While James Dickey, the current Republican Party of Texas (RPT) State Chair, has recently been dealing with questions surrounding his former problems with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), information has come to light about whether he purposely misled the State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) to get elected RPT State Chair on 6/3/2017. At the Friday State Chair candidate forum on the day before he was elected, a question was posed to both candidates by the forum moderator, Patrick O’Daniel who also was serving at the time as the RPT General Counsel, related to retaining the RPT party officers. The video of the forum question can be found here (Dickey’s response begins at 1:00): https://youtu.be/18FUngPuNME
https://youtu.be/18FUngPuNME?t=1m4s
Here’s the question and Dickey’s response:
O’Daniel: “Will you keep the current party officers and committee chairs in place and if not, who will you replace?”
Dickey: “As both Patrick (referring to the RPT General Counsel who asked the question) and Tom (referring to the RPT Treasurer, Tom Washington) can confirm, I had conversations with both, asking if they were willing to stay on if I win election tomorrow.
There’s a very logical process for making change. You figure out the goal, you figure out the talents and skill needed, and match the people with the talents and skills needed. Until I’ve got an indication that we’re not going to meet the goal or that we don’t have the necessary talents and skills, my bias is to leave things alone. And that’s exactly what I’ll do and that’s why I extended those invitations to Patrick and Tom.”
O’Daniel: “And just to make it clear on my own part, I did say I’d accept for either one (meaning Dickey or his opponent Rick Figueroa). So, just to be clear.”
The next morning after Dickey was elected by a margin of one vote, he fired all of the officers except the Sargent-at-Arms and the Finance Chair. When he was confronted at lunch by Melinda Fredricks, former RPT Vice-Chair and current SREC member, she asked him why he lied to the SREC. His response was “I didn’t lie, I chose my words carefully and never said I would keep the officers, I said I asked them if they were willing to stay, not saying I would have them stay.” Melinda then asked him “why did you mislead us?” He replied “I had to or I would have lost the race because 2 votes would be determined based on my response.”
Judge for yourself as to the above transcript (or go online and watch the video) but most would argue he made it clear he would keep the officers by saying he “extended those invitations to Patrick and Tom”.
Delegates will have to decide whether Dickey deserves to be trusted with our great party and should he be elected State Chair at the June 14-16 State Convention in San Antonio based on other character questions that have been raised about him and because of his previous action to purposely mislead the SREC concerning the party officers to get elected.
Robert says
Tom Mechler quit, he walked out on the Texas GOP. Technically none of these things to which he objects would have happened had he fulfilled his promise to those who elected him and served his term. His speaking to any of this smells as bad to many of us as hard work must smell to him. I told many, publicly, that Mechler wouldn’t serve out his term because he wanted the title without work. That’s how he “served” for years on the SREC, he took all the credit and left the work to others.
TexasRepublicanPatriot says
Hi Robert,
Tom Mechler had no choice but to resign or face serious legal consequences, because there was an alleged violation of law on his part in lobbying without registering as a lobbyist on behalf of his clients from whom he was likely paid money – read the following article from the Texas Tribune in March 21st, 2017, just before he pulled his ripcord:
https://www.texastribune.org/2017/03/21/mechler-and-lobbying-questions/
This article probably caused him to realize that his time was finished, because no one would donate money to an RPT with a Chair having this bad press. The funny thing is that this was just 9 months after he waged (with Straus’s help) an all-out assault on Jared Woodfill at the state convention in June 2016 in his re-election bid as State Chair. He’d undoubtedly be running now if he had not felt compelled to resign. Instead, he and Toni Anne and Billy Crocker, Cindy’s daddy (Straus’s “A” Team) have reached deep into the bottom of the “experience barrel” for an often crass, often mean, and often angry rich person in Cindy Asche. Look at her rookie resume’ – the highest position she’s ever held is a Republican woman’s club presidency. Not even a TFRW board position, according to her push card. I guess precinct chair is beneath her too, let alone SREC or SD Chair, or any actual county (Dickey ran Travis County GOP as Chair) or state party elected office. Whether spending her own money or Straus/donor money on faux grassroots group emails/direct mail/robocalls, we will just have to see how deep down into the barrel she goes, like her Daddy did in 2016 for Mechler against Woodfill. I’ve still got his robocall saved in my voicemail from just before the convention calling Woodfill a “liberal trial lawyer”. Now, Jared may have long ago been involved in plaintiff-side trial lawyering, but one thing he is not is a