Former governor general criticizes successor for 'cranked up partisanship'
LANSDALE--Former Governor General and current POG Gov. Donna Almone, a Conservative, told GBC newsman Gene Caughley she's disappointed with her successor's performance.
"I think the position has become more partisan than ever, with the politicization of the position leading to a sort of cranked up partisanship that puts party and self-interest first rather than the honor of the job and the good of the people," Almone told Caughley. "And I think that's unfortunate, because the governor general position is one that is supposed to be about problem-solving and reaching across political parties to come up with bipartisan decisions, and I don't see that happening now and I think that's very unfortunate."
Ceona Gov. Christine Gabler, a Nationalist who became governor general when the NAT won a majority of governors' seats in 2010, scoffed at her predecessor's criticisms.
"I don't know where she's getting her information but it's just plain wrong. I have never used this position to advance my own agenda or to help my party above the Grassadellian people's interests," Gabler told the Mavocke Capitol on Tuesday.
Almone specifically addressed Gabler's many fundraisers for NAT candidates, and her recent refusal to disclose information to Conservative governors about the president's economic agenda.
"Clearly this is a governor general who is very focused on her party's goals and on her party's agenda. And every governor is, to an extent. But the position of governor general is really meant to be beyond partisanship. It's meant to be a bridge-building, problem-solving position. And having clear, definite partisan motivations takes away from that part of the job, I think," Almone said.
Nationalists pointed out that Almone made numerous campaign appearances while she was governor general, from 2008-2010.
"Donna Almone's criticism of Christine Gabler is so blatantly hypocritical, it's laughable," spokesman Chris Anderson of the Nationalist Governors' Association (NATGA) told STAR News. "When she was governor general, she campaigned for Conservative candidates right and left. There is no difference between what Christine Gabler's doing now and what Donna Almone did then."
Almone responded by saying Thursday that she simultaneously served as governor general and head of the Conservative Governors' Association (CGA), the latter of which permitted her to appear at fundraising events.
"The difference is that I was heading both positions at the same time. Christine Gabler is not serving as head of NATGA. She asked Lynn DeMont to continue to serve in that position. So she really has no reason to be campaigning for gubernatorial candidates. But really, Gene, it's about more than just campaigning. It's really the tone. The tone that we're seeing from this governor general is so incredibly partisan. There is an attitude of exceptionalism, there is a condescension toward and a lack of respect for Conservative colleagues, and I think that's really a disservice to the governors in this country, to the constituents, and also to the governor general herself," Almone said.
"When I was governor general, I worked very hard to not favor one party or the other. I worked very hard to ensure that the position was largely neutral, and that my own personal and political feelings didn't creep in to what I was doing. I tried to put the country first and the position first rather than Donna Almone first," she said.
A spokeswoman for Christine Gabler's office did not return comment.
LANSDALE--Former Governor General and current POG Gov. Donna Almone, a Conservative, told GBC newsman Gene Caughley she's disappointed with her successor's performance.
"I think the position has become more partisan than ever, with the politicization of the position leading to a sort of cranked up partisanship that puts party and self-interest first rather than the honor of the job and the good of the people," Almone told Caughley. "And I think that's unfortunate, because the governor general position is one that is supposed to be about problem-solving and reaching across political parties to come up with bipartisan decisions, and I don't see that happening now and I think that's very unfortunate."
Ceona Gov. Christine Gabler, a Nationalist who became governor general when the NAT won a majority of governors' seats in 2010, scoffed at her predecessor's criticisms.
"I don't know where she's getting her information but it's just plain wrong. I have never used this position to advance my own agenda or to help my party above the Grassadellian people's interests," Gabler told the Mavocke Capitol on Tuesday.
Almone specifically addressed Gabler's many fundraisers for NAT candidates, and her recent refusal to disclose information to Conservative governors about the president's economic agenda.
"Clearly this is a governor general who is very focused on her party's goals and on her party's agenda. And every governor is, to an extent. But the position of governor general is really meant to be beyond partisanship. It's meant to be a bridge-building, problem-solving position. And having clear, definite partisan motivations takes away from that part of the job, I think," Almone said.
Nationalists pointed out that Almone made numerous campaign appearances while she was governor general, from 2008-2010.
"Donna Almone's criticism of Christine Gabler is so blatantly hypocritical, it's laughable," spokesman Chris Anderson of the Nationalist Governors' Association (NATGA) told STAR News. "When she was governor general, she campaigned for Conservative candidates right and left. There is no difference between what Christine Gabler's doing now and what Donna Almone did then."
Almone responded by saying Thursday that she simultaneously served as governor general and head of the Conservative Governors' Association (CGA), the latter of which permitted her to appear at fundraising events.
"The difference is that I was heading both positions at the same time. Christine Gabler is not serving as head of NATGA. She asked Lynn DeMont to continue to serve in that position. So she really has no reason to be campaigning for gubernatorial candidates. But really, Gene, it's about more than just campaigning. It's really the tone. The tone that we're seeing from this governor general is so incredibly partisan. There is an attitude of exceptionalism, there is a condescension toward and a lack of respect for Conservative colleagues, and I think that's really a disservice to the governors in this country, to the constituents, and also to the governor general herself," Almone said.
"When I was governor general, I worked very hard to not favor one party or the other. I worked very hard to ensure that the position was largely neutral, and that my own personal and political feelings didn't creep in to what I was doing. I tried to put the country first and the position first rather than Donna Almone first," she said.
A spokeswoman for Christine Gabler's office did not return comment.
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