MS GOP Convention - 'Hypocrisy, Lack of Openness, Fairness, and Transparency'
Editor's Note: the following is a reprint of a report of a Delegate from Lee County, MS who attended the Mississippi Republication Party Convention held in Jackson, MS on May 14, 2016.
To: Belden Precinct Caucus Participants
I want to thank you for your willingness to engage in the Republican Precinct Caucus on April 23rd and elect me as your Delegate from the Belden Precinct to represent you at the Lee County Convention. At the local Convention, I was fortunate to be elected as a delegate to the Mississippi Republican Party Convention that was held in Jackson on Saturday, May 14, 2016.
I want to share with you my experiences and comments. This is my report:
Lee County Convention
We had slate of candidates that had been prepared by the nominating committee that was approved by the local Executive Committee and others who were interested enough to get involved in the process of organizing the Precinct Caucuses and the County Convention. I was not on the Executive Committee but I was invited to participate so I gladly did so. So I knew going in who was included on the slate of delegates and I was invited to be one of the delegates and I agreed to run. We had a very good Chair (Jeremy Martin) who ran our Convention. He did an outstanding job and was very nice, courteous, and accommodating to all. The names of the predetermined slate of delegates was provided in a handout to all the delegates with blank spaces under their names where other people who were placed in nomination could be written in. Other people were then nominated from the floor (most of whom I did not know) and their names were written on a dry erase board and the delegates were asked to add their names to the list of delegates to vote on. After all the nominations were made there was a motion to close the nominations. That was done on a voice vote with no dissenting votes. Then the Chair asked all the nominees to take a minute or so to introduce themselves. Then the Precinct Delegates were asked to mark their forms (ballots) for up to eight candidates that contained the names of all the nominees (both the slate and those who had been nominated from the floor). The forms (ballots) were then passed in and counted by a group of three individuals. The top eight vote getters were selected.
The same process was followed in selecting the alternate delegates and the members of the local Executive Committee. There were just one or two complaints from delegates about the process. But nothing major. One non-delegate complained about how all this was done in secret without people knowing what was going on. That was discussed back and forth a little while the votes were being counted. It was actually a healthy interchange and allowed for some venting.
Overall, the local Party leadership and the team working on the Precinct Caucuses were very pleased with our process which we viewed as open, transparent, and fair. There was unanimous support for the process. It allowed for full participation in the nominating process. All elected precinct delegates to were given the opportunity to make nominations from the floor. We all felt this was critical to our desire to be open, inclusive. fair and transparent.
The results of the nomination and election process were as follows:
Delegates to the State Convention (Eight delegates and eight alternates):
Lee County Delegates and number of votes:
Ed (Doc) Holiday - 25
Pete Sims - 24
June Geddie - 23
Jimmy Stephens - 23
Jeremy Martin - 23
Rita Buse - 22
Bill Marcy - 21
David Hunt and John Logan - 17 and 17 (tie) - David Hunt was elected by coin toss
Lee County Alternates and number of votes (separate nominations and vote were taken after the above delegates were elected)
Mike Maynard - 23
Shelley Crampton - 22
Grady Wigginton - 22
Grant Sowell - 21
John Logan - 21
Tanner Newman - 20
Tommy Chandler - 16
Jonathan Davis - 16
Other County Conventions
Other County Conventions around the State were not conducted in an open, fair, and transparent, manner like the one that was conducted in Lee. This occurred in places like Lowndes, Rankin, Hinds, and Harrison.
If fact, the Republican County Convention in Rankin was so bad it was given the name, "Rankin Railroad". Click on the link below or click the link at the top of the page to see a short video of what happened there:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTELidpXQ9Y
Pre-Convention Happenings
National new outlet Breitbart reported on April 26, 2016 about the "fight" that took place in many places across the State at the County Conventions (See link to article below).
"Mississippi held county conventions Saturday to elect county delegates who will compete to become Republican National Convention delegates at the upcoming state convention.
The process was structured in many locations to favor establishment delegates...."