liberal on any issue, and I’ve know him 25 years. So, I can practically write Daddy Crocker’s robocall – Here it is: “Dickey is awful because he is a 1) a liberal libertarian, 2) a Never Trumper, 3) a poor fundraiser, and 4) a buffoon, among other stupid characterizations. These Asche Attack Teamers remind me of the purveyors of attack garbage on Dan Crenshaw this past runoff. Probably some of the same Austin consultants prepared the faux group emails this past week. My hope now is that Dickey simply crushes Asche and the Straus forces into the river of the riverwalk, where they will undoubtedly make the dirty water there dirtier. Then, we will hopefully elect a Dickey supporter like former RNC committeewoman Denise McNamarra as his Vice-Chair. Denise and James would make a great team. Denise brings both longtime RNC experience fighting for the Platform and against the establishment for 8 years on the RNC (2000-2008) when she was unfortunately term-limited under the old term limit rules, and then 4 years before that on the SREC. Get this, if there ever was a Platform champion – she is it – she has served on 1) the RPT Conv Platform Comm, 2) the RNC Conv Platform Comm., 3) the RNC Platform Comm, 4) 2 TFRW Outstanding Woman Awards, 5) 5-time RNC Conv Delegate, 6) RPT Volunteer of the Year for her SD, and oh yes, and years ago, like Cindy now, a Republican Women’s Club President. Denise’s 4 kids are now all college graduated or in college, and she is ready to help James build a great RPT. She is beloved and well-known by many across the state, and a great role model for us all. This team, although not officially a ticket, could take RPT to that next level of the most well-funded, powerful state party in America. Think Dickey-McNamarra for the best we can be at the RPT!
Foolme says
Any chairman should not have their hands tied to any personel. To bring this up is typical of a Democrat.
Joe Pojman, Ph.D. says
When a man gives his word, especially to earn votes, he is expected to keep it. Apparently, James Dickey doesn’t think this basic principle of integrity applies to himself.
RS says
You are Correct Joe !! Dickey totally lacks integrity !!! The #FreetheDelegates & #NeverTrump Group including “Dickey” (one of their leaders) are ALL hypocrites and can’t say anything or benefit from the successes of our Great President Trump !! Even D Barton claims Pres. Trump’s agenda and administration has been one of the most Conservative since before the 20th Century !! So all these Tea Party / Libertarians need to close the mouth and to leave the RPT!!
TexasRepublicanPatriot says
This is just Mechler-Asche-Toni Anne (“The Pro-Straus Establishment Bunch”) trying to attack Dickey anyway they can. SREC insiders know this politics. Mechler has been a Pro-Straus crony since May 2009 when he announced he would run the following year at the 2010 State Convention against then-RPT Chair Tina Benkiser. Tina quit in October, and the SREC elected then-RNC Committeewoman Cathie Adams over Mechler ally Melinda Fredericks as state chair. Tom kept running but his candidacy did not catch on and looked like a loser, so the Pro-Straus business interests recruited Steve Munisteri as a backup to run and eventually defeat Adams in June 2010. Thankfully, Munisteri was able to successfully balance the Pro-Straus (monied establishment) vs Anti-Straus (pro-platform grassroots) divide until he quit in 2015 to join Rand Paul’s Presidential campaign, and the SREC elected Mechler then, much to the delight of the liberal establishment Republicans. Asche, Mechler, and RNC Committeewoman Toni Anne Dashiell are all super big Straus supporters and that is reason alone to defeat her and elect Dickey for his courageous deciding vote to censure Straus. The big puppeteer of this Straus effort is Toni Anne herself, whether recruiting Rick figueroa or Cindy Crocker Asche, its all about returning the Straus forces to the RPT Chair office. Incidentally, when Jeb Bush dropped out early in the 2016 campaign, Toni Anne wouldn’t endorse Cruz, Trump or anyone, feigning “impartiality” in the primaries. RNC Committeeman Robin Armstrong courageously endorsed our Texas-own Ted Cruz, as did most SREC members. Asche’s father is Bill Crocker, the conservative turncoat establishment monied former RNC General Counsel. Daddy Bill ran to succeed term-limited true conservative Tim Lambert for RNC committeeman in 2004 as a conservative grassroots leader, but then in his second term after 2008 got co-opted by the “Borg” of money and power of the RNC, when Reince Priebus appointed him RNC General Counsel, working to assist Mitt Romney, another non-conservative liberal establishment Republican. Even at one point as 2012 State Convention Rules Committee Chair, he proposed the elimination of the grassroots presidential delegate election process in rule # 38, in favor of an SREC appointed system. Fortunately, it never went anywhere. No grassroots activist should agree to much Bill Crocker says anymore, especially in urging that we elect his Pro-Straus daughter as RPT Chair. It will be as sad a day in RPT history as Mechler’s elections, if she somehow wins. Straus will be touted as the “future Republican brand”, as these liberal loons try and defeat the total conservatism of Abbott & Patrick. Let’s hope the delegates are smarter than electing another Toni Anne clone.
