TNDP Treasurer Bill Freeman Resigns – Chairman Forrester Looks to Build Party Unity
TNDP Treasurer Bill Freeman offered his resignation today during a conference call with Democratic leaders in Tennessee stating that he felt he was “a distraction” to the party. The official release is below:
NASHVILLE, March 27 -Tennessee Democratic Party Treasurer William H. “Bill” Freeman is stepping down effective immediately, Freeman and Chairman Chip Forrester announced today.
The decision comes as a result of several factors, Freeman said, including opposition to his appointment from some of the Democratic establishment.
“As I’ve made fund-raising calls in the last month, several long-time donors have expressed their concern to me that Governor Bredesen was not as supportive of me as I had hoped,” Freeman said. “By resigning now, I hope I can take away some of the criticism the Party has faced recently and give Chip Forrester a better shot at rebuilding a relationship with the Governor and taking the Party in the direction that it needs to go.”
Since his February 19th appointment, Freeman has been criticized for his past contributions to a few Republican candidates. Other commentators and Democratic activists have cited Freeman’s support of FONCE (Family Owned Non-Commercial Entity) as a source of contention with the Governor, who is pushing legislation to close a tax loophole benefiting FONCEs.
Forrester, while reluctantly accepting his resignation, said he respected Freeman’s decision.
“I think this has been a tough environment for Bill and a tough decision for him to make,” said Forrester. “I appreciate him thinking about what is best for the Tennessee Democratic Party, and I sincerely hope to build a productive relationship with Governor Bredesen going forward.”
Freeman is chairman of Freeman Webb, Inc., a real estate investment management and brokerage firm he founded with James A. Webb, III in 1979.
“Bill has done an outstanding job during his tenure with us,” said Forrester. “Serving as a treasurer and raising money is a demanding role at any time, much less during a recession. Regardless, Bill proved himself to be a successful fundraiser. With his help, the TNDP has raised over $60,000 in March alone.”
“My goal here at the TNDP remains the same: to build a strong organization that can help Democrats compete and win in 2010,” Forrester continued. “The problems facing Tennessee are too great for me to lose focus that goal.”
A replacement for Freeman has not yet been named. Forrester said he is beginning the search for a new treasurer immediately.
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This is for the best, in my opinion.
It is hardly for the best. Chip got a guy in based on his skills as a fundraiser. Do I care that he raised money for republicans…not really…Bredesen is a closet republican anyways.
Chip came into a party that was feeding on itself and allready spiralling nose first towards a concrete patio. Whats the saying ” I am not a member of an organized political party…I am a democrat”. The sad truth is that saying is all to real. The current powers that be within the party are falling all over themselves trying to gain power and not a damn one of them are worth throwing tomatoes at. The people that could do a good job organizing the party are being pushed out and kept at arms distance because those that currently have power (and havent done a damn thing) just want to keep it.
I hope Chip keeps getting people in based on skills and not the whims of “Insiders”. The party is faltering and everyone needs to accept that Chip is in charge and get behind him. If he had half the support of the “Insiders” instead of all the critisism he might be able to get things going. However as long as the party is feeding on itself…it will continue to crash and burn.
Chip Forrester is incompetent, and his people are incompetent. We need a total housecleaning at TNDP.
Every executive committee member that voted for Chip should be ousted at the next election. That means Harold and Sylvia Woods, Fred Hobbs, Seannalynn Brandmeir. Brenda Ables. We know how they voted.
Every staffer that worked to elect Chip should go. Foremost among them is Jennifer Buck Wallace, the inept executive director of the Chipinista.
Interesting that now he’s publicly talking about building a relationship with Bredesen.
“Interesting” in that this is an indication that the Bredesen legacy is going to loom large in party politics, even when he’s not in elected office.
So, candidates for 2010 are… um…
The people that could do a good job organizing the party are being pushed out and kept at arms distance because those that currently have power (and havent done a damn thing) just want to keep it.
Yep. Personally, I think term limits for the EC, all the Party officers and everyone representing Tennessee to the Dem National Committee is the way to go. The EC gets kudos for trying something new after Dems lost the House, but it’s telling they elected one of their own – and a guy who’s just not a reformer, I don’t care who you are. Unless you call “reform” throwing $300,000 at the Kurita election, bankrupting the Party – and winning the battle, but losing the war.
Right now, the average age of EC members has to be at least 55, if not 60. Nothing against older folks per se, but as I already posted over at Kleinheider: They ought to just embroider “We’ve always done things this way” into a sampler and hang it over the door. These just aren’t the folks who are going to make the bold moves necessary to take the Party into the 21st century.
It *is* telling that apparently Bredesen is calling 100% of the shots these days. Would have been nice if he’d taken a little time to build up a bench behind him or do something to help ensure the strength of the Party longterm, but frankly he’s been so busy looking out for #1 that he hasn’t given those matters much thought.
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