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/04/25/exclusive-cruz-kasich-delegate-war-explodes-with-mississippi-bloodbath/
Prior to the State Convention, I joined with a group of conservative delegates and alternates that included both Trump and Cruz supporters. The objective was to work for an open, transparent, and fair State Convention where delegates could have a voice at the Convention rather than being asked to vote on (rubber stamp) a slate of delegates that were chosen in secret and hand picked by "The Establishment" with no input from the grassroots. The target audience was clearly laid out by the address in the email:
" To: State GOP Delegates, Alternates and others identified as wishing to have an open and transparent process at the State GOP Convention where nominations may be accepted from the floor by any delegate"
A concerted effort was made to identify and contact as many like minded delegates not only in Lee County but throughout the State. The response was almost always positive from those delegates we were successful in contacting. After all, it is very difficult to argue against openness, transparency, and fairness including allowing nominations from the floor in the Congressional District caucuses.
We had a good deal of difficulty identifying who the delegates were so we might contact them. It soon became obvious the Party leaders had no interest in making it easy to communicate with fellow delegates. We were told that the delegate list was not being made available to anyone due to privacy concerns only to find out the same information had already been given to a delegate that had insider Establishment connections . When that was discovered, I sent an email to the Party Chairman, Joe Nosef and other Party leaders requesting the same data that had been provided to a delegate who was part of the Establishment (see copy of email below).
As expected, I received no response from my request for Party officials even after following up and asking the Party Executive Director, Spencer Ritchie, to call me. After my request was ignored, I then contacted Governor Phil Bryant's secretary on Thursday and he called me back on Friday morning. We had a good conversation and I explained the double standard treatment and he said he would look into it. I have yet to receive any feedback from the Governor or the Party Office and frankly I did not expect to.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
From: cpsims@msn.com To: joe@msgop.com; spencer@msgop.org; msgoprulescommittee@gmail.com CC: june@softwareunlimitedcorp.com; beth@msgop.com Subject: Urgent : Request for Delegate Information Date: Wed, 11 May 2016 11:16:15 -0500
Gentlemen. My name is Pete Sims. I am an elected Delegate from Lee County. On May 6, 2016, I contacted Beth Hamilton of your Office and requested a list of delegates and contact information. I told Beth I had a friend who wanted to run as a delegate to the National Convention. Beth explained this data was not being provided due to privacy related concerns. Yesterday I received a call from Jeanne Luckey soliciting my support for her bid to be reelected as National Committeewoman. We discussed her background and experience and before our conversation ended I asked her where she obtained my contact information. She was somewhat reluctant to answer my enquiry. After asking how she knew I was a delegate and obtained my cell phone number, she stated she got it from the Party . I asked her who at the Party provided it to her and she provided me with a vague response. I asked her how I might obtain the same information and she said I would need to contact the Party. I then called Beth asked her how it was that one delegate was able to obtain the identical data I was told I could not have. I spoke with Beth this morning. She said she had spoken to you, Mr. Ritchie, and you confirmed that you approved providing the delegate list and contact information to Ms. Luckey for purposes of inviting delegates to a reception she was sponsoring in Jackson. Coincidently, I am involved in helping sponsor a reception prior to the State Convention as well. As a result, I am requesting the identical delegate data provided to Ms. Luckey no later than 5:00 p.m. today, May 11,2016. Otherwise, your response to this request will not be timely and will not afford me the same privilege and opportunity you extended to MS. Luckie. Thank you in advance for your prompt consideration and granting of my request. I look forward to working with you all for the betterment of the Republican Party in Mississippi. Regards, Pete Sims Delegate - Lee County ______________________________________________________________________________________
As I mentioned, I had contacted members of the Lee County Delegation asking for their commitment for an open, transparent process that included allowing for nominations from the floor. In a meeting of Delegates on Monday night prior to the Convention, delegates were asked if they supported floor nominations and, I understand, all were in agreement. In addition, on Thursday morning (two days before the Convention) I met with the Chairman of the Lee County Republican Party, June Geddie, and she again confirmed that she would stand with us to allow nominations from the floor.
In fact, Ms. Geddie endorsed in writing the open transparent process that allowed floor nominations (see email below). She wrote this email after she learned of the less than open and transparent process that was conducted at the Lowndes County Convention.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
June Geddie
4/28/16
Now I hope we all understand why it was important that we took the time and walked through the process of deciding how to hold the vote.
Not every county did that. A lot took the easy way out. It had nothing to do with church or whether they were good people or not it had to do with I believe they did know exactly what to do and took the easy way out. Don't you remember all the hours that were spent by a lot of us to make this happen. It takes work to do it right.
This is a second written endorsement of the open, transparent process that allowed for floor votes from Ms. Geddie (see below). She wrote this email after learning of the less than open and transparent way the Convention was conducted in Harrison County.
