We seem to be in a period where state, territory and now county GOPs are trying out various models of party collapse and paramilitary violence in preparation for the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. We had the latest out of the US Virgin Islands this morning. But the good folks in Cascade County, Montana seem to be getting their freak on as well. From David Murray’s rather amazing piece in the Great Falls Tribune …
With little more than seven weeks left until Montana’s primary election, the Cascade County Republican Party appears to be tearing itself apart from the inside out.
In the past three weeks, two Cascade County Republicans have filed complaints with the commissioner of political practices alleging either the Cascade County Republican Central Committee candidates or their primary election opponents have lied or falsified documents. A third Republican is suing the commissioner of political practices and the state attorney general, arguing that his right to forcefully criticize his opponent is being muzzled by state law.
The depth of the chasm separating the GOP candidates was spotlighted last week when the Great Falls Tribune obtained an audio recording of a CCRCC meeting held April 7. Comments made during that meeting have prompted allegations of hostility, bias and racism, and have led Republicans on both sides of the divide to question their opponents’ conservative credentials.
Like in Cleveland, not everyone feels safe …
This exchange comes after several years of growing acrimony within the Cascade County Republican Party. The differences between Republicans have become so personal that some candidates are questioning their safety when attending CCRCC-hosted events.
In a series of emails leading up to a candidates forum in Vaughn on March 24, House Republican Steve Fitzpatrick questioned Paul about the security measures that had been arranged for the event. Fitzpatrick cited several confrontations between Republicans at prior CCRCC-sponsored events as evidence that his concerns should be taken seriously.
Some people are upset about comments about bullets …
Fitzpatrick responded, “You are taking a substantial risk by failing to take reasonable precautions to ensure the event is safe for those who wish to attend. If there is an incident, you, as the host, will be personally liable for failing to take appropriate precautions.”
Kantorowicz’s comment about “a bullet” being a means to prevent either Fitzpatrick or Hagan from being selected as delegates to the state convention came just two weeks later.
Kantorowicz told the Tribune his comment was made during a moment of frustration and was not meant to be taken seriously.
The same guy is also a little sad about all the racism …
“The racist comments are in character with this group,” Fitzpatrick said. “One of the primary reasons I do not attend Central Committee or Pachyderm functions is because of all of the racist talk I have heard at these functions. In May 2015, I attended a Pachyderm event and was absolutely disgusted by the vitriol and racist talk directed toward Native Americans and the members of the CSKT tribe.”
These are just a few snippets from this completely amazing article.
