"California Leavin"

This is part 1 of a 3 part series

By Robin Itzler 

Editor's Note:  This is one of the commentaries selected from Robin's weekly newsletter Patriot Neighbors. If you wish to get the full edition, E-mail her at PatriotNeighbors@yahoo.com to get on her list, it's free.

GOP Chair Rankin Spending $10,000 on nat’l. anthem singer

In this three-part series, we share examples of California Republican “leaders” failing the America First agenda. Part one is about the California Republican Party’s recently elected chairwoman Corrin Rankin approving, without board approval, hiring her opera singer friend to sing The Star-Spangled Banner for an outrageous $10,000.

Registered Republicans in the once golden state are regularly inundated with emails, texts and letters from the California Republican Party (CRP) begging for contributions. Steve Frank of California News & Views reported that CRP will be paying a massive $10,000 for an opera singer to sing The Star-Spangled Banner during the CRP’s September three-day statewide convention in Orange County. The performance is planned for the Saturday evening dinner.

According to those who follow the CRP, Chair Corrin Rankin approved the outlay without board approval. Chair Rankin informed the board that her “friend” is singing at a discount, and she did not allow any discussion.

California Republicans, whose mailboxes and in-boxes are stuffed with CRP requests for donations, will be thrilled that the previous chair earned a massive annual salary of $250,000 plus benefits, bonuses and travel expenses. The current chair’s salary was increased to a whopping $260,000 plus benefits, bonuses and travel expenses. Mind you, the governor of California (a state with nearly 40 million residents) is only paid $224,000.

Compare the Republican chair’s huge salary to the chairman of the California Democrat Party who earns just $127,500 a year. (Guess losing pays better.)

There are about 85 words in our national anthem. At $10,000, it comes to approximately $118 per word. How many local talented singers would have been honored to sing this glorious song at the Republican convention? Instead CAGOP Chair Corrine Rankin signed the contract that will let her opera singer friend belt out the song for $10,000. Maybe the song will start with:

♬ O say can you see How the California GOP Wastes our money on thee… ♬

This extravagant $10,000 expenditure by CRP Chair Corrin Rankin offers a prime example of why many America First Patriots in California donate directly to candidates and ignore the elitist CRP.