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The FAMiLY LEADER Clarifies

Official Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Thursday, December 22  

 

Pleasant Hill, IOWA. –The FAMiLY LEADER offers the following statement in order to clarify misrepresentations that have been circulating since the announcement of Bob Vander Plaats’ and Chuck Hurley’s personal endorsement of Senator Rick Santorum for the Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday, December 20th.  

The perception that the FAMiLY LEADER Board of Directors was unable to reach agreement or did not achieve consensus on a candidate is completely false.  The board had unanimous consensus 1) that The FAMiLY LEADER’s role is as a standard bearer, not a kingmaker, 2) to allow Bob Vander Plaats and Chuck Hurley to personally endorse a candidate, and 3) that as of Monday, December 19th, each board member personally indicated support for Rick Santorum.  

The FAMiLY LEADER board was unanimous in their personal support for Rick Santorum but opted not to endorse as an organization out of respect for many constituents that support candidates other than Rick Santorum.  The board wanted to avoid offending any constituents who may be bothered by the possibility that their support to The FAMiLY LEADER may be used to promote a candidate the constituents themselves were not backing.  However, the board is thankful they can allow a voice of leadership by permitting Bob Vander Plaats and Chuck Hurley to personally endorse Senator Santorum.   

The allegation by an unnamed source that Bob Vander Plaats asked any campaigns for money in exchange for his endorsement is absolutely false.    The allegation that Bob Vander Plaats asked Congresswoman Michele Bachman to drop out of the race to join with Rick Santorum is completely false.  The truth is that after much prayer and discernment, The FAMiLY LEADER board members directed Bob to contact Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, and Rick Santorum to present the concept of merging in order to provide a solution to the fractured vote of caucus-going conservatives.  The board’s request is reflective of the broader caucus community.  At no time did Mr. Vander Plaats make any specific demands in regard to who should merge with whom.  The action to contact the campaigns was at the request of the board, not an action Vander Plaats initiated on his own.  

Bob Vander Plaats, President & CEO, said, “It is disheartening to learn about the misrepresentations and half-truths being circulated among the media and among fellow conservatives.  I encourage all conservatives to show the utmost respect for each other as the voters of Iowa help determine the next presidential nominee.”  

Contact: Julie Summa jsumma@thefamilyleader.com; 515-263-3495, ext.14 (office), 515-210-7475 (cell)

  • Me

    ….. So… Santorum confirming (on Mickelson in the Morning) that he was also asked to drop out so that the “values voters” could get behind a single candidate.

    And now with this I have even less respect for BVP.

  • Me

    Self thought fail…. Should have read

    ….. So… Santorum confirming (on Mickelson in the Morning) that he
    was also asked to drop out so that the “values voters” could get behind a
    single candidate was crap too? I’m guessing that Bachmann and Santorum BOTH stating similar things is likely true. While BVP may not have told Bachmann to get out and “join” Santorum, I have no doubt that she was asked to get out.

    And now with this I have even less respect for BVP.

    • Doug Thompson

      So let me get this straight: you think Vander Plaats endorsed Santorum but asked Santorum to drop out and Bachman to drop out? 

      I suggest that ME     RGE with some logic.

      • Me

        I dont “think”, I know. Im sorry i didnt give specific date and time mark for my reference.

        Listen for your self Santorum called in on Jan Mickelson’s show on 12/21 and it was stated around 73 minutes into the podcast.

        Here’s the URL – http://traffic.libsyn.com/mickelson/mickelson-2011-12-21.mp3

        Now that I’ve spoon fed it to you, get over yourself.

      • Me

        So Doug, have you taken the 10 min to download and listen to that portion of the podcast yet?

        When can I expect an apology?

  • RRG

    Thou shall not lie…….is one of the 10 C’s………..someones lying….say goonight family of haters….

    • RRG

      (edit)goodnight.

  • Ethan

    The Family Leader is an Evangelical entrepreneural enterprise that markets opinion to a faith-centered market base. It is not a church, Bob Vander Plaats is not a pastor, and the Board does not consist of Elders but it is a corporate board with no stock ownership in the company.  For all intents and purposes the Family Leader is a commercial enterprise not unlike those who gathered outside the temple in Jerusalem to sell their wares or exchange currency.  I would expect a CEO of a small business to raise money to remove three judges from the IA court; I would expect the same CEO to promote his employer’s brand in the marketplace and I would expect that brand awareness is important to the board for income generating purposes.  What makes this situation bad is that Family Leader attempts to present itself as something that it is not – a church with any Biblical authority.  That is fraud.  Furthermore, to begin contradicting public statements by presidential candidates is arrogance and creates conflict.  I encourage the Board to humble themselves, apologize and for Mr. Vander Plaats to resign as a first step in saving the Family Leader brand.  Frankly, their collective behavior is a stain on the good people who contribute to sustain and maintain the brand. 

  • slkramer

    “The allegation that Bob Vander Plaats asked Congresswoman Michele Bachman to drop out of the race to join with Rick Santorum is completely false.  The truth is that …[the] board members directed Bob to contact Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, and Rick Santorum to present the concept of merging in order to provide a solution to the fractured vote of caucus-going conservatives.” Perhaps, but it sounds like a distinction without a difference. We can’t have a ruling troika, so therefore two would have to “drop out.”

    • Samuna001

      Respectfully, it was a dumb idea.  No candidate will “drop out”.  For example, Michele Bachmann who believes in her heart of hearts that God told her to run for the nomination will not drop out just because a group of guys at an Evangelical enterprise said that she should.   And why would she?  She has invested a year of her life, sown large amounts of  treasure into a presidential campaign,  recruited supporters from across the nation, won the Straw Poll and who is rising in the polls with increasing momentum.  Explain to me, please, why the Family Leader that depends on Evangelical donor dollars would support a Senator who was rejected overwhelming by his home state of PA and who has an entirely different core belief system (Roman Catholic).  Can’t imagine a Jewish or Catholic board deserting their faith. Further,  It is hard to imagine that Iowa Protestant Evangelicals, including Pastors, would support a badly defeated Roman Catholic politician instead of an IA Protestant Evangelical woman of God who serves in Congress.  At the end of the day, January 3, will reveal the mighty right hand of God – Michele Bachmann will win the Caucus.

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