Why oppose SB 956?

Why is SB956 dangerous?
SB956 for the most part is a good bill. However, there are aspects of the bill that are dangerous. I do not oppose the passage of the bill. I am not calling on our officials to defeat it. I oppose passage of the bill with the language in it that harms the Republican Party. Therefore, I call on our elected leaders to amend it to reflect the concerns addressed below. Further, I am asking all State Party Officials to take action and lead the way in this process.

I have put forward an explanation below:

Line 612: Appointments to State Committees
Prior to this Bill, the number of appointments was 52.

The maximum potential number of State Committee members elected is 201. These members include, State Committeemen, State Committeewomen and the local REC Chairmen.

Line 651: Privilege
This section of the bill allows all appointed and at large members to have full rights and privileges as those elected members.

Line 735: Contribution Increases through exemption
This provision allows for the full amount of potential contribution from a Party to a candidate in the Primary. This number used to be half the amount and had restrictions as to when the money could be disbursed.

This provision also exempts several very costly services from the amount. For instance, media messages on behalf of the candidate would no longer go against the maximum contribution a Party could make to the candidate.

So why should anyone care about these proposed changes to Statute?
Political Parties give a voice to the individual. The Party is a structure developed to promote candidates that have a likeminded political philosophy with that of the grassroots of the party.

In theory, elected officials are in office to do the bidding of the people that elect them. In the past, there has been a thin line between the Party and the elected Republican officials. The Party has acted as a check and balance against those elected Republicans that seek to gain more power through means that are not in keeping with the Republican Party’s ideals. In large part, elected Republicans are the result of the Party and its efforts. In addition, the behavior and governance of those officials reflect back on the Republican brand. For that reason, it is necessary to keep a divide in leadership of the party and the elected Republicans.

Looking at the proposed legislation, the new large voting block is a historical departure from the past. The legislature traditionally has stayed out of writing RPOF Rules and Bylaws and running the party, leaving that to the Chairmen, State Committeemen and State Committeewomen.

This new legislation now gives the elected officials the opportunity to control the message, the money and the ability to promote cronies and likeminded people for office. Couple with that the increase in dollars that would be allowed in a Primary, and you now has a recipe for a party that is run by politicians and not the grassroots of the party.

Further, by allowing at large members to serve as fully privileged members, a Chairman could easily appoint those members to Committee chairs and weight the Executive Board of the State Committee in their favor. This type of cronyism could lead to messages and directions that are determined but by a few and not the grassroots.

People are dismayed with self-serving politicians. If our Party is to succeed, we must return control of the Party back to the grassroots and the party must demand that our elected Republican’s govern in a manner that is keeping with the traditions and values of the Republican Party.

These sections of the legislation must not become law. Doing so will act as a conduit to the collapse of the Republican Party as a grassroots organization and promote an environment for power hungry individuals to promote an agenda that is not in the interest of the Republican Party. Here is some advice from now indicted Ray Sansom’s grand jury:

“This state should be guided in openness and transparency.”

It is with this simple concept of separation that I call upon Chairman Greer and the entire RPOF State Committee to publicly reject the portions of this bill that will undoubtedly bring great harm to our State Party. We as Party leaders have a responsibility to stand for what is right, and fight those things that will bring harm to our Party. Are you uncertain if the grassroots like this bill or not? Then contact your REC members and ask them, I did, and they are not happy. Let your voice be heard, too.

Editor’s note: Eric Miller is RPOF State Committeeman for Martin County and ran against RPOF Chair Jim Greer in the last RPOF election

Read the bill here: