There was one person absent from the West Virginia Republican Summit on Saturday: Doug McKinney. I thought it was odd that the Party’s Chairman would not show up at a Summit designed to grow the Party and train activists.
So where was Doug McKinney on Saturday? It’s not the first time McKinney has skipped an important political event which had been scheduled and on calendars for some time.
Last Saturday, while hundreds of West Virginians were rallying in Charleston and Beckley against the disastrous cap-and-trade legislation, McKinney was in Greenbrier County.
It was rumored and later confirmed that he was playing golf at The Greenbrier Resort attending a “Weekend Retreat at The Greenbrier” for a group called Americans for a Conservative Course.
According to the invitation, individuals paid $2,500 to spend the weekend with House Minority Leader John Boehner, Congressman Tom Latham, U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, and U.S. Senator Richard Burr. Donors also attended a Friday night reception at the home of Steve and Vicki Hart, who own a home at The Greenbrier.
This past Saturday, McKinney skipped the West Virginia Republican Summit to travel to Washington, DC to interview a candidate for the Executive Director position of the West Virginia Republican Party.
Troy Berman is the individual McKinney was speaking with in Washington, DC. Thanks to technology and the internet here is what we can learn about Mr. Troy Berman.
Troy Berman –
Professional Experience:
- Managing Consultant at Potomac Venture Concepts
- Campaign Manager at PA State Senate Campaign (PA-17)
- Campaign Manager at U.S. Congressional Campaign (TX-22)
- Consultant at New York Senate Republican Campaign Committee
- Press Secretary at MD House of Delegates Republican Caucus
- Deputy Regional Field Director – Cuyahoga County at Ohio GOP (Bush 2004)
Education:
- Washington and Lee University School of Law
- University of Maryland Baltimore County
So despite the financial condition of the West Virginia Republican Party and media reports (here and here) about the financial concerns of the Party, McKinney is moving forward with plans to hire an executive director.
Troy Berman is a candidate. You should know his name. You will be asked to pay his salary.
He seems to have stellar credentials. W&L is a top ranked law school, and he apparently has had his feet on the ground running campaigns.
It seems to me that in order for your party to once again become relevant it must stop doing what it is now doing and try something else. Acquiring a good executive director would be a good first step.
Mr. Berman does seem to have “stellar credentials.”
I would want to know why a man with the education that Mr. Berman has is interested in coming to West Virginia and working for the circus for around $40,000 annually, which they really cannot afford. I read this weekend that the West Virginia Republican Party has less than $15,000 cash-on-hand.
I am certain with those credentials Mr. Berman could get a job at one of the top law firms in West Virginia and start out making $75,000 to $85,000 as an associate and within a few years easily be making $125,000 annually. In Washington, DC or other large metro area he would start out making at least $100,000 to $125,000 as an associate.
I would also be interested in knowing what his win/loss percentage is on the political campaigns. Mr. Gary Abernathy was qualified on paper to be the Executive Director, he was just a failure at winning campaigns and life.
“Americans for a Conservative Course.”
A golf course?
While it is certainly understandable that an adventuresome young man would rather practice politics than law, it IS odd that he would not have been able to translate his W&L School of Law credentials into something more lucrative in the political field.
If he is willing to take a risk on a state party with so little funds to give him for a salary, then he is either quite desperate (for whatever reason) or perhaps just in love with West Virginia. Still, anyone who has to try to bail Doug out of his self-made mess will have his hands full.
We have any sort of timeline on when he worked each of those gigs? Some of them could be marks of honor, or they could be reminiscent of managing the ’98 Marlins.
As someone who has, in the past, managed campaigns, I can say that there is generally nothing a campaign manager can do to stop or salvage a train wreck. And some candidates are perennial train wrecks. Even if Mr. Berman is on the losing side, I would rather look at what he did in his role. He is certainly bright enough, and his motivations are probably correctly placed.
I worked with Gary Abernathy on Mike Hall’s senate race. Gary did an outstanding job for Mike, but there again, Mike is no train wreck.
Troy Berman is someone we can’t afford… Seriously.
Another out-of-stater looking to add a line to the resume.