Heard on the Tom/Toms
Stephen Frank, Exclusive to the California Political News and Views, 12/16/24 www.capoliticalnewsandviews.com
LAGOP VOTER SUPPRESSION—STOP ELECTED MEMBERS FROM VOTING FOR REORGANIZATION
LAGOP chair Tim O’Reilly has done it again. In the past he has closed regular meetings to registered Republicans, has not provided a voter registration or GOTV program. He has stopped members from speaking at meeting or limited their remarks.
Now he has decided, WITHOUT A BY-LAW PROVISION, IN VIOLATION OF THE STATE ELECTION CODE AND WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE MEMBERS, to LIMIT when an elected LAGOP member can be sworn in and vote at the January re-organization meeting.
“As many of you may be out of town, or on holiday, you may not be aware that the current LAGOP board has recently emailed you an electronic “Oath of Office” form for new incoming AD members and Ex Officios which you are being required to sign “in advance, in order to vote” on January 11, 2025. Additionally, the LAGOP email states that this completed Oath of Office form will not be accepted on the day of the election, though this has been previously allowed in past executive committee elections. Please note that neither the current LAGOP bylaws or the election code has any limiting provisions for taking the Oath of Office.”
This is called voter suppression, something Democrats do, not Republicans. The Oath of Office can be accepted or even given on the day of re-organization—NO election law or by-law prohibits it. So why does Tim O’Reilly?
I would hope every candidate for LAGOP office will denounce this violation of by-laws and the election Code. So far, just one candidate has done so, Joe Lisuzzo, Candidate for LAGOP Chair .
As far as I am concerned, if a candidate for LAGOP office has NOT sent a message to all elected members of the LAGOP opposing this, they support the Tim O’Reilly suppression of the vote. THE HOTT column will note they that oppose suppressing the vote and those supporting it.
MONTEREY COUNTY GOP SUPPRESSES THE NUMBER OF VOTERS
You can’t make this up. Monterey County Central Committee has a by-law provision to allow NON ELECTED Central Committee members to have a vote at CC meeting. The provision includes the names of non-elected groups given a vote and how other non elected GOP organizations can also become “affiliates” and get a vote.
Under the Monterey GOP by-laws, the CFRW clubs in the County can have a vote at meetings. It also states, other GOP clubs may apply for “affiliate” status and get a vote. The Monterey County chapter of the California Republican Assembly applied to be an affiliate. This is the response of Jeff Gorman, Monterey GOP Chair to the request:
“From: Jeff Gorman < >
Date: On Mon, Jun 10, 2024 at 22:33
Subject: Fw: Re: Agenda
To: Executive Director < >,Beth Culligan <Dalila For Assembly D30 < >
Cc: Carl Brickey < >
(email addresses redacted)
We are standing by, waiting for details about how Rosemary Barnard was treated by your organization. My understanding is that CRA has a process for member discipline.
At this time, your club is not qualified to be on our agenda. We do recognize the CRA and look forward to clearing the matter up.”
If you do not recognize the CRA, a CRP chartered organization, how can you discipline them?
But, by refusing to abide by YOUR by-laws, you are violating them. Worse, this violation is a suppression of the vote—that is what Democrats do—violate the laws and suppress the vote.
Here is the portion of YOUR by-laws, that you are in violation of:
“On Page 6 under “Affiliates”-
e. Affiliate Members i. The Chairperson or Presidents of organizations that are actively involved with representing the Republican Party to their communities in Monterey County shall be a member of the Central Committee and shall have all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a Regular Member . ii. The following organizations shall be deemed affiliate members – Monterey Peninsula Republican Women Federated – South Monterey County Republican Women Federated iii. If the Chairperson or President already is a member of the Central Committee, this requirement shall be deemed to be fulfilled. iv. Additional organizations may be added as affiliate members by virtue of a written request to the Secretary of the Central Committee and approval by vote of the majority of the Central Committee. January 21, 2021 :
Yet, Jeff Gorman REFUSED to allow the Central Committee to have a vote!!
President Trump and the RNC spent a lot of money and time stopping the Democrats from voter suppression. It is hard to understand why a Republican Central Committee would violate by-laws and suppress the vote.
(Periodically the California Political News and Views will publish tidbits of political news, to keep you in the loop of what the pooh bahs know. The phrase “tom/tom’s” comes from my mentor, Lorelei Kinder who never passed a rumor, just called to tell me what she heard on the “TomTom’s”. This column is named in her honor.)
