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More Parsky Watch Parsky Watch - The Magazine Take the Parsky Watch IQ Test Visit the Parsky Watch Store	Back to Parsky Watch archives Diverting 21st Century money away from Simon campaign Parsky Watch #40 March 18, 2003 NO POT O’ GOLD AT THE END OF PARSKY’S RAINBOW As the 21st Century Insurance controversy swirls around the California Republican Party, there’s a related aspect of this issue that reveals in stark relief the reckless manner in which Gerry Parsky routinely undercut Bill Simon’s gubernatorial campaign. After Bill Simon’s primary victory last year, 21st Century approached the Simon camp and offered to contribute and raise $7 million for the general election campaign – a significant sum that would have affected the outcome of what turned out to be a very narrow race. CRP shogun Gerry Parsky inexplicably nixed the offer. Word got back to a furious Simon campaign. They complained to Karl Rove, who’s disbelieving response was essentially, “Gerry wouldn’t do something like that!” No doubt that is exactly what Parsky told Rove. But then again, Parsky also denied to other key California Republican players that he’d sent Dick Riordan a letter asking the former mayor to quell talk of running him as a write-in candidate – until his lie was exposed by PW’s distribution of the letter itself. In any case, 21st Century continued to press their desire to help the Simon campaign. Twice more they approached Gerry Parsky, and twice more Parsky vetoed their assistance. Each time the Simon campaign appealed to Rove, and each time was given the same response: “Gerry? Turn down $7 million? Naaah.” The disbelief is understandable. Why would any sane party leader – especially someone who sees themselves as the messiah of California Republicans – turn away a donor willing to help the party gubernatorial nominee to the tune of $7 million? Especially when nearly every other corporation had sold out to Gray Davis? Maybe he feared anyone else making him look bad in terms of fund-raising (Remember, this was just a few months after the famous Parsky promise of raising $10 million for the state party). Who knows? What we do know is that very soon after Parsky put the kibosh on 21st Century for the third time, they threw up their hands and approached the Senate and Assembly Republican leadership, setting in motion a chain of events that resulted in today’s controversy. Clearly, California Republicans should seek a temporary restraining order that keeps Gerry Parsky at least 500 feet from any major political decision.