Florida has its own Benedict Arnold!

[heath.whiteaker]

Below is my news story on what transpired. I was trained in college as a journalist and to the best of my ability I'm going to write it as it might have appeared if the media had covered it.

Nick Egoroff
Orange County, Fl. Campaign For Liberty Organizer

Today Mark Cross, Florida State Coordinator for Campaign For Liberty, surprised many supporters of Ron Paul with a sudden endorsement of Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Chairman Jim Greer. Greer had been locked in a contentious three way contest for another two year term of the Party.

Greer won the contest with a lopsided majority.

Cross said that he was not going to win the race so he decided to throw in with the current incumbent, "to better help the chances" of Ron Pauler's to be included in intra-party organizations. Cross later said that "he felt comfortable with his decision."

Cross pointed to "shaking Florida Governor Charlie Crist's hand" afterwords. "Lots of Republican Executive Committee members told me I had done the right thing, and invited me to come speak at their club meetings on how to get more Ron Paul people involved."

Nick Egoroff, Orange County Campaign For Liberty Organizer, had reservations. "Mark is taking a very dangerous course in suggesting that Ron Paul supporters would support Greer." Egoroff has had many run-ins with RPOF brass.

"I've talked with a half-dozen Campaign for Liberty leaders around the state of Florida and all were shocked and repulsed at the idea of supporting Greer. One said Greer stands for everything that is wrong with the Party. There is no way I can support that--it's a matter of principle."

Cross's announcement came at the end of a speech made on the floor of the Quarterly meeting of the RPOF. They were in the middle of nomination speeches when Cross's turn came to speak.

His speech centered on the positive aspects of Ron Paul's presidential campaign. The people involved in it "were kind of like a family," he said. "Each of us was free to help the campaign any way they could or wanted."

It was towards the end of the speech when Cross peeled off a lapel sticker that said 'Mark Cross--UNITY Candidate for Chairman.' "I think everyone got one of these on their chair today. And in the spirit of unity I wish to withdraw my name from nomination and instead give my support to Chairman Greer."

Egoroff said that the Ron Paul supporter he was sitting next to said, "What the f--- is that. Ron Paul would have never done that."

Also hurt by Cross's sudden change of mind was Eric Miller, another candidate seeking the chairman's position. According to Egoroff who knew both candidates, Miller was a traditional Ronald Reagan conservative.

The two candidates had worked together sharing advice and information on the race for months. Each had promised the other that should either be eliminated in early balloting they would endorse each other.

One person that saw the interaction between the two as both left the ballroom where balloting had taken place described it thus: "Eric (Miller) yelled out to Mark (Cross), 'they told me not to trust you, and now I know why."

Egoroff talked with Cross afterwords and asked why the sudden change of mind. "I knew I wasn't going to win and neither was Eric, so I tried to make the best of it."

Cross went on to explain that now he will have much more access to Greer and hopes to help end the factious fighting that has broken out across the state between Ron Paul supporters and the Party leadership.

Egoroff also reminded Cross of other 'gentleman's agreements' that had been made between RPOF officials and Ron Pauler's. All were broken to the detriment of the Ron Paul people who made them, said Egoroff. Cross answered, "We'll just have to wait and see."

Egoroff said that once Cross decided to give up, "We had the chance to stand with someone (Miller) that wanted to reform the RPOF. Eric had flatly stated that what the current state party leadership was doing was hurtful to Ron Paul Republicans."

"If Mark didn't want to run that's fine. Nobody pushed him into it. But it is questionable that he asked for donations and volunteers from Ron Paul people and got it, only to end up supporting the candidate that they were opposing."


Post Script. I'm very good friends with Mark Cross and know that this post will no doubt strain our friendship. I've worked with Mark for a year and a half on the Ron Paul campaign. We've had our differences over strategy and tactics. Never have I doubted Mark's support of liberty.

I wrote this in such a forthright way because the issues involved are so central to ones that we will have to face in the years ahead. They revolve around 'to what extent do we compromise and make alliances to grow the liberty movement.'

I'll leave it to the readers to decide.

