CASALE: ‘Gotcha’ Politics

May Backfire For Democrats

By JIM KEVLIN • The Freeman’s Journal & Hometown Oneonta

COOPERSTOWN – Democrats are in for “a huge beating,” Otsego County Republican Chairman Vince Casale said in the wake of Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller’s non-indictment outcome of a two-year investigation of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

“They’ve hung everything they’ve had on ‘collusion’ over the past two years,” said Casale, who is also a political consultant in statewide campaigns in New York.  “Now they’re sitting there, hat in hand.”

Speaking Monday, March 25, the day after Attorney General William Barr issued a synopsis of Mueller’s findings, Casale characterized the whole undertaking as an extension of “gotcha” politics set in motion by President Richard M. Nixon’s forced resignation in 1974.

“History has shown that usually the opposing side want there to be a scandal more than the real truth: that there is no scandal,” he said, whether the issue is President Reagan and the Contras, or “Monicagate.”

He added at another point, “When are we done with the smear campaign?  That’s all it’s been.”

Casale anticipates the Democratic House of Representatives will continue investigating for the next two years leading up to Election Day 2020.

Meanwhile, “the Republcans need to move forward with their agenda,” he said, “tax reform, putting money in people’s pockets – there are more jobs than there have ever been.”

Bottom line, he said: “We’re a stronger country today then we were four years ago.”

Monday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., blocked a non-binding resolution directing Barr to release the full report.  Casale was of the same mind.

“You investigated and you found nothing. Now you’re going to release information on people who did nothing?” Casale asked.  “This country’s never done that: released information on innocent people.”

Barr’s “got to make the responsible decision of what should be released – not just release it because you say so … That’s not American.  That happens in other countries – like Russia,” he said.

Given the loss of the state Senate in the 2018 Midterms and redistricting looming in 2021, Casale was asked, if Democrats overreach, will that help the GOP retake a House in Albany.

He said the challenges in New York State have more to do with the state of the state’s Republican Party, and that longtime State Chairman Ed Cox (Nixon’s son-in-law) should be replaced at the state party’s convention in July.

He said he’s supporting Nick Langworthy, the Erie County GOP chairman.  “He’s everything we need,” Casale continued.  “He’s young.  He knows how to win races:  He’s won races in blue Erie County. He’s dynamic. He’s a go-getter.”

He added, “Our entire state has been run by New York City Blue Bloods for too long:  The results prove that.”

Asked about his friend, Roger Stone – Casale hosted him at the 2017 GOP annual dinner at The Otesaga – the GOP chair said, “It’s become clear now: Roger Stone’s indictment was Mueller’s only skin.  Mueller was going to grab this.  It was the only thing they could call a victory.

“There was a sensationalized raid on the most colorful person they could have pegged on this.  They used this as an opportunity to put all the focus on Roger, because they don’t have anything else.”

He recalled what lawyers say:  “You can indict a ham sandwich.”  Proving wrongdoing is another thing, he said.