Email from Gary Johnson:
Friends,
I hope this email finds you preparing for an enjoyable holiday week, whether it be celebrating with family and friends or just taking a break for a few days to eat, drink and be merry.
To me, this is always a time to reflect on the year that is coming to a close — and to look forward to the one ahead. This year, we who cherish liberty and the freedom to pursue our dreams have much to reflect upon, and to which to look forward.
There is little doubt that 2013 has been a year when the importance of liberty has been made more clear to Americans than ever before. Regardless of their political affiliations, our friends and neighbors across the country have learned a great deal about what their government is doing to track their daily activities, to take over their health care, and to try to manage the lives of people both here and abroad.
In short, America is seeing firsthand what happens when liberty is pushed aside. The result: More Americans than ever before are ready to restore the principles of individual freedom upon which their nation was founded, but which seem to have been forgotten by our leaders in Washington, DC.
As we look toward 2014, I am excited that the Our America Initiative is poised to give Americans a clear and effective voice for liberty. There is no greater gift than real freedom, and we will be taking that message to every corner of the nation, to the airwaves and to the Internet. Liberty deserves a voice, and we are dedicated to providing that voice.
Obviously, Our America can’t do that without your support, and I look forward to working with you as we renew our commitment to making the gift of liberty a reality once again.
Happy Holidays, and thanks for your friendship and support!
Gov. Gary Johnson
Honorary Chairman
I have already mentioned twice a list of several ways the money is supposed to be spent; we shall see. As for GJ12 I have heard allegations, and I have heard Nielson deny them and provide an alternate explanation. I don’t know which version is true. Some transparency would be nice.
I do know, since I was involved, that not all of the money was wasted. For a campaign that raised what they did, they had copious amonts of all kinds of promotional materials available and made plenty of efforts to get it into people’s hands. Gary and the Judge made it around the country to many media interviews, college and other speaking engagements, meetings with supporters, etc. Downticket endorsements went out, although that doesn’t take money. The campaign helped in a small way wih some of the ballot access money. It took staff, shipping costs, an office and a travel budget to do all this.
Videos were produced – unfortunately not broadcast length until very late. A few went on the air, albeit very late in the campaign. Allegedly, there was a quarter million dollar radio ad buy as well.
Raising the money had the usual fundraising costs involved with it.
Social media account were created, maintained, and expanded to reach hundreds of thousands of likes/followers/whatever.
To keep this going in between presidential campaigns takes money, and that is what this is about.
Not all of the people who would donate to this would donate to the LP, and a few may even already be maxed out to the LP.
Some people will donate to both.
Some people will come into the LP due to OAI’s efforts if it does what it promises to do that would not find their way to the LP due to its own efforts.
Is the LP making any effort to recruit state level fundraising directors? A small number of state parties may be, but in general, no.
Also, just because OAI is trying, does that mean they will succeed? Most states don’t have a fundraising director and I haven’t found anyone interested here eiher, even though I have asked.
I really have mixed feelings about this. I know quite a few people on that list, and they’re all extremely dedicated Libertarian activists. None of them would knowingly do anything to not advance the cause of liberty — in fact without Chris Brookover’s activism, I most likely wouldn’t be involved with the LP today. He helped form one of the strongest county affiliates in VA, and perhaps in the entire east coast.
What bugs me is the “fundraising director” part. Dedicated people who are libertarian are raising money for OAI when they could be raising money for the LP. As we all know, if the LP had the money of the two larger parties, we’d certainly be much more influential. Gary Johnson isn’t great on his Libertarian messaging either.
I’d also like to echo the sentiments of others here, where is this money being spent and how? The entire Gary Johnson presidential campaign was grossly mismanaged and money certainly wasn’t properly accounted for or spent properly.
