Does the North Dakota Republican Party actually do any vetting when they hire people?
Because I just saw an announcement that Ex-SDGOP Finance Dir and ousted Minnehaha County GOP Chair Dave Roetman has now been put in charge of the North Dakota Republican Party:
Subject: NDGOP Hires New Executive Director
Dear NDGOP Leadership,
A new executive director, David Roetman, has been hired.
Roetman was raised in Rock Rapids, IA. He went to Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Government & International Affairs and History.
Roetman has held multiple positions, including data director, political director, and finance director for the South Dakota GOP. His wide range of experience and training includes: RNC data, finance and campaign management colleges, FEC compliance training, media relations, fundraising, operations, research, and volunteer recruitment. He has held elected leadership positions within his local county party ranging from treasurer to chair. He has organized phone banks, door to door campaigning, party events, conventions, and victory parties. He has experience with the RNC GROW program and has worked extensively with the auxiliary organizations such as the Young Republicans.
and..
Scheduled Interviews 10/23:
- 10 AM on KFYR/ iheart radio
- 1 PM on BEK
- others may follow
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Sincerely,
Ellie Ottensmeyer
State Political Data Director
North Dakota Republican Party
That’s interesting. And quite the parsing of Dave’s experience. Looking at Dave’s twitter profile..
When Dave announces on twitter that he “drinks coffee and knows things,” I think most would agree that he drinks coffee. Can’t comment on the rest.
Confirming a few things in the NDGOP release on Roetman’s background, Dave been in a number of positions within the party. But I think you’d be challenged to find cheerleaders extolling his work ethic.
Most prominently, after Lora Hubbel’s disastrous term in the position, Dave became chair of the Minnehaha County party, because Lora Hubbel completely crashed the party into the rocks at the time. But… the rank & file in Minnehaha flat-out ousted him in a coup after 2 terms. One reason related to me was because he didn’t hold any meetings. If you’re chair, and don’t have meetings, that’s a tough one to defend at your next election.
He was shuffled around in unpaid volunteer positions in the GOP such as finance director and political director after that, because he was in Sioux Falls to run the office. And yet it would be tough to use the office, and he’d bicker with candidates. There’s several Sioux Falls area lawmakers who you don’t dare bring his name up around, because you’re going to hear about it with both barrels and not in a good way.
About the time the SDGOP said they were done with Dave, he founded a group to attack & challenge sitting Republican officeholders, designed to set up primary elections, and were unsuccessful. And he landed over with the Monae Johnson for Secretary of State campaign.
And *surprise*, just like Minnehaha County, and the SDGOP, they sent Dave on his way right after they’d had enough of him. As noted in correspondence from the Monae Johnson campaign staff, which former Monae staffer Rick Weible disclosed on-line, after his short time there, they had to pay him off via a settlement after dumping him post convention to “make Roetman happy” at the time:
(Weible was also eventually ousted from the Monae Johnson for Secretary of State campaign himself, which is why he was posting campaign correspondence.)
I think the big question for the NDGOP to look out for is whether Dave is going to go “all in,” and change his voter registration and residency, and actually move up to North Dakota, or if this will be another job title he collects as he breezes by.
Johnson associating with the Weibles shows an incredible lack of judgement.
Don’t forget about another of Dave’s “accomplishments” — bankrupting the Minnehaha GOP! The first task of the new board was to claw their way out of the deep hole Roetman had dug for them.
Weibel wabble.
In other words, the Dakotas will be united in an intraparty squabble. Too bad the dems have their own problems, or else they could really exploit it.
Perhaps Dave takes his bestie Jason Ravnsborg to North Dakota. I’ll buy the drinks if he goes.
Well, for morons, they do orgainze well.