Today’s Crypt Tales – Anarchy, Chaos, Money & Sex – Just a Typical Day in Zion
By Charles Magne & the Utah Yaks – 3/22/2018
UTGOP Anarchy or Organized Chaos?
Can things get any stranger in the Republican Party? Julie Dole, who was banned from the party in 2017, has now been elected a Precinct Chair in Salt Lake County. Won’t she be surprised when leadership reminds her and her precinct that being banned from the Party means that she can’t hold an elected position? Her precinct knew full and well of all of this and they still elected her.
Salt Lake County GOP boots former recorder’s deputy from party position
The decision to ban Dole was made in UTGOP Executive Session and can’t be discussed, but Dole knew she was banned and still went to caucus. The Precinct does not know the extent of what she did.
Now, there is concern that removing her from her elected position would give the press the opportunity to be all over this in a negative way by saying that the SLCO party won’t let the precinct decide who they want representing them. Some are worried that denying them their choice will be a media hit and dangerous to our whole process.
But letting her stay would be worse. What could be more dangerous to the process than allowing this to stand?
So, is this organized chaos or anarchy? Who are the “fringe elements” and “lunatics” in the UTGOP? Those who want to follow the rules and save the party, or those working to destroy the party? If the State Central Committee (SCC) doesn’t step up and rein in the out-of-control executive leadership soon, there will not be any party left to save.
Under the leadership of former State Party Chairs James Evans and Thomas Wright, the UTAH GOP caucus participation grew and more Republicans engaged in the party process. It is a great disappointment to recognize that under the chairmanship and direction of Rob Anderson, the UTAH GOP has suffered irreparable harm in its reputation through the willful disregard towards the governing body of the Party, the State Central Committee (SCC).
Anderson’s brazen efforts to return the Party to the direct primary era of 1937, where the rich and powerful lobbied and passed to disband the neighborhood elections of delegates that disenfranchised and priced out the average citizen from the ability to represent their neighbors and were replaced by candidates who could afford high-priced campaigns, has brought the party to the brink. Shame on Rob Anderson for working against the caucus/convention system and lying to the 2017 State Delegates.
The last thing that the SCC should be worried about are the optics of removing Dole and Anderson. Instead, they should worry that their voices are being silenced and systematically destroyed, along with the GOP, democracy and our Republic.
More Caucus Stuff
Travis Seegmiller’s wife, Lisa, was elected Precinct Chair and State Delegate. Curt Bramble’s wife was defeated 51-24 in her bid to become Precinct Chair by Brandon Beckham. I call this cosmic justice.
So I saw this gem on the “Keep My Voice Utah” FB group: “The Utah County GOP is hitting back at organizers of a ballot initiative to repeal SB54, saying their attack on a sitting Republican lawmaker goes too far. Utah County GOP Chair Rob Craig sent an “urgent” email to precinct chairs, instructing them to cover up the Keep My Voice logo on caucus location signs with tape. KMV, which is seeking a spot on the 2018 ballot with an initiative to repeal the dual-track course to the primary ballot, is sponsoring those signs through an in-kind donation to county Republican parties.”
This isn’t the first time that Craig has broken the rules and ignored the SCC, and the party bylaws and Constitution. Craig actually stood at the podium at convention and admitted that he had broken the rules back when the race was on to replace Jason Chaffetz after he abandoned his post. I thought that once you apologized and asked for forgiveness, then that was supposed to be the end of inappropriate behavior. I guess the rules are different in Happy Valley.
Caucus Obstruction, Delegate Tampering & Voter Fraud in Utah County 6/13/2017
Show Me the Money
Mary Burkett is running against incumbent Chris Stewart but is now battling Teresa Lott in the state office over the price of booths at the state convention.
Two weeks ago, Burkett downloaded the candidate booklet from the web site to refer to it as she goes along. On Page 14 the pricing for booths is listed. A single booth was listed at $500. Lott is now telling Burkett, and being quite snarky about it, that the price was changed a week ago and the candidate booklet was sent out to the candidates. Burkett didn’t get it. Larry Meyers didn’t either.
Burkett has politely requested that the price stay at $500. She sent Lott the booklet she had been using and pointed out that the two candidates didn’t get the price increase AND are both grassroots, low budget candidates. Peter, a UTGOP staffer who some consider a lacky and enforcer for Chair Rob Anderson, claimed the price changed 2 months ago just to break even on the booths. Apparently, they forgot to put the changes on line. And, they should get their stories straight. You could flip a coin about if they are telling the truth at the UTGOP’s offices, and you’d be right at least half the time.
So, does this “forgetting” fall under being inept or incompetent, or unskilled and artless, or neglect and inefficient? Or, is this something more willful and insidious? Considering all of the accumulated evidence that Anderson is trying to destroy the caucus and the Party, and has utilized party staff to do so, my money is on the latter. I think they are just trying to work against people and the system.
Burkett and Meyers are great examples of brilliant people who don’t have big budgets or name recognition to wage effective campaigns. The Caucus-Convention System, allows anyone to directly participate in the democratic process and levels the playing field for candidates running for office.
The price for a single booth is now $750. Anyone want to join in guessing what it be be tomorrow?
JC’s (John Curtis) Trail of Sexual Harassment Gets Longer
John Curtis, who up until a few years was a lifelong Democrat, until he became a Republican, and was elected Provo Mayor, and then bypassed the caucus system and stole the primary away from the duly-elected nominee at UTGOP Convention, Chris Herrod, is in the news again and trying to deflect his alleged involvement in yet another scandal.
Curtis has been accused of ignoring complaints brought forth by women who claim that they were sexually harassed by Provo’s Ex-Police Chief John King. Out of character and to their credit, the Salt Lake Tribune published an article yesterday that includes this excerpt:
“The five women who filed the lawsuit against King and the city say they were the subject of unwanted sexual advances during the chief’s three-year tenure in Provo. They argue the mayor knew about at least some of the allegations and yet his message to the supervisors was clear: King’s actions would go unchecked and any complaints against him would be ignored.
The women allege that Curtis and other officials did not properly respond to the harassment and assault allegations — ignoring complaints until a police volunteer reported in 2017 that King sexually assaulted her on several occasions. That woman’s report led to King’s forced resignation under threat of termination.
The lawsuit also alleges for the first time that Curtis, now a member of the U.S. House, enabled the chief’s behavior. City officials have previously said they have “been unable to independently verify” that Curtis or human resources had knowledge of the allegations.
But a Provo city councilman told The Salt Lake Tribune this week he became aware of the allegations in late 2015, and brought it to the attention of either Curtis or human resources.”
One women went to see Curtis and King and was told by Curtis that no one in the five years he had been mayor has ever complained about his police department. “If these women complained prior to that conversation, it just shows right there that he is a total liar.”
Curtis was exposed last year in an in-depth article published at UtahStandardNews.com. The article is gaining traction again and yesterday’s revelations are being picked-up by national media. Just imagine, a Republican Congressman from UTAH being involved in crap like this. This story is ripe for massive coverage and could lead toward Curtis resigning his Congressional seat. At the very least, it could cause him to lose his reelection. We can only hope.
Related Articles:
Report: JOHN CURTIS EXPOSED: A Trail of Sexual Harassment, Incompetence, and Broken Contracts
120 Questions for John Curtis that Utah Deserves to Have Answered
5 women sue Provo, former chief over misconduct allegations – Washington Post
More women come forward with harassment claims against former Provo police chief – Daily Herald
Curtis Defends His Actions Regarding Former Police Chief – U.S. News