--
Nick Egoroff
Orlando Campaign For Liberty Organizer
Check Out My New Blog at
http://nickegorofforlandopoliticalactivist.blogspot.com/

[heath.whiteaker]

Me personally. I think what Mark Cross did borders on Treason. Breaking his word and falling in with the snakes that were and are part of the problem. I liken him to Benedict Arnold for the simple fact that Arnold was a great General in the Revolutionary War but then betrayed his friends and the same people he was fighting next to.

Mark Cross has done the same thing. While he was a great Ron Paul coordinator in Florida... he has betrayed us. He has fallen in with the same people who force the Ron Paul people out of local REC groups.

I really am at a loss of words for this.

[Matt Collins]

I love Nick Egoroff's writing style.. I read every e-mail he sends out..

[heath.whiteaker]

Nick is a great writer. The Orlando group has several great writers though.

[Live_Free_Or_Die]

nt

[kathy88]

Typical politician. F him.

[JS4Pat]

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=172688

[heath.whiteaker]

js4pat. I posted it here to get other people involved in the discussion. most people outside of florida do not know what happened.

[Matt Collins]

Rregarding Mark Cross, I understand what he was trying to do, but I don't
think he made the right decision. He is absolutely right that he'll have the ear
of Greer now, but he definitely did NOT follow the example of Ron Paul. Ron
never dropped out and endorsed McCain just so he could have "access" later on.
Cross shouldn't have either.

[LittleLightShining]

Rregarding Mark Cross, I understand what he was trying to do, but I don't
think he made the right decision. He is absolutely right that he'll have the ear
of Greer now, but he definitely did NOT follow the example of Ron Paul. Ron
never dropped out and endorsed McCain just so he could have "access" later on.
Cross shouldn't have either.Realistically, how sympathetic is that ear going to be? From an outsider looking in all I can say is wow. Just wow :(

[jclay2]

Seems like a typical politician to me. I think the movement as a whole needs to split off entirely from the two party beast. What is the point in endorsing something you are firmly against? I really don't know why this guy would break his own values for access. Definitely won't have RP supporters in the future, thats for sure.

[Galileo Galilei]

TRIVIA FACT:

George W. Bush and Benedict Arnold are 4th cousins, 8 times removed.

And both traitors to the Amercian people.

[heath.whiteaker]

This is Mark Cross' Statement as Posted on the Campaign 4 Liberty Site



I would like to thank each and every person who supported me in the race for the Chairmanship of the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF). I was disappointed I could not win the Chairmanship but I feel very excited and encouraged by the results.

First of all this was a very difficult race to win, because there are not a lot of things that volunteers can do to help. This was a person to person race, normally decided by money and endorsements. There are 253 people who were able to vote. Each county has 3 votes, the State Committeeman, Committeewoman, and Chairman. There are 10 gubernatorial appointees, 10 Senate appointees, 10 House appointees, 15 Republican Congressmen, and 7 statewide elected officials. You must garner a majority vote to win. That means you have to contact each member of the State Committee in order to determine support. So a race like this is pretty straight forward. If a candidate works right, he will know the vote before it happens.

After talking to many people, I knew what the vote would be. I knew I would not be Chairman. My entire campaign was based upon three issues. I wanted to see RPOF give more support to local executive committees and candidates. If this happens more of you will be able to run for local office and have party support. I wanted to see RPOF invest in better technology to reach voters and volunteers. You have the technology, so you will be very much needed in the party. Most importantly I wanted to see RPOF open the doors and allow every Republican to participate. I fought for these three principles.

About 10 minutes before the annual meeting, I ran into Chairman Jim Greer. Our visit was not planned. It was purely impromptu. We talked about the issues I championed. He understood these issues and told me what he was doing to make corrections. Jim also said that he would make sure any Ron Paul Republican who wanted to participate would be able to. He complimented me for running such a gentlemanly campaign. He appreciated the fact that I did not attack any candidate, did not attack the Republican Party, and stuck to the issues. Chairman Greer was very gracious. He didn’t have to talk to me. He didn’t need my vote and support or ask for it because he was also a vote counter. He knew that he would be reelected in about an hour. I believe what he said.

