FLASHREPORT

This morning, the Sacramento Bee has an article about former Placer County GOP Chairman Ken Campbell's decision to pull his endorsement of Congressman John Doolittle for re-election next year.  Ken's a long-time friend (as is Doolittle, for that matter) and sent over the following statement about his decision...  Campbell references the Club for Growth RePork Card, that measured how all memberse of Congress voted on up and down votes on 50 of the most egregious pieces of pork barrel spending.  You can read how your Congressman voted here.

MY DECISION TO PULL MY ENDORSEMENT FROM JOHN DOOLITTLE
By Ken Campbell

It is very difficult for me to write this and it is with great regret this has become public- I guess that is what happens when you answer a question with honesty.

I have been an avid John Doolittle supporter from the beginning, generously donating to his campaigns.  For five years, while serving as the Placer County Republican Party Chairman we developed a close friendship based on our shared Conservative values of smaller, less intrusive government, lower taxes and more individual freedom.

In May of 2000, when I announced one of our goals for Placer County was to start a registration program to push our Republican registration over 50% to become the county with the highest % of Republican voters, John was there with encouragement and financial support.

As a team we registered over 31,000 Placer Republicans, 34% of the then current Republicans.  We pushed the Republican Registration to 52.55% and pushed the Democrat registration down to 28.92%.  As a team we put together fundraisers and campaign efforts that had never been seen in Placer County.

I got to know Congressman Doolittle and his lovely wife Julie as decent, honorable and honest people.  I have avidly defended Congressman Doolittle in the charges of corruption simply because it is not in his or Julie's character to knowingly do anything dishonest.

Recently something must have changed which the "2007 Club for Growth RePork Card" highlighted.

I have always believed it is better to defend principles rather than personalities, for if principles and personalities diverge, to defend personalities rather than principles, one will eventually wake up a lost soul with no foundations.  To that end I stand on the principle that government should not irresponsibly and illegitimately waste hard-earned tax dollars.

The 50 votes Club for Growth used are the most wasteful and irresponsible boondoggles one can conceive.  Congressman Doolittle whole-heartedly supported 49 of 50.

I contacted Congressman Doolittle's office to gain an understanding of this situation and I became more distressed.  The reason given was essentially if he did not spend the money, "the monies.... would then become available to agency bureaucrats to spend as they saw fit."

Think about that, Congress has an incredible appetite for our money and every year Congress allocates ever-expanding piles of money with no purpose, no reason, and no plan other than to have that money available for their irresponsible pork projects?  And Congressman Doolittle is not angry about that?

I, like most people in Conservative Placer County work hard sometimes 6 ½ days a week, early morning to late at night, sacrificing vacation and time with my family, putting capital at risk- sometimes losing but most of the time winning.  We do our duty to pay our taxes only to watch Congress irresponsibly squander that tax money.

Last election Congressman Doolittle barely squeaked a victory over Democrat Charlie Brown.  When the Conservative 4th Congressional district sees and understands how Congressman Doolittle is spending their hard-earned tax dollars, Congressman Doolittle will certainly lose to Democrat Charlie Brown.

In this 51% Republican, 29% Democrat district, there is no reason to be represented by a Democrat.

With all that in mind I regrettably have to say I no longer have a candidate in the 4th Congressional race.

There should be no doubt that in Congressman Doolittle's extremely weakened and unwinable state, many candidates will jump in the race.  Undoubtedly Placer County will look for a candidate who will score 100% on the Club for Growth RePORK Card.

NEW WEBSITE FOR PLACER COUNTY POLITICOS
With a h/t to FR friend Jeff Flint, we're happy to direct readers over to check out the newly launched Red County/Placer website.  It joins their Orange, Riverside, San Diego and San Bernardino County.  You'll always be able to check out these sites by going to our blog roll above.  Nothing could be better to help along this new website than a colorful primary (and potentially general) election for Doolittle's House seat.