RON MCLAIN RESIGNS AS REPUBLICAN CHAIR OF NUECES COUNTY, TX: NEAL MACHINE HIJACKS PARTY

RON MCLAIN RESIGNS AS REPUBLICAN CHAIR in Nueces County.

NEAL NETWORK MUSCLES ITSELF TO FULL CONTROL !

The scoop: he was beleaguered by the LOYD NEAL NETWORK and some of the “old guard” – according to sources.

MCLAIN (with libertarian leanings) in a recent election beat Mike Bergsma (associated with the Neal Machine of Government-Corporate Relationships). Intially when McLain won with the support of the “tea-partyers” and libertarians he was described as a true representative of the people. Early on Radio Talk Show host Bob Jones (who transmits off a Christian Station) said: “We need ‘Tea Party’ people in the party to keep the Repubican Party honest.” Even long time political Republican activist William “Willy” Vaden said: “The Tea Party folks are the true blood of the Republican Party.”

It all sounded positive at first; McLain had defeated Mike Bergsma (the “establishment guy” – he was the person endorsed by former Chair Mike Bertuzzi) that had been part of a movement associated the Loyd Neal network to make a cottage industry with tax-dollars.

However, McLain would be pressured BY THE REPUBLICAN NEAL MACHINE and some of the “Old Guard” TO RESIGN. Ron (with libertarian leanings) who advocated "small government" and "fiscal sanity" would gradually be stripped of al his powers to appoint persons to committes and exercise a major role in party. Why?

Had McLain failed to accommodate the “special needs” of the NEAL MACHINE? One McLain supporter gave us a glimpse of last Tuesday's meeting of the Nueces County Republican Party: “The Neal machine and some of the ‘old guard' were there at the committee meeting passing cards to each other. Their objective was to strip the new chair (McLain) of most of his power. They were also intentionally upsetting McLain, and they did so to the point that he blew up… ‘Resign if you don't like it’ one person whispered a daring note."

McLain, who opposed the "big government" agenda of coporate/government relationships promoted by County Judge Loyd Neal and friends, finally decided to resign. McLain had previously objected to Neal’s close associations with the Rene Rodriguez political faction and frown somewhat on the adulation given to "Rene's Girls" (i.e., candidates Angelica Hernandez, Anna Maria Jimenez, and Amanda Torres). One regional Libertarian opined: “I think McLain had realized that the Republican Party (at least those associated with Neal) was mostly about a profit-making agenda. As for Neal, I believe he is desperate to win to the point that he would kow-tow and recruit even the ‘infamous’ Rene Rodriguez to optimize his chances to win.” The same source added: “Neal wants to complete one of the most lucrative insurance deals of his life. Disturbingly, he has hired his former secretary Claudia Lobell (whose total salary/benefits amount to about $80,000) and even used his influence to bring in his former insurance business partner (i.e., Tomas Duran who specializes as Neal on “self-insured” Group Health Insurance) as a consultant. McLain was seen as an obsticle by the profit-making machine, and they did everything in their power to enervate the influence of this office.”

But not everyone agrees with this interpretation. One anti-McLain member of the Executive Committee of the Nueces County Republican Party shared: “McLain I feel was not a true Republican; he was a ‘conservative’ which is a code word for Libertarian. I feel he stepped down because he didn’t get what he wanted. He proposed bylaws that would allow him to appoint anyone of his choosing to different committees, etc, without a vote or input from the Executive Committee.” The same sourced added: “Thus, defeating the purpose of having an Executive Committee in the first place, in my opinion. His proposed bylaws would have given him more control over the party, and I feel without any oversight or accountability… His proposed bylaws, I feel, again, would have taken away some of the voice of Precinct Chairs and the people he represented. It appeared to me that he was more interested in getting control of the Republican Party than uniting it. This is ironic because: isn’t that what he accused the ‘old guard’ of doing?”

Another anti-Ron McLain Republican injected: “I personally feel it was sneaky and disingenuous for McLain to run for the Republican chair to begin with. He’s not a Republican in my opinion. He maybe conservative, but he’s still not a Republican. We are the Nueces County Republican Party, not the Nueces County Republican, Libertarian and Conservative Party.”

Had McLain failed to understand the culture of the Neal Machine and the so-called “old guard”? Most observers agree that THE LOYD NEAL Network has a “For Profit” incentive in it. One downtown businessman postulated: “I feel the Neal Machine is run like a business. It is successful because many key supporters benefit from it. On the other hand, the Democratic Party in this county is weak maybe because they are still trying to run it like a political party. This kind of model might be considered too naive and pristine in this day and age by career politicos - they might want a return for their services. The Democratic Party has little or no incentitves for key players to connect with it. The Democratic Party in this county is still trying to be run on nothing more than ‘passion’ for the party. I feel McLain wanted to do a similar thing in the Republican Party.”

