COEUR d'ALENE - Jim Myers voted against Barack Obama twice, and Al Gore and John Kerry - a strong Republican track record.

But Myers considers himself an independent who supports candidates in the middle of the political spectrum, and that apparently ruffled some feathers in his nonprofit.

On Aug. 1, he penned a My Turn column in The Press that advised Republicans to nominate a candidate for president whom independents like himself could support.

He said Republicans currently seeking the party's nomination for the 2016 general election are polarizing, pandering and often too negative.

Myers, a Coeur d'Alene resident the past decade and a native of London, England, is the founder, president and a board member of the nonprofit Turkeys For All.

The group supports the Community Action Partnership in Coeur d'Alene, helping the food bank throughout the year. But it's particularly active leading up to Thanksgiving, when there is often a turkey shortage.

Three days after Myers' column was published, the other four members of the board resigned by letter.

"This decision was not an easy one and involved many hours of thoughtful consideration, particularly with respect to the direction of Turkeys For All and our roles as board directors," according to the letter, signed by all four.

The four include Ryan Crosby, Sara LaPresta, Jessica Hagen, and Coeur d'Alene family practice doctor Robert Hagen.

Calls were made to Crosby and Robert Hagen's cellphones, but weren't returned. A voicemail was left for LaPresta where she works, but she also didn't immediately respond.

Myers and Robert Hagen, who also has been Myers' family doctor and a friend, exchanged text messages after the My Turn was published.

Hagen, according to Myers, complained the column was critical of Catholics and would offend people who might donate to Turkeys For All.

The column didn't mention Catholics, but it was critical of Republicans for opposing gay marriage.

"You can continue to find chapter and verse in the Bible to support your cause, you can continue to go to church and profess love yet once you step outside continue to hate, or you can find middle ground where we can all, not necessarily agree but tolerate," Myers wrote in the column.

The column headline was, "A little advice for my friends on the right."

Myers shared some of the text messages he received from Robert Hagen.

"You condemned Republicans and churchgoers, and I'm both," Hagen wrote.

He continued: "I have nothing against gays and treat all people the same."

"They're putting whatever their personal beliefs are before the charity's needs," Myers said.

Alone on the board now, he is looking to fill it back up with four others who want to contribute something to the cause. He can be reached at (208) 651-6921 or [email protected].