(O)ut of nowhere, (Gilchrist) decided to run for Congress. That was good because it gave him something to focus on and, frankly, it fed his desire for media attention. … (and) I wanted him to win that seat in Congress.

I packed up my family and lived in OC for 42 days helping him right the ship of the campaign after it imploded. People were fired and quit. The campaign was in shambles, and I was asked to come in and help organize and right the ship.

Have you heard the big news? The Minuteman Project is falling apart. So when did it start, and why did it happen? Former Gilchrist friend Chris Simcox emailed OC Register political reporter Martin Wisckol about it, and Wisckol posted the entire email at Total Buzz. So was the 2005 Special Congressional Election really the beginning of the end?

It was sad to watch – [Deborah Ann] Courtney and [Stephen] Eichler were already conspiring on how to re-launch the MMP (Minuteman Project) with Jim as the sole founder (Simcox says he was co-founder). They knew he was going to lose the race and were preparing for the future. Many times they commented on how the MMP could bring in millions and they could help Jim build an empire.