Parro warned the 168 national committee members who will choose the new party chairman next month that Steele is "keeping company with those who ... wish to purge the party of its 'social fundamentalist' base, and ensure the further decline of the Republican Party by trying to attract 'moderates' who stand for nothing but tolerate anything."
Steele withdrew as an active member of the leadership council last spring. He no longer sits on its national board and as a result, Steele told editors and reporters of the Washington Times last month, he should not be listed on their Web site.
"I left, honestly, because I have a fundamental issue with organizations getting involved in primaries, and the organization was endorsing candidates in primaries, which I am fundamentally opposed to," Steele told the paper on Nov. 18.
A statement last summer by Whitman about Steele's decision to leave her group didn't mention any disagreement over political tactics.
She said Steele was "taking a step back from some of his previous commitments, including the RLC, to focus fully on GOPAC, which he chairs." GOPAC, an organization Steele has headed for two years, recruits Republicans for state and local offices.
"The RLC is pleased to partner with GOPAC for a number of events and looks forward to continuing to work with Steele and his staff on future endeavors. I am personally very grateful for his efforts in helping to get the RLC to where we are today," Whitman said in her June 23 statement on the group's Web site. A spokeswoman said Whitman was unavailable yesterday.
Steele is reaching out to religious and social conservatives in his campaign and denies that they have too much influence in the party. He has said he would keep a constitutional ban on abortion in the Republican platform.
But some conservatives aren't convinced.
Erick Erickson, who edits the influential conservative blog RedState.com, wrote that "the RLC alone makes me deeply leery of Michael Steele as RNC Chairman. These groups want to purge the GOP of social conservatives." He is opposing Steele's candidacy but says he might be persuaded to change his mind.
Parro said she had heard from "a few members" of the national committee who were concerned about Steele's ties to the RLC but declined to identify them.
online See the before and after versions of the Republican Leadership Council Web site at baltimoresun.com/michaelsteele
