Once again, the Minuteman Project is in turmoil. The original founders of the group, Jim Gilchrist and Chris Simcox split in December 2005, with Mr. Gilchrist retaining control of the Minuteman Project and Mr. Simcox forming a competitor, the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.
In the current dispute, the board of directors (sort of) fired Mr. Gilchrist:
We then had to make the painful decision to take away Gilchrist’s responsibilities as President for gross mismanagement, and terminate him from The Minuteman Project, Inc., Board of Directors. We had already taken away Gilchrist,s check writing abilities in late December.
For his part, Mr. Gilchrist is on the offensive and has filed suit in Orange County, CA to stop the board’s takeover.
He asked a California court this week for a restraining order to halt the takeover, which he called illegal, but acknowledged the bitter internal battle could lead to the organization’s demise.
The board is claiming that $400,000 is unaccounted for, there are problems with the IRS and the USPS. Mr. Gilchrist is claiming that there is no board, that he is in sole control. It was apparent that something was amiss when the project turned its focus away from the border and tried clumsily to tackle the broader issue of illegal immigration.
As for Mr. Gilchrist, I think his ego is perhaps a bit over-inflated:
Gilchrist knows that “whoever controls the Minuteman Project can sway the [2008 presidential] election,” thus, he questions the motivations of Stewart, Coe and Courtney.
Yeah, right. Look, you did a good job at raising the issue of border control and getting citizens involved and I applaud you for that. But swaying a presidential election? That’s a bit much, don’t you think?
And, just to be clear, you would rather have the group fail than give up control? I thought it was all about the border and what is good for the country. Hmm. $400,000 is a lot of money. I understand.
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Such good intentions (border control) can go down in smoke when inner turmoil starts and money is unaccounted for. Sorry mr Gilchrist, I agree with the board. Dont destroy what you built this way
So DJ,
Since I’m ~99% certain you’re reading this:
Are you a member of the Gilchrist or Simcox group?
It is too bad that egos (and perhaps greed) have effectively killed a consciousness raising movement which had begun turning the tables on its detractors.
It is becoming the laugh line the liberal media tried to make it all along. The irony is, it wasn’t the media who did the Minumtemen in - it was the Minutemen. What’s that about pride and a fall?
It is not too late to save the MM. They are not going to go away. The border guys may not be under the MMP or MCDC umbrella but they will be somewhere. I think these folks need to go on Bill O’Rielly and have a shoot out. But the IRS is right. They need to have good accounting set up with Quicken or something. To show me the money. That includes all the organizations. Regards GaryC
Just a little internal bickering. I find it strange that not once but now twice bigjolly is getting his jollies trying to make the MM look bad.
Rest assured the founding fathers had inner bickering and back biting. The close the border movement is not going away.
I personally dont think JG cares about the border. I think he is the stereo typical selfish wanna be politician. That is just my opinion.
Now go grill your fajitas like a good American. Then when your bely is full head on over to Walmart and do your part in helping secure chinas military build up.
#5 DJ
Excuse me, but JG acknowledged that it could lead to the demise of the group. I didn’t say that, the founder of the group said that. That’s a more than a little internal bickering, don’t you think?
Heres the link to Chris Simcox website. IMHO he is the real Minuteman.
http://www.minutemanhq.com/hq/
Chris makes things happen.
I have a personal story and encounter with JG. If you want to know about it give me a shout/email. He showed his true colors to me a long time ago.
Gilchrist bad; Simcox good! Unless there are other minutemen commenting here to the contrary, I will agree with DanielJames, who is a minuteman! Didn’t Gilchrist run for office and lost in California? I think the “power” has gone to his head, unlike Simcox.
“Follow the money”.
Deep Throat.
#5;
You are right on.
bigjolly did this before with the Minutemen.
This is actually the third time bj has made disparaging comments/implications against the Minutemen.
bj, you know nada about the $400K. Your implying that someone illegaly pocketed money.
Who say’s a small group can’t sway an election?
Ever heard of the swiftboats who torpedoed Kerry?
Once again I’ll ask;
bj find something of substance to discuss.
What is your hidden adgenda against the Minutemen?
rj
No hidden agenda. You don’t think this is interesting?
Who would have thought it! Gregg is actually Deep Throat! Yeah, yeah, that other guy was lying. Now we know it was Gregg!
Neo, given Gregg’s, um, particularly adept, ability at commenting, you sure you want to say that?
12. Neocon
Yeah, yeah, Gregg need to make that phony Felt forks over all the cash he’s getting for selling his story. Injunction, Gregg, injunction!!
11. bigjolly
I find it very interesting that the only things I’ve heard about the MM lately have been about their foibles. Not very flattering.
