NCGOP convention delegate says Speaker Tillis, party vice-chair King 'bullied' her | Eastern North Carolina Now

Carteret County Republican activist Jessica Hult had an eye-opening experience as a delegate to the recent NCGOP convention in Greensboro:

ENCNow
   Publisher's note: This was just to me by Contributor Esther Graham, which was written by Brant Clifton of "The Haymaker," who recounts, in a truer narrative form (than Esther's recent account) of an encounter between Carteret County Republican activist Jessica Hult and Republican officials at the recent North Carolina Republican State Convention.

   At BCN, we invite a response from the responsible party officials. Considering our traffic in the cyber sphere, they would be wise to do so, and as soon as is possible.

    Carteret County Republican activist Jessica Hult had an eye-opening experience as a delegate to the recent NCGOP convention in Greensboro:

    "I've been a delegate to the state convention a number of times. I've been to the national convention. I've NEVER had anyone talk to -- or treat me -- like this. NEVER. They were bullies, and nobody likes bullies."

    The Haymaker caught up with the still-shaken Hult by telephone Wednesday evening. She said her phone has been ringing off the hook with party activists -- and a number of attorneys -- offering support and assistance.

    The episode in question began last Saturday at the Greensboro convention. Hult said she was distributing stacks of THESE FLIERS to individuals who were planning to pass them out to convention-goers as they left the convention hall:

    "My first indication that something was up was when I heard someone shouting: 'There she is! There she is!' I looked over to see two guys in suits hurrying over toward me. I didn't recognize the two men until they got close and I saw their name tags."

    She said the men were NCGOP vice-chairman Wayne King, and Paul Foley -- introduced to Hult as "the party attorney":

    "They both appeared to be very upset. Mr. Foley suggested that the fliers I was handing out were not even legal and were likely a violation of campaign finance laws. He wanted to know who I was doing this for, and who was paying for it. I told him these fliers were designed and distributed with the idea of asking questions on behalf of a large portion of delegates here today at the convention."

   Hult said King "didn't like" the fliers, and wanted examples from her about how he had meddled in primaries or run "decoy candidates." Hult said King also suggested that the fliers were "slanderous and defamatory":

    "Did I wish they were worded a little better? Certainly. The grammar was questionable. But as far as the points the fliers made, I thought they were valid questions that needed to be asked and answered."

    Hult said she didn't draw up the fliers:

    "I got asked to help pass them out, and I agreed to do it. I am a woman of my word. I do what I promise to do."

    She said, at that point, Speaker Tillis and Senator Bob Rucho joined the discussion. (The event was occurring near where most of the Mecklenburg County delegation was seated.) Hult said Rucho questioned her about the fliers in a very quiet, diplomatic tone. She said Tillis took a different route:

    "Mr. Tillis was clearly upset. He put his finger in my face and lectured me very sternly about slander and libel. He was the scariest of them all. If the idea was to physically intimidate me, it was working."

    Hult said she was properly credentialed as a delegate, so she was authorized to be in the convention area. She said she was not aware of any rules or regulations that prohibited the distribution of fliers in the convention:

    "They wanted me to cease and desist -- to stop passing out the fliers. They wanted me to throw them all away. I refused, and they seemed surprised by that."

   She said Tillis asked her for examples of meddling in campaigns and running "decoy" candidates:

    "He looked at the flier and asked 'Is this about Art Williams'? I told him that Mr. Williams is one example that is being looked into."

    Arthur Williams is a former Democrat legislator near the Outer Banks who has switched to the Republican Party and is running for an open state seat. He is in a July runoff with Tea Party favorite Mattie Lawson, whose supporters are alleging that Williams was put into the race by Tillis and other Raleigh special interests.

   Hult said Tillis told her party rules allow him to get in the middle of party primaries:

    "He told me he hadn't done much of that this year. But he told me to wait two years, and I'll see him in the middle of a whole lot of primaries."

    Hult said she finally gave the men the name of another delegate involved in flier distribution, and the four stalked away from her in search of that person:

    "I was scared. My legs turned to jelly. I had to call my husband on my phone and talk to him as I walked out to my car. I sat in my car for about 30 minutes just to calm down."

    She said Tillis and King were the most aggressive of her four interrogators:
   "They were both talking to me very menacingly -- you will throw these out. You better stop doing this right now, if you know what's good for you. You will stop passing these things out. I told them I wasn't going to quit."

    Hult said the hubbub may have increased interest in her fliers:

    "As I was leaving the convention, a man walked up to me, pointed at my stack of fliers, and asked me for one. I told him that I was told not to pass any more out. He took one off the top of the stack anyway. A few other people did too."

    We've emailed a request for comment on this episode to NCGOP spokesman Rob Lockwood. We haven't heard anything back yet. If we do get anything -- we'll give it to you here.
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Comments

( June 19th, 2012 @ 8:55 am )
 
"The Flyer"

Is GOP intruding into local or state and national primaries?

