RPOF Chairman Bitner Setting a New Tone, Leading by Example
by Javier Manjarres
At the recent Miami-Dade GOP Lincoln Day dinner, Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Chairman David Bitner took a few minutes out of his schedule to tell us how his stint as Chairman of the state Republican Party has gone thus far. It was refreshing to hear Chairman Bitner state that whenever he has had to travel by airplane, he has flown ‘coach’, and he’s also used his own automobile while criss-crossing the state to attend various GOP events. Gone are the grossly excessive and ‘high-flying’ days of Jim Greer and Governor Charlie Crist- this needs to be the new normal over at the RPOF.
Chairman Bitner also expressed deep concern over the recent ‘shenanigans’ that have transpired in the Broward County Executive Committee that have led to several grievances being filed against the Chairman of that local Republican club. Bitner indicated that the grievances needed to be addressed quickly and were on a sort of ‘fast track’ to being addressed.
With Bitner’s emergence along with Governor Rick Scott as the top Republicans in the state, it was only a matter of time before the ‘spring cleaning’ of the Greer-Crist hold-outs commenced. Keep an eye out for an interview with Chairman Bitner early next week as I maneuver my way through fresh water to meet with him up in Tallahassee.
18 Responses to RPOF Chairman Bitner Setting a New Tone, Leading by Example
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It is really refreshing to here that Chairman Bitner will apply our RPOF rules in an even handed manner.
I’d like to tell you a little story about the Charlotte County Republican Executive Committee. This has been the private domain of a fellow named Bob Starr. As of 2/26/2011 Starr resigned as the Chairman of the Charlotte County REC, his Chairmanship of the RPOF Chairman’s Caucus & ask Committeman for Precinct 31 in Charlotte County. He is now at most a registered Republican & hopefully he’s even changed his party affiliation with the local Supervisor of Elections office.
His dictatorial, ego driven arrogance finally was revealed to others. A couple of nice folks, who were guests from the Sarasota County REC, were in attendance at our last REC meeting on 2/24/2011. They were aghast at the kangaroo court style Starr put on full display for all to see.
He pushed the executive board to illegally remove from their office 41 Charlotte County Republican Committemen & Committeewomen. That’s right you heard it correctly, this bozo, dictator, tyrant (chose from this list or add your own title) pushed out 41 wonderful Republicans. Some of them having served the Republican Party & our REC over 20 years. Included were 3 of our elected officials in the county.
Get this here’s more on this guy Starr.
By the way, did you read above that he was the Chairman of all the 67 county Chairman in the RPOF?
In December 2010 there were 4 volunteers selected from the membership to perform the annual audit that is required by our bylaws. Of course the Chairman or the Treasurer, can’t pick these audit committee members or be on it themselves. The reason for this is their role as fiduciaries of the REC funds & the fact they sign all the checks. If they did that it would be like the fox guarding the hen house.
Well guess what good ol’ boy Bob Starr did. He selected 3 other people to audit the books and never notified any of the REC membership He simply hand picked a new audit committee of his own choice, had them audit the books & submitted it, as a now legal document to our Supervisor of Elections office as required by law.
It doesn’t end there. One of those folks who was picked by our membership stood up asked to be recognized & told Starr how disappointed she was in his actions & asked him why he did it. Starr did not answer. Another Committeeman asked to be recognized, quoted chapter & verse from our bylaws the process that is called for to audit the books. Again Starr ignored the comments & didn’t answer for his actions.
I’m not even close to the end, but my fingers are getting tired.
His Executive Board cronies, all handpicked by Starr & all together as a cabal for around two decades didn’t say a peep.
The only one who stood up for the rights of the membership was our newly elected Vice Chairman, & our newly elected Treasurer. Of course they were shouted down & out voted by the rest of the board.
I could go on for days. Maybe some other folks would like to provide some comments about this Greer Jr.
