party chairman and former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore said on C-SPAN, "It's not uncommon for people to have some outside employment as well as being paid as national chairman." The interview was circulated to reporters by Steele aides."
Mind you, Steele has been very successful in raising money for the RNC. Let's not lose sight of that important fact.
Then there was this:
"The races in New Jersey and Virginia were a tide change for the Republican Party," said Katon Dawson, the ex-chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party. Dawson, who lost in the chairman's race to Steele, said "he'll be judged by the midterms."
Really? Judged by midterms? MC isn't much for gambling but that's one bet we'll take against all comers. So knock it off Republicans. We can't afford this baseless attack against an effective, telegenic and competent Chair.
Click on the title of this post to read the lastest story about this issue in the Washington Post.
