Republican Purge | Eastern NC Now

Republican Purge

BY: HOOD RICHARDSON

The Beaufort County Republican Executive Committee met on Tuesday January 8th at 6:00 PM at the Agriculture Building at the airport. There were approximately 30 people in attendance. The air was thick with tension. The animosity of the Queen Garris supporters toward the conservatives filled the room along with the apprehension of the conservatives. Conservative Republicans were wondering if their complaints about who would pay back the more than $10,000 spent on the nonpartisan municipal election without the approval of the Executive Committee, the entering of the ringer Wiley Woolard, Ashley Woolard’s brother, in the municipal election to split the vote and cause two Republicans to lose their elections, would the members of the elusive “Victory Committee” be revealed, and why were not the items David Hudson requested be put on the agenda not on the agenda going to be discussed. Hudson is a member of the Executive Committee and has the right to place items on the agenda for examination, deliberation and decision by the Executive Committee.

Things went along smoothly until we got to the Treasurer, David French’s, report. Then the announcement was made that he could not be present for this meeting. There are several Board of Elections reports that are incomplete. One report is required for municipal elections. That report states where the more than $10,000 was spent, but it does not give the required accounting of where the money came from. We had about the same amount of money in the bank as we did before the money was spent so about $10,000 was raised from somewhere. Another more comprehensive report to the Board of Elections is required to be made before the end of January 2026. That report is supposed to show where the money came from and where it went. The Beaufort County Republican Party has several letters noticing violations of election laws outstanding.

The 2026 primary candidates were allowed to speak. In attendance were Darren Armstrong and Representative Keith Kidwell. Kidwell told us all of the magnificent things he had done. Some “wag” commented that there was no use in electing anyone for that seat because Kidwell had already done everything.

Then came time to consider the items listed on the agenda simply as “Old Business” and “New Business”. No details were presented. Chairman Garris, the Queen of the Republicans, announced that there would be a ten-minute break after which the only persons to be in the room would be voting members of the Executive Committee. There was no disclosure of what issues would be considered in the “secret meeting”.

There is no provision in the “Beaufort County Plan of Organization” for closed sessions or secret meetings. Every registered Republican in Beaufort County has the right to attend the Executive Committee Meeting. This makes a lot of sense considering the reputation of politicians for smoke-filled rooms, deals and corruption. Having open meetings is necessary to maintain the reputation of the Party. We have enough trouble now that we have open meetings, secret meetings would cause more trouble and allow manipulators to be even more manipulative. The truth would be hard to find.

Queen Garris, at the end of the 10 minutes, demanded that myself, Sheri Clark and Janet Knight leave the room because she had declared us to not be members of the Executive Committee. Janet Knight was elected by the Beaufort County Convention to be the Second Vice Chair, Sheri Clark was elected by the Beaufort County Convention to be a voting member, and I an ex-officio member because of my election to a county commissioner seat. Ex-officio members have all of the rights of an Executive Committee member without the responsibilities of an Executive Committee member. However, ex-officio members do not have the right to vote. We have the right to make motions and debate issues before the Executive Committee.

The three of us refused to leave. At one point Queen Garris opened the door and screamed “Get out”. This went on for at least five minutes. I requested that the minutes show that we were asked to leave. Anthony L. Fucito, Secretary to the Executive Committee, refused to make the notation in the minutes. Both he and Queen Garris stated we were not in session. This is totally wrong. Garris never adjourned the meeting. She called for a ten-minute recess. Fucito is derelict in his duty as Secretary.

Scarlet Stokes called the City of Washington Police. I do not know what she reported but five officers, and some say six, showed up. They spoke at length with Queen Garris. Queen Garris then announced that the meeting would not continue. At this point Queen Garris had violated every rule in the book for conducting these meetings.

I asked the police if there would be a police report. They said, “Probably not” because they could not find where a crime had been committed”. They did say there would be an incident report. The incident report is available to the public.

This is an example of how corruption works in politics. There is one element that is always used by the bad guys: “secrecy”. Corruption cannot thrive in the bright light of public view. Beaufort County Republican leadership and the phantom “Victory Committee” have a lot of secrets they do not want their Republican public to know about. The money raised under false pretenses, the money spent without the approval of the Executive Committee, the attempted excommunication of myself, Sheri Clark and Janet Knight by a single edict of Queen Garris, the deliberate scheduling of Executive Committee meetings at the same time as Conservative Club meetings, failure to have an Executive Committee membership list, failure to properly file finance reports with the Board of Elections, failure to follow the plan of organization, failure to address the Adam O’Neal lawsuit, failure to put requested items on the agenda, etc, etc.

This kind of dictatorial power grab is the beginning of the forming of the ugly face of dictatorship. A small group of people strongarming others into submission or others not caring enough to oppose corrupt behavior is how every dictator in the world got his start. This is why opposing Queen Garris and her minions is so important.

Another Executive Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday February10 at 6:00 PM at the Ag Building at the airport. Queen Garris changed the date again; it is advertised as Thursday February12. It could change again. There may be guards at the door to keep me, Sheri and Janet out. The members of the “Victory Committee” and their buddies have a lot to hide. Democracy can never succeed in the dark of secret meetings and officials who refuse to follow the rules.

The Conservative Club will have marked sample ballots and palm cards in a few days. Those marked are endorsed by a Conservative Club vote and have been vetted by the Club. There are a few offices in which we have endorsed more than one candidate as being acceptable even though you may vote for only one. We have identified those on the ballot. Sample ballots may be picked up at my office beginning on January 19th. Early voting begins on February 12. Election day is Tuesday March 3.