Judge rules against ‘loyalty oath’ requirement
To the editor:
The article in The Breeze needs a little added information. It wasn’t the Executive Committee that decided I should not be seated, it was Gary Lee telling the state party that I had not signed a loyalty oath by the end of qualifying on June 20. This was a “brand new” loyalty oath used by party chairs to keep out people they didn’t want seated. I’m one of those people because I didn’t approve of endorsing prior to a primary, I don’t believe in judging how “good” a Republican is in order to be called Republican, and most importantly Gary had already selected who should be SCW.
The county chair was reelected by many who had not signed the loyalty oath prior to 20 June, but he seems to believe this is all right for him and not me. He told The Breeze that I didn’t approach the Qualifying Committee; I’ve never heard of such a committee and I haven’t missed any meetings. What packet? And there was no form on-line … I checked after he told me I should have checked on line. He told the other newspaper that when I approached him in front of Elections on the 20th, that I was in a hurry and he was talking to others and that was why he had not mentioned the oath. The significant point is that I told him I was applying for SCW … he said Brenda already has … and I replied, that’s OK, there will be two on the ballot. He laughed and turned back to those he was talking to. It was his duty as county chair to tell me of the “new” oath.
Now for the additional story: A judge in Miami-Dade just ruled the Loyalty Oath cannot be used to keep a duly elected member from being seated. The M-D County Executive Committee decided not to appeal and seated all 19 Precinct Committee people. In addition, I have just received the Rules of Procedure that the State Republican Party (RPOF) attorney filed with the Division of Elections on June 2, 2008. Those rules say the oath must be signed prior to taking office. Taking office is the first day of the month following the General Election (Dec 1). It seems stories/rules change with the time of day. I will file a grievance but that committee is appointed by the RPOF Chair so I may not be successful … and then a judge may have to decide. Do I want this? Of course not. But, what has transpired is so blatantly wrong that I have no choice. The RPOF offering me a “prestigious” (his word) at-large seat if I would settle is not the answer. Unethical behavior cannot be accepted.
Marilyn Stout,
State Committee Woman
Cape Coral