The average everyday folks who have been members of our REC are truly taken aback by the actions of Starr. They are embarrassed to have Starr represent the RPOF, Charlotte County, or even the Republican party
The closing comment, Starr is still a sitting Charlotte County Commissioner! Wouldn’t you just love having Starr possess the power over you & your tax dollars?
I’m very happy to hear that Chairman Bitner is taking firm hold of the reins at the RPOF. He seems like he gets it and I wish him well.
Just wanted to comment as well about the story in the comments about the ex-chairman of the Charlotte County REC. It is incredible to think that he was in power for so long! If everything in this person’s story is true, then I’m to hear that action was taken and hopefully things will improve there. There are always two sides to every story, but the fact that he resigned tells me that this person is telling the truth!
Not being at Charlotte County REC meeting and going off of your statement. You have not said anything that shows inappropriate action from Starr.
The RPOF constitution plainly states “any member who misses 3 consecutive meeting will be automatically removed from their respected positions.” This is not the decision of the Chairman, it’s a simple law. So did these people miss 3 meetings? Remember, the Chairman can refuse their reasons for absence from the meetings.
Mr. Starr is a politician too. Resigning from the REC when you have people in the group ignoring the RPOF rules or using them towards their favor have may been a smart move on his part.
Mr. Starr being the Chair of Chairman’s caucus is really a nothing title. Do you have any clue what they talk about? What they do? I was a Chairman. Mr. Starr was elected Chairman because nobody else wanted the job.
Addressing the issue of Mr. Starr being the chairman for so long. Are you telling me nobody ran against him? There were no elections every 2 years for the Chairman position? Did members even show up to vote during the election meeting?
I have read newspapers reports and statements posted on websites and the only red flags I keep seeing are questionable actions from the Charlotte County REC members. Not the board of directors.
Please remember, this country is a republic. Not a democracy. Mr. Starr has rights that should not be ignored. If you truly had legitimate complaints, why did you not contact the proper people of these complaints?
I would like to comment on the previous post. I attended the CCREC meeting on Thursday, February 24th. Everything said in the first comment post is true, even if expressed with strong opinions.
The third post asks why did we not contact the proper people with complaints. Believe me – we tried. We tried to get it resolved internally, within our organization, but the people to which we went have all been under the influence of Chairman Starr for a very long time. Our last resort was to take it to the RPOF.
The members WERE removed illegally. Yes, there is the 3 meeting rule. This is a direct quote from the Charlotte County Republican Executive Committee Bylaws: “Three consecutive unexcused absences will result in automatic removal; however, the Secretary shall notify in writing those members of possible removal when two consecutive meetings are missed.” The only letter these members received was the one of dismissal. Keep in mind that the key word here is “consecutive”. I have the list of removed members in front of me. Out of almost 50 names, only a handful missed three meetings in a row without an excuse. The rest had their rights violated in a most underhanded way.
It was not the members ignoring the RPOF rules or using anything to their advantage – we had no advantage. It was the Chairman and his cronies who ignored and broke the rules. Every appeal we made fell on deaf ears.
The third post begins with the statement that nothing was stated that showed the Chairman’s action were inappropriate. I beg your pardon, but you were not there. At the January meeting a member pointed out that it was not the prerogative of the Chairman to select different people to appoint to the audit committee. It is clear in the Constitution and Bylaws that this appointment comes from the members. Mr. Starr heard the comment about his impropriety, said not one word about it, and moved on the other business.
In the February meeting Mr. Starr would not allow members to make any motions, even when it was appropriate. He ruled them out of order and told them to sit down. When the Vice Chairman tried to make a motion he ruled him out of order. It was a circus, in my opinion. Then, when things really began to go south for him, he adjouned the meeting without a vote and without finishing the agenda.