I would also encourage Wes Wagner and anyone else who suspects my motives to do like Robert Milnes and http://rwm4prez2012.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/lets-investigate-paulie-shall-we/ (unfortunately Wagner is the wrong gender for the PLAS ticket VP position). 🙂
Too bad it’s still a ways to April 1 (Milnes day at IPR). I am slightly tempted to post that article here.
My understanding is that there are a few active people, like Charlie Frohman and Eric Blitz for the east cost, and most of the other positions are either empty or filled by people who were in similar positions in the campaign.
For example, Ron Moore is state coordinator for New York and Lou Jasikoff for NJ and PA, positions they held in the Johnson/Gray 2012 campaigns. When Gary was in NYC last month, OAI set up some media events for him (Fox TV, Forbes) and I had him as guest speaker at an LPNY event.
I am sure all the state chairs are happy to work with OAI, but our first priority is to the LP.
I’m not sure staff is the correct term – we are volunteers, kind of like state chairs in the LP, but OAI is a lot less built up as an organization than the LP is. There are conference calls every few weeks and I am talking to my regional director Guy McLendon about setting up regional calls and maybe in person meetings and email list. There are facebook pages for OAI and state OAIs like https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaForOurAmerica. There’s the live free blog http://www.livefreeblog.com/
There was a national meeting with a few dozen people in early-mid 2013 that I went to in SLC. And I’ve been told there will be more campus tours. The organization is pretty nascent, so at least in theory there will be a lot more to it in the future.
I think I shared what I know earlier:
…. it is doing or trying to do real work with getting Johnson and other spokespeople in front of media, campus and perhaps other audiences, creating video ads, engaging people to lobby government, working on ballot initiatives, building a list of supporters (financial as well as volunteer) that could be the basis for a more successful Johnson run, creating and circulating opinion columns, and various other legitimate activities …
Those are the plans I remember hearing about.
Recently I also heard they may help with LP ballot access, perhaps in Oklahoma, to supplement what the LNC and state parties are doing.
We’ll see how much of that actualy happens.
I don’t know how actively all of them are involved. I would guess some more actively than others.
A few months ago Ron asked the list of state directors and other directors who all wanted to transfer over to have the same title with OAI that they had with the campaign, so I think that is where much of the list comes from. Some more is being generated by the regional directors, as Mark Axinn mentioned.
Yes. I already filled one of the open positions in Alabama, for example (with our LP state chair Leigh Lachine – he is Outreach Director for Alabama OAI). I’ve asked around on several facebook groups if anyone was interested in the other two Alabama positions. Guy and Alexis are trying to fill other positions also.
I don’t have any access to the books, so I can’t make any reassurances on how money is spent. I do believe however that OAI is legally separate from the campaign, so there is as far as I know no debt to repay and I don’t see how money donated to OAI, which is a nonpartisan organization, could logically or legally go to repay campaign debt in a partisan race.
So would I.
I would also encourage Wes Wagner and anyone else who suspects my motives to do like Robert Milnes and http://rwm4prez2012.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/lets-investigate-paulie-shall-we/ (unfortunately Wagner is the wrong gender for the PLAS ticket VP position). 🙂
Paulie,
As you and David Blau are on the LNC, and also listed as staff at OAI, can you share what OAI is like? Conference calls? Meetings? Organization?
What’s going on with OAI aside from occasional updates from Governor Johnson and appeals for money? What are the plans for the future (that can be shared publicly)? Are all the people above actively involved? Are there efforts to fill the open positions?
Can you provide reassurance that any money donated goes to something other than staff salaries, or (potentially) repayment (in effect, if not directly) of old debt?
While I’m no longer involved with OAI, nor am I interested in any of the open positions, I would encourage those IPR readers who want to become involved with the organization to volunteer to fill one or more of the open positions above.
