Lollar Loyalists Defecting from Campaign
The Charles Lollar campaign has been buoyed recently by the positive recognition from their announcement tour and their win in this month’s Red Maryland Poll. Sure there have been some transportation related snafus along the way, but the most surprising revelation that has been brought to my attention has been the defection of a number of Lollar loyalists from the Lollar campaign.
Mike Phillips has been a long time friend and associate of Charles Lollar and he has left the Lollar Campaign based on differences in style and management by Lollar Campaign Manager Karen Winterling. Mike forwarded me this message last night on Facebook:
I resigned from the Lollar Campaign today. I can work with slimeballs called Democrats – but I can’t work with slime on my same team, mistreating volunteers – It was all I could do to keep from puking before I got out of the building where the campaign team meets. How Lollar handles this will determine whether or not he even still has my vote…and that’s not to say I want brought back in…Karen just needs to be handled. She does not represent the Charles Lollar people want elected and she will cost him the election.
I noted that this was not the first time that I had heard this, and he replied:
Trending: We’ve Come A Long Way
I’m the first person who has said this who has a longstanding friendship with Charles…this is a very sickening experience. I can’t even go to Charles’ Church Seminar at this point – but it’s a long time until Sunday. He and I were going to start a church together and I think of him like a brother…we talk daily…or at least we did. A sad day indeed.
….His response for not firing Karen is “loyalty” but he has now replaced his loyalty with friends for the loyalty to Karen who treats people like yesterdays garbage. It’s not how Charles does business – but it is how karen does business and it is reflecting on the candidate.
Mike also forwarded me his email to Charles resigning from the campaign:
On Mon, Sep 16, 2013 at 8:37 PM, Mike Phillips wrote:
Charles,
Please consider this my resignation from your campaign. I will be happy to discuss privately the reasons if you are interested.The Charles County Team are expecting a meeting at 7pm on the 3rd floor of the REMAX Building in White Plains tomorrow night (every Tuesday). Please inform the appropriate personnel. They are informed that I am no longer the County Chair or Regional Chair.
If and when you determine to get a campaign structure that treats people honorably and with integrity – I’ll be happy to rejoin the effort. Until then, I can no longer be associated with those who hold such drastic differences in how to conduct themselves.
2 Corinthians 6:14
Best wishesMike Phillips
In Short – Charles’ campaign manager does not represent who Charles is. I’m not sure Charles understands the depth of her lack of ethics and how she treats people.
As of today – 2 more people were fired – how do you fire volunteers? And one of those two men were doing the job they were asked to do. Karen took a man’s idea and ran with it but told the guy that Charles wanted on the campaign that we didn’t need him…of course Charles doesn’t know this yet – not that it would make a difference.
I’ve always known that politics was dirty and sometimes sleazy. I came in with eyes wide open. But never in a million years would I have thought that Charles Lollar would allow it to take place in his campaign, but when he refuses to listen to all those complaints he’s received, and all of the advice from friends now off and some still on the campaign – he keeps letting Karen Winterling act the way she does – it reflects on him.
Charles is like a brother to me – and right now I’m angry at my brother for letting this happen to anyone on his campaign. I didn’t resign because my feelings were hurt (because they weren’t), I resigned because I cannot stand by and watch good people be marginalized, maligned, and misused while working for a man who calls Christ his Lord and holds a higher standard than his team leadership performs.
Thanks for your concern. I apologize if I left you with an incorrect perception – my timing was horrific, but I had been wrestling all weekend whether or not to bow out gracefully and I had chose to stay, then the meeting took place.
I wish you the best. As long as Karen Winterling is the manager – I will advise anyone to watch their back.
Regards,
Mike Phillips