The newspaper reports were incorrect and mostly statements that the Chairman spoon-fed the media, reflecting his opinion, not the facts at all. My jaw dropped when I read them at how incorrect the information was. Mr. Starr stated that there were “factions” and implied they were causing unrest. How negative does that sound? The reality is that new people, mainly folks that had joined in the last 12 months were becoming increasingly upset at the way the meetings were being conducted. The membership increased by almost double of what it had been. But the same old people were appointed to committees even though the new ones tried to get on them. These people joined to become active members of their community and to have a voice in the Executive Committee. He would not allow our voices to be heard. I asked a fellow new member after one meeting what he thought about the meeting, and he replied that after every meeting he wondered what we had accomplished.
Mr. Starr resigned just hours after an embarrassing article appeared in last Saturday’s paper. I believe there was also pressure from the RPOF. Mr. Starr may have done some good things for our county as a Commissioner, but he was frankly wearing too many hats. He had taken on too many jobs to be completely effective in any one of them.
Now with Chairman Starr’s resignation, I am hopeful that this group can be reorganized into a smooth functioning body, with larger attendence, and we, the faction folks, can help better our community and advance the goals of the Republican Party. We still have some battles ahead of us.
@ Terry – this had nothing to do with the 3 unexcused absenses in a row rule, which is when an office can be deemed vacant (different from removal).
There is simply a bylaw that states – “Members must attend 2/3d’s of the meetings”. THAT IS IT! No consequence for not attending 2/3d’s but the chairman decided that removal was the proper punishment.
The monthly meetings were filled with statements from chairman Starr and his cronies (they were the only ones allowed on the sub-committees) and there was no time for the members to do their jobs. It was basically like sitting in an audience watching kabuki theater.
I agree that the chairman of the chairmen’s caucus is no big deal but he used the title to dupe the members into voting for him when he was finally challenged in December.
Chairman Starr was a tyrant and used his positions as chairman and a county commissioner to consolidate power in the hands of a few.
This ruling class has been on the wrong side of every political issue that has effected the voting constituents in Charlotte County! They are elected representatives that only represent their own interests.
That all being said, it looks like the tides are changing and there is hope. We have a great vice-chairman named David Kesselring and it looks like he is going to run for chair. Dave was one of the only people that stood up for the rights of the members and challenged chairman Starr.
Dave is a quiet, soft-spoken man that has been called too honest for politics. That is exactly what we need in a Charlotte County chairman and it will be a stark contrast to Chairman Starr’s bullying style. I’m looking forward to calling Dave my chairman.
Wow, that chairman sounds bad! I can’t believe it took that long to get rid of the guy. Our chairman is great, he lets everybody participate and they do. If a true leader gives people the option to follow or go their own way, people will voluntarily follow. You lead by example, not dictation, especially when you’re aren’t paying people.
John Galt hit the nail on the head with those comments. And YES, David Kesselring has stepped up to the plate and is going to run for Chairman. He is the perfect selection for the position. Dave is a healer not a wounder. He will be a leader for all the people, listening to all voices, not just a select few. David Kesselring will work for and with the members. I am looking forward to changes for the better in our REC with David at the helm!
jj72
How would I go about making a donation to David Kesselring? I think he would make a good Chairman.
Why is it important for the Sarasota County REC Chairman JOE GRUTERS to be present at theCharlotteCounty meeting? Is he there to advise?
He needs to stay home and straiten out the mess he created in Sarasota County.Many of the older grassroot members have resigned out of frustration and disgust.
We need help to fix our party before 2012.
Hi Jimbo. I don’t know what to tell you about making a donation. I really have no idea right now what Dave needs in the way of financial support in mounting this campaign, but I guess I could find out. If you are in Charlotte County I think the best and first thing you could do would be to talk to your Republican friends, especially if you know any members of the CCREC and tell them why you think he would make the best Chairman. Spread the word about David Kesselring.
