Read story here: http://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2017/11/02/utah-republicans-to-drop-lawsuit-to-void-sb54-law-on-picking-candidates/

Updated 11/2/2017 at 2:12 pm to include more comments.

Updates 11/3/2017 at 12:30 pm to include more comments.

Related Links:

Davis County GOP Ethics Complaint Substantiated against GOP Chairman

Protect Utah GOP by Repealing SB54

Paul Cozzens “As a board member of Grassroots Republic I reached out to Dave Bateman this morning with concerns about our chair Rob Anderson and his reckless action on wanting to dismiss the lawsuit before we get a decision from the 10th circuit court of appeals. Chairman Anderson cited the reason was so the party will not incur any more expense. Dave said “I will personally fund the lawsuit going forward” we appreciate his willingness to insure this important fight moving forward.”

Dave Bateman: “I read about the plan for the Utah GOP to drop the lawsuit against SB54 for budget reasons, just before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals is set to rule on the challenge made. Doing so would be a tragedy, and will undermine our party, and the healthy business climate my company and others enjoy in Utah. After a discussion with Grassroots Republic, I’ve decided to personally pledge to fund the lawsuit from this point forward, and have drafted a letter to Rob Anderson and the Utah GOP Central Committee to let them know. There’s no longer any reason to drop the lawsuit, other than a desire to allow political elites to buy Utah’s elections. Please share this post so Utah GOP leaders can’t claim they weren’t aware of the now-guaranteed-funding of efforts to repeal SB54. You can join with me to support this repeal effort at https://www.gofundme.com/protect-utah-gop-by-repealing-sb54. Any unused funds will be donated to the Utah GOP. State delegates are educated, and chosen by their neighbors who know and trust them. They are passionate, and respected within their communities. Without the Caucus system, elections are won by those who can afford to run the most negative TV ads, and place the largest yard signs. Utah’s caucus system is everything our country’s Founders cherished about a republican form of government, and we’re throwing it away if we allow SB54.

Ed Wallace:  “At this point, nothing would surprise me.  In my opinion, the corruption and incompetence in Utah politics has reached a level that is worthy of inclusion alongside the professionals in Chicago, Louisiana and Mississippi. This diabolical plot to manipulate and render useless Utah’s election process just keeps on growing. If the court rules in favor of the GOP, and the SCC allows this to stand, then the Utah GOP will assume the position that the national GOP knows so well: “we won, so now let’s surrender’!

Shellie Rasmussen GiddingsSince this isn’t *really* about the finances I wonder how they will talk their way out of it and still pull the law suit.”

David PyneLooks like Joni Crane has defected to the dark side. This decision may bring back a few liberal former Republicans but it has angered and alienated the Utah GOP conservative base beyond words. At minimum, the SCC should vote to censure Chairman Mao Anderson for his dictatorial action and blatant violation of the party bylaws and consider urging Republicans to withhold all donations to the State GOP until this monstrous action is reversed or our current liberal CMV supporting GOP Chairman has been replaced.”

Ben McClintockIt’s going to be a lot harder to see through the smoke and mirrors to find those good candidates. So many fake conservatives getting the backing of good people.”

David PyneSo much for draining the swamp. Chairman Mao Anderson is attempting to fill the swamp with all of his rich liberal CMV donors lol.”

Laura EbertingOne thing that is being overlooked/discounted is the value of the reasoning and language of the 10th Circuit panel in how we deal with CMV. The court is applying a constitutional balancing test–determining if the state has a compelling state interest that justifies burdening political parties’ constitutional rights. Integral to that decision is the extent of the burden and the importance of the state interest being served. The court will rule on where that balance is appropriately struck in this scenario–which has no directly on point prior precedent. Regardless of how the ruling turns out, the court’s language and reasoning would be instructive if not controlling on how to deal with CMV from the constitionality perspective. We should not throw that away based on impatience to have the lawsuit over and behind us. Before we get the court’s language, it is premature to pull out.”

Sylvia Miera-FiskBoth Rob and Joni need to be ousted. I don’t believe for a moment that Lisa Shepherd supported any of this.”

Mike ThompsonRob Anderson misled us when he was running for Chair. If this had been know, instead of his denials, he would not have been elected.”

Brandon WattersThis makes my blood boil…this is NOT what we elected these people to do! Garbage doesn’t stink less if we accept it as the new norm….it still stinks! Shame on you.”

