Posted on 09/08/2009 10:27:15 AM PDT by freepersunite
Florida Republican Party Wages War on Liberty Caucus: ‘Party Purge’ Expels Caucus Chair and Members from RPOF Positions
NO ROOM FOR DISSENT IN FLORIDA REPUBLICAN PARTY
JACKSONVILLE, FL — Last Friday, the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Grievance Committee notified Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida Chairman Will G. Pitts of Jacksonville and four other Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) members that they have been removed from positions within the RPOF or prohibited from serving in any official RPOF capacity for a period of no less than two years.
“This is just the latest action in the ongoing ‘Party Purge’,” said grassroots organizer Doug Guetzloe of Orange County, who was banned from participating in party activities until after August 31, 2013. According to Guetzloe, “The reasons for this ‘Party Purge’ are that we have collectively and individually called for a complete audit of the Republican Party of Florida finances, advocated for candidates not favored by party leaders, and because we are members of the Republican Liberty Caucus.”
The grievances against Florida RLC Chairman Will Pitts include that he attended a rally hosted by Ron Paul’s Campaign for Liberty organization, wore a “Ron Paul” button on his lapel after Florida’s Republican primary, attended an “End the Fed” (Federal Reserve Bank) Rally in Jacksonville, and wrote words “harmful to the Republican Party”.
Those words included negative comments about RPOF Chairman Jim Greer, Florida Governor Charlie Crist (Mr. Pitts asserted that they are “pathetic and embarrassing”), Senator John McCain, and President George W. Bush. Mr. Pitts stands by the accuracy of his comments and does not apologize for supporting Republican Liberty Caucus Advisory Board member Ron Paul (R-TX).
“Greer and his friends have no right to throw out members who were directly elected by the Republicans at grassroots precincts,” asserted national Republican Liberty Caucus Chairman Dave Nalle of Texas. “Speaking out for individual liberty, the Constitution, and the rule of law is not something which Republicans should be penalized for. The Party has a tradition of diversity, tolerance, and support for freedom of speech and the right of dissent,” he said.
In addition to penalizing Pitts, the RPOF also expelled lifelong Republican and RLC activist Nick Egoroff of Orlando for a period of four years. Northeast Florida RLC Chairman John Stevens – himself a Republican Committeeman for his precinct – is ineligible to serve in any RPOF position until August 31, 2013. According to Stevens, “In effect, we [will not be able to] serve again until 2016 since the election for the next four year term will be in 2012.” The RPOF Grievance Committee also prohibited Florida RLC Board member Elizabeth Campbell from serving as representative for Escambia County on the State Committee for six months.
Numerous other Republican Party activists in Florida have also been silenced by Boss Greer, including Brevard Republican Chair Jason Steele, Orange County Precinct Committeeman Deon Long and “Ax the Tax” activist Doug Guetzloe. In response to the Grievance Committee sanctions, Orlando RLC organizer Nick Egoroff intends to file a First Amendment lawsuit against Jim Greer and the Republican Party of Florida.
This is not the first time the Republican Party of Florida has attacked the Republican Liberty Caucus under Jim Greer’s Chairmanship. In summer of 2008, Greer’s staff notified the RLC that it could no longer use the word ‘Republican’ in its title ‘Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida’. The RPOF threatened a lawsuit against the RLC.
The RLC has used this title for nearly two decades in the state of Florida and obtained proper permission in writing long before Jim Greer or Charlie Christ came to rule party politics in Florida.
“This ‘Party Purge’ is a direct attack on loyal Republicans who just want to see the Party live up to its avowed beliefs,” noted Dave Nalle. “Healthy debate makes the party stronger and enthusiastic grassroots activists like these should not be punished for commitment to principle or idealism. Forced conformity and mindless subservience to party doctrine are hallmarks of socialism – which have no place in the Republican Party,” Nalle concluded.
The Republican Liberty Caucus is encouraging its members to contact RNC Chairman Michael Steele, RNC Secretary and Florida Committeewoman Sharon Day, and Florida RNC Committeeman Paul Senft, Jr. to ask for their intervention in the matter.
The Republican Liberty Caucus (http://www.RLC.org/), founded in 1991, exists to promote individual liberty, limited government, and free enterprise within the Republican Party.
he wasn’t invited to speak, he was invited to attend but no speaking slot hence he had his own convention
Very interesting, I would like to see a third party confirmation versus talking points from the players in the RLC/RNC war going on.. I’m not finding much outside the RLC’s accusations with the exception of some KOS posts trying to tie the Harry Sargeant issue to the entire party.
If they are RINOs they are not conservative.
As head of the local AFP chapter, he organized the very successful tax day tea party here in town and built up a great bunch of folks who are circulating referendum petitions against a slew of state tax increases enacted this year - then just turned the reins over to someone else.
I haven’t seen real RLC activity since probably 2002. I know the original founder, Eric Dondero left the organization and many of the Texas chapter (which I used to be a member of) founders are no longer associated with it.
YIKES!!!!!! That's worse than being a progressive, socialist Democrat! Off w/ his head! < / sarc>
I disagree. Seems to me that it's possible to be a Republican but not be a social conservative. And it's possible to be a social conservative and Democrat.
There are plenty of black social conservatives, for example, that are fine with increased government power and control. And they vote Democrat over and over.
California's leftists found out just how conservative black Democrats can be when they discovered it was black and hispanic Democrats that essentially prohibited same-sex marriage with prop 8. And if the question of the legality of homosexuality came up, I suspect 75% of black men would support making homosexual acts illegal.
Seems to me there are somes conservatives that don't want to expand governmental power. They often become Republicans. And there are Republicans that aren't conservative but also don't want to expand governmental power. The purpose of the party is for those groups to work together politically.
To me, RINO should be reserved for those people calling themselves "Republican" but still acting to increase government control.
I beg your pardon?
and promote the Left’s unethical culture that goes with dependence and a communist economic system.
Ahem, no.
I know it is not all libertarians. But there are enough loud and aggressive biggots that they spew all over the Party.
Curious that Will Pitts would send this text out as an email and claim it as his own. Sounds like possible misinformation to me. Or evidence of both plagiarism and incredibly poor judgment from Will Pitts. That item wasn’t posted until October 27, 2008, so it was right before the general election. And it could be interpretted as an endorsement of Obama over McCain for the general election. That’s not something a county chair for the Republican Party should be sending as an email, official or even as a personal opinion with his own name attached to it.
Now, is the audit and the allegations about financial improprieties in Orange county real? Or is it FUD being thrown by the RLC folks?
Eric Dondero?
Still going strong: http://libertarianrepublican.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/ericdondero
I don't know about the specifics of the current allegations, but the Orange County Republicans headed by Lew Oliver are total slimeballs who play dirty and wouldn't know a principle if it bit them in the butt.
PS Even libertarian spew on the current Republican culture could only be an improvement.
“The RINO’s are out of control!”
As I understand the word “RINO” anyone not carrying the water of the RNC is a RINO. If that is correct, then I am a PROUD ONE.
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