One of the most destructive trends within our party is the constant infighting between factions and individuals over issues, positions and especially endorsements of candidates. Such adverse behavior results in individuals making adversarial comments and denouncing each other, labeling individuals with the infamous title of “Rino.” We spend more time bickering and slandering each other over our personal positions, then we do challenging Democrats and radical groups.
In the recent endorsement of Grant Moody for County Commissioner Precinct 3, I took a position based on my own research and observations of the two candidates. I truly did not believe that such an endorsement would have such an impact on individuals within our party, I was wrong. Before the ink had time to dry, supporters of Chris Schuchardt began making statements challenging the endorsement, making claims of bias without logic, or supporting evidence. After the post was read by over 1300 members, with seventy-seven comments and twenty-eight shares, I was labeled “Rino,” I shut down comments to the post on Unite San Antonio and posted that I would send information related to the endorsement. To defend my position and endorsement I have chosen to address the issue here on Unite America. Blog.
I regret that in the original post I commented on Chris Schuchardt’s use of negative campaigning, misleading statements, and baseless accusations. I took this position based upon the information I was reading in Mr. Schuchardt’s internet postings and publications. I find such negative attacks a distasteful method of campaigning, and counterproductive. From what I have read this is the focus of Mr. Schuchardt’s campaign.
As pointed out by Patty Gibbons, in her numerous adversarial comments, I had not interviewed Mr. Schuchardt about his campaign for County Commissioner, which is true, I relied upon past conversation I have had with Mr. Schuchardt during his mayoral campaign, and his political postings on the internet. I expressed my opinion based upon those conversations and my own observations regarding his experience. I do not feel that Mr. Schuchardt has demonstrated his loyalty or dedication to the Republican Party sufficiently, and such lack of experience a decisive element of my endorsement. I can best explain my position in this manner. Imagine you are part of the coaching staff of the Dallas Cowboys, your season is about to begin and in walks a young man demanding you make him the starting quarterback for a multimillion-dollar sports franchise. Before you, is an impressionable young man, an educate family man, learning how to be a successful businessman in the community. Mr. Schuchardt is quick to tell you why he should be made your starting quarterback by pointing out the shortcomings and flaws of your present quarterback but having no experience playing football of his own. He is quick to point out how your current quarterback is incapable of leading your team, does not possess the skill set or qualities of a champion quarterback, and implies that your quarterback plays to benefit your opponents during the season. This young enthusiastic wannabe quarterback is well spoken, personable and has the visual appeal any franchise would want in a starting quarterback. What he does not have is any experience of jumping to the single most prominent position on your team. When you start looking at the qualifications of this young man, you see that he’s never played for a national team or even a college program. He has no direct training playing football, has never even assisted a team by playing in a lesser critical position, yet he expects you to appoint him to the most crucial role on the team based solely upon what he tells you and how he’s better than your experienced quarterback. I made the statement that Mr. Schuchardt had not paid his dues, by working within the Republican Party in any capacity, other than wanting to be mayor of the eighth largest city in the country Mr. Schuchardt has no experience working within a political party.
To date this is the jest of campaigning from Mr. Schuchardt, his posters, internet banners, and declaratory talking points that he is the true conservative and will lead a conservative revolution in Bexar County. This is reminisce of the Democratic Reform Movement of the early 19th century, when politicians declared that they would reform the corrupt and inept old guard government and bring government back to the people. By 1929 such conjecture ushered in the Great Depression.
Like the wannabe quarterback, Mr. Schuchardt makes a good sales pitch as to why he should be elected to the Commissioners Court, stating that he is the one true conservative to represent Bexar County. Is he really a Republican, he doesn’t vote in Republican Primaries unless his name is on the ballot, has never been a precinct chair, set on a Republican Party Committees, his efforts at block walking have been for his campaigns in the mayoral race and his current efforts. Botton line, Mr. Schuchard hasn’t shown me that he is a republican or that he is familiar with the structure of the Republican Party in Bexar County. Take for example, in one of Mr. Schuchardt’s campaign statements, “It’s time for a clean-up in precinct 3”, that sounds like the democratic reform campaigns of the 1910-1920 era. “Grant talks like a conservative but when it comes time to vote, he’s been a rubber stamp for the democrats.” Mr. Schuchardt, at least Mr. Moody has voted in Republican primaries and voted in the 2016 Presidential election, something you never did for 14 years and only voting once prior to 2018 in any general election. In fact, Mr. Schuchardt, you have only voted four times since 2011. That does not demonstrate to me that you support the conservative party or their principles.
