By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
OCT. 30, 2020 | Now more details of a squabble among Gwinnett Republican Party members are being seen in a new light. In Tuesday’s GwinnettForum (in my perspective) there was information that indicated that the Gwinnett Republican Party was going to oppose the referendum on the Gwinnett transit question.
That’s not right. It was a small faction of the party getting the upper hand in a specially called meeting recently. When taking a vote on the transit question, the vote was 17-15 against the referendum. That certainly is no landslide.
Gwinnett Republican Party Chairman Edward Muldrow may have been blindsided by the vote, when a faction of the party, led by Joe Newton, pulled off this vote. Newton, aggressive in his efforts to be a power in Republican politics, has not always been polite in his manner at party meetings. Newton is a law school graduate, but does not practice in that field. He is originally from North Carolina, and lives off Norcross-Tucker Road.
Muldrow explains what happened in this manner: “There’s a group of people within the party who have been around for a while, and feel that this is the way we’ve always run the party, and do things. These people are not flexible.
Muldrow
“Others think we have to change with the times. There are probably many Republicans who will vote for the transit bill. This transit referendum will give Gwinnett a larger power in how the overall local transit system operates in this county, without MARTA having a larger impact.”
In fact, MARTA is a small part of the referendum. The larger portion would add four bus rapid transit lines, and seven new bus routes among major corridors. It will expand bus service and paratransit operations. The only MARTA element would bring the heavy rail one additional stop from Doraville to Jimmy Carter Boulevard.
In September of this year, at a regular every-other-month meeting of the 200 paid members of the party (dues are $30 annually), some members wanted to pass a resolution for the party to take a “no” stance on the transit resolution. However, a vote was not taken then. But in a special called meeting later on in the month, only 34 people attended. (A quorum of special meetings is 20 people.) That’s when the “No” vote passed 17-15, with two abstentions.
Muldrow maintains that this gave the impression the Republican Party as a whole was against the transit vote, and as such, “was misleading.” It was publicized on the United Tea Party of Georgia web site.
Muldow also feels that the vote in the special election “puts the party and especially Republican candidates, in a difficult position. Jurisdictions of some candidates are more middle-of-the-road, and our candidates have to align themselves with their constituents. That’s only fair for them. So we as a party must at least consider what the transportation issues are. In the past it was stern opposition and now we must give consideration to what the options look like, and so that we don’t shoot ourselves in the foot.
“For the party, if we don’t figure it out, and quick, in Gwinnett we’ve going to have a hard road ahead of us.”
Muldow retired to Gwinnett in 2008, and lives in Snellville. Originally from Miami, Fla., he grew up in a black, liberal neighborhood. “I’m not supposed to be a Republican, but it makes more sense to me.” He is a 23-year Air Force veteran, retiring as a master sergeant. He was attracted to Gwinnett so that his two sons could have a better education. He is an international consultant helping provide infrastructure to African countries.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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