(For what it’s worth, I LOVED the time I worked for/with the campaign (at least up until I endorsed Jon Barrie (with Ron’s approval) in New Mexico and then was ordered to un-endorse him to (belatedly try to) protect the Republican candidate for US senate (and a former member of Governor Johnson’s cabinet, Heather Wilson. Heather or her husband, was (from what I heard around the office) responsible for the only major scandal during Governor Johnson’s eight years in office. It was the last endorsement of a down ticket candidate we made. Jon Barrie was a true gentleman even when I called to tell him the endorsement was being withdrawn (after he had released it to the local media) and entirely due to an error on my part (yes, I lied; I then donated a modest amount to his campaign personally and invited him to come to our election night party in Albuquerque, which he did. I stayed with OAI until the following April, a bit burned by that, but ultimately left for a variety of other reasons.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OysbgWSJ1TE
An analysis of the contact information posted at:
https://ouramericainitiative.com/state-organization.html
indicates a total of 220 positions are available for staff at Our American Initiative (four region directors, four region deputy directors, four region fundraising directors, 51 state (with DC) directors, 51 state campus coordinators, 51 state outreach coordinators, 51 state fundraising managers. One state, Texas, has two fundraising managers (North and South), two states (DC and Virginia) have co-directors. and one state has a country outreach coordinator (Queens County, NY).
Of these 220 positions, 55 are filled by the 51 individuals listed below (four individuals have two jobs; 167 positions remain unfilled, including those for 3 of the 4 region deputy directors, and 17 of the 51 state directors).
Aidan Ankarberg, New Hampshire Director, [email protected] (603) 770-5682
Kenny Barlow, Western Region Director, [email protected] (801) 885-1910
Juanita Billings, Virginia Co-Director, [email protected] (804) 837-6358
David Blau, Massachusetts Director, [email protected] (617) 396-4253
Eric Blitz, Eastern Region Director, [email protected] (410) 812-7265
Eric Blitz, Maryland Director, [email protected] (410) 812-7265
Chris Brookover, Virginia Co-Director, [email protected] (571) 274-9056
Richard Burke, Oregon Director, [email protected] (503) 970-1876
Astrid Campos, Arizona Director, [email protected] (480) 442-9016
Shawn Curtis, Western Region Deputy Director, [email protected] (435) 764-1382
Judith Darcy, Colorado Fundraising Manager, [email protected] (719) 646-4638
Debbie Dean, New Mexico Director, [email protected] (575) 312-9801
Brandon De Hoyos, Texas State Director, [email protected] (281) 832-4498
TE Finnegan, Texas (South) Fundraising Manager, [email protected] (832) 675-5956
Paul Frankel, Alabama Director, [email protected](415) 690-6352
Charles Frohman, Eastern Region Fundraiser, [email protected] (202) 258-8027
Charles Frohman, Southern Region Fundraiser, [email protected] (202) 258-8027
Steve Gallant, Colorado Director, [email protected] (303) 384-3979
Aaron Harris, Midwest Fundraising Director, [email protected] (937) 825-0204
Rich Hudson, California Fundraising Manager, (no contact information listed)
Grant Huihui, California Director, [email protected] (801) 630-0203
Lou Jasikoff New Jersey Director, [email protected] (570) 677-2607
Lou Jasikoff, Pennsylvania State Director, [email protected] (570) 677-2607
Kendrah Jensen, Wyoming Director, [email protected] (360) 790-7961
Joshua Katz, Connecticut Director, [email protected] (516) 476-0055
Christina Kendrick, Kentucky Director, [email protected] (502) 457-6765
Brandon Kessler, Utah Director, [email protected] (801) 318-9744
Paul Kunberger, Virginia Fundraising Manager, [email protected] (no phone listed)
Leigh Lachine, Alabama Outreach Coordinator, [email protected] (no phone listed)