There’s alot going on in March in Charlotte County. Other than the election of a new Chairman, we have our biggest fundraiser Lincoln Day. It is important that we raise money to support candidates in 2012. But, that event is already set up, and we just hope to have a big turn out. We should because Gov. Scott, RPOF Chairman Bitner, Tom Rooney, and Mike Harridopolos have confirmed that they will be there.
Unfortunately, as important as this is, I’m afraid this event is going to overshadow David’s campaign. Under RPOF rules, our Executive Committee has 60 days to elected a new Chairman, but the still all powerful Board has ruled that the election be held at the next meeting, March 24th. There are many people still resisting change – change for the better. They want to keep the status quo – they want to keep their power! And, that certainly is not for the good of the club.
I’ll check back here if you have any questions that I could answer. Thank you for your support of Dave.
@ Sam – I think it’s important for chairmen to visit their neighboring REC’s. Nobody has a monopoly on all the good ideas and REC’s need to share ideas to make sure that the above mentioned situation never happens again. Are you against chairmen working together to make the party stronger? Please tell me more about why people are “disgusted” by Joe Gruters. I don’t know the man but he had a lot of good ideas when he was campaigning for chairman of the RPOF. You could do us all a favor by elaborating on your statement. I’ve never been to a Sarasota REC meeting as I live on the east coast but Sarasota had amazing turnout at their events and they made a lot of phone calls for candidates last November. Am I missing something?
Let’s help all of the “tea party” people out on how things work in the RPOF.
1. The v. chair normally automatically takes the spot up towards 60 days, without a vote. A special election is held for the new chair.
2. the ONLY people who can vote are people who are currently committee people who have signed a “loyalty oath” to the republican party.
3. no, you can’t just sign a copy of it and get to vote. You had to sign it over 30 days before an election and be voted in to a “committee spot.” If there is no “spots” open, you don’t get to vote.
4. there is “no campaigning” for this job. Why? because the amount of people who can vote is very small.
5. If you are not a committee person, you cannot be in the room when voting happens.
6. RPOF will most likely have people there because to monitor the seen and to make sure everybody in the room can vote. Those who can’t vote will be ask to leave. (membership has it’s privilege) They are there to monitor, not interfere nor conduct.
After all is done, the RPOF grievance committee will launch a full investigation in to the REC. Be nice to these people, they are the ones who say “yes” or “no” if you keep your charter.
Tiny Tim
Normally chairmen do not visit other REC’s because they are too busy with their owe to worry about somebody else. Chairman make curtsy visit when asked by the chairman of the REC, but that’s more for support. It is also considered an insult for one chairman to interfere with another county REC. Chairman’s power is only good in their own counties.
Chairmen have meeting with other chairman. Usually in a private place where they can talk without interruption.
Please don’t think Joe Gruters is that popular with the other chairmen in the state. He got 47 votes out of 267. I would say he’s not too popular. (then again it was better than the 7 votes Tony got)
Also remember, what works in one county doesn’t always work in another. Some counties have millions of people and some have less than 40 thousand.
AMERICANS FOR FREEDOM UPDATE: Now let’s pass laws to end collective bargaining for public Unions. Pass new State laws to protect State Jobs and its citizens from Illegal workers, the Drug Cartel, MS-13, and slave labor.
No more protecting employers hiring illegals.
Also, pass a Resolution condemning the Federal Government for sponsoring illegals in our colleges, housing projects, and Unions jobs. We also need to STOP illegals from registering a new Florida Business at SunBiz.org and becoming a legal minority owned business status owned by illegals who are now receiving city, county, state and Federal contracts (paid by taxpayers) for contracting and other services. Also stop other government contractors from hiring illegal labor where the honest Florida business owners can no longer compete due to illegal labor.
No more leaving our US Vets who are homeless on the street because our Public Housing is FULL OF ILLEGALS today. No more state college benefits, grants or in-state tuition for illegals. This must stop in 2011.
