The Continuing Controversy Over The TNGOP’s Closed Statesmen’s Dinner
Posted on July 25, 2008 at 8:49 amSeveral prominent Republicans criticise the decision that may very well have been Karl Rove’s:
Sen. Alexander spokesman Lee Pitts said the senator will be unable to attend the dinner Saturday because he will be managing a Senate debate on energy.
“If it was his decision, the event would not be closed, but it’s not his decision,” Mr. Pitts said in an e-mail.
State Rep. Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, who served as state GOP chairwoman from 2004 to 2007, said that “it’s every chairman’s prerogative whether they want to have an open event or closed event. I chose to have our’s open.”
“Actually, we encouraged it (reporters’ coverage) because we wanted to get our message out,” Rep. Harwell said.
While Rep. Harwell said she would prefer this year’s “be opened to the press,” she emphasized she didn’t know the reasoning behind Mrs. Smith’s decision.
Former GOP Chairmen John “Chip” Saltsman and Bob Davis recalled having their Statesmen events opened, but they emphasized the decision is up to the chairman.
In her e-mail statement, Mrs. Smith said that Mr. Hobbs “was acting on information he had been given in making the statement that ‘traditionally’ the dinner had been closed. It was said that ‘traditionally fundraisers are closed.’ The Statesmen’s Dinner is a fundraiser.
“Bill remains correct on the information that he was given that ‘traditionally fundraisers are closed,’” Mrs. Smith continued.
Rep. Harwell, Mr. Saltsman and Mr. Davis all noted that events for large donors, which take place before the dinner, often have been closed.
Comments
4 Responses to “The Continuing Controversy Over The TNGOP’s Closed Statesmen’s Dinner”
Interesting. Alexander has to smack around the children at TNGOP more than once this year, and then he refuses to attend their big fundraiser. I somehow doubt these two are unrelated.
^^ That is one of the most ridiculous statements I’ve ever heard.
Apparently nothing important is happening in Tennessee today.
I just don’t care if reporters get in or not. They’ve had their chances in so many other ways. The traditional news outlets have so failed the American people that if you are relying on newspaper and TV “news,” you are woefully uninformed and deliberately misled. Nothing lost here.
[...] about turning the press away from the annual Stateman’s Dinner, a couple examples here and here. I know the TN GOP isn’t government, but if they are true of heart about wanting to win back [...]