Conversation With Ron Nehring About The CRP & Immigration

I had an email conversation with our state GOP party chairman Ron Nehring this morning about the recent news of the hiring of foreign nationals at the CRP and about the immigration/amnesty debate going on in the country. I want to thank the Chairman for taking time out of his day to respond to some of my questions. I have a lot of concerns about how the hiring of Christopher Matthews is being perceived out there in Republicanland. First here's a couple of quotes from some concerned Republicans:

It was not such a great week for the California Republican Party. The
Chronicle had a front page story reporting that the CRP hired a
Canadian for a top position in the party and made use of an H-1B visa
in order
to hire him. There is a cap on the number of these visas, and they are
coveted by Silicon Valley for getting foreign talent to come to America
to do work that keeps us competitive. In the application for this
visa, the CRP had to attest there were no Americans qualified for the
position they wanted filled. This is untrue, embarrassing, and
unfortunate.

Bill Leonard, Board of Equalization

Leonard nails it right on the head with regards to the misuse of the H-1B visa. This issue regarding the California Republican party hiring foreign workers over Americans is going to get very hot heading into the September convention

Phil Paule, District Director to Congressman Darrell Issa

It's insulting but also embarrassing ... to bring people from the outside who don't know the difference between Lodi and Lancaster ... and who can't even vote. There are talented Republicans in California, and the message ... is that there's no talent pool here. Who will help (the) candidates? A couple of foreign transplants who don't know the political landscape and don't know the history of the complicated politics in California?

Karen Hanretty, former CRP Communications Director

Here's Barry Jantz's post of Flashreport about this issue.



Here is the back & forth between myself and Ron earlier today:

Hi Ron,

As a conservative Republican grassroots internet activist, I have a couple of questions for you about your recent hiring of Christopher Matthews and about your political views on the Senate Amnesty bill.

I find it hard to believe that you would make the decision to hire a deputy communications person in the CRP that's not a US citizen. At a time when our party is being led off a cliff by our President on the issue of illegal immigration, I just find the timing of the hiring of Mr. Matthews suspect at best and flat out radioactive at worst. It doesn't show good political instincts. In fact it looks very hypocritical. He may be a great hire, but the negative publicity about it has outweighed the good from it IMO. Was there no qualified individuals who are US/California citizens who fit the bill?

Secondly, what are your views on the amnesty bill debacle in the US Senate right now? I've read about your past close association with Grover Norquist who is very pro open borders as you know. It concerns me. This is what has caused this email. I need to know that the Chairman who is leading our state party is not going to follow the lead of our President right now on this issue. In fact it would be nice if the party could start being a lot more pro-active on this front in helping us fight this amnesty bill. Are you and the party leadership on board with this?

respectfully,

Allan Bartlett
Irvine,CA

his first response:

Dear Allan:

Many thanks for your note.

Two things.

First, on the hiring of Chris Matthews – yes, Chris is an immigrant who has an OUTSTANDING record of accomplishment in working for our party for the last three years. He is a movement conservative who first came to California in 2003 for a month to work as a full time volunteer in support of the recall campaign against Gray Davis. Chris has moved to Los Angeles with his wife and young daughter and I’m extremely proud to have Chris on our team.

Some of the information floating around concerning his hiring is just inaccurate. For example, Chris is our Director of Research and Political Technology, a position ideally suited for his strong skillset in those two areas. As for timing, I’m not sure what you’re suggesting, but there’s nothing nefarious about it whatsoever.

I’m sure when you meet Chris at an upcoming Republican event you’ll find him to be as great of an asset to our party as we all do in San Diego where he’s been part of our team for yours.

Concerning illegal immigration, you are not going to find someone in this party who is stronger on the issue of securing the border than I am. I live just 18 miles from the border, and regularly travel on Interstate 8 where, tragically, innocent people have often been killed or injured in head on collisions as a result of “coyotes” driving the wrong way on the freeway to avoid the Border Patrol. I have toured the border repeatedly, and visited with our agents on the ground. Duncan Hunter is my Congressman and we have many times discussed the progress of the border fence which I am proud to say he has driven in the Congress.

Going forward, I trust you have phoned Sens. Feinstein and Boxer’s offices and expressed your opposition to the legislation. Our goal is to build a strong party in California so that we may replace each of them with Republican Senators who share our values not only on illegal immigration, but on a host of issues.

Thanks again for your note.

Sincerely,

Ron Nehring

my next reply, I pressed him more about his connections to Grover Norquist:

Thanks for the reply Ron. In the future I just believe it would be in the party's best interest to hire California citizens for all high level staff positions at the CRP. Wouldn't you agree? We have a hard enough time in California trying to win elections without us looking hypocritical on immigration.

So can I assume from your answer that you strongly disagree with your good friend Grover and the big business lobby on this issue and that you are against the Senate amnesty bill and for an enforcement first approach?

BTW yes, I have phoned both senators as has my entire extended family. They received an earfull from us

Lastly, you mentioned Cong. Hunter. I had the good fortune to hang out with Duncan & his wife Lynne at a house party down in Coto de Caza a few weeks ago.(here's my post about that) He is a great Congressman. We are going to have another house reception for him in August in Corona Del Mar at a friend's house. If you can stop by for a few that would be cool. I'll let you more details when I have em'.

Ron's next reply to me(a bit testy):

Dear Allan:

The liberals are always trying to smear us as “anti-immigration.” They can’t (or won’t) draw the distinction between immigration that is done the right way, vs. jumping over the border in the dead of night (or the light of day, as is often the case). We are not the party against immigration. My parents were both immigrants who legally came through the process. There is nothing hypocritical about our party hiring an immigrant who has legally gone through the process, especially when it is an outstanding individual with a solid track record of success in helping us elect Republicans.

Concerning Grover Norquist, with all due respect, you don’t know who my ‘good friends’ are so I would appreciate your refraining from such characterizations. I worked with Grover for years working on one project: promoting paycheck protection and other measures that would put an end to the practice of Republican union members being forced to fund Democrat campaigns. Grover’s views on immigration are his own concern.

Please let me know when you have another event with Duncan and if I can get it into the calendar I’ll be sure to come by.

Sincerely,

Ron Nehring

I think this issue is going to get a hearing at the next CRP Convention. I would like the party to ban hiring foreign nationals in the future. These are definately jobs Americans will do and should do.