BlueRidgeForum

As many of us have learned, John Flynn, outgoing executive director of the Maryland Republican Party, is leaving to become general counsel of Americans for Prosperity, an effective national free-market organization with a strong presence in a number of states.

Labor lawyer Flynn was formerly counsel to Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, one of the most competent members of the president’s cabinet. Flynn’s background ranged from a senior position on the Republican National Committee to the Federalist Society to a fellowship at the C. S. Lewis Institute.

Before becoming executive director of the Maryland GOP, Flynn had in his spare time also headed a modest watchdog organization called the Maryland Accountability Project which bestowed “Crabbie” awards upon those members of the General Assembly who had distinguished themselves by their absenteeism. Because of research Flynn had contributed to MAP before becoming GOP executive director, some state senate Republicans whose records MAP subsequently highlighted here reportedly became Flynn critics.

We remember John Flynn’s finest hour when he and chairman Jim Pelura broke here with the national Republican Party on the president’s immigration program. This was courageous in Maryland, and unheard of in Virginia where the state Republican party squeezes conservatives with an iron hand.

John - - - as a citizen, not as a party official - - - also organized regular welcomings for returning troops arriving at BWI. Jim Pelura supported John as party apparatchiks (whom many saw as affiliated with the former Annapolis administration) repeatedly tried to have John fired and to undercut Pelura by depriving him of his choice of staff.

Pelura, ever the conservative stalwart, stood firm.

Tom LoBianco, the Washington Times reporter, has (unlike the practice of WT’s national desk) been a consistent mouthpiece for the anti-conservative Maryland Republicans sniping at the Pelura leadership. Here is LoBianco’s reporting today where he declares that

“The new executive director will replace John Flynn, whose work at the party was occasionally controversial and divisive among Republicans, especially in the General Assembly.” [Underscoring BRF’s - - - note the telltale code word “divisive.”]

Carroll County GOP Chief Larry Helminiak, commenting on the LoBianco article today, told Blue Ridge Forum:

When news stories are done about Democrats, the reporter tends to speak to the designated leader. But if it is about the Republican party, they call others in the party until they get something that sounds contradictory. As a county chairman myself, I know that the financial position of the party is far better than the report.

A look at the year by year income is telling. When there were more Republicans in the House of Delegates, and a Republican governor, donors gave more money to Republicans. But after gaining no seats in the Senate, losing 6 in the House of Delegates, then losing the governorship, donations to the party out of power dropped. As teenagers would say, “Duh.”

Bottom line: Maryland conservatives should insist on GOP chairman Jim Pelura’s independence in choosing his own staff. Lilliputians should no longer be allowed to try to tie up strong, competent party officials.

On a personal note, we thank John for bringing a touch of class to a very hard business.

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