Republican Party of Minnesota

 

2200 Franklin Avenue, Suite 201 Minneapolis MN 55404
Office: 651?222?0022 Fax: 651?224?4122

 

April 21, 2017?
Dear State Central Nominations Committee,

As requested, the following facts regarding Chris Fields? performance as Deputy Chair of the
Partv, not generally known, are provided as background information to the Nominations
Committee for your evaluation of his candidacv for State Partv Chair.

Chris Fields? own demand for direct accountabilitv to the State Central Committee also
warrants providing these facts to you as agents of the State Central Committee. He has argued
stronglv on numerous occasions that he answers directly to the State Central Committee
regarding his role and compensation, including from the floor at the December, 2016, State
Central Committee meeting.

1. With regard to Chris Fields? judgment:

3. He publiclv attacked Jason Lewis in the press prior to the CD2 endorsing
convention, aiding the Democrats? false claim that Jason supported slavery and
serving as fodder for Democrat attacks against Jason in the campaign.
{Attachment 1)

b. He went on a social media rant about Robin Williams? suicide on the eve of our
critical 2014 primary election, producing national ridicule and denunciations
from endorsed candidates. He tried to deflect bv criticizing the Partv for not
having the ability to manufacture a ?faux frenzy?. (Attachment 2}

c. His correspondence can be inappropriate. e.g. the attached email wherein he
had to explain, "No, I am not threatening acts of violence.? [Attachment 3)

d. His statement from the podium at our 2016 state convention, ?We mav hate
each other, but let?s hate them more,? directlv contradicted the unifying
message of Donald Trump?s surrogate, Congressman Kevin Cramer. ND. and no
surprise, his was the only quote from a Partv Officer reported by the press after
the convention. [Attachment 4)

e. He lied to and manipulated other groups in attempting to schedule and fund a
promotional event. {Attachment 5}

2. With regard to Chris Fields? performance in agreed-upon key responsibilities:
a. His re-launch of the Century Club program, his primarv focus for 2014, generated
6 members and $600. {Attachment 6)
. l-Ie recruited zero new Elephant Club members and $0 in 2016. {Attachment 7}
c. His online store produced 5330 in margin to the Fartv in 2016. [Attachment 

1

d. His online fundraising initiative generated $3,900 in 2015. (Attachment 7}

e. He asked to have "statistical research methods? and "digital opposition
research" added to his job responsibilities, but did not produce a single work
product. (Attachment 7)

f. After getting signi?cantly behind on 4 out of 5 of his agreed-upon 2015
responsibilities, he refused to provide any kind of plan for the areas he was
responsible for, eventuallyr had those responsibilities removed from him, and vet
insisted on continuing to be fully compensated. [Attachment 

g. He attempted by himself, without consulting the Party or using the existing RPM
and RNC data, to create and then disseminate to Partv leaders two voter models,
but both had critical errors. {Attachment 8}

3. With regard to Chris Fields? treatment of Party Officer responsibilities:

a. He leaked strategic, con?dential Party ?nancial information to a blogger.
[Attachment 9. He stated to me personally that he had done so.)

is. He did not learn the Party?s accounting, finance and compliance functions, and
has misrepresented the Party?s financial information. {Attachment 9)

c. He provided a con?dential State Partv list to a candidate for State Party Office
without a list agreement. (Handled by State Executive Committee in con?dential
closed session}

d. Numerous times he ignored our Part3,r Bylaws? stipulation that the Chair "shall
have general supervision over the affairs of the Partv and over other officers,?
and communicated publiclv and to the press in direct opposition to the specific
direction of the Chair. (Handled bv State Executive Committee in con?dential
closed session}

e. He did not participate in the State Partv?s planning and management of precinct
caucuses, straw polls, conventions, voter ID, list development, victory offices,
early-absentee voting, and 60W.

Given their nature, extent and duration, these facts have a direct applicabilityr to the role of
Party Chair, and are presented to the Nominations Committee for vour consideration. Other
issues which could be construed as a difference of opinion and not objective fact have not been
included.

Sincerely,

  

eith Downev
Chairman

Cc: Chris Fields, Deputy Chair; Personnel Committee; State Executive Committee