GOP Critic Has Ultraliberal View of Facts

* The last time we heard about Fred Smoller he was the Democratic Party nominee for the Legislature who was roundly defeated by conservative Republican John Lewis. Now he is a self-appointed political commentator offering his critique of the GOP in Orange County (“County GOP’s Ideological Spat Isn’t Just Local,” Orange County Voices, Feb. 13).

Wearing his assistant professor hat at Chapman University, my alma mater, the ultraliberal Smoller pretends to be a voice of academic objectivity in his musings about the current contest for leadership of the Republican Party.

No mention is made of the long-standing Democratic Party ties of the would-be politician-teacher. Smoller’s expressed perspective is only confirmation of the countless complaints from Chapman University students who have told me in recent years about the partisan political rhetoric that Smoller delivers in the classroom.

Emboldened by his recent appearance on “NBC Nightly News” offering the same biased commentary on the inside workings of the Republican Party, Smoller opines about a subject of which he knows little.

I doubt this academic-turned-partisan activist has much contact with GOP leaders. But, somehow, he finds space on the pages of The Times to lecture the reader with his thinly disguised Democrat message, identified only as an academic.

Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, but to offer as political science what is in reality the political spin of a defeated Democratic Party candidate is less than forthright at best, and more likely intentionally deceptive.

While Smoller is forced by the facts to acknowledge the overwhelming success of the Republican Party in the precincts of Orange County, he still begrudgingly attempts to inject himself into the vigorous leadership debate of local Republicans.

To put it bluntly, Fred, you ought to spend your time in your own party where you have a vested interest and where your arch-liberal point of view fits. It’s just silly for a Democrat to try to set the agenda for Republicans.

THOMAS FUENTES

Chairman, Republican Party of Orange County