Steve Shine - Captain Of A Ship Adrift

While appearing on Pat White's show on WOWO Steve Shine hinted that Ken Neumeister and Cathy Hawks would remain very much a part of Allen County Republican Party. It seems he was saying both of these people, who he had appointed to a position of trust, that their media rants of dishing Matt Kelty and supporting Democrat Tom Henry was acceptable. Both of them made a conscious decision to appear at a new conference with Henry. Adding more insult, was the two of them taking a position of standing directly behind Tom Henry, for all the cameras to to capture the perfect picture.

One has to wonder when this "accepting" attitude became Shine's policy. Back in 1999 he kicked Ken Nicolet out, as a precinct committeeman, when he wrote a letter to the editor supporting Graham Richard. Nicolet clearly stated, he was supporting Richard because he was a lifelong friend. If memory serves me right, he never mentioned he was a precinct committeeman for the Allen County Republican Party. Yet Shine had him gone, within hours, of the letter appearing in print. Even though Nicolet had served the party well as the elected St. Joe Township Trustee and Advisory Board member in the past.

I can buy into Shine's story that he cannot control what any member of the Allen County Republican Party says. However, if Shine allows their return to any position within the party, he is endorsing their behavior. Plus Shine is endorsing any one in the future can do the same without any accountability.

If Neumeister or Hawks want to return to the party, then they should appear before a meeting of the precinct committeemen. Shine did this very thing with Matt Kelty, and like him, let them explain their actions. Allow precinct committeemen to decide if they want them back. That would be "inclusive", not "exclusive!"

By Shine forming some new committee, which the makeup is unknown to the rank and file of the party, can only lead to a repeat of the last seven years. He will once again be walking down the same road that has the party loosing seats on county council, the mayor's race, and at the township level.

Mr. Shine has tried to paint a picture of a minority of Republicans supported Kelty in their voting. He is wrong, and should go back and look at the election returns again. Kelty, did in fact, obtain more then 50% of the republican vote. In order for Kelty to have received less then 50% of the republican vote he would have had to have less then 31% of the vote.

With the Allen County Republican Party continued "exclusive" over "inclusive" attitude, the party will continue to see a loss the large core of hard working people Shine had built in the early '90s.