Iowan Todd Blodgett’s newly-published memoir, REPUBLICAN CRACKHEAD, takes readers on such a wild ride that it epitomizes the adage, ‘The Truth is Stranger than Fiction’. What he survived isn’t merely surreal; it’s an amazing, true-life adventure that even the most imaginative screenwriters in Hollywood probably couldn’t invent, even if they tried. REPUBLICAN CRACKHEAD opens with Mr. Blodgett’s idyllic upbringing in north Iowa, where his Republican parents were extensively involved in public matters, including GOP politics. As an 11-year-old, Blodgett became friends with J. Neil Reagan and his wife, Bessie, who – like the Blodgett family – vacationed at Clear Lake’s Outing Club. By 1976, the Reagans had introduced the 15-year-old Blodgett to Neil Reagan’s famous brother, then-California Governor Ronald Reagan. This friendship eventually landed Blodgett a position on Reagan’s White House staff, following his graduation from Drake University. Blodgett later worked for the first President Bush, and the Republican National Committee, in Washington, D.C.
This memoir then takes a dark turn, as during the Clinton years, Blodgett – who admits to having been “greedy” and “opportunistic” – agreed to represent the neo-Nazi profiteer Willis Carto and his racist empire of hatred, of which the Liberty Lobby was its flagship. Initially, Blodgett’s DC-based advertising agency sold ads for Carto’s publications. But by 1996, he began raising funds for Carto’s various organizations, which included a Holocaust-denial group, and assisted Carto in laundering multiple millions of dollars. After a dispute over commissions owed to Blodgett, Carto fired his trusted aide. When Blodgett threatened legal action, Carto transferred stock certificates which represented the controlling interest in the world’s largest, most profitable racist music corporation: Resistance Records, inc. Six months later, another notorious racist, Dr. William L. Pierce, contacted Blodgett, and asked to purchase his shares. Blodgett sold, in a complex, multi-layered transaction with Pierce, his shares in Resistance Records, for what amounted to approximately $380,000.
Complicating matters, Blodgett in late 1998 began smoking crack cocaine, and in early 2000, was recruited by the FBI to work as a full-time, paid informant. Blodgett then began spying on (in his memoir, he refers to his FBI gig as “monitoring”) his former business associates, which included KKK leader David Duke, and scores of other professional and semi-professional haters, some of whom later murdered innocent people. His ‘James Bond’ style work continued for nearly three years, until November of 2002. The plot thickens when, in early 2001, then- President George W. Bush appointed the author’s father, prominent Iowa Republican Dr. Gary Blodgett, to a position in his administration. By this time, Blodgett’s then-wife – who was also from Iowa – began to suspect that his FBI work wasn’t the only cause of the stress in their marriage. But, much like Blodgett’s parents, she had no idea that her husband was spending nearly as much time getting high with junkies in the hoods of DC as he was attending meetings of the Ku Klux Klan and the Aryan Nations, at the behest of the FBI.
This unique memoir, while dark, is often hilarious. I’m still chuckling about how the ever-resourceful, loquacious Blodgett somehow managed to talk his way out of what would have been a violent beatdown by some rough black thugs, who found out that their fellow crack head owned the world’s most profitable racist record company. This author’s close encounters with drug pushers, junkies, white supremacists, and other societal misfits, and the FBI agents, and Republican Senators and Congressmen, are absolutely fascinating.
Blodgett also shares some of his many conversations with Ronald Reagan, including some which took place in the oval office. He also describes how he finally, after seven years of addiction, shed the nasty drug habit that cost him his marriage, his spleen (a drug dealer stabbed him, in a dark DC alley) and over $800,000. If nothing else, these first-hand accounts make Republican Crackhead an intriguing read.
