My Colorado GOP - EL PASO - THIS LOOKS LIKE A CONTROVERSY

1-25-2023
by Todd Watkins

(Find background information about this issue at THE EL PASO FIASCO.🔗)

Regardless of what KBB has decided to call this special meeting, or the reasons she stated for calling it, the purpose is to resolve a controversy. That there are several controversies seeking remedies is patently obvious by reading the list of grievances and complaints presented by the petitioners, the self-named Pikes Peak United Republicans. This conclusion (that the meeting is to resolve a controversy) is unavoidable as the remedies proposed by KBB in her “call to meeting” are specifically designed and presented to assuage the grief of these complainants. Furthermore, KBB is following the processes described in the bylaws for resolving a controversy.

Both state and county bylaws prescribe a specific process for resolving controversies and define a time period—a type of statute of limitations—for presenting a controversy. Any controversy occurring at the county level must be brought to the county central committee within 14 days of the controversy occurring. If the controversy cannot be resolved at the county level, it can be appealed/elevated to the state executive committee or the state CRC (XV:C state bylaws). No controversy was ever brought to the El Paso County Central Committee. The complainants have filed an appeal to the CRC without ever receiving a decision from the county central committee who had original jurisdiction. In other words, they elevated their case before they even had one: The complainants have no standing before the State Central Committee.

The bylaws have not been followed here, and KBB is affording her own self-styled special dispensation to this group with whom she has special bonds: One of them is her father, the rest are part of the so-called Peak Republicans, a group she has sponsored since its inception in March of 2022. KBB chairing this special meeting is an obvious conflict of interest: She is clearly biased and unable to act as a neutral party given her relationships with the complainants.

While the deficiencies noted above are enough to invalidate this call to meeting, it must also be noted that, even if there were actual/legitimate controversies, the 14 days to present them is either past, or non-existent since dates are not ascribed to many of the grievances. How can anyone determine if the “infractions” occurred within the last 14 days?..we don’t know when they happened, if they happened at all. Any dates that are provided (November of 2022, February of 2022, December 1st of 2022) fall outside the 14-day window for bringing a controversy…not that any of the complaints actually amount to a controversy, but even if they did, the proper venue was with the county central committee first and then to the state central committee on appeal.

For a group that wishes to exact such extreme remedies for bylaw infractions, you’d think they would at least follow those bylaws themselves. But, obviously, following bylaws in this instance would not provide them with the results they need to overthrow the El Paso County Republican Party, so instead, they have sought and obtained a special privilege from the state chairwoman, with whom they are either friends or related. Nepotism and cronyism are two of the surest ways to wreck an organization, and KBB has demonstrated proficiency in both.

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