Renee Parsons<\/p>\n
The partisan conflict within the Republican Party in Colorado most likely began with an attempt by the Establishment RINOs\u00a0 <\/span>to use the Fourteenth Amendment<\/span><\/a> to keep Donald Trump off the state\u2019s presidential ballot in 2024.\u00a0 <\/span>That effort failed with a unanimous Supreme Court decision<\/span><\/a> that the Fourteenth did not apply to a Presidential election which did not endear its advocates to the America First movement.\u00a0 <\/span>From there, the dye was cast.<\/span><\/p>\n It is regrettable that some Republicans fail to understand the distinction between establishment Republican rhetoric denouncing America First as \u2018extremists<\/i>\u2019<\/span><\/a> amid the treachery of their own long standing donor globalist connections.<\/span><\/p>\n Many Uniparty sponsors don\u2019t care about losing 2024 to the Dems, some are never Trumpers, others are former elected Republican office holders all united to never relinquish the GOP political reins. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n ***<\/span><\/p>\n The current Colorado GOP kerfuffle can be traced to the election of former State Rep Dave Williams (2017-2023), Latino on his mother\u2019s side, to State Chair<\/span><\/a> of the Colorado Republican party.\u00a0 <\/span>Elected in January, 2023, by the State Central Committee\u2019s approximately 400 members to a two year term, Williams defeated six other candidates. His election as an America First candidate was quickly followed by establishment Republicans, by the drove, threatening to leave the party.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n As the effort to remove Williams as Chair of the GOP\u2019s State Central Committee continues, the dispute is little more than an old fashioned internecine political struggle<\/span><\/a> between the America First Trump movement versus the uniparty RINO establishment fighting to retain control of the party apparatus.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Williams quickly became targeted by a mental block narrative of being \u2018divisive<\/span><\/a>\u2019 as he opposed unaffiliated voters from participating in Republican primaries, unqualified support for Donald Trump, opposed to mailed voter ballots and dared to question the 2020 election results. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Upon his election, Williams said that \u201cEveryone\u2019s welcome in our party<\/i>.\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019re not going to shift our party to the left thinking that somehow we\u2019re going to win over folks who don\u2019t prefer to vote for us anyway. Democrats don\u2019t compromise who they are.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n Known as \u2018far right\u2019 in March, 2023 Williams announced as a Congressional candidate in the 5<\/span>th<\/sup><\/span> District<\/span><\/a> currently held by Rep. Doug Lamborn.\u00a0 <\/span>Running as a Trump endorsed candidate, Williams lost the CD primary to Jeff Crank who was endorsed and funded by Speaker Johnson\u2019s Congressional Leadership Fund<\/span><\/a>. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n As establishment Republicans legally challenged Williams and the election of Hope Scheppelman as Vice Chair, a District Court Judge lifted a temporary restraining order<\/span><\/a> on August 7<\/span>th<\/sup><\/span> enabling Williams\u2019 opponents to remove he and Scheppelman from their positions with the State\u2019s GOP.\u00a0 <\/span>The Colorado Republican group will gather on August 24<\/span>th<\/sup><\/span> if they have sufficient quorum to vote on whether to retain Williams.\u00a0 <\/span>Williams responded with a message that the GOP Executive Committee<\/span><\/a> will meet on August 31<\/span>st<\/sup><\/span> when the State Central Committee will reiterate its position that its elections are still legal and relevant.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n *** <\/span><\/p>\n In 2004, Colorado GOP were 35%<\/span><\/a> of all registered voters.\u00a0 <\/span>Since then, under control of its uniparty wing, Republicans lost its edge to currently 24% of registered voters with 47% registered as Independents.\u00a0 <\/span>Currently, there are no Republicans elected to statewide office. Nevertheless, establishment Republicans are harshly critical of the America First movement and openly criticize Williams et al for being \u2018right wing conservatives\u2019<\/i> amid accusations of conspiracy mongers, petty bigotry and the \u2018lunatic fringe is ascendant<\/i>\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Former Colorado GOP Chair Dick Wadhams (2007 \u2013 2011) worries that under Williams and America First, the \u201cparty will have no credibility<\/i><\/span><\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n ***<\/span><\/p>\n Hidden away in the southwest corner of Colorado, La Plata County Republicans<\/span><\/a> are no strangers to controversy or disruptive party meetings as they continue to lose elections by a substantial proportion. \u00a0 <\/span>With an unruly County GOP Executive Committee unable to find stability, their latest endeavor was to forcibly remove its second Executive Committee member within eight months.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Prior to the upcoming county meeting, the GOP Executive Committee met, during which each member vented their objections to Scheppelman\u2019s continued role as County Secretary. \u00a0 <\/span>Scheppelman also serves as Colorado\u2019s State GOP Vice Chair, second only to Williams.<\/span><\/p>\n At conclusion of the meeting, County Chair Dave Peters (200 lb.+), made assaultive behavior toward Scheppelman, lunging across the table, slamming his fist and pointing at her face, screaming \u201cI am telling you, get the hell out of here, you\u2019re gone.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span><\/i>This scene was confirmed by another witness I spoke with.<\/span><\/p>\n At its most recent monthly meeting, the La Plata rank n file gathered on August 6th\u00a0 <\/span>to rubber stamp its latest ouster attempt<\/span><\/a> via a Bylaws revision<\/span><\/a> that would authorize removal of Scheppelman as a \u2018far right\u2019<\/i> conservative.\u00a0 <\/span>However, as the agenda item approached, Peters announced that the Bylaws would not be addressed and, without regard for any Open Meetings Act violation, introduced a new Resolution and Motion to be considered. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n