Below is my news story on what transpired. I was trained in college as a journalist and to the best of my ability I'm going to write it as it might have appeared if the media had covered it.
Nick Egoroff
Orange County, Fl. Campaign For Liberty Organizer
Yesterday Mark Cross, Florida State Coordinator for Campaign For Liberty, surprised many supporters of Ron Paul with a sudden endorsement of Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Chairman Jim Greer. Greer had been locked in a contentious three way contest for another two year term of the Party.
Greer won the contest with a lopsided majority.
Cross said that he was not going to win the race so he decided to throw in with the current incumbent, "to better help the chances" of Ron Pauler's to be included in intra-party organizations. Cross later said that "he felt comfortable with his decision."
Cross pointed to "shaking Florida Governor Charlie Crist's hand" afterwords. "Lots of Republican Executive Committee members told me I had done the right thing, and invited me to come speak at their club meetings on how to get more Ron Paul people involved."
Nick Egoroff, Orange County Campaign For Liberty Organizer, had reservations. "Mark is taking a very dangerous course in suggesting that Ron Paul supporters would support Greer." Egoroff has had many run-ins with RPOF brass.
"I've talked with a half-dozen Campaign for Liberty leaders around the state of Florida and all were shocked and repulsed at the idea of supporting Greer. One said Greer stands for everything that is wrong with the Party. There is no way I can support that--it's a matter of principle."
Cross's announcement came at the end of a speech made on the floor of the Quarterly meeting of the RPOF. They were in the middle of nomination speeches when Cross's turn came to speak.
His speech centered on the positive aspects of Ron Paul's presidential campaign. The people involved in it "were kind of like a family," he said. "Each of us was free to help the campaign any way they could or wanted."
It was towards the end of the speech when Cross peeled off a lapel sticker that said 'Mark Cross--UNITY Candidate for Chairman.' "I think everyone got one of these on their chair today. And in the spirit of unity I wish to withdraw my name from nomination and instead give my support to Chairman Greer."
Egoroff said that the Ron Paul supporter he was sitting next to said, "What the f--- is that. Ron Paul would have never done that."
Also hurt by Cross's sudden change of mind was Eric Miller, another candidate seeking the chairman's position. According to Egoroff who knew both candidates, Miller was a traditional Ronald Reagan conservative.
The two candidates had worked together sharing advice and information on the race for months. Each had promised the other that should either be eliminated in early balloting they would endorse each other.
One person that saw the interaction between the two as both left the ballroom where balloting had taken place described it thus: "Eric (Miller) yelled out to Mark (Cross), 'they told me not to trust you, and now I know why."
Egoroff talked with Cross afterwords and asked why the sudden change of mind. "I knew I wasn't going to win and neither was Eric, so I tried to make the best of it."
Cross went on to explain that now he will have much more access to Greer and hopes to help end the factious fighting that has broken out across the state between Ron Paul supporters and the Party leadership.
Egoroff also reminded Cross of other 'gentleman's agreements' that had been made between RPOF officials and Ron Pauler's. All were broken to the detriment of the Ron Paul people who made them, said Egoroff. Cross answered, "We'll just have to wait and see."
Egoroff said that once Cross decided to give up, "We had the chance to stand with someone (Miller) that wanted to reform the RPOF. Eric had flatly stated that what the current state party leadership was doing was hurtful to Ron Paul Republicans."
"If Mark didn't want to run that's fine. Nobody pushed him into it. But it is questionable that he asked for donations and volunteers from Ron Paul people and got it, only to end up supporting the candidate that they were opposing."
Post Script. I'm very good friends with Mark Cross and know that this post will no doubt strain our friendship. I've worked with Mark for a year and a half on the Ron Paul campaign. We've had our differences over strategy and tactics. Never have I doubted Mark's support of liberty.
I wrote this in such a forthright way because the issues involved are so central to ones that we will have to face in the years ahead. They revolve around 'to what extent do we compromise and make alliances to grow the liberty movement.'
I'll leave it to the readers to decide.
--
Nick Egoroff
Orlando Campaign For Liberty Organizer
Check Out My New Blog at
http://nickegorofforlandopoliticalactivist.blogspot.com/
Nick Egoroff
Orange County, Fl. Campaign For Liberty Organizer
Yesterday Mark Cross, Florida State Coordinator for Campaign For Liberty, surprised many supporters of Ron Paul with a sudden endorsement of Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Chairman Jim Greer. Greer had been locked in a contentious three way contest for another two year term of the Party.
Greer won the contest with a lopsided majority.
Cross said that he was not going to win the race so he decided to throw in with the current incumbent, "to better help the chances" of Ron Pauler's to be included in intra-party organizations. Cross later said that "he felt comfortable with his decision."
