State GOP chief ripped by Guinn aide

Friday, Sept. 17, 1999 | 10:18 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Outgoing state Republican Chairman John Mason was praised publicly for his work by Gov. Kenny Guinn but the governor's right-hand man wrote Mason a blistering letter a week before the chairman's resignation.

Peter Ernaut, chief of staff for Guinn, acknowledged Thursday he sent Mason the letter but refused to divulge its contents. But those who have seen it said it was highly critical of Mason for his alleged remarks about the fund-raising efforts of Guinn and former Republican Rep. John Ensign.

Mason said he never received the letter so it had no impact on his decision to resign after four years in the job with the party in debt by $300,000. Ernaut said it was hand delivered. "It wasn't a love letter," he added.

Ernaut said the letter was "meant to be private, not public." Asked why the governor would praise Mason on one hand while he was blasting him on the other, Ernaut said, "The governor has a different style. My job is to point out certain facts."

The letter was written, Ernaut said, because of the "culmination of a lot of different things." He said he did not want to comment whether it might have prompted the Mason resignation.

Ernaut said, "The state party needed more hands-on management. John did a great job until now. Everybody is leaving on good terms."

The mystery letter, which may or may not have been received, scolded Mason for remarks allegedly made at a Republican Central Committee meeting that Guinn and Ensign had failed to live up to their pledge to raise money for the party. Ernaut said Guinn and Ensign had combined to raise more than $250,000 of the amount they pledged.

The Ernaut letter also chided Mason for his comments that Guinn had not held any fund-raising events to help the party pay off its debt since getting into office. Ernaut said the governor was precluded by law from raising money during the Legislature and plans are under way for an event in November.

One person who has seen the letter called its tone "very harsh."

Mason denied ever being critical of Guinn and Ensign. He said Ernaut was never at the central committee meeting where those remarks were attributed to him. He said he never made those statements and added he knew Guinn was prohibited from raising money during the Legislature.

"I never got such a letter," Mason said. "I heard about it from the governor and one other source." He said the governor told him the letter was written "in anger," and Guinn decided not to send it.

"The governor felt it was inappropriate and that's why he didn't send it," Mason said. "The governor said sometimes it is better to write a letter and then not send it."

But the letter came from Ernaut who insists it was hand delivered about a week before Mason announced his intention to resign.

Mason reiterated he is resigning to devote more time to his law practice at Lake Tahoe. He said he has seven children, two of them in college.

Of his four years as state GOP chairman, he said, "I've probably done everything I could do." For the first time in more than 40 years, Republican voter registration outnumbered Democrats. And he said the GOP has won its share of elections.