It came time for nominations and Governor Crist nominated Jim Greer. The Governor asked that everyone vote for him. Many other party officials seconded the motion. Jim talked for a few minutes about the Republican Party. When it was my turn to speak, I talked about my three issues. I told everyone about the Ron Paul campaign and what a wonderful experience it was working with the grass roots. I talked about technology, money bombs, and the internet. I quoted Ronald Reagan; “The very essence of conservatism is libertarianism.” I talked about the future of our party.

My speech was not prepared. There was no podium so I was speaking extemporaneously. I noticed that the Governor happened to be sitting on the end of the first row, right by my microphone. In closing my speech I took the opportunity to look the Governor in the eye and said, “Governor, I want to withdraw my name from nomination because I am going to support your nominee. Republicans should not be fighting other Republicans. We should be fighting Democrats.” I made a call for party unity.

The Governor stood up and shook my hand. He thanked me for what I had done. I was told later that I had received a standing ovation. Jim Greer won the race 169 to 52, which was about the margin I had expected. During his acceptance speech, Chairman Greer shocked everyone when he said, “I want to make sure all the Ron Paul supporters who want to participate are able to.” There has been a lot of good will generated since.

I know there are some people who are disappointed in the outcome of this election. I am disappointed, too, because I know that I would have made a great chairman. During my campaign I stood up for three issues that have an effect on internal policies of RPOF. Jim addressed each one. I believe what he said and I will give him every opportunity to succeed. He never asked for my support or promised me anything. Even though he won the Chairmanship, I won on the issues and I never compromised my principles.

Unity is important. We need to unify behind real Republican principles. We can accomplish this by preparing for the 2010 election cycle. There will be tens of thousands of races all across the country including City Commissioners, County Commissioners, School Districts, and local boards. Many of these races require very little resources. If we plan now to field our candidates and participate with the Republican Party we can win.

But please remember, unity does not mean arbitrarily supporting any candidate who has an R behind his name. We can elevate the debate by supporting candidates who support real Republican principles. It is our job to hold the party to higher standards. With this approach we will win elections.

The bottom line is “All Politics Is Local”. A local city or county commission race might not seem as glamorous as Congress, but I guarantee you will have a better chance of success. You will also have a better chance at effectuating change within your community simply by running.

I want to issue a challenge to everyone who wants to participate with Republicans. Come to meetings. Join Republican clubs. Get to know people. Participate in a positive manner. Learn the rules. Get to know your elected officials. And most importantly, organize your precinct. Many of you have been quite successful. 2010 will be a banner year.

Once again thank you for all your support and well wishes. It is always tough to run a race, but it was easier knowing I had the support of our family. I want to salute each and every one of you for all the things you do to promote liberty throughout this great nation. In 2010 I want to be reading about you, an ordinary person who is doing extraordinary things. Thank you.

In Liberty,

Mark Cross

Campaign For Liberty

Florida Interim State Coordinator

[ingrid]

I think he made the wrong decision. In MN, at the leadership summit, we learned that there are two types of lobbying. One is access based (against the grassroots) and the other is confrontation-based. We also learned that one of the ways that politicians try to silence you is by giving you a position.

I also disagree with why he choose to support him. Using the Ron Paul example: If Ron Paul said that he was supporting McCain because he agreed to work toward ending the Federal Reserve; I could see that. However if Ron Paul said he was supporting McCain because he was going to use technology and that the Ron Paul people would be welcomed....well, that's a different story.

His issues were things that the Republicans were going to do anyway and I'm guessing he's going to have his ear for a few months and then...

Was it worth breaking his word with Miller and going against what his fellow supporters believe in?

I don't really see any positive in this. But I guess time will tell.

[Matt Collins]

Sent to me in an e-mail from a Florida Meetup:


Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am going to stand up for Mark Cross, and everyone else who has made the decision he has made. I may well be the lone voice speaking from this position, and that position may mark me as an outcast to some, even some I may know as friends. But it is a position I believe in, and were I not to stand for my principles, even if those principles dissent from my current audience, then I would me a man without honor, and a man without honor is something I do not wish to be.

We are fighting a long and terribly hard war here, and many wish for the quick but excessively bloody victory. Such a victory is possible, but it would likely culminate in the destruction of the Republican Party, and, with third parties not being as viable as many may wish for them to be, this would leave no party strong enough to challenge the leftist Democrat Party. A victory we may have, but it would be a Pyhrric victory, and thus would not be a victory worth having.

