Local cancer charity declines money from GOP fundraiser

Hunt the Cure — the local cancer charity that was associated with a recent fundraiser held by the Buncombe County Republican Party — will no longer benefit financially from from event, according to the organization’s founder, John Boggs. Boggs has asked that any monies initially raised by the GOP on its behalf (an unspecified percentage of the donations were to be given to Hunt the Cure) be instead now be given to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. “We’ve been getting a lot of negative publicity from this,” Boggs tells Xpress. “We’re not political. We remain neutral.”

When asked to elaborate, Boggs claims that he has received “dozens” of harassing phone calls from Democrats and “people posing as journalists.”

When asked how it was that he knew the people were members of the Democratic Party, Boggs says “they told me they were. if you want to know anything else, contact Chad Nesbitt.” Nesbitt is the chair of the local GOP.

Bogg’s wife, Anne Ponder — a cancer survivor herself — appeared in a promotional video advertising the fundraising event, which occurred at the Bee Tree Fire Department Training facility on the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy.

According to Dorothea Alderfer, treasurer of the Buncombe County Republican Party, the 9/11 fundraising event raised a total of $310. “From a fundraising standpoint, it was a big disappointment,” she tells Xpress. “It was not a success for any of us.”

Alderfer went on to say that she hasn’t written any check to St. Jude’s and had never heard of Boggs.

“Nobody’s asked me to write a check,” Alderfer says. “This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

The fundraising event, which centered around rappelling from a 90-foot tower, has attracted some controversy from a range of Democratic officials and even some Republicans. Democratic Party Chairman Charles Carter, in an interview with Xpress earlier this month, commented “When you see a party chairman who uses the memory of 9/11 and the memory of the people who passed away to raise money for a partisan effort … I’m curious if the Republicans in Buncombe County really endorse that.”

The North Carolina Board of Elections is looking into the local GOP for possible campaign violations because the fundraiser — political in nature — was held at a facility that receives federal funding and local tax dollars. Xpress has contacted officials with the BOE, but has yet to receive any response.

The Swannanoa Fire Department, which runs the Bee Tree facility, has also distanced itself from Nesbitt and the Buncombe Party Republican Party. In an interview with Xpress last week, deputy chief Larry Pierson said that no one at the department was informed that a recent fundraiser held by the Buncombe County Republican Party was political in nature or that it would directly benefit that party’s get-out-the-vote efforts.

Both Nesbitt and Carter recently spoke with WLOS reporter Russ Bowen about the event and the political fallout with the BOE in a segment that aired last night.

Given the amount of money raised, Alderfer thinks the whole issue has been blown out of proportion. “This whole affair,” she tells Xpress, “is a tempest in a teapot.”

— Michael Muller, staff reporter

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

26 thoughts on “Local cancer charity declines money from GOP fundraiser

  1. Dionysis

    Where to start?

    “Boggs claims that he has received “dozens” of harassing phone calls from Democrats and people “posing as journalists.” When asked how it was that he knew the people were members of the Democratic Party, Boggs said “they told me they were…”

    Ever hear of a ‘false flag’ operation? I’m a brain surgeon, astronaut, multi-talented rock musician and am generally acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest sex symbols. Now that you know these facts, let’s move on.

    ““From a fundraising standpoint, it was a big disappointment,” she tells Xpress. “It was not a success for any of us.”

    Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the fundraising was a little anemic, but ask the local Democratic Party leaders if this has been a “big disappointment.”

    ““Nobody’s asked me to write a check,” said Alderfer. “This is the first I’ve heard of it”

    Whoops.

    “Given the amount of money raised, Alderfer thinks the whole issue has been blown out of proportion. “This whole affair,” she tells Xpress, “is a tempest in a teapot.”

    But given the damaging effect it’s had on the local GOP and its, er, ‘leadership’, it has been priceless!

    I still find all of this fun to watch.

  2. Michael, get a copy editor to read this thing and fix it for you. If I had a cyber red marker this article would be glowing.

    It is a shame this charity had to get mixed up in this mess.

  3. John

    Hmmm… Something tells me that local Republicans are thinking they should have voted in Mark Delk as chairman of the BCGOP right now. He was the runner-up against Nesbitt.

  4. don yelton

    Actually it appears that people called reporters have caused the problem. Anyone can see the spin that the so called writer put on the story.

    He is the one that has attempted to raise questions and Charles Carter just pulled a “Shuler” acting as if his party never had an event at a state or partially federally funded facility.

    Remember I was a Democrat and have witnessed large bills deposited in gallon jars at school lunch rooms and one county commissioner reported that 85% of his donations came as cash and all were less than $25.00.

  5. Dionysis

    Mr. Yelton, just to be clear: these problems are basically the media’s fault, and in any event, the Democrats did some shady things so why the big deal? Is that about it?

  6. RUBE

    Oh, I see. The BCGOP shoots itself in both feet (fundraiser agains eveil & BOE debacle) and it’s the reporters evil doings for following the story. Hmmmmm????????

    Yelton,…… ever take responsibility for anything?

  7. Asheville Native

    That’s all you’ve got Mr. Yelton? Really? I say file a claim with the BOE otherwise your talk is cheap gossip. The facts appear to be your enemy.

  8. boatrocker

    Good for you, Mr. Boggs. My pop is dying of the very same big C (a slow, painful and expensive way to go) and you demonstrate some cojones by diverting the money to other causes instead of setting yourself up to be a target for political posturing.

