Minutes of the America First National Committee
Thursday, September 5, 2002
BE IT REMEMBERED that the America First National Committee met on Thursday, September 5, 2002 at 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, pursuant to the Call by Resolution of the Operating Committee of August 29, 2002.
The meeting was called to order by the Chairman at 9:22 p.m. EDT.
The Secretary called the roll of National Committee members:
Present:
- Wanda Weatherford of Colorado
- Helen Leka and George Radzwillas of Connecticut
- Gaurav Ahuja of Florida
- Diane Lovell of Georgia
- Jim Monagan of Iowa
- Guadalupe Lynch of Illinois
- L. Thomas White of Massachusetts
- John Clark and Virginia Clark of Maryland
- Michael O'Brian of Michigan
- Ryan Law of Minnesota
- Nancy Blankenship of Missouri
- Norman Kent of North Carolina
- Francis Winters of New Hampshire
- Gary Grella, Maureen Flannery, and James Arft of New York
- John Francis and James Bunosky of Ohio
- George Stryker of Pennsylvania
- John Fey of Tennessee
- George Pangborn of Texas
- Rick Besanko and Linda Muller of Virginia
- John Verser of Arkansas, Ballot Access Chairman
- Romelle Winters of New Hampshire, Public Relations Chairman
- Jon Hill of Massachusetts, Finance Committee Chairman
- Roger Simmermaker of Florida, Platform Committee Chairman
- Ed Moses of Iowa, Rules Committee Chairman
- James D. Jones of Tennessee, Party Building Chairman
- John Pittman Hey of Mississippi, Secretary
- Maureen McHugh of Illinois, Treasurer
- Gene Lovell of Georgia, Vice-chairman
- Dan Charles of Colorado, Chairman
Absent:
- Billie Deeter and Jess Bonds of Arkansas
- Larry Carroll and Marcel Dietze of Colorado
- Floyd Atchley of Connecticut
- Martin McClellan and George Bashure of Florida
- Phil Anderson of Georgia
- Dave Doyle of Iowa
- Brendan McCrudden of Illinois
- John Walker and Gerald Duncan of Michigan
- Clint Muskopf and Leo Daley of Minnesota
- Ray Cherry and Dennis Carriger of Missouri
- Trey Golmon, Ryan Walters and Candice Schmidt of Mississippi
- Cleve Pate and Gordon Ipock of North Carolina
- Ted Maravelias of New Hampshire
- Ward Chorpenning of Ohio
- Karen Wilson, Patrick Wilson, and Melvin Johnson of Oregon
- Samuel Cross and David Thomas of Pennsylvania
- Blake Buffington of Texas
- Chris Wenzel of Virginia
- James Edwards of Tennessee, Candidates Committee Chairman
Wes Anderson of Texas joined the meeting after the call to order.
A quorum being present, the National Committee meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. The Secretary delivered the invocation.
The Secretary reported receiving notice of the resignation of John Walker of Michigan from the National Committee. The Secretary moved the amendment of the Certified List of National Committee members to strike Mr. Walker from the list. His motion was seconded by Mr. Lovell and adopted by unanimous vote.
Mr. Lovell moved the adoption of an agenda which had been distributed earlier that day. Mrs. Winters seconded the motion.
Mr. Lovell and Mr. Moses moved to amend the agenda to include a Treasurer's report. The amendment was adopted by unanimous vote.
Mr. Pangborn and Mr. Ahuja moved to amend the agenda to include a Public Relations report. The amendment was adopted by unanimous vote.
There being no further amendments, the newly amended agenda was adopted by unanimous vote.
The Treasurer reported a beginning balance of $4650.18. Donations of $910 have since been received, and the bumper stickers, which cost $599, have been paid for, leaving a current balance of $4961.18. The Chairman reported receipt of an additional $750 which has not been deposited, and described pledges for some $900 in additional donations.
Mr. Pangborn moved the adoption of the Treasurer's report. His motion was seconded by Mr. Lovell and adopted unanimously.
A Public Relations report was given by Mrs. Winters. The newsletter is in production, and plans are underway to have the quad-fold brochure printed and distributed.
The Chairman presented the following resolution for consideration by the National Committee:
Resolved, that the America First National Committee does hereby authorize the expenditure of up to $2300 for the purchase of advertising in the first 3 issues of "The American Conservative".
Mr. Besanko moved the adoption of the above resolution, and Mr. Stryker seconded the motion.
A vigorous discussion took place. Some members questioned whether the party could afford to spend the money on the ad. Other members expressed opposition to advertising in the particular magazine. Still others suggested that the proposed ad text should be changed. Supporters of the resolution contended that the ad was written to target the specific magazine's audience, an audience that agrees with us and that we should try to recruit.
A roll call vote was taken:
Yeas - Weatherford, Leka, Radzwillas, Monagan, Lynch, White, Mr. Clark, Mrs. Clark, O'Brian, Law, Blankenship, Kent, Mr. Winters, Grella, Flannery, Arft, Francis, Bunosky, Stryker, Anderson (Texas), Besanko, Muller, Hey, McHugh, Mrs. Winters, Hill, Simmermaker, and Jones.
Nays - Mr. Lovell, Verser, Moses, Ahuja, Mrs. Lovell, Fey, and Pangborn
The resolution was adopted by majority vote.
There being no further business, upon motion made by Mrs. Muller, seconded by Mrs. Flannery, and adopted by unanimous vote, the Chairman declared the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
______________________
John Pittman Hey
National Secretary
America First National Committee
