big-time GOP supporter bails on party

[Gil Bang 26089]

The wealthiest supporter of the GOP in Ohio said Thursday that he is no longer a member of the Republican Party.

“I just decided I’m no longer a Republican,” L Brands CEO Leslie Wexner said during a panel discussion at a leadership summit, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

Wexner, who said he’s been a Republican since college, added that he is now an independent, before saying that he “won’t support this nonsense in the Republican Party” anymore.

“I haven’t run an ad in the newspaper that said, ‘I quit,’” he said.

The Columbus Dispatch noted that Wexner said he’s instead been writing notes to friends who are lawmakers and telling them that he’s no longer a member of the GOP.

The development came just a day after former President Obama slammed GOP lawmakers during a rally in Ohio for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Cordray.

“What you’re seeing is Republicans in Congress who are bending over backwards to try to shield and deflect oversight of this behavior and accountability and consequences," Obama said.

“This is serious. You know it is. And frankly even some of the Republicans know it is. They will say it, they just don’t do anything about it. … [They say,] 'we’ll put up with crazy' in exchange for tax reform and deregulation.”

 

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Wexner called Obama’s visit to Ohio this week a “great moment for the community,” according to the Dispatch.

“I was struck by the genuineness of the man; his candor, humility and empathy for others,” Wexner said.

The newspaper noted that the comments stand in stark contrast to what the GOP supporter has said about President Trump.

The billionaire CEO reportedly said in a speech last year that he was “ashamed” by Trump’s response to the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., that erupted in violence and led to the death of a 32-year-old woman.

The Ohio businessman has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Republican candidates and groups over the years, including giving $250,000 to a super PAC backing Sen. Rob Portman's (R) reelection campaign in 2016 and nearly $70,000 to GOP committees and candidates in Ohio and other states, the Dispatch noted.

Wexner isn't the only person to renounce their GOP affiliation this year. In August, Michael London, a former member of the Trumbull Town Council in Connecticut, announced he was leaving the party because it was "no longer the party that I believed in all these years."

[Parliament 14357]

He kinda had me until the praise for Obama. Old, white man falling prey to rich, white guilt.

[Bojack 2082]

81 years old, Republican since he was in college, GOP mega-donor and he finally reveals himself for the lowlife, white guilt liberal that he is.  Makes perfect sense.  Fuck that socialist scum.  He should move to Venezuela. 

[Js1 85668]

21 minutes ago, Parliament said:

He kinda had me until the praise for Obama. Old, white man falling prey to rich, white guilt.

Dumbest take by a dumb jort wearing idiot. Maybe because he realized Obama’s not the anti-Christ Kenyan socialist Muslim devil you made him out to be. 

[Chooky 13321]

Or maybe he just finally had enough of the complete lack of dignity and morality from the current leadership and felt compelled to express his disappointment with the nuanced fuckery from the party that most aligns with his ideology and can no longer find any defensible way to continue to financially support this latest strain of degenerate pigs who slurp swill from this giant hog trough.   

[immortal13 4059]

Maybe he's becoming senile

[Js1 85668]

1 hour ago, Chooky said:

Or maybe he just finally had enough of the complete lack of dignity and morality from the current leadership and felt compelled to express his disappointment with the nuanced fuckery from the party that most aligns with his ideology and can no longer find any defensible way to continue to financially support this latest strain of degenerate pigs who slurp swill from this giant hog trough.   

Damn. Sounds personable. Brisket steak your credentials? 

[yaqdum 182]

independent.

yes, yes, and yes.  death to both 'parties'.

[Parliament 14357]

If he proves himself to be truly "independent," I'll happily rescind my comment, and apologize to Mr. Wexner.  I am cautious though, as so many of the people I know, who refer to themselves as such, are Liberals who don't want that label.

[Js1 85668]

So the hundreds of thousands of dollars of contributions to GOP groups and candidates he’s made in his life means he’s secretly been a liberal all this time and only now wants to be independent? 

Is this literally the logic you use to write off anyone who dares leave the Republican Party after it’s embrace of Trump, total lack of principles and ability to turn every criticism of the D party into projection of their own failings? 

Edited September 15, 2018 by Js1

[Chooky 13321]

Parliament is cautious to conclude that a guy who claimed to be a Republican is actually a Republican even after 60 years of open support and over 40 years of cumulatively donating millions to the Republican party.  Nobody can hide their long game intentions from a single pair of short jorts.

[Gengs1 2583]

He is jumping back to the Rs the first  chance he gets where he thinks is the old party, he isn’t an independent 

[formermav43 4606]

2 hours ago, Bojack said:

81 years old, Republican since he was in college, GOP mega-donor and he finally reveals himself for the lowlife, white guilt liberal that he is.  Makes perfect sense.  Fuck that socialist scum.  He should move to Venezuela. 

This got a neg? Man, some of you political types are WAY too high strung these days. That’s obvious sarcasm.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

2 minutes ago, formermav43 said:

This got a neg? Man, some of you political types are WAY too high strung these days. That’s obvious sarcasm.

Dude feelings get hurt.... this is serious business here. Our posts change the face of politics and policy. Don't you know that ?

[RomaVicta 30057]

Good for this guy. As he reflects on what he has supported over the years in terms of hate politics, it would be interesting to hear what he concludes. I don't mean that as a slam on the guy. A lot of GOPs have spit the bit on seeing their party abandon what they thought they were supporting. 

GOPs ran on hate but ruled claiming it was love. Vote for me because you hate that dirty lib America-hater. I'm voting to protect rich white wealth because that's what people loved about my campaign!

Nice gig until they nominated a moron who knows how to exploit the hate better than the traditional pols.

Good for anybody who steps off that train. Welcome back to the better world. Re-establish a party that represents what GOPs used to stand for. I know you're not aching to become Dems, and who could blame you?

Make something better.

[bolverk 29783]

2 hours ago, Parliament said:

If he proves himself to be truly "independent," I'll happily rescind my comment, and apologize to Mr. Wexner.  I am cautious though, as so many of the people I know, who refer to themselves as such, are Liberals who don't want that label.

This is a pathetic take - even for you.

[Parliament 14357]

2 hours ago, Chooky said:

Parliament is cautious to conclude that a guy who claimed to be a Republican is actually a Republican even after 60 years of open support and over 40 years of cumulatively donating millions to the Republican party.  Nobody can hide their long game intentions from a single pair of short jorts.

People change when they get old.  My kind old mother spends her evenings now yelling at the TV playing FOX News.  She voted for Bill Clinton.  People change.  Mr. Wexner went the other way.  All that said, he's done SO much for my alma mater, and I hope he continues to do so.

[Chooky 13321]

7 minutes ago, Parliament said:

People change when they get old.  My kind old mother spends her evenings now yelling at the TV playing FOX News.  She voted for Bill Clinton.  People change.  Mr. Wexner went the other way.  All that said, he's done SO much for my alma mater, and I hope he continues to do so.

Wrong.  It doesn't sound like he changed.  It sounds like his party changed and he has the kind of social responsibility and moral discipline it takes to point it out.