Speak out and Join “Americans For Freedom”
https://www.facebook.com/AmericansForFreedom
@ Corneo – Thanks for the rundown. I’m new to this stuff and as you can tell by my comments, I’m eager to learn. I think Mr. Gruters did pretty good considering Bitner and DCR are big insiders with lots of years under their belts. I’m not a young man but I enjoy seeing young people who are willing to step up and take leadership roles. I think Mr. Gruters has a future in the Republican Party and I wish him well. I’ve been in the private sector for a long time and I’ve done pretty well by learning from others. When I first started in sales, a veteran taught me an acronym that was invaluable to my success: C.A.S.E. – Copy And Steal Everything. Meaning that in order to save time and avoid the growing pains, learn from those who have already done it. -TT
Lots of spouting off here by people that are naive about politics. As far as Charlotte County the past is over and we will move on.
I don’t know how far a person can get wanting to be chairman of a Republican Exec committee when he believes the founder of the party is a murderous, lawless, tyrant.
Don’t believe me check out the today’s Charlotte Sun 3/11/2011
Okay let’s cut to the chase about Bob Starr. He is a quitter. He made a mistake and refused to correct it in the meeting. Instead he chose to quit. Then he did not take responsibility for his own actions. Instead he is blaming everyone else. He blames the Tea Party when in fact the Tea Parties save the Republican Party. They instilled conservative values back into the party and won big time. People like Starr cannot stand that. Instead he makes a stupid statement that the Tea Party endorsed Christine O’Donnell in MD and that she was tied to Wicca. Well here is a news flash for you Quitter Starr, I would rather support a broom riding witch conservative than the socialist rag “The Party” was supporting in the primary. Starr brags about using his own money for his election to the Charlotte County Commission, yet he fails to tell people he accepted $8,000.00 from the REC.
He forbid Republican Clubs from allowing Gov. Rick Scott to attend any club dinners to speak. He threatened to remove their board members from the REC and he held their charter over their heads. Then when Gov. Scott won the primary the little jerk could not suck up to him fast enough. Claiming he had always been a Scott supporter. I was sure lightening was going to strike when that happened. How about the comments made by some of the “old blood” members of the CCREC. Remember how they called our Governor a crook, said he was for abortions? Even called him a liar. Now they smile and say what a wonderful person he is, that is except for former one term County Commissioner Frank Weikel who called Gov. Scott, “his thief”. Sadly that is the thinking of many of the “nearly deads” in the CCREC and the RPOF in general. I say it would be a good think if they all quit. They do nothing anyway. Sure they have more money than the younger members, but what good does it do when they do not truly believe in conservative values?
So now what do we have running for Chairman. 1. A man who loves to party and have a good time. Who refused to stand up to Starr and his dictatorial ways. 2. A doctor who bought his way into the local Tea Party and onto the board, by conning an old man and woman. 3. A hotel manger who is a good man and almost beat Starr the first time. Except for a turncoat commissioner and his girlfriend would not vote for him because he wanted to stay on the good side of Starr. 3. The vice chair who is a good man as well. Soft spoken and has more libertarian views than most, but believes that government and parties are out of control. His only mistake is he did not word a statement correctly on Facebook. Sorry that is not a death sentence in my book.
Now let’s finish up with a few comments about Commissioner Starr. He should either man up and say he was wrong or he should just shut up. No one likes a person, especially a man who refuses to take responsibility for their own actions. No one likes a man who believes he is better than everyone else. No one likes Bob Starr if they have had to be around him much, that is unless they are like Bob Starr.
@ SD1606 – Nobody posting on here was alive in the 1850′s. All we know about what happened back then is what we read in history books. Lincoln did win the war and the winners typically write the history books so what we read is probably tilted in his favor. I don’t know what a man’s view of history has to do with his ability to be an impartial facilitator of a meeting. Please, enlighten me.
“My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union.”
- Abraham Lincoln
Based on those words I would say that Mr. Lincoln’s main objective was big government and centralized power.