A New Executive Board at RPLAC

The following is important information that relates to the Republican Party of Los Angeles County.

New Executive Board

I am taking this opportunity to inform all Republicans in Los Angeles County about the results of the election for officers of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County for 2009-2010 that took place last Saturday.

The County Central Committee elected the following new officers to serve for the next two years:

EXECUTIVE BOARD:

Chairman: Glen Forsch
First Vice-Chairman: Lydia Gutierrez
Second Vice-Chairman: Robert W, Vaughn
Treasurer: Gary Aminoff
Secretary: Roger Eshelman
Asst. Treasurer: Gwen Patrick
Asst. Secretary: Connie Ruffley

Your new slate of officers are organizing and preparing to move forward in the new year with a program designed to grow the Republican Party in Los Angeles County and to win elections.

The Party Needs You

As you know, the Republican Party, nationally, as well as locally, is at a low point, both in registration and in popularity. It is up to us to generate a new way of being for the Republican Party of Los Angeles County that will inspire those who left the Party, and those who have not been in the Party to want to be part of a Party whose core beliefs are protecting individual liberty, limited government, lower taxes, promoting personal freedom and responsibility and a strong national defense. We believe those are also the principles that most Americans feel are important in their lives.

The Executive Board is going to need your help and support. Finances are going to be an issue. Most of the larger donors who contributed to RPLAC, including the Lincoln Clubs of Los Angeles County, did so because Doug and Linda Boyd had established relationships with those contributors. The new board is going to have to reestablish those relationships and demonstrate its credibility to justify donors having faith that our plan will succeed.

We Need to Unify

I also feel it is important to add the following. There were several people who supported the retention of Linda Boyd as Chairman, and her slate, and were very disappointed that she withdrew from the election. Some of those have indicated they do not want to participate in RPLAC activities going forward because they didn’t approve of the attempt to replace Linda as Chairman.

To those who fall into that category, and to others who have been reluctant to participate, for any reason, you should be clear on something very important. The success of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County is more important, to us, to the State of California and to the country than any individual. We need to recognize that we are at a crucial crossroad in the history of America. The question that will be resolved in the next two years is, “Will the Republican Party of Ronald Reagan be a force to be reckoned with in 2010, or will it forever be relegated to a minority status in this country?”

If you make the choice to not participate in creating a successful county party because your feelings were hurt, or because you were offended when your person did not get elected, you are placing your personal feelings ahead of the success of conservative values in America.

For me, I choose to do whatever it takes to make RPLAC a success, for the sake of the Republican Party. I hope you will, as well.

We, the Republicans of Los Angeles County, all of us – social conservatives, defense conservatives, fiscal conservatives, Log Cabin members, RLC members, CRA members, Republican Congress members, Women Federated members, disgruntled Boyd supporters, Ron Paul supporters, Mike Huckabee supporters – everyone who believes in the core principles of the Republican Party needs to come together to create a successful, vibrant, resurgent party in Los Angeles County. We have much more in common than we have differences, and only by working together to support RPLAC can we succeed.

Al Han

I want to make a comment about my friend, Al Han, who I think is getting a bum rap. Al Han is unfairly being blamed by some for organizing a coup to take over the Party, or various riffs on that theme. That did not happen. I can tell you that Al Han was approached a couple of days before the RPLAC organizational meeting and asked if he would act as temporary chairman during the election proceedings. Those who asked him felt that the proceedings would have more of an appearance of fairness if Al presided since State Sen. Bob Huff is thought of as a personal friend of Linda Boyd.

Al agreed that he would take that on. An election was held between Al Han and Bob Huff for temporary chairman and Al Han won. All Al did was preside at the meeting. He was not running for any County Party office, he didn’t organize anything, he had nothing to do with the election other than to preside at the meeting. He does not deserve some of the criticism he is getting.

Your Support

We need your support. The County Party is quickly running short of funds. If you are interested in supporting the Party with a contribution of $10, $25, $50, $100, $1,000 or $10,000, you can do so by going to our donation page and making your contribution online. Or, you can send a check made payable to RPLAC, c/o Gary Aminoff, Treasurer, 1800 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1420, Los Angeles, CA 90067.

Closing

Lastly, I want to express my gratitude to Linda Boyd for all the effort she has put into running the County Party during the past six years. I know that she made many sacrifices, including being away from her young children, to serve the Republican Party of Los Angeles County. Her dedication to the cause was sincere and tireless.

Chairman Glen Forsch and the entire Executive Board look forward to working with you in the coming days and months to create a new, exciting Republican Party of Los Angeles County.

Sincerely,

Gary Aminoff
Treasurer, Member Executive Board
Republican Party of Los Angeles County