David Harmer Disappoints
UPDATED NOV 21 — Alameda County- This past Tuesday, the Alameda County Republican Central Committee held its November monthly meeting in San Leandro at the County Party Headquarters. Over fifty local Republicans attended to conduct official Party business.
At the meeting the committee considered several proposed resolutions. One of the resolutions was in opposition to a recent ammunition restrictions bill (A.B.962) passed in the California State legislature and signed into law by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Most of the Republicans’ on the committee were not supportive of the Governor’s decision to sign A.B.962 into law. The California National Rifle Association and the California Rifle & Pistol Association have already decided to get behind efforts to repeal the restrictive new law. Republican Assemblyman Curt Hagman [AD-60 Chino Hills] plans to introduce an amended version of his bill (A.B.373) in January that would repeal A.B.962.
If efforts to repeal A.B.962 fail, the new law will take effect in February 2011 and California residents’ looking to purchase or transfer handgun ammunition will be required to submit their right thumb print to gun-retailers along with other detailed identity verifications. The retailer would then be required by the State to keep the information on file and make records available for inspection by the California Department of Justice. The new law bans all mail-order and Internet sales of handgun ammunition as well.
That brings us to Republican David Harmer, the newest Ex-Officio Member of the Alameda County Republican Central Committee byway of receiving the GOP nomination in California’s special election to replace Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher (D). Unable to overcome the large voter-registration disadvantage, Harmer ended up getting pounded on election day by former California Lt. Governor John Garamendi (D). Harmer came up short in three of the four counties that make up Congressional District 10. Alameda County was the only bright spot in the district that Harmer actually received enough votes to beat Garamendi. Harmer won there by 7% of the vote.
How does Harmer return the favor to the volunteers that helped his campaign in Alameda County? Well, Harmer’s first order of business as a committee Member was to appoint an Alternate, Diane Hefner [AD-15 Livermore] to attend the meeting and cast an anti-gun vote against a proposed resolution in opposition to A.B.962. Harmer, and other Ex-Officio Members’ appoint alternates’ to vote on their behalf on matters concerning official Party business when they are unable to attend meetings themselves.
During Harmer’s campaign he claimed to be a Republican that supported gun-rights. He even received an endorsement from Gun Owners of America. However, like many other politicians interested in advancing their political careers’, Harmer found it hard to live up to his own campaign promise of being a strong supporter of gun-rights.
Harmer failed to respond to numerous requests for information about why he supports A.B.962 and what made him decide to vote against the proposed resolution calling for its repeal.
Gun Owners of America (GOA) is known for being “the only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington.” They have consistently held the line when it comes to protecting the 2nd Amendment and have always held candidates to the highest standard when making endorsements.
Turns out that the GOA may have let one slip through the cracks when it comes to David Harmer!
GOA Executive Director Larry Pratt said, “Harmer’s grade was based on an ‘A’ survey” and his “BYU Law Review article titled Securing a Free State: Why the Second Amendment Matters.”
Executive Committee Member David LaTour [AD-18 Hayward] told Halfway to Concord that, “Harmer must have forgotten why the Second Amendment matters from what I saw at the monthly meeting on Tuesday.” LaTour continued, “David Harmer doesn’t deserve an ‘A’ rating from the Gun Owners of America. They should take it back!”
Pratt said, “We [the GOA] certainly would have been content to sit this one out… if this is true. We could not find anything out about it. If this was known before the election maybe we could have done something about Harmer. We’ll certainly keep this on file in case he runs again. Pratt concluded by suggesting, “We [the GOA] can also simply take him off our Political Victory Fund [endorsement] page.”
Now, that would be totally appropriate coming from a group that doesn’t support compromising our gun rights! After all why would the Gun Owners of America want to tarnish their good name supporting a fraud like David J. Harmer?
CONTACT INFO: Gun Owners of America, 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 Phone: (703) 321-8585
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If Harmer jumps into CD-11 the other (R)’s in the race could use his own ad’s against him.
That would be too funny.
I hear David Harmer is thinking about running in CD11 now! HA!!
Think he will look to the G.O.A for an endorsement?
After this little situation I would think they would laugh in his face, and tell him to get lost.
Good job holding him, and his alternate accountable. AB-962 goes too far!
JoAnne,
It’s nice to hear that David Harmer at least responds to somebody out there. I’m still waiting on a response from my first e-mail that was sent almost two-weeks ago. Good for you!
Maybe you should send him a link to this post? Maybe Harmer will be tempted to publicly address this situation by answering for his questionable appointment and his current anti-gun voting record as a Member of the Alameda County Republican Central Committee. This way we might all be able to understand why someone who claims to be “solidly pro-gun” decided to appoint an Alternate to vote against a resolution calling for the repeal of A.B.962.
Actions (and voting records) speak a lot louder than words (e-mails and college term papers) JoAnne!
I just received an email from Mr. Harmer in reply to the one I sent him asking his stance on gun rights. As he told me before the election, he is solidly pro-gun rights and against AB 962.
Great. Let’s see it.
I am happy to report that Gun Owners of America (GOA) has removed their Political Victory Fund endorsement of David Harmer from the Internet.
See Here: http://www.goapvf.org/ca10.htm
I would like to thank Gun Owners of America, Executive Director Larry Pratt and GOA representative Edi Eisler for acting and conducting some much needed quality control regarding this situation.
If David Harmer plans to run for office in the future, I don’t see his campaign receiving any more endorsements from pro-gun organizations working to protect the 2nd Amendment.
