ELEPHANT CORNER: Rooney’s Running; What’s Canuso Running?

JOE ROONEY, Republican candidate for US Congress in the 13th Dist., seriously wants to beat ALLYSON SCHWARTZ. He is serious on the issues and he is serious about raising money. He has formed a finance committee and has hired professional fundraiser EVE ALLEN to guide his efforts. Allen has worked for CONGRESSMAN JIM GERLACH in the 6th Dist. and was instrumental to Gerlach’s survival when he was targeted by the National Democratic Party. Rooney’s campaign appears to have garnered support from some heavy hitters including DRPA CHAIRMAN WILLIAM SASSO, who is on the host committee of a fundraiser for Rooney this Friday. On the political side, Rooney has hired MARK CAMPBELL as an advisor. Campbell was the National Political Director for RUDOLPH GIULIANI’S presidential campaign in 2007-2008 and, like Allen, he has also worked for Gerlach.

Last week, CHAIRMAN VITO CANUSO held a meeting at the United Republican Club of the ward leaders that he deems to be ward leaders. The list did include a number of ward leaders on the insurgent side and some attended, including MIKE CIBIK, LINDSAY DOERING, LEW HARRIS, ANNIE HAVEY, STEVE NASEVICH, MATT WOLFE and MARK SUPPLE. The ward leaders who are loyal to the State Committee were there to observe only, according to Cibik.

Canuso apparently did not understand that and it appears he considered them to be part of a quorum when he took a confidence vote “by acclamation” for him as Chairman of Republican City Committee. Did he not notice none of insurgents responded yea or nay, or did he just not care? Did this meeting show Canuso’s strength, or was it reminiscent of AL HAIG’S claim that he was in charge in the aftermath of PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN’S shooting? Canuso had stated publicly that the ward-leader meeting at which RICK HELLBERG was elected Chairman of RCC was of no consequence to him. If that was the case, why did Canuso call for the confidence vote? Canuso was also heard saying that he does not care if Republican State Committee recognizes Hellberg as RCC Chairman. The state party does not believe Canuso is the Chairman of RCC owing to rampant election irregularities at the 2010 county party organization meeting at which he maintains he was elected.

Most interesting about Canuso’s meeting last week was that key ward leaders, who were ostensibly on MIKE MEEHAN’S side in the intra-party fight a year ago, were missing from Canuso’s meeting last week. Their absence signifies there is a real de facto leadership of top Republicans in this city – and they do not align with either of the warring camps anymore. In many ways, these leaders must now assume some of the functions that a working County Chairman would in a normal County organization. No doubt they have judged it is best for them to do so discreetly. These are the bull elephants, and their judgement is probably best as the herd seeks to pick a path through this thorny jungle

A number of ward leaders spoke at Canuso’s meeting, among them JIM DINTINO, who asked for the warring sides to join together. Of course, “joining together” requires that both sides get some of their needs met. KAREN BROWN, who has been heard saying she could be a compromise RCC Chairperson in her speech, exhibited why no one has taken her up on her offer so far. She stated if the party had been united, she would have beaten MICHAEL NUTTER last year in her try for the mayoralty. While political candidates frequently make self-aggrandizing statements, they must be more credible when they seek organizational leadership roles. That’s a task that calls for practical and frank assessment both of oneself and others.

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