It’s no secret to many north Iowans that Mr. Blodgett, who is a well-known ‘gun nut’ and an NRA Life member, legally carries a loaded handgun. He has been accused, perhaps rightfully, of being somewhat “trigger happy”, and has resorted, at times, to gunplay. Police reports in at least two Iowa communities state that Blodgett has brandished his gun. On one occasion, this occurred while he was being robbed, and another time, when physically threatened. Mr. Blodgett has acknowledged having done so, and is still allowed to carry a firearm, per the concealed-carry permits that he holds, issued by two states that NorthIowaToday.com knows about. We, at this publication, have received phone calls from irate north Iowans who accused Blodgett of pulling his gun on them, which Blodgett unapologetically confirmed were factual accounts. A few years ago, north Iowa community activist Peter J. Children wrote a column in which he described Todd Blodgett as a “gunslinger”. But as this memoir reveals, Blodgett, after being mugged in DC, began packing heat in the nation’s capital, where carrying a firearm is strictly illegal.
This brazen attitude towards laws he opposes is not one of Todd Blodgett’s better attributes. In fact, he actually writes, “I’m not saying everyone should carry a gun and threaten violence to resolve differences with troublemakers. But it’s worked well for me.”
Those troubling views aside, Blodgett deserves credit for being forthright in sharing this story, warts and all, which is truly an incredible read.
Eventually, this privileged Iowa crack head was busted by the DC cops and jailed, for possession of narcotics. That he was able to end his drug usage and remain drug-free speaks well of his determination, and his story is very inspiring. Mr. Blodgett also devotes time to dissuade people from becoming involved with white supremacy, anti-Semitism, and other unacceptable political causes, which the memoir also addresses.
Disclaimer: As the publisher of NorthIowaToday.com, I am personally acquainted with Todd Blodgett. While I do not share his arch-conservative, pro-Trump political views, I have consistently found him to be highly intelligent, straightforward, knowledgeable, and consistently honest. Few people who have been so directly involved in as many nefarious things as Mr. Blodgett would even ever wish to admit to such, let alone write a book detailing them. In my opinion, Todd Blodgett deserves commendation for writing such a compelling, enlightening memoir. Republican Crackhead proves that, sometimes, those who can admit they were wrong are in a good position to help set things right.
On our scale, from one to ten, REPUBLICAN CRACKHEAD has earned a 9-plus, and is available (the Kindle edition) on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and other online sources. The hard copy version will be available on March 24, 2020. The Kindle version sells for $2.99, and the hard copy edition for $24.95.
Reviewed by Matt Marquardt, publisher of NorthIowaToday.com.
This book is a fascinating yet odd and somewhat eerie documentation of a lost “Gen X” soul. A young man from the Midwest with unbridled energy, discipline and concentration thrust into the machinations of a D.C. political system gone haywire during the early Clinton years. Ambition and greed lead him to enter into the dark dreary and wild underworld of the radical right. I’ve read the positive testimonies to Blogett’s good character by his hometown contemporaries (as well as his own claims to the same in the book), but I’m not so sure I see an explanation or a recognition as to why T.B. really went astray. Are we expected to believe that he had no flare at all for the right-wing extremism of his benefactors? Were men like Willis Carto and William Pierce really so naive to have brought someone whose heart was so dead set against them under their wings?
The book’s final outcome is thus less interesting than the dramatic story it has told: Blodgett today, despite his bourgeois Midwestern background, despite his staunch pro-gun stances, connection to the Reagans, etc., now a leftist, now an official mouthpiece of “anti-racism” warning us of the perils of bigotry and Holocaust denial. We’ve heard all this before.
Got my electronic edition of “Republican Crackhead” last night and couldn’t put it down. Great way to pass time in my self seclusion. My question so far is, how did a spoiled rich white boy from Iowa end up in such dire straits?
In reply to ‘Laker Man’ – I don’t usually respond to these comments, but your question is valid. But, first, thank you for buying my book; I’m glad you’re enjoying it!
I got into crack cocaine in late 1998, after a drunken night in D.C. A Republican political consultant (a white guy, btw …) served me my first ‘hit’ of the stuff. But as every addict knows: One hit is too many, and 1,000 hits aren’t enough.
Thanks, again, ‘Laker Man’.
Have not read this book but will guess it is pretty darn funny, Todd was the funniest guy I knew back in my school day’s up to John Adams.
