Trouble in SD50, Part 1 of ???
At 7pm on Jan 25, 2024 there was a gathering of people... What were they up to? I attended to find out, and entered the room as a guest.
It should be noted that this was the first time I used a hidden button cam and I did not do so lightly, nor do I publish the forthcoming video clips lightly. As James O'Keefe's work has shown, sometimes the public's right to know is more important than someone's reputation or the rules established by, in this case, a fake meeting.
At one point I was asked if I was recording the meeting by the meeting's security. I lied, saying I had not, because in the moment I did not want my recording to be taken away from me... but after I left the building I told the same individual that I had not been forthcoming with him and that I indeed recorded.
The full series of video clips are already accessible to several others besides me.
This will be Part 1 in an indefinite number of parts.
The reason I think this is important is because:
- this looks like a fake meeting (the votes don't carry weight because the meeting was fake)
- those 'removed' were previously voted in as officers of SD50 (and I believe were there to represent the people, not other interests) and some of them only got voted in because I caught/prevented cheating in a previous convention (more to come on that too)
- Now, a small group is trying to remove them, basically because they unseated party insiders; this struck at the heart of the MNGOP (SD50 is Edina, where the MNGOP offices are, also home to Randy Sutter, CD3 Chair and husband to RNC Chairwoman Barb Sutter)
- However it looks like the small group which tried to remove them did so in an illegitimate fashion, as this video series will lay out (please be patient, it's a lot to unpack)
- Actions like these are part of a multi-year trend to box out people who care about their neighborhoods, communities, and state ALL ACROSS MINNESOTA in the Republican Party; these exclusionary activities, and in this case illegitimate activity, have escalated in the last two years
BE A READER! In each part of this series, the MNGOP constitution, the SD50 Bylaws, the CD3 constitution, and the CD5 constitution, will be listed at the bottom for reader reference.
The KEY POINT in this video...
Teri Hovanec says that she has previously submitted her resignation. That is significant because it immediately terminates her membership.
Check SD50 Bylaws Article II Section 5A, which reads:
SD50 Bylaws
ARTICLE II
FULL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP AND MEETINGS
Section 5. TERMINATION OF FULL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
A. Membership on the Full Committee shall terminate without further action when a member submits a written resignation or ceases to qualify for membership under Sections 1 or 2 of this Article II
Note that the timestamp in the video is 14 hours ahead of local time.
The MNGOP constitution
ARTICLE X Congressional District Party Administration
SECTION 1: Congressional District Committee.
A. Duties and Responsibilities.
The management of the affairs of the party pertaining to each Congressional District shall be vested in the Congressional District committee of such Congressional Districts, subject to the direction of the State Central Committee, the State Executive Committee, and the Congressional District convention, provided that the Congressional District committee shall have no jurisdiction over local affairs within the respective BPOUs in the Congressional District.
ARTICLE XI
Basic Political Organizational Unit Administration
SECTION 3: Removals.
Unless a BPOU constitution or bylaws provide otherwise, any BPOU representative on a Congressional District committee, or officer of a BPOU executive committee may be removed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those members present at a BPOU committee meeting.
SD50 Bylaws
ARTICLE II
FULL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP AND MEETINGS
Section 5. TERMINATION OF FULL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
A. Membership on the Full Committee shall terminate without further action when a member submits a written resignation or ceases to qualify for membership under Sections 1 or 2 of this Article II
B. A member of the Full Committee may be removed for inactivity or conduct tending to obstruct the objectives of the Full Committee by a two-thirds vote of all the Full Committee members attending any Full Committee meeting where that item of business has been included in the written notice of the meeting.
C. The Executive Committee shall give notice of every proposal for removal of a Full Committee
member in accordance with paragraph B hereof in the written notice of the Full Committee meeting. The individual concerned shall be provided with a statement of the charges, not less than ten days prior.
D. The Senate District Co-Chairs shall be the designated spokespersons for the Senate District. No other member of the Full Committee shall be authorized publicly to express views or speak on behalf of the Full Committee or the Executive Committee on any matter unless such committee has considered and taken action on the merits of such matter and has not restricted its dissemination.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS
Section 5. REMOVAL OF SENATE DISTRICT OFFICERS.
A. Senate District Officer may be removed from office for “non-performance” by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the number of Full Committee members present when a quorum was established at any Full Committee meeting where that item of business has been included in the written notice of the meeting. Conduct tending to obstruct the objectives of the Executive Committee, inactivity, or unexcused absence from three regularly scheduled Executive Committee meetings within one calendar year shall constitute “non-performance.”
B. The Executive Committee shall include in the written notice of the Full Committee meeting any proposal for removal of a Senate District Officer in accordance with paragraph A, above. The individual concerned shall be provided a statement of the charges not less than ten days prior to such meeting, and shall be entitled to be heard in his/her own defense at the meeting considering removal.
The CD3 constitution
Article 6 section 3 of CD3 Constitution. The Full Committee shall have no jurisdiction over the internal governance of any BPOU, except as provided under Article VII.
ARTICLE VII: BPOU ORGANIZATIONS
SECTION 1. Jurisdiction. The management of the affairs of the Republican Party within each Basic Political Organizational Unit (BPOU) shall be vested in the BPOU committee, subject to the direction of the State and Congressional District Parties on those matters within the scope of their respective functions.
SECTION 2. Duties. It shall be the duty of each BPOU to select and empower its own leadership for the express purpose of conducting BPOU business, coordinating candidate searches, and conducting an endorsing convention for its state house and state senate districts.
The CD5 constitution
A. To work with each BPOU in the Fifth District to strengthen the BPOU.
C. To cooperate with, coordinate, initiate and support the activities of Republican Party organizations within the Fifth Congressional District, and to maintain liaison between those organizations and the Republican Party of Minnesota.