U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Dillon ruled on Friday the Republican party has a right to bar members from the party and from voting in party run processes for nominating their candidates.
Two members of the Frederick County Republican Committee were barred from participating in the party for 4 years after they openly supported a third party candidate against a Republican candidate. The rule also meant they cannot vote in any party run nomination process, including Firehouse primaries. They sued RPV for the right to vote. From CourthouseNews.com,
The Supreme Court and the Fourth Circuit both recognize political parties’ right to associate and importantly, their right to limit that association,” Dillon wrote in the 13-page opinion.
“In Virginia, a party is free to select from various methods of nomination in which it can exclude voters who do not share its views — including a closed primary conducted and funded by the party,” Dillon said.
Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, John Whitbeck, responded to the decision,
“We are very glad this pettiness is finally behind us,” said Republican Party of Virginia Chairman John Whitbeck, calling the lawsuit “frivolous” and filed by “party outsiders” who sought to violated party rules.
“There was never a doubt that the RPV would ultimately win in this situation,” Whitbeck said.
The lawyer for the plaintiffs, Charles King, said they would examine their legal options before moving ahead. He added,
“They (the plainiffs) believe their right to vote was being denied because of Facebook posts and op-eds,” he said. “After the 2017 election, the party should be trying to include people, not thin the herd.”
More on the story here.
32 comments
I always find it interesting that it is the Virginia State Republican Party and many of it core membership that are always crying that the Democrats are voting in our primaries and contaminating our candidate selection processes and therefore eventual election outcomes (e.g. they mean loses). Scour the states’ information media and you will be hard pressed to find a single Democratic Party complaint of the very same equally possible effect driving them to distraction. Why do they seem so unconcerned to a process that is clearly a two way street after all as Virginia voters do not register by party, and voting in primaries is open to anyone.
Then there is the question of how do you accommodate the states vast self identified independent voting base. The plan fact is that this self identified independent voter is increasing in numbers across the state while the Republican numbers are shrinking. We are very close, if not at, the tipping point where actual voters self registered as state Republicans will no longer be able vote count wise of solely carrying a statewide candidate to successful election on their own party vote count.
So how does further restricting input into the candidate selection process to produce the so called “perfect” statewide candidate for some party faction that can’t actually elect with the vote count they can bring to election day make the least bit of electoral sense? If you keep putting up candidates that a large segment of the independent or non affiliated party voter population has NO buy in into what is the reasonable result to expect? How does sending occasional party transgressors to four years of party imposed Siberia solve the massive shifts in voter demographics facing the state party in 2020 and beyond?
How exactly is this going to help reset the party to directly address the shifting demographics dynamics of Virginia’s political landscape? Sorry but it seems to me to be not either grasping or understanding what the issues the party is facing really are all about and until that happens you aren’t going to win many elections and not because of those pesky, sneaky Democrats in Republican Party clothing
So cantoring is perfectly legal. Kicking the defunct tea party or trumpsters out is legal. Withholding delegate lists from those the party doesn’t want to run is legal.
It’s written in stone. “In Virginia, a party is free to select from various methods of nomination in which it can exclude voters who do not share its views”
That includes you, Mr and Mrs Citizen.
Not sure what Cantoring is in this context (not the horse dance right?) but going by precedent:
Politically incorrect heresy – bounce;
not sharing delegate info fairly – allowed;
getting tricky with rules in a call – bounce;
resolutioning ‘Expansion of Medicaid’ (Obamacare) – forbidden heresy — see Burgos, Fredy.
If the SCC stood for principle, they’d lose their comfy chairs at the Annex.
It’s our party and we can choose nominees any way we’d like — Voters benefit from our wisdom and generosity in Novembers and may select from our superior products.
Sorry to hear that. The 10th District screwed up big time. They keep supporting moderates against conservatives. If moderates don’t like the nominee it’s ok for the moderate to try and screw the conservative.
But when the conservatives get fed up, NOOOO that’s not allowed.
Takin my Ball and going home because I am not winning way of thinking will have them playing ball with themselves.
At the risk of ripping scabs, either you support our shared nominee or you keep your yap shut — doing the opposite gets you a 4-year timeout.
If moderates support and advocate write-ins or dems against our nominees, they get an equally applied boot.
Unless you have a radio show, or post to blogs, or troll concern or the like… then we arrange a special political petard for you.