There was this one kid, him and Todd use to go at it, he would make fun of Todd on count of how hyper he was. Todd, he had to leave out of class every day take some pill, slow him down. So this guy, always poke fun at Blodgett for that. Well Todd, he goes to the kid hey, too bad theres not no pill can make you smart. LOL
I use to be in the boy scouts Todd, he was in my Troop, #212 Roosevelt school. Been along time since I seen him, he left out of Mason along time ago but cool he did this book. We just ordered it from on line will sure read it.
@ Troop 212, wasn’t Todd’s dad, Dr. Blodgett, also involved with the Boy Scouts in Mason City? I seem to recall Gary Blodgett being a generous BSA supporter back in the 1960s and 70s, here in Mason.
Our neighbor used to work for Dr. Blodgett at his orthodontic office, she said he was a good boss and a very nice man.
Glad to see Todd is off the drugs and he wrote this book.
Mr. Blodgett deserve alot of credit, he kicked the crack got his act back together and then he wrote this book.
I think I will buy the book, sounds like a good one.
I remember Todd from high school, he was a hoot, got in alot of trouble, but a good guy.
Just now, I order this one from the Amazon, bet its good.
Whos going to read it to you? or explain it to you?
Would not even use the paper in this book to wipe the turd off of my ass.
Well, aren’t you nice and classy? The “turd” is you, for being so disgusting and crude.
You can disagree with Mr. Blodgett on politics, and if you don’t want his book, don’t buy it. But why be so nasty?
Because he’s a jackass, known only too himself!!!
Your backside would be well read
@ Road King, so, you say, “Todd’s friends has his back.” What is it about you stupid, pro-Blodgett groupies?
Sycophants like you neo-Nazis are among the most expressively-challenged, semi-illiterate bloggers on the entire worldwide web.
Do you belong to Toddy boy’s gun club, or are you among the violence-inclined, crack-addled lunatics that he sics on those he dislikes?
This arrogant Republitard is, in reality, an instigator of violence. North Iowans have been seriously injured on his directive, and the perpetrators of such assaults weren’t questioned, or arrested. This I know for a fact, as my source is a Mason City police officer with direct knowledge of some assaults that Mr. Blodgett arranged.
But misfits like you probably like that, don’t you?
Your evil NIACC, ok maybe Todd don’t do like you but he has sure did alot of good for me and mine.
If it would of not been for Todd, some drug dealer’s would still live on our street. He give them time to GTFO of Mason, well all but one left.
The one tried to stay, well he got ran out thanks to Todd to. Todd done us all good get them gone, they will not be back if they know whats good for them yes.
Hell yes.
NIACC You sound just like a man that has never been to a church, you need to find God.
“You sound just like a man that has never been to a church, you need to find God”, says Lori, who explicitly endorses violence suborned by her friend, Todd Blodgett.
Lori: right-wing, hypocritical holy rollers like you are bat shit crazy.
Real Christians call it guano
And then there are you and liberals like you who support killing babies. That makes you a murderer you P.O.S.
Nobody supports killing babies except those who agree with what is happening at our border.
Alot of comments here, some good and some not so good. The truth is, most people do not know Todd (I do), so what they put up here is just based on what they heard.
Blodgett is one of the most misunderstood people around. Yes, he has a temper, I have seen it, and a gun nut. And his politics are like from the 1850s. But he really is a nice man, always tells you what he thinks, no sugar coating with him.
Maybe you that’s against Todd should read his book?
Cracked head is more like it.
Looks to me like he owned up to his drugging, ect, wrote a good book about it. I went to Roosevelt elementary with Todd, he was always smart and kind. The thing was, he didn’t take any shit, not ever from anybody. He got in lot’s of fights, I think he lost most the time.
But he could look at a page in some book and then say it right back to you, like word for word.
If Todd did not like a teacher, he could make her look dumb, that how really smart he was. Got him sent off to the principle’s office more than just about any other kid.
@ Back, you’re right. I worked with Todd at the old Pheasant Run one summer, the Barlases owned it.
I remember his photographic memory, it was amazing.
You are all so full of shit. These same comments come up every time blodgett does something that pisses people off. It is almost like you have these little bits about what a great guy he is saved somewhere in case someone posts an opinion of him Then all his minions post the same bs over and over again. Hes such a great guy, he helped a friend get off drugs, he didn’t pull no gun on that carny, he was really smart. blah blan blah.