We can also choose to fight the smart war. It will be prolonged, but if we continue forward progress, taking every step forward that we can, we will be victorious over time. More importantly, we will win the propaganda war.

It is not something that many want to hear, that we need the support of others in order to gain the position we need within the system. We like to think we can do it alone, that our sense of moral justice will win for us in the end. Such clarity comes from seeing things in mere black and white, everything as two extremes. With us or against us. The shades of grey are all around us, and they define the picture, and if you only allow yourself to see simply the most extreme of contrasts, then you will miss the beauty of the entire scene. These shades of grey produce that beauty; the ability to disagree with each other is what makes us so wonderful. We are not all the same.

I am friends with people who believe 9/11 was a terrorist act, and friends with some who believe it was a government conspiracy. I am friends with people who see Israel as simply defending itself, and friends with people who see Israel as an aggressor. I am friends with people who believe the Federal Reserve should be ended, and I am friends with people who believe that is folly. All of these people fall under the umbrella of the Republican Party. All of them work toward a singular goal. I am proud to call all of them my friends, and I work with all of them to bring about the changes needed in the Republican Party.

Think about your circle of friends, or the people you meet at each rally you attend, every meeting you're a part of. We work with so many people who have different viewpoints from us. Why? Because working with them we can be stronger. We can work toward a common goal. Are we compromising our values or principles? No! We are simply admiring a picture more defined by its shades of grey. But when we decline some of those shades, we still lose focus on the bigger picture.

We need to work within the system, and I believe we are making progress in bringing the system to us. We can fight these people tooth and nail, deny them at every turn. But what are we then? They will work against us, fight us in return, and they have the power right now. So if there is a chance to work with them, to show them that our goals are goals they should also have, why then should we decline the opportunity? We make powerful allies, and by working closer with them, we have an even better chance of making them see things from our point of view.

Such actions also help us in the greater public image. Many "Ron Paul Republicans" have been ridiculed and seen as outcasts by the people. What if we work with the "establishment" and get it to come to our side of things, even if it takes just a bit more time? We gain credibility by doing so. We gain respect. Credibility and respect earn us new political capital, new members of our movement. What do we earn by fighting those within our own groups who would seek to make peace and bring the "establishment" over to our side? We look even more extreme not only to the people we need within the party, but to others outside of the party. If we are so quick to turn upon one another, what would we do to those who aren't within our "circle?"

My friends, I would ask you to step back and take a better look at the picture. See those shades of grey, *all* of them. Mr. Cross is not the first to step aside from a fight to seek a position of working with the establishment rather than against it. Others have done it throughout the state. In many cases it has strengthened our position, not weaken it. They did not compromise their values. Rather, they saw the best road to allow their values to spread to others, and in taking it, in showing that we are smart, we care about the people, and we can also play this game, they gave us more credibility and respect, not just from within our own party, but from all who are observing.

We don't know yet the extent of what may happen as a result of Mr. Cross's actions, but I believe it will help us greatly in the long run. And for that, I am thankful to him. I am also thankful to Mr. Miller as well, for standing up and providing an alternative. I am proud of both of them, and many within this movement. We all play our own roles, each and every one of us.

Thank you, Gentlemen. Thank you both for your service to us. And may we look forward to the promise of a more peaceful relationship, locally and statewide. Together we can make this a success. Fighting against each other, we will only doom ourselves to failure.

I hope I have lost none of the respect of my peers, and I will not lower my respect of any of my peers for their words or actions in the past few days.

Thank you for your time.

Erik Setzer

[JK/SEA]

All well and good Mr. Setzer, but we don't have that kind of time to wait for people to decide if they should continue to follow the same path. That 'path' is proving to be too full of landmines, and just this past November, it appears there were many political 'fatalities' for 'staying the course'

Ron Paul has shown us the way. To deny this 'other' way just might lead to an end to the GOP., and the Republican brand.

The only thing i see that the Republican Party may have to offer is that they have the infrastructure already in place. All it takes is for leadership to change immediate course of their thought processes without delay.