Jared Lord, Nevada Director, [email protected] (702) 764-9321
Brad Lowry, Midwest Region Director, [email protected] 513-620-4576
Brad Lowry, Ohio Director, [email protected] (513) 284-4071
Jonathan Loya, Massachusetts Findraising Manager, [email protected] (508) 361-8845
Jorge Maderal, Maine Director, [email protected] (207) 837-2665
Tom Mahon, Western Region Fundraiser, [email protected] (505) 280-1708
Bruce Majors, DC Co-Director, [email protected] (240) 421-1684
Elizabeth Miller, Texas (North) Fundraising Manager, [email protected] (214) 264-6100
Cara Schulz, Minnesota Director, [email protected] (612) 735-4386
Ron Moore, New York Director, [email protected] (646) 250-9271
Guy Mclendon, Southern Region Director, [email protected] (832) 372-8131
Steve Newton, Delaware Director, [email protected] (302) 229-7197
Brad Omland, South Dakota Fundraising Manager, [email protected] (507) 456-6226
Anthony Papillion, Oklahoma Director, [email protected] (918) 533-9699
Noah Pokorny, Illinois State Director, [email protected] (847) 334-3394
Roland Riemers, North Dakota Director, [email protected] (no phone listed)
Jo Anne Roeter, Connecticut Fundraising Manger, [email protected] (203) 922-9475
Ryan Sabot, DC Co-Director, [email protected] (240) 421-1684
Michael R. Solberg, West Virginia Director, [email protected] (304) 203-6785
Dr. Tom Stevens, Queens County New York Outreach Coordinator, [email protected] (718) 357-7075
Jim Tomasik, Tennessee Director, [email protected] (901) 827-0120
Jo Anne Vaccarino, Florida Director, [email protected] (no phone listed)
Eileen Walton, Arkansas Director, [email protected] (870) 926-6795
Jennifer Werther, Louisiana Director, [email protected] (985) 327-9995
Megan Westenhaver, Kansas Director, [email protected] (no phone listed)
Scott Zimmerman, Nebraska Director, [email protected] (402) 290-0197
The positions listed as open are:
Alaska Director
Alaska Campus Coordinator
Alaska Outreach Coordinator
Alaska Fundraising Manager
Alabama Campus Coordinator
Alabama DC Fundraising Manager
Arkansas Campus Coordinator
Arkansas Outreach Coordinator
Arkansas Fundraising Manager
Arizona Campus Coordinator
Arizona Outreach Coordinator
Arizona Fundraising Manager
California Campus Coordinator
California Outreach Coordinator
Colorado Campus Coordinator
Colorado Outreach Coordinator
Connecticut Campus Coordinator
Connecticut Outreach Coordinator
DC Campus Coordinator
DC Outreach Coordinator
DC Fundraising Manager
Delaware Campus Coordinator
Delaware Outreach Coordinator
Delaware Fundraising Manager
Eastern Region Deputy Director
Florida Campus Coordinator
Florida Outreach Coordinator
Florida Fundraising Manager
Georgia Director
Georgia Campus Coordinator
Georgia Outreach Coordinator
Georgia Fundraising Manager
Hawaii Director
Hawaii Campus Coordinator
Hawaii Outreach Coordinator
Hawaii Fundraising Manager
Idaho Director
Idaho Campus Coordinator
Idaho Outreach Coordinator
Idaho Fundraising Manager
Illinois Campus Coordinator
Illinois Outreach Coordinator
Illinois Fundraising Manager
Indiana Director
Indiana Campus Coordinator
Indiana Outreach Coordinator
Indiana Fundraising Manager
Iowa Director
Iowa Campus Coordinator
Iowa Outreach Coordinator
Iowa Fundraising Manager
Kansas Campus Coordinator
Kansas Outreach Coordinator
Kansas Fundraising Manager
Kentucky Campus Coordinator
Kentucky Outreach Coordinator
Kentucky Fundraising Manager
Louisiana Campus Coordinator
Louisiana Outreach Coordinator
Louisiana Fundraising Manager
Maine Campus Coordinator
Maine Outreach Coordinator
Maine Fundraising Manager
Maryland Campus Coordinator
Maryland Outreach Coordinator
Maryland Fundraising Manager
Massachusetts Campus Coordinator
Massachusetts Outreach Coordinator
Michigan Director
Michigan Campus Coordinator
Michigan Outreach Coordinator
Michigan Fundraising Manager
Midwest Region Deputy Director
Midwest Region Fundraising Director listed as TBA on the main page and as Aaron Harris [email protected] (937) 825-0204 on the region page.