Cross pointed to "shaking Florida Governor Charlie Crist's hand" afterwords. "Lots of Republican Executive Committee members told me I had done the right thing, and invited me to come speak at their club meetings on how to get more Ron Paul people involved."
Nick Egoroff, Orange County Campaign For Liberty Organizer, had reservations. "Mark is taking a very dangerous course in suggesting that Ron Paul supporters would support Greer." Egoroff has had many run-ins with RPOF brass.
"I've talked with a half-dozen Campaign for Liberty leaders around the state of Florida and all were shocked and repulsed at the idea of supporting Greer. One said Greer stands for everything that is wrong with the Party. There is no way I can support that--it's a matter of principle."
Cross's announcement came at the end of a speech made on the floor of the Quarterly meeting of the RPOF. They were in the middle of nomination speeches when Cross's turn came to speak.
His speech centered on the positive aspects of Ron Paul's presidential campaign. The people involved in it "were kind of like a family," he said. "Each of us was free to help the campaign any way they could or wanted."
It was towards the end of the speech when Cross peeled off a lapel sticker that said 'Mark Cross--UNITY Candidate for Chairman.' "I think everyone got one of these on their chair today. And in the spirit of unity I wish to withdraw my name from nomination and instead give my support to Chairman Greer."
Egoroff said that the Ron Paul supporter he was sitting next to said, "What the f--- is that. Ron Paul would have never done that."
Also hurt by Cross's sudden change of mind was Eric Miller, another candidate seeking the chairman's position. According to Egoroff who knew both candidates, Miller was a traditional Ronald Reagan conservative.
The two candidates had worked together sharing advice and information on the race for months. Each had promised the other that should either be eliminated in early balloting they would endorse each other.
One person that saw the interaction between the two as both left the ballroom where balloting had taken place described it thus: "Eric (Miller) yelled out to Mark (Cross), 'they told me not to trust you, and now I know why."
Egoroff talked with Cross afterwords and asked why the sudden change of mind. "I knew I wasn't going to win and neither was Eric, so I tried to make the best of it."
Cross went on to explain that now he will have much more access to Greer and hopes to help end the factious fighting that has broken out across the state between Ron Paul supporters and the Party leadership.
Egoroff also reminded Cross of other 'gentleman's agreements' that had been made between RPOF officials and Ron Pauler's. All were broken to the detriment of the Ron Paul people who made them, said Egoroff. Cross answered, "We'll just have to wait and see."
Egoroff said that once Cross decided to give up, "We had the chance to stand with someone (Miller) that wanted to reform the RPOF. Eric had flatly stated that what the current state party leadership was doing was hurtful to Ron Paul Republicans."
"If Mark didn't want to run that's fine. Nobody pushed him into it. But it is questionable that he asked for donations and volunteers from Ron Paul people and got it, only to end up supporting the candidate that they were opposing."
Post Script. I'm very good friends with Mark Cross and know that this post will no doubt strain our friendship. I've worked with Mark for a year and a half on the Ron Paul campaign. We've had our differences over strategy and tactics. Never have I doubted Mark's support of liberty.
I wrote this in such a forthright way because the issues involved are so central to ones that we will have to face in the years ahead. They revolve around 'to what extent do we compromise and make alliances to grow the liberty movement.'
I'll leave it to the readers to decide.
--
Nick Egoroff
Orlando Campaign For Liberty Organizer
Check Out My New Blog at
http://
7 comments:
TURNCOAT CROSS?
Dear Mr. Egoroff,
I have just read your account of what happened at the RPOF election for Chairman when Mr. Cross apparently turned double-Cross. I do not know Mr. Cross, I do not know you and I do not know Mr. Greer. It was only in November of last year that I was elected Committeeman of my voting precinct in Sarasota and I have not come to know all the players in this game. It is, however, with great pleasure that call myself a supporter of the principles espoused by Dr. Ron Paul, i.e., the principles of Constitutionally limited national government, a non-interventionist foreign policy, a sound money system that is not by fiat and the establishment of genuine laissez-faire capitalism as a means of conducting an economy.
May I say I am greatly distressed to learn of Mr. Cross' apparently ill-conceived, last minute defection from the principles that would have made him a worthy chairman. Regrettably, it appears that Mr. Cross cannot be trusted to stick with those worthwhile principles, but I will remain, and I will encourage my fellows here in Sarasota County to remain, true to the goal of eventually reaching honorable governance. With Dr. Paul's leadership, I am confident it can be done.
In pursuit of Liberty,
John Saunders
A free, independent and sovereign citizen of Florida, one of the several States of the united States.
I see you're removing comments you don't like. Afraid someone might find out that you're just a sore loser trying to stir up trouble? GROW UP.
The dangers to the freedom movement come not from without, for they have no power against truth and reason.
