The GOP in Orland Park

The following letter is a response to the following letters:

Jan. 21, 2009 SouthstownStar A19 McLaughlin administration needs to be challenged in the next election. By George Tarasuk

Jan. 31, 2009 SouthtownStar A4 GOP Alive and well in Orland Township. By Mark Daniel

GOP adrift in Orland Township

Mr. Tarasuk’s issue is simple. The people in charge of running the Orland Township GOP are at best asleep at the switch.

There is a difference between suggesting that the Orland Township GOP slate candidates for the non-partisan Orland Park local election vs advising the Orland Township GOP members that there are several candidates running in the race who are member republicans, and asking the Orland Township GOP members to support these candidates if the members reside in Orland Park.

It is accurate that Gerald F. Maher is a life long Republican and that he is running for Mayor of Orland Park against the incumbent Mayor, who is also the Democratic Orland Township Committeeman. However, so far the Orland Township GOP has nothing to do with this campaign. In fact, when approached on Nov. 14 2008 in a face to face meeting, Liz Gorman was offered the opportunity to participate in the slate selections for Mr. Maher’s slate, and she refused. Liz Gorman advised that she intended to support Mr. Dodge, a Orland Township GOP member, and Mr. O’Halloran. When asked why she would support O’Halloran, a democrat, she advised that he is a good fundraiser and strong contributor to her campaign(s). Furthermore, Liz Gorman would not commit to not opposing Mr. Maher in the upcoming Mayoral race. She advised she believes we have good elected officials in Orland Park. Her main concern was why did Gerald Maher oppose her in 2006 (she supported a democrat against his brother!) did Tony Peraica ask Gerald Maher to run against her, and how would she benefit or not in her re-election bid in 2010 if she “took a bullet” and supported Gerald Maher now.
In a recent conversation, Liz Gorman said “… the door remains open…” What door is she referring to?

The fact is the current leadership of the OP Township GOP is not doing a good job of promoting republican candidates or increasing the Republican base in Orland Park or Orland Township. In 2005, Liz Gorman supported the incumbent Democratic Orland Township supervisor, Tom Mahoney (hand picked and endorsed by Daniel McLaughlin) against a Republican challenger in the 2005 election. In case you have forgotten, the following is the Orland Township GOP stated goal from it’s website:

Our mission
The mission of the Orland Township Republican Organization shall be to develop, foster, advance, and perpetuate the principles of the Republican Party; to build loyalty in the Republican Party; to encourage participation in the electoral process of members of the Republican Party; to recommend, and actively support Republican candidates that have been endorsed by the Organization for local, county, state and federal offices; to manage the affairs of the Republican Party within the boundaries of Orland Township; and to engage in such other activities and perform such functions and services as may from time to time be necessary to further the cause of the Republican Party, its principles and its candidates and to increase the Republican majority in Orland Township.

I challenge Mark Daniel to point out where in this mission statement supporting republican candidates in the “local” Orland Park races is prohibited.
Gerald Maher is certainly a Republican. Kenneth Houston is a Republican. Does this mean Liz Gorman is going to withdraw her support for James Dodge?

I challenge Mark Daniel to name the Republican candidate slated by the Orland Township GOP to oppose Democratic incumbent Kevin McCarthy in the 2008, 2006 and 2004 races for State Representative 37th district. The Republican voters were denied the opportunity to vote for this state office.

The leader(s) of the Orland Township GOP should have been recruiting a complete slate and starting signature petition drives for the Township elections long before the past few weeks, instead of depending on Mayor McLaughlin not running a complete slate because of some supposed quid pro quo arrangement. That is the committeeman’s job and responsibility.

Furthermore, one of the responsibilities of a Township Committeeman is as follows:

Committeeman are also required to raise funds thru various fund raising methods in order to operate an organization, staff and if possible and office in order to provide ombudsman services to the community.

That is not limited to passing a hat to pay the GOP office utility bill, as was done at the Jan 21st Orland Township GOP meeting. If the Township committeeman was doing their job, such a desperate measure would never be required.

For the 2008 Presidential Election, the Orland Township GOP Newsletter advising who to vote for was delivered on or after Nov. 4th. Seems a bit late.

Approximately 25,000 Orland Township voters voted for John McCain and Sarah Palin in the 2008 General Election. Where their invitations not sent out in time for the Orland Township GOP Christmas Party?

Orland Township has historically been a bastion of Republican strength. I am sure the Orland Township GOP committeeman would accept yearly dues from each of the republican voter in Orland Park. Is it to much to ask the committeeman to offer those same voters republican candidates for them to support in their local elections? Now the Orland Township GOP is going to mail a ballot of “member” republican candidates to the “paid” Orland Township GOP members to vote on. There are two additional names that should be on that list of “member” candidates. Gerald F. Maher for Mayor of Orland Park and Kenneth M. Houston for Village Trustee.

Marty Maher
CCOP.us