Newleader Editorial Page, Roller's view

Roller gives his account of Augusta GOP dispute
In most elections where there is competition, whether it is a club, church, or even a national political contest, the losing contestant will congratulate and offer the winner his support. This did not happen at the Augusta County Republican Committee’s election of its unit chairman.
Instead, the loser declared himself the winner and appealed to the 6th District Committee of the Virginia Republican Party to support his declaration.

Kurt Michael sent an e-mail to Fred Anderson, chairman of the 6th District Committee, dated April 13, just three days after the Augusta County Republican Committee’s Mass Meeting requesting “an immediate convening of the 6th District Congressional Committee to resolve issues related to the Augusta County Republican Committee mass meeting held on April 10, 2008.”
Anderson asked him to “Please e-mail the issue you wish to be resolved. ...” Michael did not comply but Anderson began to prepare for an investigation based on various telephone and e-mail conversations he had received. ( Post on Fred's Investigation here)
Anderson requested that each “candidate” submit a statement attesting to his being duly elected as unit chairman, and the statement must be attested by at least 25 signatures of persons who were in attendance at the mass meeting and voted.
I sent in such a statement signed by 49 persons.
Michael did not comply.
Anderson established a fact-finding committee to interview each candidate.
Michael was to meet with the committee at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 26, 2008; my time was11 a.m. ( See post on this "scheduled" meeting here )
We were allowed two persons to appear with us and to help support our claim.
Michael did not appear before the committee, nor did he send someone to represent him.
I presented my case as scheduled.The fact-finding committee made its report after the regular 6th District meeting on Saturday, May 3 around 5 p.m.
The fact-finding committee consisted of Rick Claybrook and Vito Gentile, Shenandoah regional vice-chairman, who was the designated chairman.
The recommendations of the committee were that I was legally elected as chairman of the Augusta County Republican Committee, and that Kurt Michael’s claim to the chairmanship had no standing.
Michael was permitted to speak at the meeting, I was not allowed to speak.
The members voted 15 to 8 eight not to accept the recommendations of the fact-finding committee.
When the members of the 6th District Committee would not permit me to speak and correct some of Kurt Michael’s statements, I realized that it was time to answer the questions I have received from interested voters in our area.
One of Michael’s statements before the 6th District Committee was, “Where is a copy of the appeal?”
He was acting as if I should have made an appeal.
I was legally elected as reported by the fact-finding committee.
The only appeal was when Michael contacted Fred Anderson by e-mail requesting a meeting with the 6th District.
I will agree that there were irregularities during the conduct of the mass meeting as stated by Michael, taking place after Jim Bailey was elected temporary chairman by a vote of 138 to 110. As he stepped up to the lectern, he requested a copy of the agenda.
Michael stood up and announced to the assembly that if Jim wanted to be temporary chairman, then he should have prepared his own agenda. Michael claimed that the agenda he had was his own property.
Excuse me! The agenda he had was the one approved by the ACRC members at its March meeting. (was that the same meeting where the rules had been approved?)
Therefore, it was the official committee’s agenda — not Michael’s.
Jim did an outstanding job of continuing the meeting without an agenda, appointing the various committee chairmen such as rules, credentials, etc., and a temporary secretary.
A second irregularity occurred when it came time for the secret balloting for the unit chairman. Jim Bailey asked for the ballots.
Again he was told that if he wanted ballots, he should have prepared them.
They would not give him the prepared ballots. ( Was this right? No. Was it human? Yes. But as it has been posted on other blogs, "If you want to take over the bus, you better know how to drive.)
It was suggested that everyone use their credential slips as a ballot, but that was rejected because the person’s name was on the credentialed slips; therefore, it would not be a secret ballot.
Someone stated they had a box of blue 3 x 5 cards that could be used.
From the credentialed sign-in sheets, credential chairman John Wert then conducted the balloting with representatives for each candidate observing.
He would call a name from his list, the person would come forward, present his credentialed slip in his left hand, drop it on the lectern in front of Wert, and then drop the blue ballot, with the person’s name he voted for written on it, in the ballot box.
When everyone had voted, the ballots were counted; I won by 141 to 110. I was then invited to address the assembly.
However, Michael stepped forward and proceeded to take over the meeting.
Bailey then declared the meeting adjourned and approximated 200 of the credentialed voters left. (Wrong order Dr.Roller. See video tape of Michael pleading with Bailey not to end meeting here)
Sen. Emmett Hanger said, “Kurt, don’t do this. Let Larry conduct the meeting so that we can get the 6th District delegates and the State District delegates certified.”
Michael told him to leave: “If you don’t, I will have you thrown out!”
The senator and I both left while Michael conducted his illegal meeting with only 59 of the 271 credentialed voters remaining.
This was the meeting that the fact-finding committee stated was not legal and had no standing. In spite of the facts, the members of the 6th District Committee rejected their own fact-finding committee’s report by a vote of 15 to 8.
This decision is now being appealed at the State Republican Committee level.
Obviously, the behavior of Michael clearly demonstrates that he is not interested in “what’s good for the Republican party.”
He’s more concerned about what authority and power he can attain for himself.
(What power? The $1000 budget of the local Republicans? What jobs does the chairman dish out? What favors can he do? Dr. Roller should ask, Who has the real power? Who controls big budgets? Who controls zoning? Who really benefits?)

I have tried to be as unbiased in this situation as possible. I have tried to keep an open mind. And I did support Kurt Michael's re-election bid prior to the Mass meeting. I have shown the mistakes by both sides. See here and here .I have documented, posted, shown everything that I have found in the local press, the blogs, etc.

This is similar to the David and Goliath battle.
The problem is that the David in our story does have blemishes.
The Goliath has the 141 votes.
It sounds like Goliath has democracy on his side.
But each day I keep seeing distotions and fabrications.
I see a manipulation of the Mass meeting,
and manipulation of some of the local press.
It doesn't seem like a fair fight in the schoolyard.
It looks like a bully picking on the little guy who dared to stand up to the bully.
It looks like a bully picking on the little guy who dared support democracy.
Am I wrong?
See Journal of Civilized Man's piece here.