Justin Tomczak: Full of Bull as a “grassroots activist”…
by PV
So, Again, We Ask, What Does “Grassroots” Mean?
In our opinion (an opinion hewed by personally spending nearly 15 years in grassroots politics), the fact that one votes in a Republican primary does not mean that person is a “grassroots activist.†Consistently showing-up at the election polls on primary day, and choosing to vote Republican, does not mean one is a “grassroots activist†either.
A “grassroots activist†means you are involved in volunteering your time to work at building a county, district, or state party organization by working in activities designed to promote the organization to the public in order to attract other like-minded political people.
The difference between “grassroots” people and “professional campaign workers” is one simply drawn line: The professionals are paid for their time, and the grassroots are not. The grassroots are in the game to volunteer their time, the professionals are there only for the money.
And, while there is nothing wrong with working for money on a campaign, we consider it inherently dishonest and disingenuous to claim you are a “grassroots” person when, in fact, all you’ve ever done is gotten paid to work in the management of the grassroots volunteers. It means that if you were paid to do a job, you were not inspired by the cause…you were inspired by only the money. Get the difference?
It matters whether you do get this difference…it matters a lot to those who don’t get paid for their time while some professionally-paid operative is claiming they work “tirelessly” to elect Republicans when they work only for the money…and their boss who expects them to damn well work “tirelessly.”
It is insulting to those who spend HOURS over YEARS volunteering for the party to have to run against someone claiming to be a grassroots person at a similar level as they are when the evidence shows they are clearly not.
When It Comes To Justin Tomczak, The Documentation Is Clear
We’re not quite sure who Bill Evelyn is as he just appears to have come out of the woodwork. But, Evelyn is, apparently, the sole member of the group called the State of Georgia Tea Party (“SOGTP”)…a Tea Party that is fraught with credibility as this AJC article properly documents. (We are especially intrigued by Evelyn’s then-support of the ever-whacky candidate named Ray McBerry.)
On the SOGTP website, there is a page devoted to Evelyn’s idol worship of Justin Tomczak. This is the live page…and in case Mr. Evelyn yanks it down or revises it after we disclose the fraud in his claim about Tomczak, here is a PDF snapshot of the page we will now focus on exposing for the lie it states.
After you read about Bill Evelyn’s clear adulation of Tomczak (“adulation” that makes it seem like Evelyn may have a bear crush on Tomczak) in the first few paragraphs, you come to the 5th paragraph where Evelyn extolls the following:
“A few short months out of politics were enough and in early 2009 Justin began devoting his free time to the congressional campaign of now U.S. Congressman Tom Graves where he organized the grassroots effort and assisted with overall campaign strategy and execution. Graves was victorious in 4 elections in the span of 4 months and has gone on to sponsor legislation to defund Obama-Care.”
Justin “began devoting his free time”…? Really? Well, that doesn’t seem quite right since Mr. Tomczak started receiving salary payments directly from the Graves’ campaign in January 2010…a payment of $14,000, which was likely for the previous 6 months of his “free time” spent on Graves’ campaign.
In fact, if you look at that link above that goes to a page of all payments made to Tomczak, he received a total of $24,000 in paid consulting fees from the Graves’ campaign. Hardly a “grassroots” volunteer here for Graves. (But, that’s what having a “man crush” on Tomczak that Evelyn likely has will do to his view of the truth.)
As far as other claims made by Evelyn and Tomczak himself, frankly, over the years, ever since 2002 when he first started in Georgia Republican politics by working for Saxby Chambliss, Justin Tomczak has ONLY worked in paid positions:
State-Level Disclosures from 2003-2005
State-Level Disclosures 2006-2007
Contrast Tomczak’s professional paid experience with either Doug Grammar’s or Bert Guy’s history of grassroots activism (many, many years by both of them volunteering for the party and for Republican campaigns), and there is no comparison of the sweat and heart put into building the party in Georgia. No comparison at all.
We don’t quite understand why so many true grassroots volunteers have so easily fallen for the plastic nature of Justin Tomczak. Our bullshit radar has been going off for months every time we see, read, or hear anything about Justin Tomczak.