Russell SiasGo Dave! Just don’t forget, that our “friend’ Sen. Bramble is the one responsible for this mess in the first place.”

Thomas Dyches  “WAKE UP REPUBLICANS! You’ve been parroting the same complaints about ⭐️ CMV / SB54 ⭐️ FOR YEARS! When are you going to hit these jokers where it ¢ount$ 💵 and try something new? You need to hit them financially and cause a lot of bad PR for their companies!! Saul Alinsky beat conservatives handily for decades because you don’t know how to hit back. Boycott them but take it online. Make them wet their pants. My video last night is a template for you. Start being activists instead of living/dying within the party apparatus! You think you’re going to simply vote and replace officers to get out of this hole that the Powers-That-Be created? Come on, guys, put the heat 🔥 on them! You’re not helpless! t’s like you’re in an abusive relationship and you keep saying, “Well if we just get a new chairman it’ll be okay.” “If we just win a lawsuit, it’ll be okay.” IT’S NOT GOING TO BE OKAY! The enemies OWN your party. I’m not saying leave the party, I’m saying start thinking outside the playbook. Everyone has weaknesses – even the powers that rule.

Blake Cozzens – “The Iron County Republican Party is considering filing a lawsuit against Rob Anderson and the Utah Republican Party unless he keeps the lawsuit open through the 10th circuit decision. The GOP State Central Committee voted recently to continue the lawsuit, and they have the authority alone under party rules to make that decision. Under the governing documents, they are the governing body of the party. Chairman Anderson appears to be attempting to use a rule regarding budgeting emergencies to act under his executive powers to make a decision contrary to the Central Committee’s desires. Rob Anderson is simply the “liason” as described by the governing documents, he is nothing more than the chairman of the board, the board is the State Central Committee. “ARTICLE IV STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE A. Powers. The State Central Committee shall be the governing and policy-making body of the Party.” The State Central Committee is meeting again on Saturday November 4th, If he wasn’t trying to go against their will, why would he not simply wait until then to bring this for a vote at that time?? It costs the party nothing additional to wait for this decision to come down, it’s like flushing a ton of hard work and money down the toilet, I know lots of people who would donate to preserve that.”

“Wow, Chairman Rob Anderson is reckless and irresponsible, He should be removed ASAP as chairman of the UTGOP, to do this before we even have a decision back from the 10th circuit is reckless and crazy! I hope on Saturday the SCC votes to immediately remove him as chairman and instructs Marcus Mumford that they are the governing body (as stated in the governing documents) and that they lawsuit will continue at least until we get a decision back from the 10th circuit.”

Peggy Burdett – “Don Guymon, a member of that committee who helped lead efforts to continue the lawsuit, said that only the central committee may end it — and the committee’s latest vote on the matter ordered that it continue. Also, he contended that the budget committee that voted with Anderson on Wednesday “was not appointed correctly according to our constitution and bylaws, which calls for a majority of its members to be members of the state central committee” and to be approved by it, which he says current members are not. “The state central committee is the governing body of the party, and we will make decisions regarding the lawsuit,” Guymon said. “We will hold the chairman accountable if he ends this lawsuit….Peggy Burdett Interesting timing of the Media blitz of the Republican Party DIRTY LAUNDRY! SIX days before the 3rd District SPECIAL ELECTION, WHERE THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE has over SIX challengers.”

Keri Witte  – “Why on earth would we end the lawsuit before getting the opinion? That is irresponsible,” Wright said. He questioned dropping the party’s appeal at this point, since the case was already argued before the 10th Circuit Court in September. AGREED. The wheels are in motion; let the final act play out. Bailing at this point in the legal process is ridiculous. Certainly shows ulterior motives. Completely ridiculous to end the process at this juncture. Just shows the lack of support our chairman has for the caucus system.

Richard Behling – “While I am a staunch supporters the caucus system and remain such I agree that the party has been hi jacked by individuals that are neither Republicans nor good for the party.

Kory Holdaway – Is it any wonder that the Republican PartV initiative. Please cut bait and move on!!!

Andrew S Young – “It will cost the UTGOP a total of $0.00 to wait for the result from the 10th circuit court. Aside from that the budget committee assigned by Rob was formed under invalid circumstances and the decision cannot be allowed to stand unless the properly elected committee votes it so. It still has to be brought before the SCC for approval either way. There are procedures for all of it. I don’t even understand all of them myself because there are many bylaws and articles of the party constitution to follow.”