Aw look, a liberal idiot with a big mouth and no brains shooting off his big mouth. What have you ever accomplished in your life? Loser!
Okay, we get it, you don’t like to see that Todd’s friends has his back. Jealous, much?
Talk some shit about him, we will defend him. Maybe if you had any friends they might have your back.
Loser.
Excellent article. Very well written and honest.
I do know Todd personally and he is an intelligent, honest man. I know he carries a pistol but I have never felt threatened in any way by that. A man has a right to protect himself and no one “NO ONE” Has the right to steal from you.
I know him, your right. Todd = very honest. He has alot of friends way more then them here that hates on him.
Maybe old doc’s problem child knew he could hang out with some drug thugs is because he, too, is a thug. Him threatening people with guns proves that, doesn’t it? Toddy boy’s wealthy, Rethuglican family’s connections have kept him out of federal prison, if you ask me.
We met him once, and the wife was totally charmed. This was up to the MacNider museum, at Dr. Russ Schurtz’s celebration of his life. Blodgett was all decked out in what looked like a custom made suit that probably cost north of a couple grand. I bet his necktie cost more than any suit I have ever bought.
In my whole life, and I am 72.
Still a thug tho, just a charming one with some awful nice threads.
On our way home, I told the wife he is a spoiled, cocky druggy and she just wouldn’t believe it.
Thugs can come be white, you know? Okay, my two cents.
Your two cents aren’t worth two cents. Snobby P.O.S. like you are the reason people like me carry.
@ Darcy – How is it relevant whether or not the reader who opined that Mr. Blodgett belongs in prison knows him?
Do you realize that the rightwingnutjob whom you’re defending pulled a loaded gun on a carnival worker who was working his way through college? Blodgett claimed that this kid had tried to rob him, in some Mason City bar. But even if true, no one should bring guns into such altercations; that’s for the police to handle.
And only the police, Darcy.
You probably don’t know that Iowa law prohibits anyone from carrying firearms into bars, even if the owner has a permit to do so.
Why are so many Blodgett defenders so ignorant of the law, and barely literate?
First off, Todd never pulled no gun on no college kid. The carnie, that tired to steal from him just plain picked the wrong guy to rob.
My gf was there, she seen the whole thing go down. And your wrong on the law, you can take guns in bars so long as your not drunk.
Anyways, Todd’s wallet did get stole, but he took it back soon as the carnie seen that gun in his face. LOL.
And it did happen over to the lake, not in Mason like you say.
In today’s environment, to be without a gun when in a bar or public place leaves you vulnerable. What Mr. Bodgett did to protect himself AND his property is the correct response. More people should respond in that manner. Laws prohibiting such actions are worthless!
The idea you let someone rob you without resistance when you are capable is stupid!
Your signature says it all.
We are Democrats, union, so the Blodgetts are way too Republican for us. But when the Register did that big article after Alex Kuhn died, it told how Todd Blodgett and Alex was very good friends and Todd tried to help that young man.
Ever since, we have respected Todd, even though we will still keep voting only for the Democrats.
He belongs in prison.
Ok you say Todd belong in prison, then why is he not locked up. Do you even know him, well I do.
If you do not know Todd you should STFU and be happy for him that he does good now. You make me want to puke.
My ex knows Todd, she goes to Narcotic’s Anonomyous, he still goes to the meetings in Mason when he comes back here.
She says he does try to help anybody thats on drugs that wants to kick them.
I am no fan of Todd Blodgett’s right wing politics, but I bought this book last week, from Amazon Kindle.
It’s well written, and if I didn’t already know some locals who know him, I would never have believed that it’s a factual account of those years of this guy’s life.
Mr. B is actually very lucky to still be among the living.
Well we are glad he got off that demon drug, cocaine is pure evil, it sure is.
Do not know Mr Blodgett but his dad was our son’s orthodontist, we use to vote for the doc.
Good for Blodgett, met him once this was a couple years ago he was real nice. He helped one of my co-worker’s get off that crystal meth back in the day.