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Donnelly: Clark County GOP’s Shea invite sends wrong message

By Ann Donnelly

Published: March 1, 2020, 6:01am

Having a clear message is key to success in politics. Distracted voters look to candidates to winnow the issues to those few that define the choices on voter ballots. A party that muddies its message allows the opposing party to dominate the dialogue.

The Clark County Republican Central Committee’s recent decision to introduce a controversy into its annual fundraising dinner is a case in point. Seldom does an organization inflict such a wound on itself during the run-up to a jam-packed election year. In addition to raising questions of judgment, the Central Committee’s invitation of Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley, to highlight its Lincoln Day Dinner tramples all over a compelling election-year message.

Republicans are the taxpayers’ best defense against a state income tax, a carbon tax, a vehicle per-mile tax, a capital gains tax, higher fuel taxes, higher property taxes, infringements of Second Amendment rights and even Snake River dam removal. But GOP proposals on these and other important issues may be lost in the Shea brouhaha.

Shea, in 2014, while concurrently a state representative, was a leading activist in the tense and eventually violent standoff in Bunkerville, Nev., supporting the Clive Bundy ranching family who were resisting a federal court order. The Bundy family, Shea, and other activists became heroes to some conservatives who believe the federal government oversteps its rights on federal lands. Shea’s writings, speeches and actions in that case and several subsequent cases periodically veered into the seriously problematic.

In December 2019, a report commissioned by the state House of Representatives investigated Shea, leading to eight highly troubling findings, including that Shea’s actions promoted domestic terrorism. Shea did not agree to be interviewed for the study, written by qualified experts. The House Republican caucus then suspended Shea from the caucus. He is running for re-election, so voters will pass judgment in November.

The ultimate outcome of the case is pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI. Presumably, charges could be announced.

Members of the Clark County Republican Central Committee, more than 175 precinct committee officers, disagree passionately among themselves on the Shea case. Most are persuaded by the report and its conclusions, while others consider the report one-sided and Shea a hero.

Into the boiling controversy jumped Central Committee Chair Earl Bowerman. He invited Shea to be master of ceremonies for the Lincoln Day Dinner.

This annual event is akin to a fractious family’s Thanksgiving dinner, at which family members attempt to put aside their differences to briefly celebrate their unity. In this case, Republican factions should bury the hatchet for three hours to raise the funds needed for party operations. Shea as emcee would not promote unity.

Now, Shea’s name has been removed from the party’s website, leaving questions about whether he will appear.

Bowerman’s decision was not brought before the organization’s Executive Committee, as would have been advisable. Republican elected officials were not consulted. Officeholders want their campaign narratives to focus on major issues, and not even briefly on the Shea controversy.

Bowerman and his team have the right to select the master of ceremonies for the Lincoln Day Dinner, but they should not exercise their power in an imprudent manner that places Republican messaging at risk.

In December, Clark County Republican precinct committee officers will have an election to choose their leaders for 2021-2022. The Matt Shea controversy, and how it plays out in this election year, will loom large.

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