Minnesota Campus Coordinator
Minnesota Outreach Coordinator
Minnesota Fundraising Manager
Mississippi Director
Mississippi Campus Coordinator
Mississippi Outreach Coordinator
Mississippi Fundraising Manager
Missouri Director
Missouri Campus Coordinator
Missouri Outreach Coordinator
Missouri Fundraising Manager
Montana Director
Montana Campus Coordinator
Montana Outreach Coordinator
Montana Fundraising Manager
North Carolina Director
North Carolina Campus Coordinator
North Carolina Outreach Coordinator
North Carolina Fundraising Manager
Nebraska Campus Coordinator
Nebraska Outreach Coordinator
Nebraska Fundraising Manager
Nevada Campus Coordinator
Nevada Outreach Coordinator
Nevada Fundraising Manager
New Hampshire Campus Coordinator
New Hampshire Outreach Coordinator
New Hampshire Fundraising Manager
New Jersey Campus Coordinator
New Jersey Outreach Coordinator
New Jersey Fundraising Manager
New Mexico Campus Coordinator
New Mexico Outreach Coordinator
New Mexico Fundraising Manager
New York Campus Coordinator
New York Outreach Coordinator
New York Fundraising Manager
North Dakota Campus Coordinator
North Dakota Outreach Coordinator
North Dakota Fundraising Manager
Ohio Campus Coordinator
Ohio Outreach Coordinator
Ohio Fundraising Manager
Oklahoma Campus Coordinator
Oklahoma Outreach Coordinator
Oklahoma Fundraising Manager
Oregon Campus Coordinator
Oregon Outreach Coordinator
Oregon Fundraising Manager
Pennsylvania Campus Coordinator
Pennsylvania Outreach Coordinator
Pennsylvania Fundraising Manager
Rhode Island Director
Rhode Island Campus Coordinator
Rhode Island Outreach Coordinator
Rhode Island Fundraising Manager
South Carolina Director
South Carolina Campus Coordinator
South Carolina Outreach Coordinator
South Carolina Fundraising Manager
South Dakota Director
South Dakota Campus Coordinator
South Dakota Outreach Coordinator
Southern Region Deputy Director
Tennessee Campus Coordinator
Tennessee Outreach Coordinator
Tennessee Fundraising Manager
Texas Campus Coordinator
Texas Outreach Coordinator
Utah Campus Coordinator
Utah Outreach Coordinator
Utah Fundraising Manager
Vermont Director
Vermont Campus Coordinator
Vermont Outreach Coordinator
Vermont Fundraising Manager
Virginia Campus Coordinator
Virginia Outreach Coordinator
West Virginia Campus Coordinator
West Virginia Outreach Coordinator
West Virginia Fundraising Manager
Washington Director
Washington Campus Coordinator
Washington Outreach Coordinator
Washington Fundraising Manager
Wisconsin Director
Wisconsin Campus Coordinator
Wisconsin Outreach Coordinator
Wisconsin Fundraising Manager
Wyoming Campus Coordinator
Wyoming Outreach Coordinator
Wyoming Fundraising Manager
Thanks! I gather Wagner does not.
That’s why I want to see for myself.
I’d love to. Write the Redlichs. I have no control over it.
Given your past invovement that’s understandable, but I would prefer to see for myself and reach my own conclusions.
He’s impressed me in person. Seems very down to earth and open to learning. In some of his media appearances he comes off as arrogant and condescending, like his debate with Jill Stein and some of his interviews. His delivery is uneven – sometimes awesome, other times far less so.