The ranks close after the nomination, those that prefer not to may enjoy warm beverages and dainty sammiches amongst themselves in different organizations.
I wonder how much that lawsuit cost and who paid for it?
RPV paid to defend themselves. Plaintiff’s paid their attorney. It’s not likely we will ever know the amounts.
Yes, the GOP units may always use lawfare against the uppity RPV. Seems to me there might have been some FCRC unit money set aside for a rainy day a while back… whatever happened to that?
I believe at the next Stonecutter/SCC meeting, the legal cost will be shared under the “Cone of Silence.”
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XXtQMz1RGNw
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HWtPPWi6OMQ
So does this mean the RPV is going to do it’s job to make sure democrats won’t be allowed to vote in the upcoming Fauquier County Republican Committee Party Canvass since those currently in charge of the FCRC seem to not have a problem with it?
Judging from the 6th, I’m going to guess no.
But aren’t the FCRCPC organizers checking the bona rides of the voters as well as having them sign a statement?
I will never sign a statement of loyalty because of the lack of loyalty shown to the legal Va. Employer and employee by current and past sitting Virginia Republicans.
This street is a Dead End not one way.
Be Free be Independent
Pledge your allegiance to America.
People don’t need political parties, political parties need people. Think as the party tells you to think, vote for the candidate we give you, naaaa
I’ll hold with policy and issues.
When we do primaries, there is no statement of loyalty required… I believe that is why it’s so popular amongst our more moderate brothers.
It just boils down to whether or not the GOP has the wherewithal, vim, vigor, and vitality to be a grownup real political party and come up with superior candidates for publicly elected positions.
Honestly, it’s not rocket science and we’ve been choosing leaders by counting snouts for centuries.
If we can’t put up candidates that are not acceptable to legal Virginia Employers and employees, we should not, and do not, deserve to win.
I gave up on party attendance about 5 years ago.
Now I like to study the policies (current and previous ), bills current and most definitely previous for it shows a trend in the party direction.
Today Campaigns are run just as a talking point counter measure and to identify the new trend to get in front of.
I hold on to this Campaign flyer depicting the private sector challenger as Establishment yet the one passing them out has been envolved in the party from the pre-cell phone era.
I laugh at the saying Goverment is the problem then the one saying that has done nothing.
Virginia is not turning Blue as much as some have sat on the fence.
If we were to dismantle our Government which party would be calling for the rule of law for civilized society to abide by?
It ain’t perfect, but it’s the closest to perfect we can come.
I with any other were branded OTR (other than Republican ) by a local Party offical because of the outcome of a meeting.
This same individual sat on my BOS and pushed and oversaw a approval of a Development , was involved with the Developers then the illegal labor showed up in my community.
I can’t be that kind of Republican.
Some party officials are really jackasses that need to be helped into their rightful party.
It is your responsibility to begin this process at the local level…. All that is necessary for evil to thrive…
I learned quick that the Party is slow to act and has hidden folks that must be contacted.
I can have an effect on policymakers locally that is a much quicker process.
I like to circumnavigate party, skip the political BS and obtain results for my community.
The Democrat party is the same way as Republicans.
I never liked activist but I do believe we have obligations to be pillars in our Communities and not let politics on a larger scale dictate down to us.
Down up is much better but remember I am a mere commoner.
From your posts here, you’re worth at least 6 party people, go forth and conquer.
Nice thanks but I hold no $Political$Celebrity$ aspirations
I watched the clip Zombie Democrats, funny.
Archie Bunker on Democrats is right below it.
Good stuff!
Yeah, un huh…..wink wink…….
Remember that some Republicans win by losing.
I’m not understanding what you mean by this comment.
That certain Republicans, whom I consider non-Republicans, gain more from a Dem win. The president defines these people as ‘Tired of Winning.’
They infest every district, both sides of the party spectrum, our own enemy within, our own deep party, our own swamp.
Oh, yes. I agree!
The pair doesn’t seem to understand that the First Amendment only ties the hands of government and not non governmental organizations.
No, no, no, they are ‘Constitutionalists’ right?
Rocky, you followed me here. You must be a stalking horse ?
Not stalking, just a friendly nag…. (get it?)
Horse references always get an up vote.
We love our ponies in Loudoun! Clarke too!