#15 RickG
Well, have you searched Google lately?
No hidden agenda here. Their time was up when they started to expand their mission and lost focus. They did great when focused. I said that. What am I supposed to do? Ignore the reports of what is going on?
16. bigjolly
You misunderstood me. I was saying exactly that. I was not being sarcastic. When the only things we are hearing about the MM are bad things, they are less and less relevant. I was referring to the fact that the only news they are making does not flatter them. We are actually of one mind on the MM.
Is a shame, really. The whole conservative camp seems to be fragmenting.
My idea is that its time to move on and throw all money and support behind Duncan Hunter. With his “fence” (almost 900 miles now) we won’t need the Minutemen. They’ve served their purpose and made folks aware. We owe them a “huge” debt of gratitude. Every last one of ‘em including Gilchrist (along w/his faults). But its time to back Hunter. He’s promised to build the fence + more. I’d like to see all the Minutemen volunteers go to work for the Hunter campaign. Just my take on things. DD
http://www.gohunter08.com
They jumped the shark when they couldn’t even GUARD a stage at a poof liberal university……
They further jumped when it was pointed out that their founders were looney tunes…..
And when a rancher let them biuld a fence and it turned out to be a sheep enclosure - finished out by hispanic farm workers
But I have never considered DJ a minuteman, he was doing what he does long before those two *gentleman* saw some bucks in this
DJ agree or disagree has never asked for money just support
Makes him way ahead personally in my book than 67% of the politicians out there
It is always so dissappointing to see the MM groups in turmoil. Been there…! It hurt. We need all the help we can get right now as we begin the “Busy Season” of the annual invasion. There are many good defenders that I do not get to see anymore at my side as a result of an earlier turmoil.
As of this weekend in South Texas, the invasion continues. We must focus. We need defenders on the border who can focus on stopping the invasion by spotting and getting border patrol the information they need to capture the illegal trespassers. If you are available for weekend or weeklong volunteer duty in April, sign up with Texas Border Volunteers or US Borderwatch - two groups that continue to focus on the border and local employers who hire the illegal trespassers. The correlation is easy—not a lot of money means not a lot of turmoil in these two groups. We just do the job we joined up to do.
http://www.texasbordervolunteers.org
http://www.usborderwatch.com
If you cannot come to the border, call your senators to tell them…we do not trust you anymore and any comprehensive immigration bill that may pass anytime soon. We want the border secure first…current law enforced first…for at least two years before any new amnesty / guest worker giveaways begin. We want border agents allowed to do their jobs rather than being arrested and prosecute by a rouge Federal Prosecuter - Johnny Sutton….and if you won’t do it, we will elect someone who will. Call your representatives in Washington…our only hope may be the House as this body is closest to the people and will hold the line given proper encouragement.
Contact your state senators and representatives and let them know that unlike Tom Craddick and Corbin Van Arsdale believe…this is not just a federal problem…we want these “gentlemen” to get off their butts and do something about the ongoing invasion. The border sheriffs need that $100 Million. The fiddles are tuning and Texas is burning under the onslaught of trespassing illegals as the “lawmakers” do nothing.
Dominitus Deo
Thank you, God Bless & Be Forever Vigilant
Larry Youngblood
If you really would like to find out more about MM. Try calling Peter Kunz W Diener Consultants http://www.minutemanhq.com/hq/index.php 717-207-8103 and post into here what Peter thinks of this turn of events. I too will call him some time, but I would like U guys to do more then be KBJ. Thanks so much. GaryC
It is unfortunate but they were finished long before that. Ever since Chris Simcox stole a bunch of money.. these two have lined their pockets!
I have met Chis Simcox. Chris Simcox is a great american. Please prove to me that Chris Simcox ever stole any money from anyone at any time. Thank you very much. GaryC
23.
Sadly, regardless of the truth of the allegations, the MM blew it. Their egos got in the way. They had some positive momentum in the public eye, then they took the low road. Now, they will be nothing more than a footnote, if that.
Another promising movement ended by the personality defects of their leaders.
Any organization which relies on the cult of personality is not long-lived. RIP, MinuteMen.
BS Mr. RickG: This movement has enough legs to keep going. That is from me. Mr. RickG, how many MM folks do you personally know. These guys are the best in the world. GaryC
24. I will see if I can find it but there was a news report a while back that attempted to find the facts. He would not open his books to the public and several minutemen and women were upset because no money was used for supplies, fuel, etc. These were older people too that I doubt had any political or other agenda against Simcox! I will look though.
http://tinyurl.com/2gngbk
Broken Borders: Broken Promises
4/27/2006
Americans are donating thousands of dollars to support Minutemen patrolling the border. But you may be surprised where your money is NOT going in this 4-month investigation.