The dangers to the freedom movement come from half principled power hungry demagogues. We have already witnessed such a case in South Florida with a candidate being duped by the neocons with an "offer he couldn't refuse" Now he wishes he had.
Mark Cross is a name I will always remember as not being part of the freedom movement. The path to truth as freedom is a difficult one that will test everyone taking it. Mark Cross: YOU FAILED THE TEST!
Here is a chin chin to Nick for such great reporting and a chin chin to all principled freedom fighters who recognize that principles can not be negotiated away.
Boris in Miami
An email I received from The Campaign for Liberty about you NICK EGOROFF...January 21, 2009
Dear Campaign for Liberty Member,
The current state of our nation demands that we stand up and unite behind the timeless message of Liberty that made our country great. Along the way, we will be forced to make some tough decisions.
Recently, one of our members was confronted with such a decision. Mark Cross, former Ron Paul 2008 Florida State Coordinator and current Interim Campaign for Liberty Florida Coordinator, entered the race for Chairman of the Florida Republican Party, obtaining Dr. Paul's endorsement along the way. Of Mark, Dr. Paul said, "I know that he has the integrity, leadership, and resources that would ensure a successful term as Chairman."
Mark had put in a lot of hard work, but as election day approached, he realized that he didn't have the votes needed to win. Before the election, he had a chance to speak to Jim Greer, the current chairman who enjoyed an insurmountable lead, and Mr. Greer informed Mark that he would work to make sure that Ron Paul supporters were welcome in the Florida GOP in the future and allowed to fully participate. With this knowledge in hand, Mark made the decision to withdraw from the race and to support Greer's bid for the chairmanship in a bridge-building effort.
Mark's decision was controversial, but a tremendous possibility exists that it could open up new doors into the Florida GOP that have previously been closed to us. Greer publicly stated, on record, that Ron Paul supporters would be welcome, and Mark will do everything he can to hold him to that. No matter what happens, I am confident Mark acted with the best of intentions.
Dissent is a God-given right cherished by every freedom-loving American. But, Campaign for Liberty also has the right to cooperate only with leaders who we know for certain we can fully trust. It is with this in mind that we made the difficult decision to remove Nick Egoroff as Interim Florida Orange County Campaign for Liberty Coordinator.
Nick has many talents, but has also been a deeply divisive force, having previously tried to undermine and challenge Mark's authority several times dating back to the presidential campaign. After Mark's run for Florida GOP Chairman, Nick could have expressed concerns directly to Campaign for Liberty staff. Instead, he launched an attack against Mark in an attempt to unseat him. The attack was rude, personal, full of distortions and half-truths, and completely over the top.
The National Campaign for Liberty staff tried hard to work with Nick and address his concerns, but to no avail. Instead, he took our email correspondences and phone calls with him and distorted them, twisted them, and in some cases simply made things up. All the while echoing our sentiments of mutual respect and promising to cease his attacks, Nick continued sending more disparaging messages. At the end of the day, we found that we could not trust him.
Finally, Nick offered his version of a "compromise." He would stop his attacks if we named him Assistant Florida State Coordinator and gave him full access to our lists. Unfortunately, this unveiled his true purpose behind the distraction and division - a personal power grab.
The outside pressures we face are incredible, and we must avoid internal division whenever possible. Instead of working against each other, we must unite to fight the real enemy - the big government, interventionist, anti-Constitution philosophy that permeates our society. Our staff has tried its best to communicate with Nick and to work through this situation, but our efforts have ultimately been rejected and met with personal attacks. We have to move on and get back to the work at hand.
I am confident that our Florida supporters can put these events behind them, pull together, and emerge even stronger as we all work toward the goal of reclaiming our Republic.
I stand by the account written above. GoldGunSilver is entitled to their opinion. But the fact remains Mark Cross sold out the Liberty cause. Each can determine if they support this.
Hundreds and hundreds of people agree with my principled stand on this issue. This includes nearly all the County, Congressional District Coordinators of Florida Campaign For Liberty. All we are asking for is a fair election to remove Mr. Cross. An election that both he and National Headquarters of CFL know he would lose in a landslide.
Nick Egoroff
Nick has the support of the principled win of the freedom movement. The moment that we start to compromise our stand by negotiated our rights away is the moment this movement becomes nothing more than another attempt at changing nothing.
In South Florida we already had a supposedly "liberty candidate" endorse the neocons and being endorsed by them. I can tell you that the people advocating against supporting him were not divisive. The candidate's decision to "work" with the neocons though, divided, no, actually obliterated the freedom movement in Miami.
So, those who side with these sell outs, regardless of their intentions, are the ones destroying this movement.
My hat is off to Nick for having the courage to let us know about Mark's poor decision.
Boris in Miami
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