Joy Fuller says
Thank you for your articulate and accurate report of what really goes on ‘behind the scenes’ and otherwise. We are all fed up with the ‘good ole boys (& girls) and the spineless, gutless self-promoting phoneys who chose power and personal gain over character, integrity and courage to lead.
Amy Hedtke says
Amen, TRP.
Marvin Clede says
The comments to Melinda Fredericks are telling. —Melinda then asked him “why did you mislead us?” He replied “I had to or I would have lost the race because 2 votes would be determined based on my response.”—
I was one of those 2 votes who expected different things from Mr. Dickey. And this does not even address the heavy handed and impolitic way he dealt with the chair of the Auxiliaries and Coalitions Committee who is my colleague on the SREC. At the very least I am concerned about style and character expressed in subsequent actions. There are difficult questions to evaluate in this upcoming election, which to date, has become exceptionally divisive.
Mark says
The first thing former chair Mechler did when he won the chair race was to “Fire” Becky Berger from the Officials committee (she opposed him the day before.) Pot, meet Kettle.
TexasRepublicanPatriot says
Oh, and by the way, Pojman’s (see above) Texas Alliance for Life group has in recent years become a shill for Straus positions on abortion, working to defeat many Texas Right to Life group bill, and substitute some water-downed goo bill of their own instead. Somebody needs to research their money sources too, and Straus’s fingerprints may be there too. Straus has a history of supporting front groups on conservative issues, as evidenced by this group’s support for him. This is all so evil, it’s scary. It’s like Chuck Schumer has his activists imbedded in the Republican Party of Texas.
Chrissie Keffler says
Okay, this comment made me LOL. I am on the board of Texas Alliance for Life. We are definitely a grassroots organization. That we are liberal is beyond ridiculous. Of course, we are not part of the CULT right, as in funded by Wilks and/or Dunn. At the upcoming Convention, we need to shake this hold that Wilks and Dunn have on our Party. Empower Texans, Texas Right To Life, Texas Home School Coalition, and several others, all funded by the Wilks brothers and Dunn and their various relatives, are not entitled to remake the Texas GOP into their own image. It’s downright creepy.
Establishing the Republican Party in Texas took decades. My father, a lifelong Texan, now 96 years old, returned from WWII and joined the Republican Party when hardly anyone in Texas had ever met a Republican. For year’s now, maybe since Ann Richards declared then-Vice President George H W Bush ”can’t help it, he was born with a silver foot in his mouth….”, Texans have been done with the Democratic Party. It no longer seemed very Texan. Republicans seemed more like Texas. Now, these fracking billionaires think they own us. As my father always says when he has had it, ”To hell with that noise.” Dickie, of all people, suddenly calls for unity after the censure of Joe Straus, after maligning every Republican that didn’t dance to the CULT right’s tune he now expects to keep the leadership of OUR GOP? Save the Republican Party of Texas by ending this now. Support Cindy Asche.