Dale Kay Kelsey Berg – “the only BS is, Rob Anderson is doing what Obama did and Hillary would have probably done, ignore the rules (laws) and claim that it was the best for the party (country). It doesn’t excuse the fact that rules were broken. If it wasn’t good for Obama to ignore the laws then it shouldn’t be accepted that it’s good for Rob Anderson to break the UTGOP governing rules also.

Blaine Nay – “Paying for the fight against SB54 would be no problem if Republicans in the state legislature, the governor’s mansion, and the Republican Party hierarchy itself hadn’t so disgusted the Republican Party faithful that they are no longer willing to waste money on a political party that won’t stand up for the right of political parties to nominate their own political candidates.

Shirene Fausett Saddler – ” Sb54 just got us two Democrat candidates for Chaffetz seat. And that’s a problem. It didn’t help that the signature gathering candidate was working in tandem with a liberal campaign to register non republicans as republicans solely to vote against the convention candidate. Oh and they mailed the ballots to non republicans.”

Steven Stromness – ” For many of us (and certainly for me), the purpose of our participation in the party is not to get just anyone elected who happens to wear the elephant logo. Our purpose is to advance the principles of the URP platform–especially the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. I find it sad when gop office-holders advocate for socialism . . . and the SB54 and “CMV” business really amounts to a socialistic government takeover of the political parties and their governance.I believe ending the lawsuit form of opposition to this takeover before a decision comes from the circuit court judges is a massive capitulation to the socialists and elitists who so dislike the challenge that the delegates and caucus-goers pose to the monopolist power of the.”

Blaine Nay – “SB54 has given us a “Republican” candidate for Congress who is a former registered Democrat who has run for political office has a Democrat. By petition outside of the Party process, that former-Democrat-now-Republican took the Republican Party nomination away from a duly-nominated-in-convention Republican. Those who want the fight against SB54 dropped seem to have no problem with any of that — especially the state chair of the Utah Republican Party.”

Ronald L. Dunn – “The notion that the patriot of modest means can, by convincing his neighbors but without bankrupting himself, get himself elected over a plutocrat hand in glove with media advertisers is worth fighting for.”

Seth Ellis – “We should compromise with how the caucus system is used to choose party nominees.1. Nominees for local offices such as state senate and state house are chosen through the caucus system as before. A primary is only held if a nominee cannot gain more than 60% at convention. 2. Governor, and federal offices such as Senate and House of Representatives must collect signatures. 3. In addition to collecting signatures, to appear on the primary ballot for these larger offices a candidate must also participate at convention. They don’t have to win at convention, but they must participate. 4. If no candidate is able to gain more than 50% of the vote in the primary vote, there is a runoff with the top two contenders.

Ed Wallace Is it possible that the powers that be see the writing on the wall that CMV may lose in Denver? If that were to happen, and John Curtis is elected next week, would that mean that Curtis, if elected, would have to step down because he was illegitimate candidates that bypassed the caucus system? I’m seeing a coordinated effort by defenders of CMV, and those who have pretended to be against CMV, including admins and elected officials, who have all of a sudden capitulated and thrown in with CMV. This diabolical plot to manipulate and render useless Utah’s election process just keeps on growing. The solution is to get the message out and don’t sign the petition”

Richard Genck  – ” Cause we have some great community involvement, a lot of real Conservatives making sure we get the right people in influential positions! We found we can influence local politics far more than we can national politics. Before we had the Organizing Committee, now we have Advocates for a Prosperous Community moving and shaking up politics!”

Royce Monson – “It’s just revealing all who are traitors. Let the purge commence.”

Dana Dickson / Admin – Almost two years ago (Feb. 2016) I did a presentation (located in the IDOC files area) where I said the UTGOP must, among other things, drop the SB-54 lawsuit. Nothing has happened since then to change my mind. Here is why. First of all, the SCC has decided not to spend any more money on the lawsuit, which is fine considering the UTGOP hasn’t paid its way on the lawsuit to this point. But even in the unlikely event the 10th Circuit rules in our favor now (I’m betting it doesn’t) the deep-pocketed, CMV-backed elected officials determining the direction of this case will appeal it, at which point the (broke) UTGOP loses by default. Unfortunately, this is how it is and anyone advocating to continue the lawsuit is either not familiar with the legal system or not looking very far into the future. So we can either admit it now, as Chairman Rob Anderson has evidently done, and get on with the business of: adapting to SB-54, which we already know how to do (also in my presentation), restore the UTGOP to financial health, fight the looming CMV initiative, and find good candidates for the 2018 elections and help get them elected. Or, we can continue in this nightmarish bad-press death spiral, which alienates our base and hammers us in 2018 and possibly into the 2020 elections as well. It’s time for the UTGOP to move on. If you really believe in the caucus/convention system and the delegates in charge of it, now’s your chance to demonstrate that by supporting the Chaiman they elected last May.”

