Establishment Republicans Establish Lack of Consistent Standards

By: Brian Genest – Oct. 2021

Blatant hypocrisy. Shameless double standards. Profiles in cowardice. All were on display at the recent meeting of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee.

Not one establishment Republican had a word to say about Tom Mountain, the former MassGOP vice chair who has stepped down from the party’s executive committee. Not one commented on Turtleboy’s multi-part series or live YouTube coverage of Mountain’s alleged online escapades. Not one condemned Mountain. In fact, they voted against censuring him.

As you may recall, it was an entirely different story recently when a state committeewoman made private comments that were leaked to the media about a gay congressional candidate adopting children with his husband. In that case, there were demands for the state committee member to resign.

There were demands for MassGOP Chairman Jim Lyons to make her resign. There were demands for Lyons to resign. This time, there were crickets.

The resolution to censure Mountain was simple and straightforward.

“Whereas: The Massachusetts Republican Party is in the process of gathering a talented and skilled set of Republican candidates to run for political office in 2022, and

Whereas: In order to achieve victory, our Party and its leadership must be seen as having more integrity, more decency and more real conviction than our Democrat counterparts, and

Whereas: In order to achieve victory, we must function as one entity with all members in support of that common goal, and

Whereas: State Committeeman Thomas Mountain has repeatedly engaged in activities designed to hurt our fundraising efforts and recruitment efforts, and

Whereas: Mr. Mountain has repeatedly advised Republican groups NOT to donate to the Massachusetts Republican Party, and

Whereas: Mr. Mountain has embarrassed the Party with his postings on social media designed to objectify young women, and

Whereas: Mr. Mountain has attacked a colleague for her religious beliefs and called for her resignation, while now refusing to resign after his bad behavior, and

Whereas: Mr. Mountain continues to engage in harmful activity designed to hurt our chances not only in 2022, but in the indefinite future, be it

Resolved: That this body censured Mr. Mountain for his actions, and be it

Resolved: That this body calls on Mr. Mountain to immediately resign from the Massachusetts Republican State Committee.”

The resolution failed, with 22 members voting in favor, 35 against and 13 abstaining.

Who voted against this no-brainer of a resolution? For starters, payroll patriots. There’s no shortage of state committee members on the state payroll and they were among those voting against the resolution.

At the top of the list are Paul Frost of Auburn and Shawn Dooley of Norfolk, who lost his bid for party chairman earlier this year. Both are state representatives. So much for leadership.

Other state committee members who voted against the censure include:

* Brock Cordeiro of Dartmouth, an administrative/legislative aide in the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office for $75,193

* Will Crocker of Centerville, who was thrown out of the state legislature last year, the southeast regional director at the Massachusetts Office of Business Development for $75,000

* Jennifer Cunningham of Plymouth, a paralegal specialist in the Executive Office of Public Safety for $70,332

* Matt Sisk of Braintree, executive director of civil process at the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office for $92,500

What’s worse than voting against the resolution? Not voting at all.

Laurie Myers of Chelmsford, who makes $125,000 as executive director of the Sex Offender Registry Board, abstained from the vote.

Likewise for Ryan Chamberland of Blackstone, deputy chief of staff in the Executive Office of Public Safety for $96,390.

Ditto for Angela Davis of Foxborough, an assistant in the Executive Office of Public Safety for $130,000, who lost her position as MassGOP Secretary last year.

Did you elect your Republican State Committeeman and Committeewoman so they could avoid taking a stand?

It’s now well established: It’s time for some members of the party establishment to establish consistent standards when it comes to party rules, righteous indignation and their colleagues.

— Brian Genest is a member of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee representing the Second Essex & Middlesex District of Andover, Dracut, Lawrence and Tewksbury. ◊