Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Vaughn A No-Show At Washington Township GOP Club

I had the pleasure of serving on a blogger panel with fellow bloggers Paul Ogden and Sean Shepard at the monthly meeting of the Washington Township GOP Club last night. Three of the four candidates seeking to replace Sen. Teresa Lubbers in the 30th Senate District pressed the flesh with the Republican faithful, including Chris Douglas, John Ruckelshaus and Scott Schneider. Ryan Vaughn was a no-show. I'm told by regular attendees that Vaughn rarely attends the Washington Township event despite the fact that it is in his council district. Committeepersons in the Senate district will meet in the near future to select Lubbers' replacement.

A number of other elected officials were in attendance, including Sen. Mike Delph, State Rep. Cindy Noe, City-County Councilor Christine Scales and Marion Co. Superior Judge Lisa Borgess. Sheriff candidate Bart McAtee also was in attendance.

Congratulations to businessman and Washington Township school board member Greg Wright on his recent appointment to the Indianapolis EEO Advisory Board. Rep. Cindy Noe swore-in Wright to his new post last night. He will make a wonderful addition to a board that is badly in need of some adult supervision.

13 comments:

Diana Vice said...

Congratulations, Greg! You were a great choice!

Paul K. Ogden said...

As a former candidate myself, I was shocked to learn that Vaughn doesn't regularly come to Washington Township meetings. That's the No. 1 thing you do as a candidate - show up at the township GOP club meetings. The only elected officials who stopped coming were those who got lazy after they were in office for awhile. And those people often set themselves up for getting the boot.

The fact he doesn't show up at GOP Club meetings begs the question of whether Vaughn is meeting with all the PCs in Senate District 30 which is another thing that is expected for people running for a vacancy like he is. I guarantee you the PCs expect that. While I don't know Chris Douglas, I do know John Ruckleshaus and Scott Schneider enough to know that they are extremely energetic individuals who will try to personally meet with everyone who will be voting at the caucus.

Maybe Vaughn's friends in the party leadership can put enough mummy dummy PCs in to tip the balance in his favor of the wishes of the real PCs in the district. You would think though that he wouldn't rely completely on that.

artfuggins said...

Why would anyone be surprised that Ryan Vaughn did not show...He only appears where the big shots are...he has no real concern for the grass roots....

amy said...

Grass roots are where its at. Ruckelshaus all the way. It is time to put experience, energy, and the best interest of the citizens of the State of Indiana into the Indiana Senate. Go Ruckelshaus!!!

indyernie said...

Gary I couldn't help but notice the applause that Scott Schneider received compared to the other candidates. If applause was a determinant, Scott wins hands down.

GOP Chicka said...

Ryan Vaughn has been meeting with many PCs and VPCs in SD30, he's gone to their homes, their workplaces and shared meals with them. Has anybody even asked Ryan Vaughn why he didn't attend the meeting? For all we know he could have been meeting with a PC in that district that evening? As a PC in SD 30...nobody has ever invited me to attend Washington Township GOP meeting and with a group who is obviously leaning towards another candidate, why would it benefit him to attend?

It's so funny how everybody thinks Ryan Vaughn is the established party candidate. Haven't Ruckelshaus and Schneider been around a lot longer...or are they no longer affiliated with the party? To me, they seem like they are the established party candidate.

I think one lesson we learned from this past election is that we need to focus on moving the party forward and finding candidates who can do that. Not candidates who think the party owes them something.

Ryan Vaughn will outwork any other candidate in this race and in any other race and I'm proud to be supporting him.

Sir Hailstone said...

Maybe Vaughn's friends in the party leadership can put enough mummy dummy PCs in to tip the balance in his favor of the wishes of the real PCs in the district. You would think though that he wouldn't rely completely on that.Ask Jon Costas how well that worked out for him [grin]

Paul K. Ogden said...

GOP Chicka,

I was told by several people at the meeting that Ryan Vaughn rarely attends Washington Township meetings. This wasn't a one time thing. As a candidate especially it is considered a major slight to miss a meeting. He not only missed the meeting, he didn't even bother to send "regrets."

As far as the party establishment being for Schneider or Ruckelshaus, well that's pretty funny. Marion County Center Area Chairman and Hamilton County resident David Brooks is twisting arms of PCs to vote for Ryan Vaughn. So too is GOP County Chairman Tom John. Vacancies are getting filled by peoople just for the purpose of going to the vacancy election and casting a vote for Vaughn.

You can certainly support whoever you want. Me, I prefer someone with integrity and ethics, and who won't put up his seat to the highest bidder. That's what Vaughn did with his council seat when he immediately took a job with Barnes & Thornburg upon getting a majority and proceeded to chair a committee in front of which a parade of B&T clients appeared.

It will be interesting to see if Vaughn continues to sell out the people who elected by voting for a tax increases to bail out the CIB and his boss, Bob Grand, and give a client of his law firm, the Simons, $15 million more per year of taxpayer dollars.

I know John Ruckleshaus and Scott Schneider for years. They are both very hard workers, intelligent, and have a 1000 times the integrity that Ryan Vaughn has. I have a preference for Scott because I think he more closely represents my values and is independent-minded, but I would certainly also be proud to have John back in the legislature.

Paul K. Ogden said...

Sir,

Delegates to the state convention are elected not appointed. That's a big difference. When a Marion County GOP chairman wants to influence results, he simply fills a whole slew of vacancies with people to vote a certain way. With a convention you at least have some trappings of democracy.

Downtown Indy said...

Yet Ryan makes his appointed rounds to the Garrison program.

artfuggins said...

Chicka...Ryan Vaughn is NOT the bright and shining star that you seem to think he is...he is a puppet for the behind the scenes power brokers...he is an order taker and nothing more.

Paul K. Ogden said...

Art,

You are right. The power brokers want people they can "control," not bright independent minds. The Marion County D's ar like that too though.

Sir Hailstone said...

Delegates to the state convention are elected not appointed.
Beg to differ. Convention delegate positions not filled via election are in fact appointed by the County Chairman. Same as PC - those who are not elected in the Primary are appointed by the Chairman. Tom John replaced a number of previously appointed delegates to the convention when they would not commit to voting for Jon Costas for Attorney General.