Here’s the danger in electing a professional operative to a grassroots position: They are NOT there for the good of the party. They are there to build-up their own weak self-esteem and use the position for either their own self-interests or for their own friends and colleagues…or for both categories of reasons.
Justin Tomczak has not worked for the cause of Republicans as a lot of the true grassroots people have in this state. Our evidence of all payments made to him proves our case. Those of you who support him, pray tell where is your evidence that he truly cares about the party as much as either Bert Guy or Doug Grammar…two people who have full time jobs and find time to volunteer for the past 10+ years?
Hint: There is no evidence of Tomczak’s committment to the cause other than the paychecks he has received. While the typical grassroots activists have worked late in the night putting up signs, Tomczak was paid to put-up signs.
Is that really on the same level of “grassroots activism” as you volunteers worked in? Ponder that before you commit to putting your name on a list to support Tomczak…or cast your vote for him. Ponder that long…and…hard before you equate his paid-work with your non-paid volunteer work.
April 30th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
Dear Mr. Simon,
Rather sweeping statements since we’ve never met nor corresponded in the past. In fact, I had to call some friends (Ms. Debbie Dooley and Ms. Linda Clary Ulmberger) to find out who you are. Actually they spoke highly of you and said we have much in common. Therefore, this response will be meaningful, polite, and constructive.
First, if we’d had met you would instinctively realize that claiming that I have “… a ‘man crush’ on Tomczak” is preposterous. Speak to anyone that knows me personally; I have a crush on nothing except a Re-PUKE-ican under the heel of my boot or bugs; they are one in the same. Now “bear crush on Tomczak” is more like me since I am 6′ 2″ and weigh nearly 245lbs, but I happen to respect Justin so there is no need to hurt him. So physically and emotionally speaking both these statements are very far off base.
The last point I’d like to make is simple. You claim “there is a page devoted to Evelyn’s idol worship of Justin Tomczak” on my website. This page was copy and pasted from Justin’s website BIO. I used the same picture from his website too. I did not write this page nor am responsible for its content. That is the only misinformed information in your piece and the remaining items are correct.
Second, I am a Constitutional Conservative. I have been since the late 70’s when I worked to help elect Ronald Reagan to President while at University. I grew up in the little village of Oaks in Valley Forge, PA and we studied the Constitution and the Founding Fathers in school, boy scouts, at home, etc.
At the federal level a Constitutional Conservative talks about Article 1; Section 8 of the Constitution. At the state level a Constitutional Conservative talks about the 10th Amendment, States Rights, Nullification etc. So yes I did support Ray McBerry in the Gubernatorial Primaries. You use words like “whacky-candidate” I use words like Constitutional Conservative to describe Ray McBerry. A slight difference in our understanding and styles.
Third, I only want to address one other item in your piece to say that grassroots people need to earn a living too. Justin earned $24.0K working to help get Tom Graves elected and your earned $162.0K working to get other candidates elected with brochures or pamphlets, whatever. I hope you make more next time. In fact, making a profit shows you are a capitalist and understand basic wealth creation. Profits are savings which in turn is wealth that can be invested. If you believe Justin should work for FREE than that is more aligned with Marxism.
Fourth, When I support a candidate I look for a solid track record of doing something that will support the Constitutional Conservative (Constitution), which in turn is the salvation for grassroots Georgians. Justin worked feverishly to get Tom Graves elected and Tom while not perfect is doing rather well. Justin has put up his sweat and toil to see to it that a good Constitutional Conservative candidate is elected. I don’t know Bert, but I do know Doug.
Let me say that Doug Grammer and his mother are quality people and a decent family from Walker County. But, unfortunately Doug was never elected to his position as 9th District Chairman. Does that matter – NO – but it is not enough to schedule debates or send out brochures to be a leader. You must bring forth decent candidates to be elected. You must identify, nurture, and help to elect strong Constitutional Conservatives to be a leader in my eyes. I live in the 9th District and I can tell you Mr. Grammer has not done this and in fact has told me his only responsibility is to get “R’s” elected. If Nancy Pelosi moved to Cumming, switched parties, ran for office Doug would help Nancy get elected. NOT GOOD!
