Does Steve Duprey really think this is going over well? - Granite Grok

Does Steve Duprey really think this is going over well?

Question of the day
Question of the day

Seriously?  He’s been in politics for 4 decades and thinks this slithering meek “apology” is sufficient?  At least when Jim Foley’s lies caught up with him, he resigned – everything even as he tried to “apologize” as well.  At least Foley’s folly was self-contained – Duprey’s money went to Planned Parenthood (a self-described enemy of Republicans).  And it has become the buzz on the Right side of NH politics (and rightfully size).  Thus, the groveling has started; this snippet from the Monitor (full piece after the jump; reformatted, emphasis mine):

One of New Hampshire’s most prominent Republican activists and the state’s current national committeeman, Duprey apologized yesterday for showing up – however briefly or accidentally – at a local Planned Parenthood fundraiser last week. The Globe article had referenced Duprey as an example of a pro-abortion rights Republican and reported that he had recently “attended a Planned Parenthood fundraiser with the group’s national president.” That passing reference triggered criticism on social media and other local websites, including Granite Grok and Leaven For The Loaf, which focuses on anti-abortion issues.

Seriously – going to an event with a fistful of dollars is “accidentally“?

Yesterday, New Hampshire Right to Life Political Action Fund [It can be seen here.  -Skip] called for Duprey’s removal as the state’s member of the Republican National Committee, referencing his reported attendance at the Planned Parenthood fundraiser and his pro-abortion rights stance in general. Others, meanwhile, viewed his association with Planned Parenthood as problematic because the organization’s political work tends to heavily support Democratic candidates and target Republicans.

And I agree with both of those reasons.  As I have said before, it does not work well for ANY organization when its leadership acts contrary to its stated philosophy and Steve Duprey absolutely exasperates this by deliberately financially aiding an organization who wishes to defeat Republicans.  How isn’t this situation speaking out of both sides of one’s mouth – being top dog in one Party while sending bucks to an organizations that is effectively an outreach of the Democrat Party?

Sidenote: Yo, Doug Scammon!  Yes, you of the “Republican Party should stay out social issues – like abortions”.  How’s this working out for you, eh?

And Steve Duprey continues the abject groveling:

In a statement provided by email yesterday afternoon, Duprey said he didn’t realize what the event would entail ahead of time and characterized his appearance as a “mistake.” “For the past 43 years I have strongly supported both anti-abortion and pro-abortion rights Republicans. I have been honest about my personal position on this issue and deeply respect the views of those who disagree with me,” Duprey wrote. “However, I realize that I made a mistake by appearing at an event for a political action committee that targets Republicans. I was not fully aware of the nature of the event in advance, and regret my attendance. I remain fully committed to working to elect more Republican candidates in 2016.”

…The event at the center of all of this, hosted at the home of Ben and Karina Kelley in Concord last Thursday, was billed publicly as “a reception to help protect the political landscape for reproductive health” leading up to the 2016 elections. But Ben Kelley said he also reached out to personally invite a handful of other friends – including Duprey, whom he considers a mentor despite their different political leanings.

Mistake“. Yeah, sure. That had public announcement AND Steve Duprey got a personal invite?  And now he says he “wasn’t aware”?  My God, man, with your experience in politics and giving your money to Planned Parenthood stretching for, well, forever – your believes that we would accept this as a “mistake“?

What, he believes us to be dolts?  That an offhanded “sorry!” is all that is necessary?  Or is this yet another example of hubris from the elite (“I’m safe – say the words, wait a while, and it’ll blow over because I’m a BMOC and have lots of cash to wave around”).  A perfect example of Cognitive Dissonance that exists with Establishment Republicans – being both for and against an issue at the same time.  And they wonder why the grassroots grows weary with and of them?

Duprey declined to answer additional questions, saying he would prefer to stick to the statement. In the Globe story, Duprey made a point of emphasizing that his stance hasn’t interfered with his work to support Republican candidates.

A mark of not wishing to come clean and just hoping to wait it out…

The Concord Monitor piece:

New Hampshire Republicans tend to have a reputation for being less socially conservative than their peers in other key presidential primary states.

Take the results of a recent Suffolk University poll: More Republicans who were surveyed here identified as “pro-choice” than “pro-life” (48.6 to 41 percent), and more said they favored same-sex marriage than opposed it (43 to 38.8 percent).

But, as pointed out by a recent article in the Boston Globe, the debate over these issues is far from settled within the New Hampshire Republican ranks. As the headline on that story summed things up, “For GOP hopefuls in N.H., a tricky line on social issues.”

Tricky, indeed. Just ask Steve Duprey.

One of New Hampshire’s most prominent Republican activists and the state’s current national committeeman, Duprey apologized yesterday for showing up – however briefly or accidentally – at a local Planned Parenthood fundraiser last week.

 The Globe article had referenced Duprey as an example of a pro-abortion rights Republican and reported that he had recently “attended a Planned Parenthood fundraiser with the group’s national president.” That passing reference triggered criticism on social media and other local websites, including Granite Grok and Leaven For The Loaf, which focuses on anti-abortion issues.

Yesterday, New Hampshire Right to Life Political Action Fund called for Duprey’s removal as the state’s member of the Republican National Committee, referencing his reported attendance at the Planned Parenthood fundraiser and his pro-abortion rights stance in general. Others, meanwhile, viewed his association with Planned Parenthood as problematic because the organization’s political work tends to heavily support Democratic candidates and target Republicans.

In a statement provided by email yesterday afternoon, Duprey said he didn’t realize what the event would entail ahead of time and characterized his appearance as a “mistake.”

“For the past 43 years I have strongly supported both anti-abortion and pro-abortion rights Republicans. I have been honest about my personal position on this issue and deeply respect the views of those who disagree with me,” Duprey wrote. “However, I realize that I made a mistake by appearing at an event for a political action committee that targets Republicans. I was not fully aware of the nature of the event in advance, and regret my attendance. I remain fully committed to working to elect more Republican candidates in 2016.”

Duprey declined to answer additional questions, saying he would prefer to stick to the statement. In the Globe story, Duprey made a point of emphasizing that his stance hasn’t interfered with his work to support Republican candidates.

“I am a ‘Live Free or Die’ Republican,” Duprey told the Globe. “Where I have a personal difference in the party platform, I don’t trumpet it and I don’t make a big deal about it.”

The event at the center of all of this, hosted at the home of Ben and Karina Kelley in Concord last Thursday, was billed publicly as “a reception to help protect the political landscape for reproductive health” leading up to the 2016 elections. But Ben Kelley said he also reached out to personally invite a handful of other friends – including Duprey, whom he considers a mentor despite their different political leanings.

“I think that’s what’s great about New Hampshire politics, we can cross the aisle and still have friendships,” Kelley said. “And I think this is a shame that it’s blown into what this has.”

While the event was advertised as a fundraiser featuring Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, donations weren’t mandatory for everyone in attendance, according to several guests.

And according to Kelley, Duprey only stayed for part of the event. The tone of the speeches at the event, Kelley said, was more politically pointed and “a little more aggressive than (Duprey) was expecting.”

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