MARK SCHUMANN
Citing a conflict of interest, blogger, Bea Gardner, resigned from the Indian River County Republican Executive Committee today. Gardner said she can no longer honor the loyalty oath all REC members must take to support only Republican candidates. Gardner also said she is deeply troubled by the slow pace at which the REC is addressing the issue of two of its members apparently responsible for a mailer sent out this week attacking Vero Beach Vice Mayor Jay Kramer.
Today, Gardner posted on her blog, Bea-Isms, the following open letter to the REC.
This is an open letter/article to the Board of Directors of the Republican Executive Committee
(By the way, the color of hair is right in photo, but the figure is not being truthful – I should be so lucky)
The nerve of Scott Stradley and Dan Stump. Here they are, newly sworn in as precinct captains on the Republican Executive Committee and what do they do. Within only about six months of them taking the oath that they will not harm a Republican candidate and they did so.
In fact, they actually killed two birds with one stone. They tried to kill the campaign for Jay Kramer and they implemented Gov. Rick Scott as well. Read the whole story on InsideVero by clicking on to this link.
Now folks, this is serious stuff to the partisan Republicans sitting on the Executive Committee and it is my understanding that these guys will be removed from the Republican Executive Committee, but as we know…the wheels move very slowly in politics and they will probably not be removed until sometime after the election.
And, while the dust has yet to settle on this infraction with the Republican Party, a postcard was received by city residents in which Harry Howle claims to be a Reagan Republican. Hmmm. That too is a campaign infraction because the City Council race is a Non Partisan race and you are not allowed to declare a Party on any campaign material but he did. Oh well….. Read all about this on InsideVero by clicking on to this link.
http://insidevero.com/2014/10/09/howle-seems-to-think-the-problem-is-the-rule-of-law/
Now, getting back to the Republican Executive Committee. We know that the Stradly/Stump postcard was downright mean and they will get their comeuppance in due time but sometimes when you write about all of this stuff as I do, you have to look in the mirror too. And that is what I did after reading all about Stradley, Stump and Howle.
I began to think about the oath that I took in order to serve on the Republican Executive Committee and I have come to the conclusion that I need to terminate my membership to this August body in order for me to, with a clear conscious, be able to support candidates that I feel are right for the job, and I do not want to box myself in to only being able to support Republicans. This recent election cycle has made me realize that there are just too many conflicts of interest for me to remain on the REC. Honestly folks, try as I might, I need to spread my wings and loosen up a bit and become a bit more nonpartisan with regards to Bea-isms.
I say this with a bit of a heavy heart because I have a lot of friends who sit on the Executive Committee and very often the once a month meetings are the only time I see a lot of this nice folks. But, having said this…not being tied to the party in that manner will afford me the freedom that I need for the person bashing that I seem to be so good at – when the person being bashed needs it.
Now, do not take this as a declaration that I am leaving the Party. No no, that is not the case. I am only backing off from serving under an oath never to bad mouth another Republican. If a candidate needs a tongue lashing then they can usually count on Bea-isms for doing so and it will make no difference to me, once I am not a member of the REC what political party they are in. The same holds true to endorsing candidates.
As a matter of fact, I have endorsed the OK’S, that would be Randy Old, Jay Kramer and Jack Shupe in the Vero Beach City Council Race and to this very day I do not know what Party Randy Old belongs to and I just recently learned that Jack Shupe is a registered Independent. I actually did not pay attention to this minor detail because it was a nonpartisan race. So, according to the rules of the Republican Executive Committee, my endorsing him would probably be construed as breaking their rules. See what I mean about my having to look in the mirror. Oh well…I will just have to go to more Republican luncheons and dinner meetings to see my Republican friends as I wean myself away from the once a month Executive Committee meetings.
Ta Ta my friends at the REC.
Indian River Guardian 
As good ol’ Davy Crockett supposedly said (in the song), “Be sure you’re right and then go ahead.” I know this was a difficult decision for Bea Gardner. I applaud her for taking a stand and following through. Politics appears to be a big game — all about strategy more than who might be the best for the country. Mr. Howle has been in Vero 25 yrs but doesn’t know what non-partisan means? This was no innocent mistake. It was deliberate–no doubt about it. The attempted smear of Jay Kramer by political hooligans is a disgrace!
Yes Cathy, It was a difficult decision however, now that I have done this I feel a weight has been lifted. Politics is a big game and from the way I am seeing it…that game is no longer being played by the rules and I don’t like the game as it is being played these days. Now, having said that…the way the game is being played sure does give me a lot to write about on Bea-isms and that will be the big game for me. Lookout all you candidates and politicians, the gloves are off.
Things Change! We find ourselves in a different setting every day and constantly have to make decisions to keep up with todays events, otherwise we remain set in our ways and find that we are the ones missing out and are disconnected. Welcome Bea to the real world of what it takes to win an election, the answer: as you well know, VOTES. Unfortunately the local GOP enjoys the comfort of the past two decades and foolishly continues to think that nothing is changing! They have been lucky so far because the Democratic Party is sleeping as well in the past and doesn’t even know who their present candidate for Congress is! You as I, have come to the same conclusions, however as you have decided now, I have been voting for the candidate or the person and not the party for the last 4 years. As far as current “political hooligans” they have wrecked havoc on all local parties! In an “Enemy of the People” Henrik Ibsen’s story of a Doctor, the last lines in the play were” The strongest man in the world is the man that stands alone”! This play took place almost 150 years ago, be proud that you have always told it the way it was, but this time you are not standing alone, we are standing with you!
Thank you Larry, your remarks mean a lot to me.