Political Sins

I have a shameful secret: I used to be a Republican.

Even worse: a Republican Party activist.

As part of my political reparations, I will slowly, over time, reveal the sordid side of Republican politics on this blog. While my experiences might not be the norm, I have a strong suspicion that they are not unusual. These posts will be an on-going series within this blog called "Political Sins."

I started my Republican sojourn in the summer 1996 looking for volunteer opportunities for the Dole for President campaign. A friend of the family pointed me towards the county Republican organization. I quickly became a fixture there until I went to college in fall 1997. Summers and breaks, while home in New Jersey, you could find me there (mostly during 1997-1998). In 1999, my Dad, at my urging, ran for a local political office, and I was elected as a County Committeeman in my home town in the Republican primary. 2000 was a high point: I interned on an important New Jersey Congressional election. In, 2001 I worked for another county organization during the summer, and that experience, combined with an inner awakening and realization of who I was promoting, led me to cast my first Democratic ballot in fall 2001.

My stories involve sex, lies, dirty politics, sex, more lies, and the politics of personal destruction. Some stories teeter on the boundary between unethical and illegal.

The names will be left out to protect the guilty. Let's say that some of the people I used to work with have dropped off the radar, while others have climbed up the political ladders and hold positions of influence in New Jersey politics. Enjoy!