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GOP Runs out of Qualified Americans to Run Things
California GOP Hires Canadian As Top Aide
June 14, 2007 10:24 p.m. EST
Christopher Rizo - AHN Staff Writer
Sacramento, CA (AHN)-The California Republican Party has hired a Canadian to fill a top post, sparking criticism from conservative groups within the GOP.
Christopher Matthews has worked for the state Republican Party since 2004 as a campaign consultant, but was recently hired as the group's full-time deputy political director, California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring confirmed in a telephone interview this week with The San Francisco Chronicle.
Matthews, who will work under an H-1B visa, will handle campaign operations and information technology for the country's largest state Republican Party in the nation's most populous state. He was hired by Michael Kamburowski, an Australian citizen who was hired this year as the state GOP's chief operations officer.
Karen Hanretty, a political commentator and former state GOP party spokeswoman, told The Chronicle that "it's insulting but also embarrassing ... to bring people from the outside who don't know the difference between Lodi and Lancaster ... and who can't even vote,"
She added, "There are talented Republicans in California, and the message that (party chair) Ron Nehring is sending is that there's no talent pool here."
According to the newspaper, U.S. Department of Labor records show the state Republican Party applied for an H-1B visa to fill the job of "political consultant" and was granted a visa labor certification in March 2007. The three-year H-1B visa does not become valid until Oct. 1, 2007, citing government records.
Nehring defended his choice to hire the two men by saying Matthews and Kamburowski are highly qualified professionals who, among other assets, will dramatize the GOP ideal of welcoming immigrants.
"Chris (Matthews) was inspired by the recall and by the governor to come to California in 2003 and volunteer for the Republican Party of San Diego," said Nehring, who chaired the San Diego party's organization from 2001 to 2007.
Nehring, a conservative, became state party chairman earlier this year, replacing Palo Alto attorney Duf Sundheim.
June 14, 2007 10:24 p.m. EST
Christopher Rizo - AHN Staff Writer
Sacramento, CA (AHN)-The California Republican Party has hired a Canadian to fill a top post, sparking criticism from conservative groups within the GOP.
Christopher Matthews has worked for the state Republican Party since 2004 as a campaign consultant, but was recently hired as the group's full-time deputy political director, California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring confirmed in a telephone interview this week with The San Francisco Chronicle.
Matthews, who will work under an H-1B visa, will handle campaign operations and information technology for the country's largest state Republican Party in the nation's most populous state. He was hired by Michael Kamburowski, an Australian citizen who was hired this year as the state GOP's chief operations officer.
Karen Hanretty, a political commentator and former state GOP party spokeswoman, told The Chronicle that "it's insulting but also embarrassing ... to bring people from the outside who don't know the difference between Lodi and Lancaster ... and who can't even vote,"
She added, "There are talented Republicans in California, and the message that (party chair) Ron Nehring is sending is that there's no talent pool here."
According to the newspaper, U.S. Department of Labor records show the state Republican Party applied for an H-1B visa to fill the job of "political consultant" and was granted a visa labor certification in March 2007. The three-year H-1B visa does not become valid until Oct. 1, 2007, citing government records.
Nehring defended his choice to hire the two men by saying Matthews and Kamburowski are highly qualified professionals who, among other assets, will dramatize the GOP ideal of welcoming immigrants.
"Chris (Matthews) was inspired by the recall and by the governor to come to California in 2003 and volunteer for the Republican Party of San Diego," said Nehring, who chaired the San Diego party's organization from 2001 to 2007.
Nehring, a conservative, became state party chairman earlier this year, replacing Palo Alto attorney Duf Sundheim.
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