Russell Pearce and Cohorts Plead for Amnesty, LD 25 RiNOs Give It To Them

Led mostly by LD 25 Chair Paul Whetten and attorney Alan Soelberg, a series of options were presented to the assembled regarding how the meeting should proceed.

Without recreating the mind-numbing minutiae of the bylaws and their differing interpretations, the initial vote had to do with whether or not to accept the bylaws as they currently stand; i.e., requiring a signed nomination form for each candidate for state committee.

According to LD 25's new recording secretary, lawyer Brent Ellsworth, the November 29 vote had been flawed, in that many whose names were on the ballot did not submit the proper paperwork to be considered as candidates.

"In fact," Ellsworth e-mailed me recently, "over 400 candidates appeared on that ballot but only about 180 had submitted the proper documentation."

Two of those apparently not submitting their docs on time were the brothers Pearce, Lester and Russell.

Which means they were, per LD 25's bylaws, undocumented.

Seems some folks just don't believe in the rule of by-law, thinking they can skip ahead of others who play by the rules. (Irony alert.)

The Pearces were on hand Wednesday, though they mostly sat in the rear and kept their yaps shut, other than kibbitzing with their fellow Rs before and after the votes.

The resolution of the issue was of importance to Russ, because it's been rumored that he might attempt a challenge of anticipated victor Robert Graham in the race for state party chair during the state GOP's January 26 meeting.

Pearce himself put a hole in that persistent rumor by publicly endorsing Graham earlier in the day.

Not that Pearce would be above a colossal backstab, but such an obvious betrayal of his word would be difficult to rationalize, even for a practiced prevaricator such as Pearce.

A brief debate ensued among the LD 25 PCs. Some argued that the rules weren't there to exclude Republicans from running, but to encourage them to run. Which sounded like the sort of thing a Democrat would say.

One frog-voiced gentleman observed that as a conservative, he supported the rule of law.

"I think it would be wrong to say that we do not abide by the bylaws," he stated.

A slim majority agreed, and the motion passed. It seemed, with that vote, the pro-Pearce camp would endure further punishment, and some in their ranks would not be allowed to run for election to the state committee.

But a motion was made, and seconded, that the results of the November 29 state committee election be accepted, without removing the names of those who did not have their papers in order.