Beaufort County Republican Party applies choke hold | Eastern North Carolina Now

Beaufort County Republican Party Applies Choke Hold

By the Observer Editorial Team

Changes in the rules of operation of the Beaufort County Republican Party enacted by the Republican County Convention on March 25, 2023 may violate the free speech laws of the Constitution of the United States.  In their zeal to control conservative Republicans these neophyte, un-elected to public office, woke and liberal, politicians have gone too far.   They made major changes in the rules.  The State Republican Party  requires that all County  plans must be in conformity with the State Plan of Organization.  This is much like county and city governments cannot pass laws that conflict with State Laws.  There is serious conflict.  The question is:  Will the State Republican party go along with this or will they require a change?

The rules on disloyalty, before March 25, 2023, said: “The State Executive Committee may declare a Republican found to have engaged in Party disloyalty as ineligible to serve in any office under the Plan of Organization for some time between six months and five years.”

The new plan says:  “Any registered Republican attempting to influence or influencing the outcome of any election against a Republican candidate, other than supporting an opposing Republican Candidate in a Republican primary, shall be declared ineligible to hold office under the Plan of Organization at the County, District, State and Precinct level for Party Disloyalty by  two-thirds (2/3) vote of the County Executive Committee. The members of the County Executive Committee may declare a Republican found to have engaged in Party disloyalty as ineligible to serve in any office under the Plan of Organization for some time between six (6) months and five (5) years.”  This wording is so broad anyone could be guilty of simply stating an opinion.

One big change is the new rule allows the County Executive Committee to assume the duties and powers of the State Republican Party.  There are many reasons this authority was delegated to the State Executive Committee and not the District or County.  Some of these are to control pettiness, stop witch hunts, stop power mongers from becoming dictators, and respect for free speech, fairness…etc.

Some of the same people who voted to pass this dictatorial rule, at the convention, are the same people who are grossly guilty of Party disloyalty.  Some sit on the newly elected Beaufort County Executive Committee.  One of them is Frankie Waters, who attended the Democrat fund raiser for Corey Rogerson, a Democrat candidate for Sheriff, and gave him money.  Others who posted on the electronic media supporting Rogerson are John Rebholz, and Kelly Cox.  All were allowed to attend and be delegates and officers at the Beaufort County Republican Convention this year.  The main reason they get this privilege is that they support Carolyn Garris, their Queen, for County Chairman.  Tandy Dunn was denied being precinct a Precinct Chairman on orders from Queen Garris.

These changes bring Trump law to Beaufort County.  That is, one set of rules for the liberals and another set for the conservatives.  Queen Garris took it on herself to apply the rules of disloyalty without bringing them to the Executive Committee as is required by the rules.  Those sitting on the Executive Committee who were disloyal to Republican candidates but were loyal to her have supposedly been forgiven.  She violated the rules of the Plan of Organization.

Queen Garris took it on herself to file charges of disloyalty at the State level without the approval of the Executive Committee.  Carolyn Garris then made statements that Tandy Dunn could have no one to support him during the arbitration proceedings. She then, conveniently, had two witnesses with her during the arbitration.  The Sheriff’s candidate, Corey Rogerson, is the nephew of Tandy Dunn’s wife.  Tandy Dunn single handedly won his arbitration.  Again, Queen Garris did not know what she was doing.

The RINO’s under the leadership of Queen Garris are trying to eliminate conservative Republicans from the Republican Party. This is a futile exercise and will result in chaos first, and then the division of the Party.  Our Southern culture is important to all of us.  To that end we rarely hear of Jesse Helms and Ronald Reagan anymore.

There are those who say there is not a dimes worth of difference between the Republican Party and the Democrat Party.  We believe the ethics and character of the leadership of both parties is essentially composed of the same evil talent. However, we believe the basic beliefs and ethics of almost all United States citizens is close to the same feeling or “right and wrong” based on Christian ethics.  Leadership is our problem at all levels of government and within political parties.  Inferior people have seized control.

Some argue that the issue of political parties is not relevant to the big political picture. We do not disagree. However, at the County level, there is one thing of great importance.  When vacancy occurs in an elective office, it is the party that elected that position that makes the appointment. 

We saw that when Queen Garris deliberately misinformed the Executive Committee about the vacancy in the Register of Deeds Office, failed to call a timely Executive Committee meeting, and kept this 69,000 dollar a year job for herself while remaining Chairman of the Beaufort County Executive Committee.  Is she continuing to look for a better paying job?

We saw it again when Gary Brinn passed away, and John Rebholz was appointed to fill his seat.  The County Party then gave favored treatment to Rebholz over conservative candidate Tandy Dunn.  Rebholz has voted with the Democrats and  Fake Frankie Waters on the Board of Commissioners more times than not.  We have five elected Republicans, but two Democrats are in control.   They may be called Republicans, but they vote like Democrats.

The swing to liberal politics is happening, not just on a county level, but on the State and Federal levels. A lot of liberal legislation is being passed in Raleigh, NC and Washington, DC.  These trends will continue if actions such as described above continue.