Dear editor:

What really has been happening at our local county GOP meetings? In his recent letter to the editor, county chairman Vince Vanata takes issue with a motion that I made to suspend the bylaws which required a 10-day notice prior to a meeting. When one person said that there is a statute in addition to the bylaw that requires the notice, I commented “well we don’t seem to follow the statutes anyway,” pointing to the hypocrisy of relying on state statutes for protection when the same statutes had been previously violated and were again violated two weeks later by the same body. Pointing out that “we are violating the law,” is different from stating, “we should violate the law.”

In a letter from the state GOP’s legal counsel, the local parties were even told that, “They argue that, if there is a conflict between a GOP bylaw and a state statute, the statute controls. I disagree … I recommend that you should, and in fact must, follow your bylaws…” This letter from the state GOP’s legal counsel reflects a desire to throw off the shackles of state statutes as they apply to political parties. I do not suggest that we not follow state statutes. To the contrary, I suggest that they be followed by individuals and that the party follows them, too.

Mr. Vanata’s letter is riddled with lies and half-truths. His calls to unite the party are disingenuous at best as the only way he envisions uniting the party is by eliminating any dissent. In response to Mr. Vanata’s claim that I encourage divisiveness in the Republican Party, I can’t help but suggest Mr. Vanata look in the mirror. I do not encourage divisiveness, but I push back against hypocrisy.

“I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong.” – Frederick Douglas

 David M. Hill

Cody