Mr. Schuchardt, you make the statement that Mr. Moody has voted with Democrats 98% of the time, a statement that you would have to prove and demonstrate that Mr. Moody voted for Democratic policies. Consider that the majority of work and votes by the Commissioner’s Court deals with the day-to-day operation of the County you should expect Mr. Moody to vote on sound business decisions, many of which would be voted for by Democrats. In your statement you provide no factual evidence of your claim and ignore the fact that many of the Court votes deal with business decisions not based upon political positions. “Moody ignored our only Republican Constable, putting school kids and the community at risk,” a bold and blatantly derogatory statement which you fail to support. (Negative Campaigning).
You have made issue with Mr. Moody’s connection to Jason Gale and the problems at the Villas at Timberwood HOA, with their sewage lawsuit against Timberwood Development Co. You make the slanderous claim that Mr. Moody after only 2 months in office conspired with Mr. Gale and the other members of the County Court, to bailout Timberwood Development by funding a sewage project with federal funds. You make this claim of criminal misconduct without fact or supporting evidence. Your claim is that because Mr. Moody and Mr. Gale share ownership in a single engine plane, that Mr. Moody would commit a crime to arrange a conspiracy to “bailout” his business partner. What you fail to admit is that the county determined that there were funds available from federal COVID programs and opened up applications for those funds which the Villas of Timberwood HOA made application. You failed to point out that the sewage project would not resolve or end litigation between the HOA and Timberwood Development, litigation which could take years to resolve. Nor did you include that two other applications for the funds were approved. Overall, if you take in the totality of the information and facts concerning the allegations you have made, you have accused the entire Bexar County Commissioners Court of criminal conspiracy. One last point Mr. Moody and Mr. Gale are only two of the four timeshare owners of the single engine airplane. (Negative Campaigning).
Let’s look at another of Mr. Schuchardt’s negative campaign tactics. In a FB post you make the claim of Mr. Moody, “He’s so removed from the actual fight to defeat Prop A that he has repeatedly approved messages to voters that get the year wrong. We all know Grant Moody didn’t lift a finger to defeat Prop A.” and neither did you Mr. Schuchardt. The credit for defeating Prop A goes out to Mr. Adam Blanchard, SAPOA, the San Antonio Safe PAC (April Ancira & Eddie Aldert) and the countless others who spoke out against Prop A. It should be noted that Mayor Nuremberg came out against Prop A the very day that San Antonio Safe PAC held a fund raiser against Prop A, where the minimum to attend was a $1000 dollar donation, with as much as a $50,000 donation to be a benefactor donor. Your contribution against Prop A was nothing more than an acknowledgement you were against Prop A while campaigning for mayor. (Negative Campaigning).
With regard to Mrs. Gibbens comments that I made this endorsement because Mr. Moody and I both served in the military is simply a bias childish retort without any supporting argument. In fact, had my decision to endorse either candidate been based upon a similar background I would not have endorsed either. Both Mr. Moody and Mr. Schuchardt are graduates of Texas A&M, as my family has a history with Texas A&M dating back to 1927, my loyalties would be divided. Simply put, each of us must decide who to vote for based upon our own knowledge of the candidates. To take an endorsement against your choice of candidates personally and then attack each other is simply destructive.
In parting I will ask Mr. Schuchardt one question. In light of the recent arrest of two city councilmen and a NISD Board member for alcohol related crimes and the sanctions taken against each, shouldn’t you be held to the same standard and sanctions taken against them in lite of your past arrest for alcohol related crimes? This is a cheap shot at Mr. Schuchardt, but an example of how negative campaigning is destructive and creates animosity between party members. Save the cheap shots for the democrats not each other when our goal is to promote and defend the Republican Party.
There is additional information that I have researched and read related to Mr. Schuchardt’s campaign for County Commissioner which has solidified my endorsement of Grant Moody for County Commissioner Precinct 3, I do not feel I need to defend my endorsement further.
Unite San Antonio 