Republicans being vindictive against GOPers who supported Horner

[CatholicEdHead]

Yep, they eat their own and are going after the RINOs.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/local/111323939.html

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - The Minnesota GOP is punishing two former governors and a former U.S. senator for backing the Independence Party candidate in the governor's race, according to Minnesota Public Radio.

MPR reports that delegates to the party's state central committee meeting voted 59-55 Saturday to bar 18 Republicans from party activities for two years, including the 2012 Republican National Convention.

The list of those who supported Independence Party candidate Tom Horner includes former Govs. Arne Carlson and Al Quie, former U.S. Sen. Dave Durenberger and donor George Pillsbury.

GOP Chairman Tony Sutton says some Republicans say Horner cost Republican-endorsed Tom Emmer the race.


Edit: More from MPR:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/12/04/republican-central-committee/



"These people, their money and their influence, possibly cost us 8,000 votes," said Newberger. "These are some big names, but it's time for the Republican Party to grow a spine. Either you're a Republican or you're not."

"We can't exactly take away a former governor's title," said Jen De Journett of Maple Grove. "We can't vote people out who may or may not live in this state, and we're going to look like a bunch of goofballs."

Party Chair Sutton acknowledged the motion will be difficult to enforce, but he said it grows out of party members' frustration over the outcome of the governor's race.

"The governor's race was very close, and they feel like they wanted to send a message that, 'Hey, you can't just say that you're a Republican and then go off and support the other person. That isn't right.' And I think that frustration is part of the venting that took place here today," said Sutton.

[trotsky]

1. Hard to believe Carlson and Quie were once *typical* MN Republicans.

My how that party has lurched to the right.

[mascarax]

2. Gee, only 2 years? Why not a lifetime ban?

Uh, because they'll be tormenting those 18 for donations...probably within 2 years.
How ridiculous. But then...look who we're talking about.

I thought Pillsbury voted for Obama (or was it another Pillsbury? first Dem he'd ever voted for, about 80 yrs old, as I recall from an article -- that's how bad he thought it was under Bush). So why didn't he get shunned then? Oh. Because they wanted his money.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. Wow, all the sensible ones have been banished

I guess Michelle Bachman is the new face of the Minnesota Republicanites.

But note that the Dems in Washington don't have the guts to dump DINOs who consistently vote with the Repubicanites.

[CatholicEdHead]

8. We (DFL/National Democratic Party) has that big tent

Where we have brought in the Republicans of yesteryear

[geardaddy]

4. No, El Gordo...

Emmer cost himself the election.

[glinda]

5. Well you can't just say you're a REAPublican and be off the deep end either, ass.

[glinda]

6. Will they use OUR Police Force to throw them out should the show up to anything?

[CatholicEdHead]

7. Sutton is getting prissy defending himself, everyone else is very mature

And they are being compared to little children by everyone. I am so glad we have the adult GOP in charge of the state now. :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

Look at the banned party members' very adult responses to very childish behavior by Sutton et al.

http://www.startribune.com/local/111420604.html


...
Carlson, a two-term Republican governor, on Monday called the vote "extremely childish." He said the decision showed that state Party Chairman Tony Sutton refused "to face up to the fact that he lost election" for the Republicans.
...
"I was never Republican enough for them, anyway," Osterman, a former Republican House member turned lobbyist, said in reacting to the ban. "I find it ironic, and somewhat telling, frankly," she said, " ... for all their ballyhooing about freedom, protecting rights for our country, blah, blah, blah ... would see fit to vilify fellow citizens for exercising their rights."

Said Durenberger: "I'm still a Republican, but it doesn't feel like a very welcoming party ... my reaction was to smile."...

Schreiber, the former Republican legislator who was among those banned, said Republican party leaders "would be more productive in focusing on issues, rather than people."

However, he said, "Am I going to lose any sleep over it? No."