Dear readers,
We will publish the entire letter to the MD GOP Chair, Dirk Haire in its entirety.
By Kate Sullivan, 3rd Vice Chair Nominee
Dear Dirk,
It has come to my attention you are informing members of the MDGOP our slate did not file on time. This is very unfortunate. In the event you do have interest in the issues your actions have created and will continue to create for our party, I have listed them below.
Issue One: Lack of Transparency
The packet was distributed to existing Central Committee members, not incoming Central Committee members. Kathi Smero sent the incoming Central Committee members the following link to register: https://secure.anedot.com/maryland-republican-party/fall-22-convention. This link did not reference the Nominating process.
Issue Two: Lack of Clarity
For argument’s sake, let’s get behind the idea that it is incumbent on us to dig around and look for a copy of a Convention Packet (which arguably we don’t even know exists). But in a nod to personal responsibility, we agree, we should have done our due diligence. Even then, the guidance language under the nominating section is unclear. Within one paragraph, the directions offer contradictory information. On one hand, we are asked politely to “Please submit all Officer Nomination forms to Corine Frank ([email protected]) by 5:00 p.m. on November 9th, 2022.” and the very next sentence states, with much more binding language, “All nominating forms MUST be received 30 days prior to the date of the General session” which, for those in the back, is Friday, November 10th. According to the more binding language we submitted, in fact, a day early. It is also worth noting, we are the only candidates who had to wait until November 9th to file as Gordana was running for Lt. Governor and, despite what may be being broadcast in that famous GOP rumor mill, it was all of our sincere hope Dan and Gordana would win.
Issue Three: Lack of Constitutional Authority
This is the big one. There is an epidemic running rampant in the country right now of people acting on their personal authority rather than their Constitutional Authority. Lockdowns, mandates, curriculum changes outside of COMAR….people in power are imposing fabricated rules on us with no actual authority to do so. And worse, people are appeasing these leaders by accepting these rules without any regard for their personal liberties. Let’s be very clear: The Unity Team does not appease. In fact, we are running to stand up for all those who are tired of business as usual. For those boots on the ground fighters at school boards, medical boards, and Quadrennial Party Conventions who feel voiceless and powerless against a machine that seems rigged against them.
Issue Four: No Clear Nominating Process
Constitutions, Bylaws, and Operating Procedures exist to offer dispassionate accountability to protect bodies of people from petty tyrants acting on their personal authority. While this arbitrary “5pm deadline” – and even the “30 day” deadline – may always have been so, there is no language in the MDGOP bylaws which points to this arbitrary rule, therefore it is unenforceable. As unpleasant a reality as this may be to those trying to enforce these rules, it is nevertheless the reality. The Nominating process is no insignificant duty of an organization yet there is no clear language in the bylaws outlining this process? In all my years of sitting on Boards, I have never heard of an organization’s Bylaws not clearly outlining the nominating process. You are now experiencing the natural consequence of this oversight. As Gordana noted in her email to the MDGOP, if you want your nominating process to be enforceable, you should have voted to amend the bylaws accordingly.
Issue Five: Lack of Professionalism
If our nominations were known to be received late, why is it we never received notice of this fact? While I’m aware, being a good human is not specifically outlined in the MDGOP Bylaws, this should not, however, prevent you from actually being one. Instead, despite a total of 7 separate requestsfrom our team asking for confirmation that our Nominations had been received, we not only never heard back from the MDGOP, but worse, found out from the rumor mill (!) the MDGOP was claiming (falsely) our Nominations had not been received on time. How is this behavior serving you? As a reasonable person, I might at one point have been convinced, this was all an innocent mistake. But your deliberate and frankly, brazen and unapologetic disregard of our sincere inquiry has made it very difficult for me to give the MDGOP the “benefit of the doubt” at this point.
Issue Six: Lack of LEADERSHIP – Perception is reality
You now have a very inconvenient problem on your hands. If you are lucky, your lack of transparency, professionalism, and due diligence in handling this nominating process will at best, be perceived as incompetence. Given the current environment of general public distrust, it is more likely people will assume the worst, which is that you have abused your power and deliberately obstructed the nominating process in order to put the thumb on the scale for the candidates you prefer. Ironically, these two problems are central to why the Unity Team decided to run. So thank you for the perfect, real-time example your actions have provided.
This is a sad day for the MDGOP. Gordana, Berney, Tony, Blaire, Sallie and I have only ever wanted to breathe life, energy, and optimism into our party with fresh ideas and an outsider’s perspective. It has never been personal. I have always enjoyed a nice working relationship with both of you, enjoyed a friendship with Nicolee, and, frankly, always done my best to work with the Central Committees and MDGOP in order to be a part of the solution, not create more problems. I have no idea how this behavior is serving you personally, but it does make it eminently clear as to why the MDGOP has failed so abysmally in Maryland and why it will continue to fail if this behavior continues to be ignored or, God forbid, rewarded.
Kate Sullivan
Candidate for 3rd Vice Chair, MDGOP