______________________________________________________________________________________
June Geddie
4/27/16
I. listened to it. I am glad we did it our way. I feel what we did was the right way even though what Harrison did was permissible On Wednesday, April 27, 2016, Pete Sims <cpsims@msn.com> wrote:
Hello, FYI...click on the link below and you will see a report about the Harrison County Republican Convention. Pete Sims
______________________________________________________________________________________
This is the third written endorsement from Ms. Geddie of the open, transparent process that allowed for floor votes (see below). She wrote this email after learning of the manner in which the Convention was conducted in Rankin County.
______________________________________________________________________________________
4/25/16
Wow! When we all were planning, there were many times we talked about how to elect the nominees. We went back and forth talking about how to make it absolutely clear that we were open. Even though we had vetted everyone in the list, there was a discussion about if we wanted to introduce the slate and do a vote up or down to accept the slate as is and go on. We got an opinion from the state GOP that it was permissible. Do you remember I said no that even though it is permissible it is not right. It did not feel right in my gut. The same was true for a number of you. We all came to a peace that what we were doing was right and fair. Even to the last minute Jeremy and I went round and round about what is the best and right way to do this. I am sorry to read what happened in Rankin County. What a mistake.
Let us learn from this in all our future dealings whether as delegates, alternate delegates or executive committee. Those of us who are delegates we do not represent ourselves or someone else but “We the People”.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Mississippi Republican Party Convention - Jackson, MS - 5/14/16
The Convention started on Saturday morning with a General Session with all Delegates seated in alphabetical order by county. In the General Session the delegates voted on and approved the Mississippi Republican Party 2016 Convention Rules. We were told there were no changes made to the Rules from the previous Convention in 2012. Also, the delegates voted on and approved the Bylaws of the Mississippi Republican Party with minor amendments.
After the General Session, Delegates went to separate conference rooms to meet in their respective Congressional District Caucuses. There are four (4) Congressional Districts in Mississippi. Our Caucus, the First Congressional District, was made up of 69.5 Delegates. The other Congressional Districts had approximately the same number.
The Rules of the Convention set out the Agenda for the District Caucuses as follows;
- Call to order by the District Caucus Chairman
- Nominating Committee Report
- Remarks of the Congressional Nominee
- Adjourn
As soon as the Caucus was called to order, a Delegate from Desoto County rose to make a motion. Her motion was ruled out of order by a gentleman at the front of room sitting next to the person Chairing the Caucus. After the Caucus he identified himself as Spencer Flatgard. The Desoto Delegate again made a motion to be heard and she was again ruled out of order. The Delegate from Desoto then appealed the ruling of the Chair that her motion was ruled out of order and it was denied for the third time. The reason she was told she could not make a motion was because the Chair's interpretation of the Rules of the Convention were that the Agenda called for the nominating Committee Report immediately after the meeting was called to order by the Caucus Chairman (see above Agenda).
The next step was a reading of the Nominating Committee Report. The names of the three (3) delegates and three (3) alternates to the GOP National Convention in Cleveland were read along with the 13 names of the nominees as members of the State Republican Party Executive Committee.
When the Nominating Committee Report was read, it was the first time the names were presented to the Delegates. There was nothing in writing handed out to the Delegates to refer to and none of the people who were nominated and present were asked to stand and introduce themselves. Many of the nominees were not even in the room. Most of the Delegates had no idea who the people were who were nominated or what County they were from. I know I only recognized a few of the names that were presented for the Delegates to vote on.
I did recognize the following persons from Lee County were on the Nominating Committee's slate:
Delegates and Alternates to the National Convention (Chosen in the Caucus or at-large)
- Congressman Trent Kelly
- ? (Staff Assistant to Congressman Trent Kelly) [sorry they read the slate so fast I could not catch all the names]
- June Geddie (Chair of the Lee County Republican Party)
- Jimmy Stephens (Vice Chairman of the Lee County Republican Party)
- Ed (Doc) Holiday (former candidate for Congress from the First Congressional District)
Members of the State Republican Party Executive Committee
- June Geddie (Chair of the Lee County Republican Party)
- Jeremy Martin (Assistant Secretary of State)
All the persons in bold letters were on the slate and elected Delegates to the Convention and were present in the Caucus Room.
