Leaders of Colorado’s Republican Party have proposed amendments to the organization’s bylaws that would consolidate their power and allow them to suspend the membership’s dissenting factions.
The proposed bylaws were attached to a Dec. 31 notice emailed by Chairman Dave Williams to party members in advance of a “special meeting” scheduled online for Jan. 30.
If passed, the new bylaws would up the proportion of voting members needed to oust a party officer from three-fifths (60%) to two-thirds (67%), redefine which members are eligible to vote and effectively remove dissidents from the party.
Lisa Zimmerman, a former official of the La Plata County Republican Central Committee, said the proposals are “detrimental to democracy.”
Zimmerman suspects she would be among those targeted after she carried four proxy votes in favor of ousting Chairman Dave Williams at an Aug. 24 meeting.
A separatist faction of the party voted to remove Williams at that meeting, however a judge in El Paso County ruled the results were invalid based on the party’s existing bylaws.
Williams, who was elected chairman in March 2023, has come under fire for unprecedented actions that include the endorsement of Republican candidates running in competitive primaries (14 of the 18 endorsed candidates lost); an email he sent during Pride month that encouraged people to burn pride flags; and using the party’s resources to boost his own congressional campaign (he lost by a significant margin in the June primary).
Williams’ second in command, Vice Chair Hope Scheppelman, is the secretary of the La Plata County Republican Central Committee, despite an attempt in August to oust her from that role.
Neither Williams nor Scheppelman responded to requests for comment.
The Jan. 30 meeting precedes an expected organizational meeting sometime this spring, as Williams’ and Scheppelman’s terms come to an end.
One proposed bylaw says a party member will have their membership rights suspended if they “organized failed litigation against the (Colorado Republican Committee) and have not paid any restitution to the CRC” for associated accrued costs.
It continues, noting that the section shall apply specifically to those involved in the court case stemming from the leadership dispute that came to a head Aug. 24, including “any individuals who were instrumental in creating the basis for (the case).”
“Anybody who showed up is pretty much instrumental in creating the basis for that,” Zimmerman said of the Aug. 24 meeting.
Five members of the La Plata County GOP voted against Williams by proxy; five other people, including Zimmerman; former LPC Republican Central Committee Chair Shelli Shaw; and Lew Webb, who ran an unsuccessful campaign in the Congressional District 3 Republican primary, all attended in person.
All 10 people are named on a list of “Republicans in Name Only” – or, RINOs – that Zimmerman said would likely be targets if the amendment passes. It is unclear how or if RINO Watch Colorado, the group behind the list, is tied to the state party although it is closely aligned with Williams.
“I do not believe the current state party leadership has the best interest of state Republicans at heart,” Webb said.
State officials endorsed another candidate, Ron Hanks, in the CD3 primary, but recently sworn-in Rep. Jeff Hurd won the primary and ultimately the race.
Another proposed bylaw revision, Amendment 6, would dramatically redefine who is a voting member at state party meetings. The Colorado GOP has more than 400 members who can vote in central committee elections, including elected members of local Republican chapters across the state and most Republicans elected to statewide and regional offices.
Notably, Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the General Assembly, the state board of education and the University of Colorado Board of Regents and other elected offices across the state would not be allowed to vote at party meetings.
Instead, the party would vote every two years to select a single Republican representative in Congress, a member from each chamber of the Colorado Legislature and other elected offices. Those individuals would be afforded a vote.
In August, five district attorneys, 17 members of the General Assembly and seven other electeds voted to remove Williams, according to the RINO watch list.
By and large, party leaders have their own best interests at heart, Webb said, accusing Williams and Scheppelman of dividing the party.
“We’re supposed to have a voice,” Zimmerman said. “These amendments take that voice away from we the people.”
rschafir@durangoherald.com