    Cancer’s cure will hopefully be discovered by apolitical medical types, and not those with backwards “Know Nothing” party type agendas.

    Once in a great while I’ve heard, it’s better to cut off the nose to spite the face than to kow-tow to folks who only live for politics-lite.

    Jonas Salk would roll over in his grave for reading the broo-ha over a supposed fundraiser for a cure courtesy of the party of hate.

  9. otfwg

    Guess that this means that the 11th Dist Dem. party should cancel their plans so that Cecil will not have to file a complaint against them for holding any political events at taxpayer funded schools or fire departments?

    Oct. 30th Annual Democratic Fish Fry 5:30 pm – until at the Madison High School Dinning Hall
    Please bring school supplies (pencils/pens/notebooks) to be donated to Madison County Schools
    Oct 31 st. Laurel Fire Department BBQ Dinner 11 am until 2 pm.

  10. Daniel Withrow

    OTFWG, please note the relevant election laws. Public spaces are available for political events *if the party pays an appropriate fee.* Are you claiming that Madison High School isn’t getting a rental fee for use of their cafeteria?

  11. piffy

    [b]”Guess that this means that the 11th Dist Dem. party should cancel their plans so that Cecil will not have to file a complaint against them for holding any political events at taxpayer funded schools or fire departments?”[/b]

    How so?

  12. Dionysis

    When Chad Nesbitt was a Democrat, did he consistently refer to the party as the ‘Democrat Party’ as he did in that video, or is he simply parroting the slight by purposely speaking like a simpleton?

  13. ….apparently the BCGOP has filed a complaint against the Buncombe County Democratic Party.

    “OTFWG, please note the relevant election laws. Public spaces are available for political events *if the party pays an appropriate fee.*”

    I have a bad feeling for Chairman Nesbitt and the BCGOP. Do you think he thought to cross his I’s and dot his T’s – like read the rules and check first – before he fired off his complaint to the BOE. Naw, it’s the Buncombe County GOP.

  14. Dionysis

    “…like read the rules and check first – before he fired off his complaint to the BOE”

    Like he did when he tried to file a complaint about Shuler’s sign being only 18′ from their office? Perhaps another anonymous supporter assured him that the Democrats broke a rule.

    It must be programmed into GOP DNA that when caught doing something wrong or bone-headed, ignore it and immediately try and make it about the other side. Whether it be on the national, state or local level, that is the way they’re programmed. Consider the use of the phrase ‘Democrat Party’; it began with one semi-literate oaf in DC and right away, like fully assimilated units of the Borg collective, they all began to repeat it.

  15. Don Yelton

    On a more positive note we now have it out in the open that if a place linked to government charges one it must charge both. We will be checking the records to see when both parties paid for meeting in government buildings.

    This can be really interesting. For those that are so interested in this and that includes the media, look at the reports filed by the parties to see if they paid for events at court house, schools etc. If one party did not pay then neither party must pay.

    If they start charging now that could also be interesting. As said, nothing to hide and nothing to gain but open exposure of what the game really is.

    Charles Carter and Shuler opened this can of worms up and now they will be spread all over the place. Thanks Charles and Heath.

  16. Don Yelton

    On a more positive note we now have it out in the open that if a place linked to government charges one it must charge both. We will be checking the records to see when both parties paid for meeting in government buildings.

    This can be really interesting. For those that are so interested in this and that includes the media, look at the reports filed by the parties to see if they paid for events at court house, schools etc. If one party did not pay then neither party must pay.

    If they start charging now that could also be interesting. As said, nothing to hide and nothing to gain but open exposure of what the game really is.

    Charles Carter and Shuler opened this can of worms up and now they will be spread all over the place. Thanks Charles and Heath.

  17. Dionysis

    I don’t normally quote myself, but in light of Mr. Yelton’s post…

    “when caught doing something wrong or bone-headed, ignore it and immediately try and make it about the other side.”

  18. Mr. Yelton now that you know what some of the laws and rules are regarding campaign finance, why don’t you clean up your side of the street first? Or is it the typical political and politician’s syndrome in which laws and rules are for the little people? For you they are just obstacles to overcome.

  19. Dionysis

    “We will be checking the records to see when both parties paid for meeting in government buildings”

    I forgot to add earlier; when you check on this, also check to see if they disclosed it was for political reasons, or if it was to raise funds for a charity.

  20. puffy

    [b]If one party did not pay then neither party must pay.[/b]

    I was not aware of that little legal jewel. Is that under the ‘neener-neener’ clause?

    [b]Charles Carter and Shuler opened this can of worms up and now they will be spread all over the place. Thanks Charles and Heath. [/b]

    No, it would appear Nesbitt did.

  21. Piffy!

    [b]On a more positive note we now have it out in the open that if a place linked to government charges one it must charge both[/b]

    Don, are you saying it wasn’t a well-known (and common sense) rule prior to this incident? Or just not known to you?

  22. kelly shaver

    My brother in law is a veteran. He has recently been diagnosed with eshopageal cancer and also has 2 tumors in his stomach. He is in desparate need of a vehicle in order to get back and forth to his chemo and radiation treatments. Anyone know of a charity that will donate a car… even short term…that can be donated back at some point?

Leave a Reply to Don Yelton ×

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.