TexasRepublicanPatriot says
Wow! At 1:08am this morning, I received (as a RPT convention delegate) an email from a new “front” group seemingly from the Asche-Straus monied “destroy Dickey” team. The “Texas Conservatives for Liberty & Freedom” appeared on the scene just 15 days before the State Convention in blistering attacks on Dickey. Very, very clever, Joe & Cindy! I guess next Friday it will be another creation to be dubbed “Texas Conservatives for Family Values” attacking him similarly. Joe & Cindy, don’t forget to create the “Texas Conservatives who love Ronald Reagan” group too, to attack him at the convention. What bunch of political whores they are! You can’t make this stuff up! But they are! If anyone doubts the efforts by Joe Straus to seek revenge on James Dickey for his deciding censure vote, here it is. Try googling the new group and you will find nothing. Their address is the same consultants working for Asche. Someone needs to research the campaign contributions to Asche and you’ll find Straus slime moeny all over it like Ghostbuster goo. This is the biggest war the liberal Republican Straus establishment has ever waged against a conservative RPT Chairman. Ever!
Marv1 says
It would be helpful to have a clear and factual response from the Asche campaign.
Tom Washington, Former RPT Treasurer says
This is an important point. James Dickey would prefer that you pay attention to his point that he never agreed to actually reappoint either Patrick O’Daniel or myself to our former duties. The actual key point here is that James Dickey used deception with the SREC voters to mislead them on his actual intentions in order to gain votes that he would not have gotten otherwise. James Dickey had already lined up his officers in advance and announced them as soon as the election was completed. He had no intention of following through and reappointing Patrick or myself.
James asked me for a meeting during the Friday evening before the election. He asked me if I would serve as Treasurer if he was elected on Saturday. I did not know that he was asking me only to give him a chance at shifting votes in the SREC with people who wanted some stability in the RPT key officers if he was elected State Chair.
I was fine with not being reappointed by James Dickey. I had reservations about serving with James because I had known him for over 15 years. I knew that there would be benefit to the continuation of the financial condition of the Republican Party of Texas if I continued as Treasurer but I had to address my reservations. I knew that James would be under extreme fundraising pressure if he was elected. Any signs of stability that the major donors saw in the party would be helpful.
In fact, before I told him I would serve because of my reservations, I gave James Dickey two conditions that he had to agree to in advance.
Condition #1 was that he retain Jennifer Stoner as RPT Accounting Director. Jennifer does a fine job for the Republican Party of Texas and I had no desire to retrain another person in that role.
Condition #2 was that James not interfere with the Republican Party of Texas keeping true and accurate accounting records and filing true and accurate reports to the FEC and TEC for our political and financial activities. James agreed to both conditions and I agreed to serve if James was elected.
James Dickey did in fact win the election by one vote (after shifting 3 votes with his deception that James intended to reappoint Patrick and myself).
The deception came to light in Chair Dickey’s first comments from the podium after election. James read his list of officers and did not reappoint Patrick O’Daniel or myself to office. He then added for the benefit of the deceived voters that he found that both Patrick and I had insisted on conditions for our service which he, James Dickey, could not accept.
James Dickey then made the first mistake of many that morning. He invited Patrick O’Daniel and me to the podium to give our final officer’s reports. Patrick went first. Prior to giving his report, Patrick clarified that he had made no conditions to his continuing service to the Party. James stated in response that Patrick had insisted on the retention of all of the Assistant General Counsel’s currently serving. Patrick stated again that he made no conditions to his service.
I was up next. I told the SREC that I did have two conditions to my service and I was sorry that they were unacceptable to Chair Dickey per his statement contrary to his acceptance with me on the prior evening. I then told the SREC what the two conditions were. You could hear an audible gasp from the SREC members. Perhaps some were just becoming acquainted with Chair Dickey’s brand of ethics.
James stood up quickly and clarified that he only had issues with Patrick O’Daniel’s conditions for service (Patrick didn’t make any). James then said from the podium that his issue with me was my lack of transparency in financial reporting to the SREC over my seven years of service to that body.
During my service, I had increased the financial transparency that the SREC had from previous State Treasurer’s. First as Assistant Treasurer and then as State Treasurer, the SREC received a full income statement in detail by fund as well as Cash balances by fund. The new State Treasurer has since eliminated reporting by fund to the SREC.
Two weeks later, James Dickey contacted me to apologize for his conduct and statements to the SREC involving me.
James Dickey’s conduct involving the appointment of new officers for the Republican Party of Texas illustrates James Dickey’s ethics, morals, honesty and integrity in action.
Amy Hedtke says
The former Chair and all the SREC supporting Cindy voted to TRASH the will of the convention in their December 2016 vote. They all voted to PROHIBIT guests recording an open meeting. None of them can be trusted to support or champion transparency and honesty.