His record is mixed. For someone who has actually been governor it was very good, but there are things that I don’t like, such as private prisons, the “fair” tax, and the lack of pardons for victimless crimes.
Yes, I remember. I don’t remember anything about Burke being asked. There were questions about finances but a new interview could delve into the specifics of what George has found in FEC reports.
Also, I’d like to try a written format. With the verbal interviews and you taking notes some of that financial detail, among other things, can’t be conveyed.
If it’s all negative questions though, I’m not sure he would want to take it on (although I could ask), so it would be good to mix in at least some more positive or neutral ones if we can.
And now back to reality.
Gov. Johnson is seriously considering running, and of course he doesn’t want to commit if he doesn’t think the money and organization will be there.
So, for the time being, this is his vehicle to (1) continue to get some media attention, and (2) raise some money. I have no idea how much they have raised, and as it is not a political committee, election reporting regulations don’t apply.
As far as personnel, I know that they have tried to recruit people here in New York, and no doubt in all 50 states. Perhaps no one other than Burke volunteered for the job in Oregon. If interested, one would have to ask the west coast regional manager for OAI since the regional managers are the guys who recruit the state managers.
Finally, the truth comes out.
And IPR readers are the first to find out on Christmas Day.
For Paulie, it’s all about the money.
I’m so disillusioned. Here I thought he cared about spreading the message of freedom, and as he admits, he’s just in it for the fast, easy dough.
Thank goodness Obama wasn’t lying about that free health care stuff….
Paulie,
I might throw you out of a van in a fit of repressed, unexpressed (my fault entirely) earlier frustration and fear . . . but I will not shoot you!
You do good work.
I trust your work.
Sometimes you need to get close to smell a rat.
Sometimes former rats repent and get their acts together.
You wrote (somewhere up there in this thread (can we PLEASE get the comment numbers back?)
“My involvement is based purely on the hope that the organization will live up to its promise and do something useful.”
My lack of involvement is based on my lack of hope that the organization will live up to its promise and do something useful.
From what I experienced directly of Gary Johnson (mostly conference calls, and 3 or 4 personal interactions over breakfast, lunch, the party in Alburquerque, etc), I liked him. I like what I saw of (most of) his record as governor. It’s hard (but not impossible) to imagine another better viable candidate.
Also responding to a comment above, I helped set these up and was present when they were conducted
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2012/10/first-ipr-interview-with-gary-johnson-campaign-manager-ron-nielson/
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2012/10/your-questions-for-ron-nielson-ii/
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2012/11/second-interview-with-ron-nielson/
Rereading the above, it’s clear I edited Ron’s responses efore publication, mostly for clarity, not content. Paulie noted ” Joe Buchman took notes. There?s no verbatim transcript of the interview. ”
Among the highlightes I’ve noticed:
PAULIE: Another reader at IPR asks if you could provide, along those lines, a general accounting of expenditures and how decisions were made.
RON: We?ve put that out in the form of a letter from our Treasurer for our spending through the end of September.
(Editor?s Note: Available here: https://independentpoliticalreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/GJ-2012-General-Election-Summary1.pdf)
RON: Our Treasurer will update those numbers for October and at the end of the campaign.
RON: In each state we had two groups that we worked with. First we had the already organized existing state party organizations, many of which were very, very well organized. But we also had, in each state, as a part of the campaign our State Director, a State Campus Organizer, and a State Finance Chair for the campaign.
(Editor?s Note: Much of this organization was put in place prior to or during the Governor?s campaign for the Republican Party nomination, and was continued through the campaign for the Libertarian nomination, and then through the general election).
“PAULIE: Anything you?d like the IPR readers to know?
“RON: I believe we will gain a great grassroots organization out of our work
on this campaign, especially among 18 to 35 year olds. That is exciting. I
believe it lays a solid foundation and the groundwork for the future that
the Liberty movement needs.