A Corpus Christi City Councilman agreed: “Maybe top players want to stretch the envelope. Maybe more passion for money is the key to buying loyalty to some degree within the Republican Party (i.e., Neal machine). On the other side fo the ocin, maybe many Democrats are working with Republicans now because of their passion to make money or other benefits such as the couple Mark and Carol Scott have done in the city and at CCISD. The latter couple (associated with the Neal Network) have used their political affiliation to make money – and the hell with ethics... As for former Republican Chair Mike Bertuzzi, he formed a close relationship with Phil Vela and Representative Tod Hunter because he saw the ‘new’ business design – that is, to capitalize on political relationships. Think about it: ‘How can you run against someone that is gonna make money and can get you money?’ You see right now in this eleciton: “There is not so much passion among Democrats as among Republicans associated with the Loyd Neal Network. Lots of money can be made – ethics? Hehehehehe.”

One local businessman (associated with the Democratic Party) agreed: “A few democrats are starting to see money and other incentives as a motivator in politics. See traditional Democrat Party activists like Abel Alonzo and Susie Luna (not changing parties but supporting Republicans. In the school you had Luna fighing Carol Scott and John longoria – the two that did attacked the union – AFT (American Federation of Teachers) – that she was associated with at Corpus Christi ISD. They made sure she was not part of them anymore. Now she is supporting John Longoria and others of that camp to get re-elected in the School Board. Longoria has always been a ‘I will make it worth your while financially” type of guy.”

“As regards Ron McLain, it has to be asked if he was trying to bring back the idea of supporting the Republican Party for philosophical reasons to bring it back to its idealistic and passionate platform?” – this is a question being asked. “It doesn't pay to try to challenge the Loyd Neal Network” – Is this the message that was sent to other party members -- i.e., by pressuring McLain to resign?

A Democrat shared a smiliar story: “The same thing that happen to Ron McLain in the Republican Party I feel happen to Lucy Rubio when she was the Democratic Party chair in the county. The establishment never accepted her. She was pressured not to run anymore. Ms. Rubio never had control of the rank and file. I feel this is not a right or wrong issue, but if you go against the establishment of a party: the odds are you will not succeed fruitfully in your tenure. This also happened to Lauro Cuellar some years back when he was the Democratic Chair and he didn’t play ball with Rene Rodriguez in the Democratic Party.”

One local historian said: “If you don’t follow the lead of those that are on the inside, and sometimes even if you don’t do what you are told by them, you are out of there. If this trend continues, I feel both parties are not good for this county and country. The Neal Network is clearly not in the best interest of community and county but there are incentives, lucrative incentives floating around to key figures. It is an agenda that is not good for the people. Public officials should not be using their public offices to make a profit for their own person business. The latter has been a trademark of the Neal Network.”

A miff has broken out in Facebook between some so-called “real” Republicans and “Libertarian” Republicans. Here is a taste of an exchange between two ladies. Both ladies are active within the party had hold posts.

LIBERARIAN (FEMALE): “Ms. ?, you were and still are part of the old Republican guard. Shame that had to put Ron (McLain) through the ringer. It’s not over until the fat lady sings.”

Anti-McLain (female): “I’m a Precinct Chair for the Republican Party & I was at the committee meeting Tuesday. Judge Loyd neal DID NOT ‘strong arm’ Ron McLain, nor was there any sort of ‘machine’ present.”

LIBERTARIAN (FEMALE): “Ms. ?, if you are going to be saying things about people, you should have some spine and stand by what you say when you are confronted.” (The Libertarian female had been called a “porn star.”)

Anti_McLain (Female): “Uh, sure-whatever you say, lady.”

Libertarian (female): “Ms. ?, what was the last movie you saw me in? Did you enjoy it? I enjoyed making it. Let me be perfectly clear. I have never been a porn star; I have no intentions of ever being one. It is my opinion that certain actions should remain private.”

Libertarian (female): "Ms. ? I would appreciate it if you did your research when you comment on other people. Not only have you accused me of being a porn star, now you are accusing Ron McLain of not being a Republican. For your information Ron McLain has always voted Republican. STOP SPREADING LIES Ms. ?, unless that in your own distorted world, YOU MAKE THINGS UP... Your displaced desires should remain with you and not complicate others."