A.G. Gancarski
Raymond Johnson, an ardent anti-HRO activist and Confederate flag enthusiast, might not seem to have much in common with Reverend R.L. Gundy, who very recently flipped on the Human Rights Ordinance after doing consulting work for the Human Rights Campaign.
The two men may disagree about adding six words to the Human Rights Ordinance. But in other matters, such as a shared animus for Angela Corey and a shared willingness to monetize their unique expertise in getting petitions for her challenger, Wes White, they are cozier than peas and carrots.
On June 1, White’s campaign paid Johnson’s Grassroots Campaign Management $1,250. He did the same on July 3. Both payouts were for ballot petition collection.
But Johnson wasn’t getting it done. White brought in Reverend Gundy’s outfit, for three separate payments of $2,000, two in July, and the final one in October.
So White, out of the over $23,000 he spent, spent nine of it on petition collection.
Looking at it another way: White loaned his own campaign $10,000 … and gave the bulk of it to Gundy and Johnson.
White, who positioned his petition collection as an organic effort, did not mention his subcontractors during his press event on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, for those with strong feelings either way on the HRO, who might be relying on confidence men like Gundy or Johnson for guidance, political activism, or moral imprimatur on this issue, a question comes to mind.
What are you thinking?