After the names on the Nominating Committee's slate were read, the Chair asked for a voice vote - "all in favor say Aye" and all opposed say "No". The Chair said the "Ayes" have it. An unidentified Delegate in the Caucus called "Division". The Chair then asked all in favor or the Nominating Committee's Report to stand and then asked all opposed to the nominating Committee's Report to stand. The reported count was 48 in favor of approving the slate as presented by the Nominating Committee and 25 opposed.
After I realized the total vote count of 73 exceeded the number of Delegates of 69.5, I made a motion to recount the vote. The Chair ruled there should be a recorded vote. After a short recess a recorded vote was called for with a spokesperson from each County reporting the vote count for their County.
The vote count after each County was reported was 45 in favor to the Nominating Committee's Report and 24 against with 1/2 Delegate abstaining. Therefore the slate presented by the Nominating Committee was approved.
The Lee County Delegation voted in favor of the Nominating Committee's Reports by a vote of 6 to 2. The vote count was split as follows:
For the Nominating Committee's Report (against allowing nominations from the floor):
Ed (Doc) Holiday***
June Geddie***
Jimmy Stephens***
Jeremy Martin***
Bill Marcy
David Hunt
Against the Nominating Committee's Report (in favor of allowing nominations from the floor):
Pete Sims
Rita Buse
*** on the Nominating Committee's slate as either a GOP Delegate/Alternate or Member of the State Executive Committee
The following is a list of how all the counties in the First District voted - For (yes) and Against (no):
Alcorn - 3 and .5
Benton - 0 and 1
Calhoun - 1 and 0
Chickasaw - 0 and 1.5
Choctaw - 1 and 0
Clay - 1 and 1
Desoto - 8 and 8
Itawamba - 0 and 2
Lafayette - 4.5 and 0
Lee - 6 and 2
Lowndes - 5.5 and 0
Marshall - 0 and 3 (.5 abstain)
Monroe - 3.5 and 0
Oktibbeha - .5 and 0
Pontotoc - 2.5 and 0
Prentiss - 2.5 and 0
Tate - 0 and 2.5
Tippah - 2 and 0
Tishomingo - 0 and 1.5
Union - 2.5 and 0
Webster - 0 and 1
Winston - 1.5 and 0
After the vote on the Nominating Committee's Report the Congressional District Caucus was adjourned.
During the lunch hour, the Delegates were given a box lunch and gathered to hear a speech by Governor Phil Bryant. Some of us decided to eat by the pool instead.
After lunch the Delegates re-convened in the final General Session. This session approved the Nominating Committee's Report of At-Large Delegates to the GOP National Committee in Cleveland. Again the names were read with no prior notice and with no written document provided of who was on the slate. Joe Nosef announced he was re-elected Chairman of the Republican Party, and Jeanne Luckey from Ocean Springs was re-elected National Committeewoman and Henry Barbour was re-elected National Committeeman for four year terms. It was approved on a voice vote but there were a number of "no" votes.
The Platform Committee also presented the 2016 Mississippi Republican Party Platform. After a few motions, a couple of point of information inquiries (one by me and one by Rita Buse), and some suggested changes (one minor suggestion was approved). The Platform was approved by voice vote with some dissenting votes.
The Convention adjourned about 3:15 p.m.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Commentary
Pete Sims - Delegate from Lee County
After attending the Mississippi Republican Party in Jackson as Delegate from Lee County, I can report that the MS Republican Party is alive...but it is not well.
The Republican Party in Mississippi and the apparatus that currently exists to run it is designed to perpetuate its power, control, and influence. Furthermore, it is run much like a corporation with all the power and control concentrated at the top of the organization. Its policies, by-laws, and all other aspects of its operation are present to protect the status quo and those who are at the top of the food chain (those who have money, power and influence; a.k.a., The Establishment).
The Republican Party in Mississippi is not employee owned or even owned by the Delegates who show up in Jackson every four years to elect it's leadership. Sadly, the grassroots and the people at the bottom of the food chain are only given a voice if Establishment Party leadership determines it to be in their interest to do so.
As a Delegate, I felt like I was at the Convention as a prop at a play to be moved around the stage to give the perception of an open, transparent, and fair process. I found a deck that is rigged and extremely stacked in favor of the Establishment. That's the way it currently is and that's the way they want it to stay.
I did not run as a Delegate to the State Convention to be used as a prop. I did run to support a true open, transparent, fair process that would allow all delegates to have a real say in the process. For me this meant allowing delegates to be able to nominate from the floor especially in the Congressional District Caucuses.