And David Harmer should be aware that he will be held accountable now, and in the future as a voting Member of the Alameda County Republican Central Committee. This accountability measure will also be extended to other Ex-Officio Members of the committee.
Bill, in response to your query about CCRP finances – I happened to attend the meeting at which it was announced that David Harmer and Jon Del Arroz would be contributing $50,000 each for voter registration. David Harmer was not there. I am not sure about Jon Del Arroz.
Treasurer Darcy Linn asked everyone to congratulate Tom Del Beccaro, Greg Poulos, and Michael Caporusso for their efforts in securing this money.
Thus far $10,000 has been contributed by the parents of Jon Del Arroz, presumably for voter registration. There doesn’t seem to be a highly active voter registration program at this time.
Part of the $10,000 has been used to pay regular expenses.
If the Del Arroz money was only to be used for voter registration, the money could be replaced once the CCRP brings in additional funds. They have an event scheduled in December with Michael Reagan that could help solve their debt problem.
Bill: The $10,000 actually came from the Del Arroz family, not David Harmer.
There is so much paranoid secrecy at at CCRP about finances it’s hard to kniw
Can someone please document these donations, purpose and how money is now being spent
Anyone?
Jun,
(ACRP Bylaws) Article 3, Sec. 8: “…Ex-Officio Members who have paid their dues in full are each entitled to appoint one Alternate Member TO REPRESENT THEM and TO VOTE IN THEIR ABSENCE at meetings of the County Committee…”
Diane Hefner was appointed (in writing) to represent Harmer and vote on his behalf when he is unable to attend meetings. To accept the notion that Hefner was appointed by Harmer to become his Alternate, while at the same time suggesting that she does not represent Harmer when a vote takes place is just simply wrong, and hardly representative.
Alternates’ are not elected to the committee by voters’ in their respective Assembly Districts’ to represent the positions that they ran on during their campaigns’, they are appointed to represent individual Elected or Ex-Officio Members.
An Alternates’ sole purpose is to represent the Member that appointed them to the committee when they can’t be there to represent themselves.
BGR, Don’t let Harmer off the hook so easily! He most certainly was aware of the election for chair, and the resolutions to be considered at the meeting on the 17th. Lets hold him accountable on this!
If Harmer wants to make excuses for his unaccountable actions and claim that he didn’t know what was going on (or even worse: that he didn’t care) those excuses might make him feel better, but it doesn’t make the situation any better, or acceptable for that matter.
*Citizen Harmer did pay his Membership dues prior to the monthly meeting, however he gave it to the wrong person which was cause for some confusion.
Jun,
(ACRP Bylaws) Article 3, Sec. 8: “…Ex-Officio Members who have paid their dues in full are each entitled to appoint one Alternate Member TO REPRESENT THEM and TO VOTE IN THEIR ABSENCE at meetings of the County Committee…”
Diane Hefner was appointed (in writing) to represent David Harmer and vote on his behalf when he is unable to attend meetings. To accept the notion that Hefner was appointed by Harmer to become his Alternate, while at the same time suggesting that she does not represent Harmer when a vote takes place is just simply wrong, and hardly representative.
Alternates’ are not elected to the committee by voters’ in their respective Assembly Districts’ to represent the positions that they ran on during their campaigns’, they are appointed to represent individual Elected or Ex-Officio Members.
An Alternates’ sole purpose is to represent the Member that appointed them to the committee when they can’t be there to represent themselves.
BGR, Don’t let Harmer off the hook so easily! He most certainly was aware of the election for chair, and the resolutions to be considered at the meeting on the 17th. Lets hold him accountable on this!
If Harmer wants to make excuses for his unaccountable actions and claim that he didn’t know what was going on (or even worse: that he didn’t care) those excuses might make him feel better, but it doesn’t make the situation any better, or acceptable for that matter.
*Citizen Harmer did pay his Membership dues prior to the monthly meeting, however he gave it to the wrong person which was cause for some confusion.
You can’t get ahold of Harmer’s campaign manager because his name is, or was, Mike Caparusso.
And while I’m at it…
There is a huge reason why Harmer lost this election, it’s name is Caparusso.
There is a reason why the CCRP doesn’t employ and Executive Director anymore, and it’s name is Caparusso.
There is a reason why the CCRP hasn’t been able to drum up support or funds for the last few years, and his name is Caparusso.
There is are reason why the Republican Party will fail to bring in new support and voters that are willing to donate time and money, their names are Caparusso and Del Beccarro.
There is a reseaon why the CCRP is underwater financially, their name is Caparusso and Del Beccarro. There is a reason why the CCRP hasn’t been able to vet and good candidates capable of running a honest campaign, their names are Caparusso, Del Beccarro, and Poulos.
There is a reason that why none of the other affiliated Republican Parties do not want to “affiliate” themselves with the CCRP, their names are Caparusso, Del Beccarro and Poulos.
There is a reason why the Democrats do not take the CCRP seriously, their names are Caparusso, Del Becarro, and Poulos.
Wake up Republicans!!
Caparusso=Del Becarro=Poulos=Failure!!
Time to move on…
Caporusso and poulos are del beccarro proxies
Capo and Poulos are each incompetent in their own right but BOTH were put into place by Del Beccaro
That the GOP leadership in the county, bay area, and state, including electeds, continues to tolerate this self dealing clown makes all Republicans a running joke
There’s a reason Ron Nehring hasn’t been recalled or forced to resign and his name is Tom Del Beccaro
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