Lastly, you are correct again that I have not members except for the hundreds of grassroots organizations I correspond with and the Tea Party Patriots. In early 2010 I realized that the ladies of the Tea Party Patriots, Jennie Beth Martin, Debbie Dooley, and Julianne Thompson can’t do everything. They have families, work, other things in life. They are volunteers and it is unfair to think they have the energy and time to do everything.
I leave federal issues to them and focus on state issues. I bring ideas to implement fundamental change to these ladies, the grassroots, and sell my ideas. If they agree we roll-out my plans and it is more effective with their blessings. Cases in point.
In 2010 I developed PAVEREPS a plan to take back the Republican Party from the establishment RINO’s. The plans was enormously effective with the help of the grassroots tea party leaders and Tea Party Patriots. As we speak we are rolling out PAVEFLUPS and PAVEBONES in the fall.
If you want the scoop on the latter you can call me for an interview to be published on your blog.
Thank you Mr. Simon for you consideration.
May 1st, 2011 at 11:00 am
Mr. Evelyn,
The key difference between myself and Justin Tomczak is that I am not running for any party position. My business provides goods and services to campaigns. Separate from that, I do spend time helping candidates and causes while not charging or getting compensated for my time.
There is a distinct difference, Mr. Evelyn, between selling a physical item to a campaign (or, even an auto-call), receiving money for it in which to pay someone else (a concept called Cost of Goods/Services Sold), and charging a campaign like Graves’ Perdue’s, Chambliss’s for specifically provided “grassroots services”, and then running for a non-compensated party position under the auspice of being a “grassroots activist.” VERY different.
Of the $162K that you state my company “earned” (over how ever may years that was), about 75% of that went to pay other sources (i.e., printers of bumper stickers, lapel stickers, signs, auto-call suppliers, sales taxes, freight, graphic artists, etc., etc.).
My company (which has another person associated with it) is a separate, distinct legal entity from me and what I choose to do in my spare time away from it. If you do not understand this concept, then I’m pretty sure you’re not capable of understanding a lot of things in the world, be it the “political world” or any other reality-based world.
Now, in this state, for as long as I’ve been involved (through YR clubs, through county GOP activities, being a county committee member, etc….ALL non-compensated positions, Mr. Evelyn), the term “grassroots” is known to be a specific definition of the people involved, separate from the concept of a “professional hack.”
Mr. Tomczak is a paid professional…his work has only been for the purpose of specific candidates. Though he may have been charged with the duty of managing volunteers, since he has been paid, most grassroots activists who have been involved for many years will view this the same way as I do.
One thing I do want to address with you that you stated on another post in the comments: You said “My definition is much different than yours.” when it came to the definition of grassroots.
Just like it doesn’t matter what Obama and the other socialists feel is the definition of what America is and how it should be used for their personal beliefs, the fact that you hold your newbie definition which is vastly different from the known definition, will not drive any of the “oldies” (i.e., longtime volunteers in the grassroots) to come to your side of the table and support your position.
Those of us who know the difference merely chuckle at your ignorance and will wait until you either come to our side of the table, or leave the movement. Perhaps Ray McBerry is available for you to start another movement based on your definitions of things.
You’re welcome, Mr. Evelyn.
May 1st, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Can I rely on you to join my secessionist movement?
You can print up the flyers I air drop over the subdivisions circling Atlanta urging Georgians to rise up and march up the Shenandoah Valley to re fight Gettysburg.
May 4th, 2011 at 3:45 pm
Bill Evelyn is incorrect that I was never elected as Chairman of the Ninth. I had a challenger and I won. It was a meeting just before our 17th annual picnic.
Bill lives in a world where Nancy Pelosi would move to Georgia and run as a Republican. I don’t. I would back a conservative for office. I’d even take a moderate over a liberal, but Bill would prefer for us to attack the moderate for being too moderate and allow the liberal to win. It’s a just a difference in priorities. Bill wants people to be perfect. I know they aren’t.