Ah who am I kidding? My moral culpabilities are way too much to ever start over. Someone just shoot me.
But maybe Wes Wagner is right. Take myself for example.
Maybe I’m just a profiteer trying to cash in on a lucrative scheme in which I am knowingly complicit.
Perhaps that’s why I have spent so many thousands of hours on volunteer tasks like IPR that have earned me no money at all, but may well end up earning me a death by torture in a concentration camp.
Or maybe that’s why I walked away from millions of dollars (that have since then turned into a lot more) with nothing and went on to live the fabulous four figure annual income lifestyle for a number of years.
I’m sure it’s because there is nothing else I am capable of doing if I put this much time and effort into it that would make me wealthier.
And all the time I’ve spent on the LNC has made me even wealthier, hard as that may be to believe. After all, my petition contracts have been so much more lucrative than they were before and than other petitioners who are not on the LNC. (Actually no, in case anyone is wondering).
So, given these facts and all the money I have already made off OAI (zero) it naturally makes sense why I would volunteer for this as well. It must be the money! After all, if OAI ever has petition work, the only way I can get in on it is by volunteering as a state director first.
I should call up my private pilot right now and tell him to get my lear jet and bring up my relatives from Florida so they can get in on all this lucrative action. Nah, they are way too ethical to ever go against their principles like that.
On second thought no. What I should really do is repent, stop being such a greedy pig, and go join them in their poor, humble but oh so ethical life down there. All of this crazy opulence that I earn from IPR, the LP and such will be hard to give up, but I’ll just have to do it.
After all, it just has not been satisfying (at least that part is literally true) despite all the fabulous wealth it has earned me.
I’ll be a more ethical person if I quit all this volunteer activity and stop earning a meager living working full time for liberty. Then at least I’ll be more respected (well, that last part is also actually true).
Yep, earning the big bucks, that has been my motivation all along. It’s time for me to come clean, get my butler to fetch my chauffeur, get the Rolls on the road to the airport and start my life over.
Yep. And that’s still true whether it is true in this case or not.
Were they ever asked in print where we can see the answers and Ron could see the questions? As far as I know, no.
RC
The questions were asked already, multiple times, sometimes by members of Ron’s staff. It is not pretty.
Accuse first and maybe ask questions later seems highly dysfunctional, and far too common, IMO.
Or you can just assume he is a crook and not ask him to give his side of the story, which seems to be the MO of a lot of people here when it comes to any LP controversy.
Thinking on that further.
Nielson has made himself available to me for phone interviews before.
If we get a list of questions together, I could attempt a text interview also.
That’s true. If we can get a succinct written summary I can ask him.
Perhaps Nielson is not aware of your side of the story on Burke. Or perhaps he is not convinced it is true.
Joe Buchman has a number of stories about that which indicate that Nielson is/should be fully aware with what he is dealing with with regards to Burke.
Perhaps Nielson is not aware of your side of the story on Burke. Or perhaps he is not convinced it is true.
I’m not sure it was either legal or ethical. It may have been both or neither.
paulie
Has someone else from Oregon expressed interest?
The hallmark of an ethical organization is that they don’t have to take on crooks because those are the only people who are willing to work with them.
I have, by the way, received credibe reports from other people who had had issues with Nielson’s organizations paying them, so I am keeping my eyes and ears open.
misfeasance … there is a difference. What they did may be technically legal … but quite unethical.
Has someone else from Oregon expressed interest?
Because I’m not convinced that there was any malfeasance. There may have been, or Nielson’s explanation could be true.
But in any case, I am talking about direct evidence that I can see for myself. When and if I have some I will share it, regardless if it is good or bad.
No thanks.
I have family that have made a lot of money in Florida real estate and real estate development, but I’ve chosen a different path..
You can consider whatever you want, but I have received no money at all from OAI.
