Marion County GOP Leadership Refuses to Sell Reagan Dinner Ticket to Elected Republican Precinct Committeeman

Jocelyn-Tandy Adande

In a county in which the Democratic Party has gained an increasingly large majority, one would think the Marion County Republican Party would be reaching out to be inclusive, and, at the very least, not turning on its own members.   But that would give the local GOP leadership too much credit.  In the latest dumb move by party leadership, Bryce Carpenter, the Executive Director of the Marion County GOP sent Jocelyn-Tandy Adande, an elected Republican Committeeman, refused to sell her a $100 ticket to the annual Reagan dinner:

-----Original Message-----

From: Bryce Carpenter (Bryce@indyrepublicans.com)
To: A (jttadande16@aol.com)
Sent: Fri, Mar 21, 2014 10:03 am
Subject: RE: Save the Date - 2014 Marion County Republican Party Reagan Dinner on April 10th

Jocelyn,

I received an email from you regarding purchasing a ticket to the 2014 Marion County Republican Party Reagan Dinner. I regret to inform you that we will not be issuing you a ticket as you are a candidate running against the slated team of Marion County Republican Candidates. These dinners are meant to highlight and celebrate the members and volunteers of the Republican Party and raise funds to support the candidates supported and endorsed by the Marion County Republican Organization.

Thank you and have a great day.

Bryce Carpenter

Executive Director

Marion County Republican Central Committee

47 South Pennsylvania Street

Suite 300

Indianapolis, IN 46204

www.indyrepublicans.com

(317) 635-8881 Office

(317) 504-6559 Cell

(317) 686-4173 Fax 

Jocelyn sent a reply via email that properly slammed Carpenter for the boneheaded move:

 Jocelyn-Tandy Adande

President, African American Republican Council of Marion County and

Republican Candidate

Marion County Clerk of the Circuit Court

“People shoot at eagles but they feed Pigeons!”

An Open Letter to Fellow Republicans

Don’t let Kyle Walker, Tom John, David Brooks and Bryce Carpenter fool you! As long as the Republican Party loses all of the local offices these RINOs can remain in power by design!

I am a true conservative just like former President Ronald Reagan who ran more than once for president, and did Nixon. I CAN WIN IN NOVEMBER!!!!

Yes, I volunteered to run for County Recorder in 2010, there was no candidate slated. This group sabotaged my race, sent out the same post card at the last minute, and allowed a white male democrat who voted in one Republican Primary run and be defeated in the 2010 General Election. The grass roots Republican supporters never met Ted Clements. He was not slated. Who picked him to run?

Time and time again these RHINOS have cost the Republican Party in Marion County all of the county offices except the office of mayor and a majority of the township offices.

Reason for the loss has been a weak precinct organization and a clear majority of "handpicked" appointed committeemen who have voted the will of the chairman at slating for these offices. Many of the candidates slated did not and could not win.

If Governor Pence had needed Marion County to win in 2012, he would have lost the governor's race!

Their poor record in Marion County indicates the margin of loss to Democrats by Republican candidates under their leadership. How can they be proud of their track record?  Yet, I am being attacked. I am not the County Chairman!

2012: President                                               79,827

          U.S. Senate                                          90,827

          Governor                                              80,618

          Attorney General                                   37,101

          Superintendent of Public Instruction       82,138

7^thDistrict Congress                                66,294

          State Senate District 30                           4,963

          Senate Districts 33, 34, 94, 95, 98 vacant

State Representative District 87                    51

          State Representative District 92             1,813

          State Representative District 96             21,277

          State Representative District 99               5,765

          State Representative District 100              3,978

County Coroner                                     78,516

          Treasurer                                              67,703

          Surveyor                                               79,579

         

Township Boards (no candidates)

                    Center 3 of 7 districts vacant

                    Lawrence 2 of 7 districts vacant

                    Perry, District 2                                  47

                    Pike 1 of 7 districts vacant

                    Warren 1 of 7 districts vacant

                    Washington 1 of 7 districts vacant

                    Wayne                    2of 7 districts vacant

2011: 4 at-large city-County Council seats and a majority City Council

                              2,348 - 8,893 (5^th to 8^th position)

2010: U.S. Senate                                 25,070

Secretary of State                       20,672                   

          State Treasurer                           715                                 

          State Auditor                               4,274

          7^th District                                   30,798

          County Prosecutor                      8,583

          County Sheriff                             26,895

          County Clerk                               20,609

          County Recorder                         22,839

          Township Offices:

                    Center Trustee                  12,041

                    Lawrence Trustee               1,421

                    Pike Trustee                       5,977

                    Warren Trustee                  2,788

                    Washington Trustee           6,816

          Numerous Vacant Township Board Positions and no candidates.

As a consultant, my resume reflects a number of candidates over the years I have worked for in both Political Parties. My support and participation in the Republican Party’s is based on the values in the Party’s Platform. In fact, my father, mother aunts and uncles were Republicans. Just like President Reagan, I am qualified, experienced and have the integrity to serve in each of the offices I have sought.

In March 2013, I was a candidate for Marion County Chairman of the Party against Kyle Walker who failed to give advance notice to the precinct committeemen that he had opposition for reelection. Yes, it was a stacked convention and later in a meeting with him informed me that if I ever ran for another office, he would guarantee that I would not be slated.

I did call county headquarters in November and requested a meeting with the County Chairman to discuss my candidacy for clerk.

I was informed by Bryce Carpenter that Kyle did not like me and he would have to check to see if he would grant me a meeting.

I told Bryce, “don’t bother, this is a courtesy call and that I would not be going through slating.” I was not willing to pay a large slating fee to the Party and get “screwed”. “Plus, they did not have a full slate of precinct committeemen to carry a slate countywide.” Look at past election results in the county and the results clearly indicate big losses to Democrats.

Bruce Carpenter sent me an email stating that I could not purchase a $100.00 ticket to the Reagan Dinner on April 10^th...   I am one of the few elected precinct committeemen in the Party who was denied a ticket to the Reagan dinner

Over the weekend, I received a slick mail piece slamming Adande for having been a Democrat, with the last activity 15 years earlier.  The irony is that Reagan, who the Marion County GOP organization is celebrating with the dinner, used to be a Democrat before switching to the Republican party.

(Note:  I could not get my photographs of the mailer to download right, but I found these from 2011 on-line. They are identical to the 2014 slam piece with the exception that "Marion County Clerk" is substituted for "City-County Council at Large" on the second page and, of course, the ballot number is changed as well.)

 The anti-Adande piece appears to be employing an old trick of altering the candidate's photo to make him or her appear more sinister.  If my memory serves me correct, several years ago campaign strategist David Brooks altered a photo of Rep. Julia Carson and was skewered in the media for doing so.  In Adande's case her complexion appears to have been darkened to give her more of a sinister look.  They also altered my photograph on the negative mailing they sent out when I ran for judge in 2012.

It is outrageous that Marion County Chairman Kyle Walker is spending scarce money to defeat an unslated Clerk candidate in the primary when he has absolutely no intention of trying to win the Clerk's race in the Fall.  That is less resources Republicans have for winnable races in Marion County where they are competing against Democrats.