I view the politicians as working for me and not they other way around. I am (and you are) their boss. The system should rightly be bottom up and not top down. Our elected officials do not own the seat they occupy whether it be Governor, State Senator, or State Representative. They have been given the opportunity and privilege to serve the people who elected them - they should be accountable to us.
You should know the Establishment does an outstanding job of sizing up "threats" to their position and power. Sometimes have to make deals with the Delegates to hold on to power. That was done in Jackson at the State Convention this past weekend. Not because they wanted to be inclusive but because they felt they had to in order to maintain their hold on power.
The Party leadership made a deal with the Trump Campaign in Mississippi to give them the delegates they wanted to send to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July. In exchange, the Trump people agreed to support the Nominating Committee's slate which contained the hand picked people the Establishment wanted to be on the State Republican Party Executive Committee for they next four years. The Executive Committee runs the party in Mississippi and it is therefore critical for them to appoint people that they feel will help maintain their power, control and influence.
Another tactic the Establishment used to help them "win" was to "reward' certain Delegates with positions on the State Executive Committee and with slots as Delegates to the National Convention. That is what happened with four of the eight delegates in Lee County who were "rewarded' by the Nominating Committee with a place on their slate as either Delegates/Alternates to the National Convention or as members of the State Executive Committee. The Establishment knew it would be difficult for them to stand and vote against themselves. The Establishment was correct in their assessment. The four who were "rewarded" voted for the Establishment slate along with two others in the Lee County Delegation who joined them. Therefore the Lee County Delegation voted 6 to 2 for the Nominating Committee Report (slate).
I understand that is difficult to vote against yourself especially if you have a excellent chance to do something that is very important to you. And maybe in some cases it is difficult to vote against something that you feel is such a great deal for your home County. I get that. But to me the selection of national delegates and who was going to be selected as members of the State Executive Committee was never about who was on the slate, it was about the process to be used for how they were selected. In fact I would have voted for each of my fellow Delegates from Lee County had their name had been placed in nomination from the floor. Unfortunately, I was never given a chance to cast that vote.
However, there is hope. Great strides have been made by the grassroots to challenge the system that continues to try to push conservatives away from a seat at the table. The Establishment is part of a system that is tired, broken, and out of date and they know it. Look at what happened in the recent Republican Primary...the people at the bottom of the food chain (the voters) sent a clear message that the Party is out of touch with the people when they voted overwhelmingly for the two anti-establishment candidates -Trump and Cruz. They were clearly put on notice that their power and influence is threatened and is starting to slip away.
A sleeping giant has awakened in Mississippi. Average people are starting to get engaged as more an more citizens see both political parties failing to represent their interests. The future will belong to politicians (representatives) and political parties who recognize and honor the United States Constitution and treat the people they purport to represent like their boss and not their employee to be controlled and manipulated in order to satisfy their own selfish desires.
God Bless Mississippi and God Bless the United States of America!
Bill Marcy - Delegate from Warren County
Fidel Castro would have loved the way the Mississippi Republican Party ran the State Convention. One party, preselected candidates, no opposition allowed. Speech restricted by the Gun.
Chris McDaniel - State Senator
Is there a fight going on behind the scenes? Yes, every day.
Yesterday, I responded to a longtime member of the establishment who took a second out of his busy life to chastise me on my recent statements. He then kindly asked me to leave the party.
Part of my response is found below:
"You don't know me. Instead, you judge me through a prism of ignorance.
You can't name a single radical position I hold. Not one. And yet you yell from across the country.
You desire a party devoid of principles, of direction, only seeking power for the sake of power.
Fade away. Quit if you wish. But I have children to raise. And I damn well intend to leave them a country of liberty and order. Unlike you, I won't agree to compromise their futures for the sake of personal power.
People like you have driven our party to irrelevance. But your pride won't allow you to admit it."
Chris McDaniel - State Senator
I've been a Republican since 1984, but I'm quickly losing faith in the party's ability to make a difference. The lines have blurred; there is no clear distinction.
It would appear that avarice, blind ambition and a lack of conservative principles from its leaders (the establishment) have combined to doom the party. Indeed, the GOP's leadership and most of its elected officials no longer defend the Constitution and have abandoned the fight for a Jeffersonian, Madisonian representative republic.
Although they profess otherwise, they are too preoccupied assuring that lobbyists like Haley Barbour and Trent Lott profit from their policies, which is done (of course) as part of an exchange for campaign contributions and other personal favors.