Are they recruiting and supporting newly switched Democrats and opportunist RINOs to run against conservative incumbents and principled new candidates?

Are they running Decoy Candidates so as to manipulate elections and place their puppets?

Is Vice Chairman Wayne King the acting henchman? And for whom?
[Sen Rucho? Rep Tillis?]

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NCGOP PLAN OF ORGANIZATION
ARTICLE VII - GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
G. REFRAIN FROM UTILIZING POWERS OF OFFICE IN REPUBLICAN PRIMARY
Each Officer and each Member of the State Executive Committee shall refrain from utilizing the powers and dignity of his or her office or position in any Republican Primary for public office at any level.
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Republican National Committee: The Rules of the Republican Party As Adopted by the 2008 Republican National Convention September 1, 2008 *Amended by the Republican National Committee on August 6, 2010.
RULE NO. 11 Candidate Support (a) The Republican National Committee shall not, without the prior written and filed approval of all members of the Republican National Committee from 14 of 41 the state involved, contribute money or in-kind aid to any candidate for any public or party office except the nominee of the Republican Party or a candidate who is unopposed in the Republican primary after the filing deadline for that office. In those states where state law establishes a nonpartisan primary in which Republican candidates could participate, but in which the general election may not include a Republican candidate, the candidate endorsed by a convention held under the authority of the state Republican Party shall be recognized by the Republican National Committee as the Republican nominee. (b) No state Republican Party rule or state law shall be observed that allows persons who have participated or are participating in the selection of any nominee of a party other than the Republican Party, including, but not limited to, through the use of a multiparty primary or similar type ballot, to participate in the selection of a nominee of the Republican Party for that general election. No person nominated in violation of this rule shall be recognized by the Republican National Committee as the nominee of the Republican Party from that state.
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( June 12th, 2012 @ 12:33 am )
 
Thank-you Charles for your clear and well considered words regarding what may well be the pulled string that will unravel this cocoon of confidence of this leadership in Raleigh.

I do not think this unexplained behavior puts the Republican majority in jeopardy, but it does speak volumes as to whether this leadership is yet ready to lead. Maybe it is just that the Democrats are so truly pathetic in understanding North Carolina's predicament that will continue one more cycle to keep them sidelined in the minority.

I have offered copious space in BCN, and any of the publications of the NOWs of their own choosing, to those Republicans, who are thus accused, to explain themselves, redeem themselves, make amends. To date, there has been no response, no reply, no remedy.

If they do not care to take us seriously here Downeast, I suppose there is no real call to reciprocate as to the necessity for their leadership.

A drunk monkey may perform as well ... but maybe I do hasten to give them too much credit ... the cross-purposed Republicans, not the drunk monkey.
Somebody said:
( June 11th, 2012 @ 11:11 pm )
 
During this primary season several switcheroo and otherwise suspect candidates have bragged about their support from powerful Republican power brokers. Some of this has been reported in Beaufort County Now, Beaufort Observer, Carolina Journal and other publications. Some of these alleged shenanigans directly affect our own districts. Other distressing situations occurred in neighboring districts, and we have heard bothersome stories from other parts of the state. We in Beaufort County have discussed these situations, and I have spoken with others about their situations. A few months ago our committee agreed on a resolution to send to the North Carolina Republican Party, a certain state level party caucus, and several key party members. I sent it with an introductory letter. I thought we were respectful but clear in laying out our concerns and our position.

The reports of this incident at the North Carolina Republican Convention have greatly troubled me. It is hard for me to believe that at least some involved would have been surprised that handbills of the type mentioned might circulate at the convention; local complaints have been ignored and allowed to fester. Our delegates should not have been threatened and bullied. Our delegations and executive committees are made up of volunteers who donate their time, efforts, and money to advance important principles. Our leaders should have more respect for the dedicated grassroots of this party. Mrs. Hult and any other abused parties deserve an apology.

It seems that some involved in the incident have denied the charges in the handbill. But, if I understand this exchange, it seems that the Speaker is asking for proof of the charges, then saying he has the right to meddle in primaries, and concludes with a threat of increased outside participation in our primaries in two years. If this is true, I view his plans with grave concern. Also, this gives more credence to the relevance of the questions in the handbill.

I think appropriate decorum and appropriate communication is important. But, both are a two way street, not a one way street. Roughshod top down dictation and intimidation should not and will not be tolerated. Many of us did not work to dismantle the long entrenched state Democratic machine for the purpose of building a mirror image Republican machine. Many of us want better government than we have had. There needs to be a more equitable and better working relationship between state and local party entities if we are to continue our recent election successes in North Carolina.

Charles Hickman
Chairman, Beaufort County Republican Party



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