The current chairman of the San Benito County Republican Central
Committee has asked her predecessor to leave the political group
alleging fiscal mismanagement that has destroyed the group’s
reputation.
Hollister – The current chairman of the San Benito County Republican Central Committee has asked her predecessor to leave the political group alleging fiscal mismanagement that has destroyed the group’s reputation.
But former Chairman Marvin Jones claims it’s a move orchestrated by District Attorney John Sarsfield to garner support as he faces a possible recall. Sarsfield called Jones’
allegations ridiculous and said he hasn’t been a member of the local Republican party for years.
In a letter sent to Jones in May, Chairwoman Jennifer Zapata stated that after reviewing the party’s financial records, an audit review committee determined that Jones was irresponsible in his management of the party’s finances. The committee found that Jones left the party in a state of financial disrepair, and his “failures in judgment and in the handling of party funds has damaged and embarrassed the party and all who serve in official positions.”
The report stated that Jones, who led the local chapter for nearly two years but is now just a member, approved the installation of multiple telephone lines in the party’s headquarters during the 2004 presidential campaign that were unnecessary and left the committee with a negative net worth.
But in defense of his actions, Jones said the extra phone lines were needed because committee volunteers made nearly 5,000 phone calls and raised more than $10,000 in donations in 2004 alone. The money was spent in an aggressive “get-out-the-vote” campaign and, Jones said, 80 percent of Republicans in the county made it to the polls for 2004’s presidential race.
Jones also defied the claim that when he left his post the committee was operating in the red. He says there was about $100 left on the books, but when he came into office the committee had only $1,200 in the bank.
Under his leadership, Jones said the committee raised and spent a substantial amount of money attempting to garner support for local, state and national Republican candidates.
“We were a campaign organization. We had some money, we spent it,” Jones said. “We did our job. We would have liked to leave some more at the end of the year, but the bills were paid.”
Jones claims the allegations are just “fluff” and nothing more than a covert tactic coordinated by Sarsfield and those who support him.
Jones actively campaigned for Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz, who Sarsfield charged with elections violations in conjunction with the March 2004 District 5 supervisors race, and his daughter, Rebecca, is the spokeswoman for Arthur Cantu. Cantu, who lost to Sarsfield in the 2002 district attorney’s race, has openly feuded with the prosecutor since losing to him in the 2002 district attorney’s race and has announced he will run for the position if a recall against Sarsfield makes it to a special election in November.
“John Sarsfield’s got supporters in the Republican Central Committee now. I have no control and no influence,” Jones said. “They could just let me sit at the table and let me be a pretty face in the crowd, but that’s not good enough. It’s the vindictive nature of some people.”
Although Zapata declined comment, Sarsfield scoffed at Jones’ allegations and said he has absolutely nothing to do with the current infighting.
“Yes, I have supporters in the Republican Central Committee, but I am not privy to the audit report and I am not familiar with the details of whatever else he did. I don’t really know what he’s talking about,” Sarsfield said. “There’s been infighting within the central committee, especially here, for 10 years. It has always been nasty. There’s an expression within Republican circles that Republicans eat their own. This is a great example of that.”
But Ignacio Velazquez, who is spearheading the recall effort against Sarsfield and is also a member of the central committee, echoed Jones’ statements and said the controversy surrounding Sarsfield has ignited a rift between party members. He said it started when Jones authorized the use of party funds to stump for De La Cruz.
“They’re just trying to build support to protect Sarsfield… by trying to latch onto anything they can find,” Velazquez said. “But it’s still a-brewin’. There will be a little while until it explodes.”
While Jones is already feeling the heat, he said he has no intention of resigning – even if a complaint is forwarded to the Fair Political Practices Committee. Jones isn’t sure if a complaint has been forwarded to the FPPC, and the commission does not comment on whether it has received a complaint or not.
“As my wife says, there’s no jail time, it’s just money. I’m not resigning, particularly since they’re being mean-spirited,” Jones said. “I’m retired. I’ve got to have something to do.”
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