It is a quid pro quo exchange that has worked to perpetuate the reelection of career politicians and the nonstop, perpetual growth of government. The party is now dominated by special interests, lobbyists, professional politicians and DC insiders; and they couldn't care less about Mississippi or regular blue-collar Americans.
The insiders operate under a “good old boy" system. They follow the next-in-line strategy when it comes to elections, deciding who “deserves it” based on how long they have been around Washington and who has best built up a network of fellow establishment insiders. Put simply, they only promote those willing to play the game. This has led to a number of unimpressive presidential candidates such as George H.W. Bush, Bob Dole, John McCain and Mitt Romney. The establishment also props up candidates in senate, congressional, and gubernatorial elections, but only those willing do their bidding.
They fought Ronald Reagan in the 1970s and continue to fight the grassroots conservatives today, adopting the tactics of the left in using the media and the politics of personal destruction to attack an opponent.
Their self-serving actions are helping to make the two-party system almost wholly irrelevant. Making matters worse, without an effective ability to counter the rise of socialism, their greed will lead to the ruin of a once great republic.
It must be stopped, one way or the other.
In light of the above, we all have two options: (1) restore the GOP from within, or (2) leave it to the ashbin of history.
Greg Smith - Delegate/Alternate
The more I think about how the establishment tells us that new delegates have not put in enough work to count, the more I want to tell them that it's not about the individual delegate but about the thousands of loyal and dedicated voters of their county that they represent! Voters who over decades found a way to take time from work and families, to drag their friends and neighbors to the polls. To find baby sitters, to load up their elderly parents so they can vote Republican for maybe their last time. There was no one individual in that chamber yesterday that put in as much hard work as the combined hours of all those hard working voters that each delegate represented! We were not there to take away any of their rewards, We were there because the thousands of Republican voters sitting in our seats wanted a fair and open convention that recognized them and there votes.
Melanie Sojourner - Former State Senator
Excellent point, Greg! Very true! As a delegate you are not there serving yourself. You are there representing those who elected you to go be their voice. Sadly, the Party could not have made it more obvious that hearing from the delegates was not their primary goal. Instead they were just there to report their actions to you and intimidate and coerce you into approving.
Teena Horne - Chickasaw County - Delegate Report
1. It was very educational, viewing the process for the first time. 2. Party united behind Donald Trump. 3. Trump headquarters had a party for the delegates and they were all nice folks. 4. At the general assembly we were seated by county. Our county had 1.5 delegate power. I think I was .5 5. We were not allowed to vote for individual delegates. This was pre-determined. Chickasaw Co. stood for open election. We were voted down. Why would people not want elected delegates to vote on this, but we were outvoted. I did not understand this. One woman asked why we were not sent the list beforehand, if it was predetermined. Basically I never saw who the delegates were or where they were from. They could have asked them to stand. Now I am talking about the 40 from MS going to the National. 6. Some of the 40, are your congressmen. Why did they get to go? 7. It was said that the people selected were those that had done a lot for the party itself for years. 8. We were not told where they were from, but I think it was the more populated areas, so the little counties, unless I guess they were big donors got left out. 9. The Robert's Rules of Order and convention rules moved things so fast that people did not get to affect change much. The process was interesting. 10. I left there not happy. But giving the Rebel yell all I could...freedom, democracy, the little people matter!!!! We made some rebel buddies. But,actually we don't matter, so I am not happy today.
Melanie Sojourner - Former State Senator
Speakers on behalf of the MS Republican Party this morning railed against the heavy hand and over reach of the Obama administration. Correctly, stating that it's limiting our freedoms and stifling our productivity.
Then this afternoon, MS GOP leaders used the exact same tactics to limit the participation of the people so those who do as the Party says could be placed in positions of power.
It takes courage to stand and fight when one knows they are going to lose.
But, for those who do it for the sake of what is right you have my unwavering respect. Words can't express how proud I am of you each. If we are to change the reputation of and restore our Party to one of the people, and I will not yield until we do, it will be because of your efforts.
The 2016 MS GOP Convention has concluded and the word that keeps coming to my mind is hypocrisy. No wonder the people don't trust the Republican Party.
What's Next?
Get engaged and stay engaged! Giving up is not a viable option! There is too much at stake. You will find like minded friends and joy in your labors.
Please contact me if you have questions.
Pete Sims
Thanks,
Pete Sims