Upstate GOP organizations: The Week in Review

Observers of local politics have had a week of drama here in the Upstate.

Last week, as Jason Spencer reports in SHJ, the Spartanburg GOP dealt with a former chairman pushing a legal maneuver to keep a candidate off the ballot.

This week, (VIDEO) the Greenville GOP voted 61-2 to rebuke SC Senator Lindsey Graham for cooperating with with Obama’s and Democrats’ liberal agenda, for his votes on Kagen and Sotomayor, his vote for the bank bailout among other things. They stated that Graham will no longer be invited to attend Greenville GOP meetings and events.

In Spartanburg, a letter was sent out by former GOP County Chair Rick Beltram signed by fourteen members of Spartanburg County GOP to discuss McMillan’s candidacy. These fourteen members are:

Jeff Mason – Zion Hill A precinct
Gary Towery – Moore-Switzer precinct
Ken Roach – Westview B precinct
Zora Massing – Campton B precinct
Rick Beltram – proxy (?)
Dennis Kimbrelll – Chesnee precinct
Doug West – Pauline Glenn S precinct
Jane Johnson – Woodland Heights precinct
Deane Brown – Silverhill Methodist precinct
Paul Walters – Landrum precinct
Bill May – Cowpens A precinct
Kathy Behlert – Gramling precinct
Jim Herzog – Glendale precinct
Janelle Caddell – Boiling Springs A precinct

However, the night of the meeting several of the “undersigned” were sharply critical of Beltram’s letter, stating they had not given permission for their names to be used for that particular purpose. Rita Allison’s attorney, Todd Kincannon, explained Allison did not want this action taken. Doug Smith, the state GOP counsel, said that Spartanburg County GOP would have to foot the bill for any legal action. With county party chair LaDonna Ryggs presiding, the meeting was adjourned with no action taken by a 32-12 vote.

Spencer’s article ended with this quote from State GOP Executive Director Joel Sawyer:

“But the bottom line, for (Beltram), this was less about getting Jim McMillan off the ballot and more about getting his name in the newspaper.”

Hey Spartanburg Executive Committee … how about calling a special meeting to join the nineteen (and growing) Tea Party/Liberty group organizations in censuring Lindsey Graham? Or to join with Greenville GOP in rebuking Graham? There were members of the Spartanburg county GOP in 2007 who made an effort to rebuke/censure Graham. What happened back then? Rick Beltram, who was the county chair at the time squashed it.

I say it’s time for Spartanburg County to revisit that issue.

I urge you to contact your precinct executive committeeman or email County Chairman LaDonna Ryggs and ask them to rebuke/censure Lindsey Graham during the next quarterly meeting.

August 4, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: RINO Alert, State

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