Shirene Fausett Saddler  – “How are you an Admin to this group? SB54 has already proven to be the undoing of the caucus convention system.”

Dana DicksonGroup Admin – “If the state and county parties adapt to the changes foisted on us by SB-54, which some counties have already begun to do, most of the SB-54 damage can be mitigated. However, the ongoing CMV initiative must be stopped first. None of this will happen as long as the UTGOP is wasting its time in a no-win lawsuit.”

Clair EllisGroup Admin Dana, – “the same people and same money are fighting against any party endorsement or favoritism for convention candidates. Even James wouldn’t do it and Rob seems even less inclined. How can it happen?”

Pamela Budge  – “so money wins every time then? all you need to do is have millions of dollars at your disposal & you can control every aspect of Utah politics & policy. in that case, CMV has already won & they’ll keep winning. why would they give up with SB54? they won’t. as we’ve already seen with their Initiative returning.”

Dana DicksonGroup Admin – “See my response to Shirene above. If the state and county parties adapt to SB-54 properly, they will become data/volunteer resources, and fundraising vehicles for convention-winning candidates. CMV did not anticipate that unintended consequence.”

Clair EllisGroup Admin – “There are three aspects to a resolution – legal, financial, and institutional. Waiting a few weeks for a court decision would allow the party institutional resolution, closure, even if it loses, which everyone expects, or if it wins but can’t afford to pursue the win. I would rather wait for that decision. People can come to differing honest conclusions about the trade-offs in those three. I prefer to give more weight to the party institution, which includes the functional integrity of its governing bodies and processes. Quitting now leaves an open wound in the party’s governing bodies and years of debate about what might have been.”

David Pyne – “The SCC needs to act immediately to reverse Chairman ‘Mao’ Rob Anderson’s blatant violation of GOP bylaws to end the Party’s lawsuit against SB-54 or else end his chairmanship of the Utah GOP!!

Kera Yates Birkeland  – “The Utah Republican Party had a budget meeting yesterday. At the budget meeting the state party leadership and budget committee voted to end the lawsuit against the state regarding SB54. Putting aside any opinions on SB54, did the state GOP follow our governing document when making this vote? Were budget committee members approved by the state central committee, as required? Did the budget committee have the required number of scc members on it? Does the budget committee have the authority to override the decisions made by the governing body of the party? So many unanswered questions from party leadership.

As an elected member of the Utah Republican Party Executive Committee, and as a GOP county chair, I heard nothing about the plan to end the lawsuit at the budget meeting. The executive committee hasn’t had a formal meeting since August (our first meeting since new party leadership was elected in May). I’m disappointed in the direction we are headed as a party. How can we complain about the shenanigans going on within the DNC when we don’t even follow our own rules. Add all of this to the fact that the privacy of committee members was invaded at the September 9th meeting when our personal text messages were intercepted & captured by a company working for the state GOP and I have to say– I don’t recognize our party right now.”

Chris Forbush – “Regarding pulling the SB54 lawsuit: Outside of it being a poor idea to pull the suit now while simply waiting for the 10th circuit decision (extremely poor idea), I don’t know how an appeal to SCOTUS would cost an additional $2m. I’d represent the party on appeal for a cool 10% of that. I would have worked the case up to this point for half of what they spent so far. The attorneys are bleeding the party dry and the party clearly didn’t shop around to see who might be able to take the case. I’m almost certain they could have put out a call within the central committee and found a competent attorney to take that case for a very discounted rate, maybe even pro bono. I offer my services to take any appeal to SCOTUS for WAY less than $2m. Anyone here want to raise this issue at the CC meeting? When is it and can non-CC people speak at the meeting?”

Mary Wilson Burkett – “WOW! Under the bylaw being used to justify this action, to get rid of a deficit, it specifically says fund raising and reductions in expenses are supposed to be used to off set the deficit. That needs to be done FIRST. A guy looking for a reason to get what he wants is what all of this is about!”