As for the Johnson campaign, they did take over payment on one of my (indirect) ballot access contracts with LNC after the fact when LNC ran out of money. They paid some of it, very slowly, than passed the ball back to LNC.
Other than that my ballot access deals were never with them.
My involvement is based purely on the hope that the organization will live up to its promise and do something useful.
paulie
I have some lucrative real estate prospects in Florida I would like to talk to you about…
I am not happy about the lack of open books and have told him so several times in no uncertain terms. Despite the hysteria some have applied, I am not convinced either that his explanation of the FEC numbers is true or that it isn’t.
paulie
How can you not smell a rat given Gary Johnson’s previous 2 campaigns and their financial misfeasance?
I have no vested interest, as I am not sure whether I plan to continue doing petition work or not, and there are plenty of groups that hire petitioners if I do. My interest is in advancing the movement for liberty. There are plenty more lucrative things I can do for a living. If I smell a rat I will be sure to let everyone know even if it hurts my bottom line. I’ve done it many other times. My interest is in having the truth be known for better or for worse, period.
paulie
Given Ron’s history.. the lack of open books … you are involved in a scam.
Since I regard you as “smarter than that” I consider you complicit.
I’ve seen no evidence that OAI spends anything like 80% on that, and it takes staff to run an organization and do those visible things; they don’t just magically materialize. OAI right now has maybe one or two people on staff BTW. And much of what it is doing at the moment or planning to do isn’t even paid activity at all.
A good chunk of what is being talked about is campus tours, which will rely heavily on volunteers, and ballot initiatives, where most of the money will go to outside contractors (at least that is how initiatives are usually run). So nothing like 80% on staff.
I suspect Paulie has a vested interest in plugging OIA because they might at some point spend 5-10% of their revenues on actual political activity in order to keep up the facade, and some of that might be in petitioning contracts.
Nothing about OAI promises any quick or easy solution. It’s all about hard work from the bottom up.
Well, you may be being beware unnecessarily and cutting into whatever momentum we can build for 2016 or for the issue campaigns OAI will be working on. So my advice is to get involved – most states have openings for some of the positions such as Outreach Director, Campus Director and Fundraising Manager, and some for State Director also (I’m one myself); get on the national calls, make suggestions and ask questions.
paulie
https://ouramericainitiative.com/oregon.html
If this is the caliber of people they can get to work with them… it’s a scam!
No and no.
But I believe that there are strong indications that he will do both.
For one thing, most of the state and regional chairs of OAI are LP activists.
You forgot to put multiple exclamation points.
Shouting does not make your argument more persuasive. The discussions I have been involved with are all about things that I mentioned, and which I believe need to be done.
If I don’t see any of them advance beyond the discussion stage I may be more inclined to agree with you.
Just as there are “get rich quick” scams there are Political scams as well, many that promise to deliver a solution quickly, but only end up taking your money and dishing out excuses as to the failure and inactivity.
‘Buyer beware’ is my best advice.
Just so we are entirely clear … if an organization does a couple visible things, but spends more than 80% of their funds on padding the wallets of staff and principals … it’s a scam. It may not meet the legal definition because the laws are perverted to protect the corrupt (Bastiat) … but it is still a scam.
Has Gary Johnson said whether he will run for office again and, if so,
on the LP ticket?
paulie
Will they open their books? No? Ron is involved? Yes?
IT’S A FUCKING SCAM!
I don’t know to what extent it will line Nielson’s pockets, but it is doing or trying to do real work with getting Johnson and other spokespeople in front of media, campus and perhaps other audiences, creating video ads, engaging people to lobby government, working on ballot initiatives, building a list of supporters (financial as well as volunteer) that could be the basis for a more successful Johnson run, creating and circulating opinion columns, and various other legitimate activities so I would not agree that it is a scam.
I believe that the Our America Initiative is a scam to line Ron Nielson’s pockets and that Gary is and has been being used for that purpose since almost the beginning.