Ronald Reagan and John Wayne Autograph/Typed Letters Signed on Horse Racing Board Appointee

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Oct 11, 2023

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• Lot Description
  Remarkable pairing of letters, including a TLS by Wayne to Reagan, and Reagan's handwritten draft of his reply:
  
  
  
  TLS signed “Duke,” three pages, 8.5 x 11, May 20, 1967. Letter to Governor Ronald Reagan, expressing frustration that a friend had not been appointed to California's Horse Racing Board—in favor of the renewal of a Democrat's term—while taking aim at California car salesman Holmes Tuttle, known as a member of Reagan's inner circle of advisors, or 'Kitchen Cabinet.' In part: "I was under the impression from your last note that Mr. Reafsnyder was going to be appointed to the Horse Racing Board in place of Bob Fluor who was appointed by Brown.
  
  
  
  Dennis Carpenter now informs me that you mentioned to him that you were being pressured to reappoint Bob Fluor who, may I mention again, was appointed by Brown. We have all read in the L.A. Times that Tuttle Holmes or Holmes Tuttle or whatever his name is has a heavy influence on your decisions. I also understand that he is making a personal issue of this, so I guess I can do the same‰Û_
  
  
  
  Now, let me mention two more—a fellow named Walter Knott, who wouldn't ask you for water if he was on fire, who is the father-in-law of Mr. Reafsnyder and who is the most incredibly honest man that I have ever met. Then let's mention a friend of yours that you called on when you first started having trouble with the very, very liberals in the Screen Actors Guild. He brought 250 people in and held them there until the meeting was over to insure your requests. When most of the liberal stars were standing back not offering their stature nor their thinking during the TV negotiations, this same man came forward to help you in your negotiations with the TV producers and also be. lied the words of some malcontents who started a rumor that you were paid off by the producers. He also, in the middle of a production in Durango, Mexico, held up his picture and produced a short at his expense to combat the Brown and liberal actors' smear against your person as an actor. I think you know who that is. He also stood in for you on Death Valley Days to give you some relief.
  
  
  
  Holmes Tuttle or Tuttle Holmes or whatever his name is is in a position of contact with you which is impossible for me and, therefore, I must plead Mr. Reafsnyder's case with this note. I'm quite sure that this isn't the only appointment that Holmes Tuttle or Tuttle Holmes will try to get his fingers on. I do not see why he is making such a personal issue of the reappointment of a man who was appointed by Mr. Brown. As a matter of fact, all the members of the Horse Racing Board were appointed by Mr. Brown and they have held office long enough to become quite chummy with the present racing community. There is nothing wrong with this but quite obviously a shake up of a fresh member and an unquestionable Republican on the Board might be vitalizing‰Û_Quite obviously if you don't make an immediate decision on this appointment it is going to cause a great deal more ill feeling between both sides of this issue than should be allowed‰Û_
  
  
  
  Say hello to that good ol' Democrat Mervin LeRoy for me the next time you see him." He adds a postscript, initialed "D," in full: "Tell Nancy that if you reappoint all the Brown members to all the Boards, Commissions and Committees in the State, that it won't affect my love for the both of you."
  
  
  
  Includes Reagan's handwritten draft of his reply, and retained carbon copy of the test: Draft ALS signed "Ron," three pages, 8 x 10, May 26, 1967. Reagan responds at length, explaining his rationale for leaving Fluor on the board. In part: "You'll never know what this Horse Racing Board has cost me in sleeping pills. First off, let me clear up one thing about Holmes Tuttle; he wasn't a crusader on this, he was in the middle. Actually I put him in a bracket with Walter Knott, which means they are my candidates for greatest citizens in the land‰Û_
  
  
  
  Now, let me give you the situation from my viewpoint. As you know. I've been (in a small way) in the horse breeding end of racing for years. By and large, racing in California has been better handled than anywhere else in the country. Even Brown didn't louse up the Racing Board, although I'll never know how he missed on that.
  
  
  
  Bob Fluor was one of the only appointees who sent in a courtesy letter of resignation right after the election. At that time I checked around the industry and found no opinion other than 'don't accept it'—the Racing Board is doing a good job. As a result, I answered him then and told him his resignation wasn't accepted‰Û_
  
  
  
  Then one day we were told there might be a question about Bob and his political loyalties, etc. I told our people to check it out. At this same time Reafsnyder's name was proposed as a potential member, I might as well tell you now that if there was a vacancy, I'd be hard put to ignore my real feeling of obligation to Walter, yourself and several of the others you mentioned, but you and Walter are enough for me. Actually, though, nothing was presented other than that Bob had been appointed by Brown.
  
  
  
  Duke, if this was a case of choosing between suggested appointees for an existing vacancy, the problem would have been quite different, but this was a case of replacing a Board member when there seemed to be no reason for doing so‰Û_The whole situation has been so much on my mind I put out feelers about enlarging the Board so I could make the appointment you want. Unfortunately, it seems this would have really opened up a can of worms. There are a number of groups ranging from unions to veterinarians who've been trying to get a foot in the door and acquire representation on the Board, so I backed away real quick on that."
  
  
  
  In overall fine condition. A fascinating insider's look at Reagan's measured governing style and willingness to reach 'across the aisle,' even if it meant frustrating his friends and benefactors.
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