Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 06:44:17 -0400 (EDT) From: A Jay Eddy Subject: Ralph Reed Still Rolling Along! (fwd) Who were and are behind the exclusion of Log Cabin TX from the Convention? Certainly not Christain Fundamental-Evangelical-Supremacists! A Jay Eddy ajayeddy@bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 24 Jun 1996 19:15:33 -0400 From:Watch97@aol.com Subject: Ralph Reed Still Rolling Along! RALPH REED STILL ROLLING ALONG!! This is an e-mail report regarding the TX GOP convention last weekend received by "c.c.watch"-- ___________________________________________________________________ "Here are some of the things we noticed. First, Ralph Reed was an unannounced speaker at the convention, no mention in the agenda. He was the only speaker who did not belong to the TX GOP or auxiliary organizations, or be a GOP politician or candidate. Second, unless someone can place Reed elsewhere on Friday, he was in San Antonio during the entire convention. The Reed speech was on Saturday afternoon about 2:30 PM, between Steve Forbes and Pat Buchanan. Reed was introduced before his speech by Dick Weinhold. The press was there. The Dallas Morning News on Sunday had Reed's picture on the front page, above the fold. No reason has been given for Reed being permitted to speak to the convention. "Wonder how Representatives Henry Bonilla (23rd) and Mac Thornberry (13th), both in the US House of Representatives feel today (Sunday)? Both men were nominated to go to the national convention, only to be defeated in Congressional District Caucuses by other delegates more pro- life. (3 delegates and 3 alternates from each Congressional district were picked by each Congressional district caucus, and the at-large delegates were picked by the entire convention.) There were fliers passed out in the Congressional District caucuses that listed pro-life delegates. These fliers were signed by people including Jeff Fisher, Executive Director Texas Christian Coalition, Alice Patterson, Board Member, Texas Christian Coalition, and Dick Weinhold, Texas Christian Coalition Chairman. Of course the fliers said that titles were for information only. These were passed out in our district and in other districts with the same signatures. Reps. Bonilla and Thornberry both have 100% ratings on the 1996 Congressional Scorecard put out by the Christian Coalition. That was not good enough to be sent to San Diego." --A TX "c.c.watcher" _________________________________________ Here is the "c.c.watch" response---- 1) June 24, 1996/To: The Editors of the New York Times-- Your political reporting deserves very high marks on most counts. But what about the real role of Ralph Reed in GOP politics? Any political activity by the Christian Coalition is supposed to be non-partisan! Yet Mr. Reed continues to work for/within the Republican Party on a very high level with impunity, almost totally unchallenged by the media. Richard Berke's reports on the Texas GOP convention this past weekend did mention Reed's presence and brokering activities on behalf of Senator Kay Hutchinson. But those reports did not question Reed's activities. Neither did they mention that Mr. Reed made an unscheduled --to escape media attention?--speech to the convention. He was introduced by Dick Weinhold, Texas state Christian Coalition Chairman and one of only four people on the national Christian Coalition Board of Directors. The leaders of the Christian Coalition have a moral obligation to uphold the guidelines under which their organization is incorporated. They should stay as far away as possible from activities like those mentioned above in order to maintain a non-partisan status. The Christian Coalition has established itself on a holier-than-thou basis--and should be therefore be exposed for being nothing more than new, improved and much sneakier "politics as usual." 2) June 24, 1996/To: The Editors of the Miami Herald-- Thanks to Tom Fiedler for "WHERE'S THE PUBLIC OUTRAGE/Stealth money pours into political campaigns" (6/20)--which spoke clearly to how long it takes for federal election laws to be enforced, if ever. Along those same lines, we have the Christian Coalition--which is supposed to be a non-partisan organization, but supports specific candidates all over the country with millions of dollars of free advertising via their so-called "voter guides." To add insult to injury, Ralph Reed wheels and deals in partisan GOP politics at the highest levels with impunity, per his involved in last weekend's TX GOP convention. Moreover, the Christian Coalition and its cohorts have lots of money and they are actively supporting the cash-poor candidacy of Bob Dole. Where is the outrage that the Christian Coalition uses non-profit, tax-exempt status based on organizing "people of faith"--to develop and direct an extremely conservative and very powerful faction within the Republican Party? The IRS has yet to grant the Christian Coalition (501)(c)(4) status and numerous complaints are being investigated at the Federal Election Commission. But those actions/agencies will do nothing in time to impact the upcoming elections. It's up to concerned citizens and the media to blow the whistle. The Christian Coalition has cleverly established itself on a holier-than-thou basis. It should also, therefore, be held to the highest of standards and exposed for what it really is: the sneaky purveyor of "politics as usual." (For more information or to subscribe to the complete, unique and timely reportage/commentary of The "c.c.watch" Electronic News Service, call 305/751-5001. We track and report on the activities of Pat Robertson, his many enterprises [especially the Christian Coalition], and his fellow travelers...and then we disseminate information that the public might never otherwise receive.)