Are you familiar with the whole sovereign citizen movement? Where people who have declared themselves to be sovereign citizens kind of pick and choose what laws they will and will not follow, and use a variety of conspiracy theories and falsehoods to justify their beliefs and their activities.
Well, the South Dakota Republican Party is facing their own sovereign citizen moment with the Yankton County GOP, where they’ve just up and decided that they’re going to pass some bylaws and by gosh, they’re just going to do what they want. How do we know this? Because I’ve got a copy of the bylaws that they’re going to try to vote on this coming Monday night. And of course, I’m an admitted over-sharer. So, here you go!
Yankton County proposed GOP Bylaws by Pat Powers on Scribd
Take a good read. Because we’re just starting up first hill for the carnival ride roller-coaster.
The first paragraph is where you start off with the crazy. Because you’ve got to see it in print to believe it:
1. Purpose: Yankton County Republican members desire clarity in the Republican Party Yankton County operations. While seeking to generally conform with South Dakota Republican Party Bylaws, these bylaws govern Yankton County Republican operations and responsibilities to its members first, and then to state and/or national organizations subordinately. Should any challenge arise on any matter due to alleged and/or real discrepancy/difference between the Yankton County Republicans Bylaws and the state and/or national Republican Party bylaws, these county bylaws shall take precedence.
It’s the organizational bylaw equivalent of saying “Imma just goin’ to do what I want.” like a spoiled child.
And that’s just the beginning. Because if you want to be a Republican in this county, they want to pass bylaws so you have to show up with a check in hand:
3. COUNTY GOP MEMBERSHIP– All DUES paying residents of Yankton County, who are registered Republicans are county GOP members.
Dues…? This is new. The new bylaws also demand that no one can be a party officer and hold public office above the city or school level:
5. YCREC: The elected officers of YCREC are the county chair and county vice chair, who shall be of the opposite sex, a county secretary, a county treasurer, a state committeeman and a state committeewoman, who shall hold their offices for a term of two years or until their successors have been elected. This group of officers is referred to as the YCREC. Each officer must be a registered Republican residing and voting in Yankton County and an active member in good standing in the Yankton County Republican Party. No officer may hold an elected public office at the county, state, or federal level.
No officeholders allowed!
Regarding the whole “Dues” thing and the “active member in good standing” part:
SECTION III —MEMBERSHIP
a) ACTIVE membership: Persons who wish to actively participate in the Yankton County Republicans must be in good standing and their dues current. He or she can provide input on regular business items and serve on committees. Active members will be notified of meetings and events.
b) INACTIVE membership: Members are assigned INACTIVE status if dues are not received by January 31st. Inactive members may not hold office, be on a committee, make motions, or vote on any items until dues are paid.
They are trying to place it into the bylaws that you have to pay dues to be considered as actively belonging to the Yankton County Republican Party? An even more importantly, inactive members may not hold office?
So, how does that work? And when I ask about the not hold office part, are they including the precinct people who make up the county central committee in that grouping? I ask, because we get into some questions that the Yankton County people proposing this might not have a good answer for.
As a current (and hopefully soon to be re-elected) precinct person, my position is filed with the County Auditor. I’m one of those people who invariably ends up facing a primary election every year. After the primary election, the County Auditor certifies my election for the position and sends me a certificate of election. Meaning, I won the office, and it’s certified and recorded. By noting that if someone doesn’t pay dues, are these proposed Yankton County GOP bylaws claiming that they can remove me from the office? Because if I was elected, and certified by the county as having won that election, and the Yankton County GOP is trying to put further limitations on, that might be something I’d ask a judge to decide who is in the right. The County GOP who is demanding dues, or the voters who elected me?
One of the many pitfalls that this runaway “sovereign Republican” County Committee is facing as they try to create their own breakaway party.
The Yankton County GOP also picked an interesting time to vote on their attempt to shakedown Republicans for money and telling people they’re not active Republicans unless they write a check.
I’m told their meeting is set to be held on Monday, June 3rd. The day before the primary election.
As opposed to helping candidates get elected on Monday, or getting out the vote, instead, they’re voting on a cash shakedown.
It might be a long convention next week.
What is the dues? any particular amount? when is it due?
The SDGOP is the parent organization. The kiddie organization (e.g. the Yankton County GOP) cannot override the SDGOP or RNC bylaws. If a county does pass bylaws that contradict the state or national bylaws, it is absolutely within the power of the SDGOP chair to declare the county to be unorganized and to hold fresh elections. I suspect John Wiik is in no mood to put up with this ridiculousness and would be willing to declare them to be unorganized if they go through with passing bylaws that declare that their county is above the state.
You are right. The local county parties have to follow the state GOP bylaws .
Good luck enforcing that. That would entail Wiik growing a pair.
These same “Pay to Play” Republicans were crying about having to pay for tickets to the last SDGOP State Convention. State GOP should just cut em loose.
So any one want to fess up about who is behind SD Principled Solutions PAC?
nobody in Yankton County from what I can see
This just shows you that the previous county central committee knew what they were doing when they took the money and formed a PAC just before leaving their offices.
indeed. the whackadoodle parade since has been tiresome.
So a South Dakota REPUBLICAN Group is instituting a “county tax” on a targeted segment of citizens. Seems very tyrannical, like something the “ruling bureaucratic deep state” would do. Very contrary to freedom based, democratic “true conservative principles” that allegedly are missing, (according to Mr. Doeden and his ilk) in our state party organization. Real consistant practice of philosophy. LOL!
When toxic political extremists take over county political party units they not only drive away the loyal volunteer workhorses that help with those really good fundraisers but do the needed campaign work too. Many of these extremists will not volunteer and if they do it is not even close to what the previous former volunteers used to do. Then there is the highly radioactive toxic factor that ” the reasonable normals” will avoid like the plague. They will be very careful to not have the appearance or any association with these political extremists which could hurt them socially, career wise and hurt or kill their businesses. No way will they give them any money.
You fellows way over there in the County of Yankton would be well met to elect some real Conservatives with Common Sense.
Interesting, this craziness only applies to Republicans in Yankton Co and not in their official geographical area of District 18, I guess those Republicans outside the county boundaries really aren’t worth including! Over site or just your normal dimness, if you knew these minds, you’d know it’s the later. Remember this crowd enjoys having political debates with their pistols placed on the debate table for all to see (and fear?). Thank gosh no dogs were in the building! Conservatives